Shtisel Session 9: Burying a Torah

And Rava said: A Torah scroll that became worn out is interred and buried next to a Torah scholar, and in this regard, a Torah scholar is defined even as one who only studies the halakhot in the Mishna and the baraitot but is not proficient in their analysis. Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: And when it is buried, it is first placed in an earthenware vessel, as it is stated: “And put them in an earthenware vessel, that they may last for many days” (Jeremiah 32:14).

(14) Thus said the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: “Take these documents, this deed of purchase, the sealed text and the open one, and put them into an earthen jar, so that they may last a long time.” (15) For thus said the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: “Houses, fields, and vineyards shall again be purchased in this land.”

(5) [Regarding] a Torah scroll that became worn out - we place into an earthenware vessel and bury it next to a Torah scholar; even one who only studies the laws and has not served under [higher level] Torah scholars.

A Sefer Torah that is worn out, our Rabbis taught that we put it in a ceramic vessel, and bury it in the grave of a Torah scholar. The reason that we use a ceramic vessel is because they last for a long period of time. It appears, in my humble opinion, that it's not a requirement to bury this Sefer Torah in the ground next to a Torah scholar. If a person has a fitting place in his house to store it, such as in an ark, or in the synagogue, this is preferable to putting it into the ground. It's only if you don't have a fitting place to store it that we give permission to bury it in the ground