428. The Sefer Torah of a King

Tefillin, Mezuzah v’Sefer Torah 7:2

A king is commanded to write a second sefer Torah for himself, in addition to the sefer Torah that he had before he ascended to the throne as per Deuteronomy 17:18, “When he sits on his royal throne, he shall write....” This Torah should be checked against the Torah in the Temple courtyard by the Great Sanhedrin. The sefer Torah that the king already possessed should be placed in storage, while the one that he wrote as king - or had written for him, as the case may be - should remain with him at all times. He should take his sefer Torah with him when he goes to war and when he returns, as well as when he sits in judgment; when he eats, he should have it before him. All this is as per Deuteronomy 17:19, “It shall be with him and he shall read from it all the days of his life.”

Tefillin, Mezuzah v’Sefer Torah 7:3

If a king did not have a sefer Torah before he became king, he must write two sifrei Torah after he becomes king. One is placed in storage and the other remains with him at all times. This Torah only leaves the king’s side at night, in the bathhouse, in the lavatory, and when he sleeps.