The Torah Reading

Every year, the Torah, or five books of Moses is read in full in the synagogue. The Torah is divided into fifty-four weekly portions or parshiyot. Each parsha is referred to by its opening words. The book of genesis is divided into twelve parshiyot, the Book of Exodus into eleven, Leviticus and Numbers each contain ten and Deuteronomy contains 11. The annual Torah reading cycle is concluded and begun again on Simchat Torah—Joy of the Torah—observed on the 23rd of Tishrei in the Diaspora (outside of Israel) and on the 22nd of Tishrei in Israel.

There are also particular sections of the Torah that are read on each of the holidays throughout the year, including Rosh Chodesh, the head of the new Jewish lunar month. These sections of the Torah relate to the holidays on which they are read. Lists of the various Torah readings for each of the holidays can generally be located in any siddur, Jewish prayer book.

On Shabbat morning, the Torah service, when that week’s parsha is read from the Torah is one of the most important parts of the synagogue service. In addition to hearing the Torah being read on Shabbat morning, the Torah is read on Monday and Thursday mornings as well as during Mincha on Shabbat afternoons. Mincha is the afternoon prayer service. On Shabbat morning and most holidays, following the Torah reading, a haftarah, or portion from the Neviim—prophets—is read. These selections generally relate to the parsha for that week. There are times throughout the Jewish calendar, however, when the haftarah relates more to the particular time of year at which it is being read than it relates to the themes or content of the parsha. Two examples of this are the haftarah read on Shabbat HaGadol—the Great Shabbat, which is the Shabbat immediately before Passover as well as the three haftarot of rebuke and the seven haftarot of consolation that are read around Tisha B’Av, the ninth of the Hebrew month of Av which occurs in July or August of the Gregorian year and which is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, on which we commemorate the destruction of the Temple and many other tragedies that have occurred throughout the centuries. A twenty-five hour fast is also observed on this day.

The haftarah chosen to be read with a given parsha may differ between Jewish communities. Ashkenazim and Sephardim occasionally read different Haftarot. One example of this is the haftarah for Parashat Kedoshim (Leviticus 19 and 20).

At every public reading of the Torah, the day’s Torah portion is divided into aliyot. Aliyah is the Hebrew word meaning to go up. A person honored with an aliyah approaches the Torah, says a bracha (blessing) and the baal kriah, or person who is reading that particular aliyah begins to read. Once the aliyah has been concluded, the person honored with that aliyah says a second blessing. The individuals honored with aliyot are called olim (oleh in the singular). A minimum of three olim must be called to the Torah when it is read. Three individuals are called on Monday and Thursday mornings and Shabbat afternoons. On Shabbat morning, when the parsha is read in full, seven olim are called, the maximum number permitted. There are special circumstances in which one may call more olim, by either subdividing aliyot or repeating verses once the parsha has been read in full. On holidays, five olim are called unless the holiday coincides with Shabbat in which case seven olim are called. On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish year, six olim are called to the Torah. In Orthodox and some Conservative congregations, only men are called to the Torah while in many Conservative, independent, Reform, Reconstructionist and other congregations, both men and women are given aliyot. Traditionally, the first two aliyot are for a Kohen and a Levi respectively and the remaining are for Yisraelim, Jews who are neither Kohenim nor Leviim, descendants of the ancient Jewish priestly class.

Once the Torah reading has been completed, the Maftir is read, which consists of the last few verses of the Torah reading. The person who is called for this final aliyah is called the Maftir. Many times, this person is the individual who will be chanting the haftarah for that day.