Q. One called to do hagbaha on a sefer Torah, lost a bit of control and his left hand holding the heavy side of the sefer went down. The bottom yad of the eitz chaim was always in his hand, but the very top side of the left eitz chaim touched the floor. Again most of the yad and the sefer itself was above ground under the control of the lifter. Does he or the people present have to fast.
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's shlit”a opinion is that since only the top went down while most of the sefer was held above ground, no one is obligated to fast as when an entire sefer falls.
Yet he suggested, that the presents according to their abilities should donate to the shul for the purchase of necessary seforim such as sidurim, chumashim etc. as a voluntary atonement for the unwitting partial desecration done. He also suggested that the magbiah, preferably, if he is able to should fast at least half a day.
The Rov maintains that the same would apply even if both tops of the two eitz chaims of the sefer Torah touched the ground, as long as the rest was held by both hands.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
Important Numbers
