K'laf, G'vil and Duchsustos

Three kinds of hide, three different uses — and why processing with intent is a condition.

Three layers, three names Hide separates into layers, hence the three terms: g'vil — the whole hide; k'laf — the inner layer; duchsustos — the outer layer. Maimonides rules that a Torah scroll is written on g'vil on the hair side, tefillin on k'laf on the flesh side, and a mezuzah on duchsustos on the hair side (Mishneh Torah 1:8). In practice, recent generations write Torah scrolls on k'laf.

Processing with intent The Shulchan Arukh stresses that the hides must be processed for the sake of a Torah scroll, the tanner declaring at the outset: "these hides I am processing for the sake of a Torah scroll" (Yoreh De'ah 271:1). Hide processed without that intent is listed among the disqualifying factors (Maimonides 10:1).

What this means for a buyer When commissioning a scroll, the question of parchment type and origin is not technical but one of kashrut and quality: which hide, processed by whom, and for what purpose. At KADOSH³ parchment details are recorded on the scroll's record, and no unverified data is displayed.

Note: Educational content, not a halachic ruling.

This article is written for study and orientation only, based on the cited sources, and is not a halachic ruling. For a practical question, consult a rabbi.

Sources for this article

Deuteronomy 31:19
וְעַתָּה כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם אֶת־הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת וְלַמְּדָהּ אֶת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׂימָהּ בְּפִיהֶם לְמַעַן תִּהְיֶה־לִּי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְעֵד בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
Therefore, write down this poem and teach it to the people of Israel; put it in their mouths, in order that this poem may be My witness against the people of Israel.
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Deuteronomy 6:9
וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל־מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ׃
inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
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Mishneh Torah, Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 1:8
הֲלָכָה לְמשֶׁה מִסִּינַי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כּוֹתְבִין סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה עַל הַגְּוִיל וְכוֹתְבִין בִּמְקוֹם הַשֵּׂעָר. וְשֶׁיִּהְיוּ כּוֹתְבִין הַתְּפִלִּין עַל הַקְּלָף וְכוֹתְבִין בִּמְקוֹם הַבָּשָׂר. וְשֶׁיִּהְיוּ כּוֹתְבִין הַמְּזוּזָה עַל דּוּכְסוּסְטוּס וְכוֹתְבִין בִּמְקוֹם הַשֵּׂעָר
It is a halachah transmitted to Moses at Sinai that a Torah scroll be written on g'vil, on the hair side; that tefillin be written on k'laf, on the flesh side; and that a mezuzah be written on duchsustos, on the hair side.
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Mishneh Torah, Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 10:1
נִמְצֵאתָ לָמֵד שֶׁעֶשְׂרִים דְּבָרִים הֵן שֶׁבְּכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶן פּוֹסֵל סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה... וְאֵלּוּ הֵן. א. אִם נִכְתַּב עַל עוֹר בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה. ב. שֶׁנִּכְתַּב עַל עוֹר בְּהֵמָה טְהוֹרָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְעֻבָּד. ג. שֶׁהָיָה מְעֻבָּד שֶׁלֹּא לְשֵׁם סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה... ז. שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בְּלֹא שִׂרְטוּט. ח. שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בְּלֹא שָׁחוֹר הָעוֹמֵד. ט. שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בִּשְׁאָר לְשׁוֹנוֹת
It follows that there are twenty matters, each of which disqualifies a Torah scroll... They are: (1) if it was written on the hide of a non-kosher animal; (2) on an unprocessed hide of a kosher animal; (3) on a hide processed without the intent of a Torah scroll... (7) written without ruled lines; (8) written without durable black ink; (9) written in another language.
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Mishneh Torah, Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 7:1
מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה עַל כָּל אִישׁ וְאִישׁ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל לִכְתֹּב סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה לְעַצְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְעַתָּה כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם אֶת הַשִּׁירָה"... וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִנִּיחוּ לוֹ אֲבוֹתָיו סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה מִצְוָה לִכְתֹּב מִשֶּׁלּוֹ. וְאִם כְּתָבוֹ בְּיָדוֹ הֲרֵי הוּא כְּאִלּוּ קִבְּלָהּ מֵהַר סִינַי. וְאִם אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִכְתֹּב אֲחֵרִים כּוֹתְבִין לוֹ. וְכָל הַמַּגִּיהַּ סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה וַאֲפִלּוּ אוֹת אַחַת הֲרֵי הוּא כְּאִלּוּ כְּתָבוֹ כֻּלּוֹ
It is a positive commandment for each and every Jewish man to write a Torah scroll for himself, as stated: "And now, write down this song for yourselves." Even if one's ancestors left him a Torah scroll, it is a commandment to write one of his own. If he wrote it himself, it is as though he received it from Mount Sinai; if he does not know how to write, others write it for him. And whoever corrects even a single letter of a Torah scroll is regarded as though he wrote the whole of it.
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Mishneh Torah, Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 7:4
וְכֵיצַד כּוֹתְבִין סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה. כּוֹתֵב כְּתִיבָה מְתֻקֶּנֶת נָאָה בְּיוֹתֵר. יַנִּיחַ בֵּין כָּל תֵּבָה וְתֵבָה כִּמְלֹא אוֹת קְטַנָּה וּבֵין אוֹת לְאוֹת כִּמְלֹא חוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה וּבֵין כָּל שִׁיטָה וְשִׁיטָה כִּמְלֹא שִׁיטָה. וְאֹרֶךְ כָּל שִׁיטָה וְשִׁיטָה שְׁלֹשִׁים אוֹתִיּוֹת
How is a Torah scroll written? One writes with careful, very beautiful script. He leaves the space of a small letter between each word, a hair's breadth between letters, and the height of a line between lines. The length of each line is thirty letters.
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Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah 271:1
אֵין כּוֹתְבִין סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה עַל עוֹר בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף הַטְּמֵאִים... אֲבָל כּוֹתְבִין עַל עוֹר בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף הַטְּהוֹרִים... וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הָעוֹרוֹת מְעוּבָּדִין עַל יְדֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְשֵׁם סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה, שֶׁיֹּאמַר בִּתְחִלַּת הָעִיבּוּד... עוֹרוֹת אֵלּוּ אֲנִי מְעַבֵּד לְשֵׁם סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה
A Torah scroll may not be written on the hide of a non-kosher animal, beast or bird... but it may be written on the hide of kosher animals, beasts or birds... and the hides must be processed by a Jew for the sake of a Torah scroll, declaring at the start of the processing: these hides I am processing for the sake of a Torah scroll.
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Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah 288:1
כֵּיצַד כּוֹתְבִין אֶת הַמְּזוּזָה. כּוֹתְבִין שְׁתֵּי פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת "שְׁמַע" וְ"וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ" עַל דַּף אֶחָד בִּירִיעָה אַחַת, וְעוֹשֶׂה לָהּ רֶוַח מִלְּמַטָּה וְרֶוַח מִלְמַעְלָה כְּמוֹ חֲצִי צִפּוֹרֶן
How is a mezuzah written? The two passages, "Shema" and "Vehayah im shamoa," are written on one column on a single piece of parchment, leaving a space below and above of about half a fingernail.
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