Sefer Torah (V)
- When the Torah is rolled closed, the seam between two pages
of parchment should be placed so that it runs down the middle between the two
sides of the scroll. That way, if the scroll were to tear, it would tear along
a seam. When the Torah is rolled closed when reading the first and last
parshios of the Torah, the seam between the second and third pages (counting
from the beginning or the end of the Torah, according to the parshah) should
be placed in the middle because the Torah is supposed to be scrolled closed in
the middle. That requires at least two pages to be scrolled on one side. - On fast days, a person who is not fasting may be honored
with removing the Torah from the aron hakodesh, returning it to the aron,
lifting it (hagbah) or and covering it (glilah).
- When the Sefer Torah is tied, the knot should be in the
front, facing the person who lifted it, so that, when the Sefer Torah is
placed on the lectern to be read, the knot can be opened without having to
reach under the Sefer Torah or turn it upside down.