(Mishnah): He reads from the Parshiyos "Acharei Mos" and "Ach be'Asor."

Contradiction (Mishnah): One may skip from Parshah to Parshah when reading (for the Tzibur) from the Nevi'im, but not when reading the Torah.

Answer #1 (Abaye): One may skip (when reading the Torah) only if the Torah can be rolled to the next Parshah within the time that the translator translates the last verse.

Objection (Beraisa): One may skip when reading from the prophets, but not when reading the Torah. The skip must be so short that the Sefer can be rolled to the next Parshah within the time that the translator translates the last verse.

Inference: Even such a skip is forbidden in the Torah!

Answer #2 (Abaye): One may skip to a related Parshah, but not to an unrelated Parshah.

Support (Beraisa): One may skip in the Torah to a related Parshah. In Nevi'im, one may skip even to an unrelated Parshah. In both cases, we must be able to roll the Sefer to the next Parshah within the time to translate the last verse;

We may not skip from one Navi to another. This is only allowed within the 12 minor Nevi'im, and even then not backwards.

(Mishnah): He rolls the Torah (and says 'there is more written...)'

Question: Why must he say this?

Answer: We are concerned lest people say that the Sefer Torah is missing Parshiyos.

(Mishnah): He reads by heart the Parshah (of Korbanos Musaf of Yom Kipur) in Sefer Bamidbar.

Question: Why doesn't he roll the Sefer Torah and read from it?

Answer (Rav Sheshes): We do not roll a Sefer Torah in a Tzibur.

Question: Why don't they bring a second Sefer Torah, and he can read from it?

Answer #1 (Rav Huna bar Yehudah): We are concerned lest people say that they brought a second Sefer because the first is invalid.

Answer #2 (Reish Lakish): This would case an unnecessary Berachah (on reading from the second Sefer).

Question (against Rav Huna bar Yehudah): We are not concerned lest people say that a Sefer is invalid!

(R. Yitzchak Nafcha): When Rosh Chodesh Teves falls on Shabbos, we take out three Sifrei Torah. In one we read from the usual weekly Parshah. In one, we read Korbanos Musaf of Rosh Chodesh. In one, we read what is appropriate for (that day, i.e. the sixth or seventh of) Chanukah.

Answer: People will not say that the Sefer is invalid if three people read from three Sefarim, but they will say so if one person reads from two Sefarim.

(Mishnah): He blesses eight Berachos...

(Beraisa): He blesses for Keri'as ha'Torah, like we do in the Beis ha'Keneses; for Avodas ha'Mikdash, of thanks, and forgiveness of sin, as enacted (like we say these three in Shemoneh Esreh); a special Berachah for the Mikdash; a special Berachah for the Kohanim; a special Berachah for Yisrael; and a special Berachah for Yerushalayim.

(Mishnah): ...And the rest of the prayer.

(Beraisa): This is supplication, joyous song, and request, that Your nation Yisrael needs salvation... He concludes 'He who hears prayer.'

After this, everyone brings his Sefer Torah from his house and reads in it.

Question: What is the reason?

Answer: This is so all will see its beauty.

(Mishnah): The king reads the night after the first day of Sukos, in the eighth, in the year after Shemitah - "at the end of seven years, in the festival..."

They make a podium of wood in the courtyard, and he sits on it.

The overseer of the Beis ha'Keneses would give the Sefer Torah to the head of the Beis ha'Keneses, who gives it to the Sgan, who gives it to the Kohen Gadol, who gives it to the king.

The king stands up and receives the Torah and sits down and reads. King Agripas read standing, and Chachamim praised him for this.

When he read "you may not put a foreigner (to be king) upon yourselves", tears flowed from his eyes.

Chachamim: Don't worry. You are our brother!

