Who is Called to the Torah?
Only a Jew who is God-fearing and Shabbos-observant should be called for an aliyah, lechatchilah. However, a situation sometimes arises when an irreligious Jew requests or needs to be honored with an aliyah, e.g. at a family simchah or a yahrtzeit, or for the sake of peace. Under such circumstances, some poskim permit calling a Jew who is not Shabbos-observant for any aliyah, provided that he considers himself as a “believer” in Hashem and His Torah. Under no circumstances is it permitted to give an aliyah to self-proclaimed atheists or heretics, or to anyone who outright rejects the basic foundations of Judaism, for the berachos they recite are not considered berachos at all. If absolutely necessary, they may be given honors that do not require a berachah, such as hagbah or gelilah.64
Most often, the aliyos are given in rotating order or at the gabbai’s discretion. But it is a long-standing tradition, and universally accepted, to commemorate major life events with an aliyah. People marking such events are called chiyuvim (ones who are obligated) since, according to this custom, they are obligated to receive an aliyah. Sometimes, however, there are not enough aliyos for all of the chiyuvim, and a decision needs to be made as to who should take precedence.65 Based on the majority of poskim,66 the following are the chiyuvim who are entitled to an aliyah, listed in descending order:
A groom who was never married before,67 on his aufruf – the Shabbos before his wedding (or on the Shabbos before he leaves his hometown to travel to his wedding).68
A boy69 who becomes bar mitzvah70 on that Shabbos.71
The father of a newborn boy or girl, if the mother is in shul for the first time since giving birth.72
A groom on the Shabbos after his wedding, if the wedding was on Wednesday or later.
A person who has a yahrtzeit on Shabbos.73
A father whose baby boy will be having a bris that Shabbos74 or during the coming week.
A father whose baby girl will be named that Shabbos.75
A groom on the Shabbos after his wedding, if his wedding took place before Wednesday.
A person who has a yahrtzeit during the upcoming week.76
A mourner during the twelve months of aveilus is to receive the aliyah of maftir.77
A person who needs to recite Birkas Hagomel.78
A person who is embarking on a journey or returning from one.
An important guest.
64 Entire paragraph based on Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim III:12 and 21-22; IV:91-8.
When a person who is not Shabbos-observant is called, he should preferably be called as an extra aliyah, but not for one of the regular seven or maftir; Pe’er Ha’dor 3, pg. 36, quoting an oral ruling from the Chazon Ish. See similar ruling in Mesores Moshe, vol. 3, pg. 119. Other poskim do not permit giving an aliyah at all to someone who is not Shabbos-observant; see Halichos Shlomo, Tefillah 12, Orchos Halachah 54 (see, however, Minchas Shlomo II:4-10); Be’er Moshe V:90-1; V:91-3; Shevet Halevi VIII:165-8; IX:61.
65 An accepted rule, and the widespread custom, is that members of a shul have priority over non-members, even if a non-member’s level of chiyuv is greater than a member’s chiyuv. It should be noted that it is extremely important that one does not get into an argument with others over such matters, see Kaf Hachaim 284:6.
66 This list is primarily based on Beiur Halachah 136:1 (ד"ה בשבת), and it only covers Kerias HaTorah on Shabbos. [On Monday or Thursday, a groom is to be called if his wedding is that day, and he takes precedence over any other chiyuv, Beiur Halachah ibid.]
67 If he was previously married, he is not considered a chiyuv. Still, it is customary to give him an aliyah if it is available.
68 Typically, he receives maftir; Mishnah Berurah 171:21.
69 The father of the boy, however, is not a chiyuv at all; Sha’arei Ephraim 2:10.
70 If both the aufruf and the bar-mitzvah request the same aliyah, then the greater talmid chacham has priority. If that cannot be determined, they should draw lots. This is the general rule whenever two chiyuvim lay equal claim to an aliyah.
71 According to some opinions, the same chiyuv applies even if the child became bar-mitzvah during the past week, even if he already received an aliyah during the week; Shevus Yaakov II:129; Rav C. Kanievsky, Ishei Yisrael (38, footnote 97); p. 773. Some communities have the custom to call up a bar mitzvah boy for maftir the Shabbos before his bar mitzvah. It seems that the bar mitzvah does not have priority over other chiyuvim; see Sha’arei Rachamim 2:6. Cf. Hakeriah BaTorah Vehilchosehah 45, footnote 10.
72 If the mother is not in shul, then the husband has an obligation to receive an aliyah when forty days have elapsed from the birth of a boy, or eighty days from the birth of a girl. This obligation is even if the baby was stillborn; Sha’arei Ephraim 2:5; Beiur Halachah 136:1 (ד"ה בשבת).
73 Only a yahrtzeit in memory of a father or mother is a chiyuv. A yahrtzeit in memory of a father has priority over a yahrzeit in memory of a mother; Kaf Hachayim 284:6. Sha’arei Ephraim (9:42) writes that one who has a yahrtzeit on Shabbos should preferably receive maftir, and that is the prevailing custom. Cf. Pnei Baruch 39:12 that some poskim maintain that it is preferable for him to receive one of the main seven aliyos.
74 Some maintain that if the bris will take place on Shabbos, then the father is a greater chiyuv than a yahrtzeit on that Shabbos; Ishei Yisrael 38, footnote 103, citing Zer HaTorah.
75 A father who is naming a baby girl on Shabbos has priority over a father of a baby boy whose bris will take place during the week; Da’as Torah 282:7.
76 If two people have yahrtzeit during the week, the one whose yahrtzeit is earlier in the week takes precedence; Kaf Hachayim 284:6.
77 Rema, Yoreh Deah 376:4; Mateh Ephraim, Kaddish 4:2. See Koveitz Teshuvos 2:17.
78 Birkas Hagomel may be recited without an aliyah.