676. Exempt Forms of Writing

Shabbos 11:10

One is liable for writing the same letter twice if it forms a word, like “gag” (meaning a roof) or “sheish” (the number six – each of which in Hebrew is the same letter written twice). A person is liable for writing any characters in any language, even for just making two marks.

Shabbos 11:11

One is not liable for writing in the following if: he writes a single letter next to existing writing; he writes on top of existing writing; he intended to write the Hebrew letter ches and instead wrote the letter zayin twice, or similar errors regarding other letters*; he writes one letter on the floor and another letter on a beam so that they are not read together; he writes two letters on two different pages of a writing tablet so that they are not read together. If a person writes on two adjacent walls or on adjacent pages of a writing tablet so that the letters are read together, he is liable.

*In the script used in writing a sefer Torah, the letter ches is formed by connecting two letters zayin.