Eida Chareidis and BaDaTZ Yerushalayim Issues Ban on the New SIfrei Torah Written with the Horowitz Tikun

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By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

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The BaDatz Yerushalayim has just issued a ruling concerning the new Sifrei Torah that have been written in the past six years which have used the Horowitz Tikkun.  2018 is the first year that the Horowitz Tikkun was used.

Until you check them twice with a reliable  magi’ah and fix them – you may not use them.  Period. End of story.

It must be stressed that the Sofer who wrote it, is a reliable person who made some computer errors.  He meant well and is leshaim shamayim.

But how can one tell that the Torah was written using the Horowitz Tikkun?

The first way is to ask the sofer which tikkun he used.  The problem with that is that most Torah’s were bought through middle men and it is near impossible to speak to him directly.

The second way is to check for the signs.   One can check it if any of the following errors appear.

 

*** Rabbi Yair Hoffman personally knows of four young people who are in need of assistance to attend a seminary or Yeshiva.  For mor details please email the author at [email protected].  The tax-deductible Zelle donation for this can be sent to  [email protected]  Please write in memo that it is for the four young people. ****

THE 27 INDICATIONS

There are, so far, 27 of 31 indications as to whether a new Sefer Torah was written using the H. Tikkun.  The H.Tikkun has been banned for use by Rav Moshe Shaul Klein of Bnei Brak, Rav Avrohom Hersh Vosner in Monsey, Rav Yaakov Meir Stern of Bnei Brak and Rav Sariel Rosenberg.

What follows is a list of some of the errors that indicate the Torah was written using the H. Tikun as of March 8th.

If your Torah was written and purchased after 2021 and has one of these 27 signs then many Poskim hold that one must put a gartel on the outside and computer check the Torah with TorDuK 5.0 and a competent Rav who knows Hilchos STAM.

If your Torah was written and purchased from 2018 to 2021 then it is likely to be problem-free, but it may pay to eventually check it

There is much work being done now by American Rabbonim and top Sofrim to set up a system where everyone can have their Sifrei Torah validated.

Beware of spending any money on checking your Torah without identifying that it was written with an H. Tikkun, repairing it won’t necessarily resolve manty of the underlying problems.  TORDUK 5.0 will not find an extra shiur parsha or a missing shiur parsha or a shiur parsha that is not the right size.

Please note that the original computer check of Vaad Mishmeres Stam which was set up under the Shaivet HaLevi, Rav Shimon Schwab, the Debreciner Rav and Dayan Weiss zt”l has been re-vamped and is now available again in Eretz Yisroel and a portal system for the US is in the works.  This was the only computer check sanctioned by the original Gedolim behind it 45 years ago.

 

*** Rabbi Yair Hoffman personally knows of four young people who are in need of assistance to attend a seminary or Yeshiva.  For mor details please email the author at [email protected].  The tax-deductible Zelle donation for this can be sent to  [email protected]  Please write in memo that it is for the four young people. ****

 

Please further note that the TORDUK Program which is the common program in use, will sometimes misflag mistakes that are found in Sifrei Torah, and a competent user must be used – so reach out to a competent Sofer for a recommendation as to who is fully competent in the use of TORDUK 5.0.  Nowadays, there are generally 245 Yerios in every modern sefer Torah (some have 248).

Type of Errors:  There seem to be 10 types of errors thus far.

  • SBAP (Should be a Psucha) SBAS (should be a Stuma)        MP (Missing a Parsha)
  • EP (Extra Parsha) MLE (Missing a letter)          MLIOR (Missing line or word)
  • EL (extra letter) NWI (NAME of Hashem without Intent)
  • PNWI (Possible NAME of Hashem without Intent
  • LSU Letters Switched Up WWH – Word Written as Holy Name

 

