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R. Hiyya b. Abba also said in the name of R. Yohanan: That a space should be left unstitched [in the Sefer Torah] is a halakhah from Moshe on Sinai and he at once protested the remark by saying: They only said this so that it should not be torn.

What might you have said? People who enter [the synagogue late] are common but people who go out and leave the Sefer Torah while it is being read are uncommon; therefore he tells us [that we do not think this]

Our rabbis taught: Accessories used in a mitzvah [when worn out] may be thrown away; accessories of holiness are must be placed in a geniza. The following are accessories used in a mitzvah: A sukkah, a lulav, a shofar, tzitzit. The following are accessories of holiness: large sacks for scrolls of Scripture, tefillin and mezuzot, a mantle for a Sefer Torah, and a tefillin bag and tefillin straps.

Rava said: At first I used to think that the stand [on which the Sefer Torah is placed] is an accessory to an accessory and that it is permitted [to throw it away when worn out]. When, however, I saw that the Sefer Torah is placed actually on it, I said that it is an accessory of holiness and is forbidden.

Rava said: At first I used to think that the stand [on which the Sefer Torah is placed] is an accessory to an accessory and that it is permitted [to throw it away when worn out]. When, however, I saw that the Sefer Torah is placed actually on it, I said that it is an accessory of holiness and is forbidden.

But if they sell a Torah they may not buy [other biblical] scrolls. They asked: Is it allowed to sell an old Sefer Torah to buy a new one? Since he is not raising [the level of sanctity] it is forbidden, or shall we say that since there is no higher level to go to, it is okay?

Come and hear: A Sefer Torah may be rolled up in the coverings of a humash, or a humash in the coverings of a scroll of prophets or writings, but prophets and writings may not be rolled up in the coverings of a humash, nor a humash in the coverings of a Sefer Torah.

Come and hear: A Sefer Torah may be rolled up in the coverings of a humash, or a humash in the coverings of a scroll of prophets or writings, but prophets and writings may not be rolled up in the coverings of a humash, nor a humash in the coverings of a Sefer Torah.

It teaches in any case that a Sefer Torah may be rolled up in the coverings of a humash; implying, in the coverings of a humash it may be wrapped up, but in those of [another] Sefer Torah it may not be?

It teaches in any case that a Sefer Torah may be rolled up in the coverings of a humash; implying, in the coverings of a humash it may be wrapped up, but in those of [another] Sefer Torah it may not be?

What about the last clause: Nor a humash in the coverings of a Sefer Torah, which would imply that a Sefer Torah in the coverings of another Sefer Torah is allowed? Rather from this we cannot learn [the answer to our question].

What about the last clause: Nor a humash in the coverings of a Sefer Torah, which would imply that a Sefer Torah in the coverings of another Sefer Torah is allowed? Rather from this we cannot learn [the answer to our question].

What about the last clause: Nor a humash in the coverings of a Sefer Torah, which would imply that a Sefer Torah in the coverings of another Sefer Torah is allowed? Rather from this we cannot learn [the answer to our question].

Come and hear: A [Sefer] Torah may be put on top of on another [Sefer] Torah, and a [Sefer] Torah on top of humashim, and humashim on top of scrolls of the prophets and writings, but scrolls of the prophets and writings may not be placed on humashim, nor humashim on a [Sefer] Torah.

Come and hear: A [Sefer] Torah may be put on top of on another [Sefer] Torah, and a [Sefer] Torah on top of humashim, and humashim on top of scrolls of the prophets and writings, but scrolls of the prophets and writings may not be placed on humashim, nor humashim on a [Sefer] Torah.

Come and hear: A [Sefer] Torah may be put on top of on another [Sefer] Torah, and a [Sefer] Torah on top of humashim, and humashim on top of scrolls of the prophets and writings, but scrolls of the prophets and writings may not be placed on humashim, nor humashim on a [Sefer] Torah.

Come and hear: A [Sefer] Torah may be put on top of on another [Sefer] Torah, and a [Sefer] Torah on top of humashim, and humashim on top of scrolls of the prophets and writings, but scrolls of the prophets and writings may not be placed on humashim, nor humashim on a [Sefer] Torah.

Come and hear, that R. Yohanan said in the name of R. Meir: A man should not sell a Sefer Torah except to study Torah or to marry a woman.

From this we may conclude that that selling one Sefer Torah to buy another is permitted? Perhaps study comes under a different rule, since study leads on to practice. Marrying also [is permitted because it says], “He created it not as waste, he formed it to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45:18) but to selling a Sefer Torah to buy another is not permitted.

From this we may conclude that that selling one Sefer Torah to buy another is permitted? Perhaps study comes under a different rule, since study leads on to practice. Marrying also [is permitted because it says], “He created it not as waste, he formed it to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45:18) but to selling a Sefer Torah to buy another is not permitted.

Our rabbis taught: One should not sell a Sefer Torah even though he does not need it. Rabban Shimon b. Gamaliel went further and said: Even if a man has no food and he sells a Sefer Torah or his daughter, he will never have any luck [from that money]

Our rabbis taught: One should not sell a Sefer Torah even though he does not need it. Rabban Shimon b. Gamaliel went further and said: Even if a man has no food and he sells a Sefer Torah or his daughter, he will never have any luck [from that money]

Sheftiah said in the name of R. Yohanan: One who rolls up a Sefer Torah, he should make it close at a seam.

Shefatiah further said in the name of R. Yohanan: One who rolls together a Sefer Torah should roll it from outside and should not roll it from within,

Shefatiah further said in the name of R. Yohanan: If ten have read in the Torah, the greatest among them rolls up the Sefer Torah. He who rolls it up receives the reward of all of them, since R. Joshua b. Levi said: If ten have read from the Torah, the one who rolls it up receives the reward of all of them. The reward of all of them, do you really think? Rather say he receives a reward equal to that of all of them.

GEMARA: What is the reason [that a sinner only receives thirty-nine lashes]? If the Torah would have written "forty in number" I would have said that it means exactly forty. Now, however, that it says "in the number of forty" I would say the number which counts to forty [i.e. thirty-nine]. Rava said, How foolish are people that they stand up for a Sefer Torah, but do not stand up for a Torah scholar [lit: great man]. For in the Torah it is said "forty", and the Rabbis came and subtracted one.