(ח) וַיָּבֹ֖א עֲמָלֵ֑ק וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּרְפִידִֽם׃ (ט) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ בְּחַר־לָ֣נוּ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְצֵ֖א הִלָּחֵ֣ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק מָחָ֗ר אָנֹכִ֤י נִצָּב֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַגִּבְעָ֔ה וּמַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדִֽי׃ (י) וַיַּ֣עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר אָֽמַר־לוֹ֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק וּמֹשֶׁה֙ אַהֲרֹ֣ן וְח֔וּר עָל֖וּ רֹ֥אשׁ הַגִּבְעָֽה׃ (יא) וְהָיָ֗ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרִ֥ים מֹשֶׁ֛ה יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנִ֛יחַ יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֥ר עֲמָלֵֽק׃ (יב) וִידֵ֤י מֹשֶׁה֙ כְּבֵדִ֔ים וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶ֛בֶן וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ תַחְתָּ֖יו וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב עָלֶ֑יהָ וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן וְח֜וּר תָּֽמְכ֣וּ בְיָדָ֗יו מִזֶּ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וּמִזֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י יָדָ֛יו אֱמוּנָ֖ה עַד־בֹּ֥א הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (יג) וַיַּחֲלֹ֧שׁ יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֥ק וְאֶת־עַמּ֖וֹ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃ (פ) (יד) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה כְּתֹ֨ב זֹ֤את זִכָּרוֹן֙ בַּסֵּ֔פֶר וְשִׂ֖ים בְּאָזְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כִּֽי־מָחֹ֤ה אֶמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (טו) וַיִּ֥בֶן מֹשֶׁ֖ה מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהוָ֥ה ׀ נִסִּֽי׃ (טז) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־יָד֙ עַל־כֵּ֣ס יָ֔הּ מִלְחָמָ֥ה לַיהוָ֖ה בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק מִדֹּ֖ר דֹּֽר׃ (פ)
(8) Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. (9) Moses said to Joshua, “Pick some men for us, and go out and do battle with Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill, with the rod of God in my hand.” (10) Joshua did as Moses told him and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. (11) Then, whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; but whenever he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. (12) But Moses’ hands grew heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur, one on each side, supported his hands; thus his hands remained steady until the sunset. (13) And Joshua overwhelmed the people of Amalek with the sword. (14) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Inscribe this in a document as a reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven!” (15) And Moses built an altar and named it Adonai-nissi. (16) He said, “It means, ‘Hand upon the throne of the LORD!’ The LORD will be at war with Amalek throughout the ages.”
This torah reading, which we read on purim is only 9 pesukim, whereas every other torah reading we read during the year is at least 10 pesukim. As we read the following gemara think about the very obvious question here.
אלא הא דתני רב שימי אין פוחתין מי' פסוקין בבית הכנסת וידבר עולה מן המנין
The Gemara raises a question: But with regard to this Baraita that Rav Shimi taught: One may not decrease to fewer than ten the number of verses read during a public Torah reading in the synagogue, and a generic verse, e.g., “And God spoke to Moses saying,” is included in the count.
This gemara clearly states that you must have ten or more pesukim in a torah reading. The very obvious question is why then, does purim's torah reading only have 9 pesukim.
בשני ובחמישי בשבת במנחה קורין ג' הני ג' כנגד מי א"ר אסי כנגד כהנים לוים וישראלים אין פוחתים מעשרה פסוקים בבית הכנסת וידבר עולה מן המנין ירושלמי והא איכא פרשת עמלק ומשני שאני התם דסליק עניינא ואיבעית אימא שאני הכא שהוא סדורו של יום
on monday, thursday and shabbat mincha three people read. What does this correspond to? Rav Asi says, it corresponds to the Kohanim Leviim and the Yisraelim. We don't read less than 10 pesukim, in the beit knesset. And the pesukim that are like "Vayedaber Hashem...", which are very general, are included in this.
