Moving a Sefer Torah
A Sefer Torah must be treated with the utmost respect and dignity. Accordingly, there are special halachos for the storage and movement of a Sefer Torah. Firstly, it is a mitzvah to designate a place of honor for a Sefer Torah.21 Secondly, there are limitations regarding the moving of a Sefer Torah: It is prohibited to remove a Sefer Torah from the Aron Kodesh, or its designated place, even if it will not be removed from the building, for any other purpose except for Kerias HaTorah22 or for an enhancement of Kavod HaTorah.23 And even for Kerias HaTorah, it is prohibited to transport a Sefer Torah to a temporary location.24 According to some poskim, it is even prohibited to take it to another room in the same building, even for Kerias HaTorah.25 The custom, however, seems to follow the lenient opinions who allow transferring a Sefer Torah to another room in the same building for Kerias HaTorah.26 In such a case, it is best if the Sefer Torah is transferred at the beginning of davening and placed in an Aron Kodesh and returned to the Aron Kodesh after Kerias HaTorah.27 It is permitted to move a Sefer Torah from one permanent location to another permanent location.28
Although we have explained that it is prohibited to temporarily move a Sefer Torah to another location for Kerias HaTorah, this only applies if it is to be moved for Kerias HaTorah and returned immediately. However, if it is stored in a prepared place in that location for a day or two, it is permitted. It can be moved to the location a day or two before the Kerias HaTorah, or alternatively, it can be moved on the day of the Kerias HaTorah if it is to be left there for a day or two afterwards.29 In either case, the Torah must be placed in a temporary Aron Kodesh30 especially prepared for it, and it should be returned to that Aron Kodesh after Kerias HaTorah. The reason for this license is because this honors the Sefer Torah as it does not appear as if it was brought there only to read from it, but rather that this place was made into its abode for that time.31 It is common practice to transfer a Sefer Torah to another place only if it will be used at least three times at the temporary location.32 While this is a proper custom that should be upheld, it is not mandatory and can be disregarded when difficult to fulfill.33
There are some exceptions when it is permitted to transfer a Sefer Torah to a temporary location even if a place was not prepared for it in advance, or removing the Sefer Torah from the Aron Kodesh for reasons other than Kerias HaTorah.34 Since these prohibitions were enacted because it is a belittling to the honor of the Sefer Torah, if its honor will be strengthened as a result it is permitted. Thus, there are poskim who are lenient in the following cases:
If an important Torah sage needs a Sefer Torah for Kerias HaTorah, it is permitted to bring it to him.35
If ten or more men are unable to come to where the Sefer Torah is housed, e.g., they are in a hospital.36 This includes taking the Sefer Torah to the house of a mourner.37
For the reading of Parashas Zachor or Parshas Parah, it is permitted to bring a Sefer Torah to a sick or elderly person or to anyone who cannot make it to shul.38
It is permitted to transport a Sefer Torah in honor of a groom. For example, if a sheva berachos celebration is taking place in a location which does not have a Sefer Torah, it is permitted to bring a Sefer Torah there instead of having the entire wedding party relocate to another location.39
It is permitted to remove a Torah from its place for its safety,40 to repair it, or even in order to display its beauty, as this is considered an honor to the Torah.41
At a hachnasas Sefer Torah, many have the custom to bring out the other Sifrei Torah to greet a new Sefer Torah.42 Some limit this practice to the entrance of the shul and do not permit one to take the other Sifrei Torah outside.43 However, others allow the other Sifrei Torah to be taken outside to greet the new Sefer Torah.44
On Simchas Torah, the custom is to be lenient and allow the transfer of Sifrei Torah to enhance the festivities of the day.45 This may be done to accommodate aliyos for everyone in the shul, or even just for dancing. Furthermore, it is permitted to transfer Sifrei Torah from shuls in which there will not be a minyan on Simchas Torah to shuls where the Torah will be celebrated. It is even permitted to bring the Sefer Torah outside to the streets or to the courtyard of the shul if the hakafos celebrations are conducted there.46
If bringing a Sefer Torah to another location for Kerias HaTorah will result in money being raised for tzedakah causes, it is permitted to transport it there, as this is also a form of kavod haTorah. Nevertheless, it is best if the Sefer Torah is stored in the second location for a day or two.47
It is permitted to remove the Sefer Torah from the Aron Kodesh to prepare Kerias HaTorah from it.48
It is halachically permissible to remove the Sefer Torah to read shnayim mikra from it.49 However, the custom is that shnayim mikrah is not read from a Sefer Torah except by exceedingly pious individuals.50
On Yom Kippur night, the custom is to remove two Sifrei Torah from the Aron Kodesh for the recital of Kol Nidrei and to carry them around the shul afterward so that the entire congregation can embrace them.51
21 Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 282:1).
