/
RSS Feed
We are beginning siman 3. The Chayei Adam writes that cutting letters from a piece of hide or leather is included in the issur deoraysa of koseiv. However, rosheim, which is using a blunt instrument to make impressions in leather (without cutting it), is not chayav. The reason one is not chayav is because nothing was actually written through the reshima. That being said, if one presses even just a line into leather, but the line is meant to remain permanently, they will be chayav.
The Chayei Adam continues, and differentiates between leather, which is softer, and klaf, which is hard. The Taz holds that any impression made in klaf is not chayav, because the hard nature of klaf does not allow for an impression made on it to last. The Mishnah Berurah writes that, even according to the Taz, if one uses an implement which truly makes a permanent impression, one will be chayav. The Taz was referring to using one’s fingernails, which he holds will not create a lasting impression on klaf.
A practical application of this point is that if one is learning from a sefer, and they want to make a line next to the point which is important, it would still be assur to make an impression with one’s fingernail. Even though one does not create any letters, since the nature of paper is that such an impression will last, it is assur. This is known as rosheim b’tziporen.
Summary
Rosheim is the concept of making an impression on something without cutting it. If the impression will last, it is assur because it is similar to kesiva. A practical example includes making an impression with one’s fingernail into paper, as the impression will last on the paper.
