Conventions for Aliyot (ascendings to the Torah)

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It is an honor to be called to the bimah! We hope these guidelines enhance your experience.

  1. Please be ready, at the completion of the previous aliyah, to come up.
  2. Ascend from the left side, after the previous aliyah, when your name is called.
  3. Men and women, both, please come up to the Torah wearing your tallit. You do not need to bring your prayer book.
  4. Whenever the Torah is open, as it will be at the start of your aliyah to identify the starting place, keep your hand on the lower spindle to hold it for the reader.
  5. Wrap your tzit-tzit in your fingers, and touch the Torah with the tzit-tzit, at the point on the scroll where the reader points with the yad (the pointer). Then kiss the tzit-tzit. The Torah will now be closed, momentarily, just for the blessing.
  6. Say the prayer while the Torah is closed. The blessing to the Torah (aliyah) is on the bimah for you, in both transliteration and in Hebrew. [Note: The Reconstructionist Torah blessing is on page 399 in your prayer book; it is preferred, but you may choose between that and the conventional prayer, found on p. 397.]
  7. Hold the spindle, and watch as the reader reads—it's a mitzvah to watch!
  8. When the reader is finished, again take your tzit-tzit in hand and touch the Torah—now at the point where the reader stopped—then kiss the tzit-tzit.
  9. Close the Torah, and say the second part of the prayer (p. 399).
  10. Walk around to the other side and stand until the next Torah reader finishes.
  11. Shake hands with the rabbi and/or gabbai, then continue on, exiting from the right side (congregation’s perspective). Thank you, yasher koach, mazel tov!

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