Checking STA"M with Computer of AI

Will AI be able to help assist in checking the kashrus of STA"M (Sefer Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuzos)?

Before we discuss if AI can or potentially assist in checking mezuzos and other STA"M, let's first understand the requirement of checking STA"M in general. We will also discuss the method of typical computer checking for Torah scrolls, which was invented in 1984.

Obligation for Checking Mezuzos

According to Rabinical law, mezuzos placed on private property need to be checked twice every seven years.[1] Even if one checked a few of one’s many mezuzos and those were all found to be kosher, one still needs to check the rest that are up, because the condition of every place a mezuzah is mounted is not the same.[2] 

When checking mezuzos, some of the things that need to be checked are: accurate spelling, proper letter and word formation, proper ink color, no holes, no letters touching other letters, no cracks, no missing taggim (crowns)…

The Talmud relates:[3] " But when I [R' Meir] came to study with R' Yishmael, he said to me: My son, what is your vocation? I replied: I am a scribe [lavlar] who writes Torah scrolls. He said to me: My son, be careful in your vocation, as your vocation is heavenly service, lest you omit a single letter or add a single letter out of place, and you will end up destroying the whole world in its entirety."

The Keses Hasofer[4] after quoting this Talmud, adds "… From this we may see that a sofer must be in extremely G-d fearing, for if he makes one error or fails to make one necessary correction, his soul will perish, because he steals from the masses and causes them to sin – they remain in a state of not performing commandments, and every day make blessings in vain…"

Computer Checking

Torah Computer checking system uses scans or a picture of the columns and can detect misspellings. In 1984, Vaad Mishmeres HaStam introduced the first computer program to check for errors in Sifrei Torah, revealing that only 18 out of the first 100 checked were found to be completely free from spelling errors.

 Rav Shmuel Wosner was the leading posek who endorsed and even felt there is an obligation that all Torah scrolls should undergo a computer checking.

He reasoned that since this is something that can easily detect common mistakes if any exist, it becomes an invaluable tool and a specific obligation to be used, based on the rule that whenever we can verify more, we should do so.[5] Some Poskim, however, held that although it is highly advisable to use a computer, checking it this way is not a complete obligation.

[6] The Mishna Halachos was even opposed to computer checking, as it was a new practice that did not exist in the previous generations.[7] Today, the custom and industry standard is to mandate computer checking for all new Torah scrolls. 

Limitations of STA"M Computer Checking

The Eidah Hachareidis and other leading poskim clarified that computer checking can only be used for identifying missing, added, or substituted letters. It cannot be relied upon for paskening on tzuros haosiyos (letter shapes) and other problems. Additionally, computer checking did not replace the need for human inspection (performed by a magiah).

The Vaad Mishmeret HaStam wrote that individuals who relied too much on computer checking "resulted in inaccurate checks and a shift in responsibility from sofrim to computer systems… Sofrim increasingly relied on computers, neglecting the Halachic responsibilities and making persistent errors… The result was a system-wide reliance on a flawed technology with a lack of comprehensive oversight."

Thus, the belief that computer checking suffices is highly misleading, since even an excellent computer checking does not take over the need to have STA"M checked manually by an expert magiah.

AI for Checking STA"M

I conducted a series of checks on many mezuzos that had a misspelled word, with two different popular AI programs. While each time the AI program had reported the mezuzos were clear from spelling mistakes and kosher, the mezuzos were completely non-kosher! After I pointed out that there was a problem in the spelling of a specific word that I identified, the program still could not recognize the spelling error and wrote some other non-issue.

While it is clear that AI technology and accuracy can improve with time and more training, nonetheless, it is also clear that no one can rely upon an AI system to verify the mezuzah spelling as long as it lacks an endorsement from a reliable Rabbinical organization that has fully tested and authorized it.

Therefore, at the moment of the writing of this article, there is no such AI program that has Rabbinical endorsement to check STA"M for proper spelling.

AI STA"M Takeaway

With the proliferation of technology, as it is designed to assist us in so many things, one should never rely solely upon it and its findings. As we see, if one were to rely solely upon a classical computer checking for STA"M, lacking a hagah by a magiah this would be a complete disservice. How much more so when it comes to AI technology, where it will sometimes have a 'mind of its own' and lacks yiras shamayim (fear of Heaven).

Rabbi Dovid Nissan Bressman authored two halacha books on mezuzah and sefer torah. He has Yoreh Yoreh and Yadin Yadin from Central Tomchei Tmimim Brooklyn NY. He is also an ordained sofer and magiah and the director of Chesed Umishpat which assists on Jewish status matters.

For questions or dedications, you can reach him at jewishchesedumishpat@gmail.com or

310 617 5205

[1] Yoma 11a; Rambam (Hilchos Mezuzah 5:9); Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 291:1).

Some have the custom to check mezuzos and tefillin

[2]        Pischei Teshuva 291:1 quoting the Birkei Yosef.

[3] Eiruvin 13a.

[4] Keses Hasofer 1:1.

[5] Shevet Halevi (7:2). Rav Wosner cites the Bnei Yona (end of 279) which states that after a qualified sofer writes a Sefer Torah it still needs to be checked and assumed that it has some mistakes. Rav Wosner concludes, how much more so in our generation where the sofrim are on a lower level in accuracy.

Rav Wosner also writes that mistaken spelling is a "miut hamatzui" which according to halacha is an obligation to check after it (see Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 33).

[6] Teshuvos Vehanhagos (3:326).

[7] Mishne Halachos (11:115).