changing last yeriya for a new one
Question: A Shul that has an old and used sefer tora that is kosher, although not a most beautiful csav [maybe also condition], they want to make a hachnosas sefer tora (IE $$$$) by taking away the last yeriya and ordering a new one written instead.
Is this permitted lechatchila?
After the fact (bdieved) if done are those that participate by buying/writing letters fulfill the mitzva of csivas sefer tora?
Answer: It is forbidden to release the last yeriya as long as it is kosher, since they are mevatel this yeriya from its mitzva, and paseling a sefer in vain.
Even after the fact [as long as the original yeriya is intact] they are not fulfilling a mitzva of csivas sefer tora.
Is this permitted lechatchila?
After the fact (bdieved) if done are those that participate by buying/writing letters fulfill the mitzva of csivas sefer tora?
Answer: It is forbidden to release the last yeriya as long as it is kosher, since they are mevatel this yeriya from its mitzva, and paseling a sefer in vain.
Even after the fact [as long as the original yeriya is intact] they are not fulfilling a mitzva of csivas sefer tora.
I have heard may sofrim say in the name of Rav Heller from Crown Heights that you can erase the last few lines and rewrite them hollow in order to do a Hachnossa. I have never understood the heter for this either and have refrained from doing it.
ReplyDeleteUsually if a shul wants to do some sort of 'ceremony' around an old Sefer, I will do one of two things. Either I will leave a few broken leters unfixed on one of the pages that needed repair. Or I will make be mekabed people in helping to sew on the atzei chaim. People are very happy with this.
I don't beleive that R. Heller said such a thing !!
DeleteI am hesitant to believe it too, but I have heard it from several sofrim and also from a shliach who wanted to do this and said he asked him. Someone should check it out with him.
DeleteI find this hard to believe too. I have certainly refused synagogues who ask for this sort of thing and just leave some letters uncorrected for the 'siyyum' on the repaired torah and everyone is fine with this. Would be interested to learn if R. Heller did say this.
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