149. When There’s No Torah

23:29 If there is no Torah present, one congregant should read the appropriate portion aloud from a chumash (without brachos - Mishnah Brurah 143:9). Everyone is shul should pay attention so that Torah reading should not be neglected.

23:30 If ten people are praying and they don't have a Torah to read from, one should not be brought for them, even if they’re in prison. (It is considered disrespectful to the Torah; Mishnah Brurah 135:47 permits a Torah to be brought to a minyan in prison or in the hospital.) This is the case even on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. However, if one prepares an aron or another appropriate place to put the Torah a day or two in advance, then it would be permitted. If an important person is sick, one may bring a Torah even if just to be read. (“Important” means important in Torah – Biur Halacha 135:14 s.v. “V’Im Hu Adam.”) Some authorities permit bringing a Torah for an important person even if he is not sick, or for a sick person even if he is not important. One should act leniently in this matter on the Shabbos when we read parshas Zachor and parshas Parah because many authorities maintain that hearing these readings are Biblical obligations.