Question:
Can a mute boy be given an aliya, for example on his Bar Mitzva, or afterwards and how would this work? Would the answer be different if he is mute and deaf? His understanding is good and he communicates via sign language.
Answer:
Tough question. If he can hear with the hearing aid and he can speak enough that it is possible for regular people to understand his brachos, then he can get an aliya ( Minchas Shlomo 1-34). However if he can not communicate by mouth, then there are different opinions about this. Some say that he can be called up and someone else who didn’t get an aliya will make the brachos instead of him, and that it is better that this should be done after the seven people were called up t the torah (machaneh Chaim O:CH 3-13). However others don’t permit it at all, (Shevet Halevi 7- 20 (3)), therefore I can’t give you an answer. I would recommend that you speak to Rabbi Mordechai Shuchatowitz, Rav Agudath Israel of Greenspring Baltimore MD at 410-764-2372 who is an expert on this topic.
