By George (Yosef Mordechai) Gati – Jewish Press
Twice a year my apparel company has an exhibition at The Sands Expo Convention Center, drawing buyers from around the world. During the week of the exhibit, we daven at the Venetian Hotel every morning at 6:30.
Last year, at the conclusion of Wednesday’s prayers, my friend Eli realized that we did not have a Sefer Torah for Thursday’s service. He asked me to call the Chabad Lubavitch Center and ask the rabbi if we could borrow a Torah. The rabbi readily agreed, and said we could pick it up that night at 10. Eli, Moishe and I picked up the Torah with Eli’s rented car, and warmly thanked the rabbi – telling him we would return it after the next day’s morning prayers.
Eli then carried the Torah to the car wrapped in a tallis.
As I gently placed the Torah in the back seat, Eli and Moishe asked me which hotel I was staying at. “Harrah’s Hotel,” I responded. They told me to keep the Torah in my room because I was located next door to the Venetian Hotel, site of the minyan.
After bringing the Sefer Torah to my room, I wondered, “Wow! What do I do now?” After all, I had never slept with a Torah in my room. I placed the Torah ever so carefully on the table next to the window and wrapped it in the tallis.
Early the following morning, I walked with the Sefer Torah through the hotel’s casino to the minyan location. As I was passing through the sparse crowd, a fellow sitting at a gaming table got up and kissed the Torah.
Upon arrival, everyone at minyan was very happy to see me with the Torah.
May we all continue to learn Torah and perform mitzvos until the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
It’s like carrying a Torah through a Bathroom G-D forbid. I wonder if there wasn’t another way to get the torah to the other location
wasnt iit just a few days ago i saw a oped you wrote about The
“Halacha states it is prohibited to walk over and extend the scroll to the people’s reach.”
i just dont get it.
He did not extend the Torah. As he states, “As I was passing through the sparse crowd, a fellow sitting at a gaming table GOT UP and kissed the Torah.” A bigger halachic question is whether you may sleep with a Torah in the room. Nevertheless, I happen to know the man that wrote the article and I dont believe that he had anything but good intentions by doing what he did. (And by the way, in most casino hotels, there is no way to get into the main portion of the hotel without passing through the casino; they try… Read more »
IF THE WHOLE ARTICLE WOULD OF BEEN PRINTED, INSTEAD OF MOST OF THE ARTICLE, THERE WOULD NOT BE TO MANY QUESTIONS. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY THE PEOPLE WITH THE TORAH WERE LED THROUGH A SPECIAL DOORWAY SO AS NOT TO PASS THE CASINO HALL. THAT WAS DONE WITH THE HELP OF SOME FRIENDLY STAFF.
George Gati (Sya What?!) is one of the most beautiful people and Chabad supporters around. He greets shluchim and bochurim everywhere with a smile. Yosef Mordechai, this is one of your fans wishing you well in all.
Remember what they said about bochurim putting on tefillin in the streets with men who hadn’t washed negel vasser? Who knows what effect that one moment of kedusha had in that man’s day, in that man’s life? I’m sure Mr. Gati took whatever precautions were necessary to the best of his knowledge, and made a Kiddush Hashem getting a Torah to a minyan there of all places. Yasher Koach!
George Goti we love you keep up your great work of bringing the love of Torah, Hashem and Judaism were ever you go
one of your many your friend from the Tank
that’s the way a chabadnik should think. kol hakovod!
I thought that was only talking about bringing the Torah for people to kiss during shul.
No??
Would have been much coller if the story ended with…..after kissing the Torah the man went back to his card table and hit an immediate bl;ackjack, winning several thousand pounds. He responded by giving half to Chabad of Vegas…
George you did a good thing…….from another friend from the tank…….