Q. As mentioned in answer above, for those who permit a child over six years to be part of the minyan in case of need, a Chumash is needed to be held. Is that just a simple regular Chumash, as I heard that a complete Tanach is needed?

Can one use the Otzar Hachochma computer disk that contains almost fifty thousand Sefarim. Would that not be more significant and avoid the child dropping the sefer?

A. Tosafos (Brochos 48a) quotes Rabbenu Tam that the taking of a Chumash by a child in order to be counted for the minyan is a ‘Minhag S’htus or a silly tradition.’ Paraphrasing the Tamud question; ‘Is the Sefer Torah a human?’

However, as mentioned, some Poskim are lenient in case of need. Beer Heitev (55: 7) quotes that it should be a Chumash written on ‘Klaph’ or parchment as a Sefer Torah is. The above is most unusual in our days, unless it happens to be a minute Kosher Sefer Torah, yet that should not be given and left to the care of a child. Some indeed argue that this is the reason why permitting a child over six years to be part of the minyan should be avoided.

Nevertheless, as mentioned it is not unusual that when avelim will not be able to recite Kaddish, the above is implemented by some with the use of a simple printed Chumash. The Torah AI disk or smartphone should not be included.

Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a