✦ ❖ ✦
DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman קל״ט · The Torah reading and its berakhot
סדר קריאת התורה וברכותיה — the order of the Torah reading: who reads (the עולה or the חזן) and reviewing beforehand; one who cannot read and the blind man; opening the séfer and seeing the verse before blessing; the two berakhot אשר בחר בנו and אשר נתן לנו; and holding the séfer during the berakha, whence the « חזק »
סימן קל״ט · י״א סעיפים
סדר קריאת התורה וברכותיה
🌱 Introductory level · מתחילים
✦ ❖ ✦
This siman teaches the order of the Torah reading and its blessings: who is called up (the עולה who reads himself or the חזן) and reviewing beforehand; one who cannot read and the blind man; opening the séfer and seeing the verse before blessing; the two berakhot (אשר בחר בנו and אשר נתן לנו); and holding the séfer during the berakha (whence the חזק). Hebrew text, fluent English translation and explanation of the י״א seifim, with a section of practical cases.
Topic: The Torah reading and its berakhot — who reads, opening and seeing, אשר בחר בנו, holding the séfer
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן קל״ט · י״א סעיפים
Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com
Our masters taught: everyone called up to the Torah מברך לפניה ולאחריה — blesses before and after — and אוחז בספר תורה בשעת ברכה — holds the séfer Torah during the berakha, as is said in Yehoshua: לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך חזק ואמץ. The siman sets the סדר — the order — of this public reading and its blessings. We study here at the level of principle; for personal conduct, one refers to the custom and to the ruling of the Rav.
📑 Study outline
A. The י״א seifim — who reads and reviewing (seif 1), one who cannot read (seif 2), permission and the blind man (seif 3), opening and seeing (seif 4), between two olim (seif 5), aloud (seif 6), the מברך repeats (seif 7), re-blessing אשר בחר בנו (seifim 8-9), אשר נתן לנו (seif 10), holding the séfer and the חזק (seif 11)
1. Practical case — called up without having reviewed the parasha
2. Practical case — opening, seeing, and blessing aloud
3. Practical case — the two blessings and holding the séfer (חזק)
+ Comprehension questions and going further
A. The Torah reading and its berakhot — the י״א seifim
סֵדֶר קְרִיאַת הַתּוֹרָה וּבִרְכוֹתֶיהָ — the order of the Torah reading and its blessings — two axes: the reading itself (who is called up, how he prepares, one who cannot read, the blind man, permission); and the blessings (opening and seeing before blessing, saying ברכו aloud, the two berakhot אשר בחר בנו and אשר נתן לנו, and holding the séfer). All of it is governed by כבוד התורה — the honor due to the Torah read in public.
Seif 1 — who reads: the עולה or the חזן, and reviewing
בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ שֶׁהָעוֹלֶה עַצְמוֹ קוֹרֵא בְּקוֹל רָם, אִם לֹא סִידֵּר תְּחִלָּה הַפָּרָשָׁה פְּעָמִים שָׁלֹשׁ בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ — לֹא יַעֲלֶה; וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁהַחַזָּן קוֹרֵא, הוּא צָרִיךְ לְסַדֵּר תְּחִלָּה.
Seif 1: where the custom is that the עולה (the one called up) reads himself aloud, if he has not first arranged the parasha two or three times to himself — he is not called up; and where it is the חזן (the public reader) who reads, it is he who must review first.
Per the local custom, either the עולה reads himself — and then he must have reviewed the parasha two or three times before going up — or the חזן reads for him, and then it is the חזן who reviews. The purpose: not to stumble publicly and to read correctly, out of respect for the Torah.
Seif 2 — one who cannot read
מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹת צָרִיךְ לִמְחוֹת בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלֶה לַסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה; וְאִם צְרִיכִים לָזֶה שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא כֹּהֵן אוֹ לֵוִי וְאֵין שָׁם אַחֵר זוּלָתוֹ — אִם כְּשֶׁיִּקְרָא לוֹ שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר מִלָּה בְּמִלָּה יוֹדֵעַ לְאָמְרָהּ וְלִקְרוֹתָהּ מִן הַכְּתָב — יָכוֹל לַעֲלוֹת, וְאִם לָאו — לֹא יַעֲלֶה.
Seif 2: one who cannot read — one must restrain him from going up to the séfer Torah; but if he is needed because he is a Kohen or Levi and there is no other besides him — if, when the שליח צבור prompts him word by word, he is able to say it and read it from the written text, he may go up; if not, he does not go up.
One who cannot read should not go up. Exception: a Kohen or a Levi when there is no other — provided he can repeat מלה במלה after the שליח צבור while looking at the text; if he cannot, he does not go up. One never « reads » from memory alone.
Seif 3 — permission to read, and the blind man
אֲפִילּוּ רֹאשׁ הַכְּנֶסֶת אוֹ חַזָּן — לֹא יִקְרָא עַד שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ קְרָא… סוּמָא אֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא, לְפִי שֶׁאָסוּר לִקְרוֹת אֲפִילּוּ אוֹת אַחַת שֶׁלֹּא מִן הַכְּתָב.
