So which Parsha is it this week? Traveling to and from Israel in years that Parshiyos are not aligned

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Traveling to and from Israel in years that Parshiyos are not aligned:[1]

In years that the first day of Pesach falls on Shabbos, the last day of Pesach in the Diaspora likewise falls on Shabbos, although in Eretz Yisrael the last day falls on Friday. This causes there to be a dis-alignment in the weekly Parsha between Eretz Yisrael and the Diapsora, as on that aforementioned Shabbos, Eretz Yisrael will be continuing with the reading of the weekly Parsha, while the Diaspora will differ the weekly Parsha and instead read the portion designated for Acharon Shel Pesach. This dis-alignment also occurs in years that the first day of Shavuos falls on Erev Shabbos. While this dis-alignment could potentially be remedied fairly quickly, by having the Diaspora read two Parshiyos in one of the coming Shabbosim, practically the traditional distribution of the Parshiyos only allows this to happen several weeks down the line, thus causing there to be a several week period of dis-alignment of Parshiyos between Israel and the Diaspora.[2] The question becomes raised as what a traveler is to do in the event that he is traveling to or from Israel. This will cause him to either miss a Parsha, or have the same Parsha read twice, depending on his direction of travel. Is there any way to make up the missed Parsha? What does one do regaridng Shnayim Mikra, And the daily Chumash lesson of Chitas or Chok Leyisrael? The following will discuss these laws in the two scenarios of traveling to and from Israel.

Traveling to Israel:

Kerias Hatorah for Ben Chutz Laaretz in Eretz Yisrael when Parshiyos are not aligned: If one traveled from the Diaspora to Eretz Yisrael in a week that Eretz Yisrael is one Parsha ahead of the Diaspora, as occurs in certain years starting from the Shabbos after Pesach or the Shabbos after Shavuos, then one is to try and find a Minyan of Bnei Chutz La’aretz [with at least six Bnei Chutz La’aretz] who will read the weekly Parsha of the Diaspora.[3] If the Minyan plans to stay in Eretz Yisrael for some time, such as Yeshiva Bochurim, then they should begin the reading of Kohen from the previous Parsha and have him read until Levi of the current Parsha, thus catching up to Eretz Yisrael. If a Minyan of six Bnei Chutz La’aretz is not available, then one can ask the Baal Korei of the Eretz Yisrael Minyan to begin the reading of Kohen from the previous Parsha and have him read until Levi of the current Parsha.[4] Nonetheless, he is not obligated to do so, especially in face of objection from the congregation. If neither of the above options are possible, then due to lack of choice, one has lost the previous Parsha and is to join the reading of Bnei Eretz Yisrael for their current Parsha.

Shnayim Mikra:[5] If one traveled to Eretz Yisrael in a week that Eretz Yisrael is reading a different Parsha than the Diaspora[6] one is to read the Shnayim Mikra of both Parshiyos, the one which he is now missing in the Diaspora and the one which he will now hear in Eretz Yisrael. [If he returns to the Diaspora after Shabbos, he is not required to repeat the Shnayim Mikra of the Parsha that was read in Eretz Yisrael and is now being read in the Diaspora.] In the event that he finds a Minyan of Bnei Chutz La’aretz who will only be reading only the Parsha of Chutz La’aretz then he is to do Shnayim Mikra of only the Parsha of Chutz Laaretz.

Aliyos: There is no issue with a Ben Chutz La’aretz getting an Aliyah to the Torah, even though he is holding by the previous Parsha.

Chitas:[7] If one traveled to Eretz Yisrael in a week that Eretz Yisrael is reading a different Parsha than the Diaspora, then on the day of arrival he is to learn the Chumash with Rashi for the remainder of his Parsha, and study the Chumash with Rashi for the Parsha of Eretz Yisrael, until that days Aliyah.

