The great poskim of our times have issued a heartfelt
appeal to those in the Stam (Sifrei Torah, Tefillin,
Mezuzos) field, as well as to the entire chareidi public,
not to purchase Stam items lacking certification from
a rabbinical body.
A call signed by the gedolei haTorah, Maranan HaRav
Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, HaRav Shmuel Halevi Wosner, HaRav
Nissim Karelitz and additional rabbonim, requests that
sofrei Stam as well as those who check mezuzos
undergo certification examinations and to commit themselves
to following the guidelines of gedolei Yisroel in this
field.
The appeal was issued in order to correct the serious
breaches in this area which have long disturbed all those
involved in Stam.
Various organizations, both veteran and recently organized,
are trying to arouse the public at large as well as morei
horo'oh and communal leaders to take steps to correct the
existing, serious breaches in the area of Stam.
The lack of rabbinical supervision in this area has given
rise to situations in which non-Jews as well as Shabbos
desecraters work in the field in order to supplement their
income. Activists involved say that the situation is grave
enough and there may be additional breaches, whose scope is
still unknown.
Alongside this, it is clear even that among accepted
sofrei Stam there are still many who lack proficiency
in the field. In addition, there are those whose writing may
appear excellent, but in essence they lack understanding of
the laws of safrus and are the cause of many
obstacles, such as tefillin or mezuzos or even
sifrei Torah which are posul.. These errors
include the failure to write the letters according to the
halocho or the writing of parshiyos in
incorrect order.
In addition, the BaDaTz of the Eida HaChareidis in Jerusalem
has issued a call to the public to be careful about the
kashrus of their mezuzos and other products of
sofrei Stam, and to purchase them only from
sofrim that have been certified by authorized
rabbonim.
Organizations for Stam, such as the Machon Mishmeres
Stam, the Va'adas Kedushas Stam in Bnei Brak, the Vaad
Mefakchei Stam in Jerusalem and the Mercaz Lishkas Hasofrim,
have been training sofrim for a long time. Now, in
light of the appeal of gedolei Yisroel, in addition to
in-depth study programs, they will organize his'orerus
rallies and explanatory meetings for the public at large,
especially for those who write parshiyos of
tefillin and mezuzos, as well as for those who
examine and proofread them, an area in which considerable
improvement is also needed.
Gedolei Yisroel have received appalling testimonies
about the current situation. They have issued the above-
mentioned letter in hope to alert the community to the issue,
and begin to demand certification testifying to the kashrus
of each and every item involving safrus Stam.
