Kriyat HaTorah: Difference between revisions

# The minhag is to kiss the Sefer Torah when it is carried out of the aron but one shouldn't touch the Siddur to the Sefer Torah and kiss that since it is appears as though you're using the Siddur as an extension of your hand in a disrespectful way.<ref>Rav Chaim Kanievsky (quoted by Ohel Yakov Kavod Ukedushat Sefarim p. 1)</ref>

# One should be careful to not touch the parchment of the Sefer Torah. <ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 23:4 </ref> However, some say that one only needs to be careful to not touch the parchment of a Sefer Torah while it is being read from or between readings. <ref>Ben Ish Chai S"S Toledot 18 </ref>

# If the wrong sefer torah was taken out of the Aron and it needs to be rolled, it should be rolled and not returned to the Aron.  congregation accidentally took.<ref>Igrot Moshe OC 2:37 writes that if they took out the wrong sefer torah it is a dispute between earlier poskim whether it is considered a disrespect to the first sefer torah and a concern that people will think it is invalid. The Gemara Yoma 70a says that it is forbidden to use two sifrei torah for one aliyah since people will think that the first one is invalid. However, that concern doesn't exist when switching sifrei torah between aliyot. Potentially before they started to read altogether that's like between aliyot and there's no concern of it appearing invalid. On the other hand, since they didn't read from that sefer altogether it appears to be invalid. Rav Moshe concludes that one who follows either option has what to rely upon. Yet if the congregation doesn't mind they should roll it as opposed to returning it. Rav Ovadia Yosef OC 8:15:4 and Halacha Brurah 144:5 agree.</ref> Some poskim hold that it is better to return the sefer torah and take the one which is already rolled to the right spot.<ref>Mayim Chayim Mashash 2:19 writes that although it is a machloket haposkim if it is better to return the sefer torah or to roll it in public since rolling it in public isn't respectful to the congregation's time and also will lead people to speak friveously.</ref>