SCRATCHING LETTERS WITH YOUR FINGERNAIL
SEIF 5 (Cont.)
We already reviewed the Taz who forbids forming actual letters with one's fingernail, only making a mark with a fingernail would be permitted. The Biur Halacha quotes the Gra from Seif 4 who says this Halacha is the Mekor for the Halacha regarding making letters in the air. Therefore, if one were allowed to actually leave marks on a Sefer, he certainly would be allowed to form them in the air where it does not leave any mark. The Gra implies that the Heter of marking a Sefer even applies to forming letters, since if it would only be referring to making a mark, he would not be able to compare it to forming letters in the air. (In other words, if the Gra learns our Heter only in the case of marking without forming letters, then there is no proof to the case of forming letters in the air where we are dealing with letters. So we must say that when referring to our case he is also including letters.)
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