Megillah

Which is the fourth Sabbath? — The one immediately preceding the week in which the new moon of Nisan falls, even if on Friday. ON THE FIFTH THE REGULAR ORDER IS RESUMED. What order? — R. Ammi said: The order of weekly portions: R. Jeremiah said, The order of haftarahs is resumed. Said Abaye: The opinion of R. Ammi is the more probable, Since we learnt: THE REGULAR READING IS INTERRUPTED FOR ANY SPECIAL OCCASION FOR NEW MOONS, FOR HANUKKAH, FOR PURIM, FOR FASTS, FOR MA'AMADOTH AND FOR THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. This accords well with the opinion of the one who says that the order of weekly portions is resumed,1 seeing that a portion [of the Law] is read on weekdays.2 But on the view of him who says that the order of haftarahs is resumed — is there any haftarah on [ordinary] weekdays?3 [What says] the other to this? — The one rule holds where it applies, and the other where it applies.4 But on fast days [according to R. Jeremiah], why should there be an interruption [of the regular portion]? Let us read in the morning from the portion of the week and at Minhah on the subject of the fast? — [R. Jeremiah's ruling] supports R. Huna; for R. Huna said: ‘In the morning of fast days there is a public assembly’.5 How do we act? Abaye said: From the morning to midday we examine the affairs of the town;6 from midday to evening, for a quarter of the day we read the portion of the Law and the haftarah, and for a quarter we offer up supplications as it says, And they read in the book of the law of their Lord a fourth part of the day, and another part they confessed and prostrated themselves before the Lord their God.7 But cannot I interpret this in the reverse way?8 — Do not imagine such a thing, since it is written, Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel because of the faithlessness of them of the captivity and I sat appalled unto the evening offering;9 and it goes on, And at the evening offering I arose up from my fasting.10 MISHNAH. ON PASSOVER WE READ FROM THE SECTION OF THE FESTIVALS IN LEVITICUS.11 ON PENTECOST, ‘SEVEN WEEKS’12 ON NEW YEAR, ‘ON THE SEVENTH DAY ON THE FIRST OF THE MONTH’;13 ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT, ‘AFTER THE DEATH’;14 ON THE FIRST DAY OF TABERNACLES WE READ FROM THE SECTION OF THE FESTIVALS IN LEVITICUS, AND ON THE OTHER DAYS OF TABERNACLES THE SECTION OF THE OFFERINGS OF THE FESTIVAL.15 ON HANUKKAH WE READ THE SECTION OF [THE DEDICATION OF THE ALTAR BY] THE PRINCES;16 ON PURIM, ‘AND AMALEK CAME’;17 ON NEW MOONS, ‘AND ON YOUR NEW MOONS’;18 ON MA'AMADOTH,19 THE ACCOUNT OF THE CREATION;20 ON FAST DAYS,21 180.