Kriyat HaTorah

From Halachipedia
Revision as of 14:53, 26 May 2015 by MordechaiD (talk | contribs) (→‎Haftorah: chazzan answering amen to himself)

Taking out the Sefer Torah

  1. One should be careful to not touch the parchment of the Sefer Torah. [1] 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. [2]

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. [3]
  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. [4]
  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. [5]
  4. It is forbidden to talk during the haftara as well. [6]

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. [7]
  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. [8]

Repeating Aliyot

  1. One shouldn't repeat pesukim one just read for one aliyah for another aliyah, rather one should read new pesukim or add on new pesukim.[9]
  2. Even those who are lenient to allow repeating pesukim for an aliyah can't consider it to be one of the seven aliyot of Shabbat.[10]

Listening to the Kriyat HaTorah

  1. Even if the baal koreh pronounces the words in another dialect than one usually uses, such as an Ashekanzi listening to a Sephardi baal koreh, one fulfills one's obligation. The only times for which one should be strict to hear the Kriyat Hatorah from someone who uses the same pronunciation as oneself is Parshat Zachor and Parshat Parah. [11]

Order of the Aliyot

  1. There's is a mitzvah to give the Cohen the first Aliyah and the honor of doing Zimmun.[12] Similarly, it is forbidden to use a Cohen for a personal task, however, if the Cohen foregoes on his honor, it is permitted.[13]
  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. [14]
  3. The following is the order of those who should get an Aliyah:
    1. A groom on the day of his wedding,
    2. a groom who is getting married for the first time, the Shabbat before his wedding,
    3. a bar mitzvah boy on the Shabbat after his bar mitzvah
    4. a sandak who holds the baby for the Milah
    5. a sandak who carries baby in for the Milah
    6. husband of a woman who gave birth to a girl if the mother comes to shul
    7. husband of a woman who gave birth to a boy if the mother comes to shul
    8. 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
    9. a person with Yahrzeit for a parent on that day
    10. a father of a boy who is going to have a Milah that day
    11. a person with a Yahrzeit in the coming week
    12. a mohel who performed a Milah that day
    13. a sandak on the Shabbat before the Milah
    14. a father of a boy on the Shabbat before the Milah
    15. a mohel of a baby on the Shabbat before the Milah[15]
  4. If there is a double parsha, the gabbai should ensure that the parshiyot are connected with the fourth Aliyah.[16]

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. [17]
  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. [18]
  3. One may not stand in a shul where the local rabbi sits because of acting arrogantly (Yuhara). [19]

Procedure When Going up to the Torah

Reading Along with the Baal Koreh

  1. The one who goes up to the torah should read along with the baal koreh quietly. [20]

The Proper Way to Hold the Sefer Torah When Receiving an Aliya

  1. When one is called to the Torah for an Aliya, he should hold onto the Sefer Torah while reciting the Beracha. see note for proper procedure[21]
  2. 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.[22]

Laws for the Baal Koreh (the Reader)

Amen

  1. Although usually one may not respond Amen louder than the blessing to which one is responding, the person reading the torah may say Amen in a loud voice. This is acceptable because we want to alert the congregation that the reading is beginning. [23]

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.[24]

Haftorah

  1. One may not speak when the maftir is reading the Haftorah.[25]
  2. One does not answer amen after the words Neemarim BeEmet but only after VeTzedek.[26]
  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.[27]
  4. If it is a double parsha, the Haftorah comes from the second parsha.[28]
  5. At the end of the closing Brachot of the Haftarah, a Sepharadi Chazzan should answer Amen to his own Bracha.[29]

Links

Sources

  1. Kitzur S"A 23:4
  2. BI"H S"S Toledot 18
  3. S”A 146:2, Mishna Brurah 146:4,5
  4. Beiur Halacha 146 s.v. VeHaNachon
  5. Mishna Brurah 146:6, 15
  6. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 79:4
  7. S”A 146:2, Piskei Teshuvot 146:4
  8. Mishna Brurah 146:15 quoting Magen 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.
  9. Rama 282:2 writes that it is forbidden to repeat pesukim for one aliyah that one just read for another aliyah. Mishna Brurah 282:10 and Aruch HaShulchan 282:8 confirm this position as well. Although Shulchan Aruch 282:2 permits, the Kaf HaChaim 282:19 writes that one shouldn't do so, though a community which has such a practice has what to rely upon.
  10. Shulchan Aruch 137:6, Mishna Brurah 282:9, Aruch HaShulchan 282:8
  11. Yalkut Yosef 282:15
  12. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 144:8
  13. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 144:9
  14. Shulchan Aruch 135:8
  15. Kitzur S”A 78:11
  16. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 78:3
  17. Mishna Brurah 146:18-20, Piskei Teshuvot 146:6. See Bear Heitiv 146:5 who quotes Magen Avraham that one should stand for brachot hatorah and the Shaar HaTziyun 146:20 who disagrees.
  18. 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, Sh"t Teshuvot Vihanhagot 1:144, Rav Elyashiv in Ashrei Ish page 440
  19. Rabbi Hershel Schachter in a shiur on yutorah.org "Inyonei Krias HaTorah" (min 55)
  20. Yechave Daat 4:11 based on Rosh Megilla 3:1 and 10, Shulchan Aruch OC 141:2
  21. Shulchan Aruch OC 139:11. Rabbi Yosef Chaim (Ben Ish Chai Parashat Toledot Halacha 18 elaborates on the details of how precisely one should hold the Torah. He writes that when one is called to the Torah, he should first look at the text and see the first verse that will be read. He should then cover the writing with a cloth, and the text should remain covered until after the Beracha. While reciting the Beracha, one should hold onto the Torah scroll, his right hand should hold onto the right scroll, and his left hand should hold the left scroll. One should hold the Torah itself, and not the casing. As it is improper to directly touch the parchment, one should hold the Torah with a cloth, such as his Tallit. After completing the Beracha, one should remove his left hand from the Torah but continue holding the Torah with his right hand. He should continue holding onto the Torah with his right hand throughout the reading of the Torah. The Ben Ish Hai notes that this procedure is based upon the teachings of the Arizal, as written in Sha’ar Ha’kavanot.
  22. 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.
  23. Sh"t Rivivot Ephraim 1:106
  24. 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.
  25. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 79:4
  26. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 79:3
  27. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 79:5
  28. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 79:6
  29. Yerushalmi Brachot Perek 7, quoted by Rif Brachot 33b and Rosh 7:11. Ritva Hilchot Brachot 6:5, Pekudat HaLeviim (Ra’ah) Brachot 45b, Birkeh Yosef OC 215:1, Yosef Ometz 68, Ben Ish Hai vol. 1 Masei Seif 14, Kaf HaChaim OC 215:1, Yechave Daat 2:23, Yabia Omer vol. 8 OC 25:10 and vol 9 OC 108:102, Ohr LeTzion vol. 2 page 134, Halichot Olam vol. 2 page 130, Birkat Hashem vol. 1 6:18. See Answering_Amen_to_Your_Own_Bracha