Who is a
sofer
anyway? A
sofer
is a Jewish scribe who writes and restores the
kitvey hakodesh
(holy writing) using quills and parchment and special ink, following detailed sets of rules. The full title is a
sofer STa”M
from the initials S (
samech) for
Sefer Torah, T (
tav) for
T'fillin
and M (
mem) for
M'zuzah
and these are the three main activities. It isn't just calligraphy as you need a detailed knowledge of the
halachah
(Jewish Law) and a level of observance, being
yirat shamayim
(in awe of heaven).
However a scribe will also write the m'gillat Esther
for use on Purim
to the same strict rules as that for a Sefer Torah
and also the Pittum Hak'toret
for recitation in the prayer service. Gittin
(sing. Get) the divorce documents are secular but are also prepared by scribes as there is a specific text which should be word perfect.
In addition I have created a new scroll using an American text for use on Yom haShoah, the M'gillat haShoah. At the other end of the scale k'tubot
(marriage contracts) do not have to be written by a scribe but is something that I also do.