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How to Do the Lifting of the Torah (Hagbah)

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How to Do the Lifting of the Torah

The conclusion of the public Torah Reading; how and why we lift the Torah; how to do "hagbah."
Handouts:
 Lifting Up the Torah  
Topics: Hagbah, Public Torah Reading, Torah Scroll
By Menachem Posner
Rabbi Menachem Posner serves as managing editor at Chabad.org, the world’s largest Jewish informational website. He has been writing, researching, and editing for Chabad.org since 2006, when he received his rabbinic degree from Central Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch. He lives in Chicago, Ill., with his family.
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21 Comments
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Maggie Indiana March 10, 2019

I have The Torah book, reading it is very important and many meaning in it, I sometimes have to look up words but well worth it, anytime you can read God’s law it’s the most important thing in this world. Have a blessed day. Maggie Reply

Michael Schiffer Boca Raton florida October 9, 2018

Should or can you say thillim when you make a מי שברך על החולה before haggba Reply

Rabbi EK for Chabad.org October 10, 2018
in response to Michael Schiffer:

It is best to listen and answer Amen to the Mi Sheberach. However, it is permissible to say Tehillim during that time. Reply

Michael Epstein USA March 18, 2018

Add a comment...Why do we lift a finger during hagbah? Reply

Yaacov TOPeka,ks January 26, 2018

Such a beautiful presentation with large letters, And the verses also.
I love the Psalms, Proverbs ones especially! Reply

Eliezer Zalmanov for Chabad.org March 14, 2015

Re: Which direction to turn to? Both are valid customs. But as with most Jewish customs, we start with the right side. So whether you're just turning the Torah to the sides or you're doing full circle, always turn to your right first. Reply

Elie Gabay London January 28, 2018
in response to Eliezer Zalmanov:

Thank you! Reply

Avrohom Bilgrei Israel March 29, 2021
in response to Eliezer Zalmanov:

WRONG! you turn 180 degrees to the left so that the turn to the right STARTS with the claf facing front, then you turn 360 degrees to the right. Perhaps if you turn the claf forward it can be suggested that the turn only begins at that point.

The Torah should be drawn off the bima 50%+ to not require the claf to be pressed down.
Gravity will put it in a vertical position. Reply

Elie Gabay LONDON March 9, 2015

Which direction to turn to? Is there a custom as to which direction to turn to when doing Hagbah? Some people twist to their left and right and others do a full circle. The full circle seems best to me as that way everybody gets a chance to see the letters. Should that circle be towards the right or towards the left?

I learnt a lot from this video but I actually was searching for an answer as to the direction to go. Thanks, Reply

Avrohom Bilgrei Israel March 29, 2021
in response to Elie Gabay:

It should be turned to the right, after you've first turned left 180 degrees so the claf is facing front. Reply

Elie Gabay LONDON March 9, 2015

Which direction to turn to? Is there a custom as to which direction to turn to when doing Hagbah? Some people twist to their left and right and others do a full circle. The full circle seems best to me as that way everybody gets a chance to see the letters. Should that circle be towards the right or towards the left?

I learnt a lot from this video but I actually was searching for an answer as to the direction to go. Thanks, Reply

Rabbi Menachem Posner July 24, 2012

RE: is a non jewish person allowed to do hagbah As you quote Maiminides, he does write that a non-Jew may hold a Torah. However, hagbah is part of the Jewish synagogue service, and that is something that must only be performed by a Jewish person. Reply

Anonymous Mt Clemens, Michigan July 9, 2012

is a non jewish person allowed to do hagbah I belong to a very small shul that only gets a minyan when we are lucky on Saturday morning. But, we get some people that are not Jewish who come to our shul on a regular basis, and are married to one of our congregant who is Jewish. Can they be allowed to do Hagbah or Galleh. In Mishneh Torah Chapter 10 Halacha 8 seems to allow this.Please respond as we are having a meeting this Thursday night about this subject. Reply

Anonymous November 11, 2011

Seam Where is it stated that there needs to be a seam down the middle by Hagbah?

it is brought in Shluchan Aruch and the Poskim solely by Glilah, when you roll the Torah together the seem should be in the middle! Reply

Mordechai Kolt Monsey, NY via chabadofbocaraton.com January 7, 2011

Another pointer in lifting the Sefer Torah With a very heavy Sefer Torah another good technique is when gripping the handle is to place ones hand high up on the handle so that the hand actually touches the round disk of the aitz chiam. This provides extra leverage to steady the Sefer Torah both during the lift and placing back down on the beama. Excellent Video Reply

Menachem Posner for Chabad.org Montreal, QC January 7, 2011

RE: What change? Good questions. I wondered the same thing when I researched this lecture.

My guess is that this custom may have also been prevalent is some Sepharadic lands as well. As customs are not set in stone, it may be that this change lost its primacy in those areas at a later time, as the custom reverted back to the original.

Unfortunately, I was not able to locate the original teaching whilst preparing the lecture, so I do not know if there would perhaps be something there that would shed light on this issue. Reply

Yis Bauer Bala Cynwyd, PA January 6, 2011

What change? Rabbi, such an amazing amazing "uplifting" lecture, I loved it so much.

One Question:

It was taught that in the Shirey Kinnessis Ha Gadola, Rabbi Chaim Benviniste of Turkey makes a justification of why to move Hagba to after the torah reading, in order to keep the "simple people" around and thereby "forcing" them to be present for the actual improtant aspect, and that was the Reading....
My question: as Jews we go to great lengths to perserve our customs, which are set up in the first place for deliberate reasons - why was it seen as permissible to change a minhag such as hagbah (to after the reading)?
Secondary to this - the Turkish community, were they Ashkenazim? If not, how did that change in Minhag then become adopted by later Ashkenazim? Reply

Anonymous melbourne, VIC January 5, 2011

Chabad - the essence of generosity Every day I count my blessings in having Chabad in my life, to help me learn the pleasant, life-giving ways of HaShem and the Torah.

Thank you Chabad for giving and then giving some more. You are truly inspirational in showing how much can be done in G-d's service. There are no words to truly express my gratitude. Reply

Kayo Tokyo, Japan September 27, 2010

Finally Baruch HaShem

After having started attending Orthodox shul, Hagbah has been such a impressive ritual in the service for me. But I was wondering what people are saying at Hagbah. It seemed so basic that I was embarrassed to ask it. But its such a courageous melody has captured me, and always wanted to sing with others. Thanks to this class, I can finally proudly sing "And this is the Torah that Moshe placed before the Children of Israel." Reply

Richard Raff WA September 21, 2010

How to Do the Lifting of the Torah It really is great to see Jews together doing Hagbah. Rabbi Menachem Posner reminds me of the conductor like in the book of Tehillim. He manages to keep everything in good timing and spacing so all viewers are well informed but can follow along. i also see that we may have choices of what traditions we choose to admire the Torah. HaShem is truly kind to give free will and love for the choice of His Breath of life. So if we had no breath we could not lift the Torah to praise His gift to us some what like a child that could not hug their father. Reply

Anonymous Plainview, NY September 20, 2010

minhaggim with respect for the Torah Another great presentation that fills in many gaps in my knowledge about the Torah service. In the shul that I grew up in, the minhag (custom) was for the congregation NOT to sit down until after the Torah was opened and ready to be read with the first alliyah. And for hagbah, one did not sit until AFTER the Torah was totally "dressed" and being held before the haftorah was said. Reply

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