Sabbaths bearing particular designations on account of the Torah,
Haftarah, and liturgical readings allocated to them, or because of their position in the Jewish religious
Calendar. Three of them are linked to the beginning of a month:
Shabbat Mevarekhim, the Sabbath preceding each New
Moon (apart from the month of Tishri), on which the precise date(s) are announced and a special formula is recited blessing the month ahead;
Shabbat Maḥar Ḥodesh, a Sabbath occurring on the eve of the New Moon; and
Shabbat Rosh Ḥodesh, a Sabbath coinciding with the start of a month.
Other special Sabbaths, following the order of the Hebrew year, are Shabbat Shuvah, which occurs during the Ten Days of Penitence between Rosh Ha-Shanah and the Day of Atonement; one Shabbat Ḥol ha-Mo'ed which falls during the intermediate days of Sukkot; Shabbat Be-Reshit, when the new Torah reading cycle begins; Shabbat Ḥanukkah (of which there may be two); Shabbat Shirah, the Sabbath on which the Song of Moses is read; four Sabbaths that occur in the spring, Shekalim, Zakhor, Parah and Ha-Ḥodesh (see below for origin of names); Shabbat ha-Gadol, the Sabbath immediately before Passover; another Shabbat Ḥol ha-Mo'ed which falls during the intermediate days of Passover; and the Sabbaths preceding and immediately following Tishah Be-Av (the Ninth of Av fast day), known as Shabbat Ḥazon and Shabbat Naḥamu, respectively.
Reform Judaism has retained only a few of the special Sabbaths: those connected with the New Moon as well as Shabbat Shuvah, Shabbat Zakhor, and the two intermediate Sabbaths of Passover and Sukkot.
Shabbat Mevarekhim
("Sabbath of Blessing") Origin of name: The prayer for a good month recited after the Reading of the Law.Liturgy: Ashkenazim recite Yehi Ratson, a formula based on the prayer of Rav (Ber. 16b), trusting that "it will be God's will to renew the coming month for good and for blessing." Sephardim begin with four (Yehi Ratson) expressions of hope that "it may be God's will" to reestablish the Temple, rescue His people from all afflictions and disasters, maintain Israel's sages and their families, and grant a month of good tidings. Both rites then continue with Mi she-Asah Nissim ("He Who performed miracles"), an announcement of the precise date (and sometimes time) of the New Moon, and a concluding benediction. These prayers are recited in Orthodox, Conservative, and (with some modification) in Reform congregations, but not in Reconstructionism. the Italian and ḥabad (Ḥasidic) rites commence with Mi she-Asah Nissim.Torah Reading: Weekly portion.Haftarah: Weekly portion.Shabbat Maḥar Ḥodesh
Origin of name: Falls on the eve of the New Moon (cf. I Sam. 20:18).Torah Reading: Weekly portion.Haftarah: I Sam. 20:18-42, describing the covenant between Jonathan and David made on the eve of the New Moon (Rosh Ḥodesh).
Shabbat Rosh Ḥodesh
Origin of name: Falls on the New Moon (Rosh Ḥodesh).Liturgy: Hallel recited after Morning Service; Attah Yatsarta sequence replaces Tikkanta Shabbat in the Additional Service Amidah.Torah Reading: Weekly portion; Num. 28:9-15 (maftir).Haftarah: Isa. 66:1-24 (concludes with a repetition of verse 23).
Shabbat Shuvah
("Sabbath of Return")Origin of name: Opening word of the haftarah, "Return [shuvah], O Israel, to the Lord your God." However, as this Sabbath falls during the Ten Days of Penitence, it is also popularly known as Shabbat Teshuvah ("Sabbath of Repentance").Torah Reading: Weekly portion.Haftarah: Hos. 14:2-10; Joel 2:15-27 (Ashkenazim) or Hos. 14:2-10; Mic. 7:18-20 (Sephardim). Ashkenazim in the Diaspora read Mic. 7:18-20 before the Joel passage.Customs: Community rabbi devotes a sermon to the theme of repentance.
Shabbat Ḥol ha-Mo'ed Sukkot
Origin of name: Occurs during the intermediate days (ḥol Ha-Mo'Ed) of the Sukkot festival.Liturgy: Hallel and the Book of Ecclesiastes recited after the Morning Service; special religious poems (piyyutim) also recited in some Orthodox congregations.Torah Reading: Ex. 33:12-34:26; selection from Num. 29 (maftir).Haftarah: Ezek. 38:18-39:16.
