Doing the Right Thing

The Mizbeiach in the Beis HaMikdash was square, with a ramp beside it. When the kohein walked up the ramp, he faced north. To his left was the western side, adjacent to the Heichal and Kodesh HaKedashim; to his right was the eastern side, opening toward most of the courtyard. If a kohein wanted to perform avodah in the southwest corner of the Altar, he would ascend the ramp, turn right, walk to the southeast corner, and keep circling until everything came out all right in the end when he reached the southwest corner.

The Gemara explains that the reason is simply that one should always turn right onto the Mizbeiach. If the kohein were to make a left at the top of the ramp, the route would be shorter—but sometimes the shortest path is the one that’s left untraveled. When it comes right down to it, regarding the Mizbeiach, halacha prefers a circuitous rightward path. So if the kohein wants to go left, he makes five rights. Simply turning left would be dead to rights. (There are three exceptions, and the Gemara explains that in those cases a right simply wasn’t possible—nothing left to do but turn left. According to Rashi, there is a fourth exception as well, when one finishes the animal chattas service.)

The Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 141:7) rules that during k’rias haTorah, when the gabbai tells you to step right up for an aliyah, you should take the shortest route to the bimah, not necessarily the right-side route. The Mishnah Berurah, quoting the Acharonim, gives two explanations. First, it’s tircha d’tzibbura to make everyone wait while you take the scenic right-hand tour. The congregation has a right to their pursuit of snappiness.

Second, when you are called to read the Torah, you should get right on it. That shows how dear the Torah—your birthright—is. If the shortest way takes you left, that’s the righteous path to choose. Sometimes doing the right thing means turning left, because your heart is in the right place.

When both routes are equally long, the Shulchan Aruch rules you should enter the bimah on the right side. The bimah represents the Altar. Just as the kohein turned right, so too the aliyah recipient should hang a right. It keeps everything right as rain.

The Vilna Gaon concurs that the Shulchan Aruch is right on—but he goes further. He states forthrightly that the upright person should go right even if it’s longer. The kohein was on the right track when he circled around the Altar rather than taking the shorter left route. So too, the Vilna Gaon reasons, the person heading to the bimah should take steps in the right direction—even if it means nothing’s left but a longer walk.

This article will certainly not decide who is right in this machlokes, but it is worth noting that the Mishnah Berurah does not mention the Vilna Gaon’s view. It seems you are within your rights to head left if that is the shorter route. Whatever’s left is your discretion.

The Mishnah Berurah notes that the halacha may differ for the chazan carrying the sefer Torah from the Aron Kodesh. He perhaps should enter the bimah on the right even if it is the longer route. It is improper for the tzibbur to wait for an aliyah recipient who decides to take the long right-hand road, but there is nothing improper about the messenger of the community taking his time. The aliyah recipient takes the shorter left route to show that his heart is in the right place; the chazan is already holding the Torah right off the bat—so taking the longer right route leaves nothing left to question.

Alright already, we know that when it comes to the Altar or the bimah, the right is preferred. But if your GPS is failing, and you don’t rightly know which way to turn, should you choose right? This rule is given for mitzvos. This is the reason we start Chanukah lighting from the new candle, proceeding to the right. However, it is not applicable to non-mitzvah situations. Indeed, if a kohein was going onto the Mizbeiach merely to hand something to another kohein, he may take the shortest route possible. So when you’re driving, choose any direction—as long as you have the right of way. Hopefully you won’t be left guessing.

I hope this article was right up your alley. If you have comments, feel free to email or write.