The following is a detailed description of the way we perform the various honors at Temple Emanuel. Both the Rabbi and the Cantor will be available to help you feel comfortable on the Bimah. When you enter the sanctuary at the beginning of the service, please be sure to give the usher one of the honors cards you received, so we know you are present!
Opening and Closing the Ark:
Be sure to check the card you received from the Temple office. It will tell you when to come up onto the Bimah. You will notice it is always during the prayer PRIOR to when you will open the ark.
Come directly onto the Bimah and sit (if the congregation is sitting) or stand at the chair directly behind the Rabbi’s pulpit. He will then tell you when to open the ark.
Stand at the ark, facing the ark until the Rabbi tells you it is time to close the ark. Close the sliding doors and return to your seat by way of the Rabbi and officers. It is perfectly natural to greet the Rabbi and officers you pass with a handshake.
Bring your prayer book, since you will want to follow the portion of the service that goes on while you are on the Bimah.
Aliyah (Blessings Over the Torah)
Please rehearse the Torah blessings ahead of time. If you would like a “refresher,” call the office and the Cantor or Rabbi would be glad to go over them with you.
You can bring your prayer book, or not. There will be a large print version of the Aliyah prayers in Hebrew and in transliteration on the Bimah.
Check the directions on the card you received from the office. Come onto the Bimah at the appropriate time (during the honor before yours). Come up on the Rabbi’s side of the Bimah and sit in the seat directly behind the Rabbi’s pulpit.
You will be called to the Torah by your English and Hebrew name. Men should wear a Tallit (prayer shawl), women can, but are not required to according to Temple Emanuel custom.
When you hear your name called, walk across the Bimah to the reader’s table. The place in the Torah will be pointed out to you by one of the people standing at the lectern. If you are wearing a Tallit when the Cantor points to the place in the Torah where he or she will be reading, take the Tzitzit (fringe) of your Tallit and touch the spot in the Torah and then kiss the Tzitzit.
Women not wearing a Tallit will use the Torah strap or their prayer book.
Then you will recite the blessing before the Torah reading.
After the Torah reader finishes, again touch the spot where the reader indicates with your Tzitzit, Torah strap or prayer book, kiss it and recite the blessing after the Torah reading. You will then either move to the left of the Torah reader, or anywhere the Cantor suggests you stand (sometimes it gets crowded at the reader’s table!) and remain at the reader’s table during the next Aliyah.
When the person after you has finished his/her Aliyah, you can shake hands with anyone who offers a hand, and then return to your seat, exactly the way you came up…feeling free to greet the Rabbi and Bimah guests.
Lifting and Dressing the Torah (Hagbah and Gelilah)
Please come onto the Bimah, sitting next on the Rabbi’s side, prior to your honor. Following the Aliyah, both the Hagbah and Gelilah will be called by name.
Walk across the Bimah to where the Torah is. The Cantor will help with the lifting (Hagbah) and dressing (Gelilah) of the Torah.
Hagbah: Stand in front of the Torah, place one hand on each of the wooden spindles. Pull the Torah slightly forward, and then push down, lifting it from below. Turn and face the wall, (away from the congregation) with the Torah held high. The Cantor will help if you find you are having difficulty. The Cantor will then direct you to a chair while you are still holding the Torah.
Gelilah: The Cantor will hand you the Torah binder, cover and pointer. He will show you how to dress the Torah.
When the Torah is dressed, the Hagbah (at the Cantor’s direction) will place the Torah on the Torah holder. The Hagbah and Gelilah can then return to their seats following the same path you came up. Feel free to greet the Rabbi and other Bimah guests as you go down from the Bimah.
