Haftara - Knowledge (XXG)

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provided both Ashkenazic and Sephardic lists; Yemenite lists were provided in Koren, Cassuto, Jerusalem Crown, IDF; Italic lists were provided in Cassuto, Dotan; Mahgreb, Frankfurt-on-Main, and some others were provided in Hirsch, Dotan; the Encyclopedia Talmudit provided all of these and some others, citing more than a dozen sources. The Hebrew language version of this Knowledge (XXG) article, worked up by an Israeli team, as it read in the Spring of 2014 was also used (cited as "Isr.Wikip."). It is very probable that various lists represent the practices only temporarily favored, perhaps more than century ago, by only a few or even one congregation, possibly under the leadership of a particular rabbi or while using a particular humash then available, and therefore the lists were subject to change and might well have changed and changed again in the intervening decades. No two lists were entirely the same, and compiling such lists required different materials and expertise than used to edit or comment on the Bible.

442:, which dates back to the 7th or 8th century CE. But it is possible that these blessings, or at least some of them, date from before the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. At least some haftara blessings were in use by the second century. The blessings are read by the person designated to read the haftara portion; the blessing before the haftara is read in the tune of the haftara. The Sephardic practice is to recite, immediately after the text of the haftara and before the concluding blessings, the verse of Isaiah 47:4 ("Our Redeemer! The Lord of Hosts is his name, the Holy Lord of Israel!"). The blessings following the haftara are standard on all occasions the haftara is read, except for the final blessing, which varies by date and is omitted on some days. 883:, without regard for the choice of previous years or of other congregations, either by the reader or by the congregation or its leaders; this is evidenced by recommendations in Talmudic literature that certain passages should not be chosen for haftara readings, which indicates that, to that time, that a regular list for the year's readings did not exist. Further evidence of the lack of an ancient authoritative list of readings is the simple fact that, while the practice of reading a haftara every Sabbath and most holy days is ubiquitous, the different traditions and communities around the world have by now adopted differing lists, indicating that no solid tradition from antiquity dictated the haftara selections for a majority of the ordinary Sabbaths. 756:

blessing is modified for the various festivals and holidays. In all traditions that last phrase, "who sanctifies the Sabbath", is replaced by the appropriate substitute when the occasion is something other than an ordinary Sabbath, if a holiday falling on a Sabbath the phrasing is "And for this Sabbath day and for this day of this...." (if not on a Sabbath, then merely "and for this day of ..."); e.g. (for Passover) "Festival of Matzos", (on Shavuos) "Festival of Shavuos", (on Succos) "Festival of Succos, (on Shemini Atzeres or Simhas Torah) "Festival of the Assembly", (on Rosh Hashana) "Day of Remembrance", (on Yom Kippur) "Day of Atonement", - but it appears from

41: 3016:(It appears that Vayelech has no haftara portion of its own, because Vayelech either takes the haftara of Shabbat Shuvah or the haftara of Netzavim. If Shabbat Shuvah coincides with Haazinu, which usually happens, the parashah of Vayelech is shifted to the week of Netzavim; otherwise Vayelech falls between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and so the haftara for Shabbat Shuva is read. Several editions - e.g., Hirsch, Hertz, ArtScroll - have assigned the Shabbat Shuva reading as the customary haftara for Vayelech, some others - such as the IDF and JPS1985 - have no haftara listed specifically for Vayelech.) 450:, then he had already recited two blessings for the Torah reading and the five haftara blessings means he has recited a total of the significant number of seven blessings. The first blessing is not recited until the Torah scroll has been rolled shut, so that the roller may listen without distraction. And, similarly, the haftara text itself - whether a book or a scroll - remains open on the lectern until after the final haftara blessing is concluded. The blessings have changed but only a little over the centuries, the current text apparently coming from the late 11th century 5103:"The prophetic readings of the Byzantine ritual differed fundamentally from those of the other Rabbanite Jews of the diaspora. They have been preserved in the editions of the haftarot published with the Commentary of David Kimchi in Constantinople, 1505; and in the edition of the Pentateuch and haftarot, published in Constantinople, 1522" (and theorizing the Romaniote readings were a perpetuation of the selections of early medieval Eretz Yisrael). Louis Finkelstein, "The Prophetic Readings According to the Palestinian, Byzantine, and Karaite Rites", 3967:, if Rosh Hodesh - which has its own haftara (namely Isaiah 66) - coincides with Shabbat Re'eh, then the haftara of Re'eh (Isaiah 54:11-55:5), not the haftara for Rosh Hodesh, is read because the seven Sabbaths of Consolation must not be interrupted. However, in Frankfurt and Eastern Europe, it is the custom in such an occurrence to read the haftara for Rosh Hodesh instead, and the second Sabbath afterward, which would be Parashat Ki Tetze, would double up and read first the haftara Ki Tetze (Isaiah 54:1-10) and then haftara Re'eh.) 3697:°The Levush records that "some communities" read the special haftara only when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbat Hagadol (meaning the first seder is celebrated that Saturday night) - which occurs infrequently, and "other communities" (practice of the Vilna Gaon, cited in Maase Rav) read the special haftara on Shabbat HaGadol only if Erev Pesach falls on another day of the week. Erev Pesach falls on Shabbat HaGadol in the spring of 1994, 2001, 2005, 2008, 2021, 2025, 2045, 2048, 2052, 2072, 2075, 2079, and 2099. 1147:

communities and congregations, usually differing from each other by only one or two haftarot. A study of the antiquity of each of these lists, and how they differ from each other, is beyond the scope of this (or any other brief) article but may be most informative on the history (including the contacts and separations) of the various communities. The list compiled by Rabbi Eli Duker contains many historical customs that did not survive until the present day.

