Attention Rabbis, Gabbaim and Shul Presidents: The 31 Things to Check For (So far) Re the New Sifrei Torah Problems

by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

As many people know many of the new Sifrei Torah that have been written in the past three years have some serious problems. Both the Vaad Mishmeres Stam in Yerushalayim and in the United States are working on a solution. 

One must ask their own Rav and Posaik as to how to proceed.  In the meantime, there is no obligation to check new Sifrei Torah from 2021 until the present – but it may be a good idea. In the meantime, for Sifrei Torah from 2018 to 2021 there is a Rov – a large majority of the Torahs written during this time were not problematic in this regard.

*** 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

*** 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. ****

To read the previous article on this go here.