OLYMPIA

בס"ד


This morning, before commencing the Torah-checking at B'nai Torah, Joel took me to one of the local organic farms we could bike to for any future grocery trips. This will come in handy when we build our Jewish co-housing community as well.

Wandered into Traditions, where there was plenty of organic clothing, plenty of fair trade Buddhas & no Jewish stuff. Smelled good, tho'...

After lunch, Sherri let me into the synagogue so I could check their 2 Torahs - a small delicate one written in Vellish (Sefardi) script & another larger one.
The large was brushed with log, a substance made from powdered qlaf & chalk which is applied wet & then dries on the parchment. It's often used to make thin qlaf look less transluscent (ie, thicker) & also appear whiter. Whiter parchment is easier to read from, & is considered aesthetically more pleasing as well, so it's more expensive for sofrim to buy & we pass that expense on to our customers. This is a problem, because log can wear off & flake pretty quickly, which leaves a Sefer looking ugly & not kosher. There is also a makhlochet (dispute in Jewish Law) about whether or not Sifrei Torah, Mezuzot or Tefilin are ever kosher to begin with if their writing surfaces are coated with log. Why? Because the letters are not written on the parchment, but on an intervening substance & besides, it's bad karma.

So, why do some sofrim do this? Good question.
Note: I refuse to use qlaf mashuchah (parchment brushed with log) in any of my work.

The log had already begun rubbing off of this relatively new Sefer. Even slight moisture can create wrinkles in the parchment which, when the coating rubs away from these raised & folded areas, will reveal the greys & browns underneath - the true colours of the qlaf & then wear the letters away & turn into tears, as wrinkles in Torahs eventually do :(

I'm so glad I'm using the finest quality of parchment for my Kadima-Torah!

Wish I could write in Sefardi style - I could write so much faster without compromising the letters & then I would be under a lot less pressure from my clients.

Joel & I headed into town again to have dinner with my father-in-law, which was quite grand. It's good to have such a great one, too, & so much like my own Dad...

I gave my "Netivat Sofrut" talk in the social hall back at the Conservative shul which was quite well received. It generated more Halakhic debate & discussions of real-world applications than I think of any other group I've ever spoken to!

Drove to Silverdale after a large helping of peanut butter cookies to visit with the mom-in-law & family...
...it was a full day.

Good night!