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Qualifications and education subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Qualifications_and_education-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Texts_teaching_sofrut" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Texts_teaching_sofrut"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1</span> <span>Texts teaching sofrut</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Texts_teaching_sofrut-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Women_and_sofrut" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Women_and_sofrut"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2</span> <span>Women and sofrut</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Women_and_sofrut-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Documents_written_by_scribes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Documents_written_by_scribes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Documents written by scribes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Documents_written_by_scribes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Calligraphy_and_lettering" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Calligraphy_and_lettering"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Calligraphy and lettering</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Calligraphy_and_lettering-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References_and_notes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 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title="Sofer – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Sofer" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer" title="Sofer – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Sofer" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer" title="Sofer – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Sofer" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer" title="Sofer – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Sofer" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-el mw-list-item"><a href="https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%A3%CE%BF%CF%86%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%BC" title="Σοφερείμ – Greek" lang="el" hreflang="el" data-title="Σοφερείμ" data-language-autonym="Ελληνικά" data-language-local-name="Greek" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Ελληνικά</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer" title="Sofer – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Sofer" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%81%D8%B1" title="سوفر – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="سوفر" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer_Sta%22m" title="Sofer Sta"m – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Sofer Sta"m" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahli_Taurat" title="Ahli Taurat – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Ahli Taurat" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer_(ebraismo)" title="Sofer (ebraismo) – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Sofer (ebraismo)" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A8_%D7%A1%D7%AA%22%D7%9D" title="סופר סת"ם – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="סופר סת"ם" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lt mw-list-item"><a href="https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soferis" title="Soferis – Lithuanian" lang="lt" hreflang="lt" data-title="Soferis" data-language-autonym="Lietuvių" data-language-local-name="Lithuanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lietuvių</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-arz mw-list-item"><a href="https://arz.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%AA%D8%A8%D9%87" title="الكتبه – Egyptian Arabic" lang="arz" hreflang="arz" data-title="الكتبه" data-language-autonym="مصرى" data-language-local-name="Egyptian Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>مصرى</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nds mw-list-item"><a href="https://nds.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer" title="Sofer – Low German" lang="nds" hreflang="nds" data-title="Sofer" data-language-autonym="Plattdüütsch" data-language-local-name="Low German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Plattdüütsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer" title="Sofer – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Sofer" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer_Stam" title="Sofer Stam – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="Sofer Stam" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Română</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%BE%D1%84%D0%B5%D1%80" title="Софер – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Софер" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofer" title="Sofer – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Sofer" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-yi mw-list-item"><a href="https://yi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A8" title="סופר – Yiddish" lang="yi" hreflang="yi" data-title="סופר" data-language-autonym="ייִדיש" data-language-local-name="Yiddish" 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class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Jewish scribe</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For the talmudic tractate, see <a href="/wiki/Soferim_(Talmud)" title="Soferim (Talmud)">Soferim (Talmud)</a>. For other uses, see <a href="/wiki/Sofer_(disambiguation)" class="mw-disambig" title="Sofer (disambiguation)">Sofer (disambiguation)</a>.