2584:(In most years Pinchas falls after 17 Tammuz, and the haftara for Matot is read instead. The haftara for Pinchas is only read in leap years in which 17 Tammuz is a Tuesday or Sunday, as it is in the summers of 2005, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2035, 2052, 2062, 2065, 2079, 2092; and, due to peculiarities in observing holidays in the Diaspora, it is also read in leap years in Eretz Yisrael when 17 Tammuz coincides with the Sabbath. See the note for the next Sabbath.) 5171:(London, 1838)(cited as "Lindo", sets forth the 1838 list of major Sephardic and Ashkenazic ("German") London congregations, his end verse numbers are invariably a verse beyond all the other sources so it appears that his end verse number is excluded rather than included. Lindo does not set forth any of the Special/Festival occasions nor the combined parshot); Bible Society in Israel (1991, Jerusalem)(cited as "Isr. Bible Soc."; Aron Dotan, 5503:

outside the Land of Israel: 1st day Numbers 29:17-22, 3rd day Numbers 29:23-28, 4th day Numbers 29:26-31; inside the Land of Israel: 2nd day Numbers 29:20-22, 4th day Numbers 29:26-28, 5th day Numbers 29:29-31. However, the ArtScroll Tikkun, Kestenbaum Edition (3rd ed. 2004, Brooklyn, Mesorah) has a different list: 1st day Numbers 29:17-22, 2nd day Numbers 29:20-25; 4th day Numbers 29:26-31 (presumably outside the Land of Israel).

4279:(2000, Silver Spring, Md.: Hamaayan/The Torah Spring) pages 4-5. Among the reasons for doubting, ancient sources list many oppressive acts by Antiochus but none mentions this, the reading of Haftarot also dates from antiquity in places that Antiochus never ruled, and it seems doubtful that any anti-Jewish villain would be so punctilious as to forbid only the Mosaic books but permit the Prophetic books. Stephen Gabriel Rosenberg, 33: 2855:- which has its own haftara, namely Isaiah 66 - coincides with Shabbat Re'eh, the haftara of Re'eh, not for Rosh Hodesh Elul, is read because the Seven Sabbaths of Consolation must not be interrupted. However, the Rama disagrees, and most Ashkenazic communities read the haftorah for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, since it too has words of consolation. Some communities, such as Frankfurt am Main read the Haftorah for 4233:, Ph.D. dissertation, Wayne State Univ., 1975, page 184, "In fact, the selection must have been made beforehand.", The earliest source for evidence of haftarah readings is the New Testament, but it has been suggested that Jewish authorities following the New Testament period very deliberately avoided using as a haftarah any selection of the Prophets that had been mentioned in the New Testament. Hananel Mack, 1272: 213:." Another theory is that it was instituted after some act of persecution or other disaster in which the synagogue Torah scrolls were destroyed or ruined, as it was forbidden to read the Torah portion from any but a ritually fit parchment scroll, but there was no such requirement about a reading from Prophets, which was then "substituted as a temporary expedient and then remained." The 65: 372:(or "Humash"; plural: Chumashim)) (volume containing the Torah with haftarot) or, in the case of the festivals, the prayer book; there are also books containing the haftarot alone in large print. Even when a scroll of haftara readings is used, that scroll - unlike the Torah scroll - is occasionally made of paper and may include such embellishments as the vowel points and 2070:(In non-leap years this Haftara is not read because it coincides with Shabbat HaGadol; or, during leap years, it is more often either the Sabbath of Parashat Zachor; the Sabbath of Parashat Parah; or, in Jerusalem, Shushan Purim. It is only read in leap years when the following Passover coincides with the Sabbath or, outside Jerusalem, when Passover is a Sunday.) 1962:(This haftara is very seldom read. It is only read in leap years when the preceding Rosh Hashanah was a Thursday — e.g., in 2005, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2033, 2035, 2038, 2052, 2062 — because this Sabbath is often combined with that of Pekudei and very often is also the Sabbath of Shekalim or of Parah or of HaChodesh, in which case another haftara is substituted.) 1626:(° This haftara may be the most rarely read; it is only read when the preceding Rosh Hashanah coincided with the Sabbath and Cheshvan and Kislev both had 29 days - e.g. the winters of 1996, 2000, 2020, 2023, 2040, 2047, 2067, 2070, 2074, 2094, 2098, etc. - because this Sabbath is usually the first, sometimes the second, Sabbath in 49: 4330:, vol. 123) page 69. A fragment from the 11th or 12th century in Cairo lists a few haftarot not now in use -- but also shows that the Torah readings used were different from what is now virtually universal (e.g. one Torah portion is Numbers 25:1-10, but the ubiquitous practice for the past several centuries is that one Torah portion, 5479:, the Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash. It would appear these special rules have been long discarded, except perhaps by the intensely Orthodox; this calendar situation occurred in recent years in the week after Yom Kippur in 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2014, but checking the back issues of the liturgical calendars in the weekly 3282:(acc to Hirsch as "prevalent custom") A, S: Hosea 14:2-10, Micah 7:18-20, Joel 2:11-27 (Dotan notes that this is done in "some communities" although contrary to the halachic practice) (ArtScroll has Joel as second, Micah as last; Dotan notes this is used in "a few communities", Hirsch says this is the practice in Eretz Yisrael.) 2638:, the Three Sabbaths of Calamity, whose haftarot, at least for A and S, are two prophecies of Jeremiah, and one from Isaiah. In most years, Matot is combined with Masei and only the haftara for Masei is read; only in leap years when the preceding Tisha B'Av was a Tuesday are Matot and Masei read on separate Sabbaths.) 760:(14th century) that Yom Kippur is the only fast day with a name and therefore this final blessing is not recited at all on other fast days, such as Gedaliah or Esther or Tisha B'Av, since they have no such names that can be inserted into the blessing - and then the festival version of the blessing concludes: 669:(ca. 1100), 'be merciful' had replaced 'comfort' - but 'avenge' was still part of the text—and into the last century was still part of both Romaniot and Yemenite versions. It has been suggested that "save" replaced "avenge" in so many communities because of Christian and Moslem censorship or intimidation. 5383:

In the Posen minhagim book, it says that they ended with the words "נאם ה'." This could refer to verses 15, 30 or 31. However, it is most likely that they were preserving an old tradition which likely would have been the same as the Italian and Yemenite rites. Furthermore, there is a contradiction

