Chapter 78 : Laws of Torah Reading On Shabbos and Yom Tov

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§1

When aliyahs are added on Shabbos, a Kohen or Levi may be called for the last aliyah, since the requirement of calling seven men was fulfilled, and also because it is the last of the main aliyahs except for the maftir. Similarly, for maftir, a Kohen or Levi may be called. It is even permitted to call one Kohen for the last aliyah and one Kohen for maftir. They may be called [in this situation] since the kaddish intervenes between them. On Simchas Torah when three sifrei Torah are taken out, one Kohen may be called as Chasan Torah, [the groom of the Torah] and one as Chasan Bereishis, [the groom of Bereishis] and one for maftir, since each one reads from a different seifer Torah. But when Rosh Chodesh Teves occurs on Shabbos, even though three sifrei Torah are taken out, even if they want to call eight men to the first seifer Torah, it is not permitted to call the Kohen to be the eighth one, since as yet [the required reading] was not completed in this seifer. The reading is completed in the second seifer in which the portion of Rosh Chodesh is read, and then a Kohen may be called. The same law applies to Shabbos Shekalim and to Parshas Hachodesh when they occur on Rosh Chodesh.

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§2

If a Kohen or Levi is called for one of the middle of the required aliyahs, someone else, [a Yisrael] should go up in his place and he (the Kohen) should wait near the bimah and go up for maftir or the last aliyah once the required number [of seven] has been called.

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§3

On a Shabbos when two parshahs are read, the parshahs should be merged with the reading of the fourth aliyah.

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§4

The curses contained in parshas Bechukosai, and in parshas Ki Savo should be read without interruption. The reading of these curses must be preceded by one verse of the preceding chapter. But in order not to begin the parshah with less than three verses, the reading must begin with the three verses preceding the curses. At the conclusion also, we must read at least one verse after the curses, but care should be taken not to end at less than three verses from the beginning of a parshah. In parshas Ki Sisa, we read for the Levi, the whole chapter of the golden calf until the words Umeshareso Yehoshua [and his servant Yehoshua]. And the reason is because the Levites did not participate in making the golden calf.

It is customary to read in a low voice [the portion beginning with] Vavittein el Moshe kechaloso [and He gave Moses as He had finished] until Vayechal Moshe [and Moses beseeched]. The verse beginning with Vayechal is read in a loud voice until Vayifen vayeired Moshe, [And Moses turned and descended]. And the verse beginning with Vayifen is read in a low voice until uMoshe yikach es ha'ohel, [And Moses took the tent]. The reading is then resumed in a loud voice until the end of the parshah. And also the curses in parshas Bechukosai and parshas Ki Savo should be read in a low voice. However, the verse, Vezacharti es brisi Yaakov [And I will remember the covenant with Jacob] is read in a loud voice. The following verse, Veha'aretz tei'azeiv [And the land will be forsaken] is read in a low voice. From the verse: Ve'af gain zos [and with all this] [the reading is resumed] in a loud voice until the end. And in parshas Ki Savo, [the verse] Leyira es Hashem hanichbad [to fear the honored Name] until the end of the verse should be read in a loud voice and thereafter in a low voice until Ve'ein koneh [and there is no one to buy].

Also in parshas Beha'alosecha it is customary to read in a low voice from Vayehi ha'am kemisonenim [and the people were as murmurers] until Vehaman kizra gad [and the manna was like the coriander seed] and the reason is to show that they were regretful. Whatever is read in a low voice should be read at least [loud enough] for the congregation to hear the voice, otherwise they have not fulfilled their duty of reading [the Torah]. [In the reading of] the forty-two journeys in parshas Masei no interruption should be made, for they represent the [Divine] Name of forty-two [Letters].

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§5

Between one aliyah and the next the seifer Torah should be rolled up but it need not be covered. But before maftir, when Kaddish is said and there is a long interval, it should be covered with its mantle. Likewise, on any other occasion when there is a long interval, as when a chant is sung for a bridegroom [who is called to the Torah], or something similar, [the seifer Torah should be covered]. And it would seem that this rule also applies when much time is spent in saying Mishebeirach [He Who blessed...]

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§6

If by mistake they read for the sixth [aliyah] to the end of the sidra, Kaddish is not recited but the maftir is immediately called, and he also completes the [required] number of seven persons (called up for aliyahs). And after he has said the haftarah with its berachos, then the kaddish is said. And on Yom Tov also, if by mistake they read for the fourth aliyah until the end, the Kaddish is not recited but the maftir is called up immediately to the second seifer Torah and after the haftarah and its berachos, the Kaddish is recited.

