Will The “Gevil” Torah Become Extinct?
     Jerusalem, Israel: As time goes by, important legal aspects of our Jewish faith appear to be fading away. Surprisingly, very few of our religious leaders seem to be aware of this phenomenon. One such example of this fading light involves the “institution” of Gevil animal hide, which is traditionally used as the authentic and required writing material in Torah scrolls.
     Many of our grandfathers still remember (with tears) the glow of their Synagogue’s “Gevil” Torah scroll, as it was proudly shown to the congregants during the weekly and Sabbath prayers. Up until just one generation ago, Gevil had always been the standard type of animal hide used throughout the Sepharadi, Andalusia and Mizrakhi world. The former Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu Shlit”a still uses it. No one doubts its authenticity or accuracy, in terms of satisfying the Jewish Law beyond any doubt, better than any other material.
     The antiquity and authenticity of Gevil can be verified from the Talmudic tractate “Bava Batra 14a,” which mentions how Moses used Gevil for the Torah scroll he placed into the Holy Ark. Also, in another tractate (Gitten 54b) we find mention that Torah scrolls were written on Gevil. The Rambam (Maimonides) said that non-Gevil Torah scrolls were problematic, because all scrolls are required to be processed with salt, flour and m’afatsim. He said that this is the law from Moses as given on Mount Sinai. Other indirect supporters included the Ramban, Rashba and the Vilna Gaon.
     Now, it has become necessary to re-publicize Gevil before it is too late. Unfortunately, many of our youngsters know little or nothing about the heritage of their Grandfathers. To answer this challenge, a new “Gevil Revival” campaign to educate and preserve the institution of Gevil has been started by the Gevil Institute of Jerusalem. For more information about this authentic parchment legacy, you can visit their web site at www.globaljms.co.il . The Institute’s founder would be more than happy to answer any of your specific questions.
 
CONTACT
Ben Hhaim
Gevil Institute of Jerusalem
gawil@globaljms.co.il