Q. This is a most unusual Simchas Torah, when many of us are afraid of contamination. Can we cover the Sifrei Torah with transparent plastic bags, to be changed between holders to avoid any further danger? Is the fact that those bags are usually sold as garbage bags a dishonor to the Torah?
A. On past years it became a common practice to cover the Sifrei Torah under their mantles with plastic bags to avoid them being damaged by the sweat of the dancing Simchas Torah carriers.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that it is not an act of disrespect to use those commercially available transparent plastic bags, since as is they are used for many different uses, including disposing of sheimos and similar.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a