Ashkenazic Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...

Nevi'im Nevi'im (; he, נְבִיאִים ''Nəvīʾīm'', Tiberian: ''Năḇīʾīm,'' "Prophets", literally "spokespersons") is the second major division of the Hebrew Bible (the '' Tanakh''), lying between the Torah (instruction) and Ketuvim ( ...

Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
'' synagogue as part of Jewish religious practice. The ''haftara'' reading follows the

Torah reading Torah reading (; ') is a Jewish religious tradition that involves the public reading of a set of passages from a Torah scroll. The term often refers to the entire ceremony of removing the scroll (or scrolls) from the Torah ark, chanting the a ...

on each Sabbath and on

Jewish festivals Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' ( he, ימים טובים, , Good Days, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed in Judaism and by JewsThis article focuses on practices of mainstr ...

and ta'anit, fast days. Typically, the ''haftara'' is thematically linked to the '' parashah'' (

weekly Torah portion It is a custom among religious Jewish communities for a weekly Torah portion to be read during Jewish prayer services on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. The full name, ''Parashat HaShavua'' ( he, פָּרָשַׁת הַשָּׁבוּעַ), is p ...

) that precedes it. The ''haftara'' is sung in a chant. (Chanting of Biblical texts is known as "''trope''" in

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ve ...

or "

Cantillation Cantillation is the ritual chanting of prayers and responses. It often specifically refers to Jewish Hebrew cantillation. Cantillation sometimes refers to diacritics used in texts that are to be chanted in liturgy. Cantillation includes: * Chant ...

" in English.) Related blessings precede and follow the haftara reading. 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

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

under

Antiochus IV Epiphanes Antiochus IV Epiphanes (; grc, Ἀντίοχος ὁ Ἐπιφανής, ''Antíochos ho Epiphanḗs'', "God Manifest"; c. 215 BC – November/December 164 BC) was a Greek Hellenistic king who ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his dea ...

which preceded the

Maccabean Revolt The Maccabean Revolt ( he, מרד החשמונאים) was a Jewish rebellion led by the Maccabees against the Seleucid Empire and against Hellenistic influence on Jewish life. The main phase of the revolt lasted from 167–160 BCE and ende ...

, wherein Torah reading was prohibited, or that it was "instituted against the Samaritans, who denied the

canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western ca ...

icity of the Prophets (except for Joshua), and later against the

Sadducees The Sadducees (; he, צְדוּקִים, Ṣədūqīm) were a socio- religious sect of Jewish people who were active in Judea during the Second Temple period, from the second century BCE through the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. T ...

." 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 - 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

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the ce ...

mentions that a ''haftara'' was read in the presence of Rabbi

Eliezer ben Hurcanus Eliezer ben Hurcanus or Hyrcanus ( he, אליעזר בן הורקנוס) was one of the most prominent Sages (tannaim) of the 1st and 2nd centuries in Judea, disciple of Rabban Yohanan ben ZakkaiAvot of Rabbi Natan 14:5 and colleague of Gamalie ...

, who lived c.70 CE, and that by the time of

Rabbah bar Nahmani Rabbah bar Nachmani ( he, רבה בר נחמני) (died c. 320 CE) was a Jewish Talmudist known throughout the Talmud simply as Rabbah. He was a third-generation '' amora'' who lived in Babylonia. Biography Rabbah was a kohen descended from E ...

(the 3rd century) there was a "Scroll of Haftarot", which is not further described. Several references in the

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...

suggest this Jewish custom was in place during that era.

History

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 Jews were under the rule of the

Seleucid The Seleucid Empire (; grc, Βασιλεία τῶν Σελευκιδῶν, ''Basileía tōn Seleukidōn'') was a Greek state in West Asia that existed during the Hellenistic period from 312 BC to 63 BC. The Seleucid Empire was founded by the ...

king

Antiochus IV Epiphanes Antiochus IV Epiphanes (; grc, Ἀντίοχος ὁ Ἐπιφανής, ''Antíochos ho Epiphanḗs'', "God Manifest"; c. 215 BC – November/December 164 BC) was a Greek Hellenistic king who ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his dea ...

, they were forbidden to

read Read Read may refer to: * Reading, human cognitive process of decoding symbols in order to construct or derive meaning * Read (automobile), an American car manufactured from 1913 to 1915 * Read (biology), an inferred sequence of base pairs of ...

the Torah and made do with a substitute. When they were again able to read the Torah, they kept reading the ''haftara'' as well. However, this theory was not articulated before the 14th century, when it was suggested by Rabbi

David Abudirham David Abudarham (fl. 1340) ( he, ר׳ דָּוִד אַבּוּדַרְהָם), referred to as Abu darham, Abudraham, or Avudraham, was a rishon who lived at Seville and was known for his commentary on the Synagogue liturgy. Biography He is sa ...

, and has several weaknesses. An alternative explanation, offered by Rabbis Reuven Margolies and

Samson Raphael Hirsch Samson Raphael Hirsch (; June 20, 1808 – December 31, 1888) was a German Orthodox rabbi best known as the intellectual founder of the ''Torah im Derech Eretz'' school of contemporary Orthodox Judaism. Occasionally termed ''neo-Orthodoxy'', his ...

(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

sects A sect is a subgroup of a religious, political, or philosophical belief system, usually an offshoot of a larger group. Although the term was originally a classification for religious separated groups, it can now refer to any organization that b ...

in Judaism that viewed the Hebrew Bible as consisting only of the Torah. However, all offered explanations for the origin of reading the haftara have unanswered difficulties. 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 ''haftara'' was read in the presence of Rabbi

Eliezer ben Hyrcanus Eliezer ben Hurcanus or Hyrcanus ( he, אליעזר בן הורקנוס) was one of the most prominent Sages (tannaim) of the 1st and 2nd centuries in Judea, disciple of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai Avot of Rabbi Natan 14:5 and colleague of Gamalie ...

, 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.

Who reads the ''haftara''

Only one person reads the haftara portion.Ismar Elbogen, ''Jewish Liturgy: A Comprehensive History'' (German 1913, English transl. 1993, Philadelphia, Jewish Publ'n Society) page 146. 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. The haftara is traditionally read by the ''

maftir Maftir ( he, מפטיר, , concluder) is the last person called up to the Torah on Shabbat and holiday mornings: this person also reads (or at least recites the blessings overs) the ''haftarah'' portion from a related section of the Nevi'im (pro ...

'', or the last person to be called up to the Torah scroll. 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 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 ''maftir'' 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 ''maftir'' - the last man to have read from the Torah), or even the whole congregation would read the haftara to themselves from the available ''humashim'' - this evidently to avoid embarrassing a reader who might make a mistake. Rabbi

Yosef Karo Joseph ben Ephraim Karo, also spelled Yosef Caro, or Qaro ( he, יוסף קארו; 1488 – March 24, 1575, 13 Nisan 5335 A.M.), was the author of the last great codification of Jewish law, the '' Beit Yosef'', and its popular analogue, the ''Shu ...

(16th century) reported that for many years there were no set haftarot: the ''maftir'' chose an appropriate passage from the ''Nevi'im''. Over time, certain choices became established in certain communities; in contemporary Jewish observance one may not choose his or her own haftara, explained Rabbi

Moshe Feinstein Moshe Feinstein ( he, משה פײַנשטיין; Lithuanian pronunciation: ''Moshe Faynshteyn''; en, Moses Feinstein; March 3, 1895 – March 23, 1986) was an American Orthodox rabbi, scholar, and ''posek'' (authority on ''halakha''—J ...

, 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.

What form of the text is read

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

Tanakh The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
''

Chumash Chumash may refer to: *Chumash (Judaism), a Hebrew word for the Pentateuch, used in Judaism *Chumash people, a Native American people of southern California *Chumashan languages, indigenous languages of California See also * Chumash traditional ...

(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 ''trope.'' However, according to most halakhic decisors (''posqim''), 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

Vilna Gaon Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, ( he , ר' אליהו בן שלמה זלמן ''Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman'') known as the Vilna Gaon (Yiddish: דער װילנער גאון ''Der Vilner Gaon'', pl, Gaon z Wilna, lt, Vilniaus Gaonas) or Elijah of ...

), such a parchment scroll is an absolute requirement. This may take various forms. * 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 ''Sifra De'aftarta'' (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 vowel points and te`amim (cantillation signs), and sometimes do not. *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 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

yeshivot A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are st ...

, 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 ''maftir'' reciting aloud from something other than a scroll. 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

holy ark A Torah ark (also known as the ''Heikhal'', or the ''Aron Kodesh'') refers to an ornamental chamber in the synagogue that houses the Torah scrolls. History The ark, also known as the ''ark of law'', or in Hebrew the ''Aron Kodesh'' or ''aron ha- ...

, but other opinions (such as Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef) 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.

Blessings

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 the accompany the reading. These blessings are derived from the minor (and uncanonical) Talmudic tractate '' Massekhet Soferim'' - also called, simply, ''Soferim'', 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. 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 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 ''maftir'', 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 ''

Machzor Vitry Simhah ben Samuel of Vitry ( he, שמחה בן שמואל מויטרי; died 1105) was a French Talmudist of the 11th and 12th centuries, pupil of Rashi, and the compiler of ''Machzor Vitry''. He lived in Vitry-le-François. ''Machzor Vitry'' ' ...

'', with slight differences from the texts perpetuated in the tractate Massekhet Soferim (possibly 7th or 8th century), and the writings of

Maimonides Musa ibn Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (); la, Moses Maimonides and also referred to by the acronym Rambam ( he, רמב״ם), was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah ...

, dating back to the 12th century. 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 of a non-biblical text to be equipped with such marks.Macy Nulman, "The Liturgical and Musical Development and Significance of the Haftarah", ''Journal of Jewish Music and Liturgy'', vol. 15 (1992) page 30. This initial blessing is only two verses, but both begin with blessing God, yet are not interrupted by an intervening Amen. The blessings are as follows: The first blessing precedes the reading:

Blessed are you, ''Lord'' HVH our God, King of the universe, Who has chosen good prophets, And was pleased with their words spoken in truth. Blessed are you, ''Lord'', who has chosen the Torah, and his servant Moses, And his people Israel, And the prophets of truth and righteousness. ::: 'congregation'': Amen.

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 etnachta between sentences. The first blessing is straight from the minor tractate Massekhet Soferim, 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 ''their'' 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. Immediately after the last word of the haftara has been read, many

Sefardic Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), pt, Judeus sefa ...

,

Mizrahi ''Mizrachi'' or ''Mizrahi'' ( he, מזרחי) has two meanings. In the literal Hebrew meaning ''Eastern'', it may refer to: *Mizrahi Jews, Jews from the Middle East * Mizrahi (surname), a Sephardic surname, given to Jews who got to the Iberian P ...

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

Our Redeemer - ''the Lord'' of Hosts is his name - the holy one of Israel. Blessed be ''the Lord'' forever. Amen and Amen.

