1A Torah scroll should not be written in a way which causes its length to exceed its circumference, or its circumference to exceed its length.1אאֵין עוֹשִׂין סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה לֹא אָרְכּוֹ יוֹתֵר עַל הֶקֵפוֹ וְלֹא הֶקֵפוֹ יֶתֶר עַל אָרְכּוֹ.
What is the appropriate length? When the scroll is written on g’vil, six handbreadths—i.e., 24 thumb-breadths.2 When the scroll is written on k’laf,3 it may be more or less, provided that the length is equal to the circumference.וְכַמָּה הוּא אָרְכּוֹ? בַּגְּוִיל – שִׁשָּׁה טְפָחִים, שֶׁהֵם אַרְבַּע וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶצְבָּעוֹת בְּרֹחַב הַגּוּדָל שֶׁל יָד. וּבִקְלָף – אוֹ פָחוֹת אוֹ יוֹתֵר. וְהוּא שֶׁיְּהֵא אָרְכּוֹ כְּהֶקֵפוֹ.
If one wrote a scroll on g’vil less than six handbreadths long and concentrated one’s writing,4 or wrote a scroll more than six handbreadths long and spread out one’s writing,5 if the length is equal to the circumference, it has been written in the proper manner.וְכֵן אִם עָשָׂה בִּגְּוִיל פָּחוֹת מִשִּׁשָּׁה טְפָחִים וּמִעֵט אֶת הַכְּתָב, אוֹ יֶתֶר עַל שִׁשָּׁה וְהִרְחִיב בַּכְּתָב, עַד שֶׁיִהְיֶה אָרְכּוֹ כְּהֶקֵפוֹ – הֲרֵי זֶה כַּמִּצְוָה.
2The following margins should be left on each column: Below the column: four thumb-breadths; above the column: three thumb-breadths; and between each column: two thumb breadths.בשִׁעוּר הַגִּלָּיוֹן מִלְמַטָּה – אַרְבַּע אֶצְבָּעוֹת, וּלְמַעְלָה – שָׁלשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת; וּבֵין דַּף לָדַף – שְׁתֵּי אֶצְבָּעוֹת.
To allow for these margins, one should leave an additional thumb-breadth at the beginning and the end of each portion of parchment and room to sew the parchments together. Thus, when one sews all the portions of parchment together,6 there will be two thumb-breadths between each column throughout the entire scroll. One should also leave an extra portion of parchment at the beginning and the end of the scroll, to wind around its staves. 7לְפִיכָךְ: צָרִיךְ שֶׁיַּנִּיחַ בִּתְחִלַּת כָּל יְרִיעָה וּבְסוֹפָהּ רֹחַב אֶצְבַּע אַחַת וּכְדֵי תְפִירָה, שֶׁנִּמְצָא כְּשֶׁיִּתְפֹּר הַיְרִיעָה – יִהְיֶה בֵּין כָּל דַּף וָדַף בְּכָל הַסֵּפֶר כֻּלּוֹ שְׁתֵּי אֶצְבָּעוֹת. וְיַנִּיחַ מִן הָעוֹר בִּתְחִלַּת הַסֵּפֶר וּבְסוֹפוֹ כְּדֵי לִגְלֹל עַל הָעַמּוּד.
Mishneh Torah (Moznaim)
Featuring a modern English translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of Torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.
All these measures are aspects of the most proper manner to perform the mitzvah. If one decreased or increased any of them, the scroll is not disqualified.8וְכָל הַשִּׁעוּרִין הָאֵלּוּ לְמִצְוָה; וְאִם חִסֵּר אוֹ הוֹתִיר – לֹא פָסָל.
