The Chachamim<\/i> established that a Kohen<\/i> is given the honor of the first aliyah<\/i>, a Levi the second, and a Yisrael<\/i> the third. The reason for this enactment is \u201cin the interests of peace,\u201d so there will not be any fights concerning the honor of the first aliyah<\/i>. Originally, this establishment was only for Shabbat<\/i>, for many people come to synagogue then, and there is more concern that tension will develop surrounding the aliyot<\/i> on Shabbat (Gittin<\/i> 59b). Nevertheless, the Rishonim<\/i> write to practice this way on Mondays and Thursdays as well, and so it is ruled as halachah (Shulchan Aruch<\/i> 135:3).<\/p>\n
If the Kohen<\/i> is equal to the Yisrael<\/i> in status, even without the enactment of the Chachamim<\/i> he would have to be called up before the Yisrael<\/i>, for it is written concerning a Kohen<\/i>, \u201cV\u2019Kidashto<\/i>\u201d (\u201cYou shall sanctify him\u201d) (Leviticus 21:8). Still, Chazal<\/i>\u2019s ruling comes to establish that even if the Yisrael<\/i> is greater in Torah than the Kohen<\/i>, the Kohen<\/i> is called up first for the sake of peace. However, if the Kohen<\/i> is an am ha\u2019aretz<\/i> (uneducated person) and the Yisrael<\/i> is a talmid chacham <\/i>(Torah scholar), the Rishonim<\/i> disagree as to the law in this case. According to the Rashba<\/i>, the Yisrael<\/i> is to be called up for the first aliyah<\/i>, since he is a talmid chacham<\/i>. However, according to Rav Amram Gaon<\/i>, Rav Natrunai Gaon<\/i>, and a number of other Rishonim<\/i>, even if the Kohen<\/i> is an uneducated person, concerning the matter of the ascent to the Torah, he should be called up even before the Yisrael<\/i> who is a talmid chacham<\/i>, and that is how we practice (Shulchan Aruch<\/i> 135:4).<\/p>\n
Sometimes, a great need arises to add another aliyah<\/i>, such as on a Monday when two chatanim<\/i> (grooms) who are both Yisraelim<\/i> come to pray at the same synagogue. Since the first and second aliyot<\/i> are reserved for the Kohen<\/i> and Levi<\/i>, if another aliyah<\/i> is not added, one of the chatanim<\/i> is deprived of the honor of being called up to the Torah. Although according to the Rama<\/i> it is permitted to add an aliyah<\/i> for this reason, in practice it has been ruled that it is forbidden to add to the already existing three aliyot<\/i> (Shulchan Aruch<\/i> 135:1; Mishnah Berurah<\/i> 3). The advice given is to ask the Kohen<\/i> to leave the synagogue at the time of the first aliyah<\/i>. Then, when no Kohen<\/i> is present, a Yisrael<\/i> will be called up for the first aliyah<\/i>, thereby allowing both chatanim<\/i> to be called up to the Torah that day (see Yabia Omer<\/i>, part 6, 23).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Chachamim established that a Kohen is given the honor of the first aliyah, a Levi the second, and a Yisrael the third. The reason for this enactment is \u201cin the interests of peace,\u201d so there will not be any fights concerning the honor of the first aliyah. Originally, this establishment was only for Shabbat, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6462","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-22-several-laws-of-torah-reading"],"yoast_head":"\n