</div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Sofer,_Jewish_scribe.JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Sofer%2C_Jewish_scribe.JPG/220px-Sofer%2C_Jewish_scribe.JPG" decoding="async" width="220" height="146" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Sofer%2C_Jewish_scribe.JPG/330px-Sofer%2C_Jewish_scribe.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Sofer%2C_Jewish_scribe.JPG/440px-Sofer%2C_Jewish_scribe.JPG 2x" data-file-width="1484" data-file-height="984" /></a><figcaption>A sofer at work, <a href="/wiki/Ein_Bokek" title="Ein Bokek">Ein Bokek</a>, Israel</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Torah_scribe.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Torah_scribe.jpg/220px-Torah_scribe.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="171" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Torah_scribe.jpg/330px-Torah_scribe.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Torah_scribe.jpg/440px-Torah_scribe.jpg 2x" data-file-width="616" data-file-height="480" /></a><figcaption>A Middle Eastern sofer sews together the pieces of parchment</figcaption></figure> <p>A <b>sofer</b>, <b>sopher</b>, <b>sofer SeTaM</b>, or <b>sofer ST"M</b> (<a href="/wiki/Hebrew_language" title="Hebrew language">Hebrew</a>: <span lang="he" dir="rtl"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A8_%D7%A1%D7%AA%22%D7%9D" class="extiw" title="he:סופר סת"ם">סופר סת״ם</a></span>, "scribe"; plural <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">soferim</i></span>, <span title="Hebrew-language text"><span lang="he" dir="rtl">סופרים</span></span>) is a Jewish <a href="/wiki/Scribe" title="Scribe">scribe</a> who can transcribe <a href="/wiki/Sifrei_Kodesh" title="Sifrei Kodesh">Sifrei Kodesh</a> (holy scrolls), <a href="/wiki/Tefillin" title="Tefillin">tefillin</a> (phylacteries), <a href="/wiki/Mezuzah" title="Mezuzah">mezuzot</a> (<span class="anchor" id="ST_M"></span><b>ST"M</b>, <span title="Hebrew-language text"><span lang="he" dir="rtl">סת״ם</span></span>, is an abbreviation of these three terms) and other religious writings. </p><p>By simple definition, soferim are <a href="/wiki/Copyist" title="Copyist">copyists</a>, but their religious role in <a href="/wiki/Judaism" title="Judaism">Judaism</a> is much more. Besides sifrei Torah, tefillin, and mezuzot, scribes are necessary to write the Five Megillot (scrolls of the <a href="/wiki/Song_of_Songs" title="Song of Songs">Song of Songs</a>, <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Ruth" title="Book of Ruth">Book of Ruth</a>, <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Esther" title="Book of Esther">Book of Esther</a>, <a href="/wiki/Ecclesiastes" title="Ecclesiastes">Ecclesiastes</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Lamentations" title="Book of Lamentations">Book of Lamentations</a>), <a href="/wiki/Nevi%27im" title="Nevi'im">Nevi'im</a> (the books of the prophets, used for reading the <a href="/wiki/Haftarah" class="mw-redirect" title="Haftarah">haftarah</a>), and for <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn"><a href="/wiki/Get_(divorce_document)" title="Get (divorce document)">gittin</a></i></span>, divorce documents. Many scribes also function as calligraphers—writing functional documents such as <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn"><a href="/wiki/Ketubah" title="Ketubah">ketubot</a></i></span> (marriage contracts), or ornamental and artistic renditions of religious texts, which do not require any scribal qualifications, and to which the rules on lettering and parchment specifications do not apply. </p><p>The major <a href="/wiki/Halakha" title="Halakha">halakha</a> pertaining to <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">sofrut</i></span>, the practice of scribal arts, is in the <a href="/wiki/Talmud" title="Talmud">Talmud</a> in the tractate "<a href="/wiki/Soferim_(Talmud)" title="Soferim (Talmud)">Maseket Sofrim</a>". In the Torah's <a href="/wiki/613_commandments" title="613 commandments">613 commandments</a>, the second to last<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> is that every <a href="/wiki/Jews" title="Jews">Jew</a> should write a sefer Torah before they die.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Qualifications_and_education">Qualifications and education</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Sofer&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Qualifications and education"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A sofer must be religiously observant, of good character, and knowledgeable about the laws concerning sofrut. It is a common misconception that one has to be a <a href="/wiki/Rabbi" title="Rabbi">rabbi</a> in order to become a sofer.