There are four Shabbatot during and near the month of Adar in which we read special portions from a second Sefer Torah (Torah scroll) on Shabbat. These are Parashat Sh’kalim, Zachor, Parah, and Hacho-desh. In Jerusalem in a year of “Purim M’shulash” two Sifrei Torah are read also on a fifth Shabbat, since on the Shabbat of Purim M’shulash the portion for Purim (Vayavo Amalek) is read.
Parashat Sh’kalim is read on the Shabbat preceding Rosh Chodesh (the first of the month of) Adar. If Rosh Chodesh Adar itself is Shabbat, it is read then. Parashat Zachor is read on the Shabbat pre-ceding Purim. Parashat Parah is read on the Shabbat preceding Para-shat Hachodesh. Parashat Hachodesh is read on the Shabbat preced-ing Rosh Chodesh Nisan. If Rosh Chodesh Nisan itself is Shabbat, it is read then.
SHABBAT SH’KALIM
The Mishnah states, “On Rosh Chodesh Adar that falls on Shabbat, we read Parashat Sh’kalim.” The Gemara elucidates: We learned in a Mishnah, “On the first of Adar we announce that the time has come to donate Sh’kalim (to the Temple)” etc. Rabbi Tavi said in the name of Rabbi Yoshia that since it is written in the Torah “This is the offering of every month,” the Torah teaches us that it must be brought from a new donation. Rashi on the Mishnah says, “We read Parashat Sh’kalim in order to inform the populace that they should bring their donations (of shekels) in Adar.” By reminding the people, they will prepare the money necessary to donate. Even though it’s really not too much, all told it’s the value of ten grams of pure silver, but since the money goes for buying sacrifices throughout the coming year that atone for the nation of Israel, the yetzer hara (evil inclination) exerts itself to prevent the donation. Therefore we take the precaution of informing the populace that they should prepare their donations. In the days of the Temple, if one did not bring his dona-tion, the treasurers of the Temple confiscated his possessions to the amount that he must donate.
According to Rashi, the reading of Parashat Sh’kalim is in memory of the reading of the Parashat Sh’kalim that they did in Temple times, to remind them to prepare their money for the Temple. According to the L’vush and Mishnah B’rurah, our reading is instead of the actual donation to the Temple, in the vein of “we will fulfill our obli-gations to offer heifers by speaking with our lips.” Just as we cannot offer up the sacrifices, and Hashem accepts our speech in lieu of them, similarly in lack of the Temple treasury we cannot donate our money, so the reading is in place of the donation.
In practice: Parashat Sh’kalim is read on the Shabbat preceding Rosh Chodesh Adar. In a leap year it is read on the Shabbat preceding the second Adar. We take out two Sifrei Torah. The custom of the Sepharadim is that seven men are called up to the weekly portion from the first Sefer Torah (as on every Shabbat), then half-Kaddish is said, then the maftir is called up to the second Sefer Torah, from which the Parashat Sh’kalim is read. The half-Kaddish is recited again, and then the Haftarah “Vayichrot Y’hoyada” is read. The custom of Ashkenazim is almost identical, with the omission of the second half-Kaddish — instead, the second Sefer Torah is placed on the bimah (reading pulpit) after the reading of the first Sefer Torah, and the half-Kaddish then counts for both Sifrei Torah. Ashkenazim read the same Haftarah as the Sepharadim, with the omission of the first five verses.
When Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on Shabbat, we take out three Sifrei Torah (Torah scrolls). The weekly portion is read from the first one, but it’s divided between only six men, and Kaddish is not said after-wards. (If seven were called up, then Kaddish should be said.) The seventh person is called up to the reading of Rosh Chodesh from the second Sefer Torah. As on every Rosh Chodesh which falls on Shabbat, somewhat less is read than when Rosh Chodesh falls on a weekday. Then half-Kaddish is said. The maftir receives the ali-ya of Parashat Sh’kalim, and once again half-Kaddish is said. The custom of Ashkenazim is described subsequently, in paragraph 19.
When Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on Shabbat, the Haftarah of Shabbat Sh’kalim is read, Sepharadim and Ashkenazim respectively. Sepha-radim append the first and last verses of the Haftarah of Rosh Cho-desh, but Ashkenazim do not.
SHABBAT ZACHOR
The Mishnah in Masechet Megillah says that we read Parashat Zachor on the Shabbat preceding Purim in order to place the eradica-tion of Amalek next to the eradication of Haman, as it says “and these days are remembered and observed.”
We take out two Sifrei Torah and seven men are called up to the first for the reading of the weekly portion. Afterwards half-Kaddish is said and the maftir is called up to the second Sefer Torah, from which Parashat Zachor is read. The Sephardic custom is to say half-Kaddish again. The Haftarah is “I have visited” etc., although the Sepharadim read one verse more at the beginning. The rest of the prayers continue as on every Shabbat. At the conclusion of the reading of the first Sefer Torah, the Ashkenazim place the second Sefer Torah on the bimah and then say half-Kaddish, and do not re-peat half-Kaddish after the reading of the second Sefer Torah.
The reading of Parashat Zachor is an obligation from the Torah. There is an opinion that the reading of Parashat Parah is also an obli-gation from the Torah. Therefore, the reader should raise his voice when reading these Parshiyot in order that the whole congregation will hear him. Everyone should have the intention to fulfill the mitzvot of hearing Parashat Zachor (and similarly on Parashat Parah, accord-ing to one opinion), and the reader also must have in mind that he’s reading on behalf of the whole congregation. It is good to mention this out loud before the reading. (Some have the custom of saying a special L’sheim yichud for these readings.)
It is proper to read Parashat Zachor from the most exact and beautiful Sefer Torah of the synagogue. It is also appropriate that each person should make an effort to hear the reading from a Sefer Torah and a reader according to his customs, Sephardic, Ashkenazic etc. Howev-er, if one heard from a reader and/or a Sefer Torah of a different cus-tom, then b’di’avad (after the fact) he fulfilled the mitzvah.
There is an opinion that women are exempt from hearing Parashat Zachor, and that indeed is the Sephardic custom. If they do come and hear Parashat Zachor, they should have in mind that they are not mak-ing a vow to hear it every year. There is a differing opinion that women are obligated to hear Parashat Zachor, and some Ashkenazim follow it.
SHABBAT PARAH
The Shabbat preceding the last Shabbat of Adar is Shabbat Parah. (In a year when Rosh Chodesh Nisan falls on Shabbat, then the last Shabbat of Adar is Shabbat Parah.) We take out two Sifrei Torah. To the first, seven men are called up for the weekly portion, then half-Kaddish is said, and the maftir is called up to the second Sefer Torah, and Parashat Parah is read. Then Sepharadim say half-Kaddish again. The Haftarah is from Yechezkel (Ezekiel) chapter 36, starting with verse 16. Sepharadim read until verse 36, inclusive, and Ashke-nazim read until verse 38, inclusive. The custom of the Ashkenazim is to say half-Kaddish after the reading of the weekly portion only, and the second Sefer Torah is placed on the bimah before that half-Kaddish is said.
SHABBAT HACHODESH
On the Shabbat preceding Rosh Chodesh Nisan we take out two Sifrei Torah. Seven men are called up to the weekly portion from the first Sefer Torah, then half-Kaddish is said. The maftir is called up to the second Sefer Torah, from which Parashat Hachodesh is read, and then half-Kaddish is again recited. The Haftarah is from Yechezkel. Sepharadim read from 45, 18 until 46, 15. The custom of the Ashkenazim is to say half-Kaddish after the reading of the weekly portion only, and the second Sefer Torah is placed on the bimah be-fore that half-Kaddish is said. The Ashkenazim read the same Hafta-rah as the Sepharadim, but start from 45, 16 and finish with 46, 18.
When Rosh Chodesh Nisan falls on Sunday, the Sepharadim append to the Haftarah of Parashat Hachodesh the first and last verses of the Haftarah of “Machar Chodesh.”
