מדוע מחזור קריאת התורה השנתי לא מתחיל ומסתיים בחג מתן תורה?

(1) Moses, our teacher, established the rule for Israel that they should read the Law publicly on Sabbaths and also on the second and fifth days of the week, during the morning service, so that three days shall not elapse without hearing the Law. Ezra established the rule that the Torah should be read at the afternoon service, every Sabbath for the benefit of those who would otherwise spend the day vacuously. He also ordained that on the second and fifth days of the week, three persons should be called to the reading of the Law and that they should read not less than three verses each.

(1) The custom prevailing through Israel is [that the reading of the Pentateuch is completed in one year]^††††The passage in brackets is omitted in the manuscript, apparently erased.. It is begun on the Sabbath after the feast of Tabernacles, when the portion commencing Bereshith "In the Beginning" (Genesis 1:1) is read. On the second Sabbath, that beginning, "These are the generations of Noah" (Genesis 6:9) is read; on the third, that beginning, "And the Lord said to Abraham" (ibid. 12:1), and so on in regular order till the last portion is read on the feat of Tabernacles. Some complete the reading of the Pentateuch in three years, but this is not a prevalent custom.

(2) Ezra instituted the rule for Israel that the portion containing the Imprecations in the book of Leviticus (26:3-end of book) should be read before the feast of Pentecost; and those in the book of Deuteronomy (26:1-29:8) before the New Year. The prevalent custom is to read the portion Bemidbar Sinai (Numbers 1:1-4:20) before Pentecost; Vaethchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11) after the Ninth of Ab; Atem Nitzabim (Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20) before the New Year; Tzav ess Aharon (Leviticus 6:1-8:36) before Passover in an ordinary year (of twelve months). Hence, on some Sabbaths, two portions are read during the morning service, for example, Isha Ki Tazria (Leviticus 12:1-13:59) and Vezoth tihejeh Torath Hametzora (ibid. 14:1-15:33); Bechukotai (ibid. 26:3-end of book) and Behar Sinai (ibid. 25:1-26:2) etc.; the purpose being to ensure that the reading of the Pentateuch shall be completed in one year and that the portions above mentioned shall be read at their appointed periods.

(1) Hew these two tablets of stone (Exod. 34:1). When did Moses descend from the mountain? R. Judah the son of Shalum said: Moses remained on the mountain with the Holy One, blessed be He, for one hundred and twenty days. How did he arrive at this conclusion? From the verse In the third month after the children of Israel were gone out of the land of Egypt (Exod. 19:1). On the sixth day of that month He gave him the Ten Commandments, as it is written concerning him: And Moses went up into the mountain of God (ibid. 24:13). He remained there for forty days, that is, the twenty-four days of the month of Sivan and the sixteen days of the month of Tammuz—totaling forty days in all. He descended from the mountain on the seventeenth day of Tammuz, and on the eighteenth day and nineteenth day he saw the calf, broke the tablets, and halted their revelry. On the twentieth day he turned and ascended once again, as is said: And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses said unto the people: “Ye have sinned a great sin; and now I will go up unto the Lord” (ibid. 32:30). And it is written: And Moses returned unto the Lord and said: “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin” (ibid, v. 31). He remained there the ten days of the month of Tammuz and the entire month of Av, totaling another forty days. He went up on the first day of the month of Elul when He told him: Hew thee these two tablets … and be ready by the morning (ibid. 34:1–2). And he hewed … and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai (ibid., v. 4). He stayed there throughout the month of Elul and until the tenth day of Tishri (another ten days). On the tenth day of Tishri he descended while the Israelites were praying and fasting. On that day He said to him: I have pardoned according to thy word (Num. 14:20). Then the Holy One, blessed be He, established that day as the day of forgiveness and pardon for the future generations (Yom Kippur), as it is said: For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you (Lev. 16:30). Thereupon He commanded Moses: Let them make Me a Sanctuary (Exod. 25:8).