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From: rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 20:38:08 -0400
Subject: Pointing To The Torah With A Finger: A Possible Reason

In V26n56, Nachum Kosofsky cites the Yalkut MeAm Lo'ez concerning the
custom of pointing towards the sefer Torah during Hagbah. Nachum does
not know of any reason and the Meam Loez does not bring one.

Although I do not remember the source I was once told the following
reason:

The midrash (homiletic literature) states that in the future world the
righteous will form a circle around the Divine Presence (who will be in
the center) and dance and point and say the verse: "..This is My G-d and
I will make pleasant with Him(Ex15:2)"

The pointing of the finger is derived from the use of the word
This(Zeh).

It would follow that the Hagbah is an acting out of this reward in the
future world: The Torah symbolizes the Divine Presence and the
congregants symbolize the righteous.

In a different but related matter I heard from the Rav, Rabbi
Soloveitchick that the reason some people stand during the reading of
the Torah is because the reading is an acting out of the relevation on
Mount Sinai: The Bimah on which the Torah is read symbolizes the
mountain, the Torah symbolizes G-ds word and the reading symbolizes the
prophetic revelation (and e.g. The two gabais correspond to Aharon and
Chur). Since people stood during the revelation we must stand also.

These are two examples which possibly are supported by regarding the
Torah reading as an acting out. I am curious if anyone knows sources for
the above thoughts. I am also curious if there are other examples of
acting outs in either the Torah reading or prayer.

Russell Jay Hendel; Ph.d, ASA; rhendel @ mcs drexel edu