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Mishnayos Megillah Perek 3 Mishnah 6

מגילה פרק ג׳ משנה ו׳

6

On each day of Hanukkah they read selections from the portion of the dedication of the altar by the tribal princes (Numbers 7). On Purim they read the portion of “And Amalek came” (Exodus 17:8–16). On the New Moon they read the portion of “And in the beginnings of your months” (Numbers 28:11–15). And in the non-priestly watches they read the act of Creation (Genesis 1:1–2:3). The Jewish people were divided into twenty-four watches. Each week, it would be the turn of a different watch to send representatives to Jerusalem to be present in the Temple to witness the sacrificial service. Those remaining behind would fast during the week, from Monday to Thursday, offer special prayers, and read the account of Creation from the Torah. On fast days, they read the portion of blessings and curses (Leviticus, chapter 26). One should not interrupt the reading of the curses by having two different people read them. Rather, one person reads all of them. On Mondays, and on Thursdays, and on Shabbat during the afternoon service, they read in accordance with the regular weekly order, i.e., they proceed to read the first section of the Torah portion that follows the portion that was read on the previous Shabbat morning. However, these readings are not counted as a progression in the reckoning of reading the Torah portions, i.e., they do not proceed on Monday to read the section that immediately follows the section read on Shabbat during the afternoon, and then the following section on Thursday. Rather, until the reading on the following Shabbat morning, they return to and read the same first section of the Torah portion that follows the portion that was read on the previous Shabbat morning. On Festivals and holidays, they read a portion relating to the character of the day, as it is stated: “And Moses declared to the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Lord” (Leviticus 23:44), which indicates that part of the mitzva of the Festivals is that the people should read the portion relating to them, each one in its appointed time.

בַּחֲנֻכָּה, בַּנְּשִׂיאִים (שם ז). בְּפוּרִים, וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק (שמות יז). בְּרָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים, וּבְרָאשֵׁי חָדְשֵׁיכֶם (במדבר כח). בַּמַּעֲמָדוֹת, בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית (בראשית א). בַּתַּעֲנִיּוֹת, בְּרָכוֹת וּקְלָלוֹת (ויקרא כו). אֵין מַפְסִיקִין בַּקְּלָלוֹת, אֶלָּא אֶחָד קוֹרֵא אֶת כֻּלָּן. בַּשֵּׁנִי וּבַחֲמִישִׁי וּבְשַׁבָּת בַּמִּנְחָה, קוֹרִין כְּסִדְרָן, וְאֵין עוֹלִין לָהֶם מִן הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כג), וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶת מֹעֲדֵי יְיָ אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִצְוָתָן שֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹרִין כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד בִּזְמַנּוֹ:

ו׳
Bartenura

במעמדות במעשה בראשית – Since for the sacrifices, heaven and earth were established, and the order of their readings is explained in the last chapter (4) of Tractate Taanit.

ברכות וקללות – “If you will follow My laws…’ (Leviticus 26:3 and following) to inform that retribution comes to the world for being engaged in sin (see specifically, Leviticus 26:14-46, “the Rebuke”) so that they will return [to God] in repentance and will be saved from their troubles.

כסדרן – according to the portion of the day

ואין עולין להם מן החשבון – so that when Shabbat arrives, they will return and read what they read on [the previous] Monday and Thursday [mornings] and on Shabbat at Minha/Afternoon Service.

שנאמר וידבר משה – this refers to the entire Mishnah, to teach from here that it is Mitzvah on each festival to read from the [subject] matter of the festival.

במעמדות במעשה בראשית. שבשביל הקרבנות נתקיימו שמים וארץ. וסדר קריאתן מפורש במסכת תענית בפרק אחרון:

ברכות וקללות. אם בחקותי. להודיע שעל עסקי החטא באה פורענות לעולם, ויחזרו בתשובה וינצלו מצרתם:

כסדרן. בסדר פרשת היום:

ואין עולין להם מן החשבון. כשיגיע יום שבת יחזרו ויקראו מה שקראו בשני ובחמישי ובשבת במנחה:

שנאמר וידבר משה. אכולה מתניתין קאי ללמוד מכאן שמצוה לקרות בכל המועד מענין המועד: