Gevil or gewil (Hebrew: גויל) or (Hebrew: גוויל) is a type of parchment made from whole animal hide that has been prepared as a writing material in Jewish scribal documents, in particular a Sefer Torah (Torah scroll).
A 200-year-old Yemenite Torah scroll, on gevil parchment, from the Rambam Synagogue in Nahalat Ahim, Jerusalem. The sofer was from the Sharabi family
According to most views of Jewish law, a Sefer Torah (Torah scroll) should be written on gevil parchment, as was done by Moses for the original Torah scroll he transcribed.[1] Further, a reading of the earliest extant manuscripts of the Mishneh Torah indicate that gevil was halakha derived from Moses and thus required for Torah scrolls.[2]
Maimonides wrote that it is a law given to Moses at Sinai that a Torah scroll must be written on either gevil or klaf in order to be valid, and that it is preferable that they be written on gevil.[3]
Related to גויל, gewil, a rolling (i.e. unhewn) stone, cf. he:wiktionary:גול, "to roll." (Jastrow)
Definition
Gevil is a form skin for safrut (halakhic writing) that is made of tanned, whole hide. The precise requirements for processing gevil are laid down by the Talmud, Geonim and Rishonim.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ami said in the name of Ulla: There are three [untanned] hide [stages before it is tanned into gevil]: Matza, ḥifa, and diftera.
א"ר חייא בר אסי משמיה דעולא ג' עורות הן מצה חיפה ודיפתרא —.[4][5]
According to Jewish law, the preparation of gevil must include salt, flour and mey afatzim (wasp residue/gall-nut water).[6] These requirements were reconfirmed as a Law given to Moses at Sinai by Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah. Gall nuts—rich in tannic acid—are a tree's reaction to an invasive parasitic wasp's egg; the pure black tint of the ink used on Torahs results from the reaction between the tannic acid and iron sulfate (a powder used to make the ink).[7]
There are three forms of tanned skin known to Jewish law. The other two forms (klaf and dukhsustus) result from splitting the hide into two layers. The rabbinic scholars are divided upon which is the inner and which is the outer of the two halves. Maimonides is of the opinion that klaf was the inner layer and that duchsustus was the outer layer [8] The Shulchan Aruch rules in the reverse that klaf was the outer layer and that duchsustus was the inner layer [9] The opinion of the Shulchan Aruch is the accepted ruling in all Jewish comunities. Recently a small group has advocated for the return to using the full hide known as gevil for Sifrei Torah as it avoids this issue, but unfortunately this solution won't work for tefilin which must be written on klaf and are not kosher if written on gevil.
Uses
According to the Talmud, Moses used gevil for the Torah scroll he placed into the Ark of the Covenant.[10] Elsewhere in the Talmud, there is testimony that Torah scrolls were written on gevil.[11]
Today, a handful of Jewish scribes and artisans continue to make scroll material in this way. However, the majority of Torah scrolls are written on klaf, in their belief that the Talmud recommends (as opposed to requires) gevil and relates to the optimal beautification of the scrolls rather than an essential halachic requirement. Given the uncertainty about which layer of the hide is in fact the klaf, there is a growing movement for insisting on a return to gevil in Torah scrolls in order to avoid all doubts.
Most of the Dead Sea Scrolls (200 BCE), found in and around the caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea, are written on gevil.
Properly, klaf should be used for tefillin and duchsustus for mezuzot. However, this rule isn't an obligation is just a preference and Klaf is used for Mezuzot as well today but there is a minority which seeks to return to the actual law.
The Gevil Institute: Machon Gevil 2013-10-20 at the Wayback Machine The only online organization dedicated to the preservation of gevil.
