(מניחין בין שם לשם כדי שיהיו ניכרין ובאותיות כדי שלא יהא מעורבבין אם עירב את האותיות או שהפסיק באמצע השם אל יקרא בו): Sufficient space must be left between words1lit. ‘between name and name’. so that they can be distinguished, and between letters so that they be not mixed. If the letters were mixed or a break was made in the middle of a word, the scroll must not be used for the lection in the statutory services.2In V Rule 1 is enclosed within brackets, probably because it is included in the fuller version in the next Rule.
מניחין בין שיטה לשיטה כמלא שיטה ובין תיבה לתיבה כמלא אות ובין אות לאות כמלא שער (ובין דף לדף כמלא אגודל). עשה סוף הדף לתחלתו פסול. עירב את האותיות או שהפסיק באמצע השם אל יקרא בו: Between lines there must be left the space of a line, between words the space of a letter, between letters that of a hairbreadth, and between columns the space of the width of a thumb. If [a word at]3So according to GRA. the end of a column was copied4lit. ‘made’. at the beginning [of the next column, the scroll] is disqualified. If the letters were mixed or if a break was made in the middle of a word, the lection may not be read from it.
מניחין בין דף לדף שם בן ארבע אותיות. לא יכתוב שנים בסוף הדף ושתים בין דף לדף אבל לא משם קטן ואם היה שם קטן בפני עצמו של שלש אותיות אסור: It is permitted to insert5lit. ‘place’. between columns [part of] a word of five6So N.Y. V, H and M read ‘four’. letters. One may not write two letters within7So N.Y. V and H have ‘at the end’. the column and three without;8Because the greater part of the word must appear within the column. So N.Y. V, H and M read ‘and two between the columns’. GRA emends to ‘one at the end of the column and three between the lines’. but it is not so with a short word.9Of two letters (N.Y.). One letter may be written between columns (H). If the [part of a longer word, however, forms] a short word of two10So GRA. V, H and M, ‘three letters’. letters on its own,11In a noun like שלחן (table), for instance, which consists of four letters, the last two can form the word חן (grace). it is forbidden [to insert it between the columns].12The reading of GRA and N.Y.
מניחין בין דף לדף בתורה ריוח שתי אצבעות ריוח ובנביאים ובחומשין ריוח גודל אחד. מניחין מלמטה בתורה ריוח טפח ולמעלה שני חלקים בטפח. ובנביאים ובחומשין שלש אצבעות מלמטן ושתים מלמעלן. כאן וכאן אם רצה להוסיף מוסיף ובלבד שלא יהו הרוחות מרובין מן הכתב. מניחין בין ספר לספר בתורה ארבעה שיטין ובנביאים שלש שיטין: In a Torah scroll the space13So M, H and N.Y. V repeats ‘space’ unnecessarily. of two finger-breadths must be left between columns, but in scrolls of the Prophets and ordinary Pentateuchs14Intended for study only and not for public lections. a space of one thumb-breadth only. In the lower margin of a Torah scroll the space of a handbreadth is left, and in the upper margin three fingerbreadths;15So H in agreement with Men. 30a (Sonc. ed., p. 195). V and M read ‘two parts of a handbreadth’. but in scrolls of the Prophets and ordinary Pentateuchs three finger-breadths in the lower margin and two finger-breadths in the upper. In all these cases,16lit. ‘here and there’. if it is desired to extend [the margins] this may be done, provided they do not exceed [the space of] the written matter. Between the books17lit. ‘between a book and a book’. The Torah scroll consists of five books. in a Torah scroll a vacant space of four lines must be left, and in a scroll of the Prophets three lines.18Both in the case of the major and minor Prophets (N.Y.).
