How are *kri uksivs* marked in a Megillah/klaf that has vowels?

Question

Chayei Adam brings down (155:14) that technically yes, one could take a handwritten Megillas Esther, add in the vowels and cantillation marks, and it would still be kosher:

ואין לעשות בה נקודות או לכתוב בה הטעמים מ"מ בדיעבד כשר ואפי' לכתחלה מותר אם אין שם מי שיודע לקרות כהוגן או להקרות לש"ץ

I've heard that some shuls in Israel that want to use a handwritten parchment of the various books of the Prophets for weekly haftarahs use one with vowels and other marks added in, so the reader doesn't need to memorize those in advance.

I understand how you could take the basic text and add symbols, which are not-text. But how do you mark it to note that a word is pronounced differently? Or not pronounced at all, or pronounced despite being not appearing in writing? Can they add notes in the margins? Some other option? Or is there no way to do this?

Answer 1

I asked my Rav who is an accomplished Sofer about this, and this is his reply:

"I don't recommend this. This is actually a Machloket Rishonim - (The Mordechai, Rashba, Tashbeitz, HaGahot Maimon, Rabbeinu Tam) do posul this. The Language of the Shulchan Aruch says clearly "this is not a posul" which means (as some Acharonim point out) this is a בדיעבד. The GRA goes so far as to say לכתחילה this is Asur but mutar בדיעבד - (meaning can't posul it) - which I interpret to me (practically) that you are in a situation where there is no baal koreh, so you are forced to "tamper" with the Megillah in order to have a "kosher reading" - because otherwise no one knows it.

"I see now the Chayei Adam writes exactly what I understood- it is לכתחילה מותר if there is no other way a person can read.

"As an alternative: I once lained Megillah in a shul and was given a Megillah where, by chance, every place that I happened to be having trouble with - was marked VERY LIGHTLY in pencil.

"There is a situation whereby this is permitted as a לכתחילה by some Acharonim. If you are some place where there are only 9 other Jews who can't read Megillah on Purim."