Reading the Torah

Keriat haTorah

קריאת התורה

Visible layers

The Reader shows the oleh the section to be read. The oleh touches the scroll at that place with the tzitzit of his tallit, which he then kisses. Holding the handles of the scroll, he says:

Hebrew

בָּרְכוּ אֶת יְהוָה הַמְבֹרָךְ.

Sephardi

Barchu et Adonai hamevorach.

English

Bless the LORD, the blessed One.

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה הַמְבֹרָךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.

Sephardi

Baruch Adonai hamevorach le'olam va'ed.

English

Bless the LORD, the blessed One, for ever and all time.

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה הַמְבֹרָךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.

Sephardi

Baruch Adonai hamevorach le'olam va'ed.

English

Bless the LORD, the blessed One, for ever and all time.

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים
וְנָתַן לָנוּ אֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה, נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה.

Sephardi

Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam
asher bachar banu mikol ha'amim
venatan lanu et Torato.
Baruch Atah Adonai, noten haTorah.

English

Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who has chosen us from all peoples and has given us His Torah. Blessed are You, LORD, Giver of the Torah.

After the reading, the oleh says:

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת
וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵנוּ.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה, נוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה.

Sephardi

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha'olam
asher natan lanu Torat emet
vechayei olam nata betocheinu.
Baruch Atah Adonai, noten haTorah.

English

Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who has given us the Torah of truth, planting everlasting life in our midst. Blessed are You, LORD, Giver of the Torah.

One who has survived a situation of danger (see the commentary) says:

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַגּוֹמֵל לְחַיָּבִים טוֹבוֹת
שֶׁגְּמָלַנִי כָּל טוֹב.

Sephardi

Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha'olam hagomel lechayavim tovot
shegemalani kol tov.

English

Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who bestows good on the unworthy, who has bestowed on me much good.

The congregation responds:

Hebrew

אָמֵן. מִי שֶׁגְּמָלָךְ כָּל טוֹב הוּא יִגְמָלְךָ כָּל טוֹב, סֶלָה.

Sephardi

Amen. Mi shegemalach kol tov hu yigmolcha kol tov, selah.

English

Amen. May He who bestowed much good on you continue to bestow on you much good, Selah.

Commentary

… expresses the thought that in reading, studying and observing the word of the Eternal, we touch eternity.

הַגּוֹמֵל Who bestows good on the unworthy: This blessing, known as HaGomel (“who bestows”), is mentioned in the Talmud (Berakhot 54b). It is to be said after the following four circumstances: (1) release from captivity, (2) recovery from a potentially life-threatening illness, (3) a dangerous journey, and (4) a sea-crossing (nowadays, many also say it after an air flight). It is said in the presence of a minyan (at least ten adult males), usually, though not necessarily, at the time of the reading of the Torah, and within three days of the event. הַגּוֹמֵל לְחַיָּבִים טוֹבוֹת Who bestows good on the unworthy: reminiscent of Jacob’s prayer (Gen. 32:11), “I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant.”

בָּרְכוּ Bless the LORD: An invitation to the congregation to join in blessing God, similar to the one that precedes communal prayer in the morning and evening services. אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים Who has chosen us from all peoples: this ancient blessing, to be said before Torah study as well as before the public reading of the Torah, makes it clear that chosenness is not a right but a responsibility. אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת Who has given us the Torah of truth: an act of affirmation following the reading. The blessing, simply but beautifully, …