Traveling from Israel:

Kerias Hatorah for Ben Eretz Yisrael in Chutz Laaretz when Parshiyos are not aligned:[8] If one traveled from Eretz Yisrael to the Diaspora in a week that Eretz Yisrael is one Parsha ahead of the Diaspora, as occurs in certain years starting from the Shabbos after Pesach or the Shabbos after Shavuos, and thus in the Diaspora they will repeat the reading that he heard in Eretz Yisrael, then he is obligated to hear the Parsha a second time.

Shnayim Mikra:[9] If one traveled from Eretz Yisrael to the Diaspora in a week that the Diaspora is reading the Parsha that was read the previous Shabbos in Eretz Yisrael[10] he is not required to repeat Shnayim Mikra of that Parsha[11], even though he is required to hear the reading of the Torah.

Aliyos: There is no issue with a Ben Eretz Yisrael getting an Aliyah to the Torah, even though he is holding by the next Parsha.

Chitas:[12] If one traveled from Eretz Yisrael in a week that Eretz Yisrael is reading a different Parsha than the Diaspora, then on the day of arrival he is to stop learning the Chumash with Rashi for his Parsha, and study the Chumash with Rashi for the Parsha of Eretz Yisrael, until that days Aliyah.

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[1] See Ketzos Hashulchan 72 footnote 3; Piskeiy Teshuvos 285:9; Nitei Gavriel Pesach 3:40

[2] In non-leap years that Acharon Shel Pesach falls on Shabbos, the Diaspora splits from Eretz Yisrael by Parshas Shemini, and join back together only by Bhear/Bechukosaiy [and not Tazria Metzora, or Acharei Mos/Kedoshim]. This occurred in year 5775, and 5778. In leap years that Acharon Shel Pesach falls on Shabbos, the Diaspora splits from Eretz Yisrael by Parshas Acharei Mos, and join back together only by Matos Maaseiy [and not Tazria Metzora, or Acharei Mos/Kedoshim, or Behar Bechukosaiy, or Chukas Balak]. This occurred in year 5776, and 5779. In years that the first day of Shavuos falls on Erev Shabbos, the Diaspora splits from Eretz Yisrael by Parshas Naso, and join back together by Chukas Balak [which is the first oppurtunity]. This occurred in years 5762, 5763, 5766, and 5769. It will reoccur in 5780, 5783, 5786, 5787.

The reason for the delayed alignment: Seemingly this is because there are certain parshiyos which contain a preferred joint status over others. Thus, for example, we prefer to join Matos Maaseiy together, than to join Bhear Bechukosaiy. Thus, in a leap year when we are limited in the amount of Parshiyos that can be joined, we choose to join only Matos Maaseiy even though this will extend the disalignment between Eretz Yisrael and the Diaspora for several months.

[3] See Chayeh Levi 4:26; Piskeiy Teshuvos 285:9

[4] Kinyan Torah 6:12; See Betzeil Hachachmah 1:2-8

[5] Ketzos Hashulchan 72 footnote 3; Piskeiy Teshuvos 285:9

[6] Such as one traveled to Eretz Yisrael the week after a two day Shavuos, or Pesach which coincided with Shabbos, in which case Eretz Yisrael is one Parsha ahead in its reading.

[7] See Sefer Haminhagim p. 19

[8] Lehoros Nasan 3:13; Piskeiy Teshuvos 285:9

[9] Ikarei Hadaat 22:3; Ketzos Hashulchan 72 footnote 3; Piskeiy Teshuvos 285:9

[10] This can occur when the 2^nd day of Pesach or Shavuos falls on Shabbos in the Diaspora and hence no Parsha is read, while in Eretz Yisrael the regular weekly Parsha was read. If one travels that week to the Diaspora, he will be hearing the same Parsha that he heard the previous Shabbos in Eretz Yisrael.

[11] This ruling is evident from Admur 285:9 who does not require one to read Shnayim Mikra of the Yomim Tovim sections prior to each Yom Tov being that it was already read or will be read in its related Shabbos portion. Hence, the same logistics apply here and there is no need to repeat Shnayim Mikra.

[12] Suggestion of Rav Y.S. Ginzberg, printed in Sichat Hashavua Pinat Halacha