Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why are the Five Megillot associated with public readings in synagogues?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Hebrew Bible
Portion of the Aleppo Codex, a manuscript of the Hebrew Bible written in the Hebrew language in the 10th century ce; in the Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
The Five Megillot (Scrolls)—comprising the Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther—are associated with public readings in the synagogue because they have been organized into a unit based on the annual cycle of the Jewish liturgical calendar.12
While these books were originally scattered throughout the Hebrew Bible and did not form a single unit, they are now grouped together to correspond to specific religious festivals. The reading of these texts serves to familiarize the congregation with scripture, which is a central component of synagogue worship. The specific associations are as follows:123
- Song of Solomon: Read during the sabbath of Passover.43
- Ruth: Read on Shavuot.43
- Lamentations: Read on Tisha be-Av.43
- Ecclesiastes: Read during the sabbath of Sukkoth.43
- Esther: Read on Purim.43