3How should a person structure the scroll he is writing so that its length will be equal to its circumference? He should begin by making equal portions of parchment, each having a standard width9 of six handbreadths.גכֵּיצַד יִתְכַּוֵּן אָדָם עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁיִהְיֶה אָרְכּוֹ כְּהֶקֵפוֹ? מַתְחִיל וּמְרַבֵּעַ הָעוֹרוֹת בְּשָׁוֶה; וְעוֹשֶׂה רֹחַב כָל עוֹר מֵהֶן שִׁשָּׁה טְפָחִים קֶצֶב אֶחָד לְכָל אֶחָד.
Afterwards, he should wind the parchments, each in the same manner, making one tight coil.וְאַחַר כָּךְ גּוֹלֵל הָעוֹרוֹת בְּשָׁוֶה וְעוֹשֶׂה מֵהֶן כֶּרֶךְ אֶחָד מְהֻדָּק יָפֶה יָפֶה.
He should continue adding to the coil, winding the parchments tightly until the circumference of the coil is six handbreadths, the width of the parchment. He should measure with a silk cord10 that is long enough to surround the entire coil.וּמוֹסִיף בְּעוֹרוֹת וּמְהַדֵּק, עַד שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂה הֶקֵף הַכֶּרֶךְ שִׁשָּׁה טְפָחִים שֶׁהוּא רֹחַב הָעוֹר. וּמוֹדֵד בְּחוּט שֶׁל שָׁנִי שֶׁיַּקִּיפוֹ עַל הַכֶּרֶךְ.
4Afterwards, one should make a measuring rod, forty or fifty thumb-breadths long. Each thumb-breadth on the rod should be divided into halves, thirds, and quarters, so that it will be possible to have exact measurements, including even half and quarter thumb-breadths.דוְאַחַר כָּךְ יַעֲשֶׂה קָנֶה שָׁוֶה יִהְיֶה אָרְכָּהּ אַרְבָּעִים אוֹ חֲמִשִּׁים אֶצְבָּעוֹת. וִיחַלֵּק אֶצְבַּע מֵהֶן בַּקָנֶה לִשְׁנַיִם וְלִשְׁלשָׁה וּלְאַרְבָּעָה חֲלָקִים – כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדַע בּוֹ שִׁעוּר חֲצִי אֶצְבַּע וּרְבִיעַ אֶצְבַּע, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה הַחֵלֶק.
One should measure each piece of parchment with this rod to determine its length in thumb-breadths. In this manner, one can calculate the length in thumb-breadths of the entire coil.וְיִמְדּוֹד כָּל עוֹר בְּקָנֶה זוֹ עַד שֶׁיֵּדַע כַּמָּה אֶצְבָּעוֹת יֵשׁ בְּכָל עוֹר; עַד שֶׁיֵּדַע כַּמָּה אֶצְבָּעוֹת בְּאֹרֶךְ כָּל הַכָּרֶךְ.
5Afterwards, one should take two or three other parchments as an experiment to check the size of one’s writing. One should write a sample column.הוְאַחַר כָּךְ לוֹקֵחַ עוֹרוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת שְׁנַיִם אוֹ שְׁלשָׁה לִבְדֹּק בָּהֶן שִׁעוּר הַכְּתָב, וְכוֹתֵב בָּהֶן דַּף אֶחָד.
It is obvious that the length of the column used for the writing will be seventeen thumb-breadths, since three thumb-breadths are left for a margin above the column and four thumb-breadths are left for a margin below.11The width of the column, however, varies according to the thickness of one’s writing.12וְדָבָר יָדוּעַ שֶׁאֹרֶךְ הַדַּף שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה אֶצְבָּעוֹת; לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מַנִּיחַ גִּלָּיוֹן לְמַעְלָה שָׁלשׁ וּלְמַטָּה אַרְבַּע. אֲבָל רֹחַב הַדַּף הוּא לְפִי הַכְּתָב – אִם דַּקָה אִם עָבֶה.
Similarly, the number of lines within each column varies according to the writing.13 The space of a line should be left between each two lines.14וְכֵן מִנְיַן הַשִּׁטּוֹת שֶׁבְּדַּף יָבֹאוּ לְפִי הַכְּתָב; לְפִי שֶׁבֵּין שִׁטָּה וְשִׁטָּה כִּמְלֹא שִׁטָּה.
