Netivat Sofrut: diary of a Soferet

Adventures of a female sofer learning to heal the world by doing Holy Work...writing a Sefer Torah

נחזיר את השכינה למקומה בצייון ובתבל כלה

"Let us restore the Divine In-Dwelling to Her Place in Zion & infuse Her spirit throughout the whole inhabited world."

So wherever we are, let us bring the Peace of G@d's Presence.

: Name: Soferet; Location: Vancouver/London, British Columbia/UK, Canada

SCRIBAL EVANGELIST As the only living certified Soferet (סופרת - female Jewish ritual scribe) & the first woman to practice sofrut (creation of sacred Hebrew texts) in over 200 years, I feel an obligation to blog about my experiences of The Work. I am also currently researching the foundation of a lost tradtion of women practicing this holy craft. For more on the services I provide, please see Soferet.com; Sofrut Nation. I am now available to engage with students, male or female, wishing to enter into the preliminary stage of learning sofrut. You are welcome to join me on this path. "Tzedeq, tzedeq tir'dof - Justice, justice you shall pursue." Devarim/Deuteronomy 16:20.

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Tuesday, December 28, 2004

IT'S ALL ABOUT ME ME ME!

BS"D

Since Joel has now been gone for 10 daze (that's not a typo) & I'm feeling a tad lonely, I'm going to share:

10 Random Things You Don't Know About Me

1. The September I was born, it was -65C & there was 15 feet of snow where my family lived, in the Caribou.
2. I am a documentary addict.
3. I used to compete in equestrian show-jumping & teach mentally & physically challenged children how to horseback ride (before my hand was crushed).
4. I used to compete in archery (before my hand was crushed).
5. I used to compete in fencing (ditto - are you noticing a pattern here ;+>?). I still fence, but not often as depending on my opponent I can further injure my hand, because it's in such a delicate state right now. I'll go back to it when I have less calIigraphy/more physio. I can fence but not ride or shoot (arrows) now because my fingers don't open or close sufficiently. It's also hard to do in a long skirt (}:+(].
6. I love crossword puzzles, word searches & verbal arithmetic problems.
7. I dropped out of 2 art schools because all my classmates were prima donnas & my instructors were too bizaarre for words.
8. I was a gemologist before I took up sofrut, grading stones, designing & repairing jewellery & watches.
9. Before I was a gemologist, I was a tobacconist. I taught many men how to properly cut, light & smoke cigars & how to pack, smoke & care for a pipe.
10. I have had *four* concussions.

I'm so glad Joel is, G@d willing, returning home on Thursday...

3 Comments:

Alisha said...: I have two questions:
1) I am a big fan of emoticons, but (}:+(] is a bit baffling even to me. Would you translate, please?
2) How much of this is TRUE??!! (I assumed all of it until I got to #8 and #9, and then I started to wonder...); 10:44 p.m.
Soferet said...: BS"D
Oh, sorry, that's an annoyed, frowny-face.

Here's a skull I invented: (8=E]

I'm afraid it's *all* true, Alisha. I earned my gemological diploma in 1990, specialising in both coloured stones & diamonds. I wrote my thesis on the Pool Emerald, a type of new (at the time) synthetic. All told, I was in the biz off & on for about 10 years. The monthly meetings were fun: a bunch of slides of gemstones followed by a booze-up. Jewellers drink a *lot*...unless they're born-again...

I was in the tobacco business for 2 years in my late teens & then again after the accident with my hand (because tweezers were impossible after that, so no gemology for me) for a couple of years into my mid twenties. Living in a Canadian tourist town with a naval base ensured a steady flow of Americans seeking Cuban cigars & various military types wanting to be initiated into the mysteries of smoke.

So...you believe that I've had 4 concussions? I don't know how to take that ;+>; 11:22 p.m.
Alisha said...: Sheesh! :-O; 12:06 a.m.