Question:

I was by a Sephardic Minyan and was motioned to go up to the Torah, and when I told the Gabaiy my name he did not repeat it and officially call me up and simply encouraged me to begin the Aliyah. Was this an anomaly or is this indeed the Sephardic custom?

Answer:

Indeed, the age old Sephardic custom of many communities is not to call the Olah by name and rather the Gabbai simply motions to him to go up. The reason for this is the Talmud states that one who refuses an Aliyah has his life shortened r”l, and hence the Sephardim are careful not to call anyone up by name just in case they may refuse the Aliya, in order so they do not fall under the above Talmudic danger. This is in contrast to the age-old Ashkenazi custom dating back to the times of the Geonim to call up the person by name. To note, that the above Sephardic custom is not widespread in all Sephardic communities, and there exists for communities such as the Yemenite community, which call up by name. It is also unclear as to exactly when the above Sephardic custom began, as its first record in the literature base back to the 17^th century and not earlier.

Sources: See Asufos 14 pp. 275-294 Sephardic custom: Shiyurei Kneses Hagedola 139:1, 4; Chida in Chaim Sheol 1:13; Kaf Hachaim 139:9; Nehar Mitzrayim Hilchos Kerias Hatorah 7b; Keser Shem Tov 1 p. 243; Ashkenazi custom: Rama 139:3; Tanchuma Bereishis 29:5; Seder Rav Amram Gaonm; Machzor Vitri; Sefer Chassidim 791; Shut Maharam Ben Baruch 108; Ravayah 2:577; Terumas Hadeshen 1:21; Maharam Padwah 87; See Avnei Nezer C.M. 103; Ketzos Hashulchan 85:1; Piskeiy Teshuvos 139:2-4; See regarding refusing an Aliya after being called up: Brachos 55a, brought in M”A 53:22; Kol Bo 118; Elya Raba 139:2; Levush 428: on Rama 428:6; Peri Chadash 139:1; P”M 53 A”A 22; Levushei Serud 138; Lev Chaim 2:174 and 3:12 [See there that one time a person was called to the Torah and he ran out and he was later burnt to death within 30 days, as the Torah is called fire]; Toras Chaim Sofer 139:1; Aruch Hashulchan 139:4; M”B 139:1; Kaf Hachaim 139:3; 428:40; Tzitz Eliezer 14:34; See Midrash Tanchuma Yisro 15; Shemos Raba 40; It is however omitted from the Rambam, Tur and Michaber:Rama [see Elya Raba and Toras Chaim Sofer ibid for explanations of this omission] See also Levush 428, brought in Machatzis Hashekel 428, and M”B 428:19 who omit this; See Sefer Shemiras Haguf Vihanefesh [Lerner] 262:1 footnote 1-2