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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Thursday, May 05, 2005

SPRING TORAH TOUR, 2005

BS"D

"Star Eytz"© copyright A. Barclay

Did I mention we're off on another road trip? Whenever we're on the move I am always reminded of this gouache piece I painted while living in Kfar Hanasi in '97. The Mageyn David & the Eitz Chayim morphing together the way you pack up your bag, your tools, your office & head on out into the Big World. Flexibility. Vigilance. Faith.

I wish I had a better sense of humour about these trips, but I just hate crossing into the USA. It's improved since Joel has his Canadian Visitor's Visa stapled into his US passport & we make sure the guards know that I'm sponsoring his immigragtion to my country. But still. Any crossing could be a disaster. We aim for the middle-aged guys who chew gum. They let us (read me) in with no trouble, which is appropriate for innocent civilians who will not be committing crimes during their stay. The young guys are the worst - they have something to prove. Blah.

Hopefully, the communities whose Sifrei Torah I will be checking & fixing, to whom I will be teaching Hebrew calligraphy & Midrash on the Alefbet, will benefit sufficiently that the spreading of Torah will outshine the trepidation.

My trepidation...