Halacha
Kedushas Beis Hakneses uBeis haMedrash (4) Print Email
/ If it is raining or hot outside, one is not permitted to enter the shul to protect himself from the rain or to avail himself of the air conditioner. (Shulchan Aruch 151:1) Opinion vary if in this situation saying psukim or learning a mishna, etc. will allow him to protect himself from the above.

One is not permitted to kiss one's children, even small ones, in shul for it is improper to display acts of affection in shul (or Beis Hamedrash) to anyone other than Hashem. (Ramah Orach Chaim 98:1) However, a young child who is crying and needs to be calmed down through a kiss, it may be done. (Beis Yehuda 14:2)

One is permitted to kiss the hand of a Talmid Chochom (as the sephardim do), for this is also the honor of Hashem. Likewise, it is permitted to kiss the hands of one's father or rebbi when they descend from their aliyah. (Ben Ish Chai)

One should not do any accounting, calculations, or any form of bookkeeping in shul, unless it deals with matters of Tzedokah or other mitzvah.

Those who are not particular in making a chupah under the stars, should avoid making the chupah inside the shul.
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Kedushas Beis Hakneses uBeis haMedrash (5) Print Email
/ The Alter Rebbe writes that parents who bring their children to shul should teach and make sure that the children answer Amen and train them to have the proper awe and fear of a shul AND THOSE CHILDREN THAT RUN AROUND IN SHUL WITH PLAY AND LAUGHTER, ETC. IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE THAT THE PARENT THAT BRING THEM IN SHUL. In other words, children need to be taught that a shul is not a playground or gym. If children are permitted to run loose when they are young, it will be that much harder for them to have the proper awe and reverence for a shul when they get older. In addition, if davening or learning is taking place at that time, they are also disturbing the people.

The other day we wrote that it is forbidden to eat in shul. Although we see that in many shuls they do have kiddushim, etc. there is much discussion regarding these meals in the seforim, and this is not the place to discuss this. A lot has to do also with the intentions at the time of constructing the shul and so on. These matters needs to be discussed with Rabbonim. The Rebbe also discusses this in a letter which is published in Shaarei Halacha uMinhag Vol. 1 page 202.

Included in the laws of Kedushas Beis Hakneses is also keeping the premises clean. Garbage should not be left around. One should not walk into the shul with snow on his footwear and thereby make the floor dirty, etc. Mud should be removed from his shoes before walking into shul.
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Chanukah (1) Print Email
/ The Shelah Hakodosh writes that one should review the necessary Halachos of Chanukah before the start of Chanukah.

Tachnun is not said during all eight days of Chanukah as well as during Mincha of Erev Chanukah.

One does not fast during the days of Chanukah, even a choson on the day of his chupah, and one who has yahrzeit during Chanukah. Likewise, one does not fast on Yom Kippur Koton of Rosh Chodesh Teves. However, one is permitted to fast on the day before and the day after Chanukah. (One who fasted for a yahrzeit during Chanukah would have to fast after Chanukah to atone for this fasting.)

Also one does not say any eulogies or Tziduk HaDin during the days of Chanukah. (Only eulogies for great scholars before their coffin would be permitted for those who have the custom of saying eulogies.)

Although work is permitted during Chanukah, women had accepted upon themselves not to work while the lights are burning, and one should not be lenient in this regard. The work which they are not to do are laundry, ironing, any form of needlework and the like. According to the majority of poskim they are permitted to cook during this time. The Maharil and the Bach, amongst others, recommend that men should also restrain themselves from work during this time.

One is not to sit down and eat a regular meal or do any form of work a half hour prior to the time of the Chanukah candle-lighting.
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Chanukah (2) Print Email
/ The mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah lights is so important, that even one who is so poor that he is being subsidized by tzedokah funds must borrow money or ell a garment in order to purchase the minimum single light that must burn each night. [Note: Although we are at present required to light each night an additional candle over the number lit the previous night, as per accepted custom of Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin, one who is poor and must sell a garment to obtain money to buy candles can rely on the original manner of lighting which was one light per household each night.]