Shabbat Be-Reshit
("Sabbath of Genesis")Origin of name: Opening words of the Book of Genesis, "In the beginning [Be-Reshit] God created ...," included in the Reading of the Law for the Sabbath immediately following the Simḥat Torah festival. Shabbat Be-Reshit marks the recommencement of the annual Torah reading cycle completed on Simḅat Torah.Torah Reading: Weekly portion (Gen. 1:1-6:8).Haftarah: Weekly portion.Customs: Among those called to the Torah on this Sabbath, the congregant chosen as ḥatan Be-Reshit ("bridegroom of Genesis") on Simḥat Torah receives an honored place (see Bridegroom of the Law). He usually provides a Se'Udah or festive meal, sometimes in conjunction with the synagogue ladies' auxiliary, to which all worshipers are invited after the Sabbath Morning Service in traditional congregations.
Shabbat Ḥanukkah
(two may occur in the event of the first and eighth days falling on the Sabbath)Origin of name: Falls on the ḥanukkah festival.Liturgy: Hallel recited after Morning Service.Torah Reading: Weekly portion; Num. 7:1-17 (maftir). If Sabbath also falls on the eighth day of Ḥanukkah: Weekly portion (Gen. 41:1-44:17); Num. 7:54-8:4 (maftir). If Shabbat Ḥanukkah coincides with the New Moon, Num. 28:9-15 is read from a second scroll before maftir, for which a third scroll is used.Haftarah: Zech. 2:14-4:7 (for second Sabbath, I Kings 7:40-50); if New Moon, Isa. 66:1-24 is substituted.
Shabbat Shirah
("Sabbath of [the] Song")Origin of name: Song of Moses and the Israelites at the Red Sea (Ex. 15:1-18), included in the prescribed Reading of the Law.Liturgy: Special religious poems are read in some congregations.Torah Reading: Weekly portion (Be-Shallaḥ; Ex. 13:17-17:16).Haftarah: Judg. 4:4-5:31 (Ashkenazim); Judg. 5:1-31 (Sephardim).Customs: Shirat ha-Yam, the "Song of the Sea," is read on the seventh day of Passover as well as on Shabbat Shirah. All traditional communities reserve a special form of cantillation for "the Song," and there is talmudic evidence (Sot. 30b) that at least three modes of rendition were known in ancient times: congregational responses of "I will sing to the Lord" after each verse chanted by the cantor, or the repetition of each verse after him, or the chanting of verses alternately by cantor and congregation. In present-day Ashkenazi synagogues, worshipers stand while Shirat ha-Yam is read, but this is not the general practice among Sephardim. On both Shabbat Shirah and the seventh day of Passover, Moroccan Jews recite a liturgical poem referring to the eight biblical songs sung by Moses, Miriam, Joshua, Deborah, and other Israelites. Western Sephardi congregations have a double reading of "the Song" to a traditional melody on Shabbat Shirah, the verses of Ex. 14:30-15:18 being chanted both prior to and as part of the Torah reading. Orthodox congregations of the United Synagogue in London have borrowed this Sephardi tune for their own cantillation of Shirat ha-Yam; elsewhere Ashkenazim use a traditional East European mode. In Israel, communal chanting of "the Song" forms part of the ceremonies held by the shores of the Mediterranean and Red Sea (at Eilat) on the seventh day of Passover. The Arba Parashiyyot ("Four Portions") are read on four special Sabbaths occurring at intervals in the spring. Two occur before the festival of Purim and two after it. On each of these Sabbaths, in addition to the weekly portion, maftir is read from a second scroll. Should one of these Sabbaths coincide with the New Moon, Num. 28:9-15 is read from a second scroll and maftir from a third.
Shabbat Shekalim
("Sabbath of the Shekel Tax") Origin of name: This Sabbath precedes or coincides with the New Moon, Rosh Ḥodesh Adar (Adar II in a leap year). The Mishnah (Shab. 1:1) states that "on the first day of Adar they gave warning of the shekel dues" which had to be paid before the first day of Nisan. The maftir chanted deals with the half-shekel levy on the public, which in Temple times went to the upkeep of the Sanctuary.Liturgy: Special religious poems are read in some congregations.Torah Reading: Weekly portion; Ex. 30:11-16 (maftir). Haftarah: II Kings 12:1-17 (Ashkenazim); II Kings 11:17-12:17 (Sephardim).Customs: In many Sephardi congregations the rabbi preaches in promotion of contributions to religious institutions in the Land of Israel.
