Maftir
Encyclopedia
Maftir properly refers to the last person called to the Torah on Shabbat
and holiday mornings: this person also reads the haftarah
portion from a related section of the Nevi'im
(prophetic books).
Informally the portion of the Torah read by or to the maftir is called the "maftir portion", or the "maftir" for short: in a Chumash the word "maftir" is printed in the margin at the beginning of that portion. (Accordingly, in those communities where the bar mitzvah acts as maftir, his readings are informally referred to as "maf and haf".)
On a normal Shabbat morning seven people are formally called up to the Torah, and a part of the week's Torah portion is read by or to each of them. The maftir is not counted among the seven, and is not formally called up by name: on the conclusion of the seventh reading the reader simply calls "maftir" (usually after reciting Chatzi kaddish
) and repeats the last few verses to the maftir.
On Jewish holidays and certain special Shabbatot
there are readings from two or more Torah scrolls. On these occasions, the maftir is called up by name, followed by the word "maftir", and the reading from the last scroll is read to him. On Tisha b'Av
morning and fast day afternoons, the maftir portion is the third (and final) section of the portion.
After the Torah reading, the maftir says the blessings for the haftarah and reads it.
The maftir portion for Shabbat during Chanukah comes from Numbers 7, describing the dedication offering of the Mishkan
(Tabernacle during the wilderness journeys) corresponding to the day of Chanukah where Shabbat occurs.
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
and holiday mornings: this person also reads the haftarah
Haftarah
The haftarah or haftoroh is a series of selections from the books of Nevi'im of the Hebrew Bible that is publicly read in synagogue as part of Jewish religious practice...
portion from a related section of the Nevi'im
Nevi'im
Nevi'im is the second of the three major sections in the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh. It falls between the Torah and Ketuvim .Nevi'im is traditionally divided into two parts:...
(prophetic books).
Informally the portion of the Torah read by or to the maftir is called the "maftir portion", or the "maftir" for short: in a Chumash the word "maftir" is printed in the margin at the beginning of that portion. (Accordingly, in those communities where the bar mitzvah acts as maftir, his readings are informally referred to as "maf and haf".)
On a normal Shabbat morning seven people are formally called up to the Torah, and a part of the week's Torah portion is read by or to each of them. The maftir is not counted among the seven, and is not formally called up by name: on the conclusion of the seventh reading the reader simply calls "maftir" (usually after reciting Chatzi kaddish
Kaddish
Kaddish is a prayer found in the Jewish prayer service. The central theme of the Kaddish is the magnification and sanctification of God's name. In the liturgy different versions of the Kaddish are used functionally as separators between sections of the service...
) and repeats the last few verses to the maftir.
On Jewish holidays and certain special Shabbatot
Special Sabbaths
Special Shabbatot are fixed Jewish Shabbat days, which precede or coincide with certain Jewish holidays during the year. Each one has a special name.-Shabbat Shuvah:...
there are readings from two or more Torah scrolls. On these occasions, the maftir is called up by name, followed by the word "maftir", and the reading from the last scroll is read to him. On Tisha b'Av
Tisha B'Av
|Av]],") is an annual fast day in Judaism, named for the ninth day of the month of Av in the Hebrew calendar. The fast commemorates the destruction of both the First Temple and Second Temple in Jerusalem, which occurred about 655 years apart, but on the same Hebrew calendar date...
morning and fast day afternoons, the maftir portion is the third (and final) section of the portion.
After the Torah reading, the maftir says the blessings for the haftarah and reads it.
Holiday selections
The maftir portion for the Festivals and for Rosh Hodesh that occurs on Shabbat comes from the appropriate paragraph in Numbers 28 or 29, describing the sacrifice for the day.The maftir portion for Shabbat during Chanukah comes from Numbers 7, describing the dedication offering of the Mishkan
Tabernacle
The Tabernacle , according to the Hebrew Torah/Old Testament, was the portable dwelling place for the divine presence from the time of the Exodus from Egypt through the conquering of the land of Canaan. Built to specifications revealed by God to Moses at Mount Sinai, it accompanied the Israelites...
(Tabernacle during the wilderness journeys) corresponding to the day of Chanukah where Shabbat occurs.
Double maftir
Shabbat Chanukah and two of the special Shabbatot (Shekalim and HaHodesh) sometimes coincide with Rosh Hodesh. When this happens, the portion for Shabbat Rosh Hodesh is read from a second scroll, then the special maftir portion for that special Shabbat from a third. Only the person called to the third scroll reads the haftarah, though the haftarah itself may contain verses appropriate both to Rosh Hodesh and to Chanukah or the special Shabbat.See also
- HaftarahHaftarahThe haftarah or haftoroh is a series of selections from the books of Nevi'im of the Hebrew Bible that is publicly read in synagogue as part of Jewish religious practice...
- Torah readingTorah readingTorah reading is a Jewish religious ritual 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 Torah scroll from the ark, chanting the appropriate excerpt with special cantillation, and returning the scroll to...
- Liturgical Use: The Haftarah