Halakha Keluaran 33:7: Mishneh Torah, Torah Study & Kitzur Shulchan Arukh

If the distance between one and his master be twelve miles, and a man asked him a question, he is permitted to answer it. To separate one from committing a forbidden act, one may decide even in the presence of his master. For instance? Suppose he saw a man doing something which is really forbidden, because he did not know that it is forbidden, or because of his wickedness, he has authority to prevent him from doing it, and say to him: "This act is forbidden," even in the presence of his master, and even though his master did not give him the authority to act, for wherever there is a likelihood that the Name would be blasphemed, no honor is meted out to a master. Whereat are these words said? Only in matters which come to pass incidentally, but for one to establish himself for the purpose of rendering decisions, and to sit in a master's chair and render decisions to everyone who may ask of him, even though he be in one end of the world and his master be in the other end of the world, it is forbidden to do so prior to his master's demise, unless he obtained authority from his master. But not everyone whose master died may occupy a master's seat and teach the Torah, save if he be a disciple who attained judicial rank.³Sanhedrin, 5b; See Berakot, 63a and b. C. G.

The curses contained in parshas Bechukosai,⁷Leviticus 26: 14–43. and in parshas Ki Savo⁸Deuteronomy 28: 15–68. should be read without interruption.⁹Maseches Megillah 31. Interrupting would make it appear as though we do not wish to accept Divine admonition. (Meleches Shelomoh—Midrash Rabbah.) [Also see Shoeil Umeishiv (5 Resp. 9) and Elef Lecha Shelomo Resp. 63—Sofrim (12).] Shulchan Aruch rules that not interrupting the curses contained in Ki Savo is a custom, but not interrupting in Bechukosai is a Halachah. The reading of these curses must be preceded by one verse of the preceding chapter.¹⁰See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Chapter 23 for details. But in order not to begin the parshah with less than three verses, the reading must begin with the three verses preceding the curses. At the conclusion also, we must read at least one verse after the curses, but care should be taken not to end at less than three verses from the beginning of a parshah. In parshas Ki Sisa, we read for the Levi, the whole chapter of the golden calf until the words Umeshareso Yehoshua¹¹Exodus 33: 11. [and his servant Yehoshua]. And the reason is because the Levites did not participate in making the golden calf.¹²Maseches Yoma 66a. It is customary to read in a low voice [the portion beginning with] Vayittein el Moshe kechaloso [and He gave Moses as He had finished]¹³Exodus 31: 18. until Vayechal Moshe [and Moses beseeched].¹⁴See Exodus 32: 11 Rashi (Maseches Megillah 31b). The verse beginning with Vayechal is read in a loud voice until Vayifen vayeired Moshe, [And Moses turned and descended]. And the verse beginning with Vayifen is read in a low voice until uMoshe yikach es ha'ohel, [And Moses took the tent].¹⁵Exodus 33: 7. The reading is then resumed in a loud voice until the end of the parshah. And also the curses in parshas Bechukosai and parshas Ki Savo should be read in a low voice. However, the verse, Vezacharti es brisi Yaakov [And I will remember the covenant with Jacob]¹⁶Leviticus 26: 42. is read in a loud voice. The following verse, Veha'aretz tei'azeiv [And the land will be forsaken] is read in a low voice. From the verse: Ve'af gam zos [and with all this]¹⁷Leviticus 26: 44. [the reading is resumed] in a loud voice until the end. And in parshas Ki Savo, [the verse] Leyira es Hashem hanichbad [to fear the honored Name]¹⁸Deuteronomy 28: 59. until the end of the verse should be read in a loud voice and thereafter in a low voice until Ve'ein koneh [and there is no one to buy].¹⁹Deuteronomy 28: 68. Also in parshas Beha'alosecha it is customary to read in a low voice from Vayehi ha'am kemisonenim [and the people were as murmurers]²⁰Numbers 11: 1. until Vehaman kizra gad [and the manna was like the coriander seed]²¹Numbers 11: 7. and the reason is to show that they were regretful. Whatever is read in a low voice should be read at least [loud enough] for the congregation to hear the voice, otherwise they have not fulfilled their duty of reading [the Torah]. [In the reading of] the forty-two journeys in parshas Masei no interruption should be made,²²Magein Avraham 428: 8—Tzeror Hamor. We also do not interrupt during the last eight verses in the Torah [Maseches Menachos 30, Shulchan Aruch 428: 7], nor in the Ten Commandments in Yisro and in Va’eschanon, nor during Az Yashir [Avudraham]. for they represent the [Divine] Name of forty-two [Letters].²³One of the holy Names of Hashem.