Kriyat HaTorah: Difference between revisions

#Even though in theory it is possible for one person to do both Hagbah and Gelilah as was the custom in the days of the Gemara,<ref>Rashi Megillah 32a</ref> today the minhag is to have two people do Hagbah and Gelilah.<ref>Bet Yosef 147:4 citing the Maharik, Mishna Brurah 147:17</ref>

#The honor of Gelilah is very great but nonetheless it is generally given to children to get them to practice mitzvot.<ref>Mishna Brurah 147:7</ref>

#The honor of passing to the one who does Gelilah the ''gartel'' (belt around the Sefer Torah) and ''mantel'' (cloth on the Sefer Torah) is a separate honor from Gelilah. If someone were to buy Gelilah they don't automatically acquire the honor of passing the ''gartel'' and ''mantel''.<ref>Mordechai end of Megillah cited by Bet Yosef 147:2, Shulchan Aruch O.C. 147:2</ref>

#During Gelilah the words of the Sefer Torah is facing towards the Magbiyah and not the one doing Gelilah.<ref>Mahari Ibn Chaviv in Bet Yosef 147:4, Rama 147:4, Mishna Brurah 18. Mahari Ibn Chaviv explains that once the Magbiyah didn't it the Sefer Torah shouldn't be turned around for the benefit of the golel since it isn't respectful to have the Sefer Torah turned for the convenience of a person.</ref>

#It is forbidden to touch the klaf of a Sefer Torah barehanded. Even merely touching it briefly is forbidden.<ref>Gemara Megillah 32a, Tur and Shulchan Aruch O.C. 147:1, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 23:4, Mishna Brurah 147:1</ref> A sofer who needs to touch the klaf in order to fix it may do so.<ref>Mishna Brurah 147:1</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>

#It is forbidden to touch the klaf even after washing one's hands.<ref>The Mordechai cited by Bet Yosef 147:1 permits touching a sefer torah after having washed one's hands. The Rama 147:1 rules that it is forbidden to touch a sefer torah even after washing one's hands. Mishna Brurah 147:4 agrees.</ref>

#According to many rishonim it is forbidden to touch the klaf of a book of Navi or Ketuvim that was written with ink on a klaf.<ref>Bet Yosef 147:1 citing the Agudah, Rama 147:1 is strict. However, Birkei Yosef 147:1 citing Shev Yakov 11 is lenient.</ref> However, it is the minhag is to be lenient if one first washed one's hands. For example, for megillat ester, the minhag is to touch the klaf after having washed one's hands.<ref>Rama 147:1 and Mishna Brurah 147:3</ref>

#A person should be very careful while doing Gelilah not to touch the klaf directly. If the klaf needs to be straightened it should be done with the use of a tallit or cloth.<ref>Gemara Megillah 32a states that someone who touches the klaf of a Sefer Torah with their bare hands will be buried bare. The gemara is troubled by that and instead concludes that he will be buried without the mitzvah that he was involved with at that time. Tur and Shulchan Aruch O.C. 147:1 codify this halacha. Mishna Brurah 147:2 gives as an example that if the klaf isn't straight and needs to be fixed it can be done with the use of a tallit or cloth.</ref>

#It is permitted to touch barehanded other Seforim that aren't written on a Klaf with ink, but if one's hands are dirty one shouldn't touch the Sefer until one cleans one's hands.<ref>Mishna Brurah 147:3</ref>

#Women may not get aliyot.<ref>Gemara Megillah 23a. Bet Yosef 53 writes that a congregation can be mochel on their kavod with respect to having a child be shaliach tzibur. Bach argues. [https://www.torahanytime.com/#/lectures?v=77736 Rav Yitzchak Yosef (Motzei Shabbat Ki Tisa 5779 min 21)] explained that even though according to the precise halacha women can get aliyot but because of the fifth volume of Shulchan Aruch they can't.</ref>

#Some poskim permit sending up a child who is old enough to understand who he is blessing for an aliya. The child can even count among the seven.<ref>Yechave Daat 4:23</ref> Other poskim write that you should not send up a child except for Maftir<ref>Mishna Brura 282:12, Mikor Chaim 3: pg. 110, [http://tvunah.org/%D7%A2%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%A7%D7%98%D7%9F-%D7%9C%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%94/ Rav Osher Weiss]</ref>

#There is much discussion about sending up a blind a person to the torah for an aliya.<ref>see [http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/853127/rabbi-aryeh-lebowitz/ten-minute-halacha-may-a-blind-person-get-an-aliya-/ May a Blind Person Get an Aliya] by Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz</ref> The minhag is most sephardic communities is to allow it.<ref>See Tzitz Eliezer 11:10</ref>

====Unobservant====

# One should not give an aliyah to someone who publically violates Shabbat.<ref>Igrot Moshe 4:91:8</ref>

#There's is a mitzvah to give the Cohen the first Aliyah and the honor of doing [[Zimmun]].<ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 144:8</ref> Similarly, it is forbidden to use a Cohen for a personal task, however, if the Cohen foregoes on his honor, it is permitted.<ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 144:9</ref>

#If there's no Levi and there is a Kohen in Shul, the Kohen who got the first Aliyah should also get the second Aliyah.<ref>Shulchan Aruch 135:8</ref>

#The following is the order of those who should get an Aliyah:  

##a groom who is getting married for the first time, the [[Shabbat]] before his wedding,

##husband of a woman who gave birth to a girl if the mother comes to shul

##husband of a woman who gave birth to a boy if the mother comes to shul

##groom on the [[Shabbat]] after his wedding if the wedding was on Wednesday or later in the week, assuming that either the groom or bride was getting married for the first time

##a father of a boy who is going to have a Milah that day

##a father of a boy on the [[Shabbat]] before the Milah

##a mohel of a baby on the [[Shabbat]] before the Milah<ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 78:11. For more detailed lists see Magen Avraham 282:18 and Biur Halacha 136 s.v. Beshabbat. </ref>

#If a Yisrael takes the first aliyah when a Cohen is in the shul some poskim hold that it doesn't count towards the count of Aliyot necessary, while others hold it does count.<ref>Pri Chadash 135:6 holds that the aliyah of the yisrael in the place of the Cohen doesn't count for an aliyah and his proof is Gittin 59b. However, the Nodeh BeYehuda OC 2:14 argues that it counts and the gemara only meant that it is a common misconception. Mishna Brurah 135:20 and Halacha Brurah 135 accept the Nodeh Beyehuda.</ref>

===Father and Son Getting Consecutive Aliyot===

# A father and son or two brothers should not get an aliyah one after another because of Ayin Hara.<ref>Shulchan Aruch OC 141:6 based on Kolbo</ref>

# Some say the same is true of a grandfather and grandson but in a case of need it is permitted.<ref>Mishna Brurah 141:19</ref>

# It is permitted for a father and son to get two aliyot in two sifrei torah, such as Chatan Torah and Chatan Beresheet.<ref>Mishna Brurah 141:20 writes that it is permitted to give a father and son two aliyot back to back in two sifrei torah with the maftir in another sefer torah. Dirshu on Mishna Brurah 141:19 citing numerous poskim who are lenient in the case of Chatan Torah and Chatan Beresheet.</ref>