Commentary for Menachot 64:6

אמר רב חלבו אנא חזיתיה לרב הונא דהוה יתיב אפוריא דס"ת עליה וכף לכדא אארעא ואנח עליה ס"ת והדר יתיב במיטה קסבר אסור לישב על גבי מיטה שס"ת מונח עליה

For he was of the opinion that it was forbidden to sit on a couch upon which lay a scroll of the Law. This is at variance with the opinion of Rabbah B'Bar Hanah; for Rabbah B'Bar Hanah said in the name of R'Johanan, It is permitted to sit on a bed upon which lies a scroll of the Law. And if someone should whisper in your ear [seeking to contradict you] saying, It is related of R'Eleazar that once, while sitting on his bed, he remembered that a scroll of the Law lay on it, whereupon he slipped off and sat upon the ground, and it appeared as though he had been bitten by a serpent, [answer him that] there the scroll of the Law was actually lying upon the ground.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And as an expression of his sorrow for the Scroll that was lying on the ground R. Eleazar also sat down on the ground. Had it, however, been on the bed, he would not have objected to anyone sitting on the same bed.');">⁷</span>

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