Kavod Sefer Torah and Seforim #8: The Sefer Fell: Pick It Up, Kiss It… But What If You’re in the Middle of Shemoneh Esrei?

We all instinctively know what to do when a sefer falls: pick it up and give it a kiss. But where does that come from? Did our Morah in preschool make it up, or is it actually rooted in halacha?Why did some Gedolim object to kissing a sefer? What did Rav Pam suggest doing when a sefer falls? And what happens if a sefer or siddur falls while you are in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei? Do you stop and pick it up, or leave it lying on the floor?A fascinating look at the halachos and minhagim surrounding a sefer that falls.