Crazy Story... Our Torah is NOT Kosher!

Summary

During a Saturday morning service, a drop of rainwater fell on a Torah scroll, revealing a mistake in the text. The error, which had gone unnoticed for five years, involved two letters touching—something forbidden in Jewish law. The Torah was sent to New York for repair by a Sofer (scribe), who fixed the mistake and made it kosher again. The incident was seen as a sign from Hashem, showcasing divine intervention and reinforcing the sacredness of the Torah. The community was reminded of the importance of every letter in the scroll, and how even small events can carry significant meaning.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Torah scroll at the synagogue was found to be non-kosher due to an error in its writing.
• 😀 The mistake was discovered during an outdoor prayer service when a drop of water from rain fell on the scroll.
• 😀 The water drop landed on a specific word in the Torah, which was spelled incorrectly.
• 😀 In Jewish law, every word in the Torah must be written perfectly, and even one mistake can render it unkosher.
• 😀 The synagogue quickly rolled up the Torah and sent it to a scribe in New York to fix the mistake.
• 😀 The mistake involved two letters touching, which is not allowed as they must be surrounded by white parchment.
• 😀 The Torah was used for five years without anyone noticing the mistake before.
• 😀 The sunlight outside might have allowed for better visibility, helping to spot the error.
• 😀 The incident highlighted the importance of maintaining the purity and correctness of the Torah scroll.
• 😀 The correction of the mistake was done by the scribe, and after that, the Torah scroll became kosher again.
• 😀 The person sharing the story views this as a sign that Hashem (God) was watching over them.

Q & A

What happened to the Torah scroll during the outdoor prayer service?

During an outdoor prayer service, a small drop of water fell on the Torah scroll while it was being read, which raised concerns about its kosher status.

Why was the Torah scroll considered not kosher after the water drop?

The Torah scroll was considered not kosher because a drop of water had fallen on a word in the Torah that was written incorrectly, violating the strict requirements of the scroll's accuracy.

What is the significance of a mistake in a Torah scroll?

In Jewish law, every letter in the Torah must be written perfectly, and no mistakes are allowed. Even a single incorrect letter or word makes the scroll unfit for use, or 'not kosher'.

How is the issue with the Torah scroll addressed?

The issue was addressed by rolling up the Torah scroll, putting it away, and sending it to a scribe in New York to be fixed.

Why was it important for the Torah to be checked by a scribe?

A scribe, or Sofer, is responsible for ensuring the Torah scroll is written correctly, and only they can fix mistakes, as they possess the required expertise to maintain its kosher status.

What role do the white parchment spaces around each letter play in the Torah?

Jewish law mandates that each letter in the Torah must be surrounded by white parchment, and no two letters can touch. This ensures that the text is legible and meets the kosher standards.

How was the mistake in the Torah identified?

The mistake in the Torah was identified after the drop of water fell on the scroll, and upon closer inspection, it was found that two letters were touching, which was a violation of the kosher rules.

What did the scribe do to fix the mistake in the Torah?

The scribe had to scrape off the incorrect letters and rewrite them to ensure the Torah scroll was kosher again.

Why had the mistake in the Torah not been noticed before?

The mistake had not been noticed before because the lighting in the synagogue may not have been strong enough to spot the issue, and the congregation had never examined the letters closely enough during the usual readings.

What does the speaker attribute the timing of discovering the mistake to?

The speaker suggests that the timing of discovering the mistake was possibly a sign from God, implying that Hashem was watching out for them, as the drop of water happened to fall on the one word with the error.