USCJ Review - Spring 2002
Yad LaTorah - Laws and Customs of the Torah Service: A Guide for Gabba’im and Torah Readers
- Order "Yad LaTorah" from the USCJ Book Service
Prayer is a central element of traditional Jewish life. Even if we are not in synagogue or together with a minyan, the adult Jew is obligated to pray daily. In addition to the rabbinically ordained recitation of the Amidah and the biblically ordained twice-daily recitation of the Sh’ma, the siddur presents introductory prayers, psalms and blessings which form the basis of the daily Ma’ariv, Shaharit, and Minhah services.
Yet, when we gather together, b’tzibur, as a community with the quorum necessary for public prayer, i.e., in a minyan, there are certain prayers – most significantly, Barkhu, Kedushah and Kaddish – which are added to the liturgy. Additionally, when praying with a minyan, we read publicly from the Torah on those occasions when Jewish tradition calls for it.
Most aspects of public worship involve only one “leader,” a shaliah tzibur. Any knowledgeable adult Jew can perform that function. Everyone else, however, prays individually as a member of the congregation, perhaps joining in communal singing but not taking any active leadership role.
The major exception to this rule occurs during the Torah Service. Here there are many participants, including the Torah reader(s) [ba’al(at) koreh], gabba’im (“administrators” who supervise the reading), olim (the recipients of aliyyot), those who lift (hagbahah) and roll (g’lilah) the Torah, and, on certain occasions, someone to recite the haftarah.
Simply put, the Torah Service provides numerous opportunities for participation. Often, however, individuals who may wish to participate lack some of the knowledge and skills required. The Torah reader and gabba’im particularly have demanding roles which require detailed knowledge of intricate rules regarding the assigning of aliyyot and numerous technicalities regarding the Torah reading.
In November 1992 I undertook the process of writing a liturgical calendar (often referred to as a Luah Bet haKnesset) specifically geared for traditional Conservative Jews. This publication - written in English - was intended to be an authoritative, thorough and easy-to-use reference tool for the Jewish professional (e.g., rabbi, cantor, educator) and, as significantly, for the Jewish lay person. This publication, entitled “Luah: Order of Prayers, Blessings and Torah Readings for Synagogue and Home Table,” has been published annually since 5755 (1994-1995) by the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Rabbinical Assembly. The success of this publication led me to consider another user-friendly guide to meet yet another liturgical need in our synagogues.
Of all the k’lei kodesh (holy vessels) in a synagogue, the two holiest, in order, are the people and the Torah Scrolls. The Torah Service is the most immediate and palpable interaction between them. The laws and customs which guide this interaction are the focus of “Yad LaTorah.”
Given the detailed and myriad rules and regulations, halakhah (laws) and minhagim (customs), which govern the Torah service, I looked for a single, English language, accessible yet authoritative guide. Unfortunately, as with the Luah, I found none. Again, as with the Luah, it provided an opportunity to prepare a publication specifically for the Conservative Movement. The result is entitled “Yad LaTorah - Laws and Customs of the Torah Service: A Guide for Gabba’im and Torah Readers.”
Among other issues, the publication deals with the following questions: Who is entitled to receive (i.e., who has a priority for) aliyyot? What are the rules governing the giving of aliyyot to kohanim and levi’im? Can women receive such honors? What errors disqualify a Torah, and what do we do if an error is found? What do we do if a Torah is dropped? When is the hatzi kaddish recited? What are the functions of a gabbai? When are there occasions which reflect a departure from (i.e., an exception to) the usual practice in the Torah reading and the Torah service?
Of equal importance are the several appendices included in “Yad LaTorah.” For the first time, you can find a formal publication of the breakdown of aliyyot authorized by the Rabbinical Assembly for the triennial cycle of Torah reading along with various forms of the mi sheberakh reprinted from Siddur Sim Shalom. There is also a complete guide to all Torah readings (including the breakdown of aliyyot) for every holiday and special occasion - e.g., when two or three Torah scrolls are used and whenever there is a special maftir reading. There is a comprehensive listing of all possible haftarot (with information and in a form never before published) for each parashah covering every possible calendar possibility and providing a comprehensive and authoritative 100-year calendar cycle allowing for advance planning.
One additional feature – a special challenge faced by the current generation – is worth noting. As most synagogues in the Conservative Movement have accepted the practice of calling women to the Torah, it is time that we addressed the proper vocabulary for calling up an olah (the female form of oleh). A similar challenge presents itself when, for example, a husband and wife are called for a joint aliyyah. The “traditional” form for calling an oleh will not do. It assumes an individual male alone. Even when the verb form ya’amod (masculine) is changed to ta’amod (feminine), the adjective (e.g., r’vi’i) often, mistakenly, remains unchanged. “Yad LaTorah” includes a complete guide with a new “grammatical etiquette.” The entire procedure for calling up olim for all honors in a consistent and grammatically correct form is contained in a special appendix.
It is hoped that “Yad LaTorah” will provide both an easy reference as well as an advance educational tool for those who participate in the Torah service.
Kenneth S. Goldrich is an attorney and the author of the Luah: Order of Prayers, Blessings and Torah Readings for Synagogue and Home Table published by the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Rabbinical Assembly.
