Daf HaYomi B'Halacha Daily Email

Rambam’s view on a parsha pesucha and stumah

In each Sefer Torah, the writings are spread across hundreds of parshios. As distinguished from the weekly parsha, these parshios are sections of Torah that are separated by mandated blank spaces. There are two forms of parshios--pesuchos (opened) and stumos (closed). The Rishonim disagree on the definition of these terms. Rambam explains that a pesucha is a parsha that begins at the beginning of a line. It is pesucha (opened) -- by a blank space equivalent to nine letters that is left on the previous line. If a sofer realizes that he will not have that amount of space to leave blank, he should leave the entire following line blank. The parsha pesucha is then written on the line after that. A parsha stumah begins in the middle or at the end of a line, after a break equivalent to nine letters from the previous parsha.

[ס"ק קנה; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 186]

Rosh’s view on a parsha pesucha and stumah

Rosh explains the difference between parshios pesuchos and stumos as follows: A pesucha can be formed either by beginning a pasuk on a new line after a nine-letter blank space or starting at the beginning of a line if there is a nine-letter blank space at the end of the previous line. Either way, a pesucha is the first writing on the line. A stumah is a parsha that begins after a closed break. A closed break means that on the same line, there is the following configuration: a previous parsha ends, a space the equivalent of nine letters is left, and a new parsha begins. A parsha stumah can also be accomplished by completing a line, leaving a full line blank and starting the parsha at the beginning of a new line. The blank line sandwiched between two full lines is also considered a closed break.

[ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 186]

How are the parshios of tefillin written?

In the Torah, the parshios of Kadeish, V’hayo Ki Yeviacha and Shema are pesuchos. The parsha of V’hayo Im Shamoa is a stumah. Shulchon Aruch follows the view of most Rishonim who say that the parshios in tefillin should be written the way that they are written in the Torah. Others say that if the parsha of V’hayo Im Shamoa is written as a parsha pesucha, it is still kosher. They explain that in tefillin it is written after the parsha of Shema, which is not the way it is written in the Torah. Since it is not next to its neighboring parsha anyway, it is not necessary to space it the way it is laid out in the Torah.

[סעיף לו וס"ק קנו-קנט; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 187]

All parshios of Sta”m must be written in even columns. The lines should all be the same length. According to many Rishonim, two or three letters of a complete word should not extend beyond the other lines. Rambam holds that even more than three letters can extend beyond the width of the column, provided that those letters do not make up most of a word.

In the case of tefillin, Shulchon Aruch rules according to the above-mentioned view of most Rishonim—i.e. that the line may not extend three letters past the other lines. For a Sefer Torah, however, he rules according to the lenient view of the Rambam.

Aside from the halacha of writing even lines, there is a special stringency to keep the name of Hashem within the column. Even the suffix of the name must be written within the margin.

How do Ashkenazim write their parshios?

How much space must be left blank between the parshios?

How indented may a parsha pesucha be according to the Rambam?

PLEASE NOTE: The information in this email is for learning purposes only. Please review the Mishna Berura and Biurim U'Musafim before making a halachic decision. Hebrew words are occasionally transliterated to enable a smoother reading of the text. Common Ashkenazi pronunciation is generally used in these cases.