SPECIAL SHABBATOT - Special Sabbaths

SPECIAL SHABBATOT  -  Special Sabbaths

There are several special Shabbatot that punctuate the Jewish year. The co-incide with the weekly Shabbat but occurs before certain Jewish holidays.

Shabbat Shuvah - "Sabbath [of] Return" - refers to the Shabbat that occurs during the Ten Days of Repentance (Aseret Y’mei T’shuva) which is between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. This Shabbat is named after the first word of the Haftarah (Hosea 14:2-10) and literally means "Return!" It is perhaps a play on, but not to be confused with, the word Teshuvah (the word for repentance).

Shabbat Shirah - "Sabbath [of] song" - is the name given to the Shabbat that includes Parsha Beshalach when we read Moses and Deborah’s Song of the sea (Exodus 15:1-18). This was the song by the Children of Israel after the Passage of the Red Sea.

Shabbat Shekalim - "Sabbath [of] shekels" - read in preparation for Purim, requests each adult male Jew contribute half of a Biblical shekel for the upkeep of the Tent of Meeting. The Torah portion Exodus 30:11-16 (the beginning of Parasha Ki Tisa) is read. This Shabbat takes place on the Shabbat before the 1st of the Hebrew calendar month of Adar, or on the 1st of Adar itself if it falls on Shabbat.

Shabbat Zachor - "Sabbath [of] remembrance’ - is the Shabbat immediately preceding Purim. Deuteronomy 25:17-19 (at the end of Parasha Ki Teizei), describing the attack by Amalek, is recounted. There is a tradition from the Talmud that Haman, the antagonist of the Purim story, was descended from Amalek. The portion that is read includes a commandment to remember the attack by Amalek, and therefore at this public reading both men and women make a special effort to hear the reading.

Shabbat Parah - "Sabbath [of the] red heifer" - takes place on the Shabbat following Purim, in preparation for Passover. Numbers 19:1-22 (the beginning of Parasha Chukat) describes the parah adumah ("red heifer") in the Jewish temple as part of the manner in which the kohanim and the Jewish people purified themselves so that they would be ready ("pure") to sacrifice the korban Pesach.

Shabbat HaChodesh - "Sabbath [of the] month" - precedes the first of the Hebrew month of Nisan during which Passover is celebrated. Exodus 12:1-20 (from Parasha Bo) and the laws of Passover. On the first day of Nisan, God presented the first commandment of how to "sanctify the new moon" (kiddush hachodesh) for the onset of Rosh Chodesh and thus Nisan becomes the first month of the Jewish year (counting by months.)

Shabbat HaGadol - "Great Shabbat" -   is the Shabbat immediately before Passover. There is a special Haftarah reading on this Shabbat of the book of Malachi.

Shabbat Chazon - "Sabbath [of] vision" - takes its name from the Haftarah that is read on the Shabbat immediately prior to the mournful fast of Tisha B'Av, from the words of rebuke and doom coming from Isaiah in the Book of Isaiah 1:1-27. It is also referred to as the Black Sabbath due to its status as the saddest Shabbat of the year (as opposed to the White Sabbath, Shabbat Shuvah, immediately precededing Yom Kippur)^[1].

Shabbat Nachamu – ‘Sabbath of comfort/ing’ - takes its name from the haftarah from Isaiah in the Book of Isaiah 40:1-26 that speaks of "comforting" the Jewish people for their suffering. It the first of seven haftarahs of consolation leading up to the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

Shabbat Chol HaMoed - each Shabbat during Chol HaMoed, the "intermediate days" of Passover and Sukkot, is known as Shabbat Chol HaMoed ("[the] Shabbat [of the] intermediate days") which occurs up to twice a year during the week-long festivals. It can occur once during Passover and once during Sukkot ("Tabernacles") or in both.

The regular weekly Torah portion is not read on these Sabbaths and instead there are special Torah readings based on the uniqueness of each holiday and the Three Pilgrim Festivals. There are also special maftirs ("additional Torah readings") and Haftarahs (readings from the prophets.) See Haftarot for special Sabbaths, Festivals, and Fast Days.

Shabbat Chol Hamoed Pesach - The Shabbat during Chol HaMoed on Passover is known as Shabbat Chol Hamoed Pesach and in addition to the designated Torah reading, maftir, and haftorah readings for that day, the Song of Songs (Shir HaShirim) is read aloud in synagogue in its entirety with special cantillation prior to the Torah reading during services.

Shabbat Chol Hamoed Sukkot

The Shabbat during Chol HaMoed on Sukkot is known as Shabbat Chol Hamoed Sukkot and in addition to the designated Torah reading, maftir, and haftorah readings for that day, Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) is read aloud in synagogue in its entirety with special cantillation prior to the Torah reading during services.