The Double Header Haftora

[kracked dude]

From: www.vosizneias.com/113094/2012/09/06/new-york-torah-insights-the-double-header-haftora-1st-in-14-years/

New York - For those paying attention
in shul this past Shabbos, Parshas Ki
Seitzei, chances are that they might
have noticed something quite atypical
during davening. I am not referring to
a debate whether or not a specific
congregation recites ‘L’Dovid’ during
Elul, but rather to a double haftara.
This double haftara was recited (or
should have been) by the vast
majority of Ashkenazic congregations
worldwide.
Apparently, many did not realize this
special occurrence. In fact, when I
mentioned the uniqueness of this
situation to the gabbai last Shabbos,
he responded that he had never
heard of a double haftara! He
maintained that at the hashkama
minyan, filled with Bnei Torah, not a
single one pointed out such a thing! I
had to show this ruling to him
explicitly in both the Mishna Berura
and the Tukachinsky calendar, before
he consented to allow the Baal Koreh
to read both haftaros. However, his
skeptical response was quite
understandable, as the last time there
was a double haftara was fourteen
years ago!
To properly understand why there
was a double haftara, some
background is needed.
According to the Tosafos Yom Tov
(Megillah Ch. Bnei Ha’Ir, Mishna 4 s.v.
l’chisidran) citing the Sefer HaTishbi -
Shoresh Petter), the haftaros were
established when the wicked
Antiochus (infamous from the
Chanuka miracle) outlawed public
reading of the Torah. The Chachamim
of the time therefore established the
custom of reading a topic from the
Nevi’im similar to what was supposed
to be read from the Torah. Even after
the decree was nullified, and prior to
the Gemara’s printing, this became
minhag Yisrael.
Most haftaros share some similarity
with at least one concept presented in
the Torah reading. The Gemara
Megillah (29b - 31a) discusses the
proper haftara readings for the
various holidays throughout the year.
The Pesikta, (an early Midrash cited by
many early authorities including
Tosafos - Megillah 31b s.v. rosh and
the AbuDraham - Seder Parshiyos
V’Haftaros) continues the teachings of
Chazal as to the proper haftara
readings starting from the Fast of
Shiva Assur B’Tamuz.
During the ‘Three Weeks’ from 17
Tamuz until Tisha B’Av, we read ‘Tlasa
D’Paranusa’, ‘Three Readings of
Punishment’. After Tisha B’Av (starting
with Shabbos Nachamu, dubbed so
due to its haftara, Nachamu Nachamu
Ami) until Rosh Hashana, ‘Shiva
D’Nechemta’, or ‘Seven Readings of
Consolation’ are read. This is followed
by a reading of Teshuva, during the
Shabbos between Rosh Hashana and
Yom Kippur, aptly named ‘Shabbos
Shuva’, for its repentance themed
haftara starting with ‘Shuva Yisrael’.
The AbuDraham as well as Rabbeinu
Tam, conclude that these special
haftara readings are so important,
that they are never pushed off!
Our dilemma arises when that rule
goes head - to - head with another
rule. The Gemara (Megillah 31a) states
that whenever Rosh Chodesh falls out
on Shabbos, a special haftara is read:
‘Hashomayim Kisi’, as it mentions both
the inyanim of Shabbos and Rosh
Chodesh. If Rosh Chodesh falls out
on Sunday, then on the preceding
Shabbos, the haftara of ‘Machar
Chodesh’ is read, as it mentions the
following day being Rosh Chodesh.
Our question is what happens when
Rosh Chodesh Elul falls out on
Shabbos or Sunday? Which ruling
trumps which? Do we follow the
Gemara or the Pesikta? Do we stick
with the ‘Shiva D’Nechemta’ or the
special Rosh Chodesh reading? The
answer is that there is no easy
answer! The Mordechai (Megillah, end
Ch. Bnei Ha’Ir 831, end s.v. haghah)
cites both as separate, equally valid
minhagim, with no clear cut ruling! So
what are we supposed to do? Which
minhag should we follow?
The Beis Yosef (O.C. 425, 1 s.v.
uma”sh) writes that the ikar halacha
follows the AbuDraham as he was
considered an expert in these topics.