6After one writes the experimental column as one desires, one should measure the column with the rod. Then one should add the two thumb-breadths to be left between columns and calculate the number of columns one will have in the entire coil should one continue using the same size writing. Once one knows the number of columns for which there is space in the coil, one should calculate according to the scroll from which one is writing15 whether the entire Torah will be able to be contained in the number of columns there are in the coil based on this size writing.16ווְאַחַר שֶׁכָּתַב הַדַּף שֶׁבּוֹדֵק בּוֹ, לְפִי מַה שֶׁיִּרְצֶה – יָמֹד רֹחַב הַדַּף בְּאֶצְבְּעוֹת הַקָנֶה; וְיוֹסִיף עַל רֹחַב הַדַּף שְׁתֵּי אֶצְבָּעוֹת שֶׁבֵּין דַּף וָדַף; וְיַחֲשׁוֹב כַּמָּה דַּפִּין יָבֹאוּ בַּכֶּרֶךְ שֶׁגָּלַל, מֵאוֹתוֹ הַכְּתָב שֶׁבָּדַק בּוֹ. וְיֵדַע חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַדַּפִּין; וְיִרְאֶה כַּמָּה נִכְתָּב בְּדַף זֶה שֶׁבָּדַק בּוֹ מִן הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ. וּמְשַׁעֵר לְפִי הַסֵּפֶר שֶׁהוּא כּוֹתֵב מִמֶּנּוּ וּמְחַשֵּׁב:
If the entire Torah can be contained within this number of columns, the scroll will be written in the desired fashion. If, according to one’s calculations, there are more columns than necessary to contain the Torah, one should write with a broader script, so that fewer columns will be included. One should write another experimental column and recalculate until the calculations are resolved. If, according to one’s calculations, there are fewer columns than necessary to contain the Torah, one should write with a thinner script, so that more columns will be included. One should write another experimental column and recalculate until the calculations are resolved.אִם עָלְתָה לוֹ כָּל הַתּוֹרָה לְפִי מִנְיַן הַדַּפִּין מִזֶּה הַכְּתָב שֶׁכּוֹתֵב בּוֹ בַּכֶּרֶךְ – מוּטָב; וְאִם הוֹצִיא הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן שֶׁהַדַּפִּין יוֹתֵר מִן הַתּוֹרָה – יַרְחִיב בַּכְּתָב עַד שֶׁיִּתְמַעֵט מִנְיַן הַדַּפִּין, וְיִבְדֹק בְּדַף אַחֵר; וְאִם הוֹצִיא הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה יֶתֶר מִן הַדַּפִּין – יְמַעֵט הַכְּתָב עַד שֶׁיַּרְבֶּה בְּמִנְיַן הַדַּפִּין. וְיִבְדֹק בְּדַף אַחַר דַּף עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן אֶחָד. מֵאַחַר שֶׁיֵּדַע רֹחַב הַדַּף וְשִׁעוּר הַכְּתָב – מַתְחִיל בְּאוֹתוֹ הַכֶּרֶךְ.