# Parsha Problem Yeriah, line Prk,psk The Error
1 Bereishis PNWI 1:8-11 #3   3 Names of H not indicated fully
2 Noach MP Y10:42 10:32 Missing a shiur parsha between perek 10 and perek 11
3 Vayishlach MLI Y42:26   Missing a line
4 VaAirah MLI Y68:38-40   Computer should have found
5 Beshalach b4 shira PNWI Y78:4 14:31 Asher assa hashem
6 Beshalach in shira MLIOW Y78:4-5 14:31 Asher assa hashem missing Hashem
7 Beshalach in shira MLE Y78:9 15:2 missing vov in v’zimras
8 Beshalach in shira MLE, EL Y78:9 15:6 Says biratz instead of tiratz
9 Beshalach in shira MLE, EL y78:15 15:7 Says dakmecha instead of kamecha
10 Beshalach in shira MLE, EL Y78:23 15:11 Says norah hesilos not norah sehilos
11 Beshalach SBAP Y78:23 15:23 Ok, vayavou marasa  is on end of line not like rmbm see YD 275:6
12 Beshalach MLE, EL Y78:41,42 17:16 Kuf in yad al kes kah should be a yud
13 Beshalach MLE, EL Y81:22 17:16 Should say kah instead of elokecha
14 Beshalach PNWI Y81:22 17:14 He writes it as a safek
15 Mishpatim WWH Y85:1 21:6 El ha-elohim miswritten as kodesh ASK YOUR RAV HOW TO FIX
16 Mishpatim WWH Y87:30 23:13 Veshaim Elohim acherim mis-written as kodesh ASK RAV
17 Trumah MLE Y89:17 25:6 The vov in veliktores was moved up
18 Tetzaveh MLE Y93:6,7 28:3 The word lev is on two different lines
19 Tetzaveh MLIOR Y96:5 29:30 The word “HaKohen” is missing
20 Tetzaveh MLIOR Y96:15 29:38 or 39 Missing word “taaseh”
21 Ki Sisa MLIOR Y98   Instructions wrong. Comps catch
22 Kedoshim EL Y136:20 19:22 The letters AShR appear 3 times
23 Kedoshim EL Y136:28 19:37 The letters AShR appear 3 times
24 Emor MLIOR Y138:38 22:2 Es is missing before shaim kodshi
25 Pinchas   185:10 25:12 The vov in
26 Nitzavim EL 239:38 30:20 The letters AShR appear 3 times
27 VaYelech   241:7 31:14 Vayomer is on the end of the line, making it a stuma not a psucha
28 VaYelech   242:1-6 31:28 6 lines before shira  mixed up
29 HaAzinu   243:1-35 32:22 Vatikad is on left should be on rght
30 HaAzinu MLIOR 243:26 32:39 R’eu is on the line above it at yakumu vyazruchem
31 VeZos HaBracha MP, EP 244:35 33:12-13 Shochain is next to uleyosef amar

 

*** Rabbi Yair Hoffman personally knows of four young people who are in need of assistance to attend a seminary or Yeshiva.  For mor details please email the author at [email protected].  The tax-deductible Zelle donation for this can be sent to  [email protected]  Please write in memo that it is for the four young people. ****

 


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11 Comments
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Please Explain
Please Explain
7 days ago

What is the the Horowitz Tikun?

AYM
AYM
7 days ago

Thank you Rabbi Hoffman for this third article on this subject. Extremely informative.

triumphinwhitehouse
triumphinwhitehouse
7 days ago

who allowed them in the 1st place? this is a VERY serious matter

Ariel Weisz
Ariel Weisz
6 days ago

Dearest Rabbi Hoffman, please understand that an apostrophe is used to indicate possessiveness and NOT plurality. (E.g., The Sifrei Torahs are for sale. This particular Sefer Torah’s k’sav is exquisite.)

ALSO, when using a pronoun (such as “him” or “them”) the singleness or plurality (lashon yachid vs lashon rabim) must be in agreement with the referenced noun. (E.g., “I met with Chaim last week and told him that he was correct.” “I met with the chevrah last week and told them that they were correct.”

SO, the sentence that you wrote:

“The problem with that is that most Torah’s were bought through middle men and it is near impossible to speak to him directly.”

must instead be written:

“The problem with that is that most Torahs were bought through middle men and it is near impossible to speak to THEM directly.”

But MOST importantly of all, yasher koach and thank you for the immense body of scholarship you provide to the community!

Yankel
Yankel
7 days ago

I think you meant BaDatz not NaDatz…

zmendel
zmendel
7 days ago

Why are you censoring my previous comments? It’s not important to know that there are many mistakes in our ספרי תורה ? You can compare it to the oldest Torah which is in Israel Museum and to the Greek translation which was translated by סופרים ירע שמים you’ll find many mistakes!