Bimah (teivah)

The bimah is the platform, with its reading table, from which the Torah is read in synagogue. The scroll is laid open there, and the people called up for the reading go up to it (see our aliyah entry). In some places it is also where certain announcements are made. In some communities it is also called the teivah (תיבה); the word varies with local custom.

1Where does it come from?

The Bible already mentions one: when the people returned from Babylon, “Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden tower made for the purpose” (Nehemiah 8:4), and read to all the people from it. The idea stuck: the reading is done from a raised spot so that everyone can see and hear.

The Shulchan Arukh (Orach Chayim 150:5), in the gloss of the Rema, states: “We place the bimah in the middle of the synagogue so that when the Torah reader stands on it, everyone can hear.” The Rema records here the custom of Ashkenazi communities; what the line describes above all is the purpose of the bimah: letting the congregation follow the reading.

2Across communities

• Ashkenazi families: the bimah is traditionally in the center of the room, as the Rema describes, and many older synagogues keep that layout.
• Sephardic and Mizrahi families: many traditional synagogues also have a central teivah with the benches around it; elsewhere it is set near the ark. What counts is the custom of that community.
• Modern and neighborhood synagogues, in the U.S. and Israel alike: the bimah is often moved toward the front, near the ark, for reasons of space and visibility. In many places, both layouts coexist.
• By your community’s custom: some places do not allow anyone to step onto the bimah outside the reading, while others treat it as a plain platform. Ask the gabbai.

3What it means for an invitation

For a guest who is not used to a synagogue, the bimah is often the landmark of the service: it is where the bar mitzvah takes place, where the reading happens, and sometimes where thanks are given. A few practical points help the whole family.

• Photos and video: ask the gabbai whether it is permitted to stand near the bimah. Many synagogues prefer that it not become a photo stage.
• Guest seating: if the bimah is central, the seats around it are not all equal in view and sound. Reserve the best for grandparents or older guests.
• Speeches: the family’s remarks are usually given at a spot designated by the rabbi or gabbai, not necessarily from the bimah.
• Accessibility: for guests with limited mobility, tell the synagogue in advance. Access to the bimah can be difficult.