Kriyat HaTorah: Difference between revisions

# It’s permissible to sit during Kriyat HaTorah<Ref> S.A 146:4 </ref> and such is the minhag. Some are strict to stand during Kriyat HaTorah (so as to hear it as if one is receiving it from Har Sinai when Bnei Yisrael were standing).<ref> Rama 146:4 cites that this was the practice of the Maharam. M.B 176:19 quotes the Bach who explains that even the Maharam agrees that, strictly speaking, standing is not required.</ref> Nonetheless, one who has difficulty standing and therefore cannot focus on the leining should sit.<ref>M.B 146:19</ref>

#During [[Barchu]] and Baruch HaMiverech LeOlam VeEd one should stand.<ref>M.B 146:18 writes that according to everyone, one must stand at this point because this is a davar she’bekedusha</ref> However, many don’t stand and the minhag has what to rely on. <Ref>Mishna Brurah 146:18-20, Piskei Teshuvot 146:6. See Ba'er Heitiv 146:5 who quotes Magen Avraham that one should stand for brachot hatorah and the Shaar HaTziyun 146:20 who disagrees. One would have thought it would be required to stand for the entire Torah reading just as we stand for any davar sh’be’kedusha (i.e. Kaddish, Barechu, and other parts of the service that require a minyan).  However, Beit Hillel explain that since the Torah says regarding Kriat Shema “uvi’lechtecha va’derech” (Devarim 6:7), one may recite the Shema in any position (in Berachot 10a). By extension, Rav Soloveitchik thought that the same could be applied to any recital of psukim from the Torah and even during the berachot before the kriat ha’torah that one may listen in any position (Rav Schachter on yutorah.org “Inyonei Krias Hatorah” min. 56). Piskei Tshuvot 146:6 quotes from Rav Chayiim Vital who testifies about the Arizal that he would always sit during the leining and the Barechu preceding the leining.</ref>