Triennial Cycle of Weekday Torah Readings
Posted by Daniel in Torah and Haftarot on Nov 21, 2012
Dear Friends,
In the summer of 2011, I taught a course called Synagogue Customs and Practices. At one point, we were learning the three basic principles for dividing a Torah reading into aliyot. I realized that, while most liberal congregations in North America were reading Torah on a triennial cycle, weekday readings were still organized only on the annual cycle. I suggested that as a practical application of what we were learning, we divide up the year’s readings and design a triennial cycle of weekday readings to match the Shabbat cycle.
I am pleased to offer you the product of that joint effort. Much of the good work you will see here was done by the students. Any errors or places you might disagree are my own doing, since I made the final decisions.
I would like to thank the following people for participating in this project: David Abramowitz, Binah Block, Kellie Scheer, Beth Cohen, Jessica Shimberg, Elana Jagoda, Annie Gilbert, Heena Reiter, Dara Lithwick, Michael Rosenblum, Eva Sax-Bolder, Shifrah Tobacman.
To view and download this triennial cycle, please click: Triennial Cycle•Weekday
Please leave any comments or suggestions below.
Very cool! Besides the rule about 3 verses, I didn’t know there were any rules about dividing aliyot. Can you tell us what rules you used?
I knew someone was going to ask this question and I was trying to see if I remembered. I think it’s like this:
1. There needs to be a total of 10 verses, 3 each for two aliyot and 4 for one.
2. To the extent possible, an aliyah should end on a good note.
3. An aliyah should not end less than three verses from the end of a parasha (meaning a section ending either with open spaces within a line or a line which open to the end).