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>People who want to become ritual scribes usually learn from another expert scribe by undergoing <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">shimush</i></span> (apprenticeship), since it would be impossible for someone to be a scribe without any actual practice. Newly certified scribes write <i><a href="/wiki/Book_of_Esther" title="Book of Esther">Megilat Esther</a> scrolls</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The hardest part about learning to be a sofer is not the <a href="/wiki/Calligraphy" title="Calligraphy">calligraphy</a>, but, rather, remembering the thousands of laws that apply to sifrei Torah, tefillin, mezuzot, and all the other texts that are written on <a href="/wiki/Parchment" title="Parchment">parchment</a>. </p><p>Some people who want to become ritual scribes learn at the <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">Vaad Mishmereth STaM</i></span>, an international organization whose goal is to protect the halachic and artistic integrity of the scribal arts, located in <a href="/wiki/Jerusalem" title="Jerusalem">Jerusalem</a> and <a href="/wiki/Bnei_Brak" title="Bnei Brak">Bnei Brak</a> in Israel, as well as in <a href="/wiki/Brooklyn" title="Brooklyn">Brooklyn</a>, New York, United States; studying comes with the option of receiving a certificate, though certification of this sort is not a halachic requirement, nor does it necessarily guarantee the quality of a particular sofer's work. This process does, however, ensure that a certified sofer has received the proper education and is a recognized expert in the field of sofrut. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Texts_teaching_sofrut">Texts teaching sofrut</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Sofer&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Texts teaching sofrut"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Maurycy_Gottlieb_-_Torah_Scribe.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Maurycy_Gottlieb_-_Torah_Scribe.jpg/170px-Maurycy_Gottlieb_-_Torah_Scribe.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="224" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Maurycy_Gottlieb_-_Torah_Scribe.jpg/255px-Maurycy_Gottlieb_-_Torah_Scribe.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Maurycy_Gottlieb_-_Torah_Scribe.jpg/340px-Maurycy_Gottlieb_-_Torah_Scribe.jpg 2x" data-file-width="715" data-file-height="944" /></a><figcaption><i>The Torah Scribe</i> by <a href="/wiki/Maurycy_Gottlieb" title="Maurycy Gottlieb">Maurycy Gottlieb</a>, <a href="/wiki/National_Museum,_Wroc%C5%82aw" title="National Museum, Wrocław">National Museum, Wrocław</a></figcaption></figure> <p>The main texts from which Ashkenaz soferim learn the scribal art include the <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">Keset Ha-Sofer</i></span>, <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">Chasdey David</i></span>, <a href="/wiki/Mishnah_Berurah" title="Mishnah Berurah">Mishnah Berurah</a> (24-45), <a href="/wiki/Mishneh_Torah" title="Mishneh Torah">Mishneh Torah</a> (Hilchot Tefillin u'Mezuzah v'Sefer Torah, Hilchot Tzitzit), <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">Mishnat Hasofer</i></span>, <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">Mishnat Sofrim</i></span>, and the <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">Likkut Sifrey Stam</i></span>.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Sephardic soferim rely, in addition to <a href="/wiki/Mishneh_Torah" title="Mishneh Torah">Mishneh Torah</a> (Hilchot Tefillin u'Mezuzah v'Sefer Torah, Hilchot Tzitzit), on <a href="/wiki/Arba%27ah_Turim" title="Arba'ah Turim">Arba'ah Turim</a>, <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">Beit Yosef on Tur</i></span>, and <a href="/wiki/Shulchan_Arukh" class="mw-redirect" title="Shulchan Arukh">Shulchan Arukh</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Baladi Rite Yemenite (Teimani) scribes try to follow as closely as possible only the instruction of the <a href="/wiki/Rambam" class="mw-redirect" title="Rambam">Rambam</a>, i.e. <a href="/wiki/Mishneh_Torah" title="Mishneh Torah">Mishneh Torah</a> (Hilchot Tefillin u'Mezuzah v'Sefer Torah, Hilchot Tzitzit), though before Mishneh Torah, their standard was based on the Rama, i.e. Rabbi <a href="/wiki/Meir_Abulafia" title="Meir Abulafia">Meir ben Todros HaLevy Abulafia</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Women_and_sofrut">Women and sofrut</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Sofer&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Women and sofrut"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Forming the basis for the discussion of women becoming soferim, Talmud <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">Gittin</i></span> 45b states, "Sifrei Torah, tefillin and mezuzot written by a heretic, a star-worshipper, a slave, a woman, a minor, a <a href="/wiki/Samaritans" title="Samaritans">Cuthean</a>, or an <a href="/wiki/Apostasy_in_Judaism" title="Apostasy in Judaism">apostate Jew</a>, are unfit for ritual use."