Mishnah
Mishnah

Mesorat%20hashas for Megillah 4:4

הַקּוֹרֵא בַּתּוֹרָה לֹא יִפְחֹת מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה פְסוּקִים. לֹא יִקְרָא לַמְּתֻרְגְּמָן יוֹתֵר מִפָּסוּק אֶחָד, וּבַנָּבִיא שְׁלֹשָׁה. הָיוּ שְׁלָשְׁתָּן שָׁלֹשׁ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת, קוֹרִין אֶחָד אֶחָד. מְדַלְּגִין בַּנָּבִיא וְאֵין מְדַלְּגִין בַּתּוֹרָה. וְעַד כַּמָּה הוּא מְדַלֵּג, עַד כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִפְסֹק הַמְּתֻרְגְּמָן:

The reader in the Torah may not read fewer than three verses. He may not read to the translator more than one verse (at a time), [so that, translating by heart, he not err.] And in Prophets, he may read three (at a time) if he wishes, and we are not apprehensive as to his erring, for we do not derive halachah therefrom.] And if the three (verses in Prophets) were three (distinct) sections [as in (Isaiah 52:3-5): "For thus said the L-rd: 'Gratis were you sold … For thus said the L-rd: 'To Egypt, My people went down in the beginning … And now, what have I here,' says the L-rd," These are three (distinct) sections in three consecutive verses.], they are read one (verse) at a time. We skip in Prophets [from section to section, and even from one theme to another], but we do not skip in Torah [from one theme to another; but we do skip in one theme, e.g., the high-priest's reading on Yom Kippur in "Acharei moth" (Leviticus 16) and skipping to "Ach be'asor" (Ibid. 23)]. And how much may he skip? So long as the translator does not leave off (translating). [One who skips, whether in Torah in one theme, or in Prophets, even in two themes, may not pause (reading in the process of turning to the next part) longer than is necessary for the translator to finish translating what he had just read, it not befitting the honor of the congregation to have them stand there in silence.]

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