It is our minhag to light the menorah approximately 20 minutes after sunset.

In emergency situations, one is permitted to light the menorah as early as plag hamincha, but not earlier, and one must make sure that there is enough oil, or the candle is big enough to burn until a half hour past tzeis hakochovim. The Nitei Gavriel says that one who will be lighting at plag haMincah should make sure to daven mincha before plag.

If one was delayed and could not light it at the proper time, may light it with a brocho until chatzos, even if none of the family members are awake. However, if he had to do it after chatzos, he may do so until a half hour before Alos Hashachar with a brocho provided that another family member was still up. Otherwise he would have to do it without a brocho. (Nitei Gavriel 3:9)
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Chanukah (3) Print Email
/ When preparing the lights for the menorah, one needs to start from his right and continue towards his left, i.e., he first inserts the oil, wick or candle in the cup on his far right, then the one immediately to his right, etc. When he starts kindling the lights he starts from the farthest left and continues towards his right.

It is preferable that one use olive oil and cotton wicks for the Chanukah lights and a beeswax candle for the shamash. One should be aware that some of the cotton balls and the like are synthetic. One who makes his own wicks should check that the cotton he uses is 100% cotton.

Although many people place their menorah by a window facing the street, our custom is to place them in the house by an entranceway. They should be placed on the left side of the entranceway, opposite the mezuzah, so that he will thereby be surrounded by mitzvos. If one is in a place that does not have a mezuzah, such as in a hotel, or he had just moved into a new apartment and has not yet affixed the mezuzahs, then the menorah should be placed on the right side of the entranceway.

The ideal height to place the menorah is anywhere from 3 Tefochim - 10 Tefochim (Tefach = 3.16 inches or 8 cm.) above ground or floor level. However, if one placed it higher than 10 tefochim but less than 20 amos, he has still fulfilled his obligation.
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Chanukah (4) Print Email
/ One should not start lighting any of the candles until all the brochos have been said.

One should say the brochos while standing. Likewise, one should kindle the lights while in a standing position, unless one is old, an invalid or ill and cannot stand. Married men should wear the gartel while lighting the menorah. One does not need to change into Shabbos or Yom Tov clothing for the lighting.

One should light the Shamash before starting the Brochos.

If in error one said the second brocho prior to the first, he does not repeat the brocho again. He just says the first brocho after She'asah Nissim.

Although many say Haneiros Hallalu after they kindle the first light, while lighting the others, according to the Alter Rebbe we do not say Haneiros Hallalu until after all the lights for that night have been kindled.

It is not necessary to use new wicks each night. If the wicks from a previous night are still useable, one may use them again. It is brought in a footnote in Sefer Haminhagim Chabad from the Mishmeres Shalom that if in fact one uses wicks from the previous night, he should use one for the newest light.

The text of the first Brocho according to the Alter Rebbe is "Lehadlik Ner Chanukah."
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Chanukah (5) Print Email
/ On Erev Shabbos one lights the Chanukah Menorah before the Shabbos candles. Therefore, one should plan to be home early enough and have the Menorah prepared so that the lighting can be completed with enough time for the women and girls to light the Shabbos candles in their proper time.

Although it is appropriate to daven Mincha prior to the kindling of the Chanukah lights, this should not be done at the expense of davening with a minyan, nor a delay in the lighting and thus preventing the women from lighting the Shabbos candles in time. Thus, if there is no minyan available or he has no time to go to the minyan, one should light the Chanukah Menorah first and then go to shul.

One should not place the Chanukah Menorah on Friday night in a position whereby the opening and closing of the front door can possibly cause the extinguishing of the lights.

One must make sure that there is enough oil or the candles are large enough to burn for at least a half hour past Teas Hakochovim, which is approximately 90 minutes, if the Menorah is lit right before the lighting of the Shabbos candles.

