Steps Toward Heaven

Do you know that daily reading of Scripture portion called Aliyah in Hebrew?

 The Hebrew word עֲלִיָּה (Aliyah) means ascent, rising up, or elevation. 

At first glance, it may seem puzzling—why should Torah reading be described as an “ascent”?

But consider this:

The Torah scroll is traditionally placed on a raised platform (bimah) in the synagogue (photo above).

          When a person is called to the Torah, they must literally ascend—taking physical steps upward. Yet the symbolism runs far deeper than the physical.

          Just as the Kohen (the Priest) ascended the ramp of the altar (מַעֲלֵה הַמִּזְבֵּחַ) with reverence, so too do we ascend to the Torah. The bimah is like a miniature altar, and the reader is like one offering up their voice in place of incense or grain.

         The Hebrew word עֹלָה (olah)—meaning “burnt offering”—shares its root with עֲלִיָּה (aliyah). That offering rose entirely to God in smoke, symbolic of complete devotion, nothing to share or take home.

         Likewise, when we read Scripture, we offer a “sacrifice of the lips” (Hosea 14:3). Each word uttered from the scroll is like a fragrant aroma rising upward toward the heavenly courts.

         The Tabernacle was built after the — not to replace Sinai, but to carry its echo forward. The Torah reading is Sinai inside the camp, like the Ark traveling with us through the wilderness of time.

         In the Sanctuary, ascending levels marked increasing holiness:

• Courtyard
• Holy Place
• Holy of Holies

          The Aliyah is not merely reading outload—it is participation. It is as though we step beyond the veil, into the inner court of dialogue with God.

           So too in spiritual life: when we engage with Scripture, we move slowly from outer court to Most Holy space.

Thus, “Aliyah” to the Torah can be seen as a moment of offering—a “sacrifice of the lips” (Hosea 14:3), where one's voice becomes a vessel of elevation. Through the act of reading or hearing Torah, the soul is drawn upward. 

In modern Hebrew, Aliyah means immigration to the Land of Israel—a return to one’s source.

         Reading the Scripture is not a routine—it is a rising. Each Aliyah is a step toward the Divine, an echo of ancient worship, a lifting of voice and heart toward heaven.

           When we engage with Torah—whether reading a verse or hearing it read—we ascend. Let us approach each daily time with the Text with the humility of one who climbs holy ground… and the joy of one who draws near to the Giver of the Word.