Laws of Prayer and the Priestly Blessing, Chapter 13 (Auto Translated)

The Order of Torah Reading: Completing the Torah in a Year, Ezra’s Enactment, and Mincha, Monday and Thursday Readings

Laws 1-2: The Common Custom — Completing the Torah in a Year, and Ezra’s Enactment

Speaker 1:

Moshe upon Moshe, Moshe took. Okay.

Now, this is a custom. Now, there’s another interesting enactment. The Rambam seems to understand that the enactment is like, like how one reads what. That is, we learned from Sukkot, from after Sukkot until Sukkot, from Sukkot to Sukkot one reads the Torah. This is the order of the common custom. There are those who have a different custom. But there is, besides this, an enactment regarding certain portions when they should be read. Not just an enactment, these are the laws, customs and enactments.

There’s a question, that is, how exactly one divides the portions throughout the year, because it can also be many… One divides the portions according to an order so that in general it should come out before an order. Is that the word? Not just according to an order, but yes, one calculates, one calculates so that each portion should align. So it says that the Rambam understood in the enactment.

Now, there are also customs with this. There are certain portions, and one arranges with this to arrive at certain times. But it’s nonsense, it’s like this that with Bereishit and Noach and Lech Lecha one doesn’t yet think about this. Somewhere one begins to calculate the portions… One didn’t divide… How exactly were the portions divided and… however, yes, somehow this is how the portions are divided throughout the entire year.

Ezra’s Enactment — Curses Before Shavuot and Rosh Hashanah

Yes, it’s like this. Ezra enacted, here is an enactment from Ezra. Ezra was a long time ago. It was… I already know that by Ezra they already made completing the year after the year. But Ezra enacted such an enactment, “that they should read the curses at the end of Vayikra before Shavuot, and those of Mishneh Torah before Rosh Hashanah”. So Ezra made.

It’s not clear whether in Ezra’s times there already was at all… Ezra lived in Eretz Yisrael. I don’t know if in his times there already were the customs of how one reads. But he introduced that one should read. It could be that in his times… the Gemara says an interesting teaching about this, “techaleh shanah v’kilaloteha” (let the year and its curses end). I believe that’s what it means.

Because there’s a concept that it seems this is the thing, Shabbat HaGadol, Shabbat Shuva, and there are several Shabbatot. That the custom of giving a sermon was before all three festivals. There was Shabbat HaGadol, and there was also a Shabbat before… But here we’re not really talking about before Rosh Hashanah and before Shavuot. It’s not even the three festivals. It’s Shabbat Shuva… they read the Shabbat after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. I don’t know clearly, is there an enactment from Ezra? I can say teachings about this, but the fact is, we’re now learning the fact. The enactment of Ezra is that one reads the curses should be before Rosh Hashanah. It could be that’s the simple meaning. The Gemara says a different meaning.

Ezra and His Court — “The Torah Was Worthy to Be Given Through Ezra”

Ezra was the one who made the Torah reading, or a distinction regarding the enactments of Torah reading. There’s Moshe, and afterwards Ezra adds to Moshe’s enactments. And about this the Gemara says that “ra’uyah haytah haTorah shetinaten al yedei Ezra” (the Torah was worthy to be given through Ezra). Ezra is like almost a second Moshe. Only he has the expression “Moshe enacted, afterwards Ezra enacted”. It’s very interesting.

He also made all the things that we learn in the entire book of Hillel, entire laws of prayer, which has much to do with Ezra, because he also made the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah who made the siddur. Ezra and his court is the same thing as Anshei Knesset HaGedolah. There are various enactments of Ezra in marriage law. Yes, okay.

The Rambam’s “Common Custom” — Four Portions Whose Timing We’re Particular About

But now the point is that it could be that in Ezra’s time they read this simply like this, like we read on Yom Tov which doesn’t need to be in order. Today what is placed in the order, the order comes out, and one arranges the order so it should work out this way. And not only this, there are other things that were placed in the order, which is also a bit different from Ezra. It’s not clear how the Rambam understands this.

The Rambam says, “and the common custom is that they read Bamidbar Sinai before Shavuot”. We don’t really conduct ourselves like Ezra. We always read Parashat Bamidbar before Shavuot, every year. This is the custom, and one arranges, as the Rambam will say, one arranges that it should be so, that one reads every year Bamidbar before Shavuot. Very good. This isn’t clear, you see that it’s technically moved a week.

And the Rambam says, let’s read, “Va’etchanan we read after Tisha B’Av”. Another thing we’re particular about, we’re particular that the order should come out that Tisha B’Av should fall during Parashat Va’etchanan reading, and one reads the week, the Shabbat after Tisha B’Av is always Shabbat Nachamu. Shabbat Nachamu is always Va’etchanan.

And another thing we’re particular about is “v’atem nitzavim hayom kulchem” before Rosh Hashanah. We’re particular that it should always be Parashat Nitzavim before Rosh Hashanah.

And a fourth thing, the Rambam says, that they’re particular that Behar should be before Pesach in a regular year. I don’t know if we’re particular about this, but that every year in a regular year, not in a leap year, Pesach should fall in Parashat Shemini, that is, Parashat Tzav should be Shabbat HaGadol, the Shabbat before Pesach.

The Difference Between Ezra’s Enactment and the Common Custom

Now, these laws are similar to the topic of Ezra, that is, the Rambam put them together in the same place, as if so, but in practice it doesn’t match with Ezra, because Ezra said that one should read the curses before, apparently he means the Shabbat before that, and the other things that are in addition to Ezra.

So Tosafot understood, that this is simply, yes, Tosafot speaks about the question. Tosafot understood that essentially it could be, this is a way, one can be one week before, one makes a break of a week specifically, so Tosafot understood.

It could be that the Rambam understood simply that no, and one changes Ezra’s a bit, here Ezra, one doesn’t have to, rather Ezra’s enactments also mean enacted as a custom, not an obligation. It could be one changes a bit, it could be that this is the, that this is the, that this is the word, but there are other interpretations in this.

Why Bamidbar Sinai Before Shavuot?

It could be because one wants to mention, there’s an extra concept to mention Midbar Sinai before… It’s very fitting that one mentions Sinai, one places Parashat Sinai before… Is it already before Pesach, it’s not clear why, there are answers why all these things come out. Everything one can say answers, but why… No, so one does the curses a week earlier, but the week that’s right before the holiday one places today with Bamidbar Sinai, the great matter of the service of Sinai. And before Rosh Hashanah, and before Pesach… Yes yes, so the answers say. The answers are said after one has made the order. All these answers are afterwards, not beforehand. The holy Torah doesn’t say far with two words, but I remember.

