For the first time in my life I witnessed a sefer torah fall to the floor this past shabbos.
It was a shocking, and horrifying, experience for everyone present.
The torah was not dropped by anybody, but the table it was standing on (it was a sefardi sefer torah) collapsed, sending the torah to the floor.
The rabbi at the minyan, an ad hoc minyan arranged as part of the celebration of a simcha, announced that each person should pick a day this week and fast that one day. Those who can't fast should give tzedaka.
The rabbi also spoke about taking a message from the sefer falling and committing to improve decorum in the shul. He specifically suggested people put an end to the custom, as he did in his own shul, of throwing candy. The rabbi said that even though throwing candy at a chosson has very good and old sources, it often leads to a breakdown in decorum as some people then have fun and throw candy at other people in shul besides for the chosson.
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