I have text printed in a Sefer Torah font. Is it holy?
The Gemara in Sanhedrin discusses two scripts of Lashon Hakodesh letters, Ksav Ivri and Ksav Ashuris, of which the latter came from Ashur (Assyria) and was transmitted to the Yidden by Ezra Hasofer.
Yet, the Gemara in Megilah states that the letters mem and samech engraved into the luchos stood in place by a miracle, implying they were completely closed letters with a suspended piece in the middle as it is written in Ksav Ashuris. (In Ksav Ivri, the form of those letters doesn’t have a suspended piece and does not require a miracle.)
The Ritva explains that, due to the holiness of this Ksav, only the luchos and Sefer Torah in the Aron were written in Ksav Ashuris, while anything else—even other Sifrei Torah—were written in Ksav Ivri. Over time, the details of Ksav Ashuris were forgotten. Ezra revived the Ksav Ashuris and was granted permission to use it for Sta”m, and he instituted that Sta”m be only written in Ksav Ashuris.
The Rambam writes that due to the kedusha inherent in Ksav Ashuris, it is disrespectful to use it for mundane matters. He notes that is why the Sefardim developed a different ksav — i.e., Solitreo, a precursor to cursive Rashi script — for use in mundane matters.
The Rama quotes the Rambam’s view in Shulchan Aruch.
The Rebbe instructed individuals on several occasions not to use Ksav Ashuris for invitations or even seforim. Even when printing the Alef Beis for teaching children, the Rebbe discouraged using Ksav Ashuris, since the printed material might be disgraced.
In earlier generations, even printing with block letters was reserved for pesukim in the Chumash or the text of the Gemara, while the commentaries were printed in Rashi script for the reason mentioned above. In more recent times, it has become more widespread to print seforim in block letters and rely on the absence of the tagin as a sufficient distinction from Ksav Ashuris.
RABBI CHAIM HILLEL RASKIN ROV OF ANASH - PETACH TIKVA
