Torah Blessings
Torah Blessings: Being Called to the Torah
You are being called for the Honor of Blessing the Torah.
Whenever the Torah is read or chanted publicly, such as on Shabbat or a holiday, the congregation honors members or guests of the congregation by inviting them up to the bima for an aliyah (literally “going up”), the honor of blessing the Torah. This honor is generally reserved for Jewish adults.
The Torah service begins about midway through the service. After the Torah has been removed from the Ark, brought forward and unrolled on the center table of the bimah (the raised pulpit area), the rabbi will speak briefly to the congregation. The rabbi will announce each person who is reciting the aliyah’s English name, and the cantor will call them up by their Hebrew names. When the rabbi calls your name, please come forward promptly, approaching the bimah on the rabbi’s side. Take your place next to the person reading the Torah on his/her right-hand side.
Men and women are both strongly encouraged to wear a tallit when called for an Aliyah at Beth Am (tallitot are available at the entrance to the Sanctuary). If you wear a tallit, you may wish to follow the traditional practice of touching the open Torah (at the place where the reader will begin) with one of the tzitzit (the fringes at the corners of the tallit), then kissing the fringe. The Blessing before the Reading of the Torah is then recited. You need not bring a copy of the blessings up to the bimah with you as there is a copy on the table, in large type, in both Hebrew and transliteration. However, if you are more comfortable doing so, you certainly may. We strongly encourage those who do not recite the blessings regularly to practice them ahead of time in order to reduce nervousness. Feel free to ask a friend, a family member, one of the rabbis, or the cantor for a refresher on the words or melody.
When you finish the blessing after the reading, you can offer the Torah reader a “yasher koach” (well done!), then move to the other side of the reading table and stand next to the cantor. Remain there until the next person completes the blessings and comes to that spot. Then you can return to your seat unless you have the final aliyah. In that case, please remain where you are until the Torah and its covering have been carried away. Then return to your seat.
Mazal tov and thank you for helping make the service a beautiful and meaningful one.
Below you will find Torah blessings for before and after reading from the Torah:
Torah Blessings for BEFORE Reading from the Torah
The texts instructions below are also available as a downloadable pdf: Torah Blessings download
Blessing for BEFORE Reading from the Torah (Audio)
This audio file is in mp3 format and should be playable in any media player. If you're having difficulty, you can download QuickTime.
Each person called up to the reading of the Torah touches it with tzitzit (the fringes of the tallit), kisses the tzitzit, holds the handles of the Torah and says:
Reader: Ba-r’chu et Adonai ha-me-vo-rach!
Congregation: Ba-ruch Adonai ha-me-vo-rach l’o-lam va-ed.
Reader: Ba-ruch Adonai ha-me-vo-rach l’o-lam va-ed.
Ba-ruch a-ta Adonai, Eloheinu meh-lech ha-o-lam,
a-sher ba-char ba-nu mi-kol ha-a-mim, v’na-tan la-nu et to-ra-to.
Ba-ruch a-ta A-do-nai, no-tein ha-to-rah!
Praise Adonai, to whom our praise is due!
Praised be Adonai, to whom our praise is due, now and forever!
Blessed are You, Eternal One, our God, who has chosen us from all peoples by
giving us the Torah. Blessed are You, Adonai, Giver of the Torah.
Torah Blessings for AFTER Reading from the Torah
Blessing for AFTER Reading from the Torah (Audio)
This audio file is in mp3 format and should be playable in any media player. If you're having difficulty, you can download QuickTime.
Ba-ruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu meh-lech ha-o-lam,
a-sher na-tan la-nu to-rat eh-met, v’cha-yei o-lam na-ta b’to-chei-nu.
Ba-ruch ata Adonai, no-tein ha-to-ra.
Blessed are You, Eternal One, our God, Sovereign of the world, who has given us a Torah of truth, and planted in our midst eternal life. Blessed are You, Eternal One, who gives the Torah.
Tue, March 19 2024
9 Adar II 5784
Worship Schedule
-
Thursday ,
MarMarch 21 , 2024Thursday Morning Minyan
Thursday, Mar 21st 8:00a to 9:00a
These services are led by members of the congregation — all are welcome. -
Friday ,
MarMarch 22 , 2024Erev Shabbat Service (Zimriyah Jr. Choir Sings)
Friday, Mar 22nd 6:15p to 7:30p
Our worship services are musical, participatory and informal in spirit; they focus on helping us experience the spiritual renewal, peace, joy and sense of celebration that Shabbat can bring. Our Zimriyah Jr. Choir will be singing. -
Saturday ,
MarMarch 23 , 2024Torah Minyan Shabbat Morning Service
Shabbat, Mar 23rd 10:30a to 11:30a
Join Beth Am clergy and/or lay leaders for a musical Shabbat morning worship service focused on learning and spiritual growth. -
Thursday ,
MarMarch 28 , 2024Thursday Morning Minyan
Thursday, Mar 28th 8:00a to 9:00a
These services are led by members of the congregation — all are welcome. -
Friday ,
MarMarch 29 , 2024Beth Am Welcomes Akselrad Guest Speaker Rabbi Michael Lezak
Friday, Mar 29th 6:15p to 7:30p
We are pleased to welcome Akselrad guest speaker Rabbi Michael Lezak of GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice in San Francisco, an organization whose mission is to create a just and loving community to alleviate suffering, to break the cycles of poverty and marginalization, to restore dignity to every San Franciscan. -
Saturday ,
MarMarch 30 , 2024Shabbat Morning Service: Bar Mitzvah Wuellner
Shabbat, Mar 30th 10:30a to 12:30p
All are welcome and encouraged to join the family of our Bar Mitzvah in worship and celebration. -
Thursday ,
AprApril 4 , 2024Thursday Morning Minyan
Thursday, Apr 4th 8:00a to 9:00a
These services are led by members of the congregation — all are welcome. -
Friday ,
AprApril 5 , 2024Erev Shabbat Service
Friday, Apr 5th 6:15p to 7:30p
Our worship services are musical, participatory and informal in spirit; they focus on helping us experience the spiritual renewal, peace, joy and sense of celebration that Shabbat can bring. -
Saturday ,
AprApril 6 , 2024Torah Minyan Shabbat Morning Service
Shabbat, Apr 6th 10:30a to 11:30a
Join Beth Am clergy and/or lay leaders for a musical Shabbat morning worship service focused on learning and spiritual growth. -
Thursday ,
AprApril 11 , 2024Thursday Morning Minyan
Thursday, Apr 11th 8:00a to 9:00a
These services are led by members of the congregation — all are welcome.