<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The rulings on mezuzot and tefillin are virtually undisputed among those who hold to the <a href="/wiki/Talmud" title="Talmud">Talmud</a>. While <a href="/wiki/Arba%27ah_Turim" title="Arba'ah Turim">Arba'ah Turim</a> does not include women in its list of those ineligible to write Sifrei Torah, some see this as proof that women are permitted to write a sefer Torah.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, today, virtually all Orthodox (both Modern and Ultra) authorities contest the permissibility of a woman's writing a sefer Torah. Yet, women are permitted to inscribe <a href="/wiki/Ketubah" title="Ketubah">Ketubot</a> (marriage contracts), STaM not intended for ritual use, and other writings of <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">sofrut</i></span> beyond simple STaM. In 2003, Canadian <a href="/wiki/Aviel_Barclay" title="Aviel Barclay">Aviel Barclay</a> became the world's first known, traditionally trained, soferet.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Among non-Orthodox Jews, women have written Torah scrolls since the early 2000s. In 2007 <a href="/wiki/Jen_Taylor_Friedman" title="Jen Taylor Friedman">Jen Taylor Friedman</a>, a British woman, became the first woman to scribe a sefer Torah.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In 2010, the first sefer Torah scribed by a group of six women (from Brazil, Canada, Israel, and the United States) was completed;<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> this was known as the <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_Torah_Project" title="Women's Torah Project">Women's Torah Project</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-jweekly1_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-jweekly1-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Since then, other women have written Torah scrolls.<sup id="cite_ref-jpost1_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-jpost1-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As of 2014<sup class="plainlinks noexcerpt noprint asof-tag update" style="display:none;"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sofer&action=edit">[update]</a></sup>, there were an estimated 50 female sofers around the world.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Documents_written_by_scribes">Documents written by scribes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Sofer&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Documents written by scribes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Tefillin.JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Tefillin.JPG/200px-Tefillin.JPG" decoding="async" width="200" height="150" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Tefillin.JPG/300px-Tefillin.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Tefillin.JPG/400px-Tefillin.JPG 2x" data-file-width="448" data-file-height="336" /></a><figcaption>A pair of <a href="/wiki/Tefillin" title="Tefillin">tefillin</a>. Note the four-pronged Shin</figcaption></figure> <p>Besides Torah scrolls, tefillin, and mezuzot, scribes are also necessary for the writing of the <a href="/wiki/Five_Megillot" title="Five Megillot">Five Megillot</a> (scrolls of the <a href="/wiki/Song_of_Songs" title="Song of Songs">Song of Songs</a>, <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Ruth" title="Book of Ruth">Book of Ruth</a>, <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Esther" title="Book of Esther">Book of Esther</a>, <a href="/wiki/Ecclesiastes" title="Ecclesiastes">Ecclesiastes</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Lamentations" title="Book of Lamentations">Book of Lamentations</a>) and Nevi'im (the books of the prophets, used for reading the <a href="/wiki/Haftarah" class="mw-redirect" title="Haftarah">haftarah</a>), and for <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn"><a href="/wiki/Get_(divorce_document)" title="Get (divorce document)">gittin</a></i></span> (divorce documents). In some communities, especially <a href="/wiki/Chaim_Kanievsky" title="Chaim Kanievsky">Chaim Kanievsky</a>'s community in <a href="/wiki/Bnei_Brak" title="Bnei Brak">Bnei Brak</a>, soferim also write the other books of the Bible, such as <a href="/wiki/Psalms" title="Psalms">Psalms</a> or the <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Ezra" title="Book of Ezra">Book of Ezra</a>. This was promoted in 19th-century Jerusalem by Rabbi <a href="/wiki/Shemuel_Shelomo_Boyarski" title="Shemuel Shelomo Boyarski">Shemuel Shelomo Boyarski</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Calligraphy_and_lettering">Calligraphy and lettering</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Sofer&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Calligraphy and lettering"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Alephbetgimmel.