One should make sure that the menorah that is lit in shul should be lit before the start of Shabbos, and even if there is no minyan there yet, he should still do it since there will ultimately be more people coming while the lights are burning and the pirsumei nisa will be accomplished.
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V'sain Tal Umatar (1) Print Email
/ On Tuesday night at Maariv we begin the world over (except Eretz Yisroel) saying Vesain Tal Umatar Livrocho in the Brocho of Bareich Oleinu. [Please note that there is an error in the Hebrew side of the Luach Kollel Chabad which presents the full calendar of Kislev on one page. There it states that we begin saying Vesain Tal on Wednesday night. In the English section it is correct.]

The following is the procedures one must follow if forgetting to say it in the proper place according to the Alter Rebbe.

1) If he realizes his error during the brocho of Bareich Aleinu, prior to Hashem's name in Baruch Ato HASHEM, he just goes back to Vesain...

2) If he realizes his error after saying Hashem's name but before he says the word Teka, he says as follows: Baruch ata Hashem Mevoreich Hashanim vesain Tal Umatar Livrocho Teka Beshofar...

3) If he has already started Teka and realizes his error from thereon until Shema Koleinu, he waits until the Brocho of Shema Koleinu. Right before the words "kee ata Shomei'a" he says the words "vesain tal umatar Livrocho."

4) If he realizes his error after saying "ki ata" but before Hashem's name in the Brocho Baruch ata HASHEM Shomei'a Tefilla, he goes back to "ki ata" and says as in #3.

5) If he has already said Hashem's name but has not yet said the word "retzei" when he realizes his error, he says it right before retzei, i.e. he says Baruch ata Hashem shomei'a tefillah vesain tal umatar livracha retzei...

6) If he has already said the word retzei but has not yet completed the Shemoneh Esrei, he goes back to the bracha of Bareich Aleinu and continues from there.

7) If he does not realize his error until after completing Shemoneh Esrei, he must start over the Shemoneh Esrei.
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Vsein Tal Umatar (2) Print Email
/ If one is in doubt as to whether he said Vsein Tal Umatar or not, then if it is within 30 days, he is presumed not to have said it (since he has not yet acclimated himself to the new situation) and thus would have to either insert in Shema Koleinu (if he realized anywhere from Teka until Shema Koleinu), return to Boraich Aleinu (if he realized after Retzei) or repeat the Shemoneh Esrei (if he had already completed the Shemoneh Esrei).

If one realizes his error at the time of the next tefillah, he would need to say the Shemoneh Esrei two times, the first as his present tefilah and the second one as his make-up one, unless he forgot to say it during the Mincha of Erev Shabbos in which case he does not say two times the Shemoneh Esrei at Maariv.

If one realized his error during Elokei Netzor and as he is ready to return to Bareich Aleinu, the chazan is ready to start Kedushah, he should not interrupt and say kedushah (although in other situations he would be permitted). Rather he should remain silent, pay attention to the kedusha and then go back to Bareich Aleinu.

One who needs to start over the Shemoneh Esrei does not need to say "Hashem Sfosei Tiftach..." a second time. (Nitei Gavriel)

Many people have a custom of saying the words "ve'es kol minei tvuoso letova vsain tal umatar livrocho" 90 (or 101) times right away, so that if a doubt would arise after that, he would not have to repeat the Shemoneh Esrei.
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Chanukah (6) Print Email
/ Starting with the Mincha of Erev Chanukah we do not say Tachanun in any of the tefilos, nor in the Kriyas Shema before going to sleep, until the last day of Chanukah. Likewise, we do not say Lamnatzeiach, Keil Erech Apaim, Tefilah ledavid, Av HaRachamim, and Tzidkoscho.

We insert Al HaNissim in Shemoneh Esrei and benching. We say V'al Hanissim (with the vav at the beginning). One should be careful not to announce "Al HaNissim" right before the Shemoneh Esrei of Shacharis and Maariv.

On Erev Rosh Chodesh Teves one does not say Seder Yom Kippur Koton, even if one is accustomed to say it the other months of the year.

We complete the Hallel all eight days of Chanukah.

