The process of handwriting a Torah is an ancient art form that has been kept in tact for well over a 1,000 years. There is nary a Jew in the world who hasn't had some form of experience with a Sefer Torah. Whether it be reading from one on their Bar Mitzvah, dancing with one on Simchas Torah, or just hearing someone else read one on Shabbos or the Holidays. But how many of us know how they are made? How the instruments used to make a Sefer Torah are prepared? A synagoue I attend regularly has just recently begun the writing of a new Sefer Torah. The Sofer is blogging about the process and it's a fascinating read. Everything from preparing the quill and ink, to how the letters are formed....all detailed here, check it out and let me know what you think. As far as we can tell this is the first time a sofer has blogged the writing of a new Sefer Torah.
That's what I saw at first too. The mind plays tricks, trying to take shortcuts. For those of us who are ignorant gentiles, it should be pointed out that a Sefer Torah is something like this: That one is obviously an ancient one, but they still keep making them in the traditional way. Who says we don't grow in knowledge here at BigSoccer?
Hey...that's not a bad idea....there have been too many injuries related to the dangerous act of torah lifting. Maybe we can wrap it in foam or something. LOL.
Which letter was incorrectly copied into a Torah with the consequence that evil was brought into the world?
Don't know but wow, the Jews do get blamed for everything. I know it is an expensive propisition. My aunt commisioned a Sefer Torah for her kehillah here in Cleveland (OK, Beachwood, surprised?) and it set her back. A quick glance shows: http://www.stam.net/torah_scrolls.aspx But you get the whole megillah. No, really, you can buy a megillah.
Evil was brought into the world when Adam ate the fruit of the tree, nothing incorrect about it, that was the way it was originally designed.
No disrespect intended by my comment. It was mentioned in the book Foucault's Pendulum. Perhaps Umberto Eco made it up himself.
None taken. Maybe that's some kind of Da Vinci Code deal....I don't know. Ha....looked up the book on wikipedia because you got me curious.
I loved that book...I guess I have to read it again, because I can't even remember that part...it's been a while...
Probably. It is after all a book about conspiracy theories. Eco is a great writer. Sometimes a bit too complex, which makes him hard to follow, but I love his books and his writing style. And btw, I also cannot remember the part you refer to. That book covers so much, it's hard to remember all the details.
My mistake. It's in The Portage to San Cristobal of A. H. by George Steiner. Chapter 9. A dangerous book.
I blame Eco for the spewing of biblical mythology/ conpiracy theory books which he did well on Foucault's Pendulum and is meeting its demise none to soon at the hands of Dan Brown. A sefer torah contains 304,805 letters.