In any case, therefore, since one should accomplish two things. One must finish in a year, it’s not every year the same number of portions. Especially the Rabban didn’t know that it’s called Parashat Metzora and Parashat Tazria. He always brings the beginning of the verses. And afterwards, as one will soon go “v’im bechukotai” with “Behar”, he goes the whole order. “Behar Bechukotai” is an interesting nothing. And so on. One doesn’t know.

“Kedei shetishlam bashanah” (in order to complete it in a year), in order that one should finish it in one year. And “v’yikre’u otam hasedarim be’onatam” (and they shall call them the orders in their time). Also, not only for this, whoever pays attention, why when there are exactly the portions are double always by one of the things.

Why Do We Combine Portions Specifically in Vayikra and Bamidbar?

The only thing we don’t do is Tzav. That is, if one would want that Tzav should always be erev Pesach, one would have had to combine portions even before Tzav. But all portions that one combines are either in Sefer Vayikra or in Sefer Bamidbar. Have you noticed?

And the reason is, because besides the fact that one wants to finish the Torah in one year, then one could have combined Lech Lecha with Vayera, I don’t know. But the main reason is because the place where we play is always that Pesach, Shavuot must always come out after Parashat Bamidbar. Therefore one combines during the Sefirah period which is almost most of the portions that are consecutive combined, because one must arrive already at Bamidbar in a few weeks and one doesn’t have time.

Or before Tisha B’Av. One must combine, one must arrive before Tisha B’Av after Tisha B’Av, therefore one must read… The orders aren’t very long orders, it wasn’t very lengthy. It was Metzora together it’s one hundred and thirty verses. Yes, but for example Matot Masei is very long. Matot Masei isn’t always correct. Because Matot… Whoever made the portions I don’t know exactly if he looked that the baal koreh shouldn’t read too long, I have no idea how he thought.

But this is the reason why one combines portions. If someone wants to know why the portions are combined, the answer is in order to finish in a year, and in order to arrive at the orders. The Rambam doesn’t call them portions, he calls them orders. I mean that order means like arranging what one reads, I don’t know the simple meaning. Anyway, that one can arrive in the time of this.

This is the order of Shabbat Shacharit. Yes, the entire order is only for Shacharit Shabbat. At Shacharit one does the entire order, one finishes the Torah every year, and one is precise exactly how it should come out. Right? Yes.

Further… And we read at Mincha and Monday and Thursday one does the same thing. Then one doesn’t hold at all with finishing.

Law 3: Mincha Reading, Monday and Thursday — One Reads the Same Verses Four Times

Right, very interesting. I don’t understand how it’s so good. I mean to say, people like us, people in memory, one reads the same few verses over and over.

But the Rambam says the law of Mincha and Monday and Thursday, that “from the place where they stop on Shabbat at Shacharit, there they read at Mincha, on Monday and Thursday for the coming Shabbat”. That is, there where one stopped at Shacharit, one finished Parashat Bereishit, “there they read at Mincha”, there one begins at Mincha, “on Monday and Thursday for the coming Shabbat”.

And the Rambam gives an example. “How so? The first Shabbat they read at Shacharit in the order of Bereishit. At Mincha” one begins from “v’eleh toldot Noach”, ten verses or more. And the same thing which means Monday, not one goes further, one could have thought one should go the next ten verses on Monday. No, one says the same ten verses on Monday, “and so on Thursday. And so for the coming Shabbat at Shacharit”, one continues further from “eleh toldot Noach”, “and reads until the end of the order”.

“So is the order they read all year”. That is, why exactly? One could have made that Monday and Thursday one should read conversely, other parts of the portion. One should have finished half the portion, and Shabbat the second half of the portion. One could have found other solutions how to do. There was, I think, a dispute of Tannaim about this.

A Practical Implication — “Tasting” of the Portion

It comes out that until Monday, basically, what we read, we read usually four times. And three times a week two. It’s very interesting that in practice our system works this way, because our children in cheder also learn in order. It’s true that in ninth grade one perhaps learns the entire portion, but as there are thirty-six, is three, four times approximately, I’m speaking of fourth grade until eighth grade, four times one reads until, one learns until Shlishi somewhere like that, and afterwards one learns the rest.

It’s very interesting, because it comes out that Klal Yisrael knows well the beginning of all portions. And the end is already according to the situation, according to how much they learn Chumash Rashi, or Chumash, maybe in.

Yes, it’s interesting. There lies here something a… The foundation of what lies here is, in my opinion, that if you want to know the Torah, you must invest head and majority in the Torah. And if you want to just see all… if you want to just see all… He said it’s like a small form of the tikkun leil Shavuot, it’s like a tasting. One shows a portion of the portion, and now you must find your time.

Torah Reading: Foundation, Customs, and Laws of Rosh Chodesh

Foundation of Torah Reading – Tasting or Knowing?

Speaker 1:

Yes, it’s interesting, there lies here something a… The foundation of this life that lies here is, in my opinion, that if you want to know the Torah you must review from the Torah reading. The Rambam says that one must learn everything. The Torah reading is made only to fulfill. It’s like a small form of tikkun leil Shavuot, which is like a tasting. One shows you a portion of the portion, and now you should find your time and learn the whole.

Speaker 2:

So that’s already an interpretation. I think it’s even less than that. The concept isn’t to know. The Torah reading isn’t made as knowing the Torah. Knowing the Torah is learning the entire Torah, so that Torah should not be forgotten from Israel. Not to finish. So that Torah should not be forgotten is indeed more like that. One only reads a few verses.

The truth is, what one does in cheder that one only learns until Sheni is a wrong. There’s no reason at all that one shouldn’t learn portions in order, the entire thing. A cheder is made that one should know the Torah, it’s not made that one should be a shul. A shul is a place for the public to learn a bit of Torah, to grab a bit of strength, one says a good word, one says a dvar Torah, one says a mussar sermon, all the same thing. But a cheder is made that one should know the Torah, it’s not made that one should be a shul. The reality is that the children are a bit like you, so it should be better, I agree.

Customs in the Rambam – Distinction Between Laws and Siddur

Speaker 2:

Now, on Simchat Torah, what is the custom? The Rambam only says a custom. There’s no law here at all, it’s not even a custom. It’s very interesting. It seems, I don’t know, I try to think theories. It seems that the Rambam… There are customs that the Rambam brings here in the book in the laws, and there are customs that are only like part of his siddur. So when he brings a siddur he says it already more as a custom.

It could be that the Rambam understood that customs that already stand in the Gemara, or that already have a source, and I think that all these customs already stand in the Gemara… Not exactly, I mean that what one reads Bamidbar before Shavuot doesn’t stand in the Gemara, it’s perhaps from the Geonim. Customs that he looks at because they’re very early customs he brings in the book. Other customs where there’s still today a difference, he can say so. Yes, because the Haftarah for example, one sees that we don’t do everything like the Rambam, there are other customs. And you only bring the end, the Targum. It could be this is the difference.

