Question:
If one is flying on a plane with a sefer torah must it be held the entire flight? Is putting it carefully and respectfully in the overhead compartment b’dieved? See Aruch Hashulchan (YD 282:6).
Answer:
It is sufficient to put the sefer torah carefully and respectfully in the overhead compartment, as long as it is in a way that is respectful.
Sources:
R’ Y. Cahen shlit”a, and other poskim. When the Aruch Hashulchan says “mamedo” seems, that he only means to say that it should be put in a way that it will be respectable, and not that he has to stand it up. ( He says that he shouldn’t stand it up under his seat ( on a train) and sit on it. It is hard to imagine that the seats of the train were so high that he could put a sefer torah in a box standing under the seat.)