From the Rav’s Desk: Leaving the Haftorah open until the after blessings are completed

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  1. Question: [Thursday, 10th yar 5781]

When I am called up to read the Haftorah, may/should I close the Haftorah book after concluding its reading prior to saying the after blessings, or should I leave it open until after the blessings are recited?

Answer:

The person who reads the Haftorah for the public should leave the Haftorah book open until he finishes saying the after blessings for the Haftorah. However, the rest of the congregation can close their Haftorah as soon as the reading is done.

Explanation: Although the public reader of the Haftorah is not allowed to remove the Haftorah book from the table until he finishes reciting the after blessings [just as we rule regarding a Torah scroll itself that it may not be removed from the table until the after blessing of the Aliyah is recited], nonetheless, it is debated as to whether he also may not close it until after he completes the blessings or if closing it is allowed just like is allowed to be done by a Torah scroll, and practically it is best to leave the area of the Haftorah open until the after blessings are completed. This is similar to the Chabad custom regarding the Megillah reading.

                                                                             

Sources: Regarding not removing it from the table see: Admur 284:12; M”A 284:6; M”B 284:12; Shivlei Haleket 80 in name of Geonim; Tanya 16; Mateh Moshe 455; Hagahos Maimanis; See Piskeiy Teshuvos 284:13; The following rule that it should also not be closed: Shaareiy Efraim 9:34; The following rule that it may be closed: Elya Raba 284:10 based on implication of M”A and Admur ibid; Kaf Hachaim 284:34

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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