- Q. Someone was present when a small Sefer Torah left unattended by the Bima, and then someones jacket button got hooked to the Taalit the sefer was on and it fell.
First question. 1). Does the person who actually pulled it it has to fast?
A. Although many believe that one has to fast when he even sees a Sefer Torah falling. The above is not mentioned anywhere in Shulchan Aruch.
Yet numerous maintain that there is at least a late post-Talmudic custom for a person who drops a sefer Torah to fast, usually one day.a custom to do so.
Nevertheless, Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Waldenberg devoted twenty-five pages on his Responsa Sefer (Tzitz Eliezer 5:1) to research the development of this tradition, citing sources and providing reasons and parameters for the practice.
On question 1510 we wrote:
“Q. Someone carrying a Sefer Torah to the bimah tripped and fell. To protect the Sefer he was able to maneuver to fall on his side, and the Torah did not touch the ground. He was also wearing tefilin and the side of his head was on the floor, but again, the tefilin didn’t touch the ground. Does he or others present have to fast?
A. In regards to the Sefer Torah itself Har Tzvi (1: 40) maintains that he does not have to fast, as long as even the eitz chaim did not touch the ground. He suggests that some tzedaka should be donated by the one that fell.
In regards to the Tefilin Shel Rosh, since they also did not touch the ground, Rivavos Efraim (1: 30), rules that since they didn’t touch the ground no taanis is necessary. (See also Piskei Teshuvos O.H. 40: 3, and 2 n. 4).
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that he does not have to fast, even if the retzuah of the head touched the floor. If possible he should donate to tzdaka.”
See next question.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a.”
Important Numbers
