From the Rav’s Desk: Kashrus of Torah scroll sewed in wrong order

Post Views: 514
Purchase "From Rav's Desk" Q&A's 3 Volumes*

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

WhatsApp
Telegram
Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
Email
Join Daily Halacha distribution list

Kashrus of Torah scroll sewed in wrong order

  1. Question:

I was wondering what would be the law if a Torah scroll was sewed in the wrong order? For example, if the Sofer accidentally sewed a later page of parchment in an earlier area, would the Torah scroll remain kosher being that it has all the words and letters, or not.

 

Answer:

Such a Torah scroll is not Kosher, as in order for a Torah scroll to be kosher all the words must appear in the correct order.

 

Explanation:

A most interesting question which is not explicitly addressed in the Talmud or Rishonim, is regarding the law of a Torah scroll which had its parchments sewed in the wrong order. This question was first addressed and in great length in the Sefer Chikrei Leiv, and although he debates the matter, his leaning approach is to invalidate the Torah scroll, as if the scroll cannot be read in the correct order it is as if some of it is missing.

 

Sources: Chikrei Leiv  3 Y.D. 122; Maaseh HaTorah 27:1a

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.

Leave A Comment?

You must be logged in to post a comment.