The Mishnah on Translating the Scriptural Reading
4. One who reads the Torah [in public] may not read less than three verses. And he should not read to the translator more than one verse [at a time], but [if reading from the book of a] prophet, [he may read to him] three at a time. If the three verses constitute three separate paragraphs, he must read them [to the translator] one by one. They may skip [from place to place] in a prophet but not in the Torah. How far may he skip [in the prophet]? [Only] so far that the translator will not have stopped [before he finds his place]. [ . . . ]
10. The incident of Reuben is read but not translated. The story of Tamar is read and translated. The first part of the incident of the golden calf is both read and translated, but the second is read but not translated. The blessing of the priests and the stories of David and Amnon are not read or translated. They do not conclude with the portion of the chariot as a haftarah. But R. Judah permits this. R. Eliezer says: They do not conclude with Proclaim Jerusalem’s [abominations] (Ezekiel 16:2).
Notes
Words in brackets appear in the original translation.
Credits
Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 2: Emerging Judaism.