The Faithful Scribe

A river of faith runs deeply through time
flowing dark in ink from carved mountainsides
dipped in fountains held in ancestor’s washed hands.
Each pious sofer kneels, facing the Holy Land.
He leans on the wisdom and shoulders of sages, 
passing down their blessed tales through the ages.
Holy words of God recited, all penned with care
upon parchment pristine, never stained or threadbare.   
Sacred prayers read by lanterns are solely hand-traced 
and perfected with calligraphy practices graced 
by love and traditions carried through years shared. 
These sanctified scrolls are still delicately prepared
and with devout observation, are opened in temples,
words artfully scribed by faithful rivers in ripples.



Written 6/26/20
Contest – The Old Scribe
Sponsor – Craig Cornish

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John Watt

Date: 6/27/2020 11:10:00 PM

I loved your opening, "A river of faith runs deeply through time / flowing dark in ink", telling of both the historical significance of the work of these scribes but of their faithfulness as well. We owe them a debt of gratitude for the great care they took to transcribe texts. Great write, Rhonda, enjoyed it! Best wishes in Craig's contest ~ John

Rhonda Johnson-Saunders
Date: 6/30/2020 10:02:00 PM

Thank you, John! Yes, we do owe them a debt of gratitude. I am amazed by their faith, hard work and dedication. Blessings, Rhonda xx

Arturo Michael

Date: 6/27/2020 5:09:00 AM

Some great minds penned those scrolls...I don't know how divine inspiration works...but they truly understood man and the universe...Well done here

Rhonda Johnson-Saunders
Date: 6/30/2020 10:00:00 PM

Faith can inspire people to do amazing things. Thanks for the visit. Rhonda xx

Gershon Wolf

Date: 6/26/2020 2:05:00 PM

Bravo! You have really captured the art and the work of the sofer beautifully! I don't know if you've ever been in one of their workshops or not, but they take you back to blacksmiths (without the bellows). Just lots of leather, parchment, and other materials all over the place, and all sorts of unique tools too. (The leather is for the phylacteries/the tefillin, which they make as well, and constitutes the bulk of their business). Awesome, Rhonda! Thanks, Gershon

Gershon Wolf
Date: 6/28/2020 12:13:00 PM

Not everything is 'better with electronics' or other updated technologies. Just think of how 'processed foods' like white rice are so harmful to the body... Moreover, here's some more info: Any Torah scroll (or tefillin scrolls) produced by machine are absolutely invalid. As well, if even the curl on a letter like the 'yud' is missing, the entire scroll is invalid. So, the work of a sofer/scribe is truly humbling! Thanks for your interest. Light and Joy, Gershon

Rhonda Johnson-Saunders
Date: 6/27/2020 12:25:00 PM

Thanks for the visit, Gershon. No, I have never been, but I can imagine it. I'm amazed by how they still do everything by hand without the conveniences of modern technology and with such great precision and care. It was interesting to learn about.

Rico Leffanta

Date: 6/26/2020 1:57:00 PM

Sadly, too many scribes, supervisors, and editors were dishonest. Imagine how different your world would be today if females wrote the records! Aloha! Rico

Rico Leffanta
Date: 6/30/2020 2:02:00 PM

Biblical Hebrew scribes did not write vowels, so scriptures were "fill in the blanks as it pleases you" until the Middles Ages, e.g., Ezekiel 34:3 "You drink the milk" or "You eat the fat"? Job 21:24 "His pails are full of milk" or "His sides are filled out with fat"? God leaves everyone guessing!" Aloha! Rico

Rhonda Johnson-Saunders
Date: 6/27/2020 12:30:00 PM

The Jewish sofers could not be dishonest when copying the Word Of God. They had to copy word for word reciting each word out loud as they wrote it, still do. If they made even a single change or mistake, they would have to start over again. This is the kind of scribe I am writing about. As for historical scribes, I'm sure you are right. Thanks for the visit, Rico. Rhonda xx