The blessings that follow the reading of the haftara are chanted in the pentatonic scale. The second blessing follows the end of the Prophetic reading:

Blessed are you, ''Lord'', our God, King of the universe, Rock of all the worlds, righteous through all eras, The trustworthy God, who says and does, who speaks and fulfills, For all his words are true and just. Trustworthy are you, ''Lord'', and trustworthy are your words, And not a single one of your words is recalled as unfulfilled, Because you are God, king, trustworthy. Blessed are you ''Lord'', the God who is trustworthy in all his words. ::: 'congregation'': Amen./poem>

Again, this is straight from Massekhet Soferim, 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 ''Lord'' 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

Eretz Yisrael The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine (see also Israe ...

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 Trustworthy are you ''Lord'' our God, living and enduring forever", right after "words are true and just"is in the ''Mahzor Vitry '', (ca. 1100), but in the 18th century Rabbi

Jacob Emden Jacob Emden, also known as Ya'avetz (June 4, 1697 April 19, 1776), was a leading German rabbi and talmudist who championed Orthodox Judaism in the face of the growing influence of the Sabbatean movement. He was acclaimed in all circles for his ...

criticized its omission. The second half of the blessing echoes Isaiah 45:23 and 55:11. The third blessing follows immediately:

Be merciful to Sion, because it is the home of our life, And save the downtrodden soon, in our own days. Blessed are you ''Lord'', who makes glad the children of Sion 'or:'' makes Sion to rejoice in her children ::: 'congregation'': Amen./poem>

Very similar to Massekhet Soferim, paragraph 11, which begins "Comfort 'Nahem'', instead of ''rahem'' ''Lord'' our God, Sion your city..." and ends "who comforts the children of Sion." 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 refute the Samaritans, who centered their devotion to

Mount Gerizim Mount Gerizim (; Samaritan Hebrew: ''ʾĀ̊rgā̊rīzēm''; Hebrew: ''Har Gərīzīm''; ar, جَبَل جَرِزِيم ''Jabal Jarizīm'' or جَبَلُ ٱلطُّورِ ''Jabal at-Ṭūr'') is one of two mountains in the immediate vicinit ...

instead of Mount Zion. Instead of "save" (''toshiya'') the downtrodden, Massekhet Soferim has "avenge" (''tenikum''), which is used in the Yemenite version of the blessing. By the time of

Amram Gaon Amram Gaon ( he, עמרם גאון, or Amram bar Sheshna, Hebrew: עמרם בר רב ששנא, or sometimes: Amram ben Sheshna or Amram b. Sheshna; died 875) was a '' gaon'', head of the Jewish Talmud Academy of Sura during the 9th century. H ...

(9th century) and

Saadiah Gaon Saʻadiah ben Yosef Gaon ( ar, سعيد بن يوسف الفيومي ''Saʻīd bin Yūsuf al-Fayyūmi''; he, סַעֲדְיָה בֶּן יוֹסֵף אַלְפַיּוּמִי גָּאוֹן ''Saʿăḏyāh ben Yōsēf al-Fayyūmī Gāʾōn''; ...

(10th century), as well as ''Mahzor Vitry'' (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. The fourth blessing follows immediately:

Make us glad, ''Lord'' our God, with the Prophet Elijah, your servant, and with the kingdom of the house of David, your anointed, May he arrive soon and bring joy to our hearts. Let no stranger sit upon his throne, Nor let others continue to usurp his glory. For you swore by your holy name that through all eternity his lamp will never go dark. Blessed are you ''Lord'', shield of David. ::: 'congregation'': Amen.

This is virtually identical to the text in Massekhet Soferim, 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, ' 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 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. The fifth (final) blessing follows immediately:

For the Torah reading, and for the worship service, and for he reading fromthe Prophets, And for this Sabbath day 'or:'' for this (''holiday'') which you have given us, ''Lord'' our God, For holiness and for respite, for honor and for splendor, For all of this, ''Lord'' our God, We gratefully thank you,and bless you. May your name be blessed by every living mouth, Always and forever. Blessed are you ''Lord'', who sanctifies the Sabbath. ::: 'congregation'': Amen.

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 oliday name" Amram Gaon and Maimonides concluded with "who rebuilds Jerusalem," but this appears to have been discarded by all factions. This final 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

Kol Bo ''Kol Bo'' (Hebrew: כל-בו, "all is in it") is a collection of Jewish ritual and civil laws. Its author has not yet been ascertained. The work in content resembles other codes, as, for instance, the ''Orḥot Ḥayyim'', though in its form it is ...

(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:

"... which you have given us, ''Lord'' our God, ''on Sabbaths'') for holiness and respite, for gladness and joy 'on Yom Kippur this is replaced with'': for pardon, forgiveness, and atonement for honor and splendor. For all this ''Lord'' our God we thank you and praise you. May your name be blessed by every living mouth, always and forever. Blessed are you ''Lord'', who sanctifies he Sabbath andIsrael and the Festivals."

''And on Yom Kippur, replace the last line with'' :

Blessed are you ''Lord'', the King who pardons and forgives our sins and the sins of his people, the family of Israel, and who removes our iniquities year after year, King over all the earth, who sanctifies
he Sabbath, He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
Israel, and the Day of Atonement.

Customs

In ancient times the haftara, like the Torah, was translated into Aramaic as it was read, and this is still done by

Yemenite Jews Yemenite Jews or Yemeni Jews or Teimanim (from ''Yehudei Teman''; ar, اليهود اليمنيون) are those Jews who live, or once lived, in Yemen, and their descendants maintaining their customs. Between June 1949 and September 1950, the ...

. 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. 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 Bamidbar (addressing a census of Israel) is that the haftorah beginning that the people of Israel will be numerous like the sand of the sea. 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" (''salik inyana'') applies this requirement is not necessary. Thus, the haftara for

Ki Teitzei Ki Teitzei, Ki Tetzei, Ki Tetse, Ki Thetze, Ki Tese, Ki Tetzey, or Ki Seitzei ( — Hebrew language, Hebrew for "when you go," the Incipit, first words in the parashah) is the 49th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Judaism, Jewis ...

for Ashkenazim and Sephardim is only 10 verses; and the haftara for

Miketz Miketz or Mikeitz (—Hebrew for "at the end", the second word, and first distinctive word of the ''parashah'') is the tenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes . The parashah tells of ...

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

Tosefta The Tosefta (Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: תוספתא "supplement, addition") is a compilation of the Jewish oral law from the late 2nd century, the period of the Mishnah. Overview In many ways, the Tosefta acts as a supplement to the Mishnah ( ...

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. 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

Tzav Tzav, Tsav, Zav, Sav, or Ṣaw ( — Hebrew for "command," the sixth word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 25th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the second in the Book of ...

(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; Karaites and Romaniote 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 ''Shabbat Hagadol'' ). Among the consistent characteristics is that entire verses are read; never is only a part of a verse read. 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 ''ad hoc'', 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.

Cantillation

The ''haftara'' is read with

cantillation Cantillation is the ritual chanting of prayers and responses. It often specifically refers to Jewish Hebrew cantillation. Cantillation sometimes refers to diacritics used in texts that are to be chanted in liturgy. Cantillation includes: * Chant ...

according to a unique melody (not with the same

cantillation Cantillation is the ritual chanting of prayers and responses. It often specifically refers to Jewish Hebrew cantillation. Cantillation sometimes refers to diacritics used in texts that are to be chanted in liturgy. Cantillation includes: * Chant ...

melody as the Torah). The tradition to read ''Nevi'im'' with its own special melody is attested to in late medieval sources, both

Ashkenazic Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...

and

Sephardic Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), ...

. 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 Nevi'im (; he, נְבִיאִים ''Nəvīʾīm'', Tiberian: ''Năḇīʾīm,'' "Prophets", literally "spokespersons") is the second major division of the Hebrew Bible (the '' Tanakh''), lying between the Torah (instruction) and Ketuvim ( ...

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

Nevi'im Nevi'im (; he, נְבִיאִים ''Nəvīʾīm'', Tiberian: ''Năḇīʾīm,'' "Prophets", literally "spokespersons") is the second major division of the Hebrew Bible (the '' Tanakh''), lying between the Torah (instruction) and Ketuvim ( ...

are read as ''haftarot'' over the course of the year, the books of

Nevi'im Nevi'im (; he, נְבִיאִים ''Nəvīʾīm'', Tiberian: ''Năḇīʾīm,'' "Prophets", literally "spokespersons") is the second major division of the Hebrew Bible (the '' Tanakh''), lying between the Torah (instruction) and Ketuvim ( ...

are ''not'' read in their entirety (as opposed to the Torah). Since

Nevi'im Nevi'im (; he, נְבִיאִים ''Nəvīʾīm'', Tiberian: ''Năḇīʾīm,'' "Prophets", literally "spokespersons") is the second major division of the Hebrew Bible (the '' Tanakh''), lying between the Torah (instruction) and Ketuvim ( ...

as a whole is not covered in the liturgy, the melodies for certain rare

cantillation Cantillation is the ritual chanting of prayers and responses. It often specifically refers to Jewish Hebrew cantillation. Cantillation sometimes refers to diacritics used in texts that are to be chanted in liturgy. Cantillation includes: * Chant ...

notes which appear in the books of

Nevi'im Nevi'im (; he, נְבִיאִים ''Nəvīʾīm'', Tiberian: ''Năḇīʾīm,'' "Prophets", literally "spokespersons") is the second major division of the Hebrew Bible (the '' Tanakh''), lying between the Torah (instruction) and Ketuvim ( ...

but not in the ''haftarot'' have been forgotten. For more on this, see

Nevi'im Nevi'im (; he, נְבִיאִים ''Nəvīʾīm'', Tiberian: ''Năḇīʾīm,'' "Prophets", literally "spokespersons") is the second major division of the Hebrew Bible (the '' Tanakh''), lying between the Torah (instruction) and Ketuvim ( ...

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

cantillation Cantillation is the ritual chanting of prayers and responses. It often specifically refers to Jewish Hebrew cantillation. Cantillation sometimes refers to diacritics used in texts that are to be chanted in liturgy. Cantillation includes: * Chant ...

melody used for the public reading of the

Book of Lamentations The Book of Lamentations ( he, אֵיכָה, , from its incipit meaning "how") is a collection of poetic laments for the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. In the Hebrew Bible it appears in the Ketuvim ("Writings") as one of the Five Megillot ...

, or ''Eicha.'' 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.

Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first America ...

employed the Haftara cantillation melody extensively as a theme in the second movement ("Profanation") of his Symphony No. 1 ("Jeremiah").

On Sabbath afternoon

Some

Rishonim ''Rishonim'' (; he, ; sing. he, , ''Rishon'', "the first ones") were the leading rabbis and ''poskim'' who lived approximately during the 11th to 15th centuries, in the era before the writing of the ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, , "Set Table", a ...

