Borrowing a Sefer from a Shul

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Borrowing a Shul’s Sefer:[1]

An old edict that was founded in ancient congregations is that one may not remove a Tallis or Sefer from the Shul without asking permission from the owners. [This applies even if one can assume that the owner is not particular, nevertheless one must ask permission. The same would apply towards removing Shul Sefarim, from the premises that one must ask permission from the Gabaim, even if one can assume that they do not mind.[2] One who removes Sefarim without permission is stealing from the Shul and from the public and causes Bittul Torah.[3]]

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[1] Rama C.M 163:6; Machatzis Hashekel 14/10; Chesed Lealafim 14/5; Shalmei Tzibur p. 34; Kaf Hachaim 14/32; Minchas Yitzchak 7/130

[2] See however Chesed Lealafim ibid, brought in Kaf Hachaim ibid, that the people who donate the Sefarim to the Shul library do so with intent that the Sefer remains in the Shul. This would imply that even the Gabaiy cannot give permission. Vetzaruch Iyun

[3] Minchas Yitzchak ibid

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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