Dirshu Mishnah Berurah

We conclude our discussion of what to do if a mistake is found when reading from a sefer Torah.

We continue our discussion of under what conditions should we replace a Sefer torah for reading in shul where mistakes are found

We continue with a discussion of what to do when mistakes are found when reading from the Torah at different points in completing the 7 call-ups to the Torah on Shabbos.

We know that to be kosher, a Sefer Torah must not have any mistake in it - even a single letter missing or added will invalidate it. There is an opinion that this is in regards to the mitzvah of writing a kosher Sefer Torah. They hold that if one finds a mistake whilst reading it, one is allowed to continue. Whilst this is a minority view, we can rely on this leniency under some circumstances that...

We discuss what to do if there is no kosher Sefer Torah to layn from or if no-one knows how to layn properly.

When should we correct the person who reads from the Torah in public? Not every mistake should be called out. Only where there is a material change in meaning where the mistake is made.

We recreate the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai every time we read from the Torah in shul. We have the Giver of Torah (HaShem) who stands as the gabbai, the reader (Moses) who communicates the Torah, and the one called to the Torah to make the blessings - who is the representative of the Jewish People - who receives the Torah.

The person called to the Torah, the reader, and the gabay must all stand unsupported when the Torah is read unless under certain specific conditions

The blessing that is made during a call up to the Torah must relate to the correct reading for that day and section. Where the wrong place is shown to the one making the blessing, there are times when a repeat blessing must be made.

We discuss the practices of holding the sefer Torah when making its blessing and reading from it together with interruptions in the reading of the Torah.

When called to the Torah to make a bracha there are differing practices as to whether the Torah scroll is open or rolled. We discuss what to do.

The original practice was for each person called to the Torah would read from the Torah. Since today, there is an appointed person who reads on behalf of others, there is not the same level of requirement for someone called to make the brocha to be able to read.

We discuss being mindful of inaccurate impressions we give to those entering and leaving shul during the reading of the Torah that they shouldn’t think only two pesukim are being read.

There are some exceptions where it is permitted to repeat previous verses read, most noticably on Simchat Torah, however, ordinarily we should not go back and repeat verses unless there is no other option to complete the 10 verses needed.

Previously we learned that each call up to the Torah needs to read 3 verses. Ideally a combined total of 10 verses should be read.

We discuss when a missed verse requires the reader to go back and read the section again.

After we call up the Cohen and Levi, the Rabbi of the community is generally considered to be the next person to get called up especially if he is a Talmud chochom - of great learning.

In order to maintain peace we suspend the honour and precedence given to Cohanim and call up a single Yisrael if only one resides in a city almost exclusively Cohanim.

Additional times where we can call up a Cohen or Levi after the first 2 call ups to the Torah

We are are very careful not to embarrass a Cohen or Levi by potentially casting aspersions on their correct lineage through the order and selection of call-ups to the Torah.

As part of the honour due to be shown to a Cohen, he is called first to the Torah, followed by a Levi, and the Yisrael.

We learn that Moshe instituted that we read from the Torah with a maximum gap between hearing the Torah of 3 days. Ezra instituted that there needed to be 3 call-ups per sitting with no less than 10 verses on each day.

The placement of the laws of lifting the Torah, Hagboh, before the laws of reading the Torah, reflects the custom of Sephardim to perform this act first. For Ashkenazim, the Torah is read first.

The ketores (incense) was offered up morning and afternoon and as a reflection of that many have the custom to read the verses relating to ketores at those times.

We continue with a discussion of the laws of saying the prayers immediately after tachanun - u'vo l'tziyon, aleinu, and mourners kaddish.