The Writing Utensil Part 1

Exactly what material is a Sofer's Writing Utensil?

As I wrote in a previous post, a Sofer's writing is heavily influenced by their writing utensil. Now, exactly what material can a Sofer use to write with? Al Pi Halacha, a Sofer can use ANYTHING!!! (Keset HaSofer 3:6) 

Some major utensils include:

Quills: Many Sofrim uses feather or quills to write STaM. There are some who doubt using a Tameh (not pure/ not kosher) bird's feather to write STaM. Nowadays, the majority of Soferim use turkey or goose quills to write. Of course, you need to shape the quill yourself (Very delicate and bothersome at times!) Personally, I have used a turkey quill to write.

Quills before they have been sharpened to a tip.

Bamboo: Yes, the same bamboo that Pandas eat. Using a reed for STaM has done ever since the times of Moses Rabbeinu. Sharpening a bamboo reed requires woodworking expertise. I used a bamboo reed before I discovered turkey feather for tools for STaM. 

Various bamboo writing utensils.

Metal: As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, even metal can be used for STaM. Now, if you look at Majority of Soferim writing, you see many of them use quills or reeds to write. Why is that? Isn't metal the easiest utensil to write with? Well. Yes, it is the easiest to write with. But to sharpen any metal requires a lot of tools and can be very expensive. Another reason why Soferim do not use metal is that metal is used for weapons of war (ie guns swords tank etc). A Sefer Torah is a peaceful object, why would we use a material that is for killing and destruction for an object that is peaceful? I have used a calligraphy fountain pen as a beginner to practice my letterforms, but only on a piece of paper.  

The Supplies of a Sofer

Well, what are the Sofer's supplies?
 The Supplies of a Sofer can be at times numerous. There are three main supplies that every sofer needs in order to write:

1. Writing Utensil- The Sofer's writing utensil one of the most important tools that a sofer uses. The Sofer's writing is heavily influenced by the writing utensil.  


2. Ink- A sofer uses ink to write with. Not pencil. Not crayons. Not sharpies. By Halacha, the Ink of a sofer needs to be black, last for an extremely long time, and be kosher.  

3. Parchment- The Sofer has his writing utensil and his ink, but what does he write on? He writes on parchment! Parchment is a general term for the material that a sofer writes on. In reality, the parchment "splits" into three other categories. I will write a detailed post about the different parchment types later. Parchment is processed skin form a kosher animal. Parchment can come from any animal as long as the animal is kosher.   

Welcome to my Blog!

Welcome to my Blog!

My name is Michael Arashebn and I am learning to become a סופר סת"ם I started to research about ספרות and I decided to learn the Halachot of סת"ם and how to write. Currently, I have learned about one year's worth of ספרות. I started ספרות as a hobby, but later I realized I can help many people with their סת"ם needs when I become a סופר. I am very serious about becoming a סופר and I contacted various סופרים and סת"ם checkers for tips and advice when needed. 

I would like to give a big thanks to two סופרים I have contacted through my current year worth of Safrut:

Rabbi Eli Gutnick- Thank you for answering my questions and assisting me with ספרות. (Especially by referring me to Rabbi Traube!) Thank you also for opening the International סת"ם Forum. It has helped me very much in approaching different questions of סת"ם I have/had.

Rabbi Shmuel Aharon Traube- Thank you for your kindness and open hands to accepting my questions and checking my כתב. Thank you for providing supplies that I can use to practice my כתב.