7After one knows the width of the column and the measure of one’s writing, one takes the coil of parchment and divides each parchment into columns according to the size of the column with which one experimented and made the above calculation, ruling each column. When more than three or four fingerbreadths remain after the final column which fits onto the portion of parchment, one should leave only a thumb-breadth and the space necessary to sew it and cut off the rest. One need not worry that ultimately, additional parchments will have to be added to the coil to compensate for the portions which were cut off.זוּמְחַלֵק כָּל עוֹר וְעוֹר דַּפִּין דַּפִּין בְּשִׂרְטוּט כְּפִי רֹחַב הַדַּף שֶׁבָּדַק בּוֹ וְעָלָה בְחֶשְׁבּוֹן. וּכְשֶׁיִּשָּׁאֵר בָּעוֹר שָׁלשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת אוֹ אַרְבַּע יוֹתֵר עַל הַדַּף הָאַחֲרוֹנָה שֶׁבַּיְרִיעָה – יַנִּיחַ מִמֶּנּוּ רֹחַב אֶצְבַּע וּכְדֵי תְפִירָה, וְיָקֹץ הַשְּׁאָר וְאַל יָחוּשׁ; שֶׁבָּאַחֲרוֹנָה יִתְוַסֵּף עוֹרוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת עַל הַכֶּרֶךְ שֶׁגָּלַל כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הַתּוֹסָפוֹת שֶׁקּוֹצֵץ מִכָּל עוֹר וְעוֹר.
This is not a factor of circumstance, because the writing will cause the size of the scroll to be extended only according to the number of columns originally calculated.17וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְחַשֵּׁב דָּבָר זֶה שֶׁהַכְּתָב מוֹשְׁכוֹ לְפִי מִנְיַן הַדַּפִּין.
8Similarly, if one desires to make the width18 of the scroll more than six thumb-breadths or less than six thumb-breadths, one should follow similar calculations. Thus, the length of the scroll will be equal to the circumference, neither less nor more, provided one does not err in his calculations.חוְכֵן הָרוֹצֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת רֹחַב הַסֵּפֶר יוֹתֵר מִשִּׁשָּׁה אוֹ פָּחוֹת מִשִּׁשָּׁה – עַל הַדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה הוּא מְחַשֵׁב וְיֵצֵא אָרְכּוֹ כְּהֶקֵפוֹ בְּלֹא פָחוֹת וְלֹא יוֹתֵר. וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא יִטְעֶה בְחֶשְׁבּוֹן.
9The thumb-breadth mentioned in all these calculations—and in all other Torah measurements—refers to the width of a normal person’s thumb.19 We have calculated this measure precisely and found it to be equal to the width of seven average barley-corns when placed next to each other in a cramped manner. This is equivalent to the length of two barley-corns amply spaced apart.טרֹחַב הַגּוּדָל הָאָמוּר בְּכָל הַשִּׁעוּרִין הָאֵלּוּ וּבִשְׁאָר שִׁעוּרֵי תוֹרָה כֻלָּהּ – הוּא (אצבע) [גּוּדָל] הַבֵּינוֹנִי. וּכְבָר דִּקְדַּקְנוּ בְשִׁעוּרוֹ, וּמְצָאנוּהוּ רֹחַב שֶׁבַע שְׂעוֹרוֹת בֵּינוֹנִיּוֹת זוֹ בְּצַד זוֹ בְּדֹחַק. וְהֵן כְּאֹרֶךְ שְׁתֵּי שְׂעוֹרוֹת בְּרֶוַח.
Whenever the term “handbreadth” is mentioned, it refers to four of these thumb-breadths.20 Whenever the term cubit is mentioned, it refers to six handbreadths.21וְכָל 'טֶפַח' הָאָמוּר בְּכָל מָקוֹם הוּא אַרְבַּע אֶצְבָּעוֹת מִזּוֹ. וְכָל 'אַמָּה' – שִׁשָּׁה טְפָחִים.
10In the Torah scroll which I wrote, the width of each column was four thumb-breadths with the exception of the columns on which the Song of the Red Sea and the song Ha’azinu were written; they were six thumb-breadths wide.22 There were 51 lines in each column and 226 columns in the entire scroll. In its entirety, the scroll was approximately 1366 thumb-breadths long.23יסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי אֲנִי, רֹחַב כָּל דַּף וָדַּף מִדַּפָּיו אַרְבַּע אֶצְבָּעוֹת. וְשִׁירַת הַיָּם וְשִׁירַת הַאֲזִינוּ, רֹחַב כָּל דַּף מִשְׁתֵּיהֶן שֵׁשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת. וּמִנְיַן הַשִּׁטִין שֶׁבְּכָל דַּף וָדַּף – אַחַת וַחֲמִשִּׁים. וּמִנְיַן הַדַּפִּין שֶׁל כָּל הַסֵּפֶר – מָאתַיִם וְשִׁשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים דַּף. וְאֹרֶךְ כָּל הַסֵּפֶר – אֶלֶף וּשְׁלשׁ מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים וָשֵׁשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת בְּקֵרוּב.