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25b. Oddly, the Talmudic story is that the Rabbi found fault with the choice of haftara - but that selection is still read as the haftara for another parashah. Moreover, a study of the writings of Philo Judaeus, who died circa 50 CE, shows extensive reliance ("an overwhelming degree of correlation")

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Tosefta, Megillah, 4 (3): 1, gives the haftarot for the Four Special Sabbaths. A baraita in Megillah 31a, which has later additions by the Babylonian amoraim who add the haftarot for the second days of the festivals (and who sometimes change the order of the haftarot as a result) – gives the haftarot

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A, S, Y, I: First Kings 7:40–50 (this is also the A haftara for Vayakhel, which is also very seldom read (it's only read in leap years when the preceding Rosh Hashanah was a Thursday) because it often coincides with Pekudei or with a special Sabbath, and in fact the two readings of this haftara

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is also the Sabbath of Parashat Shekalim, Rosh Chodesh Adar I, or Erev Rosh Chodesh Adar I. It is only read in non-leap years when the preceding Rosh Hashanah was a Thursday and the following Passover is a Sunday, in leap years when the preceding Rosh Hashanah was a Thursday or in leap years when the

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Because, in the Diaspora, certain holy days and festivals are observed for an additional day, which day is not so observed in Eretz Yisrael, sometimes different haftarot are read simultaneously inside and outside Eretz Yisrael. On the converse, it is possible for a different Torah portion to be read

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The first blessing, chanted before the haftara portion read, uses the same melody as the haftara chant itself, also in minor mode. For this reason, many prayerbooks print this first blessing with the cantillation marks used in the Bible itself for the books of the Prophets, possibly the only instance

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There are five blessings, one before, and the others after, the haftara reading. These blessings may go back as far as the haftara ritual itself. It will be immediately noticed that the haftara has more, and longer, blessings than the reading of the Torah itself; it is plausible that the reading from

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For example, when Passover is on Shabbat, the eighth day of Passover in the Diaspora is also on Shabbat, so Israel will be "ahead" of the Diaspora for several weeks. The very next week, however, the Haftarah for Machar Chodesh is read in both Israel and the Diaspora, in conjunction with a different

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by Jacques J. Lyons and Abraham De Sola (rabbis of similarly named synagogues, respectively Ashkenazic in New York and Sephardic in Montreal), which provided lists identified as the "German" and "Portuguese" custom, presumably the practice in their own congregations (cited as "Lyons"). All of these

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directs the reading of Ezekiel 1:1 through 3:12 continuously, but most skip all or part of chapter 2 and skip to 3:12. Because the first chapter of Ezekiel describes the Heavenly Chariot, this haftara is customarily read and expounded by a rabbi or an esteemed scholar, in keeping with the direction

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R, K: Ezekiel 45:12-46:5 (° The first of four Sabbaths preceding Passover. It occurs on the Sabbath that either coincides with the New Moon, or precedes the New Moon that occurs during the following week, of the month of Second Adar — or of Adar in an ordinary year. These four Sabbaths may be the

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This appears only in the second (not the first) edition of Hertz, meaning it was a reading added by someone other than Hertz, the inclusion of 6:27 - which the second edition of Hertz identifies in a footnote as a S reading - is based on a "few communities". David E. S. Stein, "The Haftarot of Etz

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Nisan coincides with Parashat Hahodesh, then the haftara for Hahodesh, not for Rosh Hodesh, is read because the obligation of this special parashah is greater. Dotan says that if Shabbat Hahodesh coincides with Rosh Hodesh, then S and SZ add to the Hahodesh haftara the first and last verses of the

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our God, Zion your city..." and ends "who comforts the children of Zion." Zion means Mount Zion, the hill in Jerusalem on which the Temple stood, although it had been destroyed centuries before this blessing was composed. It is possible that Mount Zion is mentioned formerly to deliberately

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This is from paragraph 13 of Soferim, which does not contain the phrase "by every living mouth", and which concludes with "who sanctifies Israel and the Day of ." Amram Gaon and Maimonides concluded with "who rebuilds Jerusalem," but this appears to have been discarded by all factions. This final

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Hirsch and the additional pages to the revised edition of Hertz say Numbers 29:17-31, but JPS says the "daily portion from Numbers 29"; the Margolin Edition of The Torah (1999, Jerusalem & NY, Feldheim) provides the list for the intermediate Sabbath of Sukkot depending on which day it falls:

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In general, on the dates below, the haftarot below are read, even if that entails overriding the haftara for a Sabbath Torah portion. However, in certain communities, the first two haftarot below (that for Rosh Hodesh and that for the day preceding Rosh Hodesh) are replaced by the regular weekly

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Acts 13:15 states that "after the reading of the law and the prophets" Paul was invited to deliver an exhortation. Luke 4:17 states that during the Sabbath service in Nazareth the Book of Isaiah was handed to Jesus, "and when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written," the

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of fast days) instead; this is also mentioned as one option in the Posen book. (Some lists or books have no specific entry for Shabbat Shuva, leading to the supposition that the haftara usually associated with the week's parashah - usually Vayelech - is to be read; and some apply a more complex

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The selections of haftarot readings for the various weeks and holy days of the year differs from tradition to tradition - Ashkenazic from Sefardic from Yemenite from Mizrachi, etc. And even within a tradition there is no one authoritative list, but a multitude of different lists from different

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However, the Vilna Gaon instituted that haftarot be read only from scrolls which contained the full text of a Prophetic Book (e.g., full text of Joshua, or full text of Judges, or full text of Isaiah), just as a Torah scroll contains the full text of the Pentateuch. These scrolls are written in

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Traditions varied or evolved with regard to which person could read the haftara. As an indication that, perhaps to make clear that the haftara reading was not the same status as the Torah reading, a minor (i.e., a boy not yet bar mitzvah age) was permitted to chant the haftara (at least on an

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by the Bar Mitzvah is a relatively new custom, since it is not derived from either Bible nor Talmud. According to the Talmud, the lesson from the Prophets may be read by a minor (i.e., a boy younger than 13), if he is sufficiently educated to do it. A tradition that might have dated back to