22 LeDavid Emes (4:12); Mor Uketziah (660, based on Tur, Orach Chaim 660). It is permitted to remove the Sefer Torah from the Aron Kodesh to roll it to its appropriate place. However, one should not roll the Sefer Torah during davening or at the expense of davening properly. See Mishnah Berurah 144, note 13, with Chiddushei Basra.
23 The specifics of this exception will be discussed below.
24 Shulchan Aruch 135:14 based on the Yerushalmi (Yoma 7:1). According to some authorities, moving a Sefer Torah to a second location is a Biblical prohibition, see Zecher Yehosef (I, 35:4); Yabia Omer (IV, Orach Chaim 15:8); others maintain that it is a rabbinical prohibition, see Eishel Avraham (Buczacz) 135:14. The prohibition applies even if one is transferring the Sefer Torah while it is inside an Aron Kodesh (Igros Moshe, Yoreh Deah II:91).
25 Ma’aseh Rav 129; Sha’arei Rachamim 9:22. See also Salmas Chaim (Orach Chaim 143). Some point to the Zohar (I, Vayechi 225a; III, Acharei Mos 71b) as a source for this stringency.
26 Da’as Kedoshim, Yoreh Deah 282:1; Beis Shlomo, Orach Chaim 34; Teshuvos Vehanhagos I:694. See also Eretz Tzvi I, 38. Regarding the Kosel Hama’aravi, where the Sifrei Torah are stored indoors for protection and then are brought to the plaza when each minyan reaches Kerias HaTorah, some poskim consider the setup to be problematic due to the halachos presented here; see Tzitz Eliezer XI, 16:10 who is only lenient if it is for the protection of the Sefer Torah. However, others (Chut Shani, Hilchos Kerias HaTorah 3); Yalkut Yosef (135, footnote 22) consider the entire Kosel plaza to be one area and permit moving the Sefer Torah from one part of the plaza to another.
27 Tzitz Eliezer (ibid.) based on a number of early sources. There are several reasons for this ruling: 1) Kavod Hatzibbur – so that the congregation does not have to wait silently while the Sefer Torah is brought. 2) Kavod HaTorah – it shows respect to the Sefer Torah if the people follow it into the room, thus going to where the Sefer Torah is in order to read from it. 3) The taking out of the Sefer Torah from the Aron Kodesh is an opportune time to daven and, customarily, Berich Shemeih is said then. If it is taken from its place of safekeeping just before the reading, the congregation will lose out on this special opportunity to daven.
28 Kaf Hachaim 135:80.
29 It is customary that when a Torah is carried from one place to another it is wrapped in a tallis. The source for this custom is unknown; Tzedakah U’Mishpat (16, note 3). When a Sefer Torah is temporarily relocated, ten people should accompany it (Kaf Hachaim 135:74, see Ashrei Haish, Orach Chaim I, 26:1 for explanation), but this does not seem to be common practice. Eishel Avraham (Buczacz) 135:14 implies that there are no restrictions on moving a Sefer Torah when there are ten men accompanying it. See also Avnei Yashfe I, 22:2 who writes that this is an independent leniency, and explains that this is the reason for the custom to transport Sifrei Torah from yeshivos to the Kosel on Hoshanah Rabbah (and Shavuos).
