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Siman 685 - The Reading of the Four Parshiyos

Project Genesis's translation of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

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Siman 685, se'if 1

(a) Which month of Adar is the right time for the four special parshiyos of Torah reading? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): The one closest to Nissan (i.e. the second, when there are two).

[Classic sources: Megillah 6b (points3d6-g) (especially Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel).]

(b) If Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on Shabbos, on what day is the special Torah reading called Shekalim read? [See "Halacha Sources" discussion!]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): On that day.

[Classic sources: Megillah 29a (point3a).]

(c) What is the text of the special Torah reading called Shekalim, and its "haftarah"? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion (concerning the "haftarah" - the Torah reading text is dealt with in the above-mentioned discussion)]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): [From the Torah: From the beginning of the parsha of] "Ki Sisa" until [just before] "And you shall make a washbasin of copper", and for the "haftarah": "And Yehoyada established" (i.e. Kings II 11:17 - and it includes "money [which a person gives] for the redemption of his soul" , ibid. 12:5 - Mishnah Berurah).

[Classic sources: Megillah 29b (AllOfPoint4).]

(d) If Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on Shabbos, and accordingly the special parsha of Shekalim is read then, how is the reading assigned to Torah scrolls? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): Three are taken out: One is used for the weekly parsha, then one for [the reading of] Rosh Chodesh, and then the third for "maftir" - which is Parshas Shekalim.

[Classic sources: Megillah 29b (point5a).]

Siman 685, se'if 2

(a) If Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on Shabbos, on what day is the special Torah reading called Zachor read? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): The following Shabbos.

[Classic sources: Megillah 30a (points2a-f,o1).]

(b) What is the special reading called Zachor (and its "haftarah"), and how is it assigned to Torah scrolls? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): Two are taken out: One is used for the weekly parsha, and the second for Zachor ("Remember that which Amalek did to you" [i.e. the end of the parsha of "Ki Seitzei"]), and the "haftarah" is "I have remembered that which Amalek did" [in Shmuel I chapter 15].

[Classic sources: Megillah 30a (point2o1).]

Siman 685, se'if 3

(a) If Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on Shabbos, on what day is the special Torah reading called Parah read? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): The fourth Shabbos, i.e. Adar 22. (The third, Adar 15, is the "break" Shabbos.)

[Classic sources: Megillah 30a (points2i-l), and Yerushalmi Megillah 25b.]

(b) What is the special reading called Parah (and its "haftarah"), and how is it assigned to Torah scrolls? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): Two are taken out: One is used for the weekly parsha, and the second for Parah [i.e. the beginning of the parsha of "Chukas"], and the "haftarah" is "And I shall sprinkle upon you pure waters" [in Yechezkel chapter 36].

[Classic sources: Megillah 30a (point2o2).]

Siman 685, se'if 4

(a) If Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on Shabbos, on what day is the special Torah reading called HaChodesh read?

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): The fifth Shabbos, i.e. Adar 29. [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

[Classic sources: Megillah 30a-b (points2o3-4).]

(b) What is the special reading called HaChodesh (and its "haftarah"), and how is it assigned to Torah scrolls? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): Two are taken out: One is used for the weekly parsha, and the second for HaChodesh ("This month is for you" [i.e. Sh'mos 12:1-20]), and the "haftarah" is "In the first [month] on the first of the month" [i.e. a passage containing Yechezkel 45:18].

[Classic sources: Megillah 30a (point2o3).]

Siman 685, se'if 5

(a) On what day is the special Torah reading called Shekalim read if Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on a weekday (including Friday)? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): The Shabbos beforehand.

[Classic sources: Megillah 30a (points1h-p2).]

(b) On what day is the special Torah reading called Zachor read if Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on a weekday? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): The second Shabbos in Adar (i.e. the first is the "break" Shabbos), because it is always read on the Shabbos before Purim (i.e. even when Purim is on Friday [such as in se'if 2 above]).

[Classic sources: Megillah 30a (points2a-f,o1).]

Siman 685, se'if 6

How might we remember when in Adar there should be a "break Shabbos" (i.e. with no special Torah reading)? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): Rosh Chodesh of the Adar [closest to Nissan] only can fall on Shabbos, Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, forming the Hebrew mnemonic ZaBDU. [See Halachos of Rosh Chodesh, O.C. 428:2.] The expansion of these four to show their "break Shabbos" dates is ZaTU (i.e. Rosh Chodesh on Shabbos makes the "break" fall on the fifteenth) BU (Rosh Chodesh on Monday = break on the sixth) DoD (Rosh Chodesh on Wednesday = break on the fourth) UBiYU (Rosh Chodesh on Friday = breaks on both the second and the sixteenth).

[Classic sources: See the Rambam (Prayer 13:21)] and the commentary of the Rif (page 10) to Megillah.]

Siman 685, se'if 7

(a) Is it a Torah obligation to hold the special reading called Zachor (and also Parah)? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): Yes.

[Classic sources: See Tosafos to Berachos 13a.]

(b) What special effort must be taken to fulfill the special Torah reading of Zachor (and also Parah), for this reason? [Request "Halacha Sources" discussion]

The Shulchan Aruch writes (put simply): If the inhabitants of a settlement are too few to hold regular congregational services, then on such a Shabbos they must go to a place that does hold them, to hear the Torah-mandated reading.

The Rema adds (put simply): If they cannot, they still should be careful to read it, with its [proper] accentuations and tunes.