Receiving an Aliyah to the Torah on Shabbos
A minimum1 of eight people—a Kohen, a Levi, five Yisraelim and an additional person for maftir2—are called to the Torah every Shabbos morning. If a Kohen is unavailable, either a Levi or a Yisrael is called instead of him, but if a Yisrael is called instead of a Kohen, then a Levi can no longer be called after him.3 If a Levi is unavailable, then the same Kohen who was called for the first aliyah is called again.4
The process
The person being called should take the shortest possible route to the bimah so that there is no unnecessary delay. If all of the routes are equal in distance, he should ascend from the right side.5
Before reciting the berachah,6 the oleh (the person receiving the aliyah) should look inside the Torah to see where the baal korei will begin reading. He should then roll up the scroll and recite Barchu, followed by the first berachah.7 Alternatively, he may leave the scroll unrolled but close his eyes while reciting Barchu and the berachah.8
After the reading is over, the sefer should be rolled up and the final berachah recited. The final berachah should not be recited over an open sefer, even if the oleh keeps his eyes closed.
The berachos, especially Barchu, must be recited loudly enough for at least ten men to be able to hear them. The poskim are extremely critical of people who recite the berachos in an undertone.9
Who is called to the Torah?
While it is appropriate and preferable to call to the Torah only God-fearing Jews who observe the mitzvos, it is permitted to call up even people who are lax in certain areas of mitzvah observance when the need arises or for the sake of peace,10 as long as they consider themselves believers in Hashem and His Torah. Under no circumstances is it permitted to call non-believers to the Torah, for the berachos they recite are not considered blessings at all. If absolutely necessary, it may be permitted to accord them honors that do not necessitate a berachah, such as hagbahah or gelilah.11
Most often, the aliyos are allocated in rotating order or at the gabbai’s discretion. But it is a long-standing tradition that has become universally accepted to mark milestone events by receiving an aliyah. People marking such events are called chiyuvim, since custom dictates that they are obligated to receive an aliyah. Sometimes, however, there are not enough aliyos for all of the people who are chiyuvim.12 Based on the opinion of the majority of the poskim, the following, in order of priority, is a list of the chiyuvim who are entitled to an aliyah:13
- A groom, getting married for the first time, on the Shabbos before his wedding [or on the Shabbos before he leaves his hometown to travel to his wedding].
- A child14 who becomes bar mitzvah15 on that Shabbos.16
- The father of a newborn17 boy or girl, if the mother is in shul for the first time since giving birth.18
- A groom on the Shabbos after his wedding, if the wedding took place on Wednesday or later in the week.
- A person who has a Shabbos yahrtzeit.19
- The father of a baby boy20 whose bris will be that Shabbos or during the coming week.21
- A groom on the Shabbos after his wedding, if his wedding took place before Wednesday.
- A person who has a yahrtzeit during the upcoming week.22
- A person who must recite the berachah of ha-gomel.23
- A person who is embarking on or returning from a journey.
- An important guest.
Consecutive aliyos for relatives
In order to avoid ayin hara, a “bad omen,” the gabbai does not call a father and a son, or two brothers [who share a father] for consecutive aliyos.24 Even if the parties involved are not concerned about the ayin hara and wish to be called consecutively, it is not permitted.25 Moreover, even if the gabbai mistakenly did call a relative for a consecutive aliyah, he should remain in his seat and not accept the aliyah.26 If the mistake was realized only after he ascended the bimah, however, then he is not told to descend.27
Lechatchilah, consecutive aliyos should not be given even to brothers who share only a mother or to a grandson and his paternal grandfather.28 If there is a need to do so, however, or if the second relative has already been called to the bimah, it is permitted for them to accept the aliyah.29 All other relatives may be called consecutively even lechatchilah.
The restriction on consecutive aliyos does not apply:
- If the second aliyah is the maftir on a day when a second Sefer Torah is used for maftir, e.g., on Yom Tov, on Rosh Chodesh, or when the Four Parshiyos are read.30
- In a congregation where the names of the olim are not used when they are called for aliyos. [In some communities, names are not used for the olim for the seventh and final aliyos (shevi’i and acharon).31]
- To hagbahah and gelilah, in a congregation where the honorees are not called up by name for hagbahah and gelilah.32
1. Some congregations add aliyos, while others do not. Since both practices have a basis in halachah, each congregation should follow its own custom. It is preferable not to call more than eleven people to the Torah altogether; Be’er Heitev 282:3, alluded to by Sha’ar Hatziyun 282:5.
