Thanks to everyone for your wonderful and generous response to The Dallas Morning News’ article on our ongoing Sefer Torah Project.  Your support is much needed and intrinsic to the completion of this holy endeavor.

We still have a long way to go to meet our goal, but with your continued friendship and assistance, we know that we will make it there.

I am currently traveling and will be out of the Sofer Studio until Friday,  July 31st.    I’ll be back then with several new posts and new media.   Please check back soon, and feel free to write with any questions or comments.

With Thanks -

Rabbi Avraham Bloomenstiel

Letter by Letter, North Dallas Rabbi Creates a Holy Book

Monday, July 27, 2009

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Here are the next videos in our ongoing series on the forms of the Hebrew letters.   After viewing these videos, please take a look at the bottom of this post for some Q&A on your Aleph-spotting skills…

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Start of the Sixth Amud

Sixth amud is well under way!  The frustrating kulmus mechanics that plagued the first several columns have finally abated and the ksav is getting better and better.

The Yeria and the Sixth Column Blocked Out for Writing

I have two more videos to post on the forms of the letters, but am having some bizarre web-cam problems.   After some quality phone time with Logitech, I have the problem fixed, so look for the new videos to go up in the morning.

Incidentally…
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Was out of town over the weekend – but am back at at the writing table again.   Today I wrapped up Parshas Bereishis – the first section of the traditional division of the Torah.

The Torah is read publicly every Shabbos of the Jewish year.  The Rambam (known to the rest of the world as  Maimonidies), in his Mishna Torah,  Laws of Tefillin, Mezuza, and Sifrei Torah, Chapter 8, provides a division of the Torah into 54 parshiyos (divisions) based upon Masoretic traditions evidenced by the Aleppo Codex.  Following this division, the public reading of the entire Torah is completed each year of the Hebrew Calendar with adjustments made to accommodate leap years and the schedule of holidays.

The first of these 54 divisions is Bereishis (Genesis 1:1 – 6:8), which spans the creationg of the world to the generation of Noach.

I will be posting photos of the completed parsha tomorrow afternoon along with some new videos.

Check back then!