, including

Rabbenu Tam Jacob ben Meir (1100 – 9 June 1171 (4 Tammuz)), best known as Rabbeinu Tam ( he, רבינו תם), was one of the most renowned Ashkenazi Jewish rabbis and leading French Tosafists, a leading ''halakhic'' authority in his generation, and a gra ...

, report that a custom in the era of the

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the ce ...

was to read a haftara at the ''

mincha Mincha ( he, מִנחַה, pronounced as ; sometimes spelled ''Minchah'' or ''Minḥa'') is the afternoon prayer service in Judaism. Etymology The name ''Mincha'', meaning "present", is derived from the meal offering that accompanied each sacrif ...

'' service each Sabbath afternoon — but that this haftara was from the ''

Ketuvim The Ketuvim (; hbo, , Modern: ''Kəṯūvīm'', Tiberian: ''Kăṯūḇīm'' "writings") is the third and final section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), after Torah (instruction) and Nevi'im (prophets). In English translations of the Hebrew Bi ...

'' rather than from the ''

Nevi'im Nevi'im (; he, נְבִיאִים ''Nəvīʾīm'', Tiberian: ''Năḇīʾīm,'' "Prophets", literally "spokespersons") is the second major division of the Hebrew Bible (the '' Tanakh''), lying between the Torah (instruction) and Ketuvim ( ...

''. Most

halachic ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...

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 ''Geonim'' ( he, גאונים; ; also transliterated Gaonim, singular Gaon) were the presidents of the two great Babylonian Talmudic Academies of Sura and Pumbedita, in the Abbasid Caliphate, and were the generally accepted spiritual leaders o ...

, some communities, including some in

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

, read a passage from ''Nevi'im'' (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. Rabbi Reuven Margolies claims that the now-widespread custom of individuals' reciting

Psalm The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

111 after the Torah reading Sabbath afternoon derives from the custom reported by ''Rabbenu'' ''Tam''.

Louis Ginzberg Louis Ginzberg ( he, לוי גינצבורג, ''Levy Gintzburg''; russian: Леви Гинцберг, ''Levy Ginzberg''; November 28, 1873 – November 11, 1953) was a Russian-born American rabbi and Talmudic scholar of Lithuanian-Jewish desce ...

makes the analogous claim for the custom of reciting Psalm 91 in ''Motza'ei Shabbat''.

As a ''B'nai Mitzvah'' ritual

In many communities the ''haftara'' 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

Hebrew school Hebrew school is Jewish education focusing on topics of Jewish history, learning the Hebrew language, and finally learning their Torah Portion, in preparation for the ceremony in Judaism of entering adulthood, known as a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Hebr ...

s and ''bar'' preparatory programs, as a ''haftara portion''. The reading of the ''haftara'' 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 medieval times was that a boy would read the ''haftara'' on the Sabbath ''prior'' to his Bar Mitzvah, and on the day of his Bar Mitzvah read the portion from the Torah but not the ''haftara''; 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 ''haftara'' on the Sabbath immediately following his 13th birthday. The custom of the Bar Mitzvah reading the ''haftara'' is so recent that the appropriate procedure for a ''haftara'' reading when two boys are Bar Mitzvah on the same day is still unresolved.

List of ''Haftarot''

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 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 selection from ''

Nevi'im Nevi'im (; he, נְבִיאִים ''Nəvīʾīm'', Tiberian: ''Năḇīʾīm,'' "Prophets", literally "spokespersons") is the second major division of the Hebrew Bible (the '' Tanakh''), lying between the Torah (instruction) and Ketuvim ( ...

'' he Prophetsread as the ''haftara'' is not always the same in all Jewish communities. When customs differ, this list indicates them as follows: ''A''=

Ashkenazic Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...

custom (''AF''=

Frankfurt am Main Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...

; ''AH''=

Chabad Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic group ...

; ''AP''=

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

; APZ = Posen; OZ =

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

;); ''I''=

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

custom; ''S''=

Sephardic Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), ...

and

Mizrahi ''Mizrachi'' or ''Mizrahi'' ( he, מזרחי) has two meanings. In the literal Hebrew meaning ''Eastern'', it may refer to: *Mizrahi Jews, Jews from the Middle East * Mizrahi (surname), a Sephardic surname, given to Jews who got to the Iberian P ...

custom (''SM''=

Maghreb The Maghreb (; ar, الْمَغْرِب, al-Maghrib, lit=the west), also known as the Arab Maghreb ( ar, المغرب العربي) and Northwest Africa, is the western part of North Africa and the Arab world. The region includes Algeria, ...

orth Africa Orth can refer to: Places * Orth, Minnesota, an unincorporated community in Nore Township, Minnesota, United States * Orth an der Donau, a town in Gänserndorf, Lower Austria, Austria * Orth House, a historic house in Winnetka, Illinois, United St ...

''SZ''=

Mizrahi ''Mizrachi'' or ''Mizrahi'' ( he, מזרחי) has two meanings. In the literal Hebrew meaning ''Eastern'', it may refer to: *Mizrahi Jews, Jews from the Middle East * Mizrahi (surname), a Sephardic surname, given to Jews who got to the Iberian P ...

iddle and Far East; ''Y''= Yemenite custom; ''R''= Romaniote (Byzantine, eastern Roman empire, extinct) custom; and ''K''= Karaite custom. In some instances ''Isr.Wikip'' = the Israeli version of Wikipedia (in Hebrew) of this article had different readings in its list. In several instances, authorities did not agree on the readings of various communities. 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.

Genesis

''
Bereshit Bereshit or Bereishith is the first word both of the Jewish Torah, and of the Christian New Testament of John, which alludes to the Torah. It is typically translated as "In the beginning...", and may refer to: In the beginning (phrase) Book of Ge ...
'' (1:1–6:8)

**A: Isaiah 42:5–43:10 **S, AF, AH, AP, APZ: Isaiah 42:5–21 **Portuguese (acc to Dotan, Lyons): Isaiah 42:5–21, and 61:10, and 62:5 **I: Isaiah 42:1–21 **Y: Isaiah 42:1–16 **R: Isaiah 65:16–66:11 **K: Isaiah 65:17–66:13 **OZ: Psalm 119:65-72

'' Noach'' (6:9–11:32)

**A, Y, I, SM: Isaiah 54:1-55:5 **some Y communities: Isaiah 54:1–55:3 **S, AF, AH: Isaiah 54:1–10 **K, R: Isaiah 54:9–55:12 **OZ: Psalm 119:73-80

''
Lech-Lecha Lech-Lecha, Lekh-Lekha, or Lech-L'cha ( ''leḵ-ləḵā''—Hebrew for "go!" or "leave!", literally "go for you"—the fifth and sixth words in the parashah) is the third weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah ...
'' (12:1–17:27)

**A, S: Isaiah 40:27–41:16 **Y, I: Isaiah 40:25-41:17 **R: Joshua 24:3–23 **K: Joshua 24:3–18 **OZ: Psalm 119:89-96

''
Vayeira Vayeira, Vayera, or ( — Hebrew language, Hebrew for "and He appeared," the incipit, first word in the parashah) is the fourth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Judaism, Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes . The para ...
'' (18:1–22:24)

**A, Y, AH, I, Algiers: Second Kings 4:1-37 **S, AF, AP, APZ: Second Kings 4:1–23 **R: Isaiah 33:17–34:13 **K: Isaiah 33:17–35:12 and verse 35:10 **OZ: Psalm 119:105-112

'' Chayei Sarah'' (23:1–25:18)

** A, S, Y, Dardaim communities: First Kings 1:1–31 (some Y add at end First Kings 1:46) **I: First Kings 1:1-34 **K, R: Isaiah 51:2–22 **OZ: Psalm 119:113-120

''
Toledot Toledot, Toldot, Toldos, or Toldoth (—Hebrew for "generations" or "descendants," the second word and the first distinctive word in the ''parashah'') is the sixth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. T ...
'' (25:19–28:9)

**A, S, I: Malachi 1:1-2:7 **Y: Malachi 1:1–3:4 **K, R: Isaiah 65:23–66:18 **OZ: Psalm 119:121-128

'' Vayetze'' (28:10–32:3)

::(S.R. Hirsch notes that there are conflicting traditions about Vayetze; what follows is as given in Hirsch, Hertz, Jerusalem Crown, & the Koren Bibles)See Eli Ducker
Haftaros of Vayetze and Vayishlach : A Mistake Rectified
/ref> **A: Hosea 12:13–14:10 (and some, including the

Perushim The ''perushim'' ( he, פרושים) were Jewish disciples of the Vilna Gaon, Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, who left Lithuania at the beginning of the 19th century to settle in the Land of Israel, which was then part of Ottoman Syria under Ottoman ...

, add at end Joel 2:26-27) ** 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 **S (also A, acc Cassuto, Harkavy, IDF): Hosea 11:7-12:12 **K, Amsterdam, Algiers, some SM (and S, acc to ArtScroll): Hosea 11:7-13:5 **Y, I, Baghdad, Djerba (Tunisia), (and AH, acc to Cassuto): Hosea 11:7-12:14 **AH (acc to Hirsch): Hosea 11:7-12:12; **R: Hosea 12:13–14:3 **OZ: Psalm 119:137-144

''
Vayishlach Vayishlach or Vayishlah ( — Hebrew for "and he sent," the first word of the parashah) is the eighth weekly Torah portion (, ) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. In the parashah, Jacob reconciles with Esau after wrestling with a "man. ...
'' (32:4–36:43)

:: (See Vayetze above.) **A (acc to many authorities, including Hertz)David E. S. Stein, "The Haftarot of Etz Hayim", ''Conservative Judaism'' vol.54 nr.3 (spring 2002
reprint
pages 1-2). (a ''few'' A, acc to Dotan; "some" A, acc to Hirsch): Hosea 11:7–12:12 **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). **A (acc to Cassuto): Hosea 12:13-14:9; (acc to Harkavy) Hosea 12:13-14:10 **OZ: Psalm 119:145-152

''
Vayeshev Vayeshev, Vayeishev, or Vayesheb (—Hebrew for "and he lived," the first word of the parashah) is the ninth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. The parashah constitutes . The parashah tells the sto ...
'' (37:1–40:23)

** A, S, Y, I: Amos 2:6–3:8 **R: Isaiah 32:18–33:18 **K: Isaiah 32:18–33:22 ::(° 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.) **OZ: Psalm 119:33-40

''
Miketz Miketz or Mikeitz (—Hebrew for "at the end", the second word, and first distinctive word of the ''parashah'') is the tenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes . The parashah tells of ...
'' (41:1–44:17)

**A, S: First Kings 3:15-4:1 ° ::(° 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

Hanukkah or English translation: 'Establishing' or 'Dedication' (of the Temple in Jerusalem) , nickname = , observedby = Jews , begins = 25 Kislev , ends = 2 Tevet or 3 Tevet , celebrations = Lighting candles each night. ...

