Hagba: Lifting the Torah, Uplifting Ourselves

And Rabbi Shefatya said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: If ten people read from the Torah, the greatest among them should furl the Torah scroll, for this is the most distinguished honor. And the one who furls it takes the reward of all of them, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: If ten people read from the Torah, the one who furls it receives the reward of all of them. The Gemara asks: Can it enter your mind to say that he actually receives the reward of all of them? Why should all the others forfeit their reward? Rather, say instead: He receives a reward equivalent to that of all of them.

Even though there are only seven [aliyot] who read, since we do not have a [ritual] Torah reading unless we have a [minyan of] ten, the text specifies ten. It means that the greatest of the ten furls the Torah scroll, even if he was not one of the readers, for it is a great honor [to give him the opportunity] for great reward.

(8th c Israel) [The mafṭir] then elevates the Torah scroll and says: ‘One is our God, great is our Lord, holy and revered is His name for ever and ever’. Then he repeats: ‘One is our God, great is our Lord, holy is He. One is our God, great is our Lord, holy and revered is His name’. [This is said three times] corresponding in number to the three patriarchs; others hold that it corresponds to the three kedushot. ‘Thy righteousness also, O God, reacheth unto high heaven; Thou Who hast done great things, O God, who is like unto Thee? Ps. 71, 19. O Lord, Thy name endureth for ever; Thy memorial, O Lord, throughout all generations. ibid 135. Let all ascribe strength to God and give honour to the Torah. ibid 34. O magnify the Lord with me. The Torah scroll must be elevated at Hear, O Israel, at the threefold declaration of the unity of God, and at O magnify the Lord with me.

(8th c Israel) The scroll of the Torah is immediately unrolled a space of three columns and is elevated so as to show the face of the script to the people standing on the right and on the left. Then it is turned round towards the front and towards the rear; for it is a precept for all men and women to see the script, to bend their knees and exclaim, ‘And this is the Torah which Moses set before the children of Israel.' Deut. 4:44.

(Rambam - 12th c Egypt) In each and every one of these readings, a Cohen (descendant of Aaron) reads the first section. He is followed by a Levite (descendant of Levi other than a Cohen) and he, in turn, is followed by an Israelite. It is a universal custom that a Cohen, even though he is illiterate, has precedence over a great scholar in Israel. The person, superior in knowledge reads before one who is his inferior. The reader of the concluding section who rolls up the Scroll will receive a reward equal to that of all the others. Hence, even the greatest man in the congregation goes up [to the reading desk] to complete the portion.

(16th c Israel) One shows the writing of the Torah scroll to the people standing to his right and to his left, and then turns it to those before him and those behind him, for it is a mitzvah for all the men and women to see the writing and to bow and to say "Ve'zot Hatorah... Torat Hashem Temima etc." ("And this is the Torah... Hashem's Torah is Perfect etc."). Rem"a: And the custom is to do this after they read from the Torah, but when they remove it [from the Ark] the prayer leader says "Gad'lu" and the congregation answers "Romemu... Av Harachamim Hu Yeracheim Am Amusim etc."("Exalt... May the Father of mercy have compassion on the people borne by Him etc.")...

(17th c Poland) When one sees the letters such that one is able to read them, a great light reaches him. He unrolls the Torah scroll three columns and raises it and shows the writing to the nation.

(19th c Poland) It is appropriate to see the letters such that you are able to read them, for the Kabbalists have written that through this, a great light reaches the person.

(1) One Who Has Had a Seminal Emission is Permitted In the Recitation of the Sh'ma, containing 1 s'if
(16th c Israel) All those who are ritually impure may read from the Torah, recite the Sh'ma, and pray [the Amidah] - except for the baal keri (one who has an emission) who was excluded by Ezra from the rest of the ritually impure, and he [Ezra] prohibited him (the baal keri) from words of the Torah, the Recitation of the Sh'ma, or prayer [i.e. the Amidah] until he immersed, so that scholars would not be found to be [frequently intimate] with their wives like roosters. And afterwards they annulled that enactment, and they stood the matter on it's [original] law, that even the baal keri is permitted with regard to words of Torah, the Recitation of the Sh'ma, and prayer [i.e the Amidah] without immersion and without washing with nine kabs [of water], and such is the widespread custom. Rem"a: There are those who wrote that a menstruant woman in the days when she sees [blood] may not enter the synagogue or pray [the Amidah], or mention the Name, or touch the [Torah] scroll (Hagahot Maimoni ch. 4). And there are those who say that she is permitted in all [of those], and that is the correct opinion (Rashi, Laws of Niddah). But the practice in these lands [Ashkenaz] is according to the first opinion. And in the "clean days" [after menstruation, but before immersion] it is permitted [to do these things]. And even in a place where they are stringent during the High Holidays and similar days, where many assemble to go the synagogue, they are permitted to go to the synagogue like the rest of the women, for it would cause great sadness for them, that all are assembled and they stand outside (Terumat HaDeshen, Part II 132).

(19th c Belarus) Anyone who is impure - even women who are menstruating - are permitted to hold the Torah scroll and read from it, for words of Torah do not contract impurity.

(19th c Ukraine) Some raise [the Torah scroll] from the [reading] table as it is, closed, and once he has it in his hands, raised up, he opens it to three columns; and someone who is not certain that he will have the strength to be able to hold it well while [un]furling it should not do this. Rather, while it is still on the [reading] table, he should open it to three columns and then raise it and show it to the community. And if the Torah scroll is large and heavy, and especially at the beginning of the year when most of the weight is on the left hand which is the weak hand, or if he is a weak person, he can rest the heavy side on his shoulder, and there is no disgrace to the mitzvah in doing this. And one should not roll the Torah to the halfway point in order to make it easier for the left hand because this is a burden on the community if there is no need for this except that it's hard to raise. And the mitzvah of hagba should not be given to someone whose hands tremble or who is elderly and weak, where we know that he will raise it only to sit immediately because he cannot hold it long enough for the community to see [the scroll] well, where he would be turning at leisure. And this person should himself refrain from doing it, since he cannot do the mitzvah properly. The Sages are very strict to insist that the mitzvah should be done by someone who can do it properly.

(1) the entire people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of Moses with which the LORD had charged Israel.

(2) On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Teaching before the congregation, men and women and all who could listen with understanding.

(3) He read from it, facing the square before the Water Gate, from the first light until midday, to the men and the women and those who could understand; the ears of all the people were given to the scroll of the Teaching.

(4) Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden tower made for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah at his right, and at his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam.

(5) Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people; as he opened it, all the people stood up.

(6) Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with hands upraised. Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD with their faces to the ground.

(7) Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites explained the Teaching to the people, while the people stood in their places.

(8) They read from the scroll of the Teaching of God, translating it and giving the sense; so they understood the reading.

(9) Nehemiah the Tirshatha, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were explaining to the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God: you must not mourn or weep,” for all the people were weeping as they listened to the words of the Teaching.

(10) He further said to them, “Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in the LORD is the source of your strength.”

(11) The Levites were quieting the people, saying, “Hush, for the day is holy; do not be sad.”

(12) Then all the people went to eat and drink and send portions and make great merriment, for they understood the things they were told.