[Avodah] Questions about Krias Ha Torah

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Sun, Nov 06, 2016 at 01:05:33AM +0000, Professor L. Levine wrote:
: 1. What was the schedule for Krias Hatorah both before and during the
: first Bais Mikdash?

There were no standardized sedros.

See BQ 82a. Moshe Rabbeinu established leining on Shabbos, Mon and Thu,
and how many aliyos. Ezra added Shabbos minchah and the idea that we
lein in cycles, and not just whatever reading the minyan wanted to.

: 2. According to one source I have, Krias Ha Torah during the time of
: the Tannaim followed the yearly cycle, but changed during the time of
: the Amoraim to a triennial cycle. Is this true and why did this change
: take place?

I think it was by location, not era.

For example, Megillah 29b says the trinnial cycle was followed bemaaravah.

: 3. When Jews returned to EY in numbers they opted for the yearly cycle.
: Why didn't the return to the triennial cycle?

They also didn't opt to reintroduce reading with Targum. Only Teimanim
still lein the way we used to.

And without Targum, leining 1/3 of a parashah isn't all that much. Perhaps
that's part of the reason why.

There wasn't really all that standard of a triennial cycle either. Some
read from Shavuos to the third Shavuos. Others completed the Torah twice
per shemittah (every 3-1/2 years, not 3). Etc...

In Binyamin miTudela's day (1170) some congregations in Egypt were still
leining in the 3 year cycle. And apparently the custom wasn't entirely
dead in the Rambam's day either.

But it not only required our 4 special parashios in Adar, the triennial
cycle also had to make special parshios for the tokhachos. It didn't
work as smoothly. A sceond possible piece to the answer.

But I think the main answer is that most of us have our roots in Bavel,
whether Sepharadi (which is almost entirely Babylonian mesorah) or
Ashkenazi (which is more of a mix). And even if not, from the end of
the Yerushalmi to the end of the geonim, we all turned to Babylonian
rabbanim. The same reason why "The Gemara" is Bavli. That's 800 years
of Babylonian leadship shaping the mesorah.

(RMYG mentioned the C triennial cycle. They just lein 1/3 of a sedra each
year, which means they're doing non-consecutive readings. Nothing to do
with our topic, aside from using it as an excuse to justify shortening
services.)

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
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