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HISTORY No one knows for certain the origins of reading the ''haftarah'', but several theories have been put forth. The most common explanation, accepted by some traditional Jewish authorities is that in 168 B.C.E., when the Jews Were Under The Rule of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes , they were forbidden from Reading the Pentateuch and made do with a substitute. When they were again able to read the Pentateuch, they kept reading the ''haftarah'' as well. An alternative explanation, offered by Rabbis Reuven Margolies and Samson Raphael Hirsch , is that the ''haftarah'' reading was instituted to fight the influence of those Sects in Judaism that viewed the Jewish Bible as consisting only of the Pentateuch. But all offered explanations for the origin of reading the ''haftarah'' have unanswered difficulties. Certainly the ''haftarah'' was read — perhaps not obligatorily or in all communities — as far back as circa A.D. , as that would run against accepted custom. But Rabbi Karo's explanation helps to explain why communities have varying customs regarding what to read as ''haftarah''. WHO READS THE ''HAFTARAH'' The ''haftarah'' is traditionally read by the '' Maftir '', or the last person to be called up to the Torah scroll. THE ''HAFTARAH'' BLESSINGS A blessing both precedes and follows the ''haftarah'' reading. The blessings are read using haftarah cantillation by the person to read the haftarah portion. The blessing that precedes the reading translates as: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has chosen good prophets, and has found pleasure in their words which were spoken in truth. "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who hast chosen the Law, and Moses Thy servant, and Israel Thy people, and prophets of truth and righteousness." (Heartz, 1917) Following the reading, Sephardic Jews will add a sentence, translated as: "Our Redeemer! The Lord of Hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel." (Heartz, 1917) The blessing that follows the reading translates as: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, Rock of all worlds, righteous through all generations, O faithful God, who sayest and doest, who speakest and fulfillest, all those words are truth and righteousness. Faithful art Thou, O Lord our God, and faithful are they words, and not one of they words shall return void, for Thou art a faithful and merciful God and King. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, God, who art faithful in all Thy words. "Have mercy upon Zion, for it is the home of our life, and save her that is grieved in spirit speedily, even in our days. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who makest Zion joyful through her children. "Gladden us, O Lord our God, with Elijah the prophet, Thy servant, and with the kingdom of the house of David, Thine anointed. Soon may he come and rejoice our hearts. Suffer not a stranger to sit upon his throne, nor let others any longer inherit his glorry; for by Thy holy name Thou didst swear unto him, that his light should not be quenched for ever. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the Shield of David. "For the Law, for divine service, for the phrophets, and for this Sabbath day, which Thou, O Lord our God, hast given us for holiness and for rest, for honour and for glory, —for all these we thank and bless Thee, O Lord our God, blessed be Thy name by the mouth of every living being continually and for ever. Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who sanctifiest the Sabbath." (Heartz, 1917) For all afternoon haftarot, and for the morning Haftarot on Tisha b'Av and on Yom Ha'atzmaut, the blessings are concluded with "the Shield of David". On Festival mornings, a slightly different final paragraph is read, and Rosh Hashanah morning and Yom Kippur morning each have variations. Following this, Prayer is resumed, the Torah service is concluded, and the Mussaf service is begun. ''HAFTARAH'' CANTILLATION The ''haftarah'' is read with Cantillation according to a unique melody (not with the same Cantillation melody as the Torah). The tradition to read ''Nevi'im'' with its own special melody is attested to in late medieval sources, both Ashkenazic and Sephardic . A medieval Sephardic source notes that the melody for the ''haftarot'' is a slight variation of the tune used for reading the books of Nevi'im in general (presumably for study purposes). Note that although many selections from Nevi'im are read as ''haftarot'' over the course of the year, the books of Nevi'im are ''not'' read in their entirety (as opposed to the Torah ). Since Nevi'im as a whole is not covered in the liturgy, the melody for certain rare Cantillation notes which appear in the books of Nevi'im but not in the ''haftarot'' have been forgotten. For more on this, see Nevi'im . The Haftarot for the morning of Tisha b'Av, and for the Shabbat preceding it, are, in many synagogues, predominantly read to the Cantillation melody used for the public reading of the Book of Lamentations , or ''Eicha.'' ''HAFTAROT'' ON SABBATH AFTERNOON Some Rishonim , including '' Rabbenu '' Yaakov Tam , report that a custom in the era of the Talmud was to read a ''haftarah'' at the '' Mincha '' service each Sabbath afternoon — but that this ''haftarah'' was from the ''Ketuvim'' rather than from the '' Nevi'im ''. Most Halachic 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 Geonim , some communities, including some in Persia , read a ''haftarah'' from ''Nevi'im'' Sabbath afternoons. Although this practice is virtually defunct, most halachic authorities maintain that there's nothing wrong with it. Rabbi Reuven Margolies claims that the now-widespread custom of individuals' reciting Psalm 111 after the Torah reading Sabbath afternoon derives from the custom reported by ''Rabbenu'' Tam. ''HAFTARAH'' AS A ''BAR''- OR ''BAT-MITZVAH'' RITUAL The ''haftarah'' is read by ''b'ne Mitzvah'' at their respective ceremonies, along with some, all, or, sometimes, none of the Torah portion. This is often referred to, mainly in Hebrew School s and ''bar''- or ''bat-mitzvah'' preparatory programs, as a ''haftarah portion''. LIST OF ''HAFTAROT'' The selection from '' custom (''AF''= Frankfurt Am Main ; ''AH''= Habad ); ''I''= Italian custom; ''S''= Sephardic and Mizrahi custom (''SI''= Sephardic ( Iberian ); ''SM''= Mizrahi ; ''SN''= Maghreb ); ''Y''= Yemenite custom; ''Q''= Qarai/Karaite custom. When these letters do not appear, all customs agree. ''Haftarot'' for Genesis
''Haftarot'' for Exodus
''Haftarot'' for Leviticus
''Haftarot'' for Numbers
''Haftarot'' for Deuteronomy
''Haftarot'' for special Sabbaths, Festivals, and Fast Days 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 ''hafatarot'' below (that for Rosh Hodesh and that for the day preceding Rosh Hodesh) are replaced by the regular weekly ''haftarah'' when the weekly reading is ''Masei'' or later.
''Haftarah'' for a bridegroom It was customary in many communities to read Isaiah 61:10 – 63:9 if a bridegroom (who had married within the previous week) was present in the synagogue. Customs varied:
When a Talmud ically specified ''haftarah'' was to be read on a certain Sabbath (e.g., on Sabbath of Hanukkah ), some communities did not read the bridegroom's ''haftarah'', preferring to keep to the standard ''haftarah'' of the week. Again, customs varied:
Nowadays, this custom has virtually disappeared. No one except the Karaite Jews reads a special ''haftarah'' for a bridegroom any longer. REFERENCES
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