Kriyat HaTorah: Difference between revisions

# The minhag is to kiss the Sefer Torah when it is carried out of the aron but one shouldn't touch the Siddur to the Sefer Torah and kiss that since it is appears as though you're using the Siddur as an extension of your hand in a disrespectful way.<ref>Rav Chaim Kanievsky (quoted by Ohel Yakov Kavod Ukedushat Sefarim p. 1)</ref>

# One should be careful to not touch the parchment of the Sefer Torah. <ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 23:4 </ref> However, some say that one only needs to be careful to not touch the parchment of a Sefer Torah while it is being read from or between readings. <ref>Ben Ish Chai S"S Toledot 18 </ref>

# If the wrong sefer torah was taken out of the Aron and it needs to be rolled, it should be rolled and not returned to the Aron.  congregation accidentally took.<ref>Igrot Moshe OC 2:37 writes that if they took out the wrong sefer torah it is a dispute between earlier poskim whether it is considered a disrespect to the first sefer torah and a concern that people will think it is invalid. The Gemara Yoma 70a says that it is forbidden to use two sifrei torah for one aliyah since people will think that the first one is invalid. However, that concern doesn't exist when switching sifrei torah between aliyot. Potentially before they started to read altogether that's like between aliyot and there's no concern of it appearing invalid. On the other hand, since they didn't read from that sefer altogether it appears to be invalid. Rav Moshe concludes that one who follows either option has what to rely upon. Yet if the congregation doesn't mind they should roll it as opposed to returning it. Rav Ovadia Yosef OC 8:15:4 and Halacha Brurah 144:5 agree.</ref> Some poskim hold that it is better to return the sefer torah and take the one which is already rolled to the right spot.<ref>Mayim Chayim Mashash 2:19 writes that although it is a machloket haposkim if it is better to return the sefer torah or to roll it in public since rolling it in public isn't respectful to the congregation's time and also will lead people to speak friveously.</ref>

#Some Sephardim have the minhag to carry the sefer torah back to the aron closed<ref>Ben Ish Chai (Shana Sheniya, Toldot no. 16)</ref> and some have the minhag to carry it back open.<ref>Yabia Omer OC 7:16, Yaskil Avdi 8:24:5:3</ref>

#Some people turn to the right and then to the left so that everyone can see the letters of the Sefer Torah<ref>Masechet Sofrim 14:14 rights that one should show the open sefer torah to the right and to the left. Shulchan Aruch 134:2 codifies that. Mishna Halachot 11:103 writes that the minhag is just to turn to the right and left and there is no need to turn completely around.</ref>, while others turn around in a circle going to the right.<ref>Beer Sheva (Shevuot 15b s.v. umzeh) explains that the hagbah should be down turning around going counterclockwise. Shevet Halevi 9:26 writes that it is best to turn all the way around with the sefer torah and cites the Mishna Brurah as a support. Orchot Rabbenu (v. 3 p. 216) writes that the Chazon Ish would turn around completely first turning to the right and going counterclockwise. For example, if the shul is towards the east he faces the east, south, west, north, and east again. Then he would turn to the right again. See Mishna Brurah 134:9.</ref>

# On [[Shabbat]], if the one who read the Torah missed a word or pasuk, one needs to repeat that pasuk. Even if the Sefer Torah was already returned to the aron, one should take out the torah and read from the beginning of that pasuk and two other pesukim as well.<ref>Shulchan Aruch 137:3, Mishna Brurah 137:8. Nishmat Adam 31:1 writes that one does not need to read the pesukim in order and if one is repeating for a missed one pasuk one doesn't need to continue to read everything afterwards in order.</ref>

# According to Sephardim if the Baal Koreh makes a mistake even if it doesn't change the mean the congregation should correct him and he should fix it. After the fact if they already finished the aliyah they shouldn't go back to the mistaken pasuk.<ref>The Rambam Tefillah 12:6 writes that the Baal Koreh should be corrected even for a small nuance. The Shulchan Aruch 142:1 adopts the opinion of the Rambam. Although the Mishna Brurah 142:1 implies that the Shulchan Aruch agrees with the Rama, the Kaf Hachaim 142:1 clarifies that this isn't the case. Kaf Hachaim indeed proves from the Zohar and other kabbalistic sources that every single punctuation and musical note (trup) is vital to the kriyat hatorah. (See also Mishna Brurah 143:21 that the Rama often argues with the Shulchan Aruch even without writing Yesh Omrim.) </ref>

# According to Ashkenazim if the Baal Koreh makes a mistake only if it changes the meaning should they correct him.<Ref> The Rambam Tefillah 12:6 implies that the Baal Koreh should be corrected even if he makes a mistake on one nuance in the pasuk. However, the Tur 142:1 cites the Manhig who sounds like you don't have to correct the Baal Koreh at all. The Mahari Ibn Chaviv (cited by Bet Yosef 142:1) proposes a compromise based on the Rosh. Only if the mistake changes the meaning of the words then the Baal Koreh should be corrected. The Rama 142:1 rules like the Mahari Ibn Chaviv.</ref>

# Just like the Baal Koreh has to be careful not to make mistakes, so too the one taking the Aliyah needs to as well.<ref>Kaf Hachaim 142:1</ref>