Category Archives: Uncategorized

Under What Circumstances Would Peshutos Mehudaros Be Acceptable?

One of my customers asked me the following question about peshutos mehudaros tefillin: You have written in your website that Peshutos Mehudaros are “not acceptable in halacha according to all poskim.”  Are they acceptable for temporary use?  For example, may … Continue reading

Posted in Customer Questions, Diary of a sofer: See the issues that Rabbi Michaels deals with on a daily basis., Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Kosher Tefillin on eBay For $111. Really?

Take a look at this eBay listing and than take a look at my comments below. One thing is for sure: The person who is listing these tefillin is living in a different world than I am. In my world, I … Continue reading

Posted in Diary of a sofer: See the issues that Rabbi Michaels deals with on a daily basis., Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Mezuzah With Broken Letter Is Posel

This mezuzah is posel because the yud in the word לבנך, l’vanecha (your sons, four lines down, first word on the line) is missing its leg. An impression of the leg is visible, but the ink from the leg has completely … Continue reading

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Tefillin Battim Cracking on Bottom

This bayis is bending on the bottom in the wrong place. The hinge is supposed to be on the back of the maavarta, not on the bottom. This bayis is still kosher and can be used. If during tefillin work … Continue reading

Posted in Diary of a sofer: See the issues that Rabbi Michaels deals with on a daily basis., Tefillin Battim, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Ask A Child 4

Posted in Ask a Child: Shailos Tinok, Diary of a sofer: See the issues that Rabbi Michaels deals with on a daily basis., Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Two Letters Touching

This shaila was found while checking mezuzos today. It is a bit hard to understand how something so obvious was not caught up until now.

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Either Two Possel Or Two Missing

One of my customers was told by a ‘Yid’ (his intent was somebody who sees more than the rest of us) that he either has two possel mezuzos or two missing mezuzos. Being that he has mostly new, high quality … Continue reading

Posted in Diary of a sofer: See the issues that Rabbi Michaels deals with on a daily basis., Mezuzah Tips, Putting up mezuzos, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Ksav Beis Yosef, Sheimos According to Minhag Ari

  Notice how the inside leg of the letter ‘Hey’ in Hashem’s name  is different than the other ‘Hey’s’. This is called p’seia l’bar, step to the outside, and is a custom brought down in kabalah. The custom is to … Continue reading

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Hurricane Sandy Takes Toll On Bayswater Tefillin

Somebody brought me four sets of tefillin from a shul in Bayswater that had been completely submerged under water for many hours as a result of Hurricane Sandy. They were so wet that the battim were soft like a sponge, and their shape was … Continue reading

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Quickest Mezuzah Remover Around!

Normally when I do a house call, I take down three or four mezuzos, check them and put them back. Sometimes it is not convenient for the customer to have me do the checking on site, so I take all … Continue reading

Posted in A Look At My Customers, Diary of a sofer: See the issues that Rabbi Michaels deals with on a daily basis., Uncategorized | Leave a comment