Klaf
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Klaf is the material on which a Sofer writes certain Jewish liturgical and ritual documents.
The writing material can be made of the specially prepared skin of a kosher animal - goat, cattle, or deer. The hide consist of three levels, a) gevil b) klaf and c) doksostus, but only the flesh side of the inner layer (a) and the outer side of the hairy layer (b) can be used for holy writings, (c) is not permitted [1]. The top side of the full unsplit hide appears to be the optimal material required by the Talmud, and is referred to as g'vil (gevil).
The age-old method of cleaning and preparing the full, unsplit hide (gevil) has changed over the centuries. During Talmudic times, salt-water and barley (or flours) were sprinkled on the skins which were then soaked in the juice of afatsim (gall nuts). Nowadays, most processors dip the skins in clear water for two days after which it is soaked in limewater for nine days to remove the hair. When it is a hairless surface, the scribe stretches it on a wooden drying frame and scrapes it until it is dry and creases ironed out with presses. Then it is sanded until it becomes a flat, smooth sheet fit for writing. The reasons for the change in this process are lengthy and controversial. Today, a few Jewish scribes still retain the method of preparing gevil in precise accordance with the Talmud.
Some parchment (usually poor quality) is smeared with a chalky substance (log) to make it whiter (though occasionally this is only done on the reverse). However some scribes object to this as it forms a barrier between the ink and the parchment.
Because of modern processes, most parchment is now prepared to the ruling of klaf and used in that manner, i.e. written on the flesh side and not on the hair side. However, there are still groups who continue to adhere to the ancient prescription described in the Talmud, and continue to write on the hairy side of the full hide.
The parchment must be prepared "for the sake of heaven" (i.e. with the intent of performing a Divine act) and the processor must make a declaration as to what he is preparing it for as one cannot use k'laf destined for a lesser holiness (kedusha kallah) - e.g. a mezuzah to write tefillin or a Sefer Torah, which are weightier holiness (kedusha chamurah). If he has to, the scribe should state that he is preparing for the sake of a Sefer Torah but that may change his if he wishes. If there is no Jew able to prepare the parchment, then in exceptional circumstances, a non-Jew may prepare it. However, a Jew must stand over him, directing him in his work and stating that the preparation is for the sake of heaven.
See also Gevil, Sefer Torah.