February 20, 2023
gevil, gewil, hebrew, גויל, hebrew, גוויל, type, parchment, made, from, whole, animal, hide, that, been, prepared, writing, material, jewish, scribal, documents, particular, sefer, torah, torah, scroll, year, yemenite, torah, scroll, gevil, parchment, from, ra. Gevil or gewil Hebrew גויל or Hebrew גוויל is a type of parchment made from whole animal hide that has been prepared as a writing material in Jewish scribal documents in particular a Sefer Torah Torah scroll A 200 year old Yemenite Torah scroll on gevil parchment from the Rambam Synagogue in Nahalat Ahim Jerusalem The sofer was from the Sharabi family According to most views of Jewish law a Sefer Torah Torah scroll should be written on gevil parchment as was done by Moses for the original Torah scroll he transcribed 1 Further a reading of the earliest extant manuscripts of the Mishneh Torah indicate that gevil was halakha derived from Moses and thus required for Torah scrolls 2 Maimonides wrote that it is a law given to Moses at Sinai that a Torah scroll must be written on either gevil or klaf in order to be valid and that it is preferable that they be written on gevil 3 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Definition 3 Uses 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEtymology EditRelated to גויל gewil a rolling i e unhewn stone cf he wiktionary גול to roll Jastrow Definition EditGevil is a form skin for safrut halakhic writing that is made of tanned whole hide The precise requirements for processing gevil are laid down by the Talmud Geonim and Rishonim Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ami said in the name of Ulla There are three untanned hide stages before it is tanned into gevil Matza ḥifa and diftera א ר חייא בר אסי משמיה דעולא ג עורות הן מצה חיפה ודיפתרא 4 5 According to Jewish law the preparation of gevil must include salt flour and mey afatzim wasp residue gall nut water 6 These requirements were reconfirmed as a Law given to Moses at Sinai by Maimonides in his Mishneh Torah Gall nuts rich in tannic acid are a tree s reaction to an invasive parasitic wasp s egg the pure black tint of the ink used on Torahs results from the reaction between the tannic acid and iron sulfate a powder used to make the ink 7 There are three forms of tanned skin known to Jewish law The other two forms klaf and dukhsustus result from splitting the hide into two layers The rabbinic scholars are divided upon which is the inner and which is the outer of the two halves Maimonides is of the opinion that klaf was the inner layer and that duchsustus was the outer layer 8 The Shulchan Aruch rules in the reverse that klaf was the outer layer and that duchsustus was the inner layer 9 The opinion of the Shulchan Aruch is the accepted ruling in all Jewish comunities Recently a small group has advocated for the return to using the full hide known as gevil for Sifrei Torah as it avoids this issue but unfortunately this solution won t work for tefilin which must be written on klaf and are not kosher if written on gevil Uses EditAccording to the Talmud Moses used gevil for the Torah scroll he placed into the Ark of the Covenant 10 Elsewhere in the Talmud there is testimony that Torah scrolls were written on gevil 11 Today a handful of Jewish scribes and artisans continue to make scroll material in this way However the majority of Torah scrolls are written on klaf in their belief that the Talmud recommends as opposed to requires gevil and relates to the optimal beautification of the scrolls rather than an essential halachic requirement Given the uncertainty about which layer of the hide is in fact the klaf there is a growing movement for insisting on a return to gevil in Torah scrolls in order to avoid all doubts Most of the Dead Sea Scrolls 200 BCE found in and around the caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea are written on gevil Properly klaf should be used for tefillin and duchsustus for mezuzot However this rule isn t an obligation is just a preference and Klaf is used for Mezuzot as well today but there is a minority which seeks to return to the actual law See also EditKtav StamReferences Edit Talmud Bava Batra 14b and Gittin 54b Mishnah Torah Hilkoth Tefillin 1 8 Mishneh Torah Hilkhoth Tefillin 1 14 Gittin 22a Shabbat 79a Shabbat 79b Shabboth 79a https www sefaria org Mishneh Torah 2C Tefillin 2C Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 1 7 vhe Torat Emet 370 amp lang he bare URL https www sefaria org Shulchan Arukh 2C Orach Chayim 32 7 vhe Maginei Eretz Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim Lemberg 1893 amp lang he bare URL Bava Batra 14b Gittin 54b Gittin 54bExternal links EditThe Gevil Institute Machon Gevil Archived 2013 10 20 at the Wayback Machine The only online organization dedicated to the preservation of gevil https web archive org web 20080410134250 http www ccdesigninc com MishmeresStam Leaflet pdf Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gevil amp oldid 1138142999, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