Haftarah – The Reason for Maftir in the Prophets

Speaker 2:

I think an interesting thing. The concept of… It stands clearly why they enacted maftir in the Prophets? To show that the Prophet, as if to connect the Torah with the Prophets. It doesn’t stand. It stands yes, we said, we already spoke several times, we don’t say out the reason. What does say mean? I don’t say out. But it’s very interesting, because apparently it seems to me the concept, to connect all prophets with the prophecy of Moshe. It already stands, all prophets are connected to the Torah.

It comes very well into place that there should be places in the Prophets which is a topic connected to the Torah. This makes a great motivation that one should find similarities, one should find the Torah in the Prophets, yes? One must now have fifty-two places in the Prophets that speak of the portion. A wonderful way of making that it should indeed be connected Torah with Prophets.

This doesn’t stand that this is the reason. The reason is, I know that it’s not clear why this is the reason. Why not? Because reading in the Prophets? Reading in the Prophets is perhaps a reason. One can’t say that one connects parts of the Torah, like one connects night with day, one connects… Yes, both things don’t stand in the Rambam. Not in the Rambam.

I think it’s the opposite. That is, one already reads, the concept is that one wants to read a bit of Prophets, because the Prophets didn’t begin to be read. I mean, why shouldn’t one read it? Which piece? One finds a piece. This could be, what you say, that it could be that one says, the Rambam doesn’t say which Haftarah, and one says that there’s no concept to finish the entire Prophets. But in practice, the baal koreh, today he looks in the siddur and he simply knows what to read, because it doesn’t concern him. But a baal koreh had to learn Prophets to know which piece. He had to know the entire Prophets to choose a piece. Why should he have to learn the entire Prophets to be able to choose?

Right, but it also gave a tremendous momentum that every Shabbos you find similarities between the Haftorah and the Torah reading, as the prophet says “certainly the Torah of Moshe.” It’s very nice, but to be really honest, the connections of the prophet with the Torah are sometimes crumbs of Torah. I mean, it’s not crumbs of Torah, it’s small hints. There’s a word, there’s a similar expression. The connections aren’t such tremendous connections.

I’m telling you, therefore, you’re probably with this, the matter is something that one should bring in. If you don’t want to say it, you don’t say it. I don’t want to be the one who says it. But that’s not the reason. The reason is that one must read. That’s which mitzvah, it must be the same connection. I don’t agree that this is the reason. In the beginning one must have much clearer. After Birkot HaTorah one says a verse, and afterwards one says a halacha pesuka. This also says that the reason for that is in order to fulfill Birkot HaTorah. It’s not a connection to all these things. This is one of the interpretations to connect, but the prophet does what it does.

Halacha 4 – Torah Reading on Rosh Chodesh

Speaker 2:

Okay, now, until here we’ve learned what one does on Shabbos. What does one read on Rosh Chodesh? So, here there is I think a dispute, there are other orders how they divide the aliyot on Rosh Chodesh. But the Rambam says that one does this way. On Rosh Chodesh it’s like this, the first, there are four aliyot, remember, and what one reads, the Rambam says now, one reads, the Rambam calls it “Parshat Tzav.”

What does Parshat Tzav mean? The section of Rosh Chodesh is in Parshat Tzav? Not Parshat Tzav, or?

Speaker 1:

No, Parshat Tzav is Parshat Pinchas. Parshat Tzav is “Tzav et bnei Yisrael v’amarta aleihem et korbani lachmi,” that parsha.

Speaker 2:

So we see here that in the Rambam’s times the parsha certainly wasn’t as clear cut as we say today. If someone wrote to the Rambam an invitation to a wedding Parshat Tzav, he would have come on the right date, not here. Very good. So they remembered, the Rambam had other names for the parshiyot. So Parshat Tzav is the parsha that describes the korbanot. Parshat Pinchas, Parshat HaKorbanot.

The Order of Four Aliyot – The Rambam’s Advice

Speaker 2:

And the Rambam doesn’t say how one begins. So you see that the Rambam begins, he says like this, one begins, how does it begin? Look into the parsha to see, do you have it? To see the beginning of this. Yes, one begins from the korban tamid. “Tzav et bnei Yisrael v’amarta aleihem et korbani lachmi l’ishai,” okay? Three verses one holds here, says the Rambam.

The point is like this, when one has reached Rosh Chodesh, Rosh Chodesh is the eleventh verse. So we want to have four aliyot, and what’s the problem? Four aliyot one must have at least twelve verses.

Speaker 1:

No, there is from the eleventh verse, but it goes until the fifteenth verse. There are fifteen verses.

Speaker 2:

So what is he stuck?

Speaker 1:

Ah, ah, there’s a problem, one may not leave over in a parsha more than three verses, and here there is a parsha.

Speaker 2:

Ah, remember, where is there a parsha? There’s no… I don’t know exactly the piece. Do they have here a halacha? One may not leave over in a parsha more than…

Speaker 1:

Very good. There are eight verses here in the first parsha, right? Until “u’veyom haShabbat” begins a new parsha.

Speaker 2:

So, here there is a problem. One wants to read here a parsha of eight verses, we need to have… we need to know how to divide. So, what the Rambam is the advice, the answer…

Speaker 1:

The last one would only have had two verses.

Speaker 2:

So says the Rambam an advice like this: The first should read the first three verses, that’s not a problem, there are enough verses. The second begins from the third verse, begins from verse gimmel, not from verse dalet where he would have had to begin. He begins from verse gimmel, he reads again “v’amarta aleihem,” and he reads three verses.

Why is that okay? Because he says a new thing, he doesn’t begin in the middle of some topic. “V’amarta aleihem” is a new beginning of a new statement. That’s true, but I don’t believe that one cared about that. The halacha doesn’t say so. Why not? Because the third oleh could have added another verse. Look what he does, the third oleh, okay? One begins from verse gimmel and he reads three verses. So there remain three verses until the end of the parsha of korban tamid, in order not to leave over in the parsha three verses.

With the third, says the Rambam, what does he do? He reads three verses from the remainder, “with u’veyom haShabbat.” “U’veyom haShabbat” is a small parsha of two verses. So, the Rambam understood it that one also cannot leave over an entire parsha. There is such a question, when one says that one may not leave over in a parsha three verses, whether it also means an entire parsha which is only two verses. One can stop here, on your side you’ve stopped at a parsha. On the other hand, the entire parsha is only two verses, it comes out that you’re leaving over two verses.

Says the Rambam that the second must read… the third, sorry, with the entire “u’veyom haShabbat.” And the fourth reads “u’verashei chodsheichem”, the entire “u’verashei chodsheichem,” and yes, it’s a large parsha, it has enough and space. This is the Rambam’s order of how one does on Rosh Chodesh. Right?

