Yahrtzeit Aliyah

There is a custom to have an aliyah on the Shabbos before a yahrtzeit. Is it appropriate to leave one’s normal minyan to have an aliyah, if on that Shabbos there is a bar mitzvah with all the aliyos taken?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

Allow me to share some introductory thoughts on receiving an Aliyah in honor of a yartzeit.

You are correct that it is customary for one to receive an Aliya, preferably the maftir Aliya (for which one also has the honor of reading the Haftara), and even to lead the Mussaf service on the Shabbat before one is to observe yartzeit. One should also seek to arrange to receive an Aliya on the actual day of a yarzeit itself, if it falls out on a day on which there is a Torah reading.

The reason for the receiving an Aliya (and leading services/reciting Kaddish) on a yartzeit is based on the teaching that performing mitzvot, especially mitzvot that allow others to "join in," generates merits for the deceased. One who receives an Aliyah, or recites Kaddish, for example, allows the congregation to “join in” the mitzva by answering "amen" to one’s blessings, and the like. This is so important that one should not go on a trip that includes the day of a yartzeit if there is a chance that there will not be a minyan present at one’s destination.

It is worth noting that priority for an Aliya in honor of a yartzeit only applies to one observing yartzeit for a parent. Aliyot and other honors in honor of the yartzeit for other relatives is subject to availability.

From what I understand you have a fixed place to daven, therefore it is better to daven "Bemakom Hakevua" than to go somewhere else to daven.

Sanhedrin 104a; Birkei Yosef, OC 284; Beit Yosef, YD 376; YD 240:9; Maharik 30; Ketzot Hashulchan 88:4; Levush, OC 133; Mishna Berura 153:7; Kaf Hachaim 284:6.