Baal keriah

A baal keriah (Hebrew: , 'master of the reading'), colloquially called the baal korei (Hebrew: , 'master-reader'), is a member of a Jewish congregation who reads from the Sefer Torah during the service. As there are no niqqud, punctuation, or cantillation marks (called in Yiddish) in a Sefer Torah, and these are required features of the reading, the baal keriah must memorize them beforehand. When the Torah scroll is placed on the bimah, or reading table, the baal keriah approaches the bimah by the most direct route possible and stands in front of the scroll, a little to the left. If necessary, the scroll is rolled to the portion to be read, and then closed and covered with the mantle. To the left side of the scroll stands the gabbai, who calls up congregants to honor them with an aliyah. To the right of the scroll stands the second gabbai, the gabbai sheini. When called up by the first gabbai, the oleh comes by the most direct route possible and stands to the right of the baal keriah. A gabbai uncovers the scroll and the baal keriah indicates to the oleh which section will be read. In some communities, he only indicates the beginning; in others, he points to the beginning and the end. The oleh then touches the corner of his tallit (or some other holy piece of cloth, like the belt of the Torah scroll, or for scrolls with hard cases, the kerchief used to roll the scroll) to the indicated section and kisses it. He then rolls the scroll closed, holding on the right and left rollers (or sides of the case), turns slightly to the right and recites the blessings over the reading. The congregation answers "amen," the scroll is unrolled again, and then the baal keriah chants the section, holding onto the left roller and pointing, usually with a specially-made ornate pointer called a yad in his right. During the chanting, the oleh reads quietly along with the baal keriah from the scroll, if he is able to. Each of the gabba'im will also read along with the baal keriah, but from Chumashim, in order to let the baal keriah know of any errors.