Discussion: The Order of Aliyot on Rosh Chodesh

Speaker 1:

I want, I remember how we do on Rosh Chodesh. Do you do this way on Rosh Chodesh? I’m reviewing, yes, but it’s very interesting to me. One minute, why couldn’t the last one have read the entire “u’veyom haShabbat”? There would have remained more than two verses from the previous parsha.

Speaker 2:

The problem is the first parsha. The problem is the first parsha. So one must combine the first. And the “u’verashei chodsheichem” is three verses?

Speaker 1:

Yes. Not three verses, it’s even more than three verses. The “u’verashei chodsheichem” is five, six verses. I don’t remember, but there is in “u’verashei chodsheichem” more than three verses. That’s not the problem. The problem is, one cannot, but the “u’verashei chodsheichem” is not large enough to divide. It’s only one, two, three, four, five verses. You can’t divide into four aliyot. You can read four times “u’verashei chodsheichem,” I counted it.

Speaker 2:

One makes four aliyot, because so, it doesn’t say that one does this on Rosh Chodesh. Very good. This is worthwhile to do, to make four aliyot with all the rules of three parshiyot, and not leave a parsha, and not open a parsha without reading three verses from it. Okay, very good.

Rosh Chodesh That Falls on Shabbos

Speaker 2:

Say further, what happens when Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos? One must read the regular Torah of Shabbos, and the completion that we always do as maftir, one begins “u’veyom haShabbat,” and in the second Sefer Torah the one who completes reads “u’verashei chodsheichem.” The one who completes means the last oleh, the last oleh that we called the aliyah of acharon. And what does he do? He reads “u’verashei chodsheichem.” It’s not a problem.

And one begins from Shabbos already when it’s Rosh Chodesh Shabbos. Not like the Rambam says, but the Rambam, the Rama, yes, we begin “u’veyom haShabbat.” Yes, one doesn’t begin, when it’s Shabbos Rosh Chodesh, one already begins “u’verashei chodsheichem,” one begins “u’veyom haShabbat,” because one doesn’t have an opportunity to read the musaf of Shabbos also. That’s the reason.

Speaker 1:

Everything follows the main thing.

Speaker 2:

Yes, it’s not a reason. One is not obligated apparently, it’s just a nice thing. Actually, every Shabbos one could read the Haftorah of Shabbos, but that’s not the custom.

But the congregation noticed this. Ah, they told me to take out another Torah. Okay, that’s the point, right? Okay.

One is not fulfilled with prayer, because one says “b’musafim” for that also.

Speaker 1:

Yes, on Yom Tov also one says “b’musafim.” It’s not a proof. Torah reading is one thing, and davening is another thing.

Speaker 2:

And this is the halacha of… and what is the custom with the Haftorah? Says the Rama, “and if they read the matter of Rosh Chodesh the maftir,” what? Reads? Oh, the “if they read in,” what’s the translation? “And if they read”? Sorry.

One says that one takes out a second Sefer Torah when one reads, usually the… I don’t catch what he’s saying. One interrupts… It could be that he means to say that if one read something else,

Chapter 13: Order of Torah Reading Content – Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and the Custom of Two Sifrei Torah

Note About Memory in the Ramban

Here in memory it says in the Ramban “kol habechor.” It could be that the Ramban meant Parshat HaMo’adot from Torat Kohanim, I don’t know.

Anyway, Mordechai said that he had a connection to Mordechai the Jew, that he was a grandson of Shaul HaMelech who didn’t kill Agag. What does one say about Habakkuk? Habakkuk is also here some sort of story with Mordechai.

In short, whatever it is, it’s a nice Haftorah.

Rosh Hashana – Halacha 11

The Halacha of Torah Reading

On Rosh Hashana, one reads “bachodesh hashevi’i be’echad lachodesh.” This is the mitzvah of Rosh Hashana that appears in Parshat Pinchas.

There is perhaps a confusion, there is a chodesh hashevi’i that appears in Parshat Pinchas, and chodesh hashevi’i that appears in Parshat Emor. In any case, the halacha is from Rosh Hashana, but the custom is different.

The Custom of Rosh Hashana

The custom is simply that one reads on Rosh Hashana “VaHashem pakad et Sarah”, why? Because on Rosh Hashana Sarah was remembered, to recall the merit of Sarah. And maftir “Vayehi ish echad min haRamatayim”, because Chana was on Rosh Hashana according to the Midrash.

And on the second, second day of Rosh Hashana, one reads “VeHaElokim nisa et Avraham” to recall the merit of Akeidat Yitzchak. And one is maftir “Haben yakir li Efrayim”, because it speaks of remembrances, it speaks of the Almighty’s love for Jews, something like that not clear what comes in.

The Custom Makes Nicer Verses

Now, nice verses. The custom makes nicer verses. The halacha is the halacha, and the custom always finds nice stories to tell.

Yom Kippur – Halacha 12

Yom Kippur There Is No Dispute

On Yom Kippur there is no dispute.

On Yom Kippur in the morning one reads “Acharei Mot”, yes, the service of Yom Kippur. Maftir “Ko amar ram v’nisa”, where it speaks about “halazeh tzom evchareihu,” it speaks about what is a fast. It’s a nice Haftorah for a fast.

At Mincha – Arayot

And at mincha it’s like this, it’s interesting. At mincha of Yom Kippur one reads the arayot that are in Acharei Mot. It’s interesting that it’s a piece that continues from shacharit. One skips one small piece, but one reads further Parshat Arayot.

But the Ramban says why? In order that anyone who stumbled in one of them should return in teshuva. It’s interesting that’s what he says. It’s a type of sin that happens sometimes with people, and on Yom Kippur one must do teshuva. So one found the famous sin to read about it, and so the one who stumbled will be ashamed, one hears, one reads to him, what should he do? He should do teshuva, he should stop doing it.

Says the Rambam that there is another explanation.

Discussion: Why Specifically Arayot?

There are other options, because one could have read forbidden foods, because all matters that have to do with character traits, like Kedoshim that has to do with pride, arrogance, all these things one must be explicit about, it doesn’t help the matter of teshuva. It helps on matters between man and God. One could have put forbidden foods or forbidden relations, and that’s right next in the Torah. So one should put before something that Jews stumble in that one must do teshuva for today. But he explains this.

Okay, in short, I hear, I don’t know if it’s enough to do teshuva, one must stop doing it. True. That means by both one must stop doing it. The reading is only that one should remember. Right, but I say it fits more to say this as a matter of between man and his fellow, because here you can by the lender himself already do teshuva. What is going with the small one already do teshuva? I’m telling you, I’m not sure, because one must by both… I mean, one should read… one also does the wicked will be ashamed, the Haftorah must also be… the Haftorah also speaks that one curses the wicked, one also says… No, the Haftorah of Yeshaya he cries there, “kra b’garon al tachsoch,” the Haftorah of shacharit.

