The remains of 11 Torah scrolls were buried Thursday by members of the Vizhnitz chassidic dynasty in a ceremony held in Bnei Brak. The scrolls were damaged in a fire during the holiday of Sukkot.

The fire broke out in the Vizhnitz synagogue in Bnei Brak during services, and congregants were able to save only three of the many Torah scrolls at the site. The blaze was caused by a malfunctioning electrical fan.

Jewish tradition compares Torah scrolls to members of the Jewish people, and Torah scrolls that have been damaged are buried in the ground. There is a custom of mourning for Torah scrolls destroyed in a fire, and to fast if a Torah scroll is dropped.

Vizhnitz chassidim fasted until midday before the burial. Thousands of people participated in the burial procession.

The main religious court (Beit Din) affiliated with Vizhnitz announced a series of steps that the community is advised to take in wake of the incident. The court said that on Tuesdays, community members should refrain from all speech during the times at which they are studying Torah.

This ta'anit dibur (lit. "verbal fasting") will continue until Passover, the court ruled.

In addition, the community has been asked to make donations so that a new Torah scroll can be written. It will take a professional scribe many months to write a new Torah; the work is expected to be finished on Sukkot of next year.

via israelnn.com