Siman 144

We learned in Megillah (24a): One may skip in the Prophets, but one may not skip in the Torah. Which is to say: one may skip in the Prophets from place to place, such that he reads certain verses in this Prophet and certain verses in another Prophet. However, in the Torah it is forbidden to skip, for the listener's mind is not settled to hear when the reader skips from place to place. And when do we not skip in the Torah? Regarding two subjects, such as from the parashah of nega'im to the parashah of zavim (Rashi). But regarding one subject, such as the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur who would read "Acharei Mot" and "Ach BeAsor" which is in parashat "Emor," since it is one subject—there is no confusion here for the one who hears, and we may skip. And in the Prophets, one may skip even from subject to subject. And why did they not concern themselves in the Prophets with the confusion of the listeners' minds? Because in the Prophets there are no laws, they did not concern themselves with this; what is not the case in the Torah, where there are laws—they concerned themselves that he might come to ruin through the confusion.

That which we have said, that in a prophet one may skip even from prophet to prophet—this is regarding one subject. However, regarding two subjects—one may not skip from prophet to prophet. But in the same prophet—one may skip even from subject to subject. And in the Torah, even in one Chumash—one may not skip from subject to subject. And it appears that the reason for the distinction between the same prophet and another prophet is because every prophet has his own unique style of language, for no two prophets prophesy in the same style. Therefore, from prophet to prophet regarding two subjects, where the subject has changed and also the language has changed—the confusion is great, and they will not hear at all. But when the change is in only one thing, such as in the subject but not in the language—and this is in the same prophet—or in the language but not in the subject—such as from prophet to prophet regarding the same subject—the confusion is not so great. And all of the Trei Asar are considered like one prophet, and one may skip within them even from prophet to prophet and regarding two subjects. And the reason: because they are small in quantity, and people were accustomed to learning them together, and there is no confusion from the change of language within them, just as in one prophet.

Even in a place where it is permitted to skip—one may not skip backward, meaning from its end to its beginning, but rather from its beginning to its end. And it is not specifically its beginning and end, but the principle is that returning backward is forbidden, for this is not the way of honor. And there is one who permits skipping backward within the same prophet, and only from prophet to prophet may one not skip backward, even within the Twelve (this is the opinion of the Beit Yosef, as the Magen Avraham wrote in subsection 4). And any skipping that they permitted regarding a prophet is only permitted provided that the reader does not delay much in his skipping in a manner that the congregation will stand in silence; for example, in their days when one stood over the reader and translated every single verse for the people into the Aramaic tongue—he must not delay in his skipping longer than the speech of the translator. And for us, where there is no translator because it is of no benefit to us since we do not recognize the Aramaic tongue—the interruption must be very small, meaning when they are written in booklets such that he can make a mark and search quickly (ibid. subsection 3).

And know that even though for a Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur they permitted him to recite "And on the tenth" from the Book of Numbers by heart, as is explained in the seventh chapter of Yoma, nevertheless for us it is forbidden to do so, because it is forbidden to recite even a single word not from the writing. And in such a case where they permitted it, it is explained in the Gemara that it was because it was not possible in any other way, see there (see Magen Avraham, subsection 2). And I wonder at the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch who wrote this law that one may not skip in the Torah: for this law is not found at all in this time, since all the readings are arranged for us, and where would we skip? And if it is because of the Maftirim of the festivals which are in another place, and likewise other Maftirim that are on a different subject, such as Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, Shabbat Chanukah, and the four parshiyot—these are two men, and skipping only applies to one man. For if it were not so, truly how did our sages, of blessed memory, establish it so? And if it is because it is one subject, behold there are Maftirim that are not of one subject with the reading, such as Shabbat Rosh Chodesh and Chanukah and the four parshiyot. And it must be said that because regarding the Prophets there are also skips among us, for there are haftarot composed from several places, such as on Shabbat "Shuvah" when we read from Hoshea and from Yoel and from Michah, and likewise several haftarot are in such a manner. Therefore, they naturally wrote the law of the Torah scroll as well, even though it is not applicable nowadays.

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 2: It is the custom on a Shabbat on which there is a chatan to say after the haftarah of the week two or three verses from the haftarah of "Sos Asis." And when Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbat and Sunday, after they read the haftarah of Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, they say the first verse and the last verse from the haftarah of "Vayomer lo Yehonatan machar chodesh." And one should not protest against them. Thus far his words. And even though they skip from prophet to prophet regarding two different matters, nevertheless one should not protest. And they wrote the reason: because now they do not delay much since they are written in pamphlets (Beit Yosef and Taz, subsection 3). And I wonder: for from prophet to prophet even in such a case it is forbidden. Furthermore: this is backwards, for the haftarah of Shabbat Rosh Chodesh is the end of Yeshayah, and that of "machar chodesh" is in Shmuel. And the Levush wrote the reason: that regarding a chatan, "Sos Asis" is merely like a song, and we have no concern with it. And that of Shabbat Rosh Chodesh he indeed did not mention at all, see there. And this is for the reason we wrote. And perhaps because since they only say two verses – we are not concerned about it. And in our regions, the custom is indeed not so. And also the haftarah of the chatan "Sos Asis" is also not the custom in all of our countries. And the Sephardim used to practice so. And there are those there who also practiced to read in the Torah for the chatan from the parashah "And Avraham was old," and in our countries this is not known at all.

Our sages, of blessed memory, said in Yoma (69a) that one may not roll a sefer Torah in public, because of the honor of the congregation. That is to say: it is not the honor of the congregation to wait until they roll the sefer Torah to the place that must be read from today. This is incumbent upon the shamash or the reader to roll it before the prayer, and to prepare it to the place that must be read from today. Many are not careful regarding this law. It is necessary to warn them, for they do not know that there is a prohibition in this. Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 3 that if they have only one sefer Torah, and they need to read two matters—they roll it, and the honor of the congregation is set aside. Thus far his words. And such is the common custom on the festivals, or a Shabbat of Rosh Chodesh and Hanukkah and the four parshiyot, when they need two sifrei Torah and have only one—they roll it, since it is impossible otherwise. And even though in the Temple the High Priest would read by heart for this reason, as is found in Yoma ibid.—this was because all of Israel were present, and it was a burdensome matter and who could forgo it. But every individual congregation on its own—we are witnesses that they forgo their honor and their burden, and it is pleasing to them to wait until they roll to the place of the reading, and that the Maftir should read from a sefer Torah and not by heart (Magen Avraham subsection 7).

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 4: One does not call one person to two Sifrei Torah because of the flaw of the first (lest they say that the first was invalid and therefore he read in another). But three men for three books, such as Rosh Chodesh Tevet that falls on Shabbat—there is no concern of a flaw. Thus far his words, and this is in Yoma ibid. And from this we learned that one man may go up to the Torah two times. And this is not a blessing in vain, for since the blessing is for the honor of the Torah—therefore every time he goes up he blesses, like a Kohen who reads two times when there is no Levi, as I wrote in siman 135. And only with two Sifrei Torah may one man not go up, even for two different matters, so that they should not say that the first was flawed. But with one Sefer Torah he may go up two times. And the same law applies that he may go up for the first and the third, for since he paused with the second—there is no flaw. And that which he says "three men"—he spoke of the common way of the matter (Magen Avraham, subsection 3). And there is one who hesitates regarding this (Eliyah Rabbah, subsection 4). And in general one should not do so, that one should go up two times, except in a time of pressing need (ibid.). And they wrote that the Maharil went up for Levi and also for Maftir, and perhaps he was compelled to this for some reason.