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By Rabbi Aron Tendler | Series: | Level:

Note: The Shabbos Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person “goes up” to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading.


1st Aliya: Specific restrictions for Kohanim and the Kohain Gadol pertaining to marriages, sexuality, and mourning.

2nd Aliya: Laws pertaining to physical blemishes of the Kohanim and who can and can not eat from the priestly gifts.

3rd Aliya: Laws defining what constitutes an acceptable and unacceptable blemish on an animal designated to be a Korban.

4th Aliya: The establishment of Shabbos, Pesach, the Omer, the counting of the Omer and Shavuoth.

5th Aliya: The establishment of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.

6th Aliya: The establishment of Sukkoth.

7th Aliya: Laws of the Ner Tamid, the Showbread, the incident with the Blasphemer, and the penalties for Blasphemy.