, in which case a specific holiday haftara is substituted.) :*I: First Kings 3:15-28 :*R: Isaiah 29:7-30:4 :*K: Isaiah 29:7-24

''
Vayigash Vayigash or Vaigash (—Hebrew for "and he drew near" or "then he drew near," the first word of the parashah) is the eleventh weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes . In the parashah, J ...
'' (44:18–47:27)

**A, S, I: Ezekiel 37:15-28 **R: Joshua 14:6-15:6 **K: Joshua 14:6-14:15

'' Vayechi'' (47:28–50:26)

**A, S, I: First Kings 2:1-12 **K, R: Second Kings 13:14–14:7

Exodus

* ''Shemot'' (1:1–6:8) **A, (acc to Dotan, Harkavy) some S: Isaiah 27:6–28:13 & 29:22–23 **K, R, AH: Isaiah 27:6–28:13 **S, I: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 **Y (also Algiers, Baghdad, Fez n Morocco Persia): Ezekiel 16:1–14 (acc to Dotan, 16:1–13) *''

Va'eira Va'eira, Va'era, or Vaera ( — Hebrew language, Hebrew for "and I appeared," the incipit, first word that God in Judaism, God speaks in the ''parashah'', in ) is the fourteenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Judaism, Jewish c ...

'' (6:2–9:35) **A, S, and I (acc to Hebrew Wikipedia): Ezekiel 28:25–29:21 **APZ: Ezekiel 29:1–29:21 **Y, (acc to Cassuto) I: Ezekiel 28:24-29:21 **K, R: Isaiah 42:8–43:5 *'' Bo'' (10:1–13:16) **A, S: Jeremiah 46:13–28 **SM, Algiers, Fez, (acc to Hebrew Wikipedia) Y: Isaiah 19:1–19:25 **I, Baghdad, (acc Cassuto) Y: Isaiah 18:7–19:25 **R: Isaiah 34:11–36:4 **K: Isaiah 34:11–35:10 *''

Beshalach Beshalach, Beshallach, or Beshalah (—Hebrew language, Hebrew for "when elet go" (literally: "in (having) sent"), the second word and first distinctive word in the parashah) is the sixteenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annua ...

'' (13:17–17:16) (also called ''

Shabbat Shirah Special Shabbatot are Jewish Shabbat days on which special events are commemorated. Variations in the liturgy and special customs differentiate them from the regular Sabbaths and each one is referred to by a special name; many communities also a ...

'') **A, AH: Judges 4:4-5:31 (longest Haftara of the weekly readings) **Y, Libya, Fez, Istanbul: Judges 4:23–5:31 **I, (some A, acc to Hebrew Wikipedia): Judges 4:4–5:3 **some A (acc to Benisch notes in English, Harkavy) Judges 4:4-24 **S: Judges 5:1–5:31; (acc to Harkavy) Judges 5:1–5:28 **K, R: Joshua 24:7–24:26 *''

Yitro Yitro, Yithro, Yisroi, Yisrau, or Yisro (, Hebrew for the name " Jethro," the second word and first distinctive word in the parashah) is the seventeenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the ...

'' (18:1–20:26) **A, I, Baghdad, Algiers: Isaiah 6:1-7:6 & 9:5-6 **S, AH, APZ, some I: Isaiah 6:1-13 **Y: Isaiah 6:1-6:13 & 9:5-6 **R: Isaiah 33:13–34:10 **K: Isaiah 33:13–34:8 *''

Mishpatim Mishpatim (—Hebrew for "laws," the second word of the parashah) is the eighteenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the sixth in the Book of Exodus. The parashah sets out a series of laws, whic ...

'' (21:1–24:18) ::(In most years, the Sabbath of ''Mishpatim'' 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 and the following Passover is a Tuesday or in leap years when the following Passover is a Sunday or coincides with the Sabbath.) :*A, S, some I: Jeremiah 34:8-22 & 33:25-26 :*Y: Jeremiah 34:8–35:19 :*I: Jeremiah 34:8–35:11 :*R: Isaiah 56:1–57:10 :*K: Isaiah 56:1–57:2& *''

Terumah A ''terumah'' ( he, תְּרוּמָה) or heave offering is a type of sacrifice in Judaism. The word is generally used for an offering to God, although it is also sometimes used as in ''ish teramot'', a "judge who loves gifts". The word ''teru ...

'' (25:1–27:19) ::(In most years, the haftara of ''Terumah'' 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 Tuesday.) **A, S, I, Y: First Kings 5:26-6:13 **R: Isaiah 60:17–62:3 **K: Isaiah 60:17–61:9 *''

Tetzaveh Tetzaveh, Tetsaveh, T'tzaveh, or T'tzavveh (—Hebrew for " oushall command," the second word and first distinctive word in the parashah) is the 20th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the eight ...

'' (27:20–30:10) **A, S, I, Y: Ezekiel 43:10-27 **K, R: Jeremiah 11:16–12:15 *''

Ki Tissa Ki Tisa, Ki Tissa, Ki Thissa, or Ki Sisa ( — Hebrew for "when you take," the sixth and seventh words, and first distinctive words in the parashah) is the 21st weekly Torah portion () in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the ninth in t ...

'' (30:11-34:35) **A: First Kings 18:1-39 **S, AH, AF, AP, APZ, (& I, acc to Harkavy, Cassuto, and Hebrew Wikipedia): First Kings 18:20-39 **I: First Kings 18:1-38 **Y: First Kings 18:1-46 **R: Isaiah 43:7–44:2 **K: Isaiah 43:7–44:5 *'' Vayakhel'' (35:1-38:20) ::(This haftara is very seldom read. It is only read in leap years when the preceding Rosh Hashanah was a Thursday and the following Passover is a Tuesday or in leap years when the following Passover is a Sunday — 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.) :*A: First Kings 7:40–50 (AF ends at 8:1) (this is the S haftara for Pekudei, next week) :*S, AH, I: First Kings 7:13-26 (in Sephardic practice, this haftara is very rarely read) :*Y: First Kings 7:13–22 :*R: First Kings 8:1–8:10 :*K: First Kings 8:1–8:19 *''

Pekudei Pekudei, Pekude, Pekudey, P'kude, or P'qude (—Hebrew language, Hebrew for "amounts of," the second word, and the Incipit, first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 23rd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Judaism, Jewish cyc ...

'' (38:21–40:38) ::(In most years this haftara is not read because it falls on the Sabbath of Parashat HaHodesh, or, less often, Parashat Shekalim.Shlomo Katz, ''The Haftarah: Laws, Customs & History'' (2000, Silver Spring, Md.: Hamaayan/The Torah Spring) page 192. It is only read in leap years when the preceding Rosh Hashanah coincided with the Sabbath and the following Passover is a Tuesday or in leap years when the following Passover is a Thursday or coincides with the Sabbath.) :*A, AH: First Kings 7:51–8:21 :*APZ: First Kings 8:1–8:21 :*S, Y, Baghdad, I: First Kings 7:40–50 (acc to Cassuto, I end with verse 51) :*AF: First Kings 7:40–8:1 :*

Perushim The ''perushim'' ( he, פרושים) were Jewish disciples of the Vilna Gaon, Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, who left Lithuania at the beginning of the 19th century to settle in the Land of Israel, which was then part of Ottoman Syria under Ottoman ...

: First Kings 7:40–8:21 :*I: First Kings 7:40-51 :*R: First Kings 7:27–47 :*K: Jeremiah 30:18–31:13

Leviticus

*''

Vayikra The book of Leviticus (, from grc, Λευιτικόν, ; he, וַיִּקְרָא, , "And He called") is the third book of the Torah (the Pentateuch) and of the Old Testament, also known as the Third Book of Moses. Scholars generally agree ...

'' (1:1–5:26) **A, S, K: Isaiah 43:21–44:23 **Y, I, some SM: Isaiah 43:21–44:6 **R: Isaiah 43:21–44:13 *''

Tzav Tzav, Tsav, Zav, Sav, or Ṣaw ( — Hebrew for "command," the sixth word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 25th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the second in the Book of ...

'' (6:1–8:36) ::(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.) **A, S: Jeremiah 7:21–8:3; 9:22–23 **Y, AH: Jeremiah 7:21–28; 9:22–23 **I, Fez: Jeremiah 7:21–28; (acc to Hebrew Wikipedia) I. adds at end Jeremiah 10:6-7 **K, R: Malachi 3:4–3:24, & repeat 3:23 *'' Shemini'' (9:1–11:47) **A: Second Samuel 6:1–7:17 **S, AH, APZ: Second Samuel 6:1-19 (and some add 7:16–17) **Y, I: Second Samuel 6:1–7:3 **R: Ezekiel 43:27–44:21 **K: Ezekiel 43:27–44:16 *''

Tazria Tazria, Thazria, Thazri'a, Sazria, or Ki Tazria (—Hebrew for "childbirth", the 13th word, and the first distinctive word, in the ''parashah'', where the root word means "seed") is the 27th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jew ...

'' (12:1–13:59) **A, S, I, Y: Second Kings 4:42–5:19 **K, R: Isaiah 66:7–66:24, & repeat 66:23 *''

Tazria Tazria, Thazria, Thazri'a, Sazria, or Ki Tazria (—Hebrew for "childbirth", the 13th word, and the first distinctive word, in the ''parashah'', where the root word means "seed") is the 27th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jew ...

''–'' Metzora'' **Second Kings 7:3–20 *'' Metzora'' (14:1–15:33) **A, S, AH, R: Second Kings 7:3–20 **Y, I: Second Kings 7:1–20 & 13:23 **K: Second Kings 7:3-18 *''

Acharei Mot Acharei Mot (also Aharei Mot, Aharei Moth, or Acharei Mos) (, Hebrew for "after the death") is the 29th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It is the sixth weekly portion (, ''parashah'') in the Book of Leviticus, c ...

'' (16:1-18:30) ::(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:) :*A (acc to Hirsch, Dotan, & ArtScroll), AH: Amos 9:7-15 :*A, S (acc to Hertz, Hirsch),David E. S. Stein, "The Haftarot of Etz Hayim", ''Conservative Judaism'' vol.54 nr.3 (spring 2002
reprint
pages 2-3). Berlin, (and, acc to Hirsch, A in Israel): Ezekiel 22:1-19 ° :*S, K, AF (and A, acc to Cassuto, Koren, IDF, Jerusalem Crown, Benisch, & Hebrew Wikipedia): Ezekiel 22:1-16 ° :*R: Ezekiel 22:1-20 ::(° This reading contains the verse, disparaging the city of Jerusalem, which Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus disfavored in ''Megilla'' 25b. It was therefore the practice of the

Vilna Gaon Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, ( he , ר' אליהו בן שלמה זלמן ''Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman'') known as the Vilna Gaon (Yiddish: דער װילנער גאון ''Der Vilner Gaon'', pl, Gaon z Wilna, lt, Vilniaus Gaonas) or Elijah of ...

, 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.) *''

Acharei Mot Acharei Mot (also Aharei Mot, Aharei Moth, or Acharei Mos) (, Hebrew for "after the death") is the 29th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It is the sixth weekly portion (, ''parashah'') in the Book of Leviticus, c ...

