Sofer: The Story of a Torah Scroll
Ritual objects provide windows into the soul of a people. Jewish tradition views the making of such items-specifically those that contain the words of God-as a holy act. Unfortunately, the tradition of the Hebrew scribe, or sofer, has historically been accessible to only a few, highly trained people. Sofer: The Story of a Torah Scroll (Torah Aura Productions, 0-933873-98-0, 32 pages, December 1998) reveals the mystery and beauty of this 3,000-year-old art to all readers, young and old alike-even those who have never before seen a Hebrew letter.Author and master scribe Eric Ray begins with an introduction to the 22 Hebrew letterforms, exploring some of their mystical associations and connections. He then delves into the meaningful intricacies of creating Judaism's holiest objects-mezuzot (from the Hebrew meaning "doorposts"), tefillin (phylacteries) and the sefer Torah, or Torah scroll, which contains the Five Books of Moses. Readers learn about the historical development and symbolism of Jewish ritual objects; the materials and techniques used by sofrim (plural of sofer); a recipe for kosher ink; and much more. Sofer: The Story of a Torah Scroll brims with the author's own spiritual insights into the sofer's ancient and revered art-a true "labor of love."Ray's own life experiences demonstrate the power of letters and words in modern as well as ancient times. During the Holocaust Ray forged papers to help Jews escape from concentration camps. He later used his talents to create some of the first maps for the State of Israel. Through both outwardly heroic acts-such as saving Jews from death under the Nazis-and everyday accomplishments such as recording the laws and history of the Jewish people, the sofer truly takes part in working to create a better world.Originally published in 1985 with black and white photographs, SOFER: THE STORY OF A TORAH SCROLL now features rich, full-color photos. Through this virtual journey into an art form that has helped sustain the Jewish people for hundreds of generations, curious minds learn to love the Torah and other holy objects a little bit more.