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There are two primary views mentioned in rishonim for how to accomplish this Mitzvah: Rambam Hilchos Sefer Torah 7:1 - Each man must write a sefer torah for himself, or commission another to writ...
Answer
#2: Post edited
by
PinnyM
·
2020-06-29T22:33:01Z (almost 4 years ago)
- There are two primary views mentioned in *rishonim* for how to accomplish this Mitzvah:
- Rambam [Hilchos Sefer Torah 7:1](https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Tefillin%2C_Mezuzah_and_the_Torah_Scroll.7.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en) - Each man must write a *sefer torah* for himself, or commission another to write it for him. The term 'for himself' is meant to be understood as to be owned completely by himself. As such, only a single person at most can actually achieve this obligation upon the completion of the writing.- - Rosh [Halachos Ketanos - Hilchos Sefer Torah](https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%9C%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95_%D7%90%D7%A9%D7%A8/%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8_%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%94#%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%9F_%D7%90) - The mitzvah can only be accomplished by writing/purchasing a *sefer torah* from which one will be studying. Nowadays when it is not the custom to study directly from the Torah, the appropriate way to achieve this obligation is to purchase books of Torah (*chumash*, *mishna*, *talmud*, and the like) from which one will study.
- As most people do not have the opportunity to actually write or commission the writing of an entire kosher *sefer torah*, many *acharonim* write that they can rely on the opinion of the Rosh. However, it is preferable to fulfill both understandings if it is within one's means.
- You may note that there is no view that holds that writing a single letter (or even an entire *sefer torah*), will achieve the *mitzvah* without ownership of the *sefer torah* itself. Why then do people want to participate in the writing?
- The answer is provided in the Rambam mentioned above:
- > He who corrects a scroll, even a single letter of it, is regarded as if he had written it completely.
- One who participates in the Mitzvah of writing even one letter of the *sefer torah*, _as an agent of the owner_, it is as if he wrote it in its entirety. As such, each writer will receive reward for assisting his fellow Jew as an agent in achieving the Mitzvah.
- There are two primary views mentioned in *rishonim* for how to accomplish this Mitzvah:
- - Rambam [Hilchos Sefer Torah 7:1](https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Tefillin%2C_Mezuzah_and_the_Torah_Scroll.7.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en) - Each man must write a *sefer torah* for himself, or commission another to write it for him. The term 'for himself' is meant to be understood as to be owned completely by himself. As such, only a single person at most can actually achieve this obligation upon the completion of the writing. (Whether a partnership in a *sefer torah* will suffice is a matter of dispute, and is not the generally accepted view)
- - Rosh [Halachos Ketanos - Hilchos Sefer Torah](https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%9C%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95_%D7%90%D7%A9%D7%A8/%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8_%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%94#%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%9F_%D7%90) - The mitzvah can only be accomplished by writing/purchasing a *sefer torah* from which one will be studying. Nowadays when it is not the custom to study directly from the Torah, the appropriate way to achieve this obligation is to purchase books of Torah (*chumash*, *mishna*, *talmud*, and the like) from which one will study.
- As most people do not have the opportunity to actually write or commission the writing of an entire kosher *sefer torah*, many *acharonim* write that they can rely on the opinion of the Rosh. However, it is preferable to fulfill both understandings if it is within one's means.
- You may note that there is no view that holds that writing a single letter (or even an entire *sefer torah*), will achieve the *mitzvah* without ownership of the *sefer torah* itself. Why then do people want to participate in the writing?
- The answer is provided in the Rambam mentioned above:
- > He who corrects a scroll, even a single letter of it, is regarded as if he had written it completely.
- One who participates in the Mitzvah of writing even one letter of the *sefer torah*, _as an agent of the owner_, it is as if he wrote it in its entirety. As such, each writer will receive reward for assisting his fellow Jew as an agent in achieving the Mitzvah.
#1: Initial revision
by
PinnyM
·
2020-06-29T14:12:30Z (almost 4 years ago)
There are two primary views mentioned in *rishonim* for how to accomplish this Mitzvah: - Rambam [Hilchos Sefer Torah 7:1](https://www.sefaria.org/Mishneh_Torah%2C_Tefillin%2C_Mezuzah_and_the_Torah_Scroll.7.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en) - Each man must write a *sefer torah* for himself, or commission another to write it for him. The term 'for himself' is meant to be understood as to be owned completely by himself. As such, only a single person at most can actually achieve this obligation upon the completion of the writing. - Rosh [Halachos Ketanos - Hilchos Sefer Torah](https://he.wikisource.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%9C%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95_%D7%90%D7%A9%D7%A8/%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8_%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%94#%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%9F_%D7%90) - The mitzvah can only be accomplished by writing/purchasing a *sefer torah* from which one will be studying. Nowadays when it is not the custom to study directly from the Torah, the appropriate way to achieve this obligation is to purchase books of Torah (*chumash*, *mishna*, *talmud*, and the like) from which one will study. As most people do not have the opportunity to actually write or commission the writing of an entire kosher *sefer torah*, many *acharonim* write that they can rely on the opinion of the Rosh. However, it is preferable to fulfill both understandings if it is within one's means. You may note that there is no view that holds that writing a single letter (or even an entire *sefer torah*), will achieve the *mitzvah* without ownership of the *sefer torah* itself. Why then do people want to participate in the writing? The answer is provided in the Rambam mentioned above: > He who corrects a scroll, even a single letter of it, is regarded as if he had written it completely. One who participates in the Mitzvah of writing even one letter of the *sefer torah*, _as an agent of the owner_, it is as if he wrote it in its entirety. As such, each writer will receive reward for assisting his fellow Jew as an agent in achieving the Mitzvah.