If you are preparing for your bar/bat mitzvah

Or

Want to learn to read the Haftarah or Torah
Start here

  • Learning Stages
  • The order of the service
  • Finding your Torah portion
  • Learning the Haftarah
  • Learning the Maftir
  • Practice makes perfect

Learn about the order of the Torah service and some basic terms

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Fill in the blanks and find the correct Torah portion

If you are celebrating your bar/bat mitzvah, it is customary to choose the Torah portion that coincides with your Hebrew birthday.
Use the calculator to find the portion according to your birthday.
If you’ve already chosen a date to read, search for the portion according to the date you’ve chosen

Important: Check with your congregation to make sure you have the correct reading.

Search according to your date of birth

My birthday is

I live in

The time was sunset

I will celebrate my bar/bat mitzva at

I live in

Find my reading

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Learn to read the Haftarah and its blessings

Mazal tov! After you have set the date and checked the reading with the synagogue, you can begin your preparations. We will start with learning to read the Haftarah by learning the cantillation (trope) signs.

Learn the cantillation signs (trope) for the Haftarah

Printouts to download

1. Cantillation signs

2. Musical notation

What are cantillation signs (trope)?

Both the Torah and the Haftarah are sung using melodies following cantillation signs. These are markings similar to musical notes that indicate what melody is to be sung.

While a person learning a Torah reading practices with a text that includes the cantillation signs, vowels and punctuation marks, the Torah scroll does not contain these signs. The Haftarah, however, is read from a text containing cantillation signs, vowels and punctuation marks.

While the cantillation signs themselves are the same for reading Torah and Haftarah, the melodies for these signs are different. There are also many variations of the melodies for the signs. We have chosen two sets of melodies (one for the Haftarah and one for the Torah readings).

The advantage of learning the melodies for the cantillation signs for the Haftarah and Torah reading is that the melodies learned can be applied to any reading, and are not limited to the one portion you have chosen to learn.

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Cantillation signs

The most frequently found trope







The less frequently found trope





The least frequently found trope










Combinations of trope melodies










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Learn the Haftarah reading with the trope

1. After you have found the correct readings, select and print the text of your Haftarah.

2. Follow the directions in the next paragraph. The printout of the cantillation signs (above) may also be helpful.

3. Learn and practice the trope melodies:

  • Listen to the recording of the first cantillation sign.
  • Repeat the trope with the melody.
  • Look for the trope in the text and practice singing the word with the trope melody. If you printed the text, choose a color and mark the cantillation sign each time it appears.
  • Continue the process for each of the cantillation signs, choosing a different color for each trope.

4. After you have learned the individual trope melodies, work on the various combinations of trope melodies:

  • Listen to the recording of the combination.
  • Find the combination in the text and practice the phrase.
  • Go through the entire reading and practice the combination every time it occurs.
  • Continue in the same manner for all the combinations.
The blessings before and after the Haftarah

Practicing the blessing before the Haftarah helps to remember the trope melodies.

You are making great progress! you’ve completed the most difficult part. Now learn the blessings before and after the Haftarah:

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The blessing before the Haftarah (with trope)


בָּרוּךְ

אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, צוּר כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים, צַדִּיק בְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן, הָאוֹמֵר וְעוֹשֶׂה, הַמְדַבֵּר וּמְקַיֵּם,

שֶׁכָּל דְּבָרָיו אֱמֶת וָצֶדֶק.


נֶאֱמָן

אַתָּה הוּא אָדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְנֶאֱמָנִים דְּבָרֶיךָ וְדָבָר אֶחָד מִדְּבָרֶיךָ אָחוֹר לֹא יָשׁוּב רֵיקָם כִּי אֵל מֶלֶךְ נֶאֱמָן וְרַחֲמָן אָתָּה


בָּרוּךְ

אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, צוּר כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים, צַדִּיק בְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן, הָאוֹמֵר וְעוֹשֶׂה, הַמְדַבֵּר וּמְקַיֵּם,

שֶׁכָּל דְּבָרָיו אֱמֶת וָצֶדֶק.


נֶאֱמָן

אַתָּה הוּא אָדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְנֶאֱמָנִים דְּבָרֶיךָ וְדָבָר אֶחָד מִדְּבָרֶיךָ אָחוֹר לֹא יָשׁוּב רֵיקָם כִּי אֵל מֶלֶךְ נֶאֱמָן וְרַחֲמָן אָתָּה


בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי


הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן בְּכָל דְּבָרָיו.

רַחֵם

עַל צִיּוֹן כִּי הִיא בֵּית חַיֵּינוּ וְלַעֲלוּבַת נֶפֶשׁ תּוֹשִׁיעַ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי


מְשַׂמֵּחַ צִיּוֹן בְּבָנֶיהָ.

 


שַׂמְּחֵנוּ

אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּאֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא עַבְדֶּךָ וּבְמַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד מְשִׁיחֶךָ בִּמְהֵרָה יָבוֹא וְיָגֵל לִבֵּנוֹ, עַל כִּסְאוֹ לֹא יֵשֶׁב זָר וְלֹא יִנְחֲלוּ עוֹד אֲחֵרִים אֶת כְּבוֹדוֹ כִּי בְשֵׁם קָדְשְׁךָ נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִכְבֶּה נֵרוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.


בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי


מָגֵן דָּוִד.