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Alephbetgimmel.svg/100px-Alephbetgimmel.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="112" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Alephbetgimmel.svg/150px-Alephbetgimmel.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Alephbetgimmel.svg/200px-Alephbetgimmel.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="116" data-file-height="130" /></a><figcaption>The first four letters of the <a href="/wiki/Hebrew_alphabet" title="Hebrew alphabet">Hebrew alphabet</a> as they would be written scribally (a digital approximation)</figcaption></figure> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="/wiki/Klaf" title="Klaf">Klaf</a>, <a href="/wiki/Kulmus" class="mw-redirect" title="Kulmus">Kulmus</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Ashuri_alphabet" class="mw-redirect" title="Ashuri alphabet">Ashuri alphabet</a></div> <p>There are many rules concerning the proper formation of letters that must be followed if a written text is to be deemed religiously valid.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Ashkenazi_Jews" title="Ashkenazi Jews">Ashkenazi</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sephardi_Jews" class="mw-redirect" title="Sephardi Jews">Sefardi</a>, <a href="/wiki/Chabad" title="Chabad">Chabad</a> (Lubavitch), and <a href="/wiki/Mizrahi_Jews" title="Mizrahi Jews">Mizrahi Jews</a> each have their own script for forming the letters, though the same rules apply throughout the text. Generally, regarding sifrei Torah, none of these groups would consider that these differences would render a Torah <span title="Hebrew-language romanization"><i lang="he-Latn">posul</i></span> (ritually unfit or invalid). </p><p>The documents must be written on properly prepared <a href="/wiki/Parchment" title="Parchment">parchment</a> or <a href="/wiki/Vellum" title="Vellum">vellum</a> known as <a href="/wiki/Klaf" title="Klaf">klaf</a>. </p><p>Many scribes also function as calligraphers—writing functional documents like ketubot, or ornamental and artistic renditions of religious texts—which do not require any scribal qualifications, and to which the rules on lettering and parchment specifications do not apply. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Sofer&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_sofers" title="List of sofers">List of sofers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scribe" title="Scribe">Scribe</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tiqqun_soferim" title="Tiqqun soferim">Tiqqun soferim</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References_and_notes">References and notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Sofer&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: References and notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">82nd of the <a href="/wiki/613_commandments" title="613 commandments">613 commandments</a> as enumerated by <a href="/wiki/Rashi" title="Rashi">Rashi</a>, and the second to final as it occurs in the text of the Torah, <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Deuteronomy" title="Book of Deuteronomy">Book of Deuteronomy</a> 31:19, the final being in Deuteronomy 32:38</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Book_of_Deuteronomy" title="Book of Deuteronomy">Deuteronomy</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0531.htm#19">31:19</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.hasoferet.com/halakha-for-scribes/keset-ha-sofer/chapter-1/">"Chapter 1"</a>. <i>HaSoferet.com</i>. 2014-02-02<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2023-08-13</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=HaSoferet.com&rft.atitle=Chapter+1&rft.date=2014-02-02&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hasoferet.com%2Fhalakha-for-scribes%2Fkeset-ha-sofer%2Fchapter-1%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASofer" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFA._M._Amitz" class="citation book cs1">A. M. Amitz. <i>Well Put (2)</i>. p. 98. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-58330-880-6" title="Special:BookSources/1-58330-880-6"><bdi>1-58330-880-6</bdi></a>. <q>I began like every other scribe by writing copies of Megilas Esther</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Well+Put+%282%29&rft.pages=98&rft.isbn=1-58330-880-6&rft.au=A.+M.+Amitz&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASofer" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160618072309/https://www.sofer.co.uk/html/sources.htm">"sources"</a>. Sofer.co.uk. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.sofer.co.uk/html/sources.htm">the original</a> on 2016-06-18<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2015-05-17</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=sources&rft.pub=Sofer.co.uk&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sofer.co.uk%2Fhtml%2Fsources.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASofer" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Brian Tice, <i>K'tav Tam Sephardi: A Compendium of Classic Sources on Jewish Scribal Rules</i> (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Yiddishkeit 101, 2021).