Megilloth

The Megilloth, also known as the Five Scrolls, is a collection of five books within the Ketuvim (Writings) section of the Hebrew Bible. These books are Esther, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, and Ecclesiastes. Each of these scrolls is traditionally read aloud during specific Jewish festivals. The order in which they appear in the canon is not necessarily the order in which they are read.

The Book of Esther is read during the festival of Purim, commemorating the salvation of the Jewish people from Haman's plot. Song of Songs, also called the Song of Solomon, is traditionally read during Passover, often interpreted allegorically as a love song between God and Israel. The Book of Ruth is read during the festival of Shavuot, celebrating the harvest and the acceptance of the Torah, and tells the story of a Moabite woman's loyalty to her Israelite mother-in-law. Lamentations, attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, is read on Tisha B'Av, a day of mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. Finally, Ecclesiastes is read during Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, reflecting on the meaning of life and the cyclical nature of existence. The Megilloth are thus integral to Jewish liturgical practice and seasonal observance.