Maftir Yonah

“And the third” – ah, “and the third who reads in the Torah”, the third who reads at mincha three readers, is the maftir in Yonah. Here there is a Haftorah of mincha, as everyone claims that one must have a Haftorah at mincha, one makes a reader maftir Yonah.

Why does one read maftir on Yom Kippur? The Rambam also doesn’t say why, but there one also speaks about teshuva, that the people of Nineveh did teshuva, etc.

Sukkot – Halacha 13

First Two Days

Okay, anyway, Sukkot is what one does like this, one reads the first two days Parshat Mo’adot, that means the festivals. Here one sees that Parshat HaMo’adot means all festivals. Parshat Shavuot there is a problem in the language of the Rambam, but Parshat HaMo’adot one means to say shor o kesev o eiz. And Sukkot one does both, the first two days one reads the same thing, yes?

And one is maftir on the first day “Hinei yom ba laHashem”, it speaks a prophecy about the future to come, it’s also not, I don’t know clearly why, ah, it speaks about Sukkot in Zechariah, it speaks there about Chag HaSukkot.

And on the second day “Vayikahalu el hamelech Shlomo”, which speaks about the dedication of the Temple which was also on Sukkot.

The Last Yom Tov – Shemini Atzeret

And on the last Yom Tov, that means the second day of Yom Tov of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, one reads “Kol habechor”, that means Parshat HaMo’adot that is in Mishneh Torah, as one calls it.

And one is maftir “Vaya’amod Shlomo”, this is the custom that one is maftir “Vaya’amod Shlomo,” this is also the continuation of the blessing that Shlomo gave, I think, to the people then.

But we don’t do so, rather we do the second custom, and there are those who are maftir “Acharei mot Moshe”, one goes, it’s a continuation, Moshe died, one begins from the next parsha, like, yes.

Chol HaMoed Sukkot – Halacha 13-14

The Halacha of Torah Reading on Chol HaMoed

And on the rest of the days of the festival, this is the halacha, soon we’ll see that we conduct ourselves a bit differently. And on the rest of the days of the festival one reads the korbanot of the festival, one reads the korbanot of the festival, that means Parshat Pinchas.

How? The order goes like this, on each and every day of Chol HaMoed one reads two parshiyot. That means, here there is a problem, here further there is a problem, yes, on Sukkot we have here a problem, why? Because one wants to read the reading of that day, but there aren’t enough verses, one only speaks of two verses if I remember, in Parshat Pinchas there aren’t enough verses to make three aliyot.

The Order of Repetition

So what does one do? Says the Rambam that one does like this, on the third day of the beginning of Chol HaMoed, the Kohen reads on the second day, and the Levi reads on the third day, and the Yisrael reads on the third day, and the fourth repeats and reads on the second day and on the third day. One reads three times basically each thing. The Kohen reads only on the second day, the Levi on the third day, and the Yisrael, sorry, the Yisrael repeats on the third day, and the fourth repeats both on the second day and on the third day. So says the Rambam.

How does he see this? On Chol HaMoed one repeats verses. Yes.

“And on the fourth day”, we do differently, we make the next day because it’s the second Sefer Torah, we also do so, I don’t remember what we do. “And on the fourth day” there’s no difference, on Chol HaMoed one does the same thing, “and on the third day”, “and on the fourth day”, in this manner.

The Whole Reason

This is the Rambam, the custom that we do, the whole reason is why? That one should be able to have, yes, one should be able to have four aliyot from not enough verses. Very good.

This is the opinion of the Rambam. There are about this other opinions and other customs whoever wants to delve in. We conduct ourselves differently, we want to read also the day of tomorrow and the day of tomorrow on Chol HaMoed.

Custom of Two Sifrei Torah – Halacha 15

Innovation: This Doesn’t Appear in the Gemara

“And on each and every day”, okay, now it’s like this, now there is an interesting thing. Until here we’ve learned what the enactments of Torah reading are, one only spoke about one Torah on Yom Tov.

Now the Rambam says a new halacha, which we know that this doesn’t really appear in the Gemara, this is a custom. We take out, as you perhaps remember, I don’t know, that one makes maftir, and every Yom Tov one makes maftir from Parshat Pinchas. This is not a thing that appears in the Gemara at all.

In the Gemara it only says on one Yom Tov one reads the korbanot, that is Chol HaMoed Sukkot, we’ve now learned that the main reading of Sukkot, one doesn’t need to take out two Torahs on Chol HaMoed. On Chol HaMoed one takes out one Torah, because then the main law of the present time, one reads the korbanot of the festival.

But all Yamim Tovim, we’ve now learned the reading of all Yamim Tovim, we haven’t yet spoken about at all readings from the musafim of Yamim Tovim. The Geonim made a new custom that one takes out another Torah and one reads the musaf of that day. This says the Rambam now.

The Halacha

Laws of Torah Reading: Conclusion — Shnayim Mikra V’echad Targum

On every single day of Yom Tov and Yom Kippur, and even during the seven days of Pesach, except for Chol HaMoed Sukkos when we don’t take out a second Sefer Torah, because we’ve already read the first reading.

We take out two Sifrei Torah in the morning. So, one first at the beginning of Shemini Atzeres, that’s what we just read now. And the second one reads the korban of that day, which is in Parshas Pekudei, yes, in Sefer Bamidbar it says the korbanos of each Yom Tov. And the one who reads the korban, he is the maftir in the navi, because that’s the maftir, that’s what we do.

This is a custom, I think it’s a later custom, it’s not written anywhere about this. Where it came from I don’t know, but anyway.

Order of Two/Three Sifrei Torah – Law 16

The Order When Taking Out Two Torahs

Now, one needs to know what the order is when taking out two Torahs. We already learned in the previous chapter what the order is regarding the maftir, that we say a Kaddish between the main reading and the maftir.

The Rama says, we do this: On every day when we take out two sefarim or three, when we take out three, Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Chanukah, if he took out one after the other, if we take out, that means not, the Rama says, when we want to read we took them out then from the Aron. Yes, how do we do it?

We don’t do it that way, we take them all out and we lay them out. But the Rama did it a bit, it’s not, in the Rama it’s hinted that one can do it differently. The Rama says, if we take out one after the other, that means we can do it like we do, that we take out both at once.

But if we take out one at a time, when he returns the first one he says Kaddish, afterwards we say Kaddish, and then he takes out the second, when he returns it afterwards he says Kaddish, we say Kaddish twice. Once when we put back the first, and once when we put back the second.

The Function of Kaddish

The Kaddish is here to make breaks. We already learned this by the order of prayer, when we simply want to make a break, we make a Kaddish. The Kaddish is like, okay, we’ve finished one piece, now we’re going to do another piece, in between we say Kaddish. Who knows, it’s a break. It’s like the Kaddish is an aspect of Krias HaTorah, a break is made.

