“Question: Is it a hiddur to lein the haftoros from a klaf, as opposed to from a chumash?
Discussion: The Levush (Orach Chayim Siman 284) writes that he was always puzzled as to why no one writes haftoros on klaf, and the Levush goes so far as to say that it appears that the tzibbur do not fulfil the obligation of leining the haftoro by reading the haftoro from printed chumashim.
The Magen Avraham (at the beginning of Siman 284) quotes the view of the Levush, but justifies the widespread minhag to read haftoros from printed seforim (as opposed to written on klaf). However, the Magen Avraham does not permit printing just the haftaros but requires printing [and leining from] a complete sefer of novi (c.f. Machatzis Hashekel ibid and Mishna Berura Siman 284 s.k. 1).
The Taz (Siman 284 s.k. 2) also quotes the aforementioned Levush, and also justifies the minhag of leining the haftoros from printed seforim. However, unlike the Magen Avraham, the Taz justifies the minhag of printing just the haftaros, and does not require printing a complete sefer of novi (c.f. Machatzis Hashekel ibid).
It is well known that the Vilna Gaon promoted the practice of leining the haftoros from a klaf (this is documented in Ma’asei Rav #136 where it is written that the Vilna Gaon maintained that the haftoro is leined from a complete sefer of novi written in the same format as a Sefer Torah).
The Mishna Berura (Siman 284 s.k. 1) quotes the aforementioned Magen Avraham and Taz. Regarding the machlokes between the Magen Avraham and Taz regarding if one needs to print an entire sefer of novi, the Mishna Berura writes that if there is no available complete [printed] sefer novi then one can read the haftoro from a chumash [i.e. that contains just the haftoros; even though it does not contain the entire sefer of novi].
The Mishna Berura (ibid) concludes that it is ideal to write complete sifrei nevi’im on a klaf (“l’chatchilo it is fitting and correct for each congregation to have nevi’im written on klaf because this way the Names of Hashem will be written with kedusha which will not be the case if the haftoros are printed … this now has become the widespread minhag in many congregations and they are truly fortunate…”). However, in Sha’arei Tziyun (s.k. 4) he writes that there is no reason to protest against those who are lenient [regarding writing sifrei nevi’im on klaf] because this is included in the permissibility of “eis la’asos l’Hashem” because it is indeed difficult for every tzibbur to acquire sifrei nevi’im written on klaf. The Mishna Berura in Sha’arei Tziyun (ibid) also points out that it is common practice to spend money on various ornaments and decorations for the Shul which are not actually necessary, in order to fulfil “ze keli v’anvehu”, and it should certainly be priority to fulfil “ze keli v’anvehu” through writing sifrei nevi’im [on klaf, which is a hiddur in the mitzvah].
The Kaf Hachayim (Siman 284 s.k. 3) also quotes the aforementioned Magen Avraham and Taz, and concludes that the minhag is to be lenient and lein the haftoros from printed chumashim.
Conclusion: The widespread and accepted minhag of all Sephardim is to lein the haftoro from printed chumashim. Regarding Ashkenazim, although the minhag was to lein haftoros from chumashim and this was justified by major Halachic authorities, it is considered a hiddur to procure nevi’im written on klaf and lein haftoros from these, wherever possible. (In Eretz Yisroel many congregations who follow the minhogim of the Vilna Gaon indeed procure nevi’im written on klaf.)
“