Information AboutTorah Reading |
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As a part of the morning or afternoon prayer services on certain days, a section of the Pentateuch is read from a Torah Scroll . On Shabbat ( Saturday ) mornings, a weekly section ( Parsha ) is read, selected so that the entire Pentateuch is read consecutively each year. On Saturday afternoons, Mondays, and Thursdays, the beginning of the following Saturday's portion is read. On Jewish Holiday s and fast days, special sections connected to the day are read. ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF THE PRACTICE The introduction of public reading of the Torah by Ezra the Scribe after the return of the Jewish people from the first exile is described in Nehemiah Chapter 8. Prior to Ezra, the ''mitzvah'' of Torah reading was based on the Biblical commandment of ''hakhel'' (Deut. 31:10-13), by which once every 7 years the entire people was to be gathered, "men, women and children," (Deut 31:12) and hear much of Deuteronomy, the final volume of the Pentateuch, read to them (see the closing chapters of the Talmudic Tractate Sotah). Traditionally, the ''mitzvah'' of gathering the people and reading them the Torah under ''hakhel'' was to be performed by the King. Under Ezra, Torah reading became more frequent and the congregation themselves substituted for the King's role. Traditionally, Ezra is credited with initiating the modern custom of reading thrice weekly in the Synagogue. This reading is an obligation incumbent on the congregation, not an individual, and did not replace the Hakhel reading by the king. Torah reading is discussed in the Babylonian Talmud . WHEN IS THE TORAH READ? The Torah is read during the morning Services on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays , and major and minor festivals and fasts. The Torah is also read during afternoon services on Saturdays and fasts. In the mornings, the Torah is read after '' Tachanun '' or '' Hallel '', or, if these are omitted, after the '' Amidah ''. "Full-" or "half-'' Kaddish ''" is recited before the Torah reading and half-Kaddish is recited afterwards. After the Torah reading, the service continues with the rest of the prayers. In the afternoons, the Torah is read ''before'' the ''amidah'', separated by a "half-'' Kaddish ''." WHAT IS DONE? Most people use the term "Torah reading" to refer to the entire ceremony of taking the Torah Scroll (or scrolls) out of its ark, reading it (them), and putting it (them) back. The Torah scroll is stored in an elaborate closet, called a ; prayers specific to the occasion are recited as the scroll is removed. The Torah is then carried by The One Leading The Service to a platform or table from which it will be read; further prayers are recited by the congregation while this is done. A Synagogue official, called a '' Gabbai '', then calls people, in turn, to be honored with an '' Aliyah '', wherein they read the Torah for the congregation. Each reads a section of the day's reading. There are at least three ''olim'' (persons called to read the Torah): precisely three on weekdays and fasts, with more ''olim'' depending on the calendar; on Saturday mornings, there are seven ''olim'', the maximum of any day, and more may be added (according to the custom of some communities) if desired. According to Orthodox Judaism , as a sign of respect, the first ''oleh'' (person called to read) is a '' Kohen '' and the second a ''levi'' ; the remaining ''olim'' are ''yisr'elim'' — Jews who are neither ''kohen'' nor ''levi''. (This assumes that such people are available; there are rules in place for what is done if they are not.) Each ''oleh'', after being called to the Torah, approaches it, recites a benediction, reads from it, and concludes with another benediction. Then the next ''oleh'' is called. In most congregations, the ''oleh'' does not read the Torah aloud. Rather, he stands near it while a practiced expert, called a ''ba'al k'riah'' ("master of reading"; sometimes, erroneously, ''ba'al kore'') reads the Torah, with Cantillation , for the congregation; the ''oleh'' follows along with the expert, reading in a whisper. On Saturday and Holiday mornings, the final ''aliyah'' is followed by "half-'' Kaddish ''" and then an additional ''aliyah'' read by someone called the '' Maftir ''. On other days the extra ''aliyah'' is omitted; in the afternoons, both it and the ''kaddish'' are omitted. The Torah is closed and put aside. On certain days, the '' Haftarah '' is now read. ''See more information at '' Haftarah ''.'' The Torah scroll is then put back in its ark to the accompaniment of specific prayers. WHAT IS READ? On Shabbat mornings, the weekly '' Parsha '' is read. It is divided into seven ''aliyot'' (see above for more on ''aliyot''). The cycle of weekly readings is fixed. Because the Hebrew Calendar varies from year to year, two readings are sometimes combined so that the entire Pentateuch is read over the course of a year. ''See more information at Parsha ''. On Monday and Thursday mornings and on Saturday afternoons (except on special days), a small section of the upcoming week's ''parsha'' is read, divided into three ''aliyot''. On other occasions, the reading relates to the day. For example, on Passover the congregation reads various sections of the Pentateuch that deal with Passover. WOMEN AND TORAH READING According to traditional Orthodox Judaism , all the ''olim'' are male. Some Orthodox congregations have added all-female prayer groups where women are permitted to read. In addition, following recent publication of opinions by Modern Orthodox Rabbi Mendel Shapiro and Bar-Ilan University Talmud Professor and Modern Orthodox Rabbi Daniel Sperber that Halakha permits Orthodox women to participate in regular Torah Reading on Shabbat under certain conditions, a small number of congregations identifying themselves as Modern Orthodox , called Partnership Minyanim , have begun permitting it. Most Orthodox authorities and organizations, however, do not. See e.g. {Link without Title} (pdf) Within Reform and many Conservative congregations, women can also have an ''aliyah''. INNOVATIONS ACCORDING TO CONSERVATIVE AND REFORM JUDAISM In some Conservative synagogues, women who are ''Bat Kohenim'' (female Kohen) and ''Bat Leviim'' (female Levi) can be called for the first and second ''aliyot''. Sometimes, particularly in Reform, the distinctions among ''kohen'', ''levi'', and ''yisrael'' are done away with. In addition to allowing female readers, some Conservative and most Reform congregations have switched to a triennial cycle, where the first third of each parsha is read one year, the second third the next year and the final third in a third year. Some Reform congregations have their main Shabbat service on Friday night and read Torah then. Traditionally, boys who became Bar Mitzvah would read the Torah portion that falls on or shortly after their 13th birthday as part of the celebration of the event, though this is not a requirement. Beginning in the twentieth century, many Conservative and Reform congregations extended this practice to girls who reach religious maturity. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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