Shabbat Zakhor
("Sabbath of Remembrance") Origin of name: On this, the Sabbath before Purim, the additional (maftir) portion stresses the obligation to "remember [zakhor] what Amalek did to you" (i.e., by a cowardly attack on Israel's rearguard in the Wilderness). Haman, traditionally a descendant of Amalek, also planned to destroy the Jews, hence the connection with Purim.Liturgy: Special religious poems are read in some congregations.Torah Reading: Weekly portion; Deut. 25:17-19 (maftir). Haftarah: I Sam. 15:2-34 (Sephardim begin one verse earlier).
Shabbat Parah
("Sabbath of the [Red] Heifer") Origin of name: On this Sabbath, which precedes Shabbat ha-Ḥodesh (see below), the special maftir deals with the Red Heifer, whose ashes were used for ritual purification. In Temple times, as Passover drew near, anyone in a state of defilement had to be cleansed so that he could offer (and later eat) the paschal sacrifice.Liturgy: Special religious poems are read in some congregations.Torah Reading: Weekly portion; Num. 19:1-22 (maftir). Haftarah: Ezek. 36:16-38 (Ashkenazim); Ezek. 36:16-36 (Sephardim).
Shabbat ha-Ḥodesh
("Sabbath of the Month") Origin of name: Opening words of the additional (maftir) reading, "This month [ha-ḥodesh ha-zeh, i.e., Nisan] shall mark for you the beginning of the months." This Sabbath precedes or coincides with Rosh Ḥodesh Nisan, the month in which Passover occurs. Laws governing the festival are included in this section.Liturgy: Special religious poems are read in some congregations.Torah Reading: Weekly portion; Ex. 12:1-20 (maftir).Haftarah: Ezek. 45:16-46:18 (Ashkenazim); Ezek. 45:18-46:15 (Sephardim).
Shabbat ha-Gadol
("Great [or Awesome] Sabbath")Origin of name: Uncertain, but may derive from the last verse of the haftarah, "Lo, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of the awesome [gadol], fearful day of the Lord" (Mal. 3:24). Shabbat ha-Gadol comes immediately before Passover, and the haftarah was selected not only because Elijah is seen as the Messiah's harbinger, but also because of the popular notion that the Messianic Redemption will take place in the same month (Nisan) as the Exodus from Egypt (RH 11a).Liturgy: Extensive religious poems are read in some congregations.Torah Reading: Weekly portion.Haftarah: Mal. 3:4-24 (concludes with a repetition of verse 23).Customs: The community rabbi gives a lecture on Passover and preparations for the holiday; should this Sabbath fall on the eve of Passover, the talk is given a week earlier. A portion of the Haggadah is also read by worshipers in the afternoon. Among the Sephardim, in communities such as Salonika, pupils of the Jewish school (talmud torah) would receive new outfits on this day, which was therefore also known as Ḥag ha-Halbashah ("Festival of the New Clothes").
Shabbat Ḥol ha-Mo'ed Pesaḥ
Origin of name: Occurs during the intermediate days (ḥol ha-mo'ed) of Passover.Liturgy: Hallel and Song of Songs are recited after the Morning Service; special religious poems are also read in some congregations.Torah Reading: Ex. 33:12-34:26; Num. 28:19-25 (maftir).Haftarah: Ezek. 37:1-14 (Ezek. 36:37-37:14 in a few congregations).
Shabbat Ḥazon
("Sabbath of the Prophecy") Origin of name: The haftarah chosen for this Sabbath, preceding the Ninth of Av fast day, speaks of Isaiah's prophecy or "vision" (ḥazon) concerning the punishments which will be meted out to a sinful Israel. In geonic times, this Sabbath was known as Shabbat Ékhah ("Sabbath of Lamentation"), a term still used by Yemenite and other Oriental communities.Torah Reading: Weekly portion (Deut. 1:1-3:22).Haftarah: Isa. 1:1-27.Customs: The rabbi or some other learned Jew usually chants the haftarah (much of it to the tune of the Lamentations scroll). Congregants attend synagogue in plainer clothes than on a regular Sabbath. The Ark may be covered by a weekday curtain or even by a black one. Among Ashkenazim, on Friday night, Lekhah Dodi is sung to the tune of the Eli Tsiyyon elegy. Social visits are avoided.
Shabbat Naḥamu
("Sabbath of Comfort")Origin of name: Opening words of the haftarah read on this, the first Sabbath after Tishah be-Av, "Comfort [naḥama], O comfort my people," bringing consolation and the promise of Israel's final Redemption.Torah Reading: Weekly portion (Deut. 3:23-7:11), which includes the Ten Commandments and the first paragraph of the Shema.Haftarah: Isa. 40:1-26.