The Torah is read every single day of Chanukah. Unless it is Shabbos or Rosh Chodesh, only one Torah is removed and three aliyos are distributed. The reading is from the end of Parshas Nasso and one should follow the guidelines in the siddur to know exactly what is read on each day and how the aliyos are distributed.
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Chanukah (7) Print Email
/

If one forgot to say Al hanissim in Shemoneh Esrei and realizes his error before saying Hashem's name in the brocho "baruch Ato Hashem HaTov shimcha..." he goes back to Al HaNissim and says from thereon. If however he realized his error after saying Hashem's name, he just continue on. (According to some opinions one would be permitted to say the Al Hanissim is the form of a request right before Iyu lerotzon in Elokei Ntzor using the following preface: HaRachaman Hu yaaseh lanu nissim kemo she'asha lavoseinu bayamim haheim bezman hazeh.)

If one is in middle of Shemoneh Esrei and the Chazan is starting to repeat the Shemoneh Esrei he should not skip over Al Hanissim so that he will be able to say kedusha with a minyan. (Nitei Gavriel, quoting the Tzemach Tzedek).

If one forgot to say Al HaNissim during benching and realized his error before saying Hashem's name in the brocho "Baruch Ata Hashem al Haaretz ve'al Hamozon", he goes back to Al HaNissim. If he realized his error after pronouncing Hashem's name, he waits until he gets to the HaRachaman's and says HaRachaman Hu yaaseh lanu nissim kemo she'asha lavoseinu bayamim haheim bezman hazeh followed by Al haNissim. If he realized his error after the Horachamans, he does not repeat the benching.

On Shabbos Rosh Chodesh one would say the above-mentioned Horachaman after the Horachaman for Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh.
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Chanukah (8) Print Email
/ Complete Hallel is said every day of Chanukah.

If another person went up to say Hallel instead of the Chazzan who repeated the Shemoneh Esrei, the Kaddish after Hallel should be said by the first chazzan.

One should only respond to Kedusha, Borchu and the Amen after Hakeil hakodosh and Shomeiah tefilah if he is in middle of Hallel.

One is permitted to go up for an aliyah if he is called while he is in middle of Hallel.

If someone said only the incomplete Hallel in error, he should say over the complete Hallel without a Brocho. (Nitei Gavriel)

One should stand while saying Hallel.

Since Musaf is not said on Chanukah, the half Kaddish should be said right after Hallel. In by mistake the Chazzan said the whole kaddish instead if the half kaddish, he should not say the Kaddish after uVo Letziyon.

Hodu LaHashem and Ana Hashem should be said with the congregation and one should not run ahead of the congregation.
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Chanukah (9) Print Email
/ It appears from the HaNisuim KeHilchasam and the Nitei Gavriel that a choson who is getting married on any day during Chanukah, although Tachanun is not said and the Choson/Kallah do not fast, nevertheless the Viduy (al Chet) is said during the Mincha Shemoneh Esrei.

What do the Choson and Kallah do with the lighting of the Chanukah lights on the day they get married?

If the chuppah is held after it gets dark then the choson still lights by himself at his home and the kallah fulfills her obligation through her father. If the chupah is held before the shkiah, then the choson needs to light it at their new home and the kallah fulfills her obligation through her husband. Rabbi Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach states that the choson & kallah go to their new home after the chuppah, prior to the meal, eat a small meal at their new home and light the candles there. (HaNisuim Kehilchasam 15:60, Yemei Chanukah 10:16). The Piskei Teshuvos (677:5) states that if the above options prove difficult, then the Choson & Kallah can light the Menorah in the hall where the wedding is taking place, (preferably by the Yichud room), since they are renting the hall for the night and it is considered as theirs.

The Piskei Teshuvos also writes (ibid, footnote 37) that the mechutanim and the immediate family would be permitted to light the menorah in the hall, as well, if it would be too difficult to return home to light it there. The guests however, should light it at their home, unless they are from out of town and they are thus considered as guests of the mechutanim and would be permitted to light at the hall, since the mechutanim rented the place. (This is similar to guests from out of town visiting friends or family who light at the home of their hosts.)

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Chanukah (10) Print Email
/ It is customary to play dreidel on Chanukah. One of the reasons that the letters Nun Gimmel Hey shin are on the dreidel is that even when the children are playing, their mind should be on the miracle.

