Every Shabbat after reading the Torah there is a Jewish custom to read a portion from the prophets, this section is called Ha-ph-tarah הפטרה. The root of the word is פ.ט.ר and in the context it is used means to dismiss. The reason this custom has such a name can be explained in two ways, but first the history:
The origin of the custom (though one can argue differently)has to do with a Greek decree that forbid the Jews from reading the Torah. The trick was to choose a section from the prophets that had similar ideas to the weekly portion and read it; if any Greek official would have caught them they would show it was not a Torah (Abudraham Shabbat morning service). Knowing this history we can say one of the two things about this name:
1. That they were dismissed from reading the Torah and could read the prophets instead.
After this Greek decree had been canceled Jews did not want to undo the custom (which was based on a Taqanah- constitution of the elders) and kept on reading from the prophets after the Torah. Knowing this we can say the second thing about this name:
2. It meant that this was a respectful dismissal of the Torah reading, meaning not just ending the reading with out some thing in-between.
Some Jewish sources also state that there was a custom to read from the writings in the midday service on Shabbat after the short Torah reading. This custom is assumed to have been kept in the land of Israel and Persia.
From: Hebrew in Israel
The origin of the custom (though one can argue differently)has to do with a Greek decree that forbid the Jews from reading the Torah. The trick was to choose a section from the prophets that had similar ideas to the weekly portion and read it; if any Greek official would have caught them they would show it was not a Torah (Abudraham Shabbat morning service). Knowing this history we can say one of the two things about this name:
1. That they were dismissed from reading the Torah and could read the prophets instead.
After this Greek decree had been canceled Jews did not want to undo the custom (which was based on a Taqanah- constitution of the elders) and kept on reading from the prophets after the Torah. Knowing this we can say the second thing about this name:
2. It meant that this was a respectful dismissal of the Torah reading, meaning not just ending the reading with out some thing in-between.
Some Jewish sources also state that there was a custom to read from the writings in the midday service on Shabbat after the short Torah reading. This custom is assumed to have been kept in the land of Israel and Persia.
From: Hebrew in Israel
Shalom!!!
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