11The six thumb-breadths beyond the number that one would arrive at by calculation were used for the margin of the scroll left at the beginning and the end.יאאֵלּוּ הַשֵּׁשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת הַיְתֵרוֹת בַּחֶשְׁבּוֹן – לַגִּלָּיוֹן שֶׁבִּתְחִלַּת הַסֵּפֶר וְסוֹפוֹ.
I wrote the scroll from parchment made from ram skin.וְהָעוֹרוֹת שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בָהֶם עוֹרוֹת אֵילִים.
Should one desire to write a scroll using these measurements or deviating from them only slightly—i.e., adding or subtracting two or three columns, there is no necessity to trouble oneself with calculations; without any difficulty one will have a scroll whose length is equal to its circumference.וּבִזְמַן שֶׁתִּרְצֶה לִכְתֹּב עַל פִּי הַמִּדּוֹת הָאֵלּוּ אוֹ קָרוֹב לָהֶם מְעַט, הֵן חָסֵר דַּף אֶחָד אוֹ שְׁנַים אוֹ שְׁלשָׁה, אוֹ יֶתֶר דַּף אוֹ שְׁנַיִם אוֹ שָׁלשׁ – לֹא תִיגַע וְלֹא תְהֵא צָרִיךְ לְחֶשְׁבּוֹן, אֶלָּא מִיָּד יָבֹא לְךָ אָרְכּוֹ כְּהֶקֵפוֹ.
12One should not write fewer than three columns on a piece of parchment, nor should one write more than eight columns. If one has a piece of parchment large enough to contain nine columns, one should divide it in two, one portion containing five columns, and one portion four columns. When does the above apply? At the beginning of the scroll or in the middle. At the end of the scroll, however, even if there is one verse in one column, that column may be written on a separate piece of parchment24 and sewn together with the other parchments.יבאֵין עוֹשִׂין בַּיְרִיעָה פָּחוֹת מִשְׁלשָׁה דַּפִּין וְלֹא יֶתֶר עַל שְׁמֹנָה דַּפִּין. נִזְדַּמְּנָה לוֹ יְרִיעָה בַּת תִּשְׁעָה דַּפִּין – חוֹלֵק אוֹתָהּ אַרְבָּעָה לְכָאן וַחֲמִשָּׁה לְכָאן. בַּמֶּה דְבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בִּתְחִלַּת הַסֵּפֶר אוֹ בְאֶמְצַע. אֲבָל בְּסוֹף הַסֵּפֶר – אֲפִלּוּ פָּסוּק אֶחָד בְּדַף אֶחָד, עוֹשִׂים אוֹתוֹ דַּף לְבַדּוֹ וְתוֹפְרִין אוֹתוֹ עִם שְׁאָר הַיְרִיעוֹת.
13When one sews the parchments together, one should use only sinews from a kosher species of animal or beast. Sinews taken from animals which died without being ritually slaughtered or which were killed by wild beasts are also acceptable.25 This is a Halachah transmitted to Moses on Mount Sinai. Therefore, if one did not sew them with sinews, or used sinews from a non-kosher animal, the scroll is unacceptable until one removes the threads and sews them again.יגוּכְשֶׁתּוֹפְרִין הַיְרִיעוֹת, אֵין תּוֹפְרִין אוֹתָן אֶלָּא בְּגִידִים שֶׁל בְּהֵמָה אוֹ חַיָּה טְהוֹרָה וַאֲפִלּוּ מִנְּבֵלוֹת וּטְרֵפוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם; כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁתּוֹפְרִין אֶת הַתְּפִלִּין. וְדָבָר זֶה הֲלָכָה לְמשֶׁה מִסִּינָי. לְפִיכָךְ אִם תְּפָרָן שֶׁלֹּא בְגִידִין, אוֹ בְגִידֵי בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה – פָּסוּל עַד שֶׁיַּתִּירָהּ וְיַחֲזֹר וְיִתְפֹּר כַּהֲלָכָה.
