1:
The translation of these paragraphs of section 144 also was not simple: as with paragraph 2 previously an explanatory interpolation is awkwardly placed. The translation is intended to reflect the awkwardness of the original, which is the result of the interpolation.
2:
Paragraph 3 is concerned with the permissability or otherwise of rolling a Torah scroll from place to place during the service. When only one topic is read from the Torah during that service there will be no need to roll it from one place to another since it has already been established that skipping from one place to another during the Torah reading is prohibited (see HSG 037). But on many occasions we read from more than one place during the Torah service. For instance, on festivals we always read in two places. The first place is a lengthy passage which is relevant to the festival being celebrated that day. (For example: on the first day of Pesaĥ we read the story of the Exodus [Exodus 12:21-51].) The second place from which we read is a shorter passage which details the additional sacrifices which were offered in the Bet Mikdash on that specific day. (On the first day of Pesaĥ that second passage will be Numbers 28:16-25.) But there are numerous other examples that can be offered: there are four special readings associated with the month of Adar which constitute an extra reading, additional to the regular lectionary for that Shabbat; when Rosh Ĥodesh falls on Shabbat there will be an additional special reading as well; on the Shabbat of Ĥanukah there will also be an extra reading – and so forth.
3:
Let us imagine a congregation that has four Torah scrolls. When it is known in advance that there will be an extra reading they should not take out just one scroll, but they should take out two. The first scroll will be ready at the correct place and the second scroll will be ready at the place where the second reading will begin. Paragraph 3 of Section 144 proscribes the possibility that only one scroll will be taken out and when the first reading is completed there will be a break while the scroll is rolled to the place where the second reading commences. (Using the example given above: when the reading from the book of Exodus has been completed the scroll would have to be rolled to a place towards the end of the book of Numbers.) The reason for this prohibition is in order to preserve the dignity of the congregation: it is not right that worshippers should be kept twiddling their thumbs, as it were, while the Torah scroll is rolled from one place to another – possibly a rather lengthy and tedious process.
4:
Let us interpolate here a consideration. What if the congregation has more than one scroll but the one which will serve for the second reading is not at the right place? How may the dignity of the congregation be maintained when in any case the second scroll will have to be rolled to the correct place? If the scroll was not prepared before the service it should be prepared during the early part of the service when just psalms are read: while the congregation is reciting Pesuké de-Zimra the second scroll can be brought from the ark to be rolled to the correct place. But if there was no such foresight, during the reading from the first scroll the second can be taken outside and rolled to the correct place so that it will be ready for immediate use when the time comes.
5:
Now let us imagibe a congregation that has only one Torah scroll. It should be obvious that when only one scroll is available for the Torah service the congregation will have to wait while it is rolled from place to place. We must assume that the congregation would not view this as an affront to its dignity, but rather would prefer to hear the complete lectionary for that day rather the to forego hearing the reading from a second scroll which is not available.
6:
Paragraph 4 of section 144 is concerned with a different matter. We have seen on several occasions that it is the view of the compiler of the Shulĥan Arukh, Rabbi Yosef Karo, that no one should be called to the Torah who is not able to read from it themselves. (We have also seen that this is not a view that is shared by the annotator of the Shulĥan Arukh, Rabbi Moshe Isserles – see HSG 016.) If we follow the view of Karo we can imagine a situation in a small medieval congregation where the number of people eligible to be given the honour of reading from the Torah is limited. We can further imagine a situation in which the only person who can be called as Maftir – and to read the Haftarah – is the person who was the last person called to read from the first scroll. If this person, who has just read from the first scroll, is now called to read from the second scroll there is a danger, according to the Shulĥan Arukh, that there will be members of the congregation who might think that because an error was found in the first scroll this same person is now reading from another scroll. (See HSG 034 concerning errors found in a Torah scroll.) Therefore, to avoid the casting of unwarrented aspersions on the first scroll we do not permit the same person to read consecutively from two scrolls.
7:
There are two possible occasions in the liturgical year when the reading will be from three scrolls. One of these occasions is mentioned in paragraph 4 of section 144. On the Shabbat of Ĥanukah we read from two scrolls: from the first we read the lectionary for that Shabbat (either Va-Yeshev or Mikketz) and from the second we read a special reading associated with the appropriate day of Ĥanukah. However, in some years it can also be that the Shabbat of Ĥanukah falls on Rosh Ĥodesh Tevet. In such a year a third scroll – actually the second! – will be needed for the special reading for Rosh Ĥodesh.
8:
The other occasion when three scrolls will be required is when Parashat Shekalim falls on Rosh Ĥodesh Adar. In such a circumstance from the first scroll we shall read the regular lectionary (Parashat Mishpatim), from the second we shall read the passage concerning Rosh Ĥodesh, and from the third we shall read the special reading for Parashat Shekalim.
9:
When we read from three scrolls the prohibition against giving the same person consecutive honours from two different scrolls can be waived, because to the congregation it will be obvious that the third scroll is being used for liturgical purposes and not because a fault was found in the second scroll. After all, they will already have seen that a second scroll was used when there was no hint of fault in the first scroll.