'' - ''

Kedoshim Kedoshim, K'doshim, or Qedoshim ( — Hebrew for "holy ones," the 14th word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 30th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the seventh in the Book ...

'' **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) **S, I: Ezekiel 20:2-20 *''

Kedoshim Kedoshim, K'doshim, or Qedoshim ( — Hebrew for "holy ones," the 14th word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 30th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the seventh in the Book ...

'' (19:1-20:27) (again, some confusion) **A (acc to ArtScroll): Ezekiel 22:1-16 **A (acc to Hirsch): Ezekiel 22:1-19 **A (acc to Cassuto, Hertz, IDF, Jerusalem Crown, Benische, Dotan, Koren, & Hebrew Wikipedia): Amos 9:7-15 **APZ: Ezekiel 22:2-16 **S, AH, Y, I (acc to Hirsch, and Benisch): Ezekiel 20:1-20 **S (acc to Cassuto, ArtScroll, Hertz, IDF, Jerusalem Crown, Koren, & Hebrew Wikipedia; and some S acc to Hirsch), some I: Ezekiel 20:2-20 **Y (acc to Hebrew Wikipedia): Ezekiel 20:1-15 **R: Isaiah 3:4-5:17 **K: Isaiah 4:3-5:16 *''

Emor Emor ( he, אֱמֹר — Hebrew for "speak," the fifth word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 31st weekly Torah portion ( he, פָּרָשָׁה, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the eighth in ...

'' (21:1-24:23) **A, S, Y, I: Ezekiel 44:15-31 **K, R: Ezekiel 44:25-45:11 *''

Behar Behar, BeHar, Be-har, or B'har ( — Hebrew language, Hebrew for "on the mount," the fifth word, and the Incipit, first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 32nd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Judaism, Jewish cycle of Tor ...

'' (25:1-26:2)See Eli Ducker
The Haftarot for Behar and Behukkotai
/ref> (In non-leap years xcept in Eretz Yisrael when the following Shavuot is a Sunday this parashah is combined with ''Bechukotai''.) **A, S: Jeremiah 32:6-27 **APZ: Jeremiah 32:6-32 **AH: Jeremiah 32:6-22 **Y, I: Jeremiah 16:19-17:14 **K, R: Isaiah 24:2–23 *''

Behar Behar, BeHar, Be-har, or B'har ( — Hebrew language, Hebrew for "on the mount," the fifth word, and the Incipit, first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 32nd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Judaism, Jewish cycle of Tor ...

'' - ''

Bechukotai Bechukotai, Bechukosai, or Bəḥuqothai (Biblical) ( ''bəḥuqqōṯay'' — Hebrew for "by my decrees," the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 33rd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycl ...

'' (In non-leap years xcept in Eretz Yisrael when the following Shavuot is a Sunday the Torah portions for both parshiot are read with the haftara for ''Bechukotai''.) **A, S: Jeremiah 16:19–17:14 *''

Bechukotai Bechukotai, Bechukosai, or Bəḥuqothai (Biblical) ( ''bəḥuqqōṯay'' — Hebrew for "by my decrees," the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 33rd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycl ...

'' (26:3-27:34) (In non-leap years xcept in Eretz Yisrael when the following Shavuot is a Sunday this parashah is combined with ''Behar''.) **A, S, AH: Jeremiah 16:19–17:14 **APZ: Ezekiel 34:1–15 **Y: Ezekiel 34:1–27 **I: Ezekiel 34:1–15 **AP: Ezekiel 34:1–31 **K, R, Iraq: Isaiah 1:19–2:11

Numbers

*'' Bemidbar'' (1:1–4:20) **Hosea 2:1–22 *'' Naso'' (4:21–7:89) **A, S, I: Judges 13:2–25 **R: Hosea 4:14–6:2 **Y, K: Judges 13:2–24 *'' Behaalotecha'' (8:1–12:16) ::(This haftara, in all traditions, includes Zechariah 3:2, which contains the very rarely used cantillation accent of '' mercha kefula'', under ''zeh'' - "this urning stick.)Macy Nulman, "The Liturgical and Musical Development and Significance of the Haftarah", ''Journal of Jewish Music & Liturgy'', vol. 15 (1992) page 29. :*A, S, I, R, K: Zechariah 2:14–4:7 :*Y: Zechariah 2:14–4:9 :*Libya: Zechariah 2:14–4:10 *''

Shlach ''Shlach, Shelach, Sh'lah, Shlach Lecha'', or ''Sh'lah L'kha'' ( or — Hebrew for "send", "send to you", or "send for yourself") is the 37th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the fourth in the ...

'' (13:1–15:41) **A, S, I, Y: Joshua 2:1–24 **R: Joshua 2:1–21 **K: Joshua 2:1–15 *'' Korach'' (16:1–18:32) **A, S, Y: First Samuel 11:14–12:22 **R: Hosea 10:2–11:8 **K: Hosea 10:2–11:9 *''

Chukat Chukat, HuQath , Hukath, or Chukkas ( — Hebrew for "decree," the ninth word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 39th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the sixth in the ...

'' (19:1-22:1) **A, S, I: Judges 11:1–33 **APZ: Judges 11:1–11 **Y: Judges 11:1–40 **R: Judges 11:1–21 **K: Judges 11:1–17 *''

Chukat Chukat, HuQath , Hukath, or Chukkas ( — Hebrew for "decree," the ninth word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 39th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the sixth in the ...

'' - ''

Balak Balak ( ''Bālāq'') was a king of Moab described in the Book of Numbers in the Hebrew Bible, where his dealings with the prophet Balaam are recounted. Balak tried to engage Balaam for the purpose of cursing the migrating Israelite community. On ...

'' (This only occurs in the Diaspora when the following 17 Tammuz is a Thursday.) ** Micah 5:6–6:8 **I: Micah 5:4–6:8 *''

Balak Balak ( ''Bālāq'') was a king of Moab described in the Book of Numbers in the Hebrew Bible, where his dealings with the prophet Balaam are recounted. Balak tried to engage Balaam for the purpose of cursing the migrating Israelite community. On ...

'' (22:2–25:9) **A, S, Y, R, K: Micah 5:6-6:8 **I: Micah 5:4-6:8 *''

Pinchas According to the Hebrew Bible, Phinehas or Phineas (; , ''Phinees'', ) was a priest during the Israelites’ Exodus journey. The grandson of Aaron and son of Eleazar, the High Priests (), he distinguished himself as a youth at Shittim with ...

'' (25:10-30:1), if on 14 Tammuz; 16 Tammuz; or, in Eretz Yisrael, 17 Tammuz ::(In most years Pinchas falls after 17 Tammuz, and the haftara for Matot ee belowis read instead. The haftara for Pinchas is only read in leap years in which 17 Tammuz is a Tuesday hen the previous 17 Tammuz was also a Tuesdayor 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.) :*A, S, I: First Kings 18:46-19:21 :*R: First Kings 18:46-19:16 :*K, some R, Syracuse (Sicily): Malachi 2:5-3:3 (Syracuse ends at 3:4, R ends 3:8) *''Pinchas'' (25:10-30:1), if on 17 Tammuz (Diaspora only), 19 Tammuz, 21 Tammuz, 23 Tammuz or 24 Tammuz :*A, S, Y, R, K: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 :*I: Joshua 13:15-33 *''

Matot Matot, Mattot, Mattoth, or Matos ( — Hebrew for "tribes", the fifth word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 42nd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the ninth in the Book o ...

'' (30:2-32:42) ::(This Sabbath, or the preceding one, begins the three Sabbaths before

Tisha B'Av Tisha B'Av ( he, תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב ''Tīšʿā Bəʾāv''; , ) is an annual fast day in Judaism, on which a number of disasters in Jewish history occurred, primarily the destruction of both Solomon's Temple by the Neo-Babylonian E ...

, 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 r in Eretz Yisrael when 9 Av coincides with the Sabbathare Matot and Masei read on separate Sabbaths.)David E. S. Stein, "The Haftarot of Etz Hayim", ''Conservative Judaism'' vol.54 nr.3 (spring 2002
reprint
page 3). :*A, S, Y, R, K: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 :*I: Joshua 13:15-33 *''

Matot Matot, Mattot, Mattoth, or Matos ( — Hebrew for "tribes", the fifth word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 42nd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the ninth in the Book o ...

'' - ''

Masei Masei, Mas'ei, or Masse ( — Hebrew for "journeys," the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 43rd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the 10th and last in the Boo ...

'' ::(In most years Matot and Masei are combined in one Sabbath xceptions are detailed above in the sections for Pinchas and Matot and as customary only the second haftara - the one for Masei - is read.) :*A: Jeremiah 2:4-28, and 3:4 :*S, AH: Jeremiah 2:4-28, and 4:1-2 :*I: Joshua 19:51-21:3 :*R: Isaiah 1:1-27 :*Y, some R: Jeremiah 1:1-19 :*Algiers, some Y: Jeremiah 2:4-4:2 *''

Masei Masei, Mas'ei, or Masse ( — Hebrew for "journeys," the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 43rd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the 10th and last in the Boo ...

'' (33:1-36:13) **A: Jeremiah 2:4-28, and 3:4 **S, AH, R, Y: Jeremiah 2:4-28, and 4:1-2 **(acc to Hebrew Wikipedia) Y: Joshua 1:1-20 **I: Joshua 19:51–21:3. **K: Joshua 20:1–9.

Deuteronomy

*'' Devarim'' (1:1-3:22) (This is always '' Shabbat Hazon'', the Sabbath preceding

Tisha B'Av Tisha B'Av ( he, תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב ''Tīšʿā Bəʾāv''; , ) is an annual fast day in Judaism, on which a number of disasters in Jewish history occurred, primarily the destruction of both Solomon's Temple by the Neo-Babylonian E ...

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

Lamentations The Book of Lamentations ( he, אֵיכָה, , from its incipit meaning "how") is a collection of poetic laments for the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. In the Hebrew Bible it appears in the Ketuvim ("Writings") as one of the Five Megillot ...

) **Y: Isaiah 1:21-31 **Libya: Isaiah 22:1-13 **Djerba: Isaiah 22:1-14 (some Djerba add at end 1:27) *''

Va'etchanan Va'etchanan ( — Hebrew language, Hebrew for "and I pleaded," the Incipit, first word in the parashah) is the 45th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Judaism, Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the second in the Book of Deuteronom ...

'' (3:23–7:11) ::(This is always '' Shabbat Nahamu'', the first Sabbath after

Tisha B'Av Tisha B'Av ( he, תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב ''Tīšʿā Bəʾāv''; , ) is an annual fast day in Judaism, on which a number of disasters in Jewish history occurred, primarily the destruction of both Solomon's Temple by the Neo-Babylonian E ...

