Torah reading
Torah reading (in Hebrew: Kriat HaTorah or "Reading [of] the Torah") has followed a steady pattern for the past two thousand years following the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and is still practiced by Orthodox Judaism and its adherents. In recent times, new movements such as Reform Judaism and Conservative Judaism may have made adaptations, but the set pattern of Torah reading has usually remained the same.
As a part of the morning or afternoon prayer services on certain days, a section of the Pentateuch is read from a Torah scroll. On Shabbat (Saturday) mornings, a weekly section (parsha) is read, selected so that the entire Pentateuch is read consecutively each year. On Saturday afternoons, Mondays, and Thursdays, the beginning of the following Saturday's portion is read. On Jewish holidays and fast days, special sections connected to the day are read.
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Origins and history of the practice
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When is the Torah read?
The Torah is read during the morning services on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and major and minor festivals and fasts. The Torah is also read during afternoon services on Saturdays and fasts.
In the mornings, the Torah is read after tachanun or hallel, or, if these are omitted, after the amidah. "Full-" or "half-kaddish" is recited before the Torah reading and half-Kaddish is recited afterwards. After the Torah reading, the service continues with the rest of the prayers.
In the afternoons, the Torah is read before the amidah, separated by a "half-kaddish."
What is done?
Most people use the term "Torah reading" to refer to the entire ceremony of taking the Torah scroll (or scrolls) out of its ark, reading it (them), and putting it (them) back.
The Torah scroll is stored in an elaborate closet, called a (holy) ark (Hebrew aron (kodesh)), designed specifically for such scrolls. When needed for reading, the Torah is removed from the ark by someone chosen for the honor from among the congregants; prayers specific to the occasion are recited as the scroll is removed. The Torah is then carried by the one leading the service to a platform or table from which it will be read; further prayers are recited by the congregation while this is done.
A synagogue official, called a gabbai, then calls people, in turn, to be honored with an aliyah, wherein they read the Torah for the congregation. Each reads a section of the day's reading. There are at least three olim (persons called to read the Torah): precisely three on weekdays and fasts, with more olim depending on the calendar; on Saturday mornings, there are seven olim, the maximum of any day, and more may be added (according to the custom of some communities) if desired.
According to Orthodox Judaism, all the olim are male. As a sign of respect, the first oleh (person called to read) is a kohen and the second a levi; the remaining olim are yisr'elim — Jews who are neither kohen nor levi. (This assumes that such people are available; there are rules in place for what is done if they are not.) Within Reform Judaism and Conservative Judaism congregations, women can also have an aliyah, and the distinctions among kohen, levi, and yisrael are done away with.
Each oleh, after being called to the Torah, approaches it, recites a benediction, reads from it, and concludes with another benediction. Then the next oleh is called.
In most congregations, the oleh does not read the Torah aloud. Rather, he stands near it while a practiced expert, called a ba'al k'riah ("master of reading"; sometimes, erroneously, ba'al kore) reads the Torah, with cantillation, for the congregation; the oleh follows along with the expert, reading in a whisper.
On Saturday and holiday mornings, the final aliyah is followed by "half-kaddish" and then an additional aliyah read by someone called the maftir. On other days the extra aliyah is omitted; in the afternoons, both it and the kaddish are omitted. The Torah is closed and put aside. On certain days, the haftarah is now read. See more information at Haftarah.
The Torah scroll is then put back in its ark to the accompaniment of specific prayers.
What is read?
On Shabbat mornings, the weekly parsha is read. It is divided into seven aliyot (see above for more on aliyot). The cycle of weekly readings is fixed. Bechase the Hebrew Calendar varies from year to year, two readings are sometimes combined so that the entire Pentateuch is read over the course of a year. See more information at Parsha.
On Monday and Thursday mornings and on Saturday afternoons (except on special days), a small section of the upcoming week's parsha is read, divided into three aliyot. On other occasions, the reading relates to the day. For example, on Passover the congregation reads various sections of the Pentateuch that deal with Passover.
Innovations according to Reform Judaism
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Innovations according to Conservative Judaism
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