Simple Custom

Yes, it’s a simple custom to say Kaddish after the one who completes always reads, that the custom is even when we take out one Torah, after the last aliyah, after the one who completes, the one who is last, yes, after the… and then they read the haftarah in the navi, like we also do. When we take out two sefarim, we put down the sefer on the bimah, we say a Kaddish in between, and… okay, there are more details about the customs.

Shabbos Chol HaMoed – Law 17

The Reading

And now, Shabbos Chol HaMoed. No, Shabbos that falls on Chol HaMoed. What do we read? We already learned before the order of reading for Pesach and Sukkos on Chol HaMoed, but when it’s Shabbos there’s a different reading. So, what do we do?

Whether on Pesach or on Sukkos, whether Pesach or Sukkos there’s one reading for Shabbos Chol HaMoed. What do we read? First on Shabbos, “Re’eh atah omer eilai” (See, You say to me). It’s on Shabbos.

Order of Torah Reading: Shabbos Chol HaMoed, Chanukah, Purim, Tisha B’Av, and Fast Days

Okay. There are more details about this, customs, by all means, we see people in shiur who do differently, and it bothers people so. Okay, we’ll learn what the Rama said.

Now, Shabbos falls on Chol HaMoed. What do we read? We already learned before the order of reading for Pesach and Sukkos Chol HaMoed, but when it’s Shabbos there’s a different reading. What do we do? Whether by Pesach, or by Sukkos, there’s one reading for Shabbos Chol HaMoed. What do we read? “Re’eh atah omer eilai” (See, You say to me). It’s the best mussar that exists for Klal Yisrael. The Yamim Tovim are mentioned there, but why do we start a bit earlier, not “Pesal lecha” (Carve for yourself)? We start “Re’eh atah omer eilai.” No, that means, when there’s other… because he’s asking there for the revelation of the Shechinah. There’s a reason why. Yes, a beautiful explanation.

Haftaros of Shabbos Chol HaMoed

Anyway, and the haftarah is different. We read as maftir on Pesach “Ha’atzamos hayeveishos” (The dry bones), yes, the resurrection of the dead from Yechezkel. And after Pesach a festival, that’s Sukkos, “Bayom bo Gog” (On the day Gog comes), we speak about the war of Gog and Magog.

All these haftaros of Yamim Tovim have a lot to do with the future redemption, simply the essence of Yom Tov. The Bnei Yissaschar brings from the Mateh Moshe that the story of the Exodus from Egypt must cover all the principles of faith, and he includes the dry bones and the resurrection of the dead, but it’s not so clear yet, it’s not hinted at in Pesach. In Pesach it’s not hinted? Ah, and the order isn’t like that. The dry bones speaks clearly about the resurrection of the dead.

In any case, we see clearly that on Yom Tov one must speak about Mashiach. In general, the haftarah, almost very many haftaros speak about Mashiach. It’s a favorite thing. Chanukah… every other week.

Chanukah – Order of Reading

But Chanukah is like this, “Uvayom harishon kohanim” (And on the first day, the priests). On Chanukah we read the nesi’im, as it says in the Mishnah, “BaChanukah banesi’im” (On Chanukah, the princes). But the Rama adds more to the order. The first day we read from Birkas Kohanim.

Why do we start from Birkas Kohanim? We start from the beginning of the parsha. But it’s not the beginning of the parsha. We can start in the middle of a parsha, we can start two verses into a parsha. It’s just, it looks just, it’s a nice thing, Birkas Kohanim. What could it be? Could it cost something to read Birkas Kohanim? It was kohanim who made Chanukah. It’s appropriate to read about kohanim. Start with Birkas Kohanim.

In short, we read Birkas Kohanim until the end of “mikra vayomru rishon,” that means already. The second day we read korei sheini, sheker basheni, one must remember which it is. He says after the nasi, “vechayim” until “vayishme’u.” And “vayishme’u” everyone finishes. We read from “vayishme’u” until the end of all the korbanos, until the end of the order, until the end of… we also read, we read another piece at the end, yes, that’s kol hakorbanos, whatever, the end of the entire Parshas Naso.

Haftaros of Shabbos Chanukah

Umaftirin on Shabbos of Chanukah. What Torah? On Shabbos of Chanukah we read “Roni vesimchi” (Sing and rejoice) from Zechariah, the haftarah, the prophecy that Zechariah the prophet had about the menorah. Yes, the vision, the menorah with seven branches, yes, “vaya’as tish’a esros.”

Sometimes there are two Shabbosos of Chanukah, that means when Chanukah falls on Shabbos there can be two Shabbosos of Chanukah, so we make the first Shabbos “Roni vesimchi,” and the second “Neiros Shlomo,” which is the menorah that Shlomo made for the Beis HaMikdash.

And the one who reads on Chanukah is maftir in the navi, because we’re talking about Shabbos, yes, on Shabbos we read the parsha of the day, and we take out another Torah and we read in the navi, and he is the Torah, he is the maftir.

Purim – Order of Reading

On Purim we read in the morning “Vayavo Amalek” (And Amalek came). What’s the connection? Yes, Haman was from the seed of Amalek. What’s the connection? Yes, we also read Zachor, why on Purim must we read the Megillah? Yes.

Tisha B’Av – Order of Reading

On Tisha B’Av in the morning we read… this is the parsha of Va’eschanan, the parsha of Va’eschanan, it’s a matter of rebuke, yes. Also Tisha B’Av always falls in Parshas Va’eschanan, we’ll talk about it.

And we read as maftir “Asof asifeim” (I will utterly consume them), there it speaks about the redemption. No, no, it speaks about… it speaks about “Asof asifeim,” it speaks about… yes, yes, it’s a gathering. There it says “ki ashuva nircha al hamechonah,” it’s a verse of strong lamentations, yes, it’s at Mincha.

At Mincha the Rambam says we read “Vayechal” (And he pleaded) like on other fast days.

Other Fast Days – Order of Reading

It’s good, that’s what we do on Tisha B’Av. On other fast days it’s like this, when we fast for troubles and for decrees, in other words, Asarah B’Teves and so on, we read both in the morning and at Mincha. We read both in the morning and at Mincha.

And what do we read? The first… by both, the first one reads “Vayechal Moshe” (And Moshe pleaded) four verses, and the second and third read from “Pesal lecha” (Carve for yourself) until “asher ani oseh imach” (that which I am doing with you). This is the custom for other fast days.

Fast Days Decreed for Troubles – Blessings and Curses

But at times of fast days that the community decrees for troubles, whether… it says there was a drought, or there was a trouble, then we read blessings and curses. Apparently it means what we spoke about earlier, yes, Birkas Kohanim and the rebuke, which we call tochachah. The Mishnah doesn’t call it tochachah, but blessings and curses. Why? Kedei sheyashuvu (so that they should return), yes, “veyikana levavam” (and their hearts will be humbled), so that they should return, so they should be frightened and do teshuvah.