510:, chapter 13, paragraph 7. The first verse praises God, "who has chosen good prophets" (presumably distinguished from false prophets not called by God), the second verse is one of the few places in the Sabbath liturgy that mentions Moses, also chosen by God as were the prophets. "Pleased with 714:

is our vindicator'." This line remained in Romaniot liturgy. Instead of "Shield of David", Soferim has "who brings to fruition the mighty salvation of his people Israel." But by the 3rd century, "shield of David" was the text in use, predating Soferim. "He" and "his" refer to the Messiah, a

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would be allowed any more than the scrolls of the Law (Torah) themselves, and in any case it is hardly likely that such manuscripts were available to ordinary people." (emphasis in original). Also, Jacob Mann, "Changes in the Divine Service of the Synagogue Due to Religious Persecutions",

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In antiquity there was no prescribed list of haftara readings for the year, although the Talmudic literature (including the Midrash and Tosefta) does report some recommendations for specific holidays. It would appear that, in antiquity, the choice of portion from the Prophets was made

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descendant of King David. The lines "let no stranger sit on his throne" and "others continue to usurp his glory" might date back to the earliest Talmudic times, when the Hasmoneans and Herodians, rather than true descendants of the royal house of David, were rulers of the Holy Land.

5747:, Comprendre la haftara. Les prophètes de l’année juive d’après la tradition rabbinique. II. En suivant l’ordre des parachas. II.1-Béréchit, 304 p., 2018 II.2-Chémot 322 p. 2018; II.3- Vayikra, 2019; II.4- Bamidbar, 2020; II.5- Dévarim; 2023. Hotsaat Bakish, Montpellier/Kiryat Ata. 2908:(In those communities where they read the Haftorah for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh or Machar Chodesh two weeks ago, the custom is to "make up" the haftorah this week, since the haftarot follow each other. As such, in such communities in such years, they would read Isaiah 54:1–55:5) 965:

As a generality, although the Torah was chanted in a major key (ending in a minor key), the haftara is chanted in a minor key (as is the blessing before the reading of the haftara) and ends in a pentatonic mode (and the blessings following the haftara reading are also pentatonic).

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According to one version in the Posen book, they would read "Dirshu" on Shabbat Shuva and "Shuva" on the shabbat between Yom Kippur and Sukkot. According to the other version, they would read "Shuva" on Shabbat Shuva, and this week they would read from Second Samuel like other

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Hosea 14:2-10. Also, some communities add either Joel 2:15 (or 2:11)–27 or Micah 7:18–20. Hirsch says, because the Hosea reading ends on a sad note, A added the passage from Joel, S added the one from Micah. However, many communities nowadays add both these

863:(Ashkenazim and Sephardim skip ahead in the same prophet to avoid concluding with the description of the dire fate of the wicked, a total of 19 verses; Chabad and Yemenite also skip ahead to avoid concluding with a different disquieting verse, a total of 16 verses; 414:

It would seem that the initial resistance to using a printed book has diminished as the technology of printing, and therefore the accuracy and characteristics of the printed books, has improved. There were opinions that a haftara scroll should not be stored in the

4283:(2000, NJ. Jason Aronson) page xxi, "But this is a doubtful proposition as the Book of Maccabees tells us that the Jews were not permitted to even keep the Sabbath (I Macc. 1:45-50 and II Macc. 6:11) and that all scrolls of the Law were burnt (I Macc. 1:56). So 431:

Blessings both precede and follow the haftara reading. One reason the reading of the haftara is a special honor is because of the voluminous blessings that accompany the reading. These blessings are derived from the minor (and uncanonical) Talmudic tractate

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our God, and trustworthy are your words. O faithful, living, and enduring, may you constantly rule over us forever and ever." This response apparently was in use in antiquity - the Jews of the eastern diaspora would recite this while seated, the Jews of

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words" because, while Moses wrote the Torah of words dictated verbatim by God, the prophets were each speaking their own words, which won Divine approval after they were spoken. In this context, 'Israel' means world Jewry wherever they may be.

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accordance with the laws of writing Torah scrolls, and thus - in the opinion of the Vilna Gaon - do not contain vowel points or cantillation signs. Such scrolls are used for the reading of the haftarot in many, perhaps most, Lithuanian-style

40: 858:

Another rule is that the haftara reading should not end on a macabre or distressing verse, and therefore either the penultimate verse is repeated at the very end or else verses from elsewhere are used as a coda, such as with the haftara for

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is read. It is only substituted in non-leap years when the preceding Rosh Hashanah was a Thursday and the following Passover is a Sunday or in leap years when the preceding Rosh Hashanah was a Thursday and the following Passover is a

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Haftarot must have something in common with the day. On an ordinary Sabbath, this would mean that they have something in common with the Torah reading. However, the connection can be quite vague; the relevance for the parashah

406:, and in a number of Ashkenazic synagogues, especially in Israel. Some say that if such a scroll is unavailable the entire congregation must read the haftara for themselves, silently or in a murmur, from books rather than the 309:

Only one person reads the haftara portion. This differs from the procedure in Torah reading, wherein the text is divided into anywhere from three to seven portions, which may be read by one person or divided amongst several.

