Seder ha-Mishmarah
Introduction The '''Seder ha-Mishmarah''' is a study cycle devised by the Ben Ish Ḥai and used by some Mizrahi Jews (Jews of Near and Middle Eastern origin) for reading the whole of the Hebrew Bible and the Mishnah in the course of a year. It depends on the cycle of the weekly Torah portions read in the synagogue.Some communities have a custom of public reading, whereby on each Shabbat afternoon the whole of the ''mishmarah'' for the following Shabbat is read out loud. In others, individuals use it as a basis for private study. The usual form of the cycle is set out in the table below. Weekly Torah portion Neviim Ketuvim Mishnah Bereshit, Gen.  Joshua  Psalms  Ḥagigah  Noaḥ, Gen.  Joshua  Psalms  Kinnim  Lekh Lekha, Gen.  Joshua  Psalms  Ma'aserot  and Ma'aser Sheni  Vayera, Gen. Judges  Psalms  Pe'ah  Ḥayye Sarah, Gen. Judges  Psalms  Kiddushin  Toledot, Gen. I Samuel  Psalms  Berakhot  Vayetze, Gen. I Samuel  Psalms  Ketubot  Vayishlaḥ, Gen. I Samuel  Psalms  Mo'ed Katan  and Horayot  Vayeshev, Gen. I Samuel , II Samuel  Psalms  Yevamot  Mikketz, Gen.  II Samuel  Psalms  Mikva'ot  Vayigash, Gen.  II Samuel  Psalms  Kelim  Vayeḥi, Gen,  I Kings  Psalms  Bekhorot  Shemot, Ex. I Kings  Psalms  Ta'anit  and Megillah  Va'era, Ex. I Kings  Job  Makkot  Bo, Ex. I Kings  to II Kings  Job  Nega'im  Beshallaḥ, Ex. II Kings  Job  Eruvin  Yitro, Ex. II Kings  Job  Avot  and Avodah Zarah  Mishpatim, Ex. II Kings  Job  Bava Kamma  Terumah, Ex. Jeremiah  Job  Middot  Tetzaveh, Ex. Jeremiah  Job  Tevul Yom  Ki Tissa, Ex. Jeremiah  Esther  Shekalim  Vayakhel, Ex. Jeremiah  Song of Songs  Shabbat  Pekude, Ex. Jeremiah  Proverbs  Tohorot  and Yadayim  Vayikra, Lev. Jeremiah  Proverbs  Zevaḥim  Tzav, Lev. Ezekiel  Proverbs  Menaḥot  Shemini, Lev. Ezekiel  Proverbs  Ḥullin  Tazria, Lev. Ezekiel  Proverbs  Niddah  Metzora, Lev. Ezekiel  Proverbs  Zavim  Aḥare Mot, Lev. Ezekiel  Proverbs  Keritot  Kedoshim, Lev. Ezekiel  Daniel  Orlah  Emor, Lev. Ezekiel  Daniel  Betzah  and Yoma  Behar, Lev. Ezekiel  Daniel  Shevi'it  Beḥukkotai, Lev. Ezekiel  Daniel  Arakhin  Bemidbar, Num. Isaiah  Ezra  Makhshirin  Naso, Num. Isaiah  Ruth  Nazir  and Sotah  Behaalotecha, Num. Isaiah  Ezra  Tamid  Shelaḥ Lekha, Num. Isaiah  Nehemiah  Ḥallah  Koraḥ, Num. Isaiah  Nehemiah  Terumot  Ḥukkat, Num. Isaiah  I Chronicles  Parah  Balak, Num. Isaiah  I Chronicles  Oholot  Pinḥas, Num. Isaiah  I Chronicles  Bava Batra  Mattot, Num. Isaiah  I Chronicles  Nedarim  Mass'e, Num. Isaiah  I Chronicles  Eduyot  Devarim, Deut. Isaiah  Lamentations  Bava Metzia  Va'etḥhannan, Deut. Isaiah  II Chronicles  Shevu'ot  Ekev, Deut. Hosea  II Chronicles  Kil'ayim  Re'eh, Deut. Hosea  II Chronicles  Pesaḥim , Rosh Hashanah  and Sukkah  Shofetim, Deut. Hosea  II Chronicles  Sanhedrin  Ki Tetze, Deut. Joel  and Amos  II Chronicles  Gittin  Ki Tavo, Deut. Obadiah , Jonah  and Micah  II Chronicles  Bikkurim  Nitzavim, Deut. Nahum , Habakkuk , Zephaniah  and Haggai  II Chronicles  Me'ilah  Vayelech, Deut. Zechariah  Ecclesiastes  Demai  Haazinu, Deut. Zechariah  Ecclesiastes  Uktzin  Vezot Haberakhah, Deut. Malachi  Ecclesiastes  Temurah This cycle is unrelated to that for ''Chok l'Yisrael'', which is a study cycle based on the works of Rabbi Hayyim ben Joseph Vital and revised by Rabbi Chaim Joseph David Azulai. This too is often published in book form and is widely popular among Near and Middle Eastern Jews. Differences between the two are:* The Seder ha-Mishmarah does not include Targum or commentaries on the Torah portion; ''Chok l'Yisrael'' includes both;* ''Chok l'Yisrael'' does not include the whole of Nevi'im, Ketuvim or the Mishnah, and does not present the excerpts in a continuous order through the year;* ''Chok l'Yisrael'' also includes excerpts from the Talmud, the Zohar and works of Jewish law and morality;* ''Chok l'Yisrael'' is designed for daily rather than weekly reading.
Other uses In Mishnaic Hebrew ''mishmarah'' (or ''mishmeret'') means a "watch", that is to say a division of the night (usually one-third). In Temple times, a ''mishmar'' (or ''mishmarah'') also referred to a group of priests whose turn it was to officiate.In addition to the study cycle described above, the term ''mishmarah'' is used for a nocturnal prayer or study session preceding a celebration such as a wedding or a Brit milah or a festival such as Hoshanah Rabba or following a death. This usage was derived either from the above meaning as a watch in the night or from the practice of watching over a corpse. However, by folk etymology the word is sometimes interpreted as a portmanteau of "Mishnah" and "Gemara", to refer to the texts studied.
See also * Other study cycles under Torah study #Study cycles
External links and references '''Endnotes''''''References and external links'''*''Ḥoq le-Ya'aqov'', which sets out all the readings in book form*Table at end of ''Tefillat Yesharim'' (Iraqi prayer book)*''Mishmarah'' tab on http://www.pizmonim.org website