Innovation: The Rambam’s Distinction Between Fast Days

Here we see an interesting thing. In the Mishnah it says “on fast days, blessings and curses.” The simple understanding in the Mishnah is, it means fast days all fast days, including Tisha B’Av, including perhaps not including Tisha B’Av, including the other fast days and the like. We have a custom that we read “Vayechal” on a fast day. The custom doesn’t appear in the Mishnah.

It seems that the Rambam understood that this is the distinction. That fast days that we go for a trouble, then we need to do teshuvah, we read blessings and curses. But fast days that we fast for the past, it’s not really that we should do teshuvah. It’s just like that, it’s a decree of the community, what does it say to arouse to teshuvah, but it seems it’s not really so that they should return in teshuvah, so we don’t read blessings and curses, but rather “Vayechal Moshe.”

Tlasa D’Puranusa – Three Shabbosos Before Tisha B’Av

Ah, here the Rambam says, we spoke about this earlier. Earlier we spoke that there’s a Gemara about what we read before Tisha B’Av and afterwards, and there’s a custom that’s different. The Rambam now brings the custom.

All of Israel has the custom to read as maftir before Tisha B’Av, that means, according to the basic law we read normally from the parsha of the week. If it’s Rosh Chodesh, we read “Hashamayim kis’i” which we learned. But the custom is that we read on Shabbos before Tisha B’Av three Shabbosos of words of rebuke, three Shabbosos of tochachah, which are called in Aramaic “tlasa d’puranusa” (three of punishment).

The Rambam’s Order – Different from Our Custom

The first haftarah we read “Divrei Yirmiyahu” (The words of Yirmiyahu), yes, the matter from Sefer Yirmiyahu. The second “Chazon Yeshayahu” (The vision of Yeshayahu). But the Rambam has a different order than us. We read “Divrei Yirmiyahu,” and then the second, we read two haftaros from Yirmiyahu and one from Yeshayahu. The Rambam’s custom was one from Yirmiyahu and two from Yeshayahu. That means, he divided what we read on Shabbos Chazon they divided into two parshiyos. So the Rambam reads the first “Divrei Yirmiyahu,” the second “Chazon Yeshayahu,” and the third is “Eicha yashva” (How she sits alone), which is literally the beginning of Eicha, in verse 28 itself.

Sheva D’Nechamta – After Tisha B’Av

And likewise the Shabbos after Tisha B’Av we read as maftir “Nachamu nachamu ami” (Comfort, comfort My people), the Rambam says this is the custom of all Israel. Then the Rambam adds, “a widespread custom in our lands,” this is our custom, “to read as maftir the consolations of Yeshayahu from after Tisha B’Av until Rosh Hashanah,” this is what we call sheva d’nechamta, these are all consolations from Yeshayahu. The Rambam doesn’t bring specifics, he doesn’t bring here which pieces, but the custom is that we read consolations from Tisha B’Av until Rosh Hashanah, we console, we comfort the Jews.

Shabbos Shuvah

And then another widespread custom, also not a law but a custom, “the Shabbos between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we read as maftir Shuvah Yisrael (Return, O Israel),” from Yeshayahu, that we should do teshuvah, which is called Shabbos Shuvah.

Four Parshiyos – Beginning of the Topic

And then, another law, until here we learned what we read every Shabbos, every Yom Tov, every fast day, and so on. Now we’re going to learn another reading that we read, which is called the four parshiyos. The Rambam didn’t bring it in here, because this is an extra law from the Torah, the Rambam just puts it in as another order of Torah reading, this is another enactment that the Sages enacted, which appears in the Mishnah, it’s not like every parsha which is just, but the order that it appears in the Mishnah like the law, we’ll learn in Chapter 13.

Parshas Shekalim (First)

“Rosh Chodesh Adar that falls on Shabbos we read Parshas Shekalim”, if Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos we read Parshas Shekalim, “and we read as maftir in Yehoyada the Kohen”, where it says that they brought shekalim.

“And likewise”, this is not only if Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos, but also “if Rosh Chodesh falls during the week even on Erev Shabbos, we advance and read on the Shabbos before it Parshas Shekalim”.

The law is like this, this is our Mishnah, if it’s Shabbos we read Shekalim, and also if it’s before Shabbos. That’s the point. You don’t want to say a standard better rule. I’ll say on the first week of the month of Adar. No, it’s not. Erev Shabbos Mevorchim Adar is often. On Erev Shabbos Mevorchim Adar we read on Shabbos. It’s the week either when Shabbos is Rosh Chodesh Adar, or when it’s before Rosh Chodesh Adar.

Parshas Zachor (Second)

Okay. So it says in the Mishnah. On the second Shabbos, it’s the week after, we’ll soon see what the second Shabbos means. The second Shabbos doesn’t mean literally the week after. We read Zachor, yes, Amalek, and we read as maftir “Ko amar Hashem Tzevakos pakadti es asher asah Amalek” (Thus says Hashem of Hosts, I have noted what Amalek did), which is the destruction of Amalek.

And what does the second Shabbos mean? It says in the Mishnah, it doesn’t mean the second. It means “as long as they overlap to be adjacent, even on Erev Shabbos.” Second means that it should be second to the four parshiyos, yes, sometimes there’s a week in between. As long as the three parshiyos overlap, as long as they overlap to be adjacent even on Erev Shabbos.

Parshas Parah (Third)

Yes, the third parsha, on the third we read Parah Adumah, this is called Shabbos Parah. We read Parshas Chukas, Parah Adumah, and we read as maftir “Vezarakti aleichem mayim tehorim” (And I will sprinkle upon you pure water), which also speaks about the matter, Parah purifies.

What does the third Shabbos mean? The third adjacent to the fourth. The one that’s next to the fourth. So in between, as the Rashbam says that it says in the Mishnah “between the third and fourth there’s no interruption,” like by the four cups. Between the third and fourth there’s never an interruption. Often there’s an interruption between the first and second.

Parshas HaChodesh (Fourth)

We should read “Hachodesh hazeh lachem rosh chadashim” (This month shall be for you the beginning of months) in honor of the new month. The fourth, we’ll soon see what the fourth is. On the fourth we read HaChodesh hazeh, and we read as maftir. He already says, by saying we read HaChodesh hazeh from Nisan. No, he doesn’t say. He says that the fourth, which speaks about Rosh Chodesh Nisan, “as long as it’s adjacent to Rosh Chodesh Nisan, even on Erev Shabbos.” The fourth is the week before Rosh Chodesh Nisan.

And the third is one before that. Sometimes it’s right after Parah, sometimes there’s a week in between. That’s the names. That means, what he says, sometimes there’s an interruption between the second and third, and sometimes there are both interruptions, between the first and second and between the second and third. But between the third and fourth we don’t interrupt.