5086:. Because the volume is intended for the Italian community in Jerusalem, it does not include the Haftarot for the second days holidays not observed in Israel. The selection of Haftarot for second day holidays can be seen in 501:

This is a somewhat free translation from the poetic Hebrew text which is the same in both Ashkenazic and Sephardic prayerbooks. The blessing is printed in one paragraph and read continuously by the cantillist with only an

3744:(° Many, perhaps most, skip verses 23:10-20, but the Vilna Gaon recommended that these verses be read - except verse 13, because it mentions a shameful deed by King Solomon. Some congregations begin the reading at 23:4.) 298:, who lived at that time. The Christian Bible indicates that readings from the Prophets - but not necessarily a fixed schedule - was a common part of the Sabbath service in Jerusalem synagogues even earlier than 70 CE. 2200:(Both Hirsch and the ArtScroll humashim note that there is some confusion over the correct Haftara. In non-leap years, this parashah is combined with next, Kedoshim, so the two are seldom distinguished from each other:) 4322:

on the same prophetic passages read as the haftarot for various special Sabbaths and holidays, which indicates that those haftarot were part of the liturgy decades earlier than the Talmud suggests; see Naomi G. Cohen,

1998:(In most years this haftara is not read because it falls on the Sabbath of Parashat HaHodesh, or, less often, Parashat Shekalim. It is only read in leap years when the preceding Rosh Hashanah was not a Thursday.) 244:

No one knows for certain the origins of reading the haftara, but several theories have been put forth. The most common explanation, accepted by some traditional Jewish authorities is that in 168 BCE, when the

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ordinary Sabbath), and there were even communities where the haftara reading was reserved exclusively for minor boys. In recent centuries, Ashkenazi bar mitzvah boys, (now an adult) will read at least the

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go back and repeat the penultimate verse, promising the reappearance of Elijah, rather than end with the word "desolation" - and the same applies when everyone most communities read that haftarah on

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It was customary in many communities to read Isaiah 61:10 - 62:8 (Italic would read 61:9 - 62:9) if a bridegroom (who had married within the previous week) was present in the synagogue.

710:, paragraph 12, until the last line. Before the second "Blessed are you", Soferim contains the line: "And in his days may Judah be made safe, and Israel to dwell securely, and he shall be called, ' 5111:, vol. 6, nr. 1 (Oct. 1893) pages 1-73, discusses in some detail evidence of very early choices of haftarot, particularly of the Karaites. The Romaniote haftarot for the festivals can be found in 4049:(orig. German 1868, English transl. 1978 (1978, NY, Feldheim Publrs) page 339, "The term Haftarah, derived from פטר , 'to dismiss' is the designation used.... It is the concluding portion of the 4201:

passage being Isaiah 61:1–2. Unfortunately, the Greek word used there meaning "found" does not make it clear whether the passage read was fixed beforehand or whether it was chosen at random. See

1260:= the Israeli version of Knowledge (XXG) (in Hebrew) of this article had different readings in its list. In several instances, authorities did not agree on the readings of various communities. 390:

According to some older traditions, the haftarot were read out of a special scroll containing just the selections of the Prophetic Books which were used in actual haftarot; this was known as a

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notes that some have the custom of reading from the beginning of Joshua. The later custom was gradually adopted universally, but Machzor Romania 1523 still has the Haftorah from First Kings.

4241:, Biblica, vol. 72, nr. 1 (1991) page 90-99, suggests that the quotation of Isaiah 61:1 is not a haftarah reading but the beginning of a sermon or homily, and suggests that the occasion was 189:

The origin of haftara reading is lost to history, and several theories have been proposed to explain its role in Jewish practice, suggesting it arose in response to the persecution of the

5175:(2001, Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publ'rs)(cited as "Dotan"); also by Aron Dotan, the Bible published for the chaplains and troops of the Israeli Defense Forces (1973, Tel Aviv)(cited as 828:. The Talmud rules that, while the Torah must be translated verse by verse, it is permissible to translate other readings (such as the Haftara) in units of up to three verses at a time. 2134:; or, during leap years, it is more often the Sabbath of Parashat HaChodesh. It is only read in leap years when the preceding and/or following Rosh Hashanah coincides with the Sabbath.) 4178:

for every one of the festivals, including their intermediate Sabbaths, as well as a Sabbath which is also Rosh Hodesh, the Sabbath which immediately precedes Rosh Hodesh, and Hanukkah.

596:, paragraphs 8 and 10; Paragraph 9 set out a congregational response which seems not to have been adopted; after the first verse the congregation would rise and say "Faithful are you 423:) were that it was permitted; however the haftara scroll is not decorated in the manner of the Torah scrolls but may be given distinctive (and inferior, such as copper) decorations. 5830:

Adolf Buchler, "The Reading of the Law and Prophets in a triennial cycle", Jewish Quarterly Review, vol. 5, pp. 420–268 (April 1893) & vol. 6, pp. 1–73 (October 1893).

1049:(whether or not in the form of a haftara) Sabbath afternoons. Although this practice is virtually defunct, most halachic authorities maintain that there is nothing wrong with it. 981:

In the German tradition, the Haftara for the morning of Tisha b'Av, as well as the Torah reading then, are read without cantillation at all, but rather with a melancholic melody.

468:

of a non-biblical text to be equipped with such marks. This initial blessing is only two verses, but both begin with blessing God, yet are not interrupted by an intervening Amen.

394:(ספרא דאפטרתא), and can still be found in a few communities today, both Ashkenazic and Sephardic; in some communities the scroll is made of paper. These scrolls sometimes contain 4799:(1993, NJ: Jason Aronson) s.v. "Birkhot Hahaftarah" page 113; Rabbi Eliezer Toledano, The Orot Sephardic Shabbat Siddur ("Siddur Kol Sassoon")(Lakewood, NJ, Orot, 1995) page 434. 1091:

is read by a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah at his or her respective ceremonies, along with some, all, or, sometimes none of the Torah portion. This is often referred to, mainly in

5204:(2001, Phil., Jewish Publ'n Society)(cited as "SCJ"; see article on Etz Hayim by Stein). And, of course, the very extensive list published as an appendix to volume 10 of the 4460:

There was, in fact, an early opinion that scrolls of haftarah selections were forbidden because it was forbidden to write less than a complete Biblical book. cf. Shlomo Katz,

