Crossword-Solution: SOFER 5 letters, 1 clue 🏆 scrabble score: 8

Ben-Avigdor is the creator of the young realist movement, through his psychologic tales of ghetto life, particularly his _Menahem ha-Sofer_ ("Menahem the Scribe"), wherein he opposes the new chauvinism.

Afterwards, of course, the Sofer became of much higher importance; he was not merely a professional writer, but a man learned in the Law, who spread the knowledge of it among the people.

Later, again, these functions were separated, and the Sofer added to his other offices that of teacher of the young.

Nowadays, he has regained his earlier and less important position, for the modern Sofer is simply a professional writer.

There were no priests except at Jerusalem, and even there, reduced to functions entirely ritual, almost, like our parish priests, excluded from preaching, they were surpassed by the orator of the synagogue, the casuist, and the _sofer_ or scribe, although the latter was only a layman.