Sacred Objects: Sifrei Torah

Blessing for Torah Study

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu la'asok b’divrei Torah. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, charging us to engage with words of Torah.

Beginning With Our Own Torah

1. Think of or imagine a moment when you have encountered the Torah scroll. What did you feel and why?

2. Is a Torah scroll sacred to you? If so, why? If not, why do you think a Torah scroll is sacred to others?

נחמיה ח׳

(א) וַיֵּאָסְפ֤וּ כׇל־הָעָם֙ כְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד אֶל־הָ֣רְח֔וֹב אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י שַֽׁעַר־הַמָּ֑יִם וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ לְעֶזְרָ֣א הַסֹּפֵ֔ר לְהָבִ֗יא אֶת־סֵ֙פֶר֙ תּוֹרַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה ה׳ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃(ב) וַיָּבִ֣יא עֶזְרָ֣א הַ֠כֹּהֵ֠ן אֶֽת־הַתּוֹרָ֞ה לִפְנֵ֤י הַקָּהָל֙ מֵאִ֣ישׁ וְעַד־אִשָּׁ֔ה וְכֹ֖ל מֵבִ֣ין לִשְׁמֹ֑עַ בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד לַחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי׃(ג) וַיִּקְרָא־בוֹ֩ לִפְנֵ֨י הָרְח֜וֹב אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י שַֽׁעַר־הַמַּ֗יִם מִן־הָאוֹר֙ עַד־מַחֲצִ֣ית הַיּ֔וֹם נֶ֛גֶד הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים וְהַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְהַמְּבִינִ֑ים וְאׇזְנֵ֥י כׇל־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־סֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָֽה׃(ד) וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֞ד עֶזְרָ֣א הַסֹּפֵ֗ר עַֽל־מִגְדַּל־עֵץ֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂ֣וּ לַדָּבָר֒ וַיַּֽעֲמֹ֣ד אֶצְל֡וֹ מַתִּתְיָ֡ה וְשֶׁ֡מַע וַ֠עֲנָיָ֠ה וְאוּרִיָּ֧ה וְחִלְקִיָּ֛ה וּמַעֲשֵׂיָ֖ה עַל־יְמִינ֑וֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאל֗וֹ פְּ֠דָיָ֠ה וּמִֽישָׁאֵ֧ל וּמַלְכִּיָּ֛ה וְחָשֻׁ֥ם וְחַשְׁבַּדָּ֖נָה זְכַרְיָ֥ה מְשֻׁלָּֽם׃ {פ}
(ה) וַיִּפְתַּ֨ח עֶזְרָ֤א הַסֵּ֙פֶר֙ לְעֵינֵ֣י כׇל־הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־מֵעַ֥ל כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם הָיָ֑ה וּכְפִתְח֖וֹ עָֽמְד֥וּ כׇל־הָעָֽם׃(ו) וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ עֶזְרָ֔א אֶת־ה׳ הָאֱלֹקִ֖ים הַגָּד֑וֹל וַיַּֽעֲנ֨וּ כׇל־הָעָ֜ם אָמֵ֤ן ׀ אָמֵן֙ בְּמֹ֣עַל יְדֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּקְּד֧וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֛וּ לַה׳ אַפַּ֥יִם אָֽרְצָה׃(ז) וְיֵשׁ֡וּעַ וּבָנִ֡י וְשֵׁרֵ֥בְיָ֣ה ׀ יָמִ֡ין עַקּ֡וּב שַׁבְּתַ֣י ׀ הֽוֹדִיָּ֡ה מַעֲשֵׂיָ֡ה קְלִיטָ֣א עֲזַרְיָה֩ יוֹזָבָ֨ד חָנָ֤ן פְּלָאיָה֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם מְבִינִ֥ים אֶת־הָעָ֖ם לַתּוֹרָ֑ה וְהָעָ֖ם עַל־עׇמְדָֽם׃(ח) וַֽיִּקְרְא֥וּ בַסֵּ֛פֶר בְּתוֹרַ֥ת הָאֱלֹקִ֖ים מְפֹרָ֑שׁ וְשׂ֣וֹם שֶׂ֔כֶל וַיָּבִ֖ינוּ בַּמִּקְרָֽא׃ {פ}
