Suppose I have a printed Chumash with Rashi, or the like, which is worn out to the point of inutility, and I wish to discard it. My understanding (based in part on sources I supply below) is that I must bury it. How do I do so? Can I, for example, simply put it in a hole in my backyard?
I see that Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 154:5, says a worn sefer Tora must be buried in an earthenware receptacle with a talmid chacham, and the Chasam Sofer there says a wooden receptacle is as good or better. I see, also, that Magen Avraham extends this rule to any holy book: but I don't know whether he's extending only the burial requirement or also the in-an-earthen-receptacle and/or the with-a-talmid-chacham requirement. (I'm also not 100% sure he means any holy book: perhaps only Nach scrolls? The word he uses is "s'farim".) Finally, I see that the Mishb'tzos Zahav there says he hasn't seen the with-a-talmid-chacham requirement practiced, even for sifre Tora.
So what do I do with my Chumash? (I know I should ask my rabbi for practical halacha: I'm here seeking only further sources and logical arguments.)
