She’eilas Tinok
Question: In our shul this week there was a question regarding one of the letters in the Sefer Torah. After calling a child to determine whether or not the letter was kosher, I observed that they asked him to identify quite a few letters. Why was that?
Discussion: Shulchan Aruch78 says that when the kashrus of a letter is in doubt, a child should be asked. The child is described as a “tinok d’lo chacham v’lo tipesh,” meaning that he shouldn’t be so wise that he will understand what is taking place and figure out which letter we want him to say,79 nor should he be so uneducated that he does not know the letters of the alef-beis well.
Since we want the child thinking as little as possible, and answering in as natural a fashion as possible, it is best if the child does not know which letter is the one in question.80
To accommodate the above considerations, the child will be asked to identify a series of random letters in quick succession. One of them will be the letter in question.
Question: When we come across two words which may appear as one, or one word which appears split into two, we are meant to ask a child as well.81 Practically, how is this done?
Discussion: This is a more challenging question because, when the child reads the words on the line, one must be concerned that he will read it correctly simply because of syntax or context.
Some Poskim82 suggest asking the child to read the line backwards.
Some contemporary Poskim suggest asking the child to count the number of words on the line to see if he counts the word, or words, in question as one word or two words.
It seems the ideal is to combine these two suggestions and to proceed as follows:
1. Show the child the line or two above the line in question.
2. Have the child count the number of words on the line out loud, “One, two, three…”
3. Ensure that the child is counting the words backwards, from left to right.
4. If the child is successful at this, then proceed to the line in question and repeat the exercise.
In this way, it will become apparent if the child views the word, or words, as one or two.
Question: May a girl be used for this purpose?
Discussion: Yes. A young girl who meets the criteria may be used, just as a boy may be used.
Question: What about using an adult who is uneducated, or using an adult who is educated but with all the surrounding letters covered up?
Discussion: Most Poskim83 feel that these options should not be used because a child says what he sees without thinking it through, while an adult is more likely to be wondering what the letter is supposed to be, or what we want him to say.
78 32:16
79 This explanation is among those mentioned in Chut Shani (pg. 124) and Mishnas Mordechai (32:85).
80 This is obvious, but mentioned explicitly in Kol Sofrim 6:2.
81 Mishnah Berurah 32, note 143.
82 Get Poshut 125:81, ד"ה ואם תאמר.
83 See Mishnas Sofrim im Mishmeres Sta”m, pg. 51. The Poskim who do permit an adult to be asked make it conditional on all other letters being covered. (Kol Sofrim 6:15, Da’as Notah III 468.)