3429:(Torah reading: Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12 ° and Genesis 1:1-2:3 and Numbers 29:35-30:1) (° the reading from Deuteronomy is divided into two parts, the first ending with 33:26) 3298:- "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God". "Some few congregations" (according to ArtScroll) read Isaiah 55:6–56:8 (the haftara associated with Vayelech and with the 5741:, Comprendre la haftara. Les prophètes de l’année juive d’après la tradition rabbinique. I. Fêtes, jeûne, chabbat spéciaux. Hotsaat ]], Montpellier/Kiryat Ata, 404 p., 2017 5200:(Rodelheim, 2nd ed. 1864)(cited as "Benisch"); Rabbinical Assembly, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (organization formerly known as United Synagagues of America), 3929:

most S: Hosea 14:2–10 (the reading from Hosea was first mentioned, as optional, for this service by Isaac Ibn Ghiyath, Spain ca. 1080, and is used by all except A)

3288:

A (acc to Dotan, Koren, Hirsch, Jerusalem Crown, Lindo, & Isr.Wikip.): Hosea 14:2–10, and Joel 2:15–27 (Benisch lists this as the A haftara for Haazinu)

446:

the Prophets was given this distinction in order to emphasize the sacred nature of the Prophetic books in the face of Samaritan rejection. If the haftara is read by the

356:, as that would run against accepted custom. Rabbi Karo's explanation, however, helps to explain why communities have varying customs regarding what to read as haftara. 2227:, of Rabbi Joseph Soloveichik, and others, to read the haftara for the next parashah from Amos, even if this meant repeating the same Amos reading two weeks in a row.) 280:(except where otherwise identified, this is the Hirsch cited throughout this article), is that the haftara reading was instituted to fight the influence of those 3667:

haftara of Rosh Hodesh , if Shabbat Hahodesh falls on the day before Rosh Hodesh, then they add the first and last verses of the haftara for the Eve of Rosh Hodesh .)

352:. Over time, certain choices became established in certain communities; in contemporary Jewish observance one may not choose his or her own haftara, explained Rabbi 290:

Certainly the haftara was read — perhaps not obligatorily nor in all communities nor on every Sabbath — as far back as circa 70 CE: The Talmud mentions that a

1598:(° However, if Vayeshev occurs during Hanukkah, which occurs when the preceding Rosh Hashanah coincided with the Sabbath, the haftara is Zechariah 2:14–4:7.) 3803:

Eighth day of Passover (in the Diaspora) (Torah reading: if not a Sabbath, Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17, if on a Sabbath Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17, and Numbers 28:19-25)

7032: 6577: 5180: 4014:

Some communities, even though they normally read the entire bridegroom's haftara for a bridegroom, now merely appended a few verses of it to the weekly haftara.

605:

would stand. This practice appears to have ceased during the Middle Ages: it is not in Amram's prayerbook of the 9th century although a phrase of it is in the

855:

mentions a haftara in antiquity (before the 2nd century CE) that was just one verse, namely Isaiah 52:3, and some others that were only four or five verses.

4976:

iv, 10, which discourages the use of 2nd Samuel, chap. 13 - the rape of Tamar - and Ezekiel, chap. 1 - the vision of the heavenly chariot. Also, Shlomo Katz,

4720:(Hebrew 1968, Engl. transl. 1981, Tel-Aviv, Sinai Publ'g) pages 270-280. Mentions of variants in the blessings are from this reference and from Macy Nulman, 327:

portion and the haftara. In some other communities, the haftara could only be read by one who had participated in the Torah reading (in some practices, the

32: 4094:

Goswell argues that the arrangement "suggests we should understand the books of Joshua - Kings as illustrating and applying the theology and ethics of the

3021:

A, S (acc to ArtScroll, JPS1917), I, Y, Algiers, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Syracuse: Isaiah 55:6-56:8 (This reading from Isaiah is also used as the afternoon (

1495:(S.R. Hirsch notes that there are conflicting traditions about Vayetze; what follows is as given in Hirsch, Hertz, Jerusalem Crown, & the Koren Bibles) 3469:- "this ". It appears there was an ancient custom to read, or to read additionally, First Kings 7:51-8:21, describing the dedication of the first Temple.) 7179: 5342:

The Posen minhagim book says to begin "ve-ata ben adam", which is verse 2. It is possible that they really started with verse 1, which is very generic.

4435:(German 1913, English transl. 1993, Philadelphia, Jewish Publ'n Society) page 146. The first printed Humash was published in Brescia, Italy, in 1492; 4699:(1993, NJ: Jason Aronson) s.v. "Birkhot Hahaftarah" page 114; Macy Nulman, "The Liturgical and Musical Development and Significance of the Haftarah", 4657:(1993, NJ: Jason Aronson) s.v. "Birkhot Hahaftarah" page 113; Macy Nulman, "The Liturgical and Musical Development and Significance of the Haftarah", 5887: 5537:(9th century) instead preferred the first chapter of Joshua since it dealt with events following the completion of the Torah and the death of Moses. 7184: 5975: 2278:

S (acc to Cassuto, ArtScroll, Hertz, IDF, Jerusalem Crown, Koren, & Hebrew Knowledge (XXG); and some S acc to Hirsch), some I: Ezekiel 20:2-20

4007: did not read the bridegroom's haftara, preferring to keep to the standard haftara of the week. Again, customs varied: 1123:; this custom changed, in the United States, in the late 19th century or early 20th century, when the Bar Mitzvah would read both the Torah and 5533:(2000, Silver Spring, Md.: Hamaayan/The Torah Spring) pages 169-170; because it mentions Solomon dedicating the Temple during Sukkos , but Rav 3229:

A, AH, S, Y: Jeremiah 31:1–19 (Benisch begins at 31:2, because Benisch is referring to the non-Hebrew numeration of the book of Jeremiah)

839:

The Talmud also says that the haftara should be at least 21 verses in length, to match the minimal Torah reading, but if the "topic finished" (

3122:(occurring in mid-summer) or later. Some of these occasions also have specific Torah readings, which (for A and S) are noted parenthetically. 4222: 4136: 382:), it is preferable to read the haftara out of a parchment scroll, and according to a small minority of posqim (mainly the followers of the 5905: 3866:(in the Diaspora) (Torah reading: if not a Sabbath Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17, if on a Sabbath Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17, and Numbers 28:26-31) 3888:, extolling God's infinite power, after which the reading from Habakkuk resumes. A minority of congregations recite a different poem, 3732:

Second day of Passover (in the Diaspora, outside of Eretz Yisrael) (Torah reading: Leviticus 22:26-23:44 and Numbers 28:16-25)

1561:

S, Y, I, R, K, AH (and many A, acc to Dotan, Lyons) (both A & S, acc to Hirsch, SJC, & Benisch): Obadiah 1:1-21 (entire book).