Although many advise against playing dreidel with money (i.e., the winner should keep the money, but rather the money is returned), there are those who rule leniently regarding this if the amount of money is minimal.

The Kedushas Levi writes very strongly against those who play cards, even if they do it only on Chanukah.

It is customary for parents and relatives to distribute Chanukah gelt. The rabbeim did not limit it to just the young. They also distributed Chanukah gelt to their married children.

Although there is no obligation to have a Seudas Mitzvah during Chanukah, many do make the effort to have them. However, it does not have to be specifically meat. It can also be dairy to commemorate the miracle of Yehudis killing the general.

It is also customary to eat latkes, Don'ts and other foods fried in oil in commemoration of the miracle of the oil.One should increase in their Tzedokah giving during Chanukah, in particular to support those that study Torah.
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Chanukah (11) Print Email
/ This coming Shabbos (and Sunday) is Rosh Chodesh. Thus, three Sifrei Torah need to be used. In the first Sefer we distribute six Aliyos from Parshas Miketz. From Shishi the Parsha is read straight to the end of the Parsha. The second Sefer is used for the seventh Aliyah and we read the portion for Rosh Chodesh starting from 28:9 in Pinchos (until Pasuk 15). Kaddish is said after this reading. For Maftir we use the third Sefer and we read the section for Chanukah (Bamidbar 7:42-47).

For the Haftorah we read from Zecharya Perek 2 (Roni Vesimchi). At the conclusion we add the first and last verses of the Haftorah for Rosh Chodesh and Erev Rosh Chodesh.

If one reads the wrong Haftorah and realizes his error before starting the concluding Brochos, he should also say Roni Vesimchi. Otherwise he should read it without the Brochos.

Since it is also Chanukah we say the complete Hallel.

In Mussaf one needs to replace Tikanta Shabbos with Ata Yozarta.

If one forgot to say Al HaNissim in the Shabbos benching and realizes his error from Hashem's name at the end of Ve'al Hakol and he needs to insert it in the Horachamans, he should first say the Horachaman for Shabbos, followed by the Horachaman for Rosh Chodesh and then the Horachaman for Chanukah.
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Chanukah (12) Print Email
/ The chair, stool, or whatever is used as a base for the Chanuka Menorah on Friday night may not be moved afterwards since they become a base for muktzah. If one feels that they will need to move it out of the way AFTER ALL THE LIGHTS HAVE FINISHED BURNING, they should place a sefer on the base before they light the candles. Thus, it becomes a base before Shabbos for something which is not muktzah as well as for something which is muktzah and then it may be moved out of the way. If this solution was not used and one needs to move the menorah away since he needs that place, then it can be moved through one's foot, elbow, etc, or a non-Jew can be asked to move it away.

As has been mentioned in an earlier posting, one needs to make sure that on Friday night, the lights have the capacity to burn for at least 90 minutes. The lights that children use should also have that capacity. The standard candles sold for Chanukah do not burn that long. One should either purchase the longer burning candles for that night, and if not possible for all six lights, an effort should be made that at least one of the candles burn for the proper duration.

A guest staying over for Shabbos (i.e. he is eating and sleeping there) would light the Menorah at his host's home, even if he lives in that same city.

On Motzoei Shabbos, one should not delay in Shul, but should try to get home as soon as possible so that the lights be kindled as early as possible. Our custom is to say VeYitain Lecha after the Menorah lighting.
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Honoring royalty (1) Print Email
/ It is a mitzvah to make an effort to see a king, even if he is a non-Jewish king, even if it means disrupting his Torah study. The reason that one should make every effort to see a non-Jewish king is so that if he will merit to greet Melech HaMoshiach he should be able to distinguish between the honor given to Jewish kings (who fulfill the command of Hashem) and non-Jewish kings. However, one who has seen a king once should no longer disrupt his Torah study to see a king a second time unless the second time the king appears with greater glory and a bigger escort and honor guard. (Alter Rebbe - seder Bircas haNehnin 13:10, Brochos 58a and Rashi)

When one sees a non-Jewish king he says the Brocho "...shenasan mekvodo lebasar vedam." (Alter Rebbe ibid 13:9). When seeing a Jewish king (which will be applicable when seeing Melech haMoshiach Bekorov Mamosh) one says "...shechalak mekvodo leerei'av." (Shulchan Aruch O.C. 224:8)

Even one who is blind and cannot actually see the king, but from all the fanfare knows that the king is present should say this brocho. (Alter Rebbe, ibid).
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Honoring Royalty (2) Print Email
/ From the Sefer HaChinuch and other Poskim it appears that one is permitted to take out a Sefer Torah from Shul to go with it to greet a non-Jewish king.

