Siman 284

Our sages, of blessed memory, said in Gittin (Gittin 6b) that it is forbidden to write even a single verse without sirtut. And only two words may be written without sirtut, and there is one who holds there that three words are permitted and four are forbidden. The Rambam, at the end of the seventh chapter of Sefer Torah, ruled accordingly, that three are permitted and four are forbidden; however, in the fourth chapter of Yibbum, he wrote that three are forbidden. Therefore, they wrote that here it is an error (Hagahot Maimoniyot). Also the Bahag and the Rosh ruled stringently, and so wrote the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch, and such is our established law. And this is specifically in Ashurit script. But in a foreign script—there is no prohibition in the matter, and one may write even a great deal without sirtut. So ruled the Ramban, and the Rashba, and the Ri, and the Mordechai, and Hagahot Maimoniyot. But the Rosh hesitates in the matter, requiring sirtut even in a foreign script. Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, ruled like the majority of the poskim that it is permitted in a foreign script, and so we practice. However, even now there are those who are meticulous in this.

There is no difference between writing on parchment or on paper, or engraving in wood or in gold – one may not write a verse from any part of the Tanakh without sirtut. And more than two words is forbidden in Ashurit script. There is one who says that if the third word does not complete the matter, such as "cold water to a weary soul" when one writes "cold water to" – this has no meaning, and it is permitted in such a case without sirtut (Pitchei Teshuva in the name of Rashbash). This leniency is not understood at all. However, it is certainly true that when one does not complete the word in its entirety but rather with a dash – this is not considered a word at all. Similarly, if one wrote Aleph-Lamed together, it seems to me that it is not counted, since in Sifrei Torah, tefillin, and mezuzot it is forbidden to write thus; if so, this is not a word of Ashurit script. And all the more so if one writes in acronyms. And it is simple that papers made by their manufacture with lines like sirtut made of ink, as is common in our times, it is permitted to write on them as much as one desires.

It appears to me that this which is forbidden, more than two without sirtut—this is in a single line. But two in this line and two in the line after it—it is permitted even in many lines. And the proof for this is from what our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in his book Kesef Mishneh at the end of the seventh chapter (the Rambam, Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah, and Sefer Torah 7) to resolve according to the opinion of the Rambam that which they said in Menachot (Menachot 32b) that tefillin do not require sirtut, yet is it not forbidden to write three or four words without sirtut? And he resolved that this is the explanation: that because of tefillin they do not require sirtut. And the practical difference is if his desire is to write two words in every line, it is permitted, see there. Behold, explicitly in such a case it is permitted. (And even though Rabbeinu Tam in Tosafot Gittin ibid. infers from this that they do not require sirtut except for the top line, nevertheless there is no proof that he would disagree on this. Examine and you will find it simple.)

Even in a letter of greeting—it is forbidden to write a verse without sirtut in Ashurit script. And specifically when his intention is for the sake of the verse. But if his intention is for stylistic elegance, and he took the phrasing from the scripture—it is permitted to write even many words without sirtut. And even though in the Yerushalmi Megillah (chapter "Bnei HaIr" end of halacha 2) it brought that Rav Mona sent a letter to Rav Oshaya: "Your beginning small was, and shall greatly increase your end," meaning that he reversed the language of the verse so as not to require sirtut, for in the verse it is written "Your beginning was small etc.," nevertheless other matters in that name, and likewise in Gittin in our Shas—it was all for the intention of the scripture (Tosafot ibid.).

According to what has been explained, all sacred writings of the Tanakh—one may not write them without sirtut. We have already explained above in siman 271, section 25, that a sefer Torah requires sirtut on each and every line. It is true that the opinion of one of our great teachers (our teacher Tam in Tosafot ibid.) is that only the top line requires sirtut, because it was difficult for him that which our sages, of blessed memory, said that tefillin do not require sirtut; to this he settles the matter that they do not require sirtut on every line, and only a mezuzah requires sirtut on every line, but tefillin and a sefer Torah only require the top line. According to this, it is obvious that in letters they only require the top line. And if the top line is written without sirtut, such as where he did not write verses there—then they do not require sirtut. This is the intent of the Tur, see there (according to the explanation of the Taz, subsection 1, see there). Nevertheless, the Rambam and the rest of the poskim do not hold accordingly, and they resolve that matter of tefillin as I wrote in section 3, that with two words in each line—it is permitted.

And according to this, one must wonder about our teacher, the Rema, who wrote here: "and if he ruled the top line – he no longer needs [more]." Thus far his words. And likewise our teacher, the Beit Yosef, in Orach Chaim siman 32 section 6, who wrote that regarding tefillin one only needs to rule the top line, see there. For all of this is according to the opinion of Rabbeinu Tam. And perhaps they hold that since the Tosafot and the Rosh brought the words of Rabbeinu Tam and did not reject his words – we establish the law accordingly. But if so, why did they write above in siman 271 that a sefer Torah requires sirtut, and if he did not rule it, it is invalid? And they left their words unexplained, and it implies that each and every line requires sirtut? And it must be said that they only relied on Rabbeinu Tam regarding a letter and tefillin, because our sages, of blessed memory, explicitly said that they do not require sirtut, but not regarding a sefer Torah (and so it is implied in the Shach, subsection 4, except that he was very brief, see there). And thus we establish the law, that a sefer Torah requires sirtut for each and every line.

And even regarding a letter and tefillin – it is only for one who is able to write straight without sirtut, for in such a case the top line is sufficient. But when he does not know how to train his hands well – even in those cases he requires sirtut for every line, as is explained in Orach Chaim there. (And that which the Gaon Rabbi Akiva Eiger remained in a state of "it requires further study" from the words of our teacher, the Rema, in Orach Chaim there – I do not understand. For our teacher, the Rema, was only stringent there regarding the lines on the sides and the top and bottom, see there. Examine it closely and you will find it simple.)

Our teacher, the Rema, wrote that some say one should not write secular matters in the Ashurit script with which the Torah is written, see there. We have already mentioned this at the end of the previous siman, and we brought proof for permissibility from the holy tongue. And the "some say" – it must be said that they hold that writing is not similar to speaking, for many secrets of the Torah are dependent upon the form of the letters, as the sages of Kabbalah have elaborated in their books. How then can we bring this out for matters of vanity and emptiness? But what can we do when the printers print all secular matters in Ashurit script, and it is not in our power to protest. And He, the Merciful One, will atone for iniquity. Praiseworthy is the portion of the printer when he is careful in this, and his reward is very great in this world and the next. (In the Yerushalmi Sanhedrin, chapter three, halacha 9, it is stated that it is forbidden to take books out from the Land of Israel to outside the Land, unless they stipulated beforehand to take them out, see there. And perhaps this is only regarding a sefer Torah, and it requires further study.)