גמר כל הספרים ושייר בו דף אחד עושה אותו יריעה אחת קטנה ואינו נמנע. מניחין [אותו] בסוף הדף כדי להקיפו עושה עמוד בסוף הספר בתחלה כדי להקיפו וא"צ לעשות כן בתחלתו ובתורה מכאן ומכאן לפיכך גוללין הספר לתחלתו ולתורה לאמצעית ואין פותחין את התורה ביריעה ואורכו של ס"ת ששה טפחים: If one finished [writing nearly] all the book19So N.Y. V, H and M read ‘books’. The reference is either to one book of the Prophets or to several written in one scroll. and one column of text remained, one need not hesitate to make a small sheet of it.20Cf. I, Rule 11. At the conclusion of the [last] column [sufficient parchment] must be left to wind [round the scroll]. It is proper21lit. ‘in the beginning’, ‘at the outset’. to attach a roller to the end of a scroll for winding, but there is no need to attach one at the beginning of a scroll. In a Torah scroll, however, rollers should be attached at both ends. A scroll22Of the Prophets, having its cylinder at the end of the scroll. is therefore rolled up towards the beginning but a Torah scroll23Which has cylinders at both ends. towards its24So H, M and GRA. V omits the pronoun. centre. A Torah scroll may not be opened by [holding on to] a sheet;25Owing to its sanctity. It must be opened by manipulating the cylinders. Another reading for פותחין is פוחתין (H, cf. N.Y.) which gives the clause the meaning that when a Torah scroll is used for reading the lection not less than a full sheet, which contains not fewer than three columns, must be kept unrolled throughout the reading. and the height26lit. ‘length from top to bottom’. of such a scroll must be six handbreadths.
אין פוחתין ביריעה פחות משלשה דפין ולא מוסיפין על שמנה. אבל בשיטין נותנין טעם במסעות ארבעים ושנים וברבבות של ישראל ששים ובזקנים של ישראל שבעים ושנים ובתוכחות של משנה תורה תשעים ושמנה הכל לפי הכתב. במסעות שנאמר (במדבר ל״ג:ב׳) ויכתב משה את מוצאיהם. ברבבות ישראל שנאמר (שמות לד) כתב לך [וגו׳] ואת ישראל מה ישראל בששים ריבוא אף שיטה של תורה בששים (ריבוא). בזקנים שבעים ושנים שנא׳ (במדבר י״א:ט״ז) אספה לי שבעים איש וגו׳. וישאירו שני אנשים במחנה [וגו'] והמה בכתובים שבעים ושנים. ובתוכחות תשעים ושמנה שנאמר (דברים כ״ח:נ״ח) אם לא תשמור לעשות את כל דברי התורה הזאת [וגו׳] ובקלפים לא נתנו שיעור אלא כל שרוצה מוסיף ובלבד שלא יפחות משלשה דפין : A sheet of a Torah scroll must contain not less than three columns and not more than eight. As regards the lines [in a scroll] a reason was given [for four different numbers]: corresponding to the journeys,27The reading of H and GRA. V and M have ‘in the journeys’. forty-two; corresponding to the myriads of Israel, sixty; corresponding to the elders of Israel, seventy-two; and corresponding to the reproofs in Deuteronomy, [36a] ninety-eight; all depending on [the size of] the script.28The larger the characters the fewer the number of lines in a column.
‘Corresponding to the journeys,’ as it is said, And Moses wrote their goings forth.29Num. 33, 2. As the expression of writing (wrote) occurs in the same context as the journeys (goings forth), the number of lines in a written column may be the same as the number of the journeys. ‘Corresponding to the myriads of Israel,’ as it is said, Write thou these words … and with Israel;30Ex. 34, 27. Write and Israel (numbering sixty myriads) occur in the same context. as Israel numbered sixty myriads so may the lines of the Torah be sixty [in a column]. ‘Corresponding to the elders, seventy-two,’ as it is said, Gather unto Me seventy men31Num. 11, 16. … there remained … in the camp … of them that were recorded.32ibid. 26. The number of the elders is found in the same passage as the expression of writing (recorded, lit. ‘written’). ‘Corresponding to the reproofs, ninety-eight,’ as it is said, If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written.33Deut. 28, 58, the words of this law refers to the reproofs numbering 98 and occurs with written in the same passage.
In the case of ḳelaf parchments no limit was prescribed, and one may add [as many lines]34N.Y. explains, ‘sheets’. as desired, provided only there are not less than three columns [to the sheet].35i.e. the lines in a column, or according to N.Y. the sheets, should not be so many as to leave less than three columns for the last sheet of the scroll.
יריעה שבלתה לא יטול שנים ויחזיר שנים אלא נוטל ג׳ ויחזיר ג׳ ומה שהוא מחזיר כמדת כתב ראשון: If a sheet [of a Torah scroll] is worn out, one may not remove two [columns only]36So M. N.Y. (cf. Ṭur Y.D. 280) explains, ‘sheets’ instead of ‘columns’. and replace them by two new columns; but three columns should be removed and replaced by three new ones, and the new columns must be written in the same size as the original script.
