14 Jan IS A LAPTOP A SEFER?

Today we access
Torah texts in many
more ways than in the
past. Of course, we
primarily use printed
texts (sefer, sefarim) in
our learning. But very often we also access
texts and write our own notes and even
articles on electronic devices like phones,
tablets and laptops. What is the status of
those devices? Are they also considered
sefarim? It sounds farfetched to even make
that suggestion but if they contain sacred
texts from which you learn, or contain new
sefarim you are writing, maybe they are
sefarim and should be treated appropriately.
I. Respecting Sacred Texts
Rav Moshe Isserles (Rema; 16th cen.,
Poland) quotes Rav Ya’akov Moelin
(Maharil; 15th cen., Germany) who says
that you may not place a Torah scroll on
your lap while you are sitting down in
order to study from it. Rema adds that the

same rule applies to other sacred books
(Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 282:7).
It is disrespectful to place a sacred text

on your lap in that way. Rav David Ha-
Levi Segal (Taz; 17th cen., Poland) adds

that it is likewise disrespectful to use one
sefer to lift or prop up another sefer from
which to learn (Taz, Yoreh De’ah 282:13).
The bottom sefer deserves more respect.
However, if a sefer is already sitting on
a table, you may put another sefer on top
and learn from the top sefer. Rav Avraham
Gombiner (17th cen., Poland) disagrees and
says that you are allowed to intentionally
prop up one sefer on top of another for the
sake of learning (Magen Avraham 155:14).
Significantly, Rav Segal says that all these
rules apply to printed texts in addition to
handwritten manuscripts (Taz, Yoreh De’ah
271:8).
Does this leniency apply to laptops? In
a crowded beis midrash, with very little
table space, are you allowed to put a laptop

on top of a sefer in order to learn from a
computerized text? Rav Yaakov Skoczylas
asked this question of Rav Avigdor
Nebenzahl, the retired rabbi of the Old City
of Jerusalem, and other Torah scholars,

whose answers he included in Responsa Mi-
Tziyon Tzeitzei Torah (Responsa from Rav

Avigdor , Jerusalem, 2016). Rav Nebenzahl
answers briefly: “It seems that if this is
necessary for the learning, there is room
to be lenient” (p. 72). The question is why
he permits it.
II. Using for Learning
Rav Gombiner (loc. cit.) quotes Sefer
Chasidim (par. 498) who forbids writing
on a blank piece of paper on top of a sefer,
even in order to prepare it (by drawing
lines) for writing Torah insights. Rav
Avraham Danzig (19th cen., Lithuania)
permits writing Torah insights on a blank
piece of paper on top of a sefer. Rav
Gombiner further quotes Sefer Chasidim
which permits using a sefer to create
shade and block the sun only if it helps
your Torah learning. Rav Ya’akov Bloi
(20th cen., Israel) seems to learn from
the above that you are allowed to use a
sefer for a practical purpose if it helps
your Torah study (Tzedakah U-Mishpat,
ch. 16 n. 67). Rav Simcha Rabinowitz
(cont., Israel) says this explicitly (Piskei
Teshuvos 154:23). Similarly, Rav Yosef
Shalom Eliyashiv (21st cen., Israel)
is quoted as permitting people to lean
their elbows on a sefer if it helps them
learn Torah (Dirshu Mishnah Berurah,
154 n. 40). Based on all of the above,
much of which Rav Skoczylas quotes in
his footnote 72, it would seem that you
may put a laptop on top of a sefer while
learning if it helps you learn Torah.
In an addendum, Rav Skoczylas includes
responsa from three contemporary Torah
scholars who sent him long letters on this
subject. Rav Matisyahu Deutsch, a rabbi
in Jerusalem and halachic decisor for the
Edah Charedis, suggests that a laptop is
better than a blank piece of paper because
you can also learn Torah from a laptop.
Since you can find obscure texts on Otzar
Ha-Chochmah or similar databases, a
laptop might be considered a sefer, albeit
without sanctity. Therefore, concludes
Rav Deutsch, in theory placing a laptop
on top of a sefer is like placing a sefer
on top of another sefer. However, since
Kabbalist say that we may not place iron

on top of a sefer (Ginzei Kodesh, p. 279),
and even though we can challenge this
assertion from other texts, Rav Deutsch
feels restrained from permitting placing

a laptop on top of a sefer (Responsa Mi-
Tziyon Teitzei Torah, pp. 575-580).

III. A Sefer Without Sanctity
Rav Moshe Brandsdorfer, a prominent
halachic decisor in Jerusalem, writes that
we only allow using a sefer for another
purpose — block the sun, prop up a sefer,
etc. — if doing so enables you to learn
Torah from another sefer. We allow use of
a sacred text in order to promote the study
of a sacred text. In this case, this action
only enables you to learn Torah from a
laptop which lacks any sanctity. Therefore,

it should not be allowed (Responsa Mi-
Tizyon Teitzei Torah, pp. 585-586). Rav

Noach Oelbaum, a prominent rabbi in
Queens, writes likewise that we don’t place
a mundane laptop on top of a sacred sefer.
Rav Oelbaum adds that while a computer
can be used for both sacred and profane
purposes, currently a computer throughout
the world is used predominantly for impure
activities. For that reason alone, we should
not place one on top of a sefer (Responsa
Mi-Tizyon Teitzei Torah, pp. 580-585).
Rav Yishai Mazlumian, a rabbi in
Cholon, leans towards leniency but resists
publicizing permission because people
might become too lenient. Rather, he says
that we need not object to those who put

a laptop on top of a sefer (Responsa Mi-
Tizyon Teitzei Torah, pp. 586-588). Rav

Elchanan Prince, the author of Responsa
Avnei Derech, compares a laptop to a
blank piece of paper. Since you may put a
piece of paper on a sefer in order to write
Torah insights on it, you may also place a
laptop on a sefer in order to type your Torah
insights. This is even more so the case
since today it so common to use a laptop
for obscure texts, preventing people from
using a laptop in a beis midrash will detract
from some people’s learning (Responsa
Mi-Tizyon Teitzei Torah, pp. 588-590).
As mentioned above, Rav Avigdor
Nebenzahl allows for leniency when
necessary.