The Yerushalmi asks what about the parshah of Amalek(which we read on purim and only has 9 pesukim)? One answer is that the story ends there(the topic of amalek finishes there. Also it is the end of the perek). Another answer is that it is the topic of the day(it is the story themed to purim, and is thus exempt)
the rif quotes the yerushalmi to suggest two answers: that the reason the reading is only nine pesukim is because the story (of amalek) ends there, and that it is the topic of the day
tosafot agrees and says that the reason it isn't ten pesukim is because it is the order of the day and it is where the story ends
אין פוחתין מעשרה פסוקים בבהכ"נ - וא"ת והרי פרשת עמלק דליכא אלא תשעה פסוקים י"ל דשאני פרשת עמלק דסידרא דיומא הוא ומפסיק ענינא ביה ומש"ה אין לחוש דהכי נמי אמרינן לקמן (מגילה דף כג.) דאין מפטירין פחות מכ"א פסוקים והיכא דסליק עניינא קורין שפיר בפחות:
Parshas Amalek (which we read on Purim) is only nine verses!?
Parshas Amalek is different, for it is what is relevant to the day, and the matter finishes [in the nine verses]. Therefore, we are not concerned [that it is less than 10 verses].
to prove the answer that the story ends there, lets look to the gemara in bava kamma:
ושיהו קוראין בשני ובחמישי עזרא תיקן והא מעיקרא הוה מיתקנא דתניא (שמות טו, כב) וילכו שלשת ימים במדבר ולא מצאו מים דורשי רשומות אמרו אין מים אלא תורה שנאמר (ישעיהו נה, א) הוי כל צמא לכו למים כיון שהלכו שלשת ימים בלא תורה נלאו עמדו נביאים שביניהם ותיקנו להם שיהו קורין בשבת ומפסיקין באחד בשבת וקורין בשני ומפסיקין שלישי ורביעי וקורין בחמישי ומפסיקין ערב שבת כדי שלא ילינו ג' ימים בלא תורה
The Gemara discusses the second of Ezra’s ordinances: And that they should read the Torah on every Monday and Thursday. The Gemara asks: Did Ezra institute this practice? But it was instituted from the beginning, i.e., long before his time. As it is taught in a baraita with regard to the verse: “And Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water” (Exodus 15:22). Those who interpret verses metaphorically said that water here is referring to nothing other than Torah, as it is stated metaphorically, concerning those who desire wisdom: “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come for water” (Isaiah 55:1). The baraita continues: The verse means that since the Jews traveled for three days without hearing any Torah they became weary, and therefore the prophets among them arose and instituted for them that they should read from the Torah each Shabbat, and pause on Sunday, and read again on Monday, and pause on Tuesday and Wednesday, and read again on Thursday, and pause on Shabbat eve, so they would not tarry three days without hearing the Torah. Evidently this practice predates Ezra.
(א) מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ תִּקֵּן לָהֶם לִישְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹרִין בַּתּוֹרָה בָּרַבִּים בְּשַׁבָּת וּבְשֵׁנִי וּבַחֲמִישִׁי בְּשַׁחֲרִית כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁהוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים בְּלֹא שְׁמִיעַת תּוֹרָה. וְעֶזְרָא תִּקֵּן שֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹרִין כֵּן בְּמִנְחָה בְּכָל שַׁבָּת מִשּׁוּם יוֹשְׁבֵי קְרָנוֹת. וְגַם הוּא תִּקֵּן שֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹרִין בְּשֵׁנִי וּבַחֲמִישִׁי שְׁלֹשָׁה בְּנֵי אָדָם וְלֹא יִקְרְאוּ פָּחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה פְּסוּקִים:
(1) Moses, our teacher, established the rule for Israel that they should read the Law publicly on Sabbaths and also on the second and fifth days of the week, during the morning service, so that three days shall not elapse without hearing the Law. Ezra established the rule that the Torah should be read at the afternoon service, every Sabbath for the benefit of those who would otherwise spend the day vacuously. He also ordained that on the second and fifth days of the week, three persons should be called to the reading of the Law and that they should read not less than ten verses.
Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik explains that the purpose of Moshe's enactment was experiential – to ensure a connection to God every three days. Ezra was not satisfied with that, and instituted minimal collective Torah study every three days. The essence of Moshe's ordinance was spiritual-emotional hearing, which Ezra transformed into intellectual study. Ezra therefore established that each of the readers should read at least three verses, and that the entire reading should include at least ten verses. In this way Ezra wished to ensure that public Torah reading not involve the reading of verses without a context, in a manner that they cannot be properly understood, but rather that it constitute the study of a meaningful textual unit. Therefore, suggests Rabbi Soloveitchik, since the entire passage of the war against Amalek is comprised of only nine verses, its reading fulfills Ezra's enactment, and there is no need to add another verse. This is the solution proposed by the Rif – since "the story ends" after nine verses, reading the passage of the war against Amalek suffices.
As stated above, the Rif cites another solution to the difficulty raised above, according to which the obligation to read at least ten verses applies only to the routine Torah readings on Monday, Thursday, and Shabbat afternoon. The Torah readings on the festivals and other special days are "the order of the day," and Ezra's ordinance does not apply to them.
(ח) מַפְסִיקִין לְמוֹעֲדוֹת וּלְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וְקוֹרְאִין בְּעִנְיַן הַמּוֹעֵד, לֹא בְּסֵדֶר שַׁבָּת. וּמשֶׁה תִּקֵּן לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹרְאִין בְּכָל מוֹעֵד עִנְיָנוֹ. וְשׁוֹאֲלִין וְדוֹרְשִׁין בְּעִנְיָנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹם בְּכָל מוֹעֵד וּמוֹעֵד
(8) The regular sequence is interrupted for the three Festivals and for the Day of Atonement, when we read a section appertaining to the Festival and not the weekly portion of the Sabbath. Moses ordained that on each festival a section bearing upon it should be read. On every festival too, the discussion and discourse are on the topic of the day.
the rambam also adds that reading the torah is part of the actual mitzvah of rejoicing on a chag
(יט) אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה בַּמּוֹעֲדוֹת בִּכְלַל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה. לֹא יִהְיֶה אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה כָּל הַיּוֹם כֻּלּוֹ. אֶלָּא כָּךְ הִיא הַדָּת. בַּבֹּקֶר מַשְׁכִּימִין כָּל הָעָם לְבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּלְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת וּמִתְפַּלְּלִין וְקוֹרִין בַּתּוֹרָה בְּעִנְיַן הַיּוֹם וְחוֹזְרִין לְבָתֵּיהֶם וְאוֹכְלִין. וְהוֹלְכִין לְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת קוֹרִין וְשׁוֹנִין עַד חֲצִי הַיּוֹם. וְאַחַר חֲצוֹת הַיּוֹם מִתְפַּלְּלִין תְּפִלַּת הַמִּנְחָה וְחוֹזְרִין לְבָתֵּיהֶן לֶאֱכל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת שְׁאָר הַיּוֹם עַד הַלַּיְלָה:
(19) Even though feasting and making merry are biblical commandments, one should not eat and drink all day, rather follow this procedure: Go to the synagogue in the morning, pray and read the appropriate Torah portion. Then they go home, eat, return to the synagogue, and study Torah until it is time for the Mincha service. Then they pray, go home, and feast for the rest of the day until nightfall.
We see, then, that the mitzva of rejoicing on a festival is fulfilled not only with eating and drinking, but also with reading from the Torah. Therefore, the regulations established by Ezra for routine Torah reading do not apply whatsoever to the reading of the Torah on the festival days, which is part of an entirely different framework. This is what the Yerushalmi means: Since the reading involves a passage that is appropriate for the day, it need not be comprised of at least ten verses.
As we noted earlier, the Tosafot cite both explanations, implying that both are necessary. On Mondays and Thursdays, there is an obligation to read at least ten verses; even if the story ends after nine verses, another verse must be added. But as for a reading enacted because it is "the order of the day," there is no reason to add another verse that is not connected to the theme of the day. Therefore, it suffices to read an entire unit, even if it is comprised of less than ten verses.