793. Sensitivity for a Suspect Sefer Torah
A shaila (halachic question) may arise on the kosher status of a Sefer Torah. The error may be a blatant, original mistake—or at times, cracks and erasures appear—that compromise the Torah altogether. In these cases, the scroll should be restored, if possible, before use or placed in genizah (special cache for holy material) if irreparable (see halachah #517). But what should be done in cases where the issues are not so clear-cut—the Sefer Torah is found to be kosher b'dieved (post facto), but l'chatchila (before the fact) it should have been written differently?
Halachah dictates that a Torah that is kosher b’dieved should still be read from on a regular basis, maintaining its place in the rotation of the Sifrei Torah in that shul. Since the Sefer Torah was deemed kosher—by relying on the opinions of those poskim who rule that it's permissible—refraining from using it would highlight its p'gam (defect) and cause the Torah embarrassment.
However, some people have the minhag (custom) to be scrupulous to read from a Sefer Torah that conforms to the highest standard of kashrus when certain portions of the Torah are read, and especially for those parts that are a chiyuv d’Oraysa (Biblical obligation) such as Parshas Zachor (which is read the Shabbos before Purim, whereby we fulfill our Torah obligation to eradicate Amalek). On those occasions it would be permissible to overlook the “slight” on the less-than-perfect Sefer Torah and to read from a Torah that is unquestionably kosher.