, and the first of the Seven Haftarot of Consolation) :*A, S, R, some I: Isaiah 40:1-26 :*Y: Isaiah 40:1–27 & 41:17 :*I: Isaiah 40:1–15 :*K: Isaiah 40:1–22 *''

Eikev Eikev, Ekev, Ekeb, Aikev, or Eqeb ( — Hebrew for "if ou follow" the second word, and the first distinctive word in the parashah) is the 46th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the third in th ...

'' (7:12–11:25) **A, S, I, Y: Isaiah 49:14–51:3 **R: Isaiah 49:1–51:3 **Libya: Isaiah 49:1–50:10 **K: Isaiah 49:14–50:5 *''

Re'eh Re'eh, Reeh, R'eih, or Ree (—Hebrew for "see", the first word in the parashah) is the 47th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the fourth in the Book of Deuteronomy. It comprises . In the parasha ...

'' (11:26–16:17) ::(According to the ''

Shulchan Aruch The ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּך , literally: "Set Table"), sometimes dubbed in English as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Judaism. It was authored in Safed (today in Is ...

'', if

Rosh Hodesh Rosh Chodesh or Rosh Hodesh ( he, ראש חודש; trans. ''Beginning of the Month''; lit. ''Head of the Month'') is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the birth of a new moon. It is considered a mino ...

''Elul'' - 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 ''Machar Chodesh'' when Rosh Chodesh elul falls on Sunday.) :*A, S, I, Y: Isaiah 54:11–55:5 :*K: Isaiah 54:11–56:1 :*a few Algerian (acc to Dotan) Isaiah 54:1–10 *'' Shoftim'' (16:18–21:9) **A, S, R, Y: Isaiah 51:12–52:12 **I: First Samuel 8:1–22 **K: Isaiah 51:12–52:8 *''

Ki Teitzei Ki Teitzei, Ki Tetzei, Ki Tetse, Ki Thetze, Ki Tese, Ki Tetzey, or Ki Seitzei ( — Hebrew language, Hebrew for "when you go," the Incipit, first words in the parashah) is the 49th weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Judaism, Jewis ...

'' (21:10–25:19) ::(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) **A, S, R, Y: Isaiah 54:1–10 **I: First Samuel 17:1–37 **K: Isaiah 54:1–17 **a few Algerian (acc to Dotan): Isaiah 54:11–55:5 *''

Ki Tavo Ki Tavo, Ki Thavo, Ki Tabo, Ki Thabo, or Ki Savo ( he, כִּי-תָבוֹא — Hebrew for "when you enter," the second and third words, and the first distinctive words, in the parashah) is the 50th weekly Torah portion ( he, פָּרָשָׁה ...

'' (26:1–29:8) **A, S, R, Y: Isaiah 60:1-22 **I: Joshua 8:30–9:27 **K: Isaiah 60:1–16 *''

Nitzavim Nitzavim, Nitsavim, Nitzabim, Netzavim, Nisavim, or Nesabim ( — Hebrew for "ones standing," the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 51st weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah re ...

'' (29:9–30:20) ::(The last of the Seven Haftarot of Consolation. If Nitzavim and Vayelech are read together, the haftara of Nitzavim is read.) :*A, S, R: Isaiah 61:10–63:9 :*Y: Isaiah 61:9–63:9 :*I: Joshua 24:1–18 :*Algiers (acc to Dotan): Hosea 14:2–10, and Joel 2:15–27, and Micah 7:18–20 :*K: Isaiah 61:10–63:1 *''

Nitzavim Nitzavim, Nitsavim, Nitzabim, Netzavim, Nisavim, or Nesabim ( — Hebrew for "ones standing," the second word, and the first distinctive word, in the parashah) is the 51st weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah re ...

'' – ''

Vayelech Vayelech, Vayeilech, VaYelech, Va-yelech, Vayelekh, Wayyelekh, Wayyelakh, or Va-yelekh ( — Hebrew for "then he went out", the first word in the parashah) is the 52nd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah readi ...

'' **Isaiah 61:10–63:9 *''

Vayelech Vayelech, Vayeilech, VaYelech, Va-yelech, Vayelekh, Wayyelekh, Wayyelakh, or Va-yelekh ( — Hebrew for "then he went out", the first word in the parashah) is the 52nd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah readi ...

'' (31:1-30) ::(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.) :*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 (''

Minchah Mincha ( he, מִנחַה, pronounced as ; sometimes spelled ''Minchah'' or ''Minḥa'') is the afternoon prayer service in Judaism. Etymology The name ''Mincha'', meaning "present", is derived from the meal offering that accompanied each sacrif ...

'' ) haftara for minor fast days, such as Gedaliah or Esther.) *''

Haazinu Haazinu, Ha'azinu, or Ha'Azinu ( — Hebrew for "listen" when directed to more than one person, the first word in the parashah) is the 53rd weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the 10th in the Boo ...

'' (32:1-51) ::(If the Sabbath of Haazinu coincides with Shabbat Shuvah, the Haftara for Vayelech is read.) **A, S, R: Second Samuel 22:1-51 **APZ: Hosea 14:2–10 ; Joel 2:15–27 **I, Y: Ezekiel 17:22-18:32 **Algiers: Isaiah 61:10–63:9 **K: Hosea 14:2–10 *''

V'Zot HaBerachah V'Zot HaBerachah, VeZos HaBerachah, VeZot Haberakha, V'Zeis Habrocho, V'Zaus Haberocho, V'Zois Haberuchu, Wazoth Habborocho, or Zos Habrocho (—Hebrew for "and this is the blessing," the first words in the parashah) is the 54th and final weekly T ...

'' (33:1–34:12) - (This haftara is read on Simchat Torah, as that is when

V'Zot HaBerachah V'Zot HaBerachah, VeZos HaBerachah, VeZot Haberakha, V'Zeis Habrocho, V'Zaus Haberocho, V'Zois Haberuchu, Wazoth Habborocho, or Zos Habrocho (—Hebrew for "and this is the blessing," the first words in the parashah) is the 54th and final weekly T ...

is read, as opposed to on an ordinary shabbat.) :*A (including Hertz), AH, I: Joshua 1:1–18 :*S, (acc to Hebrew Wikipedia) K: Joshua 1:1–9 :*Y: Joshua 1:1–9 & 6:27 :*K: Joshua 1:1–10 :*Portuguese (acc to Dotan): Joshua 1:1–9, and Isaiah 61:1, and Isaiah 62:5. :*R: First Kings 9:22–34This is the Haftorah for the "second day of Shemini Atzeret" according to the Talmud Bavli, Megillah 31a. Nevertheless
Seder Rav Amram Gaon
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.

Special Sabbaths Special Shabbatot are Jewish Shabbat days on which special events are commemorated. Variations in the liturgy and special customs differentiate them from the regular Sabbaths and each one is referred to by a special name; many communities also a ...
, 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 haftarot below (that for Rosh Hodesh and that for the day preceding Rosh Hodesh) are replaced by the regular weekly haftara when the weekly reading is ''Masei''(occurring in mid-summer) or later. Some of these occasions also have specific Torah readings, which (for A and S) are noted parenthetically. *Sabbath coinciding with

Rosh Hodesh Rosh Chodesh or Rosh Hodesh ( he, ראש חודש; trans. ''Beginning of the Month''; lit. ''Head of the Month'') is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the birth of a new moon. It is considered a mino ...

, except Rosh Hodesh of the months of Adar, Nisan, Tevet, or (in some communities) Av or Elul; and except Rosh Hashanah ::(Torah reading: Numbers 28:9-15, acc to JPS, Hirsch, Soncino Chumash; Numbers 28:1-15, acc to Hertz, ArtScroll) :*A, S, K: Isaiah 66:1–24 & repeat 66:23 :*Y, AH: Isaiah 66:1–24 & repeat 66:23 :*a few Djerba: Isaiah 66:5-24 & repeat 66:23 *Sabbath coinciding with the day preceding

Rosh Chodesh Rosh Chodesh or Rosh Hodesh ( he, ראש חודש; trans. ''Beginning of the Month''; lit. ''Head of the Month'') is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the birth of a new moon. It is considered a minor h ...

, (known as '' Machar Hodesh'' ), except Rosh Hodesh of the months of

Nisan Nisan (or Nissan; he, נִיסָן, Standard ''Nīsan'', Tiberian ''Nīsān''; from akk, 𒊬𒊒𒄀 ''Nisanu'') in the Babylonian and Hebrew calendars is the month of the barley ripening and first month of spring. The name of the month is ...

,

Tevet Tevet ( he, טֵבֵת, ''Ṭevet''; ; from Akkadian ) is the fourth month of the civil year and the tenth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It follows Kislev and precedes Shevat. It is a month of 29 days. Tevet usually occ ...

,

Adar Adar ( he, אֲדָר ; from Akkadian ''adaru'') is the sixth month of the civil year and the twelfth month of the religious year on the Hebrew calendar, roughly corresponding to the month of March in the Gregorian calendar. It is a month of 29 d ...

, or (in most communities)

Elul Elul ( he, אֱלוּל, Standard ''ʾElūl'', Tiberian ''ʾĔlūl'') is the twelfth month of the Jewish civil year and the sixth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It is a month of 29 days. Elul usually occurs in August� ...

and except

Rosh Hashanah Rosh HaShanah ( he, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, , literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (, , lit. "day of shouting/blasting") It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days (, , " ...

**First Samuel 20:18-42 (which begins, "Tomorrow is the new moon...") *** Fez (acc to Dotan): additionally read the regular Haftara. he_holidays_and_special_Sabbaths_are_listed_in_their_usual_sequence_during_the_year,_starting_with_''Rosh_Hashanah''_.html" ;"title="special_Sabbaths.html" ;"title="he holidays and special Sabbaths">he holidays and special Sabbaths are listed in their usual sequence during the year, starting with ''Rosh Hashanah'' ">special_Sabbaths.html" ;"title="he holidays and special Sabbaths">he holidays and special Sabbaths are listed in their usual sequence during the year, starting with ''Rosh Hashanah'' *First day of ''Rosh Hashanah'' (Torah reading: Genesis chap. 21 and Numbers 29:1-6) **A, S: First Samuel 1:1–2:20 **I, Y, AH (and A and S acc to Benisch): First Samuel 1:1–2:10 **R: First Samuel 2:1-2:21 **K: Joel 2:15-2:27 *Second day of ''Rosh Hashanah'' (Torah reading: Genesis chap. 22 and Numbers 29:1-6) **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) **I: Jeremiah 31:1–20 **R: Jeremiah 31:19-31;29 (some R continue to verse 31:35) **Baghdad: Jeremiah 30:25-31:19 *Fast of Gedaliah, afternoon haftara (there is no morning haftara) **A, Y, AH, some S, some SM: Isaiah 55:6–56:8 (same as used on minchah of 9th of Av) **I: Hosea 14:2–10 **(acc to Dotan, most Sephardic congregations have no haftara for Fast of Gedalia) *Sabbath before ''

Yom Kippur Yom Kippur (; he, יוֹם כִּפּוּר, , , ) is the holiest day in Judaism and Samaritanism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Primarily centered on atonement and repentance, the day's ...