When Rosh Chodesh Nisan falls on Shabbat, we take out three Sifrei Torah. Six men are called up to the weekly portion, which is read from the first Sefer Torah, and no Kaddish is said afterwards. (If, however, seven were called up, then half-Kaddish is said.) The seventh person is called up to the second Sefer Torah, from which the reading for Rosh Chodesh is read. Then half-Kaddish is said. The maftir is called up to the third Sefer Torah, from which Parashat Hachodesh is read, and then half-Kaddish is said. The Haftarah is that of Parashat Hachodesh, and Sepharadim append the first and last verses of the Haftarah of Shabbat Rosh Chodesh. The custom of the Ashkenazim is described in paragraph 14 above.
KADDISH AFTER THE TORAH READING
Two Sifrei Torah: When we take out two Sifrei Torah, seven men read the weekly portion from the first Sefer Torah. Then half-Kaddish is said. The maftir is called up to the second Sefer Torah, from which the special portion of the day is read, be it Parashat Sh’kalim, Zachor, Parah, Hachodesh, Rosh Chodesh, or Chanukah. Then half-Kaddish is said again. The majority of Ashkenazim practice as follows: The first Sefer Torah is brought to the bimah, opened and seven men are called up to the reading of the weekly portion. In the meantime the person who took the second Sefer Torah from the Holy Ark to the bimah sits next to the bimah, holding it closed during the reading of the first. After the seventh person, the first Sefer Torah is closed, its cover is draped over it, the second Sefer Torah is placed on the bimah, and then half-Kaddish is said. Afterwards the special portion is read from the second Sefer Torah, and then the special Haftarah is read.
Three Sifrei Torah: When we take out three Sifrei Torah, there are two possibilities: The first possibility is that six men are called up to the first Sefer Torah, from which the weekly portion is read. Kaddish should not be said then, rather after reading the Rosh Chodesh por-tion from the second Sefer Torah. Then the maftir is called up to the third Sefer Torah, from which Parashat Sh’kalim or Hachodesh or Chanukah is read, and subsequently half-Kaddish again. The second possibility is that seven men read from the first Sefer Torah. In that case, half-Kaddish should be said after the reading of the first Sefer Torah as well, thereby yielding a total of three half-Kaddish, one after every Sefer Torah.
The custom of the Ashkenazim with three Sifrei Torah is as follows: Six men are called up to the first Sefer Torah, and then it is raised and wrapped (Hagbahah and G’lilah). Then the second Sefer Torah is opened and read. Afterwards the third Sefer Torah is placed on the bimah next to the second Sefer Torah, half-Kaddish is said, and the second Sefer Torah is raised and wrapped. Then the third is read.
On a Shabbat with three Sifrei Torah, i.e., Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Adar that coincides with Parashat Sh’kalim, or Shabbat Rosh Cho-desh Nisan that coincides with Parashat Hachodesh, or Shabbat Rosh Chodesh on Chanukah, or on Simchat Torah, the Sepharadim add a number of verses before taking the Sifrei Torah out of the Holy Ark. This custom, which was once prevalent only in Jerusalem, is now the widespread custom among Sepharadim in Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel) and also the Diaspora.
SPECIAL HAFTARAH IN CONJUNCTION WITH ROSH CHODESH
On these four special Shabbatot, the Haftarah is connected with the theme of the maftir. When Shabbat Sh’kalim occurs on Rosh Cho-desh, Sepharadim append the first and last verses of the Haftarah for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh.
The R״ma disagreed with this custom, and wrote not to do so, since the Gemara states that one shouldn’t skip from one book of the Prophets to another while reading the Haftarah. Ashkenazim follow this decision of the R״ma.
HAFTARAH AND THE MITZVAH OF READING THE WEEKLY PORTION (SH’NAYIM MIKRA)
Given that there is a mitzvah to privately read the weekly portion, the Hebrew original twice and the Aramaic translation of Onkelos once, and to read the Haftarah of the week, we should consider which Haf-tarah to read privately on the special parshiyot. The Mishnah B’rurah wrote that one should read the special Haftarah that will actually be read, and not the Haftarah that is designated for the week-ly portion. However, the Kaf Hachayim is of the opinion that one should read the Haftarah designated for the weekly portion.