The writing of a Sefer Torah

It is of utmost significance when a community comes together for a good cause. It is extraordinary for a community to come together for the writing of a Sefer Torah. The mitzvah to write a Sefer Torah is the final of the 613th Mitzvos recorded in the Torah. It is by no means an easy mitzvah to complete, and perhaps that is why it is the final mitzvah in the Torah. It is a most labor-intensive exercise with the Sofer (scribe) writing it letter by letter and word by word in this most painstaking process. There are 304,805 letters, which translate into 79,976 words and 5,845 verses (pesukim). ​ The world has evolved since the advent of the printing press by Gutenberg in 1440. Printed books have become the norm, and in a sense, the world has never looked back. In more recent times, with the arrival of the internet and the proliferation of digital libraries, handwritten books are almost non-existent. For those reasons alone, it is so remarkable to have an entire Sefer Torah written. That might just be the starting point, as the Sefer Torah represents something so central to our core essence that it defines who we are as a people. What makes the Jewish People unique is that we are a nation that accepted the covenant from G-d, and it was consummated on Mt. Sinai when we received and accepted the Divine word. As the Talmudic sage, Rav Yosef said about Shavuos (anniversary of receiving the Torah), “if not for this day, I would just be another Joe in the street.” It is for that reason that the reading of the Torah is the focal point of the Tefila/Service on Shabbos. We remove this sacred scroll from the ark and read from the text, and our souls become enriched for another week. At a later time, Ezra instructed that we should read from the Torah on Monday and Thursday as well, as one should not go more than three days without reading it. It is for those reasons (and more) that I consider it an honor of a lifetime to have this new Sefer Torah commissioned and written in my honor. It is so special that so many people from the community and beyond have come together for this sacred Mitzvah. The notion of a Kehila collaborating for such a sacred cause represents the very best in Judaism. I invite everyone to join us as we gather to welcome the new Sefer Torah into our shul by participating in a most festive procession that will begin from our home on Sunday morning. ​ Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch