משה [הקנא והתרה כדתנן המקנא לאשתו ר׳ אליעזר אומר מקנא על פי שנים ומשקה ע"פ אחד שאין התראה פחות משנים שאינה יכולה לומר לא התריתי אבל באחד תעיז ותאמר לא התריתי] הקניא להם לישראל שיהו קורין בתורה בשבתות וימים טובים ובראשי חדשים ובחולו של מועד שנאמר (ויקרא כ״ג:מ״ד) וידבר משה את מועדי ה׳ אל בני ישראל: Moses1In V and H a passage has been interpolated after ‘Moses’ which has no relation to the subject-matter. It seems to have been originally a marginal note explanatory of the meaning of hiḳni’, an unusual verb to be employed in the sense of ‘warn’. It reads as follows: Hiḳni’, i.e. ‘he warned’, as we have learned in a Mishnah (Soṭ. I, 1), hammeḳannë’ (of the same root as hiḳni’ which means), If [a husband] ‘warns’ his wife [not to associate with a certain man], R. Eliezer said: His warning is valid if it was given in the presence of two witnesses, though he makes her drink [the water of bitterness] on the evidence of one witness [who saw that she had secluded herself with the man after she had been given due warning], because a warning is not valid if given in the presence of less than two witnesses; for [only where there are two witnesses] would she be able to plead, ‘I was not warned’, but when [there was only] one witness she might dare to plead, ‘I was not warned’. warned2For hiḳni’ some eds. read the normal verb hithḳin, ‘he established a custom, ordained’. Israel that they should read out of the Torah3In the service of the Synagogue. on Sabbaths, Festivals, New Moons and the intermediate days of the Festivals;4lit. ‘the secular [part] of the Festival’, the days intervening between the holy days which begin and end the Festivals of Passover and Tabernacles. as it is stated, And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Lord.5Lev. 23, 44.
עזרא תיקן להם לישראל שיהו קורין בתורה בשני ובחמישי ובשבת במנחה: Ezra ordained for Israel that they should read in the Torah on Mondays and Thursdays and in the afternoon service on the Sabbath.6[For this and other ordinances of Ezra, cf. B.Ḳ. 82a (Sonc. ed., p. 466) where the reason is given for these additional lections.]
( אין בין י"ט לשבת אלא אוכל נפש בלבד אין בין שבת ליום הכפורים אלא שזה זדונו בידי אדם וזה זדונו בהכרת): There is no difference between a Festival and the Sabbath7In regard to forbidden work. save only in the matter of preparing food.8lit. ‘food of a person’. On a Festival, but not when it falls on the Sabbath, the preparation of food for the day by cooking is permitted. There is no difference between the Sabbath and the Day of Atonement save only that a wilful violation of the former [is punishable] by men9i.e. a court of law. while a wilful violation of the latter [is punished] by kareth.
א"ר יהודה מקום שמפסיקין שבת שחרית שם קורין במנחה בשני ובחמישי ובשבת הבאה: R. Judah said: At the place [in the Torah] where we leave off on the Sabbath morning we begin to read at the afternoon service, and on the following Monday, Thursday and Sabbath.
בשני ובחמישי ובשבת במנחה קורין ג׳ אין פוחתין מהן ואין מוסיפין עליהם ואין מפטירין בנביא הפותח והחותם בתורה מברך לפניה ולאחריה בר"ח ובחולו של מועד קורין ארבעה אין פוחתין מהם ואין מוסיפין עליהם זה הכלל כל שיש בו מוסף ואין בו יום טוב קורין ארבעה: On Mondays and Thursdays10During the morning service. and at the Sabbath afternoon service three men read [from the Torah].11The first of the seven portions into which the weekly sidra’ or section is divided for the Sabbath lection. On the specified occasions it is subdivided between three worshippers. Their number must be neither reduced nor increased; nor is a hafṭarah read from [a book of] a Prophet. He who begins as well as he who concludes [the reading of the prescribed section of] the Torah recites the appropriate benedictions before and after his reading.12For the benedictions, cf. P.B., p. 68.
On the New Moon and during the intermediate days of a Festival, four [persons read from the Torah]. Their number must be neither reduced nor increased. This is the general rule: On any day which has a musaf and is not a Festival, four persons read [from the Torah].
בי"ט ה׳ ביום הכפורים ששה וביום שבת שבעה אין פוחתין מהם אבל מוסיפין עליהם י"ט שאיסור לאו חמשה יוה"כ שאיסור כרת ששה שבת שאיסור סקילה שבעה ומפטיר בנביא הפותח והחותם בתורה מברך לפניה ולאחריה: On a Festival five [persons read from the prescribed portion of the Torah]; on the Day of Atonement, six; and on the Sabbath, seven. The number must not be reduced but may be increased. On a Festival, for the violation of which only a negative precept is infringed, five persons [read in the Torah]; on the Day of Atonement, for the violation of which kareth is incurred, six; on the Sabbath, the violation of which is punishable by stoning, seven; and one concludes with [a reading from a book of] a Prophet.
The one who begins as well as the one who concludes [the lection] recites the benediction before and after his reading.
