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A sofer at work, Ein Bokek, Israel A sofer sews together the pieces of parchment A sofer, sopher, sofer SeTaM, or sofer ST"M (Hebrew: סופר סת״ם, "scribe"; plural soferim, סופרים) is a Jewish scribe who can transcribe Sifrei Kodesh (holy scrolls), tefillin (phylacteries), mezuzot (ST"M, סת״ם, is an abbreviation of these three terms) and other religious writings.
The Jewish scribes and Talmudic scholars also had frequent recourse to abbreviations. Between the seventh and ninth centuries the ancient Roman system of abbreviations gave way to a more difficult one that gradually grew up in the monastic houses and in the chanceries of the new Teutonic kingdoms.
Most influential scribe of his generation (Post-war) Mordechai Pinchas: 20th and 21st centuries UK modern orthodox scribe www.sofer.co.uk: Aviel Barclay: 20th and 21st centuries Canada, first certified soferet of modern times Jen Taylor Friedman: 20th and 21st centuries First Torah by a soferet of modern times Julie Seltzer: 20th and 21st centuries
Ktav Stam (Hebrew: כְּתַב־סְתָ״ם ) is the specific Jewish traditional writing with which holy scrolls (Sifrei Kodesh), tefillin and mezuzot are written. Stam is a Hebrew acronym denoting these writings, as indicated by the gershayim (״ ) punctuation mark. One who writes such articles is called a sofer stam.
The education of scribes in ancient Israel was supported by the state, although some scribal arts could have been taught within a small number of families. [71] Some scribes also copied documents, but this was not necessarily part of their job. [72] [page needed] Jewish scribes at the Tomb of Ezekiel in Iraq, c. 1914
Some traditional surnames relate to Jewish history or roles within the religion, such as Cohen ("priest"), Levi, Shulman ("synagogue-man"), Sofer ("scribe"), or Kantor ("cantor"), while many others relate to a secular occupation or place names. The majority of Jewish surnames used today developed in the past three hundred years. [3] [4]
Jen Taylor Friedman is a soferet (Jewish ritual scribe). On September 9, 2007, she became the first woman known to have completed a Torah scroll. Taylor Friedman's sefer Torah was commissioned by United Hebrew Congregation, a Reform temple in St. Louis, Missouri. [1] Taylor Friedman was born in Southampton, England, and educated at Oxford. [2]
Many observant Jews from all Jewish denominations have a qualified scribe check the mezuzot parchments for defects (such as small tears or faded lettering) at least twice every seven years. [30] [31] This job can be done by a sofer (scribe) or by anyone with similar training. A sofer also can make new mezuzot parchments which are in accordance ...