Seif 3: even the head of the synagogue or the חזן does not read until they say to him « read »… ; and the blind man (סומא) does not read, for it is forbidden to read even a single letter that is not from the written text.
One does not take the Torah of one's own accord: one waits until told to (the custom being that the שליח צבור, by virtue of his appointment, already has this permission). The Rama adds rules on how the olé is called up by name. Finally, the blind man does not read, for אסור לקרות אפילו אות אחת שלא מן הכתב — nothing is read by heart (the Maharil writes, however, that nowadays a blind man may read, since the text is prompted to him, as we prompt an am haaretz). For conduct, one follows one's Rav.
Seif 4 — blessing before and after, opening and seeing
כָּל הַקּוֹרִים מְבָרְכִין לְפָנֶיהָ וּלְאַחֲרֶיהָ; וּפוֹתֵחַ הַסֵּפֶר קוֹדֶם שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ וְרוֹאֶה הַפָּסוּק שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַתְחִיל בּוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יְבָרֵךְ; וּלְאַחַר שֶׁקָּרָא — גּוֹלֵל וּמְבָרֵךְ.
Seif 4: all who read bless before and after; one opens the séfer before blessing and sees the verse he must begin with, and only then blesses; and after reading, one rolls (the séfer) and blesses.
One opens the séfer and looks at the passage BEFORE blessing: so that the berakha is not said « in vain » and one does not pause between the berakha and the reading. After reading, one rolls the séfer, then says the final berakha. (The Rama: at the first berakha one turns one's face slightly aside, so as not to appear to be reading the berakha from the Torah.)
Seif 5 — between one olé and the next
נָהֲגוּ לְכַסּוֹת הַכְּתָב בְּסוּדָר בֵּין גַּבְרָא לְגַבְרָא (וּבִמְדִינוֹת אֵלּוּ נָהֲגוּ שֶׁהִיא מְגוֹלֶלֶת בֵּין גַּבְרָא לְגַבְרָא, וְכֵן עִיקָּר).
Seif 5: they have the custom of covering the writing with a cloth between one man (olé) and the next (and in these lands the custom is that it is rolled between one olé and the next, and that is the main thing).
Between two olim (בין גברא לגברא), the text is not left exposed: by one custom it is covered with a cloth, and by the prevailing custom here it is rolled — « and that is the main thing ». This too is כבוד התורה.
Seif 6 — ברכו and the blessings aloud
אוֹמֵר בָּרְכוּ וְהַבְּרָכוֹת בְּקוֹל רָם, וְהָאוֹמְרָם בְּלַחַשׁ טוֹעֶה; וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲזוֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ בְּקוֹל רָם.
Seif 6: he says ברכו and the blessings aloud, and one who says them in a whisper errs; and some say that he must repeat and bless aloud.
One says ברכו and the blessings בקול רם — aloud — so that the people hear and answer « ברוך ה׳ המבורך לעולם ועד » (Rama). One who says them in a whisper « errs »; and per the יש אומרים, he must even repeat aloud. If the congregation did not hear the מברך, they answer amen to the words of the חזן.
Seif 7 — the מברך answers himself
אַחַר שֶׁעָנוּ הָעָם בָּרְכוּ אֶת ה׳ הַמְבֹרָךְ — חוֹזֵר הַמְבָרֵךְ וְאוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ ה׳ הַמְבֹרָךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, כְּדֵי לִכְלוֹל הַמְבָרֵךְ עַצְמוֹ בִּכְלַל הַמְבָרְכִים.
Seif 7: after the people answered « ברכו את ה׳ המבורך », the מברך (the one blessing) repeats and says « ברוך ה׳ המבורך לעולם ועד », in order to include himself among those who bless.
After ברכו, the people answer; then the olé himself repeats « ברוך ה׳ המבורך לעולם ועד » — so as not to remain apart, but to count himself among those who bless the Name.
Seif 8 — re-blessing אשר בחר בנו even after birkat haTorah
אֲפִילּוּ בֵּרַךְ בִּרְכַּת הַתּוֹרָה לְעַצְמוֹ, וְתֵכֶף קְרָאוּהוּ לִקְרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה — צָרִיךְ לַחֲזוֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּנוּ כְּשֶׁקּוֹרֵא בַּתּוֹרָה, דְּמִשּׁוּם כְּבוֹד הַתּוֹרָה נִתְקְנָה כְּשֶׁקּוֹרֵא בְּצִבּוּר.
Seif 8: even if he already said the birkat haTorah for himself, and was immediately called up to read in the Torah — he must repeat and bless אשר בחר בנו when he reads in the Torah, for it was instituted on account of the honor of the Torah when reading in public.
The berakha אשר בחר בנו said at the public reading is not the same as the morning birkat haTorah: it was instituted for the honor of the Torah read in tsibbur. Therefore even one who already blessed in the morning re-blesses when going up.
Seif 9 — called up before saying birkat haTorah
אִם קְרָאוּהוּ לִקְרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה קוֹדֶם שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַתּוֹרָה לְעַצְמוֹ — כְּבָר נִפְטַר מִלְּבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּנוּ, דְּלֹא גָּרַע מִמִּי שֶׁנִּפְטַר בְּאַהֲבָה רַבָּה.
