VIRGIN MUSMACH?

בס"ד


3 Elul

I am engaging in a telephone chevrutah (partnered Torah learning) on the Laws of Megilah with a female student. Qeset HaSofer was written in the 1800's by R' Shlomo Ganzfried (of Kitzur Shulchan Arukh fame) under the auspices of his mentor, the Chasam Sofer. We began with sa'if Khaf-Chet, Alef. Here is a loose translation:

"There is not to be written a Megilah except with d'yo (sofrut ink) on g'vil (separated skin where nothing has been removed except the hair) or on qlaf (separated skin which has been processed differently - too involved to go into here). & it is necessary to score all the guidelines the same way you do for a Sefer Torah. Some say that the skin doesn't have to be processed lishma (with holy intention for the sake of Heaven), but there are those who do say the skin must be processed lishma & we must be strict about this.

Notes on the above chapter from Lishqat HaSofer:
" & if this is not done (scoring all the guidelines as you do with Sefer Torah), then it (the Megilah) is pasul (not kosher). This is agreed upon by all the Acharonim (later commentators) of blessed memory & is written in many places (Bet-Dalet-chikchuk-Mem)...& in the "Beit Aharon" it is written that bediyavad (after the fact) that if only the very first guideline is scored & if he is an expert who can write straight then bimechilah kvod Torato shagah (with all due respect to his Torah learning), we pardon his error."

Some notes from the Mishnat HaSofer on this bit - tsricha sirtut - inscribing the lines - if it's not there, it's pasul (this disagrees with the Lishqat HaSofer in note Alef). if there is only one Megilah can you use it, if it was not written lishma but (use it) without a brakhah. The sofer needs to tell the purchaser whether he said it (his declaration that he was writing the Migilah for the sake of Heaven) aloud or not before the buy (honest disclosure in buying & selling).