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Writing Sefer Torah on Chol Ha’Moed

A Sofer is under tremendous pressure to have a Sefer Torah finished by Tammuz. Where he is holding now he is very much behind in the writing and trying to use as much time possible to write. Loosing the days of chol hamoed would be a big set back. May he write during Chol HaMoed in order to help him to finish on time? (the shul has one Sefer Torah at the moment.)

Answer:

It is not permitted to write a sefer Torah on Chol Ha-Mo’ed (Shulchan Aruch 545:1), and the only exception is when the shul has no kosher sefer.

Barring this exception, some write that where the hachnasas sefer Torah was fixed for Chol Ha-Mo’ed, and there is no other time to finish the writing, there is room for leniency. However, this will not apply to the circumstances described in the question.

Best wishes.

Sources:

See Sho’el U’meishiv, Vol. 3:1, no. 390.

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