Bible Verse Lookup
Conclusion
It is difficult to know whether on any given Sabbath or festival, the Targum, sermon, and piyyut would all have been heard together in the synagogue. It would seem logical that when one was expanded, the others would have been curtailed. But needless to say, the existence of these three components in proximity to the scriptural texts that were read in the synagogue made Scripture into a magnet, which attracted various literary forms through which it was presented to the community .
No synagogue lacks a central and impressive place designated to house the Torah scroll(s), or a special spot assigned for the reading of the Torah, haftarah, and the five scrolls. There is no Sabbath or festival when the congregation does not hear portions of Scripture, as the focus of synagogue activity and its climax. In the light of what we have seen, there is no way whatsoever to comprehend the history of the synagogue and what was taking place within its walls without fully comprehending that the foundation of all synagogue activity is the Bible.
[AVIGDOR SHINAN]