Seif 9: if he was called up to read in the Torah before he blessed the birkat haTorah for himself — he is already exempt from blessing the birkat אשר בחר בנו (of the morning), for it is no worse than one who is exempted by אהבה רבה.
The reverse case: one who has not yet said his morning birkat haTorah and is called up to the Torah — the אשר בחר בנו he says now also exempts him from his personal birkat haTorah, just as אהבה רבה (before the ק״ש) can exempt.
Seif 10 — the final berakha: אשר נתן לנו
בְּרָכָה אַחֲרוֹנָה: אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת — זוֹ תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב; וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵנוּ — הוּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה.
Seif 10: the final blessing: « אשר נתן לנו תורת אמת » (who gave us a Torah of truth) — this is the Written Torah (תורה שבכתב); « וחיי עולם נטע בתוכנו » (and planted within us eternal life) — this is the Oral Torah (תורה שבעל פה).
The blessing after praises the two Torot: תורת אמת corresponds to the Written Torah, and חיי עולם נטע בתוכנו to the Oral Torah — planted within us, unfolding across the generations.
Seif 11 — holding the séfer during the berakha, and the חזק
הַקּוֹרֵא בַּתּוֹרָה צָרִיךְ לֶאֱחוֹז בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה בִּשְׁעַת בְּרָכָה; וְסָמְכוּ מִנְהָג זֶה עַל מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ «לֹא יָמוּשׁ סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה מִפִּיךָ חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ», וּמִזֶּה נָהֲגוּ לוֹמַר לַמְּסַיֵּים לִקְרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה בְּכָל פַּעַם «חֲזַק».
Seif 11: one who reads in the Torah must hold the séfer Torah at the time of the berakha; they supported this custom on what is said in Yehoshua « לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך חזק ואמץ » (let this book of the Torah not depart from your mouth, be strong and courageous), and from this they took the custom to say to the one who finishes reading in the Torah, each time, « חזק ».
One holds the séfer Torah during the berakha (by the handles, the עמוד). The verse in Yehoshua « לא ימוש… חזק ואמץ » supports this custom — and from it was born the « חזק » said to the one who finishes.
The siman in one sentence: the order of the reading — the reader (עולה or חזן) reviews first; one who cannot read does not go up (save a Kohen/Levi who repeats מלה במלה); the blind man does not read (nothing שלא מן הכתב) — and the order of the blessings: open and see קודם שיברך, say ברכו aloud, אשר בחר בנו before and אשר נתן לנו after (Written and Oral Torah), holding the séfer — whence the חזק.
Practical cases
Case 1 — Called up without having reviewed the parasha
Situation: in a community where the עולה reads himself, he is called up but has not reviewed the parasha. What to do?
Conduct: where the עולה reads himself, he must have reviewed the parasha two or three times before going up; otherwise לא יעלה. Where the חזן reads, the חזן reviews, and the olé may go up and follow. For the practical application, one follows one's Rav.
Case 2 — Opening, seeing, and blessing aloud
Situation: the olé goes up: when does he open, when does he look, and how does he say the berakha?
Conduct: he opens the séfer and sees the verse to begin with before blessing, then says ברכו and the berakha בקול רם — aloud, so that the people hear and answer. After reading, he rolls it and says the final berakha. For the details, one follows one's Rav.
Case 3 — The two blessings and holding the séfer (חזק)
Situation: what are the two blessings, and why does one say « חזק » at the end?
Conduct: before the reading, אשר בחר בנו; after, אשר נתן לנו תורת אמת (Written Torah) וחיי עולם נטע בתוכנו (Oral Torah). One holds the séfer during the berakha (per « לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך »), and from this the custom to say « חזק » to the one who finishes. For borderline cases, one follows one's Rav.
Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- Per the local custom, who must review the parasha — the עולה or the חזן (seif 1)?
- On what condition may a Kohen or Levi who cannot read well nonetheless go up (seif 2)?
- Why does the blind man not read, and what is the reason (seif 3)?
- Why does one open and look at the séfer before blessing, and why aloud (seifim 4 and 6)?
- What are the two Torot evoked by the final berakha, and why does one say « חזק » (seifim 10-11)?
Going further
If you wish to deepen this siman:
📖Join the khavroutha
- 📚 Level 2 — Lamdan: for the pilpoul — אשר בחר בנו כשקורא בצבור — משום כבוד התורה, וגדרה מול ברכת התורה של שחרית ; אשר נתן לנו תורת אמת — תורה שבכתב, וחיי עולם נטע בתוכנו — תורה שבעל פה ; סומא ומחלוקת מהרי״ל, ואחיזת ספר תורה בשעת ברכה
- ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis: for review and quick memorization
- 🌉 Level 4 — Daat HaRav (the Alter Rebbe): bridge page — the Admour HaZaken did not compose this siman in his Choulhan Aroukh; referral to Levels 1-3 and to his Siddour