1037:

authorities maintain that that was not the custom in Talmudic times, and that such a custom should not be followed. In the era of the

4287:

forms of Sabbath worship would have been prohibited in the Temple or outside of it. Josephus in his version of the events adds that

2670:(In most years Matot and Masei are combined in one Sabbath , and as customary only the second haftara - the one for Masei - is read.) 2247:

A, AH: Amos 9:7-15 (this is contrary to the usual rule that when weekly portions must be combined, the second week's haftara is read)

6729: 5816: 5765: 5755: 5729: 5714: 5070: 923:

in general (presumably for study purposes), and Jews of Iraqi origin to this day preserve separate "Neviim" and "Haftara" melodies.

836:(addressing a census of Israel) is that the haftorah beginning that the people of Israel will be numerous like the sand of the sea. 331:- the last man to have read from the Torah), or even the whole congregation would read the haftara to themselves from the available 4439:, Introduction to the Massoretico-Critical Editions of the Hebrew Bible (1897, London, Trinitarian Bible Soc.; reprinted 1966, NJ, 969:

The Haftarot for the morning of Tisha b'Av, and for the Shabbat preceding it, are, in many synagogues, predominantly read to the

3937:

Fast days (other than those listed above), no morning haftara; afternoon haftara: (Torah reading: Exodus 32:11-14 and 34:1-10)

3291:

S (acc to Dotan, Koren, Hirsch, Benisch, Lindo, & Jerusalem Crown), & AH: Hosea 14:2–10, and Micah 7:18–20

2962:(The last of the Seven Haftarot of Consolation. If Nitzavim and Vayelech are read together, the haftara of Nitzavim is read.) 1279: 5236: 5152:, one-volume edition (1990, NY, Judaica Press)(cited as "Hirsch"); and lists appearing in editions of the Bible, including 6814: 5439:

This is the Haftorah for the "second day of Shemini Atzeret" according to the Talmud Bavli, Megillah 31a. Nevertheless,

5083: 3993:

the usual haftara, either before or after — depending on local custom — the closing blessings of the haftara.

6657: 6526: 5880: 4569: 3303:

exchange of haftarot if there is - as often occurs - a Sabbath in the four days between Yom Kippur and the beginning of

57: 5750:

Jacob Blumenthal & Janet L. Liss. "Etz Hayim Study Companion" available from the Jewish Publication Society, 2005.

5620:

The Posen book says that they ended וימליכו תחת אביו - it is not entirely clear if and what they skipped in the middle.

5493:

hassidim, as well the assortment of humashim and other resources used for writing this article, finds no mention of it.

5475:, Bar-Ilan University's Parashot Hashavua Study Center, Rosh Hashana 5768 (Sept. 2007); and Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein, 3130:, except Rosh Hodesh of the months of Adar, Nisan, Tevet, or (in some communities) Av or Elul; and except Rosh Hashanah 2211:

S, K, AF (and A, acc to Cassuto, Koren, IDF, Jerusalem Crown, Benisch, & Hebrew Knowledge (XXG)): Ezekiel 22:1-16 °

44:

Diglot Hebrew-English Haftara sample, showing how Sephardic and Ashkenazi traditions differ in their section boundaries

7093: 2219:(° This reading contains the verse, disparaging the city of Jerusalem, which Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus disfavored in 6039: 5384:

in the list of Haftarot in this book whether the read this Haftorah or the one from Jeremiah read by most Ashkenazim.

2443:(This haftara, in all traditions, includes Zechariah 3:2, which contains the very rarely used cantillation accent of 5107:, vol. 17 (1942-1943) page 423; Adolf Büchler, "The Reading of the Law and Prophets in a Triennial Cycle (part ii)" 4324:

Philo's Scriptures: Citations from the Prophets and Writings, Evidence for a Haftarah Cycle in Second Temple Judaism

4071:(1917, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1st series) page 4-5; it appears that in antiquity the Sabbath service ended with the 3987:

In some communities, only a few verses (possibly Isaiah 61:10 - 62:5, although the literature is unclear) were read.

7116: 5164: 5091: 988: 5760:

Kenneth S. Goldrich. "Yad LaTorah; Laws and Customs of the Torah Service. A Guide for Gabba'im and Torah Readers.

2269:

A (acc to Cassuto, Hertz, IDF, Jerusalem Crown, Benische, Dotan, Koren, & Hebrew Knowledge (XXG)): Amos 9:7-15

6783: 6707: 6607: 4448: 3715: 3137:(Torah reading: Numbers 28:9-15, acc to JPS, Hirsch, Soncino Chumash; Numbers 28:1-15, acc to Hertz, ArtScroll) 806: the King who pardons and forgives our sins and the sins of his people, the family of Israel, 7017: 5992: 5082:

Most of these Haftarot are documented in the volume edited by Hillel Sermanita and Angelo Piattelli, available

4436: 229:(the 3rd century) there was a "Scroll of Haftarot", which is not further described. Several references in the 6267: 6029: 5842: 5595: 5457: 5414: 5330: 5281: 5252: 5046: 987:

employed the Haftara cantillation melody extensively as a theme in the second movement ("Profanation") of his

875:). Among the consistent characteristics is that entire verses are read; never is only a part of a verse read. 3459:

31a), in all traditions, includes Zechariah 3:2, which contains the very rarely used cantillation accent of

5873: 5440: 1160:

is not always the same in all Jewish communities. When customs differ, this list indicates them as follows:

364:

Unlike the Torah portion, the haftara is, nowadays, normally read from a printed book. This may be either a

261:

the Torah and made do with a substitute. When they were again able to read the Torah, they kept reading the

7174: 7155: 6997: 6652: 6445: 4447:

is in the index, page 1010, s.v. "Haphtaroth") - it was also the first Biblical publication of the famous

3878:(° Many A congregations, after reading the first verse of the haftara (namely 2:20), then read an Aramaic 265:

as well. However, this theory was not articulated before the 14th century, when it was suggested by Rabbi

254: 194: 5355: 4594:, vol. 15 (1992) page p.27; H. Martin James Loewe, introduction to C.G. Montefiore & H. Loewe, edd., 3435:

S, Y: Joshua 1:1–9 (Y add verse 6:27) (some S follow this with the haftara used for a bridegroom .)

