And he (i.e., Maran Rabbeinu Yeshua King Messiah) came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and, as his custom was, he went into the Synagogue on the Shabbat / Sabbath day, and stood up for to read" [Luke 4:16].

The reading and the studying of the Holy Scriptures have always played an important role in Jewish congregational lifestyle and worship. It dates back to Moshe, who instructed its reading at religious gatherings (Devarim 31:11-12). Later, Ezra the Scribe emphasized its importance by reading and interpreting Scripture for the people (Nechemyah [Nehemiah] 8:1-8). One explanation attributes the Shabbat reading, as well as the reading on Mondays and Thursdays, to Ezra the Scribe (Baba Kama 82a). Ezra explained that since Bnei Yisrael (The Children of Israel) went without water for 3 days in the desert (Shemot 15:22), three days should not be allowed to pass without hearing the Torah read aloud. The teaching here is that Torah sustains the spirit as water sustains the body. Torah provides spiritual life. Reading portions as part of the daily synagogue service goes back to an early date, and specific prescribed readings for Shabbat and HaMoedim appear to have existed since Maccabean times, approximately 200 B.C

Reading and studying the Holy Scriptures is regarded as an act of worship. It should lead directly to prayer and an appropriate response to HaShem, that is, praise. To emphasize this, after the Torah reading, traditionally the congregation joins in Half-Kaddish, a beautiful hymn of praise to HaShem. HaShem is praised and our prayer is that His name be magnified and sanctified here on earth as it is in heaven above. The reading of Torah is given prominence because of its importance. It is an essential part of our lives as HaShem’s people. See Yehoshua (Joshua) 1:8. The procedure associated with reading the Torah stresses its centrality in the worship service. The person so honored is called forward to read so everyone can focus on the reading. This is an honor that is known as making aliyah. The Hebrew word aliyah means to go up, as if to go up to Yerushalayim. The blessings associated with it further highlight its significance. Finally, the reader is congratulated because he has had the privilege of reading what HaShem has revealed to His people.

The Aron HaKodesh (The Holy Ark) that houses the Sefer Torah (Book of the Law) is opened before the Torah reading and then closed after the reading service has been completed. Although the Torah is in scroll form, it is nevertheless referred to as the Sefer Torah or Book of the Law. Some synagogues have several Torah Scrolls and megillot (Scroll of Esther, for example). Each megillah consists of parchment wrapped around one eytz chayim (roller) compared to the Torah which has two rollers. Some synagogues prefer to keep Aron HaKodesh open through the rest of the service. With Aron HaKodesh remaining open, it becomes a symbol of the parochet (curtain) that was torn open at Maran Rabbeinu Yeshua’s death. The picture here is one of free and open access into Kodesh HaKadashim (The Holy of Holies) and HaShem’s presence.

The Torah is also read on Mondays and Thursdays. There are many explanations for this. The most authoritative explanation is that Mondays and Thursdays were market days. Jewish people came to Yerushalayim to purchase as well as sell their wares. As a result, the city of Yerushalayim was teeming with people on these days. From the days of Ezra (6th century B.C) onward it became customary to read the Torah on market days as well as on Shabbat.