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Brian Tice, <i>K'tav Tam Teimani: A Compendium of Classic Sources on Jewish Scribal Rules</i> (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Yiddishkeit 101, 2021).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20091019133505/http://www.geniza.net/ritual/women.shtml">"Women and Sofrut"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.geniza.net/ritual/women.shtml">the original</a> on October 19, 2009<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">February 18,</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Women+and+Sofrut&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geniza.net%2Fritual%2Fwomen.shtml&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASofer" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Tur, <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Shulchan_Aruch/Orach_Chaim/271" class="extiw" title="wikisource:Shulchan Aruch/Orach Chaim/271">Orah Hayyim 271</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAlice_Lowenstein2005" class="citation web cs1">Alice Lowenstein (2005-06-03). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.forward.com/articles/3614/">"A Female Scribe's Trailblazing Effort"</a>. Forward.com<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2015-05-17</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=A+Female+Scribe%27s+Trailblazing+Effort&rft.pub=Forward.com&rft.date=2005-06-03&rft.au=Alice+Lowenstein&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forward.com%2Farticles%2F3614%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASofer" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://jwablog.jwa.org/soferet">"Simchat Torah with a Soferet's Torah | Jewish Women's Archive"</a>. Jwablog.jwa.org. 2006-10-13<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2015-05-17</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Simchat+Torah+with+a+Soferet%27s+Torah+%26%23124%3B+Jewish+Women%27s+Archive&rft.pub=Jwablog.jwa.org&rft.date=2006-10-13&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fjwablog.jwa.org%2Fsoferet&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASofer" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLeah_Hochbaum_Rosner2007" class="citation web cs1">Leah Hochbaum Rosner (2007-09-12). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.forward.com/articles/11604/">"As New Year Dawns, Jewish Women Mark Milestones"</a>. Forward.com<span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2015-05-17</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Women%27s+Torah+dedicated+in+Seattle&rft.pub=Jta.org&rft.date=2010-10-15&rft.aulast=Fishkoff&rft.aufirst=Sue&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fjta.org%2Fnews%2Farticle%2F2010%2F10%2F15%2F2741313%2Fwomens-torah-dedicated-in-seattle&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASofer" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-jweekly1-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-jweekly1_14-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/59670/cjms-resident-scribe-takes-part-in-group-torah-project-in-seattle/">"Julie Seltzer, a female Torah scribe from San Francisco, contributed to the first Torah scroll to be written by a group of women"</a>. Jweekly.com. 2010-10-21<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2015-05-17</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Julie+Seltzer%2C+a+female+Torah+scribe+from+San+Francisco%2C+contributed+to+the+first+Torah+scroll+to+be+written+by+a+group+of+women&rft.pub=Jweekly.com&rft.date=2010-10-21&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jweekly.com%2Farticle%2Ffull%2F59670%2Fcjms-resident-scribe-takes-part-in-group-torah-project-in-seattle%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASofer" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-jpost1-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-jpost1_15-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSpiro" class="citation web cs1">Spiro, Amy. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishFeatures/Article.aspx?id=286912">"Torah, she wrote - Jewish World"</a>. Jpost.com<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2015-05-17</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Torah%2C+she+wrote+-+Jewish+World&rft.pub=Jpost.com&rft.aulast=Spiro&rft.aufirst=Amy&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jpost.com%2FJewishWorld%2FJewishFeatures%2FArticle.aspx%3Fid%3D286912&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASofer" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFJeff_Kunerth2014" class="citation web cs1">Jeff Kunerth (2014-08-23). