rip up, tear down, raise, haul
扯 centers on forceful pulling or tearing: ripping something apart, tearing down a structure, or hauling something up with effort.
扯 combines 扌 (hand) with 止, which likely contributes a phonetic element. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the hand radical suggests an action involving pulling or tearing.
The hand radical 扌 beside 止 looks like a hand grabbing and stopping something, then ripping it apart or hauling it up.
For タ, imagine tearing down a tall tower: the first sound of 'tall' cues タ, and your hand rips it apart.