(ט) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר נְחֶמְיָ֣ה ה֣וּא הַתִּרְשָׁ֡תָא וְעֶזְרָ֣א הַכֹּהֵ֣ן ׀ הַסֹּפֵ֡ר וְהַלְוִיִּם֩ הַמְּבִינִ֨ים אֶת־הָעָ֜ם לְכׇל־הָעָ֗ם הַיּ֤וֹם קָדֹֽשׁ־הוּא֙ לַה׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֔ם אַל־תִּֽתְאַבְּל֖וּ וְאַל־תִּבְכּ֑וּ כִּ֤י בוֹכִים֙ כׇּל־הָעָ֔ם כְּשׇׁמְעָ֖ם אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַתּוֹרָֽה׃(י) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֡ם לְכוּ֩ אִכְל֨וּ מַשְׁמַנִּ֜ים וּשְׁת֣וּ מַֽמְתַקִּ֗ים וְשִׁלְח֤וּ מָנוֹת֙ לְאֵ֣ין נָכ֣וֹן ל֔וֹ כִּֽי־קָד֥וֹשׁ הַיּ֖וֹם לַאֲדֹנֵ֑ינוּ וְאַל־תֵּ֣עָצֵ֔בוּ כִּֽי־חֶדְוַ֥ת ה׳ הִ֥יא מָֽעֻזְּכֶֽם׃(יא) וְהַלְוִיִּ֞ם מַחְשִׁ֤ים לְכׇל־הָעָם֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר הַ֔סּוּ כִּ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם קָדֹ֑שׁ וְאַל־תֵּעָצֵֽבוּ׃(יב) וַיֵּלְכ֨וּ כׇל־הָעָ֜ם לֶאֱכֹ֤ל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת֙ וּלְשַׁלַּ֣ח מָנ֔וֹת וְלַעֲשׂ֖וֹת שִׂמְחָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה כִּ֤י הֵבִ֙ינוּ֙ בַּדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹדִ֖יעוּ לָהֶֽם׃ {פ}
(יג) וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשֵּׁנִ֡י נֶאֶסְפוּ֩ רָאשֵׁ֨י הָאָב֜וֹת לְכׇל־הָעָ֗ם הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶל־עֶזְרָ֖א הַסֹּפֵ֑ר וּלְהַשְׂכִּ֖יל אֶל־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַתּוֹרָֽה׃(יד) וַֽיִּמְצְא֖וּ כָּת֣וּב בַּתּוֹרָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֤ה ה׳ בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר֩ יֵשְׁב֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל בַּסֻּכּ֛וֹת בֶּחָ֖ג בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִֽי׃(טו) וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר יַשְׁמִ֗יעוּ וְיַעֲבִ֨ירוּ ק֥וֹל בְּכׇל־עָרֵיהֶם֮ וּבִירוּשָׁלַ֣͏ִם לֵאמֹר֒ צְא֣וּ הָהָ֗ר וְהָבִ֙יאוּ֙ עֲלֵי־זַ֙יִת֙ וַעֲלֵי־עֵ֣ץ שֶׁ֔מֶן וַעֲלֵ֤י הֲדַס֙ וַעֲלֵ֣י תְמָרִ֔ים וַעֲלֵ֖י עֵ֣ץ עָבֹ֑ת לַעֲשֹׂ֥ת סֻכֹּ֖ת כַּכָּתֽוּב׃ {ס} (טז) וַיֵּצְא֣וּ הָעָם֮ וַיָּבִ֒יאוּ֒ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ֩ לָהֶ֨ם סֻכּ֜וֹת אִ֤ישׁ עַל־גַּגּוֹ֙ וּבְחַצְרֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְחַצְר֖וֹת בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹקִ֑ים וּבִרְחוֹב֙ שַׁ֣עַר הַמַּ֔יִם וּבִרְח֖וֹב שַׁ֥עַר אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ {ס} (יז) וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֣וּ כׇֽל־הַ֠קָּהָ֠ל הַשָּׁבִ֨ים מִן־הַשְּׁבִ֥י ׀ סֻכּוֹת֮ וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ בַסֻּכּוֹת֒ כִּ֣י לֹֽא־עָשׂ֡וּ מִימֵי֩ יֵשׁ֨וּעַ בִּן־נ֥וּן כֵּן֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַתְּהִ֥י שִׂמְחָ֖ה גְּדוֹלָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃(יח) וַ֠יִּקְרָ֠א בְּסֵ֨פֶר תּוֹרַ֤ת הָאֱלֹקִים֙ י֣וֹם ׀ בְּי֔וֹם מִן־הַיּוֹם֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הָאַחֲר֑וֹן וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־חָג֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים וּבַיּ֧וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֛י עֲצֶ֖רֶת כַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ {פ}