'' (''

Shabbat Shuvah Special Shabbatot are Jewish Shabbat days on which special events are commemorated. Variations in the liturgy and special customs differentiate them from the regular Sabbaths and each one is referred to by a special name; many communities also a ...

'') (usually the same week as Parashat Haazinu) **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 passages. **R, (Y, acc to Jerusalem Crown): Hosea 14:2-10 **(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.) **(acc to Hertz) A, S: Hosea 14:2-10, Micah 7:18-20, Joel 2:15-27 **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) **S (acc to Dotan, Koren, Hirsch, Benisch, Lindo, & Jerusalem Crown), & AH: Hosea 14:2–10, and Micah 7:18–20 **The choice of the reading from Hosea is almost universal because its opening words are ''Shuvah Yisrael'' - "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

minchah Mincha ( he, מִנחַה, pronounced as ; sometimes spelled ''Minchah'' or ''Minḥa'') is the afternoon prayer service in Judaism. Etymology The name ''Mincha'', meaning "present", is derived from the meal offering that accompanied each sacrif ...

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 exchange of haftarot if there is - as often occurs - a Sabbath in the four days between Yom Kippur and the beginning of ''Sukkot'';in which case that Sabbath is Parashat Haazinu.) *''Yom Kippur'', morning haftara (Torah reading: Leviticus chap. 16 and Numbers 29:7-11) **A, S, AH: Isaiah 57:14–58:14 (R begin at 57:15) **Y, I: Isaiah 57:14-58:14 & 59:20-21 *''Yom Kippur'', afternoon haftara (Torah reading: Leviticus chap. 18) **the entire

Book of Jonah The Book of Jonah is collected as one of the twelve minor prophets of the Nevi'im ("Prophets") in the Hebrew Bible, and as a book in its own right in the Christian Old Testament. The book tells of a Hebrew prophet named Jonah, son of Amittai, wh ...

, and Micah 7:18–20 (some communities omit the part from Micah) **I:

Obadiah Obadiah (; he, עֹבַדְיָה – ''ʿŌḇaḏyā'' or – ''ʿŌḇaḏyāhū''; "servant of Yah", or "Slave of Yah HVH) is a biblical prophet. The authorship of the Book of Obadiah is traditionally attributed to the prophet ...

1:21, the entire

Book of Jonah The Book of Jonah is collected as one of the twelve minor prophets of the Nevi'im ("Prophets") in the Hebrew Bible, and as a book in its own right in the Christian Old Testament. The book tells of a Hebrew prophet named Jonah, son of Amittai, wh ...

, and Micah 7:18–20 *First day of ''

Sukkot or ("Booths, Tabernacles") , observedby = Jews, Samaritans, a few Protestant denominations, Messianic Jews, Semitic Neopagans , type = Jewish, Samaritan , begins = 15th day of Tishrei , ends = 21st day of Tishre ...

'' (Torah reading: Leviticus 22:26-23:44 and Numbers 29:12-16) **A, S, AH, K: Zechariah 14:1–21 (R end with verse 19) **Y, Aleppo: Zechariah 13:9–14:21 *Second day of ''Sukkot'' (in the Diaspora) (Torah reading: Leviticus 22:26-23:44 and Numbers 29:12-16) **A, S, AH, R: First Kings 8:2–21 (R ends with 8:20) **Y, I: First Kings 7:51–8:16 *Sabbath of the intermediate days of ''Sukkot'' ('' Shabbat Hol Hamoed Sukkot'') (Torah reading: Exodus 33:12-34:26 and the appropriate reading from Numbers 29) **A, S, R: Ezekiel 38:18–39:16 **Y, some I, Persia, and Aleppo: Ezekiel 38:1–38:23 **some I, APZ, R: Ezekiel 38:18–39:16 (some I, and Posen ends at 39:10) *''

Shemini Atzeret Shemini Atzeret (—"Eighth

ay of Ay, AY or variants, may refer to: People * Ay (pharaoh), a pharaoh of the 18th Egyptian dynasty * Merneferre Ay, a pharaoh of the 13th Egyptian dynasty * A.Y. (musician) (born 1981), a Tanzanian "bongo flava" artist * A.Y, stage name of Ayo Makun ...

Assembly") is a Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday. It is celebrated on the 22nd day of the Hebrew calendar, Hebrew month of Tishrei in the Land of Israel, and on the 22nd and 23rd outside the Land, usually coi ...

'' (in the Diaspora) (Torah reading: Deuteronomy 14:22-16:17 and Numbers 29:35-30:1) **First Kings 8:54–66 (I, some A end at verse 9:1; R end at 9:5) **K: Jonah (entire) *'' Simhat Torah'' (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) **A, AH, I: Joshua 1:1–18 **S, Y: Joshua 1:1–9 (Y add verse 6:27) (some S follow this with the haftara used for a bridegroom saiah 61:10-62:8) **R: First Kings 8:22–34 (this is the reading originally assigned by the Talmud for this day.) *First (or only) Sabbath of ''

Hanukkah or English translation: 'Establishing' or 'Dedication' (of the Temple in Jerusalem) , nickname = , observedby = Jews , begins = 25 Kislev , ends = 2 Tevet or 3 Tevet , celebrations = Lighting candles each night. ...

'' ::(This haftara is recommended in the Talmud (''Megillah'' 31a), in all traditions, includes Zechariah 3:2, which contains the very rarely used cantillation accent of '' mercha kefula'', under ''zeh'' - "this urning stick. 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.) :*A, S, AH: Zechariah 2:14–4:7 :*Y: Zechariah 2:14–4:9 *Second Sabbath of ''Hanukkah'' **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 will never occur in the same year.) **R: First Kings 7:27–47 *Sabbath immediately preceding the second day of

Adar Adar ( he, אֲדָר ; from Akkadian ''adaru'') is the sixth month of the civil year and the twelfth month of the religious year on the Hebrew calendar, roughly corresponding to the month of March in the Gregorian calendar. It is a month of 29 d ...

(or of Second Adar) (

Shabbat Shekalim Special Shabbatot are Jewish Shabbat days on which special events are commemorated. Variations in the liturgy and special customs differentiate them from the regular Sabbaths and each one is referred to by a special name; many communities also a ...

): ° (Torah reading: Exodus 30:11-16) **A, Y: Second Kings 12:1–17 (this is the selection recommended in the Talmud, ''Megillah '' 29b) **S, AH: Second Kings 11:17–12:17 **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 oldest assigned haftarot, from

Tosefta The Tosefta (Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: תוספתא "supplement, addition") is a compilation of the Jewish oral law from the late 2nd century, the period of the Mishnah. Overview In many ways, the Tosefta acts as a supplement to the Mishnah ( ...

, ''Megillah'' ch.4.) *Sabbath immediately preceding ''

Purim Purim (; , ; see Name below) is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jews, Jewish people from Haman, an official of the Achaemenid Empire who was planning to have all of Persia's Jewish subjects killed, as recounted in the Boo ...

'' (

Shabbat Zachor Special Shabbatot are Jewish Shabbat days on which special events are commemorated. Variations in the liturgy and special customs differentiate them from the regular Sabbaths and each one is referred to by a special name; many communities also a ...

) (Torah reading: Deuteronomy 25:17-19) **A, AH: First Samuel 15:2–34 **APZ: First Samuel 15:2–33 **S: First Samuel 15:1–34 **Y: First Samuel 14:52–15:33 *

Purim Purim (; , ; see Name below) is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jews, Jewish people from Haman, an official of the Achaemenid Empire who was planning to have all of Persia's Jewish subjects killed, as recounted in the Boo ...

- no haftara is read. *Sabbath ''Shushan Purim'' (in cities that celebrate only ordinary Purim): **No special haftara: the usual haftara for that week's parashah is read. *Sabbath ''

Shushan Purim Purim (; , ; see Name below) is a Jewish holiday which commemorates the saving of the Jews, Jewish people from Haman, an official of the Achaemenid Empire who was planning to have all of Persia's Jewish subjects killed, as recounted in the Boo ...

'' (in cities that celebrate it): (same haftara as for ''Parashat Zachor'') **A, AH: First Samuel 15:2–34 **S: First Samuel 15:1–34 **Y: First Samuel 14:52–15:33 *Sabbath immediately following ''Shushan Purim'' ( Shabbat Parah): (Torah reading: Numbers 19:1-22) **A: Ezekiel 36:16–38 **S, AH, Y: Ezekiel 36:16–36 *Sabbath immediately preceding the second day of Nisan ( Shabbat HaChodesh): ° (Torah reading: Exodus 12:1-20) **A: Ezekiel 45:16–46:18 **APZ: Ezekiel 45:18–46:15 **S, AF (& AH acc to Dotan): Ezekiel 45:18–46:15 ***AH: Ezekiel 45:18–46:16 ***Algiers: Ezekiel 45:18-46:15 & 47:12 **Y: Ezekiel 45:9–46:11 **I: Ezekiel 45:18–46:18 ::(° If

Rosh Hodesh Rosh Chodesh or Rosh Hodesh ( he, ראש חודש; trans. ''Beginning of the Month''; lit. ''Head of the Month'') is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the birth of a new moon. It is considered a mino ...

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 haftara of Rosh Hodesh amely, Isaiah 66:1 & 66:23 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 amely First Samuel 20:18 & 20:42) *Sabbath immediately preceding Passover (''

Shabbat HaGadol Special Shabbatot are Jewish Shabbat days on which special events are commemorated. Variations in the liturgy and special customs differentiate them from the regular Sabbaths and each one is referred to by a special name; many communities also ad ...

'') **Malachi 3:4-24 & repeat 3:23 ***Y, some AH, AF, some SM: read the regular haftara for that week° ::°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. *First day of

Passover Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday that celebrates the The Exodus, Biblical story of the Israelites escape from slavery in Ancient Egypt, Egypt, which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew calendar, He ...

(Torah reading: Exodus 12:21-51, and Numbers 28:16-25) ** Joshua 5:2-6:1 & 6:27 ***AH, (and A, acc to Dotan, SCJ, and Benisch): Joshua 3:5–7, 5:2-6:1, & 6:27 (the Munkatcher Rebbe omitted verse 3:7), ('Hertz' omitted Joshua 3:5-7) ***AF, R, and

Perushim The ''perushim'' ( he, פרושים) were Jewish disciples of the Vilna Gaon, Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, who left Lithuania at the beginning of the 19th century to settle in the Land of Israel, which was then part of Ottoman Syria under Ottoman ...

