How many Torah scrolls are kept in usable condition?

HAPPILY, several of our members care deeply about our Torah scrolls. During the past year, they have worked assiduously to keep some of the scrolls in good repair.

That being said, I’m not sure that all of the stakeholders are in agreement as to how many scrolls we actually need to be usable, at any one time — and thus whether we currently need to be spending time and money (scarce resources) on further repairs.

Below the jump, I explore these two related questions.… 

How many usable scrolls do we need?

Even occasional worshippers will have observed the many ritual occasions where two scrolls are read during the course of a service. They will also observe at least one occasion (Kol Nidrei) when taking out three scrolls at once is customary (although they are not opened and read). 

Yet there are also a few occasions where three scrolls are read during the course of a service. One of these occurs every year: on Simḥat Torah, three different sections of Torah are read during the morning service. 

The other occasions are more irregular:

• When the month of Tevet begins on Shabbat.
• When the month of Adar (or in a leap year, Adar II) begins on Shabbat.
• When the month of Nisan begins on Shabbat.

On those occasions, reading each of the three sections from its own scroll is certainly convenient.

And having one scroll in reserve (in ritually usable condition) seems prudent.

CONCLUSION:  At most, we ought to keep 4 scrolls ready for use.

How many usable scrolls do we have?

As far as I know, we currently have 4 scrolls in usable condition. I identify them by their inventory number, as marked on a round label on the underside of a lower roller disk.

#8.  I list this one first because we have a moral obligation to be using it regularly. The Sneh Trust has loaned this scroll to us so that we can publicly commemorate the murdered Jews of Louis' town in Hungary, not to mention keeping alive the memory of Louis and Dinah themselves.  

#4.  Parchment is thick and thus relatively heavy, but it’s a fine scroll. 

#7.  Tallest and heaviest.

#9.  Repaired last year, featuring new staves.

Plus three marginal scrolls…

#3.  I believe this is the scroll shown in the photo above. Kosher, but a finial is broken. It is among the lighter ones (in weight). It appears to be one of the older scrolls, having 48 lines of writing per column, rather than the modern standard of 42. Many of its letters have rough edges.

#5.  Repaired this past year, but the status of its lettering was recently called into question.

#6.  Lightweight. Kosher, but a finial is broken.

What should be done?

As far as I know, Mishkon has the Sneh scroll as well as 3 scrolls of its own in good shape. 

At the moment, I do not see how repairing further scrolls is a productive use of time or money. 

(Of course, if #5 is still under some kind of warranty, it seems worthwhile to take the trouble to have it brought back to usable condition.)

Arguably it would be best to wait until one of the pasul scrolls is eventually sold, so that the proceeds can be applied to repairing the marginal scrolls. I say this because such funds are allowed to be used for very few other purposes. 

But what do our rabbis think? And our scroll custodians? And our director of operations?