Wednesday, 21 September 2016

minhag - Custom for a mourner to be chosen to read the haftora every week


The Chabad rabbi near me has the custom of taking (for himself) both the kaddish recitation after the Torah reading (when applicable) and the reading of the haftorah on Shabbat — specifically when he is in a mourning period (thirty days for a close relative or twelve months for a parent).


Is there a source for this minhag?


Sources/rationales for this custom would be appreciated.



Answer




The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (204:4) mentions (almost by the way) that a mourner gets to say the Haftara.



יִשְׁתַּדְּלוּ לַעֲשוֹת נַחַת רוּחַ לַנְּשְׁמָה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְרָקִים לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה, וְלִקְרוֹת הַהַפְטָרָה, וּלְבָרֵךְ בְּזִמּוּן, וְלִתֵּן צְדָקָה, וְלִלְמוֹד אוֹ לִשְׂכּוֹר מִי שֶׁיִלְמַד עֲבוּרוֹ


[Mourners] should try to bring joy to the deceased by leading the prayers and reading the Haftara, and to say zimun [lead bentsching], to give charity, and to learn or hire someone to learn in the deceased's merit.
( free translation )



So it's not even Chabad-specific, by was known widely by the mid-1800's. (I cannot find the Kitzur's source.)


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