: Joshua 5:2–6:1 *Second day of Passover (in the Diaspora, outside of Eretz Yisrael) (Torah reading: Leviticus 22:26-23:44 and Numbers 28:16-25) **A, S, AH: Second Kings 23:1–9 & 23:21–25 ° ::(° 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.) **APZ: Second Kings 23:4–9, 23:21–30 **Y: Second Kings 22:1–7 & 23:21–25 **I: Second Kings 23:1–9 & 23:21–30 **K: Second Kings 23:21–30 *Sabbath of the intermediate days of Passover ('' Shabbat Hol Hamoed Pesach'') ° (Torah reading: Exodus 33:12-34:26 and Numbers 28:19-25) **A, S: Ezekiel 37:1–17 ***AH: Ezekiel 37:1–14 **Y: Ezekiel 36:37–37:14 **I, R (and A and S, acc to Benisch): Ezekiel 36:37–37:17 (acc to Benisch, S stop at 37:14) *Seventh day of Passover (Torah reading: Exodus 13:17-15:26 and Numbers 28:19-25) **Second Samuel 22:1–51 (Aleppo begins at 21:15) **K: Judges 5:1–31 *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) **Isaiah 10:32–12:6 (also read in some communities on ''

Yom Ha'atzmaut Independence Day ( he, יום העצמאות ''Yom Ha'atzmaut'', lit. "Day of Independence") is the national day of Israel, commemorating the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. The day is marked by official and unofficial ceremonies ...

'') **R: Judges 5:1–31 *First day of ''

Shavuot (''Ḥag HaShavuot'' or ''Shavuos'') , nickname = English: "Feast of Weeks" , observedby = Jews and Samaritans , type = Jewish and Samaritan , begins = 6th day of Sivan (or the Sunday following the 6th day of Sivan i ...

'' (Torah reading: Exodus 19:1-20:22 and Numbers 28:26-31) **A, S, AH: Ezekiel 1:1–28 & 3:12 ° **Y: Ezekiel 1:1–2:2 & 3:12 ° **K: Habakkuk 1:1–3:19 ::(° The

Shulchan Aruch The ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּך , literally: "Set Table"), sometimes dubbed in English as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Judaism. It was authored in Safed (today in Is ...

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 of the Mishna, ''

Hagigah Hagigah or Chagigah (Hebrew: חגיגה, lit. "Festival Offering") is one of the tractates comprising Moed, one of the six orders of the Mishnah, a collection of Jewish traditions included in the Talmud. It deals with the Three Pilgrimage Festiv ...

'' 2:1.) *Second day of ''Shavuot'' (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) **Habakkuk 2:20–3:19 ° ::(° Many A congregations, after reading the first verse of the haftara (namely 2:20), then read an Aramaic

piyyut A ''piyyut'' or ''piyut'' (plural piyyutim or piyutim, he, פִּיּוּטִים / פיוטים, פִּיּוּט / פיוט ; from Greek ποιητής ''poiētḗs'' "poet") is a Jewish liturgical poem, usually designated to be sung, ch ...

(poem), '' Yetziv Pisgam'', extolling God's infinite power, after which the reading from Habakkuk resumes. A minority of congregations recite a different poem, ''Ata Vedugma'', instead, and some do not interrupt the haftara with any poem.) ** R, some A: Habakkuk 3:1-3:19 *

Tisha B'Av Tisha B'Av ( he, תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב ''Tīšʿā Bəʾāv''; , ) is an annual fast day in Judaism, on which a number of disasters in Jewish history occurred, primarily the destruction of both Solomon's Temple by the Neo-Babylonian E ...

, morning haftara (Torah reading: Deuteronomy 4:25-40) **A, S, AH: Jeremiah 8:13–9:23 (chanted to the melody used for the Scroll of Lamentations) **Y: Jeremiah 6:16–17 & 8:13–9:23 *

Tisha B'Av Tisha B'Av ( he, תִּשְׁעָה בְּאָב ''Tīšʿā Bəʾāv''; , ) is an annual fast day in Judaism, on which a number of disasters in Jewish history occurred, primarily the destruction of both Solomon's Temple by the Neo-Babylonian E ...

, afternoon haftara **A, AH: Isaiah 55:6–56:8 **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) **Y, I: Hosea 14:2–10 & Micah 7:18–20 *Fast days (other than those listed above), no morning haftara; afternoon haftara: (Torah reading: Exodus 32:11-14 and 34:1-10) **A, and Algiers (acc to Dotan): Isaiah 55:6–56:8 **S, Y: none **some SM (acc to Dotan): Hosea 14:2–10, and Micah 7:18–20. *Sabbath coinciding with

Rosh Chodesh Rosh Chodesh or Rosh Hodesh ( he, ראש חודש; trans. ''Beginning of the Month''; lit. ''Head of the Month'') is the name for the first day of every month in the Hebrew calendar, marked by the birth of a new moon. It is considered a minor h ...

Elul Elul ( he, אֱלוּל, Standard ''ʾElūl'', Tiberian ''ʾĔlūl'') is the twelfth month of the Jewish civil year and the sixth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It is a month of 29 days. Elul usually occurs in August� ...

° **Isaiah 66:1–24 & repeat 66:23 (° According to the ''

Shulchan Aruch The ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּך , literally: "Set Table"), sometimes dubbed in English as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Judaism. It was authored in Safed (today in Is ...

'', if Rosh Hodesh he new moon- 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.)Shlomo Katz, ''The Haftarah: Laws, Customs & History'' (2000, Silver Spring, Md.: Hamaayan/The Torah Spring) pages 34 and 149-150.

For a bridegroom

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.
Customs varied: * In some communities, this entire haftara was read, supplanting the usual haftara of that week. * In some communities, only a few verses (possibly Isaiah 61:10 - 62:5, although the literature is unclear) were read. They were
read ''after'' the usual haftara, either before or after — depending on local custom — the closing blessings of the haftara. When a

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the ce ...

ically specified haftara was to be read on a certain Sabbath (e.g., on Sabbath of

Hanukkah or English translation: 'Establishing' or 'Dedication' (of the Temple in Jerusalem) , nickname = , observedby = Jews , begins = 25 Kislev , ends = 2 Tevet or 3 Tevet , celebrations = Lighting candles each night. ...

), some communities
did not read the bridegroom's haftara, preferring to keep to the standard haftara of the week. Again, customs varied: * In some communities, the bridegroom's haftara was read. * 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. * Some communities omitted the bridegroom's haftara altogether, reading the weekly haftara instead. Nowadays, this custom has virtually disappeared, and it is preserved only in Karaites and in Italian communities, where it is appended to the regular Haftara.

References

External links

Haftorah AudioWorld Digital Library: Torah with Haftara Selections from 1485
{{Shabbat Torah reading Shacharit for Shabbat and Yom Tov Hebrew Bible words and phrases Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish prayers and blessings

History

Who reads the ''haftara''

What form of the text is read

Blessings

Customs

Cantillation

On Sabbath afternoon

As a ''B'nai Mitzvah'' ritual

List of ''Haftarot''

Genesis

''Bereshit Bereshit or Bereishith is the first word both of the Jewish Torah, and of the Christian New Testament of John, which alludes to the Torah. It is typically translated as "In the beginning...", and may refer to: *In the beginning (phrase) *Book of Ge ...'' (1:1–6:8)

'' Noach'' (6:9–11:32)

''Lech-Lecha Lech-Lecha, Lekh-Lekha, or Lech-L'cha ( ''leḵ-ləḵā''—Hebrew for "go!" or "leave!", literally "go for you"—the fifth and sixth words in the parashah) is the third weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah ...'' (12:1–17:27)

''Vayeira Vayeira, Vayera, or ( — Hebrew language, Hebrew for "and He appeared," the incipit, first word in the parashah) is the fourth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Judaism, Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes . The para ...'' (18:1–22:24)

'' Chayei Sarah'' (23:1–25:18)

''Toledot Toledot, Toldot, Toldos, or Toldoth (—Hebrew for "generations" or "descendants," the second word and the first distinctive word in the ''parashah'') is the sixth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. T ...'' (25:19–28:9)

'' Vayetze'' (28:10–32:3)

''Vayishlach Vayishlach or Vayishlah ( — Hebrew for "and he sent," the first word of the parashah) is the eighth weekly Torah portion (, ) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. In the parashah, Jacob reconciles with Esau after wrestling with a "man. ...'' (32:4–36:43)

''Vayeshev Vayeshev, Vayeishev, or Vayesheb (—Hebrew for "and he lived," the first word of the parashah) is the ninth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. The parashah constitutes . The parashah tells the sto ...'' (37:1–40:23)

''Miketz Miketz or Mikeitz (—Hebrew for "at the end", the second word, and first distinctive word of the ''parashah'') is the tenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes . The parashah tells of ...'' (41:1–44:17)

''Vayigash Vayigash or Vaigash (—Hebrew for "and he drew near" or "then he drew near," the first word of the parashah) is the eleventh weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes . In the parashah, J ...'' (44:18–47:27)

'' Vayechi'' (47:28–50:26)

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Special Sabbaths Special Shabbatot are Jewish Shabbat days on which special events are commemorated. Variations in the liturgy and special customs differentiate them from the regular Sabbaths and each one is referred to by a special name; many communities also a ..., festivals, and fast days

For a bridegroom

References

Further reading

External links

''
Bereshit Bereshit or Bereishith is the first word both of the Jewish Torah, and of the Christian New Testament of John, which alludes to the Torah. It is typically translated as "In the beginning...", and may refer to: In the beginning (phrase) Book of Ge ...
'' (1:1–6:8)

''
Lech-Lecha Lech-Lecha, Lekh-Lekha, or Lech-L'cha ( ''leḵ-ləḵā''—Hebrew for "go!" or "leave!", literally "go for you"—the fifth and sixth words in the parashah) is the third weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah ...
'' (12:1–17:27)

''
Vayeira Vayeira, Vayera, or ( — Hebrew language, Hebrew for "and He appeared," the incipit, first word in the parashah) is the fourth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Judaism, Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes . The para ...
'' (18:1–22:24)

''
Toledot Toledot, Toldot, Toldos, or Toldoth (—Hebrew for "generations" or "descendants," the second word and the first distinctive word in the ''parashah'') is the sixth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. T ...
'' (25:19–28:9)

''
Vayishlach Vayishlach or Vayishlah ( — Hebrew for "and he sent," the first word of the parashah) is the eighth weekly Torah portion (, ) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. In the parashah, Jacob reconciles with Esau after wrestling with a "man. ...
'' (32:4–36:43)

''
Vayeshev Vayeshev, Vayeishev, or Vayesheb (—Hebrew for "and he lived," the first word of the parashah) is the ninth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. The parashah constitutes . The parashah tells the sto ...
'' (37:1–40:23)

''
Miketz Miketz or Mikeitz (—Hebrew for "at the end", the second word, and first distinctive word of the ''parashah'') is the tenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes . The parashah tells of ...
'' (41:1–44:17)

''
Vayigash Vayigash or Vaigash (—Hebrew for "and he drew near" or "then he drew near," the first word of the parashah) is the eleventh weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes . In the parashah, J ...
'' (44:18–47:27)

Special Sabbaths Special Shabbatot are Jewish Shabbat days on which special events are commemorated. Variations in the liturgy and special customs differentiate them from the regular Sabbaths and each one is referred to by a special name; many communities also a ...
, festivals, and fast days