Upside-down Nuns

Hi,

[First, for anyone who arrived here due to a misunderstanding - the "nun" in the title refers to the Hebrew letter nun, or נ.]

The Talmud (Shabbat 115b-116a) mentions that the verses of Bamidbar 10:35-36 are to be marked off from the rest of the Torah. Traditionally, those markers have been upside-down nuns. However, there is a debate as to whether this means that such markers appear before and after those verses in the Torah (Noda beYehudah), or whether this means that the normal letter nun which appears in the word בנסע in 10:35, and which appears in כמתאוננים in the subsequent verse, 11:1, should be upside down (Maharshal).

Our practice is to follow the view of Noda b'Yehudah. However, a sefer torah which has the markers as determined by the Maharshal is still kosher, and should not be altered. We treat this sefer torah as the "location of Maharshal", where it was appropriate to follow his practice.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:165)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Spending large amounts of money for a mitzvah

Hi,

Aside from the rule that one should not spend more than 1/5 of his assets to fulfill a commandment, one also should not spend "large sums" [הון רב] even where they are less than 1/5, for this will prevent fulfillment of other commandments. This is why many pious Jews, through the ages, did not fulfill the mitzvah of writing a sefer torah.

[Note: This only refers to fulfillment of מצוות עשה, commandments; one must spend far more to avoid violation of a prohibition.]

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:163 and Dibrot Moshe Bava Kama (II) 89:21)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Writing or Buying a Sefer Torah

Hi,

One fulfills the mitzvah of writing a sefer torah by purchasing one that has been written.

There are those who criticize this route because one takes advantage of work that others have done, but generally these sifrei torah do need some repair, and therefore that is not a concern.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:163)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Different customs in writing Sefer Torah, Tefillin and Mezuzah

Hi,

One may use a sefer torah, mezuzah or set of tefillin which was written in accordance with a custom that is not the norm in a particular community. This is not ideal, but since the differences are known only to scribes, this would not be considered a violation of communal custom.

Certainly, we do not rule a particular custom to be 'invalid', where it is one of the traditional types of script.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 5:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Printing a Sefer Torah

Hi,

A Sefer Torah may not be produced by photocopying for several reasons, including:

1. The Torah must be actively written; causing the print to appear is not the same as writing;

2. The Torah must be written with a special ink, which is not used in photography;

3. The Torah must have lines etched into the parchment below the text;

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:40:10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai