A reading from the Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, traditionally chanted in synagogues following the Torah reading during Jewish services.
From Hebrew 'haftarah' (חפטרה), meaning 'conclusion' or 'finishing reading.' The word comes from the root 'ptl' meaning 'to conclude.' This practice dates back to ancient Jewish tradition, possibly to times when Greek was more widely spoken and Aramaic paraphrases were needed.
The haftarah has a fascinating history as a possible form of protest—scholars believe it may have originated when Jews under Greek rule needed alternative readings since Greek-speaking Jews couldn't fully understand the Torah in Hebrew, so readings from the Prophets in Aramaic filled that gap.
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