Josephus on the Weekly Reading of Scripture
He [Moses] left no excuse for ignorance but assigned the Torah as both the finest and most necessary instruction, in order that it be heard not once, nor twice, nor frequently; but he enjoined that every seven days they desist from their other labors so as to convene for the hearing of the Torah and to search this out with precision, an approach that all other lawgivers appear to have neglected.
Translated by William Whiston, adapted by Aaron Samuels.
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.
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Philo on the Weekly Reading of Scripture
Hypothetica 7.12–13
He required them to assemble in the same place on these seventh days, and sitting together in a respectful and orderly manner hear the laws read so that none should be ignorant of them.…
Essenes Gather to Read Scripture
That Every Good Person Is Free 12.81–83
In these they are instructed at all other times, but particularly on the seventh days. For that day has been set apart to be kept holy and on it they abstain from all other work and proceed to sacred…
The New Testament on Reading Scripture in the Synagogue
Luke 4:16–20|Acts 13:13–16
When he [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the…
How to Read from the Torah
y. Megillah 4:1, 74c
ONE WHO READS THE SCROLL EITHER STANDS OR SITS, ETC. How? In the past? Therefore not a priori? But was it not stated: It happened that R. Meir read it in the synagogue of Tiveon while sitting; he gave…
Three Readers of the Torah
b. Megillah 21b, 31b
On Mondays and [on] Thursdays [during the morning service] and on Shabbat during the afternoon service…
The Tosefta on Translating the Scriptural Reading
t. Megillah 3:20, 31
20. [ . . . ] One [person] reads from the Torah [at a time] and one [person] translates. There should not be one reading and two translating, nor two reading and one translating, nor two reading and…