Having never held a Sefer Torah

Peanut2

Mon, Sep 30 2013, 12:52 pm

Ruchel wrote:

There are written sources about women not holding because it's wrong to drop it.
There are also those who won't give to young boys, for similar reason.

You can definitely touch or kiss it. I do think there's a minhag that if you are nidda (mamash?) you shouldn't touch, so ask your rav what yours is.

I do not think rabbis (all rabbis are male, to my belief) are afraid of women's spirituality- on contrary they may be afraid of acts done devoid of spirituality, out of an agenda.

I have never read anything about women not being allowed to carry a ST due to fear of them dropping it! I have read opinions that forbid giving it to children. But a 13 year old is not longer a child, and surely most women are as strong, and more importantly - coordinated, as a 13 year old.

There are traditions of not looking directly at the ST while niddah. It is a machloket whether women who have this minhag should keep it or disregard it. My limited knowledge is that most say keep it.
If you do not have this minhag you should not take it up (according to all sources I've seen.)

There is also a really interesting responsa, I think from Italy, long time ago (don't remember how long, but long enough) about whether women in labor may hold on to the ST to give them spiritual and emotional strength. The answer is yes.

Ruchel

Mon, Sep 30 2013, 1:01 pm

You are right that as segula it does exist. Not sure who does, but I've also heard of it.
In labour pretty much anything goes Wink

I've often seen the BM boy only carrying with help...

I've read about Krakow as a source of not looking. There may be others.

grace413

Mon, Sep 30 2013, 1:14 pm

PinkFridge wrote:

Some people who hold the sefer Torah are really impacted by it because they learn it so passionately and have invested so much. Or have invested in other ways. For those who don't it might be a matter of "sharing in your brother's simcha." So I can't discount the feelings of women who want to hold it. Even if I don't personally get it. Because I can see how a woman might have learned enough Torah to have an attachment, have invested her time and energy to facilitate others learning, and/or feel that same level of sharing the simcha.
But please understand, it is possible to go through life and live a life of real connection and spirituality without doing everything men do.

Aren't all of us who do our best to be shomer mitzvot highly invested in the Torah, regardless of our actual level of learning? (Also regardless of whether or not we are interested in holding a Sefer Torah).

"Torah Tziva Lanu Moshe Moreshet Kehilat Yaakov" - no matter how learned or non-learned we are.
Just a thought.

PinkFridge

Mon, Sep 30 2013, 5:11 pm

grace413 wrote:

PinkFridge wrote:

Absolutely. I tried to include some general perspectives but I guess didn't cover them at all.