אמר אברהם רבש"ע שמא ישראל חוטאין לפניך אתה עושה להם כדור המבול וכדור הפלגה א"ל לאו אמר לפניו רבש"ע הודיעני במה אירשנה א"ל (בראשית טו, ט) קחה לי עגלה משולשת ועז משולשת וגו'
should have precedence and Jehoiarib should be subordinate [to him].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [Because he refused to return at the time with Ezra, v. n. 4.]');"><sup>4</sup></span> AND THE ISRAELITES OF THE MISHMAR ASSEMBLED IN THEIR CITIES AND READ [FROM THE LAW] THE STORY OF CREATION, On what is this based? - R'Jacob B'Aha said in the name of R'Assi: Were it not for the Ma'amadoth heaven and earth could not endure, as it is said, And he said: O Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XV, 8.');"><sup>5</sup></span>
Tosefta Megillah
We do not read fewer than three verses from the Torah at one time. If there was a section with four [verses] or of five [verses] (i.e., which cannot be divided into two or more sections of three), behold, one person reads the whole thing. [If] there was a section of five and he read three and left out the other two, the one who stands up to read after him reads those two and another three from a different section. If there was a section of four or five [verses], behold, he reads everything. We may not read an additional [portion from the] Prophets (i.e., the haftarah) of less than three verses at one time. If there was a section of four or five verses, behold, he reads everything. One who cuts short [the reading], behold he is praised. If it was a short section, such as (Is. 42:3), "For thus says the Lord, you were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money," it is read by itself.
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