In an operation by the Crime Fighting Unit at the Ashkelon police station, police arrested a resident of Samaria on suspicion of forging mezuzot.
The suspect, age 56, presented himself as a certified scribe (sofer stam), but allegedly sold invalid mezuzahs produced using a home printer.
The story began when mezuzot were brought for checking to Machon Stam in Crown Heights. An inspector of tefillin and mezuzot (magia) was examining them when he came across a mezuzah where something seemed wrong.
Apparently the sofer was printing the mezuzot on parchment and tracing over them with a quill and ink – making the mezuzot not kosher.
The news was brought to Rabbi Menachem Kahn, appointed by the Beit Din of Crown Heights to assist with such issues. Rabbi Kahn notified the two major organizations for the kashrut of tefillin and mezuzot, the latter of which contacted the Israeli police, who began their operation to catch the “sofer.”
During a covert investigation, detectives carried out a controlled purchase of dozens of mezuzot. When the suspect arrived to deliver the order, he was arrested on the spot.
Police are addressing the offence from a criminal standpoint and in terms of public trust.
Halacha Corner – Elul
Starting with shacharit of the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul we start saying twice a day, once at shacharit and a second time at mincha, chapter 27 of Tehillim - L'David Hashem Ori. Starting on the second day of Rosh Chodesh Elul we begin blowing the shofar each weekday (excluding erev Rosh Hashanah) after shacharit. Ten sounds are emitted in the following order: tekiah, shevarim, teruah, tekiah; tekiah, shevarim, tekiah; tekiah, teruah, tekiah.
Starting from the second day of Rosh Chodesh, we add an additional three chapters in the Tehillim recitation, i.e. on the 1st of Elul chapters 1-3, 2nd of Elul chapters 4-6 and so on completing chapter 114 on erev Yom Kippur. Chapters 115-150 are completed during Yom Kippur.
Although according to the halacha, it is not necessary to check one's tefillin and mezuzot more than twice in seven years, those who are G-d fearing try to get their tefillin and mezuzot checked every Elul. However, one should not limit this to tefillin and mezuzah inspection. One should likewise do an internal examination of one's spiritual state, and any breach one may have in his mitzvah performance and Torah learning one should endeavor to correct.
by Rabbi Eliezer Wenger OBM, reprinted from www.shmais.com