6875: 6722: 5145: 4951:(German 1913, English transl. 1993, Philadelphia, Jewish Publ'n Society) page 145; Arnold S. Rosenberg, 4213: 4127: 4042: 1933:

S, AH, AF, AP, APZ, (& I, acc to Harkavy, Cassuto, and Hebrew Knowledge (XXG)): First Kings 18:20-39

277: 4053:

service, and marks the 'dismissal' of the congregation from the first part of the service, as it were."

2747:

A, S, I, R, K: Isaiah 1:1-27 (in some congregations this is chanted, until verse 25, in the melody of

1511:

some A (acc Dotan): Hosea 12:13-14:10 and Micah 7:18-20; some other A (acc to Dotan) Hosea 12:13-14:7

287:

However, all offered explanations for the origin of reading the haftara have unanswered difficulties.

6808: 6292: 4728:(German 1913, English transl. 1993, Philadelphia, Jewish Publ'n Society) pages 147-148; Shlomo Katz, 2748: 974: 295: 222: 163: 7126: 6536: 5265: 4989:

See, generally, Adolf Büchler, "The Reading of the Law and Prophets in a Triennial Cycle (part i)"

4678:(German 1913, English transl. 1993, Philadelphia, Jewish Publ'n Society) pages 143 and 146 (citing 3769: 3390: 3078: 3073: 2878: 2573: 2400: 1309: 970: 947: 900: 896: 833: 183: 3438:

R: First Kings 8:22–34 (this is the reading originally assigned by the Talmud for this day.)

1127:

on the Sabbath immediately following his 13th birthday. The custom of the Bar Mitzvah reading the

1119:

to his Bar Mitzvah, and on the day of his Bar Mitzvah read the portion from the Torah but not the

6992: 5860: 4017:

Some communities omitted the bridegroom's haftara altogether, reading the weekly haftara instead.

2730: 2170: 2158: 2094: 2040: 1870: 226: 5970: 3514:

A, Y: Second Kings 12:1–17 (this is the selection recommended in the Talmud,

3912:

A, S, AH: Jeremiah 8:13–9:23 (chanted to the melody used for the Scroll of Lamentations)

3787:

I, R (and A and S, acc to Benisch): Ezekiel 36:37–37:17 (acc to Benisch, S stop at 37:14)

3249:

A, Y, AH, some S, some SM: Isaiah 55:6–56:8 (same as used on minchah of 9th of Av)

2085:

I, Fez: Jeremiah 7:21–28; (acc to Hebrew Knowledge (XXG)) I. adds at end Jeremiah 10:6-7

6622: 6475: 6204: 6107: 5812: 5761: 5751: 5725: 5710: 4841:

The Sabbath Service: An exposition and analysis of its structure, contents, language and ideas

4828:

The Sabbath Service: An exposition and analysis of its structure, contents, language and ideas

4718:

The Sabbath Service: An exposition and analysis of its structure, contents, language and ideas

4663:

The Sabbath Service: An exposition and analysis of its structure, contents, language and ideas

4642:

The Sabbath Service: An exposition and analysis of its structure, contents, language and ideas

4607: 4218: 4204: 4132: 4118: 3984:

In some communities, this entire haftara was read, supplanting the usual haftara of that week.

3808: 3627: 3161: 2491: 1700: 1173: 984: 369: 333: 5179:); Jewish Publication Society translations in English (generally as "JPS"; specifically, the 4262:) page 14; Samuel N. Hoenig, "Haftarah-Sidrah: Mirror Images" in Michael A. Schmidman, ed., 1717:

Y (also Algiers, Baghdad, Fez , Persia): Ezekiel 16:1–14 (acc to Dotan, 16:1–13)

7078: 7037: 6987: 6715: 6637: 6034: 5937: 5932: 5735:

David L. Leiber. "Etz Hayim: Torah & Commentary" available from www.jewishpub.org, 2001.

5702: 5486: 4100: 3508: 3243: 3110: 3046:(If the Sabbath of Haazinu coincides with Shabbat Shuvah, the Haftara for Vayelech is read.) 2976:

Algiers (acc to Dotan): Hosea 14:2–10, and Joel 2:15–27, and Micah 7:18–20

2557: 2541: 1967:

A: First Kings 7:40–50 (AF ends at 8:1) (this is the S haftara for Pekudei, next week)

1804: 1346: 1053: 707: 637: 593: 530:

congregations traditionally recite two Bible verses, which are then repeated by the maftir:

507: 434: 273: 198: 3714:

AH, (and A, acc to Dotan, SCJ, and Benisch): Joshua 3:5–7, 5:2-6:1, & 6:27 (the

2605:(25:10-30:1), if on 17 Tammuz (Diaspora only), 19 Tammuz, 21 Tammuz, 23 Tammuz or 24 Tammuz 7103: 7073: 7022: 6946: 6844: 6837: 6690: 6686: 6677: 6383: 6306: 6044: 5957: 5193: 5160: 5154: 5133: 5129: 4022: 3676: 3409: 3340: 2779: 2413: 1253: 864: 550:

The blessings that follow the reading of the haftara are chanted in the pentatonic scale.

353: 266: 250: 145: 95: 5112: 5087: 5058: 2208:

A, S (acc to Hertz, Hirsch), Berlin, (and, acc to Hirsch, A in Israel): Ezekiel 22:1-19 °

851:

is, for Ashkenazim and Sephardim only 15 verses, and for Italic Jews only 14 verses. The

5782: 5546: