Why does Rashi at bottom of 20a select Echad with mistaken reish as example (albeit this changes the meaning into the grave manner of kfira) vs picking Bil'adech mi'Parshas Sotah, albeit the mistake lacks same severity but RY and RM context is only parshas Sotah, not krias shma?
Daniel Gray, Canada
1) The Gemara tells us that Rebbi Yishmael said to Rebbi Meir that if he is not careful he could "destroy the world." That is why Rashi (DH Im) chooses the example of omitting the Alef from "Elokim Emes" which would make it look as though Hash-m is "Mes" Chas v'Shalom. This is an example of destroying the world by making a mistake in one letter. Similarly, if one writes "Acher" instead of "Echad" this destroys the world because people might thnk that Hash-m is "another" Chas v'Shalom.
2) In contrast, if, in Bamidbar 5:20, one wrote "mi'Bal'arei" instead of "mi'Bal'adei," this is meaningless since "mi'Bal'arei" does not mean anything. The Sefer Torah might be Pasul, but it will not destroy the world by causing mistakes in belief.
3) In addition, it may be that the Sefer Torah which reads "mi'Bal'arei" instead of "mi'Bal'adei" is kosher b'Di'eved according to the Rambam if one has no other Sefer Torah from which to read. The source for this is the Beis Yosef on the Tur (Orach Chayim 143, DH v'Kasuv) who cites the Rambam who permitted reading, and making a Berachah, on a Pasul Sefer Torah in a place where no other Sefer is available. There is a lot of discussion about whether one can rely on this, and whether the Rambam really said this. However, see the Mishnah Berurah (OC 143:29) who says that there are ways that sometimes one can be Yotzei b'Di'eved with a Sefer Torah that is Pasul.
3) But if the Sefer Torah read "Acher" instead of "Echad," or "Mes" instead of "Emes," everyone would agree that one is not Yotzei even b'Di'eved with a Sefer Torah that destroys the world.
4) The context of Rebbi Yishmael and Rebbi Meir is not only Parshas Sotah, but also the general issue that a Sofer always must be very caeful not to make mistakes.
Dovid Bloom
Thanks. Regarding what you wrote that "The context of Rebbi Yishmael and Rebbi Meir is not only Parshas Sotah, but also the general issue that a Sofer always must be very caeful not to make mistakes."
- Not so regarding preventing mistaken reish instead of daled by using ink that's not erasable - which is the part of the gemara that Rashi cites an example - as being erasable is issue only for Parshas Sotah. It doesn't hold appeal to say Rashi stepped out of that boundary to cite an example going back to the other part of their conversation, unless there is a profound reason to do so, which the answers below do not personally satisfy me for reaching the threshold of profound.
I appreciate the response but remain unsatiated.
Daniel
Daniel -
(a) At the point of the story where Rebbi Meir explains that he makes use of Kankantom to prevent erasures, no reference had yet been made to Parshas Sotah. Thus, we have no reason to believe that R. Meir was specifically trying to preventing an erasure in Parshas Sotah. So Rashi has no reason to look for a "Dalet" in Parshas Sotah.
(To the contrary - Rebbi Meir himself requires 'erasability' for Parshas Sotah later in a Beraisa so he could not have used Kankantom-ink when writing that Parsha.)
It was Rebbi Yishmael who brought up the problem of Parshas Sotah after hearing Rebbi Meir's statement about using Kankantom. Rebbi Yishmael was afraid that if R. Meir used Kankantom for his ink, he would probably use the same ink for Parshas Sotah as well.
(b) By the way, your assumption that Rebbi Yishmael (or Rebbi Akiva) required 'erasability' only for the Parshas Sotah, about which we are told 'u'Machah' - is not necessarily correct.
True, such a conclusion would seem to be substantiated by the Gemara on bottom of 20a (that you quoted) where Rebbi Meir only requires 'erasability' for Parshas Sotah, and this seems to be Rashi's intent (DH Kesav she'Yuchal Limchos).
However, Tosfos Eruvin 13a DH Chutz learns that Rebbi Yishmael argued with Rebbi Meir and required 'erasability' for the entire Sefer Torah, not just Parshas Sotah.
Best regards, Mordecai Kornfeld