כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אַחֲרֵ֤י מוֹתִי֙ כִּֽי־הַשְׁחֵ֣ת תַּשְׁחִת֔וּן וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֖יתִי אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְקָרָ֨את אֶתְכֶ֤ם הָֽרָעָה֙ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֔ים כִּֽי־תַעֲשׂ֤וּ אֶת־הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה לְהַכְעִיס֖וֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיכֶֽם׃
Car je sais qu’après ma mort vous irez dégénérant, et que vous dévierez du chemin que je vous ai prescrit; mais il vous arrivera malheur dans la suite des temps, pour avoir fait ce qui déplaît au Seigneur, pour l’avoir offensé par l’œuvre de vos mains!"
Mishneh Torah, Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll
There are other rules mentioned in the Talmud which the scribes observe as a tradition handed down from one to another. They are as follows: The number of lines in each column shall not be less than forty-eight and not more than sixty; the blank spaces between one section and another shall be such that nine letters, e.g., A She R, A She R, A She R, can be written in it. The five lines preceding the Song at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:28, 29, 30, 30, 31) shall begin respectively with the words Habaim, Bayabashah, Hashem, Mes, Bemitzraim. The five lines after it shall begin respectively with the words Vatikach, Achareha, Sus, Vayetzëü, Vayavöü (Exodus 15:20, 20, 21, 22, 23). The six lines before the Song of Moses beginning Haazinu (Deuteronomy 32:1-43) shall respectively commence with the words Veaeedah, Acharé, Haderech, Beacharith, Lehacheeso, Kehal (Deuteronomy 31:28, 29, 29, 29, 29, 30); and the five lines after the Song of Moses shall begin with the words Vayabo, Ledabber, Asher, Hazoth, Asher (Deuteronomy 32:44, 45, 46, 46, 47). All these points of observance are to enable us to fulfill the duty in the best way. Variations in these particulars do not render the scroll unfit for use.