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Prior to calling the Kohen aliyah for Torah reading, there is an introductory paragraph said by the gabbai or ba'al kri'ah. Following is Nusach Ashkenaz as found in Art Scroll and Birnbaum, Ashkenaz, among others.

During weekday and Shabbat afternoon readings it begins with

ותגלה ותראה עלינו בזמן קרוב

On Shabbat and Yom Tov Shacharit, the paragraph begins

ויעזור ויגן ויושיע

I initially thought that the reason that the Shabbat paragraph was shorter is related to the general "concept" that we avoid making requests on Shabbat. However, both paragraphs look like a formulation of a request.

Why are there two different versions? Is there something special conveyed by these versions that makes one more appropriate for weekday or Shabbat / Yom Tov?

Related to this, if Shabbat is "special" in some way, then why do we revert to the weekday format for Shabbat mincha? Is the reason related more to the "type" of reading, i.e. Shabbat mincha reading is identical to the reading the rest of the week? (except for next week :-0)

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  • "ותגלה ותראה עלינו בזמן קרוב"? In nusach "S'farad" it's "ותגלה ותראה מלכותו עלינו בזמן קרוב".
    – msh210 ♦
    Apr 17, 2015 at 8:26

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Likutei Halevi - note #11 - in the name of Sefer Matamim is since there is a special Bracha of "Samcheinu" on Shabbos and Yom Tov by the Haftora where we request for the arrival of Mashiach there is no need to say ותגלה ותראה עלינו בזמן קרוב. He says that by a fast day even though there is this Bracha there is a need to increase Tefilos for the Geula.

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  • Very interesting! I must admit that the "technique" is interesting and very curious. The weekly reading of the Torah has a much longer halachic history than haftarah. I don't know the history of ותגלה. But, if we assumed (for argument's sake) that it predated the existence of haftarah, making this connection would be pointless. I'm just "marveling" at the technique of basing the necessity of a phrase b/c of something said or eliminated later on. I know that's been done in many other places, but I find that to be an interesting technique.
    – DanF
    Apr 16, 2015 at 16:46
  • "there is no need to" is there a problem in saying it that we had to compose a whole new prayer to say instead?
    – Double AA ♦
    Apr 16, 2015 at 17:07
  • As per the answer here it seems like the Brachos of the Haftora preceded the the prayer said, calling up the Kohain. Thus the one who created this prayer did not see a need to say the verse ותגלה ותראה עלינו בזמן קרוב on a day when we have a Haftora.
    – Gershon Gold
    Apr 20, 2015 at 15:54

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