Penmanship in Jewish art was developed amongst other things by the fact that the religious tradition requires a scribe for the copy of many texts. Sofrim must control a very great number of rules before being able to write these religious texts. They are writing the parchments included in Tephilines and Mezuzot. They write the Torah rollers and the roller of Esther. Since biblical times they have a fundamental role in the transmission of the Jewish tradition. Today the scribes are still executing the copy of these texts.

The religious law requires a beautiful and 'perfect ' writing. But we can't affirm that sofrut is art. The hebrew calligraphers played a role in the drafting of other texts (Ketouba, Haggadah...). The calligraphied texts, often enluminated, show the diaspora influence on Jewish Art. Thus, we can find Ashkénazy and Sépharady styles.

Modern ashkenazy

Sephardy Italique

Modern Sephardy

 

Printing did not completely replace the handwritten writing until the XXe century for two principal reasons: first the religious law requires that certain texts must be written with the hand by a sofer, and in addition, all the Jews dispersed in the world, did not have access to printing works. The Jewish calligraphers continued to write and decorate marriage contracts or Haggadot.

Today, Hebraic penmanship develops mainly in Israel (Hebrew is the national language there) in the religious field the design or the publicity.