Consequently, in the Shulchan Aruch
(O.C. 425, 1), he rules that on
Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Elul, only that
week’s haftara of consolation, ‘Aniyah
So’arah’ is read. This would also hold
true if Rosh Chodesh fell on Sunday,
that only that week’s haftara of
consolation would be read, and not
‘Machar Chodesh’. This is the general
Sefardi ruling on this topic (Kaf
Hachaim O.C. 425, 13).
Yet, the Rema (ad loc.), citing the
Sefer HaMinhagim of Rav Yitzchak
Isaac Tyrnau (Tirna), a contemporary
of the Terumas HaDeshen and
Maharil (late 1300’s - early 1400’s),
argues that since the special reading
of Shabbos - Rosh Chodesh also
contains words of consolation, it is
therefore the proper reading, even for
Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Elul.
Moreover, this reading is mentioned
specifically by the Gemara as the
proper reading for Shabbos Rosh
Chodesh, with no special
dispensation given for Shabbos Rosh
Chodesh Elul. Additionally, since it is
recited more often (as Shabbos Rosh
Chodesh falls out at least twice a year)
one will fulfill the Talmudic dictum of
‘tadir v’sheino tadir, tadir kodem’ by
reading this haftara instead.
Nevertheless, if Rosh Chodesh would
fall out on Sunday, all would agree
that only that week’s haftara of
consolation would be read, as there is
no conciliatory theme in ‘Machar
Chodesh’.
However, by following this, it would
seem that we would miss out on one
of the ‘Shiva D’Nechemta’, as there are
not enough weeks before Rosh
Hashana to fit in all seven when one of
the haftaros [occurring when Rosh
Chodesh falls out on Parshas Re’eh] is
taken up by ‘Hashomayim Kisi’. Yet,
the Pesikta and Rishonim stressed the
importance and necessity of each and
every one of them being read.
Therefore, the Sefer HaMinhagim
maintains that we need to make up
the missing haftara, and it is done as
an addition, on Parshas Ki Seitzei, two
weeks later. The reason is that the
haftara of Parshas Re’eh, ‘Aniyah
So’arah’ in the original Navi (Yeshaya
Ch. 54, 11) follows consecutively after
the haftara of Parshas Ki Seitzei ‘Runi
V’Simchi’ (Yeshaya Ch. 54, 1).
Therefore, this solution turns two
separate haftaros into one long
double header and thereby fulfills
everyone’s requirement to hear all
seven of the Conciliatory Haftaros.
This resolution of having a double -
header haftara on Parshas Ki Seitzei
when Rosh Chodesh falls out two
weeks earlier on Parshas Re’eh, is
cited and actually codified in halacha
by many authorities including the
Levush (Levush HaChur O.C. 425, 2 &
581, 1), Matteh Efraim (581, 5), Magen
Avraham (425, 1), Kitzur Shulchan
Aruch (128, 4),  and, as mentioned
previously, the Mishna Berura (425, 7)
and Luach Tukachinsky Calendar
(5772, Elul, Parshas Ki Seitzei), and is
the definitive Ashkenazic ruling.
Sefardim, on the other hand, do not
have this interesting occurence, as
they follow the Shulchan Aruch’s rule
of never pushing off any of the ‘Shiva
D’Nechemta’, and thereby never
having the need to double up
haftaros.
Those who missed this unique
opportunity should not fret too much,
as we don’t have to wait another
fourteen years to have a Shabbos
Rosh Chodesh Elul. In fact, it will fall
out four times over the next eight
years. Hopefully by then, the gabbai
will remember that double headers
are not exclusively reserved for
ballgames.
Rabbi Yehuda Spitz serves as the
Shoel U’ Meishiv and Rosh Chabura of
the Ohr Lagolah Halacha Kollel at
Yeshivas Ohr Somayach in
Yerushalayim. He can be reached at
yspitz@ohr.edu
The author wishes to thank R’ Joel
Rosenfeld and R’ Solomon Lerner for
raising awareness of this unique
issue, and serving as the impetus for
my interest and research in this topic.
News Source: VIN News By Rabbi
Yehuda Spitz

[LeeW]

The Stone edition Atrscroll mentions to read both haftoras. For anyone following this Chumash, they heard the correct Haftora.