383. Who May Write Sifrei Torah, Tefillin and Mezuzos?

Tefillin, Mezuzah v’Sefer Torah 1:12

It is a halacha l’Moshe miSinai (a rule communicated to Moses at Sinai) that a sefer Torah and a mezuzah may only be written on parchment with scored lines. Tefillin need not have scored lines because they are covered. Tefillin and mezuzos may be written without consulting an existing text because people are familiar with these passages. It is prohibited, however, to write even a single letter of a sefer Torah without consulting an existing text.

Tefillin, Mezuzah v’Sefer Torah 1:13

A sefer Torah, tefillin, or mezuzah written by a heretic must be burned. If they were written by a non-Jew, an apostate, a Jew who betrays his people to the authorities, a slave, a woman, or a minor, they are invalid and must be stored away, as per Deuteronomy 6:8-9, “you shall tie... and you shall write.” From this, the Sages equate those who tie tefillin (namely, adult males Jews in good standing) with those who may write these things. If these objects are found in the possession of a heretic and we don’t know who wrote them, they should be stored away. If they are found in the possession of a non-Jew, they are fit for use. However, one should not purchase sifrei Torah, tefillin or mezuzos from non-Jews for more than they are worth because that encourages unscrupulous people to steal such things.