How Do the Parshiyos Work Practically?

Ah, now how do the parshiyos work? It’s not simple we stop, we don’t read the parsha of the week. But what do we do? We take out two Torahs, yes? If it’s the four parshiyos, we read the four parshiyos in the second sefer, then we read on Shabbos in the third sefer. And here it can also happen that we take out three Torahs, for example Rosh Chodesh. We’ll see, Rosh Chodesh Adar usually is on Shabbos, and here is an interesting case, because it happens that what, that Rosh Chodesh Adar can be Parshas Tetzaveh, and on Rosh Chodesh Adar I need to read Ki Sisa, Shekalim. So it’s right after, after Parshas… yes, after Parshas… so it’s like a continuation of the parsha of the week basically. So what’s the problem? It’s the beginning of Ki Sisa. Yes. So what’s the problem? People will think we’re simply continuing, the people won’t catch that this is Parshas Shekalim. The people will think that this is a plain continuation of the reading of the week.

So we need to read it twice, we need to do this: we read six in “Ve’atah tetzaveh” until “vechiyoro nechoshes” (and its basin of copper), that means we mean to say until after Parshas Ki Sisa, which is the parsha of the reading. We read into Ki Sisa. We read Parshas Shekalim, and the seventh returns and reads from “Ki sisa” until “vechiyoro nechoshes”. We read Ki Sisa twice, so the people should catch that the second Ki Sisa we read in honor of Ki Sisa, in honor of Shekalim, not in honor of… By us Parshas Tetzaveh never falls on Shekalim, so we don’t have this problem.

And if it happens to be on Shabbos Ki Sisa itself, what if it falls on Shabbos Ki Sisa? Then it’s the same thing, we read six in Ki Sisa. We also need to read Ki Sisa twice, but it’s a different order. We read from the beginning until Vayakhel for the sixth, and the seventh returns and reads in the second sefer. We never make that the seventh is… it’s not never, but if it’s Rosh Chodesh. We usually make that the maftir is the new aliyah of the matter of the day, which is the four parshiyos. But there’s a way that we make it the seventh, if it’s Rosh Chodesh.

Three Sefarim – Rosh Chodesh on Shabbos

Rosh Chodesh Adar that falls on Shabbos, what if Rosh Chodesh Adar is Shabbos? One must take out three Torah scrolls. One reads the order of the day, the second reads Rosh Chodesh, and the third reads the special reading (kusiasa).

If it’s Rosh Chodesh Nissan that falls on Shabbos, one reads from one the order of the day, from one Rosh Chodesh, from one HaChodesh, which is one of the four special parshiyos.

If it’s Rosh Chodesh Teves that falls on Shabbos, one also takes three Torah scrolls, the first one reads the order of the day, the second Rosh Chodesh, and the third Chanukah.

If it falls in the middle of Shabbos, meaning Rosh Chodesh Teves that is in the middle of Shabbos, the maftir of that week is from two Torahs. This is the only time during the weeks when one takes out two Torahs, it’s during the week of Chanukah Rosh Chodesh, one takes out two Torahs, one for Rosh Chodesh and one for Chanukah.

The Individual’s Obligation: Shnayim Mikra V’Echad Targum

So, until now we have learned what the community must read in shul throughout the entire year, with the four special parshiyos, with Chanukah, with two Torahs, three Torahs, all kinds of things. Now we’re going to learn what an individual must do. We have finally reminded ourselves about us, the individuals. So let’s go learn the mitzvah of “a person should always complete his portions with the community.”

Shomea K’Oneh and the Individual’s Obligation

Even if a Jew hears, let’s say he reads like Reb Yitzchak wants, one reads well, and he hears the Torah reading with the community well, hearing apparently means that he must hear, or he actually hears, so obviously there’s a question of shomea k’oneh (one who hears is like one who says). Even if he has already heard, and he thinks that he has already learned with this, he is obligated to read for himself, he should read himself, each and every week the portion of that week, he should read shnayim mikra v’echad targum (twice the Scripture and once the translation).

I think that the echad targum is exactly like there was a meturgeman (translator). Why has this remained an obligation, even though we no longer have a meturgeman?

Dispute Among the Rishonim: What is the Obligation of Targum?

This is a great dispute among the Rishonim, what was actually among the Rishonim and other tzaddikim who said that the targum is only to understand, and today the targum doesn’t help us understand at all, so there is no obligation whatsoever to read targum. Either one understands the Chumash oneself, or one should learn Rashi, others Tosafos, others argued and said that this is a rabbinical enactment (takanas chachamim).

The essence is correct, that apparently the same dispute that you had by the community, why shouldn’t the dispute apply to an individual?

Or alternatively, one must actually do it also by the community, I agree. But there are those who learn Chumash with Ramban, with Rashi, with Ibn Ezra. So indeed the Shulchan Aruch rules this way, but the Rema I think says that one should read with targum.

Why Three Times?

What should I do with the targum? One must read it three times, no? It’s the same thing that the Gemara says “until he completes his portions with the community.” It’s the same thing. It’s not that the Gemara should finish nothing, it should finish the parsha with the community.

Why must one read three times? Because it doesn’t have targum? Why must one read targum? Actually one must read three times, but once can you fulfill with targum? No, you cannot fulfill with the third time.

“Atros V’Divon” — Even Verses Without Targum

First of all, by us we don’t read any verse without targum. It’s just so difficult. The Gemara says that one reads shnayim mikra v’echad targum, even Atros V’Divon. So Rashi explains, Atros V’Divon are names of cities, and names of cities are the same thing as they appear in Scripture. Yes, but one says it three times. That’s the meaning, one says it three times.

The truth is, by the way, it’s not correct. The targum, very often when there are names of cities, he does translate, because he translates according to what the city was called in his time. He doesn’t always go. He says sometimes yes, sometimes no. But in any case, I don’t know why.

I also don’t know why twice mikra. What’s with twice? Perhaps simply that one should read three times each thing. I have no idea why twice. Why isn’t once enough? It’s a review. I have no idea why.

Korei — Reading or Learning?

In any case, it’s a beautiful thing that one should learn oneself. Also shnayim mikra, apparently the main point is that one should learn, not say. But already, perhaps if one says one also fulfills. I don’t know. Korei (reads) is stated in the Rambam.

So, one is obligated to read shnayim mikra v’echad targum. It’s also either a custom or a part of the enactments of Torah reading. I don’t know exactly what it is, whether it’s a new obligation or a new custom. It’s very similar to the silent Shemoneh Esrei. One made a loud Shemoneh Esrei, and one was exempted. What’s the explanation?

Conclusion of the Laws of Prayer

So, until here the laws of Torah reading, and with this we have finished the laws of prayer. Now, the next two chapters will be, as the Rambam arranged in his order, the laws of prayer and the priestly blessing. Therefore there still comes the laws of the priestly blessing.