Rosh Chodesh and Chanukah

Hi,

This coming Sunday will be the second day of Rosh Chodesh for the lunar month of Tevet, and it will also be Chanukah. What will we read from the Torah?

To satisfy the needs of both Rosh Chodesh and Chanukah, we will first take care of the more common holiday, Rosh Chodesh, by reading 3 portions from the Rosh Chodesh reading. We will then read a fourth reading for Chanukah, from a second Torah.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 684:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Haftorah for Shabbat/Rosh Chodesh/Chanukah

Hi,

Yesterday we explained the system of Torah readings for this Shabbat, which is also Rosh Chodesh (the first day of the lunar month) and Chanukah; what do we do for the Haftorah, do we read the regular Shabbat reading, the Chanukah reading, or the Rosh Chodesh reading?

We read the Haftorah for Chanukah, for two reasons:

1. The last Torah portion we read before the Haftorah is the Chanukah reading, and we generally link the themes of the end of the Torah portion and the Haftorah;

2. Publicizing the miracle of Chanukah trumps even the biblical celebration of Rosh Chodesh. (We do not follow the formula of honoring the mitzvah which occurs more frequently, because that formula applies only as a rule of precedence, not a rule of replacement.)

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 684:3; Mishneh Berurah 684:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shabbat, Chanukah and Rosh Chodesh

Hi,

This year, Shabbat of Chanukah will also be Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the month of Tevet. Therefore we need to read from three Torah scrolls: A portion for Shabbat, a portion for Chanukah, and a portion for Rosh Chodesh.

We follow a basic law of precedence: The event which occurs more frequently is honored first. Therefore we read six aliyot first from the regular Torah reading, then one aliyah from the Rosh Chodesh reading, and then a "maftir" aliyah from the Chanukah reading.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 684:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Torah reading for Chanukah

Hi,

Chanukah does not have a natural Torah reading, because the historical events of Chanukah occurred after the Torah was concluded.

Instead, the special Torah reading for Chanukah is the section in Bamidbar [Numbers] that describes the dedication of the portable Mishkan [Temple] with which the Jews traveled from Egypt to Israel.

This is an appropriate reading because Chanukah celebrates rededication of the Temple. Also, we are taught that construction of the original Mishkan was completed at the end of the month of Kislev, on the days that later became Chanukah.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 684:1; Mishneh Berurah 684:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai