Halakhah zu Schemot 17:8

Aside from these individuals, the Bible contains other examples of wars where the spiritual elite fought. Rashi (Bemidbar 31:3) asserts that the soldiers in the wars against Amaleik (Shemot 17:8-16) and Midyan (Bemidbar 31) were specifically chosen based on their religious piety. The Radak and Malbim (Shofetim 5:14) explain that, after defeating the army of Canaan, the prophetess Devorah gave special praise to the people of Machir and Zevulun precisely because their religious leaders fought in the battle. All of these sources clearly teach that no fundamental problem exists with spiritual leaders serving in an army. The advisability of their service in the Israeli army today, however, remains to be determined.

Every oleh must read³⁸Or have the ba’al koreih read for him, as is the present custom. at least three verses. On Mondays and Thursdays and at the Shabbos Minchah service, it is required that in all no less than ten verses be read. We should read a minimum of four verses for the third oleh.³⁹Some allow three verses to be read. If it happened that in all only nine verses were read, i. e., three for each oleh, the obligation is fulfilled. On Purim, we read only nine verses for all [the olim] combined because the subject matter ends [after nine verses].⁴⁰On Purim, the holiday commemorating our victory over Haman, a descendant of Amaleik, we read of the attack of Amaleik upon us in the wilderness. (Exodus 17:8–16). That chapter contains only nine verses.

As it is required for the house of Israel to read from the scrolls, and to teach in the Torah, and to conclude with the prophets, on each day according to its subject matter — laws of Pesaḥ on Pesaḥ, laws of Shavuot on Shavuot, laws of Sukkot on Sukkot, as it is written "And Moses spoke the appointed-times of haShem to the children of Israel" (Leviticus 23:44), and it is commanded to read every matter at its time and extrapolate on the subject of the day, as taught, "Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says:¹In our manuscripts, it says "The Rabbis taught" here. Moses ordained for Israel that they would investigate and extrapolate on the matter of the day — laws of Pesaḥ on Pesaḥ, laws of Shavuot on Shavuot, laws of Sukkot on Sukkot" (Megillah 32a:17). On Ḥanukkah we read the princes (Numbers 7). On Purim we read "And Amalek came" (Exodus 17:8—16). When Rosh Ḥodesh Adar falls on Shabbat we read the portion of the sheqalim (Exodus 30:11—16). "And Rabbi Yitzḥaq Nappaḥa said: when Rosh Ḥodesh Adar falls on Shabbat, bring three Torah scrolls, and read one for the matter of the day, and one for the new moon, and one from Ki Tissa. And Rabbi Yitzḥaq Nappaḥa said: when Rosh Ḥodesh Tevet falls on Shabbat, bring three Torah scrolls, and read one for the matter of the day, and one for Rosh Ḥodesh, and one for Ḥanukkah" (Megillah 29b:22). On Ḥanukkah and on Purim three people read, on Rosh Ḥodesh and on Ḥol ha-Moed four people read — since there is Musaf, we add [mosifin] a person. When Rosh Ḥodesh Adar falls on Shabbat, we read the portion of the sheqalim (Exodus 30:11—16). When it falls on another day of the week, we advance the reading of the portion of the sheqalim, and interrupt the special readings. On the second² Shabbat of the month we read 'Remember' (Deuteronomy 25:17—17). On the third, the red heifer (Numbers 19:1—22). On the fourth, 'This month' (Exodus 12:1—20). If it falls on the sixth, then 'This month' is on the fifth. After that they return to the regular order. And everyone interrupts the order for Rosh Hodesh, Ḥanukah, Purim, fast days, festival days, and Yom Kippur (Mishnah Megillah 3:5). On Pesaḥ they read the portion of the festivals. And a mnemonic is: "during the bull, sanctify with money, cut in the desert, send the firstborn." On Shavuot, "On the third day" (Exodus 19:1–20:23), and on the second day, "Every firstborn" (Deuteronomy 15:19—16:37). On Rosh Hashanah, "And haShem remembered Sarah" (Genesis 21:1–34) and on the second day, "And God tested Abraham" (Genesis 22:1—24). On Yom Kippur, "after the death" (Leviticus 16:1—34). On Sukkot, the offerings for Sukkot (Numbers 29:12—34). On Ḥanukkah, the princes (Numbers 7). On Purim, "And Amalek came" (Exodus 17:8—16). On Rosh Hodesh, "And on your new months" (Numbers 28:1–15). On the watches, the matter of creation (Genesis 1:1—2:3). On fast days, "And Moses petitioned" (Exodus 32:11—14, Exodus 34:1–10). On Mondays and Thursdays and on Shabbat in the afternoon they read according to the order, but they are not counted in the order. As it is said, "And Moses spoke the appointed-times of haShem to the children of Israel" (Leviticus 23:44) — it's commanded that they read each and every one at its time.

How Many Verses Must Be Read For Each Aliyah. Containing 6 Se'ifim:
On a day that 3 [people] read, we do not read less than 10 verses. [The frequent short introductory verse] "And [the Lord] spoke..." is included in the count [of verses]. And if the topic ends in less than 10 verses, for example the parsha of Amalek [Exodus 17:8] which has only 9 verses, it is acceptable.

In the morning [it is proper] to get up early to go to the synagogue. After the Shemoneh Esrei, half-kaddish is said. We call up three persons for the Torah-reading of Parashas Vayavo Amalek [And Amelek came] [Ex. 17:8), after which half-kaddish is said. After the seifer Torah is placed in the Ark, the Megillah is read. After the last berachah [over the Megillah], in the morning, we do not say Asher heini [Who annuls the counsel of the nations]. After concluding the berachah with hakeil hamoshia [the God Who brings salvation] we say Shoshanas Yaakov [The rose of Jacob] etc. then Ashrei, Uva leTzion, Full-Kaddish including Tiskabbeil. You should not take off the tefillin until after the reading of the Megillah, because in the Megillah it is written, Vikar [and honor] (8:16), and [our Rabbis] expound that this refers to the tefillin. If there is a bris, it is performed before¹³According to Pri Chadosh and Vilna Gaon, the Megillah is read before the bris. (Mishnah Berurah 693:12) the reading of the Megillah, because it is written vesason [gladness], which refers to bris milah.