Kriyat HaTorah

From Halachipedia

Talking during Kriyat HaTorah

  1. From the time the Sefer Torah is opened to make the Brachot HaTorah it’s forbidden to speak at all even words of Torah. Giving a halachic ruling is forbidden unless it’s in order to prevent someone from doing a prohibition and it’s impossible to signal to him. [1]
  2. Someone who speaks during Kriyat HaTorah is culpable for serious transgressions including disgracing Torah by ignoring listening to Torah, making a Chilul Hashem, potentially Lashon Hara, Rechilut or other forbidden speech, speaking mundane words in a shul and the punishments include having one’s Tefillah discarded and a trangession that’s too great to bear. [2]
  3. Even between Aliya’s it’s forbidden to talk but it’s permissible to learn Shenayim Mikra VeEchad Targum and some permit learn other things, yet others emphasize not to learn with someone else between Aliya’s because it may continue into Kriyat HaTorah. [3]
  4. It is forbidden to talk during the haftara as well. [4]

Learning during Kriyat HaTorah

  1. If one already heard Kriyat HaTorah (or one will hear another minyan), there’s 10 others who are listening to Kriyat HaTorah, if he was sitting on the side (showing he already heard Kriyat HaTorah) learning from before the Sefer Torah was open it’s permissible to learn quietly. [5]
  2. Some say it’s proper to read along with the Baal Koreh word by word in order to listen better and have inten, while others say that one should be quiet and listen intently. [6]

Order of the Aliyot

  1. There's is a mitzvah to give the Cohen the first Aliyah and the honor of doing Zimmun.[7] Similarly, it is forbidden to use a Cohen for a personal task, however, if the Cohen foregoes on his honor, it is permitted.[8]
  2. 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. [9]
  3. The following is the order of those who should get an Aliyah:
    1. A groom on day of wedding,
    2. a groom (who is getting married for the first time) on Shabbat before wedding, a bar mitzvah boy on Shabbat after bar mitzvah
    3. a sandak who holds the baby for the Milah
    4. a sandak who carries baby in for the Milah
    5. husband of a woman who gave birth to a girl if woman comes to shul
    6. husband of a woman who gave birth to a boy if woman comes to shul
    7. groom on Shabbat after wedding if wedding was on Wedsnesday or later, if the groom or bride was getting married for the first time
    8. someone who has a yaharzheit on that day
    9. father of the baby who is getting a Milah on that day
    10. someone who had a yaharzheit in the coming week
    11. mohel who performed a Milah that day
    12. sandak on Shabbat before Milah
    13. father of the baby on Shabbat before Milah
    14. mohel of a baby on Shabbat before Milah[10]
  4. If there is a double parsha, they should connect the parshiot with the fourth Aliyah.[11]

Standing for Kriyat HaTorah

  1. It’s permissible to sit during Kriyat HaTorah and such is the minhag, yet 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 was standing). During Barchu and Baruch HaMiverech LeOlam VeEd one should stand, however, many don’t stand and the minhag has what to rely on. [12]
  2. The Ashkenazic custom is to stand for Aseret Hadibrot, however, the Sephardic minhag is not to stand for Aseret HaDibdrot. If one is in a shul where the Rabbanim are sitting one should also sit and if one is in a shul that everyone is standing one should stand from the beginning for the parsha or at least the beginning of the aliyah. [13]
  3. One may not stand in a shul where the local rabbi sits because of acting conscientiously (Yuhara). [14]

Mistake While Reading

  1. 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.[15]

Haftorah

  1. One may not speak when the maftir is reading the Haftorah.[16]
  2. One does not answer amen after the words Neemarim BeEmet but only after VeTzedek.[17]
  3. Only the maftir should read the Haftorah aloud and the rest of the congregation should read along quietly. If they read along loudly it could distract other people and also might make them miss listening to the Brachot of the Haftorah. If one is still in the middle of the Haftorah and the Maftir finished the Haftorah, one should pause and listen to the Brachot.[18]
  4. If it is a double parsha, the Haftorah comes from the second parsha.[19]

Holding onto Sefer Torah

  1. It is forbidden to hold onto to the parchment of the sefer torah without an intervening cloth, whether one is involved with rolling the sefer torah during kriyat hatorah or any other time.[20]

Sources

  1. S”A 146:2, Mishna Brurah 146:4,5
  2. Beiur Halacha 146 s.v. VeHaNachon
  3. Mishna Brurah 146:6, 15
  4. Kitzur S"A 79:4
  5. S”A 146:2, Piskei Teshuvot 146:4
  6. Mishna Brurah 146:15 quoting Magan Avraham says to read along with Baal Koreh, while Kitzur S”A 24:3 and Piskei Teshuvot 146:5 say that it’s better to listen quietly.
  7. Kitzur S"A 144:8
  8. Kitzur S"A 144:9
  9. S"A 135:8
  10. Kitzur S”A 78:11
  11. Kitzur S"A 78:3
  12. Mishna Brurah 146:18-20, Piskei Teshuvot 146:6
  13. Sh"t Rambam 263, Sh"t Igrot Moshe OC 4:22, Yalkut Yosef 145-6:12 and 14, Shu"t Yechave Daat 1:29, Rav Chaim David Halevi in Shu"t Aseh Lecha Rav 6:21, Shu"t Teshuvot Vihanhagot 1:144, Rav Elyashiv in Ashrei Ish page 440
  14. Rabbi Hershel Schachter in a shiur on yutorah.org "Inyonei Krias HaTorah" (min 55)
  15. S"A 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.
  16. Kitzur S"A 79:4
  17. Kitzur S"A 79:3
  18. Kitzur S"A 79:5
  19. Kitzur S"A 79:6
  20. Megillah 32a says that a person who holds the parchment of a sefer torah without a covering of his hands he doesn't receive reward for the mitzvah he did while holding onto the sefer torah. Chazon Ovadyah (Shabbat vol 2, p. 266) writes that its forbidden to hold onto the parchment during kriyat hatorah or at any other time.