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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman קמ״ג · The Torah scroll found faulty
דין אם נמצא ספר תורה מוטעה ויתר דיני הספר — one does not read the Torah with fewer than ten free adults; one reads from a complete scroll, not from a single chumash; one does not bless over a פסול scroll; the error found during the reading; and the synagogue where only one knows how to read
סימן קמ״ג · ה׳ סעיפים
דין אם נמצא ספר תורה מוטעה ויתר דיני הספר
🌱 Introductory level · Beginners
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This siman teaches the laws of the scroll for the public reading: one reads the Torah only with עשרה בני חורין (ten free adults); one reads from a complete scroll, not from a single חומש; one does not bless over a פסול scroll; if an error is found during the reading one brings out another scroll; and where only one knows how to read, he blesses and reads several times. Hebrew text, fluent English translation and explanation of the ה׳ seifim, with a section of practical cases.
Topic: The Torah scroll found faulty — עשרה בני חורין, חמשה חומשים, ספר פסול, נמצא טעות
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן קמ״ג · ה׳ סעיפים
Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com
The public reading of the Torah is a דבר שבקדושה: it requires a מנין של עשרה גדולים בני חורין — a quorum of ten free adults — and is done from a kosher scroll, written on parchment and complete. This siman deals with the scroll itself: how many people for the reading, which scroll one reads from, what is done if an error is found, and the case of a single reader. We study here at the level of principle; for personal conduct, one refers to the custom and to the ruling of the Rav.
📑 Study outline
A. The ה׳ seifim — עשרה בני חורין (seif 1), חמשה חומשים (seif 2), ספר פסול (seif 3), נמצא טעות (seif 4), יודע לקרות אלא אחד (seif 5)
1. Practical case — the minyan: ten free adults, and if some leave after the start
2. Practical case — reading from a chumash: complete scroll vs printed book
3. Practical case — the error found in the scroll during the reading
+ Comprehension questions and going further
A. The Torah scroll found faulty — the ה׳ seifim
דִּין אִם נִמְצָא סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה מוּטְעֶה וְיֶתֶר דִּינֵי הַסֵּפֶר — the Torah scroll found faulty and the other laws of the scroll — the siman gathers the conditions of the public reading: the quorum (עשרה בני חורין), the scroll one reads from (a complete scroll, not a single חומש, and no blessing over a פסול scroll), the conduct if an error is discovered mid-reading, and the case where only one knows how to read.
Séif 1 — עשרה בני חורין: the quorum for the reading
אין קורין בתורה בפחות מעשרה גדולים בני חורין, ואם התחילו בעשרה ויצאו מקצתן גומרין.
Séif 1: one does not read the Torah with fewer than ten free adults (עשרה גדולים בני חורין); and if one began with ten and some left, one finishes (גומרין).
The public reading is a דבר שבקדושה that requires a מנין of ten adult, free men. If the minyan was complete at the start and some then left, one finishes what was begun — but one does not begin with fewer than ten.
Séif 2 — חמשה חומשים תפורים ביחד: reading from a complete scroll
אם כתוב כל חומש לבדו אפילו בגלילה כספר תורה, אין קורין בו עד שיהיה כל חמשה חומשים תפורים ביחד.
Séif 2: if each חומש is written on its own — even in scroll form, in the manner of a Torah scroll — one does not read from it, until all five חומשים are sewn together (תפורים ביחד).
One reads publicly only from a complete Torah scroll: the five books sewn into one scroll. A single חומש, even written on parchment, will not do. The Rama adds: over our printed chumashim, even the five together, אין לברך — one does not recite a blessing over them.
Séif 3 — ספר פסול: one does not bless over an invalid scroll
אפילו בכפרים שאין נמצא להם ספר תורה כשר, אין מברכין עליו.
Séif 3: even in villages where no kosher Torah scroll is found, one does not recite a blessing over it (the פסול scroll).
The blessing of the Torah is said only over a kosher scroll. Even in a remote place that has only a פסול scroll, one does not bless over it. One reads without a blessing rather than bless over an invalid scroll.