 


עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה

וְעַל הַנְּבִיאִים וְעַל יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת הַזֶּה שֶׁנָּתַתָּ לָּנוּ אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ לִקְדֻשָּׁה וְלִמְנוּחָה,

לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָרֶת


עַל הַכֹּל,

אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ, אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים לָךְ וּמְבָרְכִים אוֹתָךְ, יִתְבָּרַךְ שִׁמְךָ בְּפִי כָּל חַי תָּמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי

מקדש השבת

There are 3 melodic patterns that are repeated in the blessings. You will see that they are marked in different colors.

1. Listen to the melodic patterns and repeat them:

An “opening” pattern (yellow)

A “closing” pattern (pink)

A pattern for the words “ברוך אתה ה” (turquoise)

There is also a pattern connecting the words “ברוך אתה ה” and the closing pattern

2. Listen to and repeat the melodic patterns of the blessings. The text and recording of the blessings can be found on the right.

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Blessings after the Haftarah


בָּרוּךְ

אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, צוּר כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים, צַדִּיק בְּכָל הַדּוֹרוֹת הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן, הָאוֹמֵר וְעוֹשֶׂה, הַמְדַבֵּר וּמְקַיֵּם,

שֶׁכָּל דְּבָרָיו אֱמֶת וָצֶדֶק.


נֶאֱמָן

אַתָּה הוּא אָדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ וְנֶאֱמָנִים דְּבָרֶיךָ וְדָבָר אֶחָד מִדְּבָרֶיךָ אָחוֹר לֹא יָשׁוּב רֵיקָם כִּי אֵל מֶלֶךְ נֶאֱמָן וְרַחֲמָן אָתָּה


בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי


הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן בְּכָל דְּבָרָיו.

רַחֵם

עַל צִיּוֹן כִּי הִיא בֵּית חַיֵּינוּ וְלַעֲלוּבַת נֶפֶשׁ תּוֹשִׁיעַ בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי


מְשַׂמֵּחַ צִיּוֹן בְּבָנֶיהָ.

 


שַׂמְּחֵנוּ

אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּאֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא עַבְדֶּךָ וּבְמַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד מְשִׁיחֶךָ בִּמְהֵרָה יָבוֹא וְיָגֵל לִבֵּנוֹ, עַל כִּסְאוֹ לֹא יֵשֶׁב זָר וְלֹא יִנְחֲלוּ עוֹד אֲחֵרִים אֶת כְּבוֹדוֹ כִּי בְשֵׁם קָדְשְׁךָ נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִכְבֶּה נֵרוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.


בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי


מָגֵן דָּוִד.

 


עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה

וְעַל הַנְּבִיאִים וְעַל יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת הַזֶּה שֶׁנָּתַתָּ לָּנוּ אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ לִקְדֻשָּׁה וְלִמְנוּחָה,

לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָרֶת


עַל הַכֹּל,

אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ, אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים לָךְ וּמְבָרְכִים אוֹתָךְ, יִתְבָּרַךְ שִׁמְךָ בְּפִי כָּל חַי תָּמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי

מקדש השבת

There are 3 melodic patterns that are repeated in the blessings. You will see that they are marked in different colors.

1. Listen to the melodic patterns and repeat them:

An “opening” pattern (yellow)

A “closing” pattern (pink)

A pattern for the words “ברוך אתה ה” (turquoise)

There is also a pattern connecting the words “ברוך אתה ה” and the closing pattern

2. Listen to and repeat the melodic patterns of the blessings. The text and recording of the blessings can be found on the right.

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Learn the Maftir reading

Practice the entire Maftir reading

  1. Find your Maftir text using the calculator above.
  2. Listen to each verse and repeat it.
  3. After you’ve practiced each verse, practice the entire reading.
  4. Make sure you practice with the text as it appears in the Torah scroll (without punctuation marks or cantillation signs).

Learn the blessings for being called up to the Torah

Printouts to download

The blessings before and after the Torah reading


The blessings before and after being called up to the Torah

Cantillation signs

What are the blessings before and after being called up to the Torah?

  1. Find your Maftir text using the calculator above.
  2. Listen to each verse and repeat it.
  3. After you’ve practiced each verse, practice the entire reading.
  4. Make sure you practice with the text as it appears in the Torah scroll (without punctuation marks or cantillation signs).

The blessing before the Maftir

העולה : בָּרְכוּ אֶת ה’ הַמְבוֹרָּךְ .

הקהל: בָּרוּךְ ה’ הַמְבוֹרָּךְ לְעוֹלָּם וָּעֶד .

העולה: בָּרוּךְ ה’ הַמְבוֹרָּךְ לְעוֹלָּם וָּעֶד

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָּעוֹלָּם אֲשֶר בָּחַר בָּנוּ מִכָּל הָּעַמִים, וְנָּתַן לָּנוּ אֶת תוֹרָּתוֹ.בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ נוֹתֵן הַתוֹרָּה .

1. Listen to the recording

2. Repeat the blessing with the melody.

The text and the recording are on your right. You can also download the text (2).

The blessing after the Maftir

העולה: ברוך אתה ה’ אלוהינו מלך העולם, אשר נתן לנו תורת אמת וחיי עולם נטע בתוכינו,

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ נוֹתֵן הַתוֹרָּה .

1. Listen to the recording

2. Repeat the blessing with the melody.

The text and recording are on the right. You can also download the text (2).

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Practice makes perfect

Congratulations, you’ve reached your goal. Once you’ve learned your reading, it’s important to keep practicing so as not to forget what you’ve learned. We recommend reviewing at least twice a week.

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning how to read Haftarah and Torah.

Mazal tov! B’Hatzlacha (good luck)!

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