Nehemiah 8

(1) the entire people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of Moses with which the LORD had charged Israel.(2) On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Teaching before the congregation, men and women and all who could listen with understanding.(3) He read from it, facing the square before the Water Gate, from the first light until midday, to the men and the women and those who could understand; the ears of all the people were given to the scroll of the Teaching.

(4) Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden tower made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah at his right, and at his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam.(5) Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people; as he opened it, all the people stood up.(6) Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with hands upraised. Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD with their faces to the ground.

(7) Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites explained the Teaching to the people, while the people stood in their places.(8) They read from the scroll of the Teaching of God, translating it and giving the sense; so they understood the reading.

(9) Nehemiah the Tirshatha, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were explaining to the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God: you must not mourn or weep,” for all the people were weeping as they listened to the words of the Teaching.(10) He further said to them, “Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in the LORD is the source of your strength.”(11) The Levites were quieting the people, saying, “Hush, for the day is holy; do not be sad.”(12) Then all the people went to eat and drink and send portions and make great merriment, for they understood the things they were told.

(13) On the second day, the heads of the clans of all the people and the priests and Levites gathered to Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Teaching.(14) They found written in the Teaching that the LORD had commanded Moses that the Israelites must dwell in booths during the festival of the seventh month,(15) and that they must announce and proclaim throughout all their towns and Jerusalem as follows, “Go out to the mountains and bring leafy branches of olive trees, pine trees, myrtles, palms and [other] leafy-a trees to make booths, as it is written.”(16) So the people went out and brought them, and made themselves booths on their roofs, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the House of God, in the square of the Water Gate and in the square of the Ephraim Gate.(17) The whole community that returned from the captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths—the Israelites had not done so from the days of Joshua son of Nun to that day—and there was very great rejoicing.(18) He read from the scroll of the Teaching of God each day, from the first to the last day. They celebrated the festival seven days, and there was a solemn gathering on the eighth, as prescribed.

מסכת סופרים א׳:א׳

אין כותבין ספרים לא על עורות בהמה טמאה ולא על עורות חיה טמאה ולא נתפרין בגידן ולא נכרכין בשערן והלכה למשה מסיני שכותבין על עורות בהמה טהורה ועל עורות חיה טהורה ותופרן [בגידן] וכורכן בשערן. הלכה למשה מסיני שמסרגלין בקנה וכותבין בדיו על העור שהוא סמוך לו מן המקרא (ירמיהו ל״ו:י״ח) ואני כותב על הספר בדיו:

Tractate Soferim 1:1

It is not permitted to write [the sacred] books, tefillin and mezuzoth on skins of ritually unclean cattle or on skins of ritually unclean wild animals. Nor may they be sewn with their sinews, or [the parchment rolls of tefillin] be wound with their hair. It is an oral prescription delivered to Moses at Sinai that [all these] shall be written on the skins of ritually clean cattle or ritually clean wild animals, be sewn together with their sinews and [the tefillin rolls] wound with their hair. It is also an oral prescription delivered to Moses at Sinai that [the parchments] shall be ruled with a reed and the writing on the skin be done with ink. [This latter requirement] has support in Scripture, And I wrote them with ink in the book.

מסכת סופרים א׳:י״ב

יריעה של ששה חולקין אותה לשנים ושל חמשה אין חולקין אותה שמא יעשה אחד שנים ואחד שלשה. ואינו רשאי לכתוב אלא א"כ יודע לקרות:

Tractate Soferim 1:12

A [parchment] sheet [of the Torah scroll] containing six columns may be divided into two sheets; but one of five columns may not be divided, in order that it should not be separated into one of two and one of three columns. No one is allowed to write [a scroll of the Torah] unless one is able to read.

מסכת סופרים ה׳:ו׳

הכותב את השם אפי׳ המלך שואל בשלומו לא ישיבנו. היה כותב שנים ושלשה שמות כאחת מפסיק ביניהם ומשיב הטובל קולמוס לא יתחיל אותיות השם אלא מתחיל מאות שלפניו המוחק אות אחת מן השם עובר בלא תעשה א"ר שמעון לכך נאמר (דברים יב) ואבדתם את שמם מן המקום ההוא לא תעשון כן לה׳ אלקיכם:

Tractate Soferim 5:6

When one is writing the Tetragrammaton he may not respond even if the king greets him. If he was about to write two or three divine names successively, he may pause between them and respond. After dipping the reed-pen in ink, he may not start with the letters of a divine name but with the preceding letter. One who erases a single letter of a divine name transgresses a negative commandment. R. Simeon said: On account of this it is stated, Ye shall destroy their name out of that place. Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God.

מסכת סופרים ט׳:א׳

ב׳ דבראשית צריך ארבע תגין ופשוטין אותיותיו של תיבה מן כל האותיות שהיא תקום לעולם:

Tractate Soferim 9:1

On the beth of bereshith there must be four crownlets, and the letters of the word must be extended above all the other letters, because by its means the world came into existence.

מסכת סופרים ט׳:ד׳

שמע ישראל (דברים ו) צריך לכתבו בראש השיטה וכל אותיותיו פשוטין ואחד צריך שיהא בסוף השיטה:

Tractate Soferim 9:4

Shema‘ Yisra’el must be written at the beginning of a line, and all its letters are to be enlarged, while ’eḥad must come at the end of [the same] line.

"The Torah Scroll: How the Copying Process Became Sacred" by Dr. Emanuel Tov, TheTorah.org (2023)

In modern times, scrolls are specialty items, written on parchment with special ink and quill; these features reflect the work’s sanctity. Given this, plus the extreme care and reverence for every word in the Torah that we find in Jewish tradition, and the stringent requirements for Torah scribes, we can easily experience surprise when we learn that scribal practices for copying Torah scrolls in antiquity was similar to non-Torah scrolls.

The extra care taken by proto-MT and Paleo-Hebrew scribes to copy with precision, and to avoid mistakes and the consequent corrections, reflects a first step towards the the emergence of the special, sanctified status of Torah scrolls so evident in modern scribal practice.

"The Temple Scroll: The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls," The Israel Museum: Jerusalem

Late 1st century BCE - early 1st century CE

"An Ancient Scroll of the Book of Exodus: The Reunion of Two Separate Fragments," by Edna Engel and Mordechay Mishor

7th–8th century CE