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Welcome To The Weekly Haftora

In ancient times, the Sages decreed that on Shabbatot, holidays and fasts, portions of the Neviim (prophetic writings) should be read in public.  Originally, this seems to have arisen during times of persecution, when the public reading of Torah was banned.  Linked to the theme of the weekly parasha or the holiday, the haftora substituted for the Torah reading.  However, even after the period of persecution ended, the rabbis retained the custom of reading the haftora, reconceived as a supplement to the Torah reading and a form of public religious instruction.

 

Today, many people regard the haftora as little more than an opportunity for a bar-mitzva boy to display his musical and linguistic virtuosity.  In reality, however, the much-neglected haftora has much to teach us, shedding light on the essential theme of each week's parasha and the nature of our holidays and fast days.  By uncovering the links between the prophetic portions and the occasions on which they are read, Rav Shaviv attempts in this series to redeem the haftorot from their undeserved obscurity.  He draws out linguistic and thematic parallels between each haftora and its associated parasha, demonstrating how the haftora either highlights certain themes in the Torah reading or complements them.  Thereby, he not only brings us closer to the message of the prophets, but helps us better understand the underlying message of the parasha itself and the character of the Jewish holidays.

 

Rav Yehuda Shaviv is a Talmud instructor at Yeshivat Har Etzion.  A prolific author, he has written books on subjects ranging from the laws of Shabbat to the book of Psalms, and serves as an editor of numerous periodicals, including Techumin (on modern Halakhic issues), Netuim (on Mishna), and Shana Be-shana (the annual of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate).

 

Questions about the shiur may be addressed to [email protected] .

 

Shiurim will begin after Sukkot.

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