Chapter 24: 6-8
Error in a Torah Scroll
6. When a letter is shown to a child, it is not necessary to cover the
letters after it. However, it is customary to cover the letters before it.
When a letter is shown to a child because it has been separated in two by a
perforation - a portion of the letter remaining above the perforation and a
portion remaining below - and the child is asked to determine whether the
upper part of the letter can be considered to be a complete letter [e.g., a
vav that has been separated], the lower portion of he letter should be
covered. Otherwise, the child will read it as part of the letter even
though it is not.
Likewise, if a similar problem arises because part of a letter has faded,
the faded portion should be covered when the letter is shown to the child,
lest he view it as part of the letter.
7. When a disqualifying factor that requires a second Torah scroll to be
taken out is discovered, the following rules apply;
If the defect is discovered between tow aliyos, the second Torah scroll is
taken out and the reading is begun from the place it was concluded,
counting those who were called to the Torah in the number of aliyos.
If [the defect was discoverd] on the Sabbath [and there are sufficient
verses remaining in the parsha to] give seven people aliyos in the second
Torah scroll, that should be done (in deference to the opinions of the
great Sages who maintain that those who received aliyos in the scroll which
was disqualified are not counted). This is advised since it is customary to
add extra aliyos on the Sabbath regardless.
8. There are many divergent opinions and customs regarding what to do when
a disqualifying factor is found in a Torah scroll while we are [actually]
reading from it. Every community should follow its own customs.
If there is no fixed custom, the guidelines established by the Shulchon
Oruch should be followed: i.e., a blessing should not be recited on an
unfit Torah scroll.* Rather, the reading is interrupted immediately, a
second Torah scroll is taken out, and the reading is begun again from the
place where it was interrupted. If the reading is interrupted in the midst
of a verse, it appears that the reader should start at the beginning of
that verse. The Torah portion should thus be completed.
* {The Ramoh recommends reciting a final blessing on the first scroll if
more than three verses were read from the Torah scroll that was discovered
to be unfit. The Mishnoh Beruroh 413:13,23 suggests following this practice.}
(It appears to me that a minimum of three verses should be read in the
kosher Torah scroll. If fewer than three verses remain until the end of the
weekly portion, the reader should begin the appropriate number of verses
earlier.)
[The person who received the aliyah which was interrupted] should recite
the final blessing after the reading in the second scroll. However, he
should not repeat the first blessing, because the blessing recited over the
unfit Torah scroll is counted. This also applies if the disqualifying
factor was discovered immediately after the blessing, before the reading
was begun. A second Torah scroll is taken out, and the reading is begun
without a second blessing being recited.
(It is self-evident that if it is possible to call seven people to the
kosher scroll as mentioned in the previous law, that should be done.) There
is no difference regarding the above laws between the final reading in the
portion and the previous readings. [The laws regarding the discovery of a
disqualifying factor] in the maftir reading are discussed in Chapter 78, Law 8.
