haftach

Haftach, more commonly spelled haftarah, refers to the Jewish liturgical reading from the books of the Nevi'im (Prophets) that follows the weekly Torah portion in synagogue services. The term is used for the set of prophecies read during Shabbat and many holidays, and the practice is a traditional complement to the Torah reading.

Typically, the haftarah is a short selection drawn from Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, or the Twelve Minor Prophets. The choice of text is generally thematically connected to the Torah portion, offering reflection, contrast, or a prophetic witness to the themes of the week’s reading. The public reading is performed by a designated reader, often called the ba’al haftarah, and it usually occurs after the Torah reading and its blessings. The final aliyah of the Torah portion, known as the maftir, commonly signals the beginning of the haftarah.

Haftorot are broadly categorized as regular and special. Regular haftarot correspond to the ordinary weekly portions. Special haftarot are assigned for Sabbaths with particular observances or circumstances, such as Shabbat Rosh Chodesh (when the Sabbath coincides with the new month), Shabbat Chanukah, or Shabbat Shuva, among others. Some of these occasions feature haftarot chosen specifically to reflect the day’s unique character.

Tradition and practice vary by community. Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Mizrahi rites may differ in the exact haftarah readings for a given Sabbath, and some communities read from different textual editions. In many traditions, haftarot are collected in a Sefer Haftarah, a printed volume that contains the full set of readings for the yearly cycle.