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§7

When three sifrei Torah are needed [for the required reading] and only two are

available, the second [seifer] should not be rolled to read the portion that must be read in the third [ seifer], but rather the first [seifer] should be taken for the reading [of that portion].

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§8

The laws concerning a defect discovered in a seifer Torah were explained in Chapter 24. If the defect is discovered during the reading of the maftir; then, if this maftir is a special obligation for that day, such as [the maftir] of Yom Tov or of Shabbos Rosh Chodesh or of [parshas] Shekalim and the like, when an extra seifer Torah for maftir is taken out, then the same law applies as for any other parshah. But on a regular Shabbos, we repeat the reading of the seventh portion for the maftir. We do this out of respect for the Torah, [so as not to create the impression] that the honor of the Torah and the honor of the Prophets are equal, for the one who reads in the Torah makes a berachah before and after, and also the one who reads the Prophets makes a berachah before and after; therefore it was ordained that the one called for maftir reads in the Torah first to show that the reading of the Torah is the main (reading). Therefore, another seifer Torah should not be taken out, but the reading is concluded in the same seifer Torah. The concluding berachah should not be said, but the haftarah and its berachos should be said. If the defect was discovered before the first berachah was said, it would seem that another setter Torah should be taken out. If no other seifer Torah is available then the one who was called up last should say the haftarah with its berachos; and if the Kaddish has not yet been said, it should be said after the haftarah.

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§9

In Chapter 24 paragraph 1, it was explained that if an error is discovered of either a missing [letter] or an extra [letter], as long as it does not alter either the pronunciation or the meaning [of the word], another seifer Torah should not be taken out. However, if such an error is discovered on Shabbos, even though another seifer Torah need not be taken out; in any case to this seifer Torah they should not call more than seven persons for an aliyah. The seventh person should read the haftarah with its berachos and Kaddish is only said after the reading of the haftarah and the berachos. (This rule applies to a regular Shabbos, but when the maftir is the special obligation of that day, as was discussed in the previous paragraph, then surely one must be called for maftir). And at Minchah [this seifer Torah] should not be taken out.

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§10

If on a day when two stfrei Torah are taken out, a defect is discovered in the first, and there is another seifer Torah in the Holy Ark, they should not take the second setter Torah to resume the reading, and after that take out another seiftr Torah [from the Ark] for the second reading. This should not be done, because the reading should be done from the seifer Torah that was set aside for it. [This law applies] also to a day on which three sifrei Torah are taken out. Likewise, if the sifrei Torah were switched by taking first the one that was intended for the later [reading] ; [then the one taken by mistake] should be rolled up, and the second seifer taken from the Ark, in order to read from each seifer Torah that portion for which it was intended.

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§11

[The following is] the order of precedence for those who are obligated to have an aliyah:

1. A bridegroom on his wedding day.
2. A bridegroom on the Shabbos before his wedding day [when he is called to the Torah] when they sing for him, provided he has never been married, and a lad who has become Bar Mitzvah during that week—have equal rights [to an aliyah].
3. A sandek on the day of the bris—he is the one who holds the baby during the bris.
4. The sandek on the day of the bris who brings the baby to the synagogue for the bris.
5. The husband of a woman who gave birth to a girl when [the mother] comes to the synagogue.
6. The husband of a woman who gave birth to a son, and the mother comes to the synagogue. But if the woman does not come to the synagogue, the husbands are not obliged [to have an aliyah], unless it is the 41st day for a son or the 81st day for a daughter, because it was on these days that a sacrifice was brought [in the Beis Hamikdash].
7. A bridegroom whose wedding took place on Wednesday or later [in the week], on the Shabbos after the wedding, but only if he had not been previously married or she had not been previously married.
8. One who has Yahrzeit on that day.
9. The father of the baby on the day of the circumcision.
10. One who will have Yahrzeit during the week following the Shabbos.
11. The mohel on the day of the circumcision.
12. The sandek and then the father of the child, then the mohel on the Shabbos before the bris.

Two people with equal claim to an aliyah should depend on the discretion of the president of the synagogue or they should decide by casting lots. A non-resident cannot take precedence over any [resident] who is obliged to have an aliyah. It is customary to call up to the Torah one who is going on a journey after Shabbos or one who has returned from a journey. Likewise, it is customary to honor an important guest by calling him up [for an aliyah], but none of these takes precedence over anyone who is obliged [to have an aliyah].