He reads from the beginning of Sefer Devarim until Shema Yisrael; the Parshiyos of Shema Yisrael and "v'Hayah Im Shamo'a"; "tithe" and "when you will finish tithing"; the Parshah of the king; and the Berachos and curses (on Har Gerizim and Har Eival, and the other curses in Ki Savo).

The king makes the same Berachos like the Kohen Gadol, except that he substitutes a Berachah for the festival in place of the Berachah for forgiveness of sin.

(Gemara) Question: Can it really be bi'Shmini (the masculine form of 'eighth', i.e. the eighth day of Sukos)?!

Answer: The text should say 'bi'Shminis' (feminine, i.e. the eighth year of the Shemitah cycle).

Question: Why does it say "at the end of seven years, in the festival, the Shemitah year, on the festival of Sukos"? Some of this is unnecessary!

Answer: Had it said only "at the end of seven years", one might have thought that we count seven years after Moshe said this (in Arvos Mo'av), even if it is not Shemitah. Therefore, it says "the Shemitah year";

Had it said only "the Shemitah year", one might have thought it is at the end of the year. Therefore, it says "during the Mo'ed."

Had it said only "during the Mo'ed", one might have thought it is Rosh Hashanah. Therefore, it says "during Sukos."

Had it said only "during Sukos", one might have thought it can be even the last day of Yom Tov. Therefore, it says "when all of Yisrael come", i.e. at the beginning of the festival.

(Mishnah): The overseer of the Beis ha'Keneses gives the Sefer Torah to the head of the Beis ha'Keneses...

Suggestion: This shows that one may honor a Talmid in front of his Rebbi.

Rejection (Abaye): No, this is all done to honor the king.

(Mishnah): The king stands up and receives the Torah, and sits down and reads. King Agripas read standing...

Inference: This implies that he was sitting before this.

Question: Only kings of the Davidic line may sit in the Mikdash!

Answer: This takes place in the Ezras Nashim (where one may sit), like Rav Chisda said (elsewhere).

(Mishnah): Chachamim praised him for this.

Question: Rav Ashi taught, even the opinion that permits a Nasi (the theocratic head of Yisrael) to pardon his honor does not allow a king to do so!

"Place, you will place a king upon yourself" - his fear must be upon you.

Answer: A king may pardon his honor for a Mitzvah.

(Mishnah): When he read "you may not put..."

(Beraisa - R. Nasan): When they told him that he was their brother (i.e. fit to be king), the haters of (a euphemism) Yisrael deserved to be destroyed for flattering him.

(R. Shimon ben Chalafta): From the day that flattery became rampant, judgments became distorted, deeds became spoiled, and no one can say 'my deeds are greater than yours.'

(R. Yehudah bar Ma'arava): One may flatter the wicked in this world - "(in the world to come) a base person will not be called generous, the drunkard will not be called 'master'."

Inference: This is permitted in this world.

(Reish Lakish): We learn this from Yakov, who told Esav "(seeing you) is like seeing the countenance of Elokim, and I found favor with you."

This is unlike R. Levi.

(R. Levi): What Yakov told Esav is like a man who was invited to eat, and sensed that his host wanted to kill him. He told his host 'this food tastes like what I ate by the king';

The host thought that the king knows the guest, and he was afraid to kill him.

(R. Elazar): Any flatterer brings anger to the world - "flatterers at heart put anger." Also, his prayer is not heard - "they will not be saved when afflicted."

(R. Elazar): Even fetuses in the womb curse one who flatters.

(R. Elazar): Any one who flatters falls into Gehinom.

It says "Hoy ha'Omerim la'Ra Tov vela'Tov Ra", and shortly after "Lachen ke'Echol Kash Leshon Esh."

(R. Elazar): If Reuven flatters Shimon, he will eventually fall into Shimon's hands. If not, he will fall into the hands of Shimon's sons, or grandsons. We learn from Yirmeyahu, who supported Chananyah's false prophecy. Chananyah's grandson later handed Yirmeyahu over to the Babylonians.