2. The person who receives maftir may be a Kohen, Levi or Yisrael. Those congregations that add aliyos may also call a Kohen or a Levi for the last aliyah (known as acharon), but should not call a Kohen or a Levi for any of the other additional aliyos; Mishnah Berurah 135:36-37.
3. O.C. 135:6.
4. O.C. 135:8.
5. O.C. 141:7.
6. A bachelor (who is not wearing a tallis) should put on a tallis when receiving an aliyah on Shabbos or Yom Tov mornings, but he need not do so when receiving an aliyah at other times (on a Monday or Thursday morning, Rosh Chodesh, and so forth); Halichos Shlomo 1:12-20. Some congregations require an oleh to wear a tallis at all times.
7. Beiur Halachah 139:4, s.v. v’roeh.
8. Mishnah Berurah 139:19; Chazon Ish (Dinim V’hanhagos 5:14). The third option, which is to leave the sefer open but turn one’s head to the left, is not recommended by the poskim, including the Mishnah Berurah.
9. O.C. 139:6. See Chayei Adam 31:12.
10. Preferably, they should be called only after the first seven aliyos; Pe’er ha-Dor 3, pg. 36, quoting an oral ruling from the Chazon Ish. See Yagel Yaakov, pg. 286.
11. Igros Moshe, O.C. 3:12, 21, 22.
12. A general rule is that members of a shul have priority over non-members, even if the non-member’s level of chiyuv is greater than the member’s.
13. This list covers the Shabbos Kerias ha-Torah only.
14. The father of the child, however, is not a chiyuv at all; Sha’arei Efrayim 2:10.
15. If both the aufruf and the bar mitzvah demand the same aliyah, then the one who is a greater talmid chacham has priority. If that cannot be determined, then the two should draw lots. This is the general rule whenever two chiyuvim lay equal claim to an aliyah.
16. According to some opinions, the same chiyuv applies even if the child became bar mitzvah during the past week; Rav C. Kanivesky (Ishei Yisrael, pg. 409).
17. Even if the baby was stillborn; Sha’arei Efrayim 2:5.
18. If the wife is not in shul, then the husband has an obligation to receive an aliyah when 40 days have elapsed from the birth of a male child, or 80 days from the birth of a female child.
19. A yahrtzeit chiyuv is only for a father or a mother. A yahrtzeit for a father has priority over a yahrzeit for a mother; Kaf ha-Chayim 284:6.
20. A father who is naming a baby girl on Shabbos has priority over a father of a baby boy whose bris will take place during the week; Da’as Torah 282:7.
21. Some maintain that if the bris will take place on Shabbos, then the father is a greater chiyuv than a yahrtzeit on that Shabbos; Ishei Yisrael, pg. 410.
22. If two people have yahrtzeit during the week, the one whose yahrtzeit is earlier in the week has priority; Kaf ha-Chayim 284:6.
23. The berachah of ha-gomel may be recited without an aliyah.
24. O.C. 141:6. This holds true even for shevi’i and maftir, unless the maftir is a boy under bar mitzvah; Mishnah Berurah 141:20.
25. Mishnah Berurah 141:19. Aruch ha-Shulchan 141:8 maintains, however, that a person who is unconcerned about ayin hara may do as he wishes.
26. Be’er Heitev 141:5; Sha’arei Efrayim 1:33.
28. A grandfather and his daughter’s son, however, may be called up for consecutive aliyos; Kaf ha-Chayim 141:27.
29. Sha’arei Efrayim 1:33.
30. Mishnah Berurah 141:20. Some poskim do not recommend relying on this leniency when no Kaddish is recited between the aliyos, such as on Chol ha-Moed Pesach (Sha’arei Efrayim 1:32), while others are not particular about that (Aruch ha-Shulchan 141:8). On Simchas Torah, however, all poskim are lenient about this; see Yechaveh Da’as 3:50.
31. Mishnah Berurah 141:21.
32. Teshuvos Avnei Cheifetz 16, quoted in She’arim Metzuyanim B’halachah 23:10. See also Ashrei ha-Ish, vol. 1, pg. 141.