What Is An Aliyah?

During the course of the Torah reading in synagogue, a series of men (seven on Shabbat, six on Yom Kippur, five on holidays, four on Rosh Chodesh and Chol Hamoed, and three on weekdays and Shabbat afternoon) are called up to the bimah by their Hebrew names and the Hebrew names of their fathers.

Once there, they say a short blessing, the reader reads a portion of the Torah, and they then recite a second blessing. This procedure is known as “getting an aliyah.”

In some synagogues it is the custom that the person receiving the Aliyah (the Oleh) wear a Tallit, even if he normally would not.

What to Do Before the Torah Is Read

When it is time for the blessing, the reader will show where the Torah reading begins and ends. Touch the beginning and end of the Torah reading with the corner of your Tallit (or the Torah's sash) and kiss it. Close the Torah, hold both handles, turn the head slightly to the right and say:

Use our interactive tool to learn the blessings on the Torah

Transliteration:
Bor'chu es ado-noy ha-m'voroch.

Translation:
Bless the L-rd who is blessed.

Congregation and Oleh say:

Transliteration:
Boruch ado-noy ha-m'voroch l'olom vo-ed.

Translation:
Blessed be the L-rd who is blessed for all eternity.

Oleh continues:

Transliteration:
Boruch atoh ado-noy elo-haynu melech ho-olom, asher bochar bonu mikol ha-amim, v'nosan lonu es toroso. Boruch atoh ado-noy, nosayn ha-toroh.

Translation:
Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has chosen us from among all the nations and given us His Torah. Blessed are You L-rd, who gives the Torah.

During the Aliyah hold the right handle of the Torah, and read quietly along with the Reader.

Blessing After the Reading

At the conclusion of the Aliyah touch the end and beginning of the Torah reading with the corner of your Tallit (or the Torah's sash) and kiss it. Close the Torah, hold both handles, turn the head slightly to the right and say:

Transliteration:
Boruch atoh ado-noy elo-haynu melech ho-olom, asher nosan lonu toras emes, v'cha-yay olom nota b'sochaynu. Boruch atoh ado-noy , nosayn ha-toroh.

Translation:
Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has given us the Torah of truth and planted eternal life within us. Blessed are You L-rd, who gives the Torah.

After the Aliyah stand on the right side of the podium until the end of the following Aliyah (if it was the last Aliyah — until the Torah is raised). When returning to your seat do not use the shortest route.