Q&A: The Form of the Letters in Sacred Scroll Script According to Judaism
The Form of the Letters in Sacred Scroll Script According to Judaism
Question
As is well known, there is a dispute over in which script the Torah was given—whether in ancient Hebrew script (Da’atz) or in Assyrian script (Aramaic script). From research into the development of writing, it seems that the Torah was indeed given in Hebrew script, since that was the script used here in the region, whereas the Assyrian script was not found here. It arrived later from the exile. In any case, that script in that period had a different font style, which developed over the generations into the script used in our time. At any rate, it seems that Ezra wrote in a different font from the one we know. Even in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the script differs in many ways from the script we call sacred scroll script.
Even if we assume that before Ezra there was no problem changing the font, and that he fixed the script used in his time in order to preserve the Torah and forbade changing it—what we have today certainly did not reach us exactly as Ezra wanted. So why is there a dispute among the halakhic decisors over every little crown and detail, when it is clear that nobody writes like Ezra did!
And also, why assume that Ezra instituted that the font must not be changed, if the text of the Bible can be preserved even if the font changes? Why is every sacred-scroll scribe required to write in a certain way, when nowhere else is there a parallel requirement like this? After all, it is obvious that every scribe has slightly different handwriting, even in writing sacred scrolls, tefillin, and mezuzot, where there are many things they try to make uniform in their writing! All the more so in other kinds of writing, where no two handwritings are identical.
Thank you very much!!
Answer
I’m not expert in the history of language and script. The binding Jewish law is what is accepted today, and even if our current view of what existed in the past is anachronistic, that is still the view that is binding in Jewish law.
Also, even if the script changed, that does not mean the change was made intentionally. It is possible that changes arose through various acts of copying, but there was always a prohibition against making changes. And once several different letter forms emerged, it became necessary to decide between them.
Finally, Jewish law goes through a process of formalization, as with measurements. Once, a cubit was measured simply by placing the hand, and that was it. Today it is measured in centimeters. The same applies to the form of the letters.
Discussion on Answer
I also noted at the end that there are differences among the scribes, as support for the claim that it is strange to set binding norms in this area. My question is why this insistence on the shape of the letter suddenly appeared. And even if it suddenly appeared because some people thought that this was what Ezra meant, why are we obligated by it? It does not seem reasonable to say that this is what Ezra meant, because it is pointless and a puzzling requirement, and also because archaeological findings prove that this is not how things were.
And I answered that, to the same extent, insistence on measurements and the like also appeared. That is the way of Jewish law: over the generations it becomes more and more fixed and formalized.
By the way, even among sacred-scroll scribes there are differences in script. What they established is a binding standard, but within it there are different writing styles.