Taanis 4:3-4

Taanis 4:3

The men of the maamad would fast four days of the week, Monday through Thursday; they did not fast on Friday out of respect for Shabbos, nor on Sunday so that they should not suddenly transition from the rest and pleasure of Shabbos to weariness and fasting as doing so could prove unhealthy. On Sunday, the men of the maamad read from "In the beginning..." through "Let there be a firmament..." (Genesis 1:1-5). On Monday, they read "Let there be a firmament..." through "Let the waters be gathered" (i.e., until verse 1:13, inclusive); on Tuesday, "Let the waters be gathered" through "Let there be lights" (until 1:19); on Wednesday, "Let there be lights" through "Let the waters swarm" (until 1:23); on Thursday, "Let the waters swarm" through "Let the earth bring forth" (until 1:31); on Friday, "Let the earth bring forth" through "The Heavens were completed…" (until 2:3). A large section (of more than three verses) would be read by two people and a small section would be read by one person. This reading was performed during the morning service and, when applicable, at musaf. At mincha, they would recite the appropriate section by heart as one might recite Shema by heart. The maamad would not gather on Friday afternoons out of respect for Shabbos.

Taanis 4:4

On days when Hallel is recited, the maamad would not read the daily portion at shacharis. When there was a musaf offering, there was no maamad at neilah. When there was a wood offering, there was no maamad at mincha; this is the opinion of Rabbi Akiva. Ben Azzai said to him, "Rabbi Yehoshua taught that when there was a musaf offering, there was no maamad at mincha and when there was a wood offering, there was no maamad at neilah." Upon hearing this, Rabbi Akiva reversed himself and taught like Ben Azzai.