Q. On question 3142 regarding placing on the geniza sefarim that are still usable but they are not used in our shul, and the place is needed, you wrote that “Chelkas Yaakov (1: 40) rules that if they can still be used it is not correct to send them to a Geniza. Rather they should be donated to an institution or to people who can use them. At least they should be kept in a side room or other storage area until that use is found.” What happens if we didn’t get the response on time, and gave to the geniza sefarim that were still usable, and it is very difficult to find them in the hundreds or maybe more of bags piled up. Does one have to do still the effort?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that as it seems indeed very difficult to find those bags, in a case of such need, there is nothing more to be done.
As far as we know there is also a Rabbi in charge of receiving and inspecting the material sent to the geniza. Besides, there seems to be a profitable market for using and selling those used sefarim and the responsibility lays on those in charge.
However, in the future. care should be given to avoid the untimely burial of useful Sifrei Kodesh.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a