The haftarot are an ancient part of Hebrew liturgy. These supplemental readings are excerpted from the Prophets (Nevi'im) and accompany each weekly Sabbath reading from the Torah as well as readings for special Sabbaths and festivals. With the publication of The JPS Bible Commentary: Haftarot, readers can add to their appreciation of these sacred texts.
Its design adapts the format of the JPS Commentary series so that readers can comprehend haftarot from several viewpoints. Noted Bible scholar Michael Fishbane introduces each haftarah with an outline and discussion of how that passage conveys its meaning, and he follows it with observations on how it relates to the Torah portion or special occasion. Individual comments -- citing classical rabbinic as well as modern commentators -- highlight ambiguities and difficulties in the Hebrew text, which appears in concert with the new JPS translation. The haftarot are also put into biblical context by a separate overview of all prophetic books (except Jonah) that are excerpted in the haftarah cycle.