שיעור הדף כדי שיהא רואהו ובקטן לא יפחות מטפח. ר׳ יוסי בר יהודה אומר לא יפחות משלש אצבעות: The width of a column [in a Torah scroll] must be such as to be recognizable at one glance,37i.e. not more than three Heb. words, each of ten letters, could be written in a line. If the column is wider, the reader experiences difficulty in passing from line to line. and in a small scroll not less than a handbreadth. R. Jose b. Judah says: It must not be less than the width of three fingers.
ולא יעשה חצי ארכו [יתר] על רחבו ולא רחבו יותר על הצי ארכו אלא *מאמצעו הוא ועושה אותו מן המובחר: Half the length [of a column]38Of text. This is exclusive of the upper and lower margins. Others explain, ‘sheet’, instead of ‘column’. must not be greater than its width, nor its width greater than half its length, but they must be exactly alike,39So GRA. The reading of V is: ‘he takes the middle course and so does it in’, etc. and this is the most correct procedure.40Some versions omit ‘half’ twice in this paragraph which agrees with B.B. 14a (Sonc. ed., p. 67): ‘A scroll of the Torah should be such that its length does not exceed its circumference nor its circumference its length [when rolled up]’. On this reading, the paragraph deals with the size of the scroll in its entirety.
לא יעשה חציו גויל וחציו קלפים אבל עושה חציו גויל וחציו צבאים קלפים מפני שאינו מן המובחר: A Torah scroll may not consist of half gewil and half ḳelaf, but it may consist of half gewil and half ḳelaf41So Asheri (cf. N.Y.). V and H have the plural of ḳelaf. of deers, although42GRA and others. V reads ‘because’. this is not the best procedure.
אין דובקין בדבק ואין כותבין על גבי מטלית ואין תופרין במקום הכתב. אמר ר׳ שמעון בן אלעזר משום ר׳ מאיר דובקין בדבק וכותבין על גבי מטלית אבל אין כותבין במקום הכתב מבפנים אלא מבחוץ. צריך שיהא משייר מלמעלן ומלמטן שלא יקרע ומחו לה אמוחא מלמטה למעלה ומלמעלה למטה . הלכה למשה מסיני ספר תורה שנקרע מטלה עליו מטלית מבחוץ. כל האותיות הכפולים באל"ף בי"ת כותב את הראשונים בתחילת התיבה ובאמצע התיבה והאחרונים בסוף ואם שינה פסול. (ספר שנקרע מטלה עליו מבפנים אבל לא מבחוץ): [A tear in a parchment sheet of a Torah scroll] may not be joined with glue, nor is it permitted to write on a patch, nor may [the sheets] be sewn together on the written side. R. Simeon b. Eleazar said in the name of R. Meir: [A torn sheet] may be joined with glue and it is permitted to write on a patch. It is forbidden, however, to do the sewing43GRA, H and M. According to V ‘the writing’. on the written side within but [it must be done] on the outside.
A space should be left [unstitched] at the top and at the foot [of the sheets] in order that the scroll be not torn [in use].44By leaving a part unstitched, the liability to tear when the scroll is rolled up would be reduced. GRA reads this paragraph as follows: ‘It is an oral prescription delivered to Moses at Sinai that a space should be left [unstitched] at the top and at the foot [of the sheets]. This, however, was at once qualified [by the Sages who questioned whether this was such an oral prescription or merely a rule] so that the scroll should not be torn [cf. Meg. 19b, Sonc. ed., pp. 118f]. If a Torah scroll was torn a patch may be placed on its outside’. This, however, was at once qualified by adding: from the foot towards the top and from the top towards the foot. It is an oral prescription delivered to Moses at Sinai that, if a Torah scroll was torn, a patch may be placed on its outside.
In the case of the double letters of the alphabet,45The five letters כ׳, מ׳, נ׳, פ׳, צ׳ which have a different form as finals. the first ones46i.e. the letters in the non-final form. are written at the beginning and in the middle of a word, and the second47The final letters. at the end. If this is reversed,48A final letter in the middle or at the beginning or vice versa. the scroll is disqualified. If a scroll49Other than a Torah scroll. is torn, a patch may be placed on the inside and50So M. V reads ‘but’. it is not [obligatory to attach it] on the outside.51The sentence is omitted in H, his reading being ‘if a scroll was torn’ instead of ‘if a Torah scroll was torn’.