אין פורסין על שמע לא בעמידה ולא בישיבה ואין עוברין לפני התיבה ואין נושאין את כפיהן ואין מפטירין בנביא ואין עושין מעמד ומושב על אנשים כל שכן לנשים שאין עושין מעמד ומושב לנשים ואין אומרים קדיש וברכו פחות מעשרה רבותינו שבמערב אומרים בשבעה ונותנין טעם לדבריהם בפרוע (שופטים ה׳:ב׳) פרעות בישראל בהתנדב עם ברכו ה׳ כמנין התיבות וי"א אפי׳ ששה ברכו ששה הוא ובמקום שיש שם תשעה או עשרה ששמעו בין ברכו בין קדיש ולאחר התפלה עומד אחד מאלו ויאמר ברכו או קדיש וענו אחריו יצא וכבר תקנו חכמים לחזנים לומר לאחר גאולה (תהילים קי״ג:ב׳) יהי שם ה׳ מבורך מעתה ועד עולם ואחריו ברכו את ה׳ המבורך כדי לצאת אותם שלא שמעו דאמר רבי יוחנן הלואי שיתפלל אדם כל היום כולו ונהגו אנשי מערב ואנשי מזרח לאמרו לאחר עושה שלום בשלש תפלות של שמנה עשרה גזרה משום הנכנסין וגזירה משום היוצאין ואפי' לאחר קריאת ספר תורה. ולענין פדיית קרקעות תשעה וכהן ואדם כיוצא בהן: The accompanying benedictions of the Shema‘13These are the ḳaddish, bareku and yoẓer ’or (P.B., pp. 37ff) which precede the Shema‘, and the three benedictions of the ‘Amidah which follow it (P.B., pp. 44ff) including the ḳedushshah. may not be repeated14lit. ‘they must not break off in connection with the Shema‘ ’. The ruling applies to persons who had read the morning prayers in private and now wish to join in congregational worship. They do not repeat all the statutory morning prayers, but may repeat ‘broken off’ parts, viz. those specified in the preceding note (cf. N.Y. and Rashi to Meg. 23b). For other interpretations, cf. Meg. (Sonc. ed., p. 141, n. 1) [and J. Rabbinowitz, Mishnah Megillah, pp. 114ff]. in congregational prayer, irrespective of whether they are said standing15i.e. the benedictions which follow the Shema‘ said while the worshippers are standing. or sitting;16The benedictions which precede the Shema‘ said while the worshippers are sitting. nor may one act as reader in public worship;17In connection with any part of the prayers. Lit. ‘they do not pass before the [reading] chest’, to lead the congregation in the conduct of the service. nor may [the kohanim] lift their hands;18To bless the people during the service; cf. P.B., p. 238a. nor may the hafṭarah be read from the Prophet;19As is the law in regard to the Torah itself; cf. Meg. 23b (Sonc. ed., p. 141). nor may halts20lit. ‘a standing and a sitting’. be made [at funerals]21It was customary, when returning from a burial, to halt and sit seven times to praise and lament the dead. for men, how much less for women since no halts are made for women; nor may ḳaddish22P.B., p. 37. and bareku be said23Even without the other statutory prayers.—if less than ten adult males24Who have attained their thirteenth birthday. are present.
Our teachers in the West25The land of Israel which was west of Babylon. rule that seven [adult males26Who have not heard one of the benedictions indicated above. are sufficient]27For the purpose of repeating the benedictions. and, as a reason for their ruling, they quote, When men let grow their hair in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly, bless ye the Lord,28Judg. 5, 2. [which implies that the number present must be the same] as that of the [Hebrew] words.29Because the verse contains the word bareku (bless ye). Others hold that even six [adult males are sufficient for the purpose, since up to] bareku [the number of words] is six.
Furthermore, where there are nine or ten persons who have heard either bareku or ḳaddish and, after the service, one of them [who missed one of the benedictions] said bareku or ḳaddish, he has thereby performed [the duty of public worship].30Contrary to the ruling of the Rabbis of the West and the others who hold that seven or even six are enough.
The Sages long ago issued an ordinance to Synagogue precentors to say after the prayer for redemption,31‘O Rock of Israel,’ etc. (P.B., p. 44). Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for ever,32Ps. 113, 2. and after that, ‘Bless ye the Lord Who is to be blessed’,33Bareku, etc. (P.B., p. 37). so as to enable those who had not heard the benedictions34Owing to their late arrival. to perform the duty of public worship; for R. Joḥanan said: Would that a man read his prayers all the day long.35Therefore it is permissible for the precentor to repeat the benedictions under discussion more than once for the benefit of those who did not hear him when he first read them.
The congregations of the West and the congregations of the East36The land of Israel and Babylon respectively. have a custom to say it37The verse from Psalms followed by the benedictions mentioned. after ‘He Who maketh peace’38P.B., p. 54, forming the conclusion of the ‘Amidah. in the three statutory prayers39For the evening, morning and afternoon. This custom is contrary to the previous opinion which permits an interruption between the prayer for redemption and the ‘Amidah which immediately follows it. The originators of the custom forbid such an interruption. of the Eighteen Benedictions,40The actual number is nineteen, but it was eighteen when originally instituted. as a provision for the benefit of those who arrived late and for those who leave early.41It is for their benefit that the repetition is not made at the end of the entire service. [The verse from Psalms with the benedictions is also said] even after the public reading from the Torah.42If persons came in as late as that.
As regards the redemption of land,43Which had been dedicated to the Temple. however, [the presence is required of] nine male adults and a kohen; and the same law applies to the redemption of a human being.44Cf. Lev. 27, 2ff, 16ff.