An early testimony that these five scrolls were grouped together is in the Midrash Rabba. This midrash was compiled on the Pentateuch and on the Five Scrolls.[3]
Liturgical useedit
A cabinet containing the five megillot in order from right to left. (Esther is in the wooden case on the left.)
All five of these megillot ("scrolls") are traditionally read publicly in the synagogue over the course of the year in many Jewish communities.[4] In common printed editions of the Tanakh they appear in the order that they are read in the synagogue on holidays (beginning with Passover).[2]: p. 226
Song of Songsedit
The Song of Songs (Hebrew: שיר השיריםShir ha-Shirim) is read publicly in some communities, especially by Ashkenazim, on the Sabbath of Passover. In most Mizrahi Jewish communities it is read publicly each week at the onset of the Shabbat (Sabbath). There is also a widespread custom to read it at the end of the Passover Seder.
In the Sephardi ritual it is read before the Mincha service on the afternoon of the seventh day of Passover (eighth day outside Israel).[4]Italian Jews read it at the Maariv (Evening Prayer) of the first and second day of Passover.
Ruthedit
The Book of Ruth (רות) is read in some communities, especially by Ashkenazim, before the reading of the Torah on the morning of Shavuot. Others read it in the Tikkun at night, or not at all.
Ecclesiastes (קהלתKohelet) is read publicly in some communities, especially by Ashkenazim, on the Sabbath of Sukkot. In other communities it is not read at all.
Estheredit
The Book of Esther (אסתר) is read in all Jewish communities on Purim. The public reading is done twice, on the evening of Purim and once again the next morning.
Common practiceedit
When read in the synagogue, these five books are sung with cantillation (see below). In most communities, Esther[5] is the only book accompanied by blessings before and after, but certain communities adopted the custom of the Vilna Gaon to recite blessings before the other four megillot as well.
As indicated above, however, only two of the megillot are traditionally read in all Jewish communities, Esther on Purim and Lamentations on Tisha B'Av. The practice of reading the other three books on the Three Pilgrimage Festivals is widespread but by no means universal. To read them is a venerable custom among Ashkenazim, but some Sephardic Jews do not associate the three books with the three festivals.
Cantillationedit
The cantillation marks which guide the singing of the text written in the printed texts of the Five Scrolls are drawn from the same set of markings as the notes in the Humash (Pentateuch). However, the tune in which they are read varies depending on the scroll. Esther is read in a happier tune[5] than the sad tune of Lamentations. Traditionally, Ecclesiastes, Ruth, and Song of Songs are read with the same festive tune.
Other usesedit
The term megillah is most widely used for the book of Esther, even though it is applied to the rest as well. The term megillah is also used in a joking way, in reference to any lengthy story.[6]
Gabriel H. Cohn (2016). Textual Tapestries: Explorations of the Five Megillot. ISBN978-1-5926-4398-1.
May 12, 2024
five, megillot, other, uses, megillah, megillah, disambiguation, five, scrolls, hebrew, חמש, מגילות, χaˈmeʃ, meɡiˈlot, hamesh, megillot, chomeish, megillos, parts, ketuvim, writings, third, major, section, tanakh, hebrew, bible, five, scrolls, song, songs, boo. For other uses of Megillah see Megillah disambiguation The Five Scrolls or the Five Megillot Hebrew חמש מגילות xaˈmeʃ meɡiˈlot Hamesh Megillot or Chomeish Megillos are parts of the Ketuvim Writings the third major section of the Tanakh Hebrew Bible 1 The Five Scrolls are the Song of Songs the Book of Ruth the Book of Lamentations Ecclesiastes and the Book of Esther These five relatively short biblical books are grouped together in Jewish tradition 2 The five megillot in multilingual micrography Latin and Hebrew by Aaron Wolf Herlingen 1748 Contents 1 History 2 Liturgical use 2 1 Song of Songs 2 2 Ruth 2 3 Lamentations 2 4 Ecclesiastes 2 5 Esther 2 6 Common practice 3 Cantillation 4 Other uses 5 See also 6 References 7 Further readingHistory editAn early testimony that these five scrolls were grouped together is in the Midrash Rabba This midrash was compiled on the Pentateuch and on the Five Scrolls 3 Liturgical use edit nbsp A cabinet containing the five megillot in order from right to left Esther is in the wooden case on the left All five of these megillot scrolls are traditionally read publicly in the synagogue over the course of the year in many Jewish communities 4 In common printed editions of the Tanakh they appear in the order that they are read in the synagogue on holidays beginning with Passover 2 p 226 Song of Songs edit The Song of Songs Hebrew שיר השירים Shir ha Shirim is read publicly in some communities especially by Ashkenazim on the Sabbath of Passover In most Mizrahi Jewish communities it is read publicly each week at the onset of the Shabbat Sabbath There is also a widespread custom to read it at the end of the Passover Seder In the Sephardi ritual it is read before the Mincha service on the afternoon of the seventh day of Passover eighth day outside Israel 4 Italian Jews read it at the Maariv Evening Prayer of the first and second day of Passover Ruth edit The Book of Ruth רות is read in some communities especially by Ashkenazim before the reading of the Torah on the morning of Shavuot Others read it in the Tikkun at night or not at all Lamentations edit The Book of Lamentations איכה Eikhah or Kinnot is read on the night of Tisha B Av in all Jewish communities Ecclesiastes edit Ecclesiastes קהלת Kohelet is read publicly in some communities especially by Ashkenazim on the Sabbath of Sukkot In other communities it is not read at all Esther edit The Book of Esther אסתר is read in all Jewish communities on Purim The public reading is done twice on the evening of Purim and once again the next morning Common practice edit When read in the synagogue these five books are sung with cantillation see below In most communities Esther 5 is the only book accompanied by blessings before and after but certain communities adopted the custom of the Vilna Gaon to recite blessings before the other four megillot as well As indicated above however only two of the megillot are traditionally read in all Jewish communities Esther on Purim and Lamentations on Tisha B Av The practice of reading the other three books on the Three Pilgrimage Festivals is widespread but by no means universal To read them is a venerable custom among Ashkenazim but some Sephardic Jews do not associate the three books with the three festivals Cantillation editThe cantillation marks which guide the singing of the text written in the printed texts of the Five Scrolls are drawn from the same set of markings as the notes in the Humash Pentateuch However the tune in which they are read varies depending on the scroll Esther is read in a happier tune 5 than the sad tune of Lamentations Traditionally Ecclesiastes Ruth and Song of Songs are read with the same festive tune Other uses editThe term megillah is most widely used for the book of Esther even though it is applied to the rest as well The term megillah is also used in a joking way in reference to any lengthy story 6 Eugene H Peterson s Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work examines the application of the Megillot to Christian pastoral theology 7 page needed p 21 See also editTorahReferences edit Megillah Encyclopaedia Britannica a b Jacob Neusner Baruch A Levine Ernest S Frerichs 1987 Judaic Perspectives on Ancient Israel Isidore Singer Ludwig Blau Megillots The Five a b The Five Scrolls a b Reading the Megillah Rosten Leo 1968 The Joys of Yiddish New York McGraw Hill p 230 Peterson Eugene H 1992 Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work ISBN 0 8028 0660 0 Further reading editGabriel H Cohn 2016 Textual Tapestries Explorations of the Five Megillot ISBN 978 1 5926 4398 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Five Megillot amp oldid 1196567415, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