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.pressherald.com/2014/08/23/female-jewish-scribe-helps-keep-tradition-alive/">"– Female Jewish scribe helps keep tradition alive"</a>. Pressherald.com<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2015-05-17</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=%E2%80%93+Female+Jewish+scribe+helps+keep+tradition+alive&rft.pub=Pressherald.com&rft.date=2014-08-23&rft.au=Jeff+Kunerth&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pressherald.com%2F2014%2F08%2F23%2Ffemale-jewish-scribe-helps-keep-tradition-alive%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASofer" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.sofer.co.uk/html/aleph_to_gimel.htm">Some details on letters, with animations</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160510181805/http://www.sofer.co.uk/html/aleph_to_gimel.htm">Archived</a> May 10, 2016, at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Sofer&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/orgs/stam/index.htm">Vaad Mishmereth STaM</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070311152327/http://www.soferonsite.com/consumer_advocacy.htm">What makes ST"M pasul</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.sofer.co.uk">Overview of a sofer's work www.sofer.co.uk</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.soferstam.org">Learning to be a sofer</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.soferstam.org">Machon 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.navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Jewish_scribes_(soferim)" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="3"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Sofer" title="Template:Sofer"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Sofer" title="Template talk:Sofer"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Sofer" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Sofer"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Jewish_scribes_(soferim)" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Jewish <a href="/wiki/Scribe" title="Scribe">scribes</a> (<a class="mw-selflink selflink">soferim</a>)</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Lists of scribes</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Great_Assembly" title="Great Assembly">Great Assembly</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_sofers" title="List of sofers">List of sofers</a></li></ul> </div></td><td class="noviewer navbox-image" rowspan="4" style="width:1px;padding:0 0 0 2px"><div><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Menora.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Menora.svg/64px-Menora.svg.png" decoding="async" width="64" height="54" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Menora.svg/96px-Menora.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Menora.svg/128px-Menora.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="732" data-file-height="621" /></a></span></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Ktav_Stam" title="Ktav Stam">Ktav Stam</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Duchsustus" title="Duchsustus">Duchsustus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gevil" title="Gevil">Gevil</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Klaf" title="Klaf">Klaf</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ktav_Ashuri" title="Ktav Ashuri">Ktav Ashuri</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Documents</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Torah_scroll" title="Torah scroll">Sefer Torah</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Five_Megillot" title="Five Megillot">Five Megillot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ketubah" title="Ketubah">Ketubot <span style="font-size:85%;">(marriage contracts)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Get_(divorce_document)" title="Get (divorce document)">Gittin <span style="font-size:85%;">(divorce documents)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mezuzah" title="Mezuzah">Mezuzot <span style="font-size:85%;">(doorposts)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tefillin" title="Tefillin">Tefillin <span style="font-size:85%;">(amulets)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tikkun_(book)#Tikkun_soferim" title="Tikkun (book)">Tiqqun <span style="font-size:85%;">(guide text)</span></a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related articles</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Soferim_(Talmud)" title="Soferim (Talmud)">Soferim (Talmud)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tag_(Hebrew_writing)" title="Tag (Hebrew writing)">Tagin <span style="font-size:85%;">(serifs)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tiqqun_soferim" title="Tiqqun soferim">Tiqqunei soferim <span style="font-size:85%;">(scribal corrections)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Torah_scroll_(Yemenite)" title="Torah scroll (Yemenite)">Torah scroll (Yemenite)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="3"><div><a href="/wiki/Category:Jewish_scribes_(soferim)" title="Category:Jewish scribes (soferim)">Category:Jewish scribes (soferim)</a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-label="Navbox" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Help:Authority_control" title="Help:Authority control">Authority control databases</a>: National <span class="mw-valign-text-top noprint" 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