30 Any secure and clean container or cabinet suffices for this purpose.
31 Based on Rema 135:14 with Mishnah Berurah. It is important that when the Sefer Torah is transported it is treated respectfully and will not be placed in circumstances that are not befitting it, see Avnei Yashfe (I, 22:3). Some are more lenient and maintain that if the Sefer Torah is to be stored before and after the reading in a designated, temporary Aron Kodesh, then it is permitted to bring the Sefer Torah just for davening; it need not remain there for a day or two (Da’as Torah 135:14, citing Perishah).
32 Aruch HaShulchan 135:32.
33 Igros Moshe, (ibid.); Rav Y. S. Elyashiv cited in Yisa Yosef (II, 42). See Sha’arei Rachamim 9:22 who refers to this custom as a “minhag ta’us.” See also Emes LeYaakov, (Orach Chaim 135:14, footnote 175); Halichos Shlomo, Tefillah 12-38, and Kinyan Torah Behalachah IV:18.
34 A privately owned Sefer Torah may be taken from the owner’s home to shul, even for one time and then returned (Kaf Hachaim 135:82; Tzitz Eliezer 18:6).
35 Mishnah Berurah 135:50. It is best if a designated place is prepared for the Sefer Torah beforehand (ibid.).
36 Beiur Halachah 135:14. This distinction is partly based on the idea that Kerias HaTorah is a communal obligation; see the previous Discussion for a full review of this idea.
37 Igros Moshe (Yoreh Deah IV, 61-13); Teshuvos VeHanhagos (I:694). However, they write that it should preferably be left there for a few days, stored in a designated closet, and read from three times, as above. See also Binyan Shel Simchah 5 and Kinyan Torah Behelachah (IV: 18) for a different reason to permit taking it to a mourner’s house. It is proper for the community to arrange to have a Sefer Torah which is used specifically for this purpose, so that a Sefer Torah is not constantly being moved from its permanent location (Otzar Hilchos Tiltul Sefer Torah, p. 73).
38 Mishnah Berurah 135, note 46. Aruch Hashulchan 135:31 is lenient for all of the “four parshiyos.” Kaf Hachaim (135:85) is stringent even regarding Parshas Zachor. [Rav Moshe Feinstein (cited in Mo’adei Yeshurun, pg. 47, and in Koveitz Halachos, Purim 1, note 14) objected to the practice of removing a Sefer Torah from the Aron Kodesh specifically for Parshas Zachor to be read for women see also Kovetz Mibeis Leivi XV, pg. 17. However, in some communities this is the common practice, but if this is not the established custom it should not be done, see Minchas Yitzchak IX:68.]
39 Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim I:34; Yabia Omer IX, Orach Chaim 15:6. See Meishiv Halachah (Luria) II, Orach Chaim 178, who writes that his leniency can only be used during the week of sheva berachos but not for the Shabbos aufruf. Others do not rely on this leniency at all, see Da’as Kedosim, Yoreh Deah 282.
40 Tzitz Eliezer XI, 16:10. See also Shevet Haleivi V:164.
41 Kaf Hachaim 135:79.
42 Birkei Yosef 135:13; Teshuvah Mei’ahavah (Yoreh Deah 282). It should be noted that some Poskim objected to this custom, see Kaf Hachaim (135:77).
43 Sha’arei Ephraim 9:46; Halichos Shlomo, Tefillah 12, footnote 112; Ashrei Haish, Orach Chaim (I, 26:19).
44 Yabia Omer IV, Orach Chaim 15; Chut Shani, Hilchos Kerias HaTorah 3.
45 Sha’arei Ephraim 9:46; Mishnah Berurah 669:9. See, however, Ashrei Haish (Orach Chaim I, 26:2) who maintains that it is proper to prepare a special place for the Sefer Torah for a day or two beforehand and to read from it at least one time.
46 Yabia Omer VII:56. See, however, Mo’adim Uzmanim VI:79.
47 Mishnah Berurah 135:48 with Sha’ar Hatziyun 46.
48 Avnei Yashfe I:197, see, however, Az Nidberu IX:43.
49 Mishnah Berurah 285:2.
50 Minchas Yitzchak (IX:19); Teshuvos Ve’hanhagos (IV:73).
51 Mateh Ephraim 619:10 with Elef Hamagen 18; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 132:1.