Regarding making an effort to see and say a brocho for a queen who rules (i.e. the husband does not have any ruling powers) there are difference of opinions. According to the Betzeil HaChochma (2:19) one should make the same effort to see a ruling queen as for a king and the brocho should likewise be said. This is applicable to a non-Jewish queen. Since Torah does not allow a woman to rule, the above does not apply to a Jewish ruling queen. The Shearim Mitzuyanim Behalacha states that one should not go see a queen.

The Brocho is said only when seeing the king (or the fanfare) through one's own eyes. However if the king is seen on television or through a mirror, this brocho is not said. (Betzeil HaChochma 2:18)

It appears from most poskim that a brocho would be said even if the king is wicked. The Kaf HaChayim writes that if the wicked king is Jewish, such as Yerovom and Achav, one should substitute the word "lireiav" with "lebasar vedam."
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Honoring Royalty (3) Print Email
/ According to the Radbaz (1:296) and Chasam Sofer (O.C. 159), the brocho on a king is said only on a king who has the power to sentence a person to death or keep him alive without the consent of other ministers, etc. The Shevet HaLevi writes that the Radbaz is talking only about ministers appointed by the king, however regarding a king, even if he needs to get the approval of others to sentence people to death, a brocho is still said.

The Mishna Brura (224:12) adds that even lower level rulers who have the power to sentence people to death and the king cannot veto his decision also receives this brocho. He also writes that it is appropriate to say this Brocho without the words "Hashem Elokeinu melech haOlom" on appointees of the king to be in charge of individual cities, although they have no powers of life and death.

The Shearim Metzuyanim BeHalacha opines that even those rulers who are elected by the people such as the President of the United States, since they have the power of clemency and can grant pardons to anyone sentenced to death, a complete Brocho should be said when seeing them. [It would seem to me that according to this view, a brocho would also be said when seeing a governor, since he also has the power to parDon'those sentenced to death in his state. However, "tzarich iyun" whether this would apply to governors of states that do not have the death penalty.] The Dvar Moshe however accepts the opinion of the Chasam Sofer and opines that for the majority of rulers nowadays one would not say a Brocho with the words "Hashem Elokeinu Melech HaOlom."

One can thus conclude that at the minimum one should say a brocho without the above mentioned four words when seeing a president or prime minister.
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Honor and Respect for Seforim (1) Print Email
In honor of 5 Teves / According to the Poskim, one can fulfill nowadays the Mitzvah of writing a Sefer Torah through purchasing seforim that one will use and learn from.

One should be careful to always place seforim right side up. If one sees a sefer lying on its top, one should turn it over. Likewise, if one sees a sefer in the bookcase upside down, they should turn it right side up. This can happen especially if there are young children who enjoy taking out and putting back seforim from the lower shelves and if one has a maid or cleaning lady who just puts the seforim back on any side.

One should make sure not to place foreign objects on top of seforim [I recall once seeing the Rebbe as he went from the small zal after Mincha to his room make a detour to a table that was in the hallway and remove a towel that was on top of a sefer.]

One may not place any sefer on top of a Chumash. One may however place books of the Kesuvim (Writings) on top of the books of the Neviim (Prophets).

One may not sit on a bench if there are seforim lying there. However, if the seforim are upon a box or any other object that is at least one tefach high and this object is upon the bench, one may sit on that bench.

One should not leave a Sefer open when he has to go out of the room temporarily, such as to use the lavatory. One should also not turn the Sefer upside down in order not to lose his place. Rather, he should put a book mark and the like in the Sefer.
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