Siman 423

And after Hallel, one says "Kaddish Titkabel," for whenever there is a Musaf—one says "Kaddish Titkabel" after Shacharit. And they take out a Sefer Torah, and four people read from it, one more than every Monday and Thursday, because of the Musaf sacrifice. Therefore, they do not decrease from four. However, they also do not add to four, as the sages were concerned for the neglect of work. Therefore, they also do not read a Haftarah from the Prophets. And after the reading of the Torah, they say Chatzi Kaddish.

And the reading is the parashah of the Tamid, which is eight pesukim, and the parashah of "And on the Sabbath day" – two pesukim, and the parashah of "And on the beginnings of your months" – five pesukim, and it is for the fourth. And the two previous ones are for three olim. And now how shall we act? If we read for the kohen three pesukim, and for the levi three pesukim – behold the levi will conclude less than three pesukim close to the parashah, and the third will begin less than three pesukim close to the parashah. And both are forbidden, a decree because of those entering and those leaving, as I wrote in siman 138. Therefore, due to necessity, he reads in them three pesukim until "the lamb": "And He spoke," "Command," "And you shall say." And the levi returns and reads "And you shall say" with two more pesukim: "the lamb," "and a tenth of an ephah" until "a continual burnt offering." And even though there is a concern that those entering will say that the kohen read only two pesukim – it can be said that they will ask and they will tell them. But if the levi begins from "the lamb," and reads three pesukim and only two pesukim remain – we concern ourselves with those leaving who will say that the third will read only two pesukim, and those leaving will not ask.

And if it is difficult: if so, let the kohen and the Levi read the entire parashah of the Tamid, which is eight pesukim; and the third shall read two pesukim of "And on the Shabbat day" and two pesukim from "And on the beginnings of your months," and three pesukim will remain before the fourth. And now those who exit will not ask, for they heard that the third read four pesukim. And if it is because those who enter during the fourth will say that the third read only two pesukim—behold we have said that those who enter will ask and they will tell them, just as now those who enter at the time of the reading of the Levi ask about the kohen. For this is not a comparison, because regarding the kohen they will certainly ask why he did not read more, since there is space for the Levi. But regarding the third they will not ask at all, because they will imagine that he was forced to leave over three pesukim before the fourth. And the complaint will remain against the third, that he read only two pesukim.

So ruled all of our teachers: the Rif in the fourth chapter of Megillah, and the Rosh there, and the Rambam in the thirteenth chapter of Tefillah, and the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch. And one of our teachers among the Acharonim disagrees with this, and says that the Shas says this regarding the Maamadot, where the parashiyot are no more than five verses. But on Rosh Chodesh, which is eight verses—behold, we have a proper way to avoid beginning less than three verses [from the end] and not leaving over [less than three verses]. And that is: that the Kohen reads three verses, and afterwards the Levi reads five verses until "and on the Sabbath day." And afterwards the third begins from "a continual burnt offering," which are three verses before the parashah, and reads them with the parashah of "and on the Sabbath day" (the Gra). And in many places they have conducted themselves accordingly, as it is the clearer method. And the Ramban, of blessed memory, also holds that in the Shas it was only stated regarding Maamadot. But on Rosh Chodesh—nothing is needed, since it is impossible without beginning two verses from the parashah. If so, what difference is the beginning to me and what difference is the end? And they should read in their order: Kohen and Levi six verses, and the third the two remaining with the parashah of "and on the Sabbath day" (Ran in his name). But according to the method that has been explained, there is no need at all to begin with less than three verses adjacent to the parashah. (And I saw in the Chatam Sofer and in the Mishkenot Yaakov who wanted to reject the method of the Gra. And he who sees will see and wonder, for his method is clear, see there.)

And afterward they say "Ashrei" and "Uva LeTziyon." And we do not say the psalm "Yaancha," for Rosh Chodesh is not a day of distress, and it is a day of joy. And they return the sefer Torah to its place. And in our lands we say "Ashrei" and "Uva LeTziyon" after the returning of the sefer. And they say Chatzi Kaddish, and remove the tefillin. And there is no clear reason for the removal of the tefillin at Musaf, but so they have practiced, as I wrote above in siman 25, and one should not change. And they pray Musaf. And one must say "Rashei Chodashim LeAmcha Natata" with a kamatz. And some say "U'seirei Chatat." And some say "Chataot," and they say: "Zichron LeChulam Yihyu," meaning: the sacrifices that they offered then—shall be for a remembrance even now. And some say "LeChulanu," and the intention is also thus. And some say "Hayu," and it refers to the past. And each person should say according to his custom. And in a leap year they add "U'lekhaparat Pasha." And there are those who do not say this addition except until after Adar Sheni. And it does not appear so, for one should say it the entire year. And they say "Vechukei Rashei Chodashim Lahem Kavata," meaning: that among all the nations there is no fixed calculation equal for all of them as is known, because human intellect is too limited to create an equalization in moments for all the days of the world. And our calculation is from Sinai, from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, who transmitted it to Moshe. As the ancient sages of the nations admitted, that the calculation of the intercalations of months and years of Israel—testifies to prophecy. And in the repetition of the sheliach tzibbur we say "Nekadesh" as in Shacharit. And the Sephardim say "Keter." And in any case, the additions of Shabbat and Yom Tov—they do not say. And after the repetition of the sheliach tzibbur he says "Kaddish Shalem." And some say the psalm "Barchi Nafshi," because therein it is written: "He made the moon for the seasons." And as it appears, this was the song of the Leviim in the Beit HaMikdash for the Musaf sacrifice. And I wonder: for in Masechet Soferim (chapter eighteen) where it counted the songs of the Musafim, it did not mention that of Rosh Chodesh, see there. And in the coming siman we will settle this with the help of Heaven. (The Magen Avraham wrote: If one prayed the prayer of Shacharit in place of Musaf—he did not fulfill his obligation, even if he mentioned "Yaaleh VeYavo." And it is obvious.)