15
votes
Accepted
Who broke the parshiyot into aliyot and how?
In terms of the history of division of Aliyot, you should see Ilana Katzenellenbogen's survey article in Sinai 119 (1998), pp. 224-45. She looks at 33 different division customs from the last 1000 ...
- 96k
13
votes
Accepted
What is the correct response to "Chazaq u'Baruch!"?
According to Wikipedia "Baruch Tehiye" is an acceptable response, but "Chazak Ve'Ematz" is the common one. Among Morrocans it would be "Kulchem Beruchim".
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9
votes
Accepted
What did it use to mean for a kohen to get a second aliyah?
Tosfot (Gittin 59b) answers (based on a similar case in Tosefta Megilla 3:6) that to distinguish the two sections, the kohen would go sit down back in his seat and then stand up again and go up to the ...
- 96k
8
votes
Accepted
What happens with the blessings if a mute is called for a Torah aliyah?
Peri Megadim (OC 140 MZ 2) writes that perhaps if the mute is an extremely important person ("אדם חשוב גדול הדור") we can be lenient to allow others to say the blessing for him through Shomea' KeOneh, ...
- 96k
8
votes
Accepted
Original Aliyah breaks for Ki Tisa
Indeed the custom you mention is first mentioned in 16th century Safed in the work Tikkun Yissakhar by Yissakhar ben Mordechai, and while he notes with praise the custom to have a Levi read the ...
- 96k
7
votes
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3 kugels for 3 sifrei Torah?
Perhaps your Rav based it on Minhagei Komarna. Minhagei Komarna - 235 says that the Minhag Komarna was to have 3 Kugels every Shabbos. When 2 Sefer Torahs were read they had 4 Kugels. When 3 Sefer ...
- 138k
7
votes
What is the source for the role of the Levi in the Torah service?
It's an explicit Mishna in Gittin 5:8
וְאֵלּוּ דְבָרִים אָמְרוּ מִפְּנֵי דַרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם. כֹּהֵן קוֹרֵא רִאשׁוֹן, וְאַחֲרָיו לֵוִי וְאַחֲרָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִפְּנֵי דַרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם
These were ...
- 42.4k
6
votes
Can someone who takes out the Torah also get an Aliyah?
It's possible to run into a situation in which you have no choice but to double up. For an extreme example, suppose you have a minyan of exactly ten men, and it's a Shabbat on which you take out three ...
- 47.3k
6
votes
Is there a Sof Haftarah?
In Ashkenazi cantillation, the demarcation of the end of a recitation unit is technically no different than the end of any other verse vis a vis the cantillation marks themselves. There is therefore ...
- 5,104
6
votes
Source for this Prayer for American Armed Forces
This was composed by Rabbi Aryeh Klapper, then the Rabbi of the Harvard Hillel Orthodox Minyan, around 2002.1
I remember him speaking, around that time, about the debt we owe to service members in our ...
- 47.3k
6
votes
Is a new blessing required when taking off and putting back on your tallit?
This is a dispute recorded in Shulchan Aruch O.C. 8:14:
אם פשט טליתו אפילו היה דעתו לחזור ולהתעטף בו מיד צריך לברך כשיחזור ויתעטף בו הגה וי"א שאין מברכין אם יהיה דעתו לחזור ולהתעטף בו וי"א ...
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5
votes
Accepted
Why are there different intro. prayers for calling the Kohen aliyah on Shabbat vs. weekday?
Likutei Halevi - note #11 - in the name of Sefer Matamim is since there is a special Bracha of "Samcheinu" on Shabbos and Yom Tov by the Haftora where we request for the arrival of Mashiach there is ...
- 138k
5
votes
Accepted
Why doesn't saying the sh'ma satisfy torah-reading requirements?
Your question is asked by no less than the P'ri M'gadim (OH Eshel Avraham: 135)!
According to the Amora Sh'muel, as quoted by R. Yehudah, in Berakhot (21a), the recitation of Sh'ma is merely rabbinic....
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5
votes
Kohen aliyah during shiva
Shaarei Efrayim (shaar 1 sif 23 and shaar 8 sif 109) says that he should not be called up in the first place and should be asked to leave before the kriah. If he was called up already, then on ...
- 1,657
5
votes
Kohen aliyah during shiva
The Shulchan Aruch - Yoreh Deah סימן שפד - האבל אסור בתלמוד תורה says that:
ב אִם הָאָבֵל (ב) כֹּהֵן, וְאֵין בב''ה כֹּהֵן אַחֵר, אָסוּר לוֹ לַעֲלוֹת לִקְרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה.
Even of the mourner ...
- 42.4k
5
votes
Can someone who takes out the Torah also get an Aliyah?
Yes. I've been in a good number of orthodox synagogues in which the same person took out the Torah scroll and received an aliya. These include Young Israel of St. Louis (Mo.), Agudas Israel of St. ...
- 73.5k
5
votes
Tips for sitting holding a Sefer Torah without hurting your shoulder?
This probably depends in part on the size (eitz to eitz length, I mean) and weight of the sefer torah, but here's what people in my minyan do (and what I do personally) with a medium-sized scroll. My ...
- 56.1k
4
votes
On taking out the Torah, why do we say, udavar adoni myerushalym?
See the Malbim on that verse in ישעיה פרק-ב
דבר ה' הוא הנבואה, ותורה היא תורת משה
Firstly he teaches defines the words:
Dvar Hashem refers specifically to prophecy.
Torah refers to the Torah, as ...
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4
votes
Kissing a Sefer Torah as it passes
The Shearim Metzuyanim Behalacha on the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (חלק א - כג ס"ק א, מהדורה תשס"א) writes:
As is known, we are obligated to stand for the Sefer torah, and this
is learned from the ...
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4
votes
Does a woman recite Birchas HaGomel? (Blessing on being saved from danger)
At least as early as the 1600s, it appears to have been customary in some congregations for a woman not to make the blessing of Hagomel upon being saved from danger. The Knesess Hagedolah (Hagahos ...
- 7,569
4
votes
Reason behind pinky during hagba
There is no definitive reason as to why specifically the pinky is used to point. In fact, others advocate using the pointer (cf. R. Haim Palagi, Lev Haim vol. 2 §167 3.6)
R. Meir Mazuz suggested a ...
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4
votes
Reason behind pinky during hagba
It is stated here in the name of Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, that pointing with the pinkie finger, is a symbolism for approaching Torah with humility and a sense of smallness, just like the pinkie ...
- 559
4
votes
Chazan's position and path when taking out the Torah?
Could not find the answer to clockwise vs. counter-clockwise, but found the answer to your second question in Aruch HaShulchan Orach Chayim 282:1: - סימן רפב - דיני קריאת התורה והמפטיר בשבת
והש"ץ ...
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4
votes
Accepted
Do all Yemenites study the trope for each weekly parsha?
i have read regarding this question of yours that the Tradition in Yemen was that in every family, on the Friday night preceeding the Sabbath, the father would teach his sons the weekly Parashath with ...
- 9,998
4
votes
who makes brocha by bar mitzva if no dad?
The source for this minhag is from the Medrash (Bereishis Rabba Toldos 63:10) and Achronim also bring it from the Maharil (SA OC 225:2, the Rema there and others).
The Magen Avrohom (Sif Katan 5 ...
- 322
4
votes
Father and son - Hagbah and Gelilah, Pesicha for two Torahs
Shaalos U'Teshuvos Avnei Chaifetz 16:3 says that so long as they are not called up by name there is no issue of Ayin Hara and it is permitted.
Shaalos U'Teshuvos Mishne Halachos 3:20 says it is not ...
- 138k
4
votes
Accepted
Are there certain people that should not be called for the aliyah having the rebuke?
In my experience, the person who is giving the aliyot out generally keeps this one for himself so nobody else will feel bad about having been given the aliya. I have also heard of this aliya being ...
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4
votes
Accepted
Why is there no Kaddish after Torah reading at mincha on a fast day?
See Magen Avrraham OC 292 SK 2
The reason is that there is nothing between the eventually (and not existing) kaddich after the third ole and the kaddich before Tefilah shmona esre. The source is in ...
- 22.5k
4
votes
Accepted
Hilchos Pesicha/Pesichas HaAron
Open the ark after kaddish but wait for the chazzan to walk towards you before you take out the Torah. When he does, take out the Torah and hand it to him. He will recite the pesukim(according to ...
- 841
4
votes
Is a shul allowed to refuse an aliyah to an "improperly dressed" Cohen or Levi?
The Maharik (Shoresh 9) writes that the congregation have a right to refuse entry to a Kohen, thus enabling them to give the aliyah to someone else.
The Chasam Sofer (OCH 25) rules that once the ...
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