RAISING THE TORAH
The one who raises the Torah opens it so that at least three columns are visible, touches them with his tallit or with the Torah’s belt, which he kisses, and then raises the Torah, turning to the right and left for all to see. The congregation stands, looks at the Torah, and says aloud:
The greatness of the Torah
Hebrew
וְזֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מֹשֶׁה
לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
Sephardi
Vezot hatorah asher sam Moshe
lifnei b'nei Yisrael:
English
This is the Torah that Moses placed before the Children of Israel.
For transliteration, see page 945.
Hebrew
עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים
בָּהּ, וְתוֹמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר:
דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי נֹעַם, וְכָל
נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם: אֹרֶךְ יָמִים
בִּימִינָהּ, בִּשְׂמֹאלָהּ עֹשֶׁר
וְכָבוֹד: יְיָ חָפֵץ לְמַעַן צִדְקוֹ,
יַגְדִּיל תּוֹרָה וְיַאְדִּיר:
Sephardi
Etz chayim hi la-machazikim
bah, ve-tomchehah me’ushar:
Derachehah darchei no'am, vechol
netivotehah shalom: orech yamim
biminah, bismolah osher
v'chavod: Adonai chafetz lema'an tzidko,
yagdil Torah v'ya'dir:
English
The Torah is a tree of life for those who hold on to it, and those who support Torah learning are fortunate. The Torah’s ways are pleasant ways, and all of its paths are peaceful. The Torah’s way of life is good for our body and our soul. Long life is at the Torah’s right. If we learn Torah for the correct reason—because it is a commandment—it will give us long life in addition to wealth and honor. Wealth and honor are at its left. Even if we learn Torah for other reasons, and not only because it is a commandment, it will still give us wealth and honor. The Lord wanted, for the sake of increasing the Jewish Nation’s righteousness, that the Torah be made great and glorious.
The Torah is lowered back onto the bimah and closed.<sup>1</sup> The person holding the Torah is seated, and the Torah is then wrapped and covered.
On Purim, the Megillah is read at this point (see page 646).
On Tishah B’av, the Haftarah is read, after which the Torah is returned to the Ark and Kinot are read.
SHACHARIT FOR WEEKDAYS
The following may be said while sitting.
Concentrate intently the meaning of the verse פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ in the following paragraph. If said without concentration repeat the verse with concentration.
Touch the hand-tefillin while saying the words פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ, touch the head-tefillin while saying the words וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַי רָצוֹן, and then kiss the fingertips. For transliteration, see page 942.
We praise God’s greatness
Hebrew
אַשְׁרֵי יוֹשְׁבֵי בֵיתֶךָ, עוֹד
יְהַלְלוּךָ סֶּלָה: אַשְׁרֵי
הָעָם שֶׁכָּכָה לּוֹ, אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם
שֶׁיְיָ אֱלֹהָיו:
Sephardi
Ashrei yoshvei veitecha, od
yehalelucha selah: ashrei
ha'am shekachah lo, ashrei ha'am
sheadonai Elohav:
English
Fortunate are those who dwell in Your house; fortunate are those who visit the Holy Temple. They will praise You forever. Fortunate is the nation that such is their lot: fortunate is the nation whose God is the Lord.
Hebrew
תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד, אֲרוֹמִמְךָ
אֱלֹהַי הַמֶּלֶךְ, וַאֲבָרְכָה שִׁמְךָ
לְעוֹלָם<sup>2</sup> וָעֶד: בְּכָל יוֹם אֲבָרְכֶךָ,
וַאֲהַלְלָה שִׁמְךָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
גָּדוֹל יְיָ וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד<sup>3</sup>, וְלִגְדֻלָּתוֹ
אֵין חֵקֶר: דּוֹר לְדוֹר יְשַׁבַּח
מַעֲשֶׂיךָ, וּגְבוּרֹתֶיךָ יַגִּידוּ:
הֲדַר כְּבוֹד הוֹדֶךָ, וְדִבְרֵי
נִפְלְאֹתֶיךָ אָשִׂיחָה: וֶעֱזוּז
נוֹרְאֹתֶיךָ יֹאמֵרוּ, וּגְדֻלָּתְךָ
אֲסַפְּרֶנָּה: זֵכֶר רַב טוּבְךָ
יַבִּיעוּ, וְצִדְקָתְךָ יְרַנֵּנוּ: חַנּוּן
וְרַחוּם יְיָ, אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם<sup>4</sup> וּגְדָל
חָסֶד: טוֹב יְיָ לַכֹּל, וְרַחֲמָיו עַל
Sephardi
Tehilah ledavid, aromimcha
Elohai hamelech, va'avarechah shimcha
le'olam<sup>2</sup> va'ed: bechol yom avarechecha,
va'ahalelah shimcha le'olam va'ed:
Gadol Adonai umehulal me'od<sup>3</sup>, veligdulato
ein cheker: dor l'dor yeshabach
ma'asecha, ugvurotecha yagidu:
Hadar kevod hodecha, vedivrei
nifle'otecha asichah: ve'ezuz
nor’otecha yomeru, ugdulatecha
asaprenah: zecher rav tuvcha
yabi'u, ve-tzidkat’cha yeranenu: chanun
ve-rachum Adonai, erech apayim<sup>4</sup> u-gedal
chased: tov Adonai lakol, ve-rachamav al
English
The following is a song of praise composed by King David: I will exalt You, my God, the King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever.<sup>2</sup> I will bless You every day, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. However much I praise the Lord, it will never be enough, because He is so great and praised;<sup>3</sup> there is no limit to His greatness. The older generation will praise Your works of creation to the younger generation and tell them about Your acts of strength. I, too, will speak about the beauty of the universe You created and the honor it brings You, as well as the wonders and miracles You have done. The older generation will tell the younger generation about the might of Your awesome acts, and I will speak about Your greatness. They will tell their children about the memories of Your great goodness to them, and they will sing to everyone about Your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, even to those who don’t deserve it. He is slow to get angry and punish those who don’t listen to Him,<sup>4</sup> and He treats them with great kindness if they repent. The Lord is good to every living thing, and He has mercy on all His