Kriyat HaTorah: Difference between revisions

====Standing for Aseret Hadibrot====

#Some have the custom to stand for the Aseret Hadibrot.<ref>The [[Rambam]] (Sh"t Harambam Siman 46) writes that we should prevent others from following the custom to stand because there is a concern that allowing people to stand will lead to a lack of Emunah in the sense that people might come to believe that the Aseret Hadibrot are more significant than the other psukim in the Torah. The [[Chida]] writes that since we read the Torah every Shabbat, we demonstrate that the entire Torah is true and we thus need not fear that people might begin to think that the Aseret Dibrot are more significant than other pesukim in the Torah. Additionally, Rav Hershel Schachter ([http://www.torahweb.org/torah/2010/parsha/rsch_vaeschanan.html The Aseres Hadibros]) writes that the fact that we read the pesukim differently (i.e. by stopping after each dibur as if there is a sof passuk) is an indication that we are attempting to reenact Ma'amad Har Sinai, thus perhaps also for this reason it would be permitted to stand.</ref> This is the prevalent Ashkenazic custom.<ref>Sh"t Igrot Moshe OC 4:22. Siddur Beit Yaakov, Shaarei Ephraiim, and the Chida (all quoted in Dirshu M.B 494:3) had this custom. This custom is based on the idea that we strive to remember and even emulate the manner in which the Aseret Hadibrot were given at Har Sinai. Just as at Har Sinai the entire Jewish nation stood in awe and even trembled, so too, when we read the Aseret Hadibrot in shul, many stand in an effort to re-reexperience Matan Torah. See, however, R’ Elyashiv (in his shiurim on Berachot 12a), who writes the Rambam is truly correct that one should not stand.<br>

# If one typically stands for the reading of the Torah throughout the rest of the year, there is certainly no issue standing during the reading of the aseret hadibrot.<ref>The issue the Rambam posed is simply not relevant if one is standing during the leining all year as no one will come to think that certain psukim are more important than others. Also, see Rav Hershel Schachter ([http://www.torahweb.org/torah/2010/parsha/rsch_vaeschanan.html The Aseres Hadibros]) </ref>  

# Some hold that in a shul where many are standing one should nonetheless remain seated so as to teach others the proper practice.<ref>Rav Elyashiv (in his shiurim on Berachot 12a) writes the Rambam is truly correct that one should not stand, and, therefore, even if everyone is standing, one should remain sitting because everyone else is acting incorrectly.</ref> Nonetheless, others argue that one should join the practice of others around him and stand even if it is typically his custom to sit.<ref>Chacham Ovadia Yosef (Chazon Ovadia Yom Tov pg. 314). Dirshu Mishna Brura 494:3 quotes Sh"t Dvar Shmuel and Avuhav 276 that in a place where everyone stands you should not stop this practice, because the intent is clear that people are trying to beautify their mitzvah performance as if they are going to greet the Shechina. Similarly, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach writes that since everyone knows that we are standing as a zecher le’ma'amad har sinai we should not stop people who stand. Since we also stand for other portions of the Torah such as Shirat Ha’yam we therefore need not be concerned. <br />