14When sewing all the pieces of parchment together, one should not sew the entire length of the parchment. Rather, one should leave a certain portion unsewn on both the top and bottom of the parchment, so that the parchment will not tear in the middle when the Torah is rolled.26ידכְּשֶׁתּוֹפְרִין כָּל הַיְרִיעוֹת, אֵין תּוֹפְרִין כָּל הַיְרִיעָה כֻּלָּהּ מִתְּחִלָּתָהּ וְעַד סוֹפָהּ; אֶלָּא מַנִּיחַ מְעַט מִלְמַעְלָה וּמְעַט מִלְמַטָּה בְּלֹא תְפִירָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִקָרַע הַיְרִיעָה בְּאֶמְצָעָהּ כְּשֶׁיִּגְלֹל אוֹתָהּ.
Two staves of wood should be made for a Torah scroll, one at the beginning and one at the end.27וְעוֹשֶׂה לוֹ שְׁנֵי עַמּוּדִים שֶׁל עֵץ, אֶחָד בִּתְחִלָּתוֹ וְאֶחָד בְּסוֹפוֹ.
One should sew the parchment left over at the beginning and the end of the scrolls 28 to these staves with sinews,29 so that it can be rolled around these staves. Space should be left between the staves and the columns of writing.30וְתּוֹפֵר הָעוֹר שֶׁשִּׁיֵּר בִּתְחִלָּתוֹ וּבַסּוֹף עַל הָעַמּוּדִים בְּגִידִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא נִגְלָל עֲלֵיהֶם. וְיַרְחִיק בֵּין הָעַמּוּדִים וְהַכְּתָב שֶׁבַּדָּף.
15When a tear in a Torah scroll is contained within two lines,31 it is sufficient to sew the tear. If it extends to three or more, it should not be sewn.32טוסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּקְרְעָה בוֹ יְרִיעָה בְּתוֹךְ שְׁתֵּי שִׁטּוֹת – יִתְפֹּר; בְּתוֹךְ שָׁלשׁ - לֹא יִתְפֹּר.
When does the above apply? With regard to an old Torah scroll which one cannot recognize as having been processed with gallnut juice.33 If, however, one can recognize that the parchment was processed with gallnut juice, one may sew it,34 even if the tear extends to three lines.35בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בְּיָשָׁן שֶׁאֵין עֲפָצוֹ נִכָּר; אֲבָל אִם נִכָּר הַגְּוִיל שֶׁהוּא עָפוּץ – תּוֹפֵר, וַאֲפִלּוּ קֶרַע הַבָּא בְּתוֹךְ שָׁלשׁ.
Similarly, if there is a tear between columns or between words, one may sew it.36וְכֵן בֵּין כָּל דַּף וָדַּף וּבֵין תֵּבָה לְתֵבָה יִתְפֹּר.
All these tears may be sewn only with the sinews which are used to sew the parchments together.וְכָל הַקְּרָעִים, אֵין תּוֹפְרִין אוֹתָן אֶלָּא בְגִּידִין שֶׁתּוֹפְרִין בָּהֶן הַיְרִיעוֹת זוֹ לְזוֹ.
When sewing, one must be careful that a single letter is not omitted, nor has its form distorted.37וּבְכָל הַקְּרָעִים יִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא תֶחְסַר אוֹת אַחַת אוֹ תִשְׁתַּנֶּה צוּרָתָהּ.
