360. Torah Readings for Chanukah and Tisha b'Av

Tefillah u’Birkas Kohanim 13:17

The Torah readings for Chanukah are as follows: On the first day, we read from the priestly benediction through the offerings of the first day (Numbers 6-7). On the second day, we read the offerings of the second day. We continue in this manner until the eighth day, when we read all the rest of the offerings through the end of the section. On the Shabbos of Chanukah, the haftarah is the vision of the Menorah (Zechariah 2-4). If there are two Shabboses during Chanukah, the first is the vision of the Menorah and the second is King Solomon's Menorah (I Kings 7). The same person receives the maftir aliyah for Chanukah and recites the haftarah. On Purim, the Torah reading is “Amalek came…” (Exodus 17).

Tefillah u’Birkas Kohanim 13:18

On Tisha b’Av morning, the Torah reading is “When you have children…” (Deuteronomy 4); the haftarah is “I will utterly consume them…” (Jeremiah 8-9). At Mincha, we read “Moses beseeched…” (Exodus 32, 34) as on other fast days. On other fast days that commemorate historical tragedies, we read that portion in the morning and afternoon as follows: The first person reads four verses (32:11-14); the second and third read from “Carve for yourself” through “that I do with you” (34:1-10). On the fasts that are held by a community because of crises like famine or plague, we read the portion of the blessings and curses in order to inspire the people to repent and humble their hearts.