Séif 4 — נמצא טעות: the error found during the reading
אם נמצא טעות בספר תורה בשעת קריאה, מוציאין ספר תורה אחרת ומתחילין ממקום שנמצא הטעות, ומשלימין הקוראים על אותם שקראו במוטעה; ואם נמצא טעות באמצע קריאה, הקורא גומר קריאתו בספר הכשר ומברך לאחריה ואינו חוזר לברך לפניה.
Séif 4: if an error is found in the Torah scroll during the reading, one brings out another scroll and resumes from the place where the error was found, and one completes the count of readers beyond those who read from the faulty scroll; and if the error is found in the middle of the reading, the reader finishes his reading in the kosher scroll and blesses after, without repeating the blessing before.
Once an error is found, one brings out another scroll and resumes from the place of the error. If it is in the middle of a reading, the reader finishes in the kosher scroll and recites the blessing after — without repeating the blessing before, already validly said. The Rama specifies that one brings out another scroll only for a real error, not for חסירות ויתירות (our scrolls are not so precise).
Séif 5 — יודע לקרות אלא אחד: the single reader
בית הכנסת שאין בהם מי שיודע לקרות אלא אחד, יברך ויקרא קצת פסוקים ויברך לאחריהם, ויחזור לברך תחלה וקורא קצת פסוקים ומברך לאחריהם, וכן יעשה כמה פעמים כמספר העולים של אותו היום.
Séif 5: a synagogue where only one knows how to read — he blesses, reads a few verses and blesses after; then he returns to bless before, reads a few verses and blesses after; and he does so several times, according to the number of עולים (those called up) of that day.
Where only one knows how to read, he alone fills the role of all the עולים: at each "aliyah" he blesses before, reads a few verses, blesses after, and repeats — as many times as there are those called up that day. Thus the number of aliyot is preserved, each with its two blessings.
The siman in one sentence: the public reading requires ten free adults (begun with ten, one finishes), is done from a complete scroll (not a single chumash, and no blessing over a פסול scroll); if an error is found one brings out another scroll (in the middle, one finishes in the kosher one and blesses after); and where only one knows how to read, he blesses and reads as many times as the number of עולים.
Practical cases
Case 1 — The minyan for the reading
Situation: during the Torah reading, a few people leave and the count drops below ten. Does one continue?
Conduct: one does not begin the reading with fewer than ten free adults. But if one began with ten and some then left, גומרין — one finishes what was begun. For the details (when exactly one "began"), one follows one's Rav.
Case 2 — Reading from a chumash
Situation: there is no complete Torah scroll, only a חומש (or a printed book). May one read and bless from it?
Conduct: one reads publicly only from a scroll in which the five חומשים are sewn together. A single חומש will not do, and over our printed chumashim — even the five together — אין לברך (Rama). For practical conduct, one follows one's Rav.
Case 3 — An error discovered in the scroll
Situation: during the reading, it is noticed that the Torah scroll has an error. What is done?
Conduct: one brings out another scroll and resumes from the place of the error. If it is in the middle of a reading, the reader finishes in the kosher scroll and blesses after, without repeating the blessing before. One replaces the scroll only for a real error (Rama). For borderline cases, one follows one's Rav.
Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- How many people are needed to read the Torah, and what happens if some leave after the start (séif 1)?
- Why does one not read from a single חומש, and what does the Rama say about our printed chumashim (séif 2)?
- What is done in a place that has only a פסול scroll (séif 3)?
- An error is found mid-reading: where does one resume, and what about the blessings (séif 4)?
- How does a synagogue where only one knows how to read proceed (séif 5)?
Going further
If you wish to deepen this siman:
📖Join the khavroutha
- 📚 Level 2 — Lamdan: for the pilpoul — מנין עשרה לקריאת התורה, דבר שבקדושה (עי׳ סי׳ נ״ה) ; חומש בפני עצמו — עד שיהיו תפורים ביחד, ובחומשים שלנו אין לברך (מרדכי) ; נמצא טעות — טעות גמור מול חסירות ויתירות (מהרי״ל, ב״י, ר״ן)
- ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis: for review and quick memorization
- 🌉 Level 4 — Daat HaRav: bridge page — this siman was not written by the Admour HaZaken in his Choul'han Aroukh; a referral to his general chitah