In the Shulchan Aruch 134:2: it says that when the torah is lifted up (during Hagba) one should show the people to right and left the text of the sefer torah and the people should bow and recite vzos hatorah etc.
The Mishna Brura says that if the person is standing to the east of the teva, he should face south first. What is the case? I am confused by the lashon. Is the case where the guy lifts the Torah and is facing the aron east, so when he turns south (his right)he is showing the ksav to the people in the left side of the shul? In most shuls that I have seen the person lifting the torah is to the west of the bima. Meaning the aron is in the east and the bima is in front of the Aron in the middle of the shul. The torah is read from the west side of the bima facing east. (I hope the above makes sense)
My question is: which way should the person lifting the torah turn first? I always see the person turning left first (in ashkanazi shuls) showing the people to the right first. Shouldn’t he turn right first like in usual areas of halacha that one should pick the right over the left? Isn’t the case in shulchan aruch talking about how the sefardim lift the torah where the Torah is facing outwards and therefore turning right first will actually show the ksav to the people on the right first?
Also, I feel I am one of the only one’s in shul bowing when the torah is lifted. Everyone else (including kollel men and talmuda chachamim)are pointing at the text. In my shulchan aruch it says to bow. What’s with the pointing?
Answer:
The Mishnah Berurah (134:9) writes that a person should turn from south to east. This means that a person should turn clockwise: he should begin by turning to the right (meaning clockwise, showing the Sefer Torah to the congregation to his left), and the most preferable way to continue is to complete an entire circle, not turning leftwards at all. Some turn left (anti-clockwise) after turning right, and this is also fine.
The source for pointing at the Sefer Torah is found in Meam Loez (Ki Savo, 27:26) and Rav Chayim Falagi in Lev Chaim, Orach Chaim (167:6). See also Siddur Vilna, who quotes from the Sefer Chasidim and from additional midrashim.
The Shulchan Aruch and other poskim make no mention of this, and note only that one should bow in honor of the Torah. You should therefore keep bowing, even though those around you are pointing.
