Writing a Torah Scroll

Writing a Torah scroll is a positive commandment from the Torah and is the last of the 613 commandments. This commandment obligates every Jew to write a Torah scroll.

Source of the Commandment[edit | edit source]

The commandment is derived from the verse: "And now, write for yourselves this song and teach it to the Children of Israel". Although there is a dispute among halachic authorities regarding the details of this commandment in our times, and there are those who believe that one fulfills the commandment by purchasing holy books through which one can fulfill the purpose of the commandment, which is Torah study. The Rebbe instructed that all Jewish children should participate in this commandment, in a way that each child pays for the cost of one letter and attributes it to their merit.

Fulfilling the Commandment in Our Times[edit | edit source]

The Rambam rules that it is a positive commandment for every Jew to write a Torah scroll for himself, and even if his fathers left him a Torah scroll, it is a mitzvah to write one of his own. If he writes it with his own hand, it is as if he received it from Mount Sinai. If he doesn't know how to write, others can write it for him. Anyone who corrects a Torah scroll, even a single letter, it is as if he wrote the entire scroll.

In contrast to the Rambam, the Rosh (Rabbeinu Asher) wrote that this obligation primarily applied in earlier generations, when people would write a Torah scroll and study from it. But in our times, when we write a Torah scroll and place it in synagogues to read from it publicly, "it is a positive commandment for every person in Israel who can afford it to write Chumashim (the Five Books of Moses), Mishnah, Gemara, and their commentaries to study them, he and his sons." This is because the commandment to write the Torah is for the purpose of studying it, as it is written, "Teach it to the Children of Israel, place it in their mouths." According to the Gemara and its interpretation, one will understand the explanation of the commandments and laws properly. Therefore, these are the books that a person is commanded to write. The Beit Yosef also ruled in the Shulchan Aruch that "nowadays it is a commandment to write Chumashim, Mishnah, Gemara, and their commentaries."

In our generation, one can fulfill this obligation also by purchasing printed books, through which the main purpose of the commandment is accomplished, as it is written "Teach it... place it in their mouths," referring to the study and knowledge of Torah.

In the Rebbe's Teachings[edit | edit source]

Explanation of the Approaches of the Rambam and the Rosh[edit | edit source]

The Rebbe explains that there is no difference between the opinions of the Rosh and the Rambam regarding the definition of the commandment to write, whether it is for the purpose of study. From the content of the Rosh's words - "This was in earlier generations, etc." - they follow the language and opinion of the Rambam (which he quoted beforehand). From this, it is understood that the Rosh did not intend to introduce a new definition of the commandment to write a Torah scroll, but only to distinguish (between time periods) regarding which books to write, that "nowadays" the commandment is "to write Chumashim, Mishnah, Gemara, and their commentaries to study them, he and his sons."

The Rebbe continues to explain that the essential nature of the commandment remains the same, and only the manner of fulfilling it changes. The Rebbe explains the ruling of the Rama, "But if one bought it as is and did not correct anything in it, it is like snatching a mitzvah from the marketplace and one does not fulfill the obligation with this." One fulfills the obligation only if "he hired a scribe to write a Torah scroll for him, or he purchased one that had errors and corrected it." This ruling applies only to writing a Torah scroll, but regarding Chumashim, Mishnah, Gemara, and their commentaries, which "nowadays" fulfill the commandment of "write for yourselves" (according to the Rosh), according to all opinions, one fulfills the obligation by purchasing books and studying them. The Rebbe explains that according to all opinions, the commandment of "write for yourselves" is defined as "receiving the Torah," which is accomplished through one's action of taking and receiving the Torah and studying it.

A Torah Scroll Written by the Community[edit | edit source]

Regarding a Torah scroll written by the community, the Rebbe introduces a novel idea that even those who were born after the congregation wrote a Torah scroll, since it is necessary to correct the Torah scroll from time to time, and "anyone who corrects a Torah scroll, even a single letter, it is as if he wrote the entire scroll," according to all opinions, "the court's intention is assumed" that the correction of the Torah scroll would be considered as writing a Torah scroll for all those who were born (and reached the age of mitzvot) between the writing of the Torah and its correction, and similarly, between one correction and another.

According to this explanation, communities that only purchased a Torah scroll, "the court's intention is assumed" that at the time of correcting the Torah scroll (from time to time) on behalf of every obligated person in the congregation, they fulfill the commandment of writing a Torah scroll.

Later in the talk, the Rebbe explains that in this way, one fulfills the obligation not only from the perspective of "the court's intention is assumed," but there is also the advantage of a practical action (with one's money) in writing the Torah. In such cases, it is certainly not considered "snatching a mitzvah from the marketplace," but rather "as if he received it from Mount Sinai."

In another talk, the Rebbe explained the connection between writing a Torah scroll and the concept of a home filled with books, and encouraged the implementation of this campaign.

Women's Obligation to Fulfill the Commandment[edit | edit source]

Regarding women's obligation to write a Torah scroll, the Rebbe refers to "Chinuch L'Naar" at its beginning. Additionally, the Rebbe refers to 'Minchat Chinuch' Mitzvah 613. In the Shulchan Aruch it is written that women recite the blessing on the Torah, since they are obligated to study their mitzvot to know how to perform them and how to be cautious about all the negative commandments they are warned about.

Writing a Torah Scroll for the Jewish People[edit | edit source]

On the 11th of Nissan 5741 (1981), the Rebbe asked to initiate the writing of a special Torah scroll, with its letters to be purchased by Jewish children from around the world, in order to strengthen their connection to the Torah and to unite all Jewish children around our holy Torah. In 5742 (1982), the matters of the scroll were transferred to the Committee for the Torah Scroll of Jewish Children under the Chabad Rabbinical Court, headed by Rabbi Shmuel Greisman.

The Rebbe explained that through the writing of a shared Torah scroll, unity is created among all parts of the Jewish people. Additionally, the Rebbe expressed that the commandment to write a Torah scroll is the last of the 613 commandments, and certainly when all Jewish children fulfill the last commandment, they hasten and accelerate the coming of the true and complete redemption very soon.

A few months later, at the gathering on the eve of Rosh Hashanah 5742, on the 29th of Elul 5741 (1981), the Rebbe related that people had approached him with the question of why Torah scrolls were being written only for children, while adults seemingly needed more the merit of having a letter in a Torah scroll. As a result, the Rebbe instructed that a Torah scroll should be written for all Jewish men and women who have reached the age of Bar Mitzvah. At the gathering on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, the Rebbe elaborated on the details of the plan, that the Temimim students would be the first to participate in writing the Torah scroll, and through them, all other Jews would become partners. Following this, the Rebbe instructed that the management of Tomchei Temimim would be responsible for this campaign, requesting that the management convene immediately after the holiday to discuss the practical details of the operation. Already at this gathering, the Rebbe announced that many Torah scrolls would be written so that there would be enough letters for all Jews.