When the first day of Ḥanukkah is a Shabbat, the last day of Ḥanukkah is also Shabbat. In most customs this is addressed by using the standard Shabbat Ḥanukkah haftarah from Zechariah on the first day and I Kings 7:40–50 on the last day. But this never sat well with me, since I Kings 7:40–50 (also the haftara for Vayakhel) is a very technical reading, and the last day of Ḥanukkah is more of a culmination. Conveniently, another minor prophet contemporary of Zechariah, Ḥaggai, discusses the reconstruction of the House as a process of national revitalization, *and* claims that the foundation of the temple was rebuilt on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month — i.e. the day before Ḥanukkah! This is historically fascinating since it suggests that Ḥanukkah as a rededication festival might predate the Maccabean Revolt entirely, but more importantly here, it makes it a very appropriate reading for the day before or the first day of Ḥanukkah. This is an alternative haftarah from the book of Ḥaggai , chapter 2 verses 2—23, that could be used as a replacement for the standard haftarah when Shabbat falls on the day before Ḥanukkah or on the first day of Ḥanukkah. When read on the first day of Ḥanukkah, the traditional Ḥanukkah haftarah reading of Zechariah 2:14–4:7 would be postponed to the eighth day in its place.

According to Isaac Seligman Baer’s famed Seder Avodat Yisrael, one of the first scholarly siddurim critical editions ever published, there was a custom that on the day of a circumcision, the P’sukei d-Zimra reading of Shirat haYam along with a portion of its introduction would be recited aloud as a call and response by the mohel (circumcizer) and sandaḳ (godfather). Baer’s division of the verses (from Seder Avodat Yisrael, pp. 72-74) is included here, along with a new translation.

The 4th psalm of the book of Psalms in Masoretic Hebrew accompanied by an English translation.

The 8th psalm of the book of Psalms in Masoretic Hebrew accompanied by an English translation.

Psalms 20 by David in Hebrew with English translation.

A translation of Psalms 27 for the season of repentance, by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer.

Psalms 55 in Hebrew with English translation by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer.

Psalms 60 in Hebrew with English translation by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer, presented for the fast of the Tenth of Tevet.

A new translation of Psalms 79 for the 17th of Tamuz fast day of mourning.

A translation of Psalms 79 in response to the hostage taking at Beth Elohim in Colleyville, Texas.

Psalms 84 in Hebrew with English translation.

In the communities of Morocco and Mumbai, the day after Yom Kippur was a holiday for priests known as Yom Simḥat Kohen. The origins of this practice can be found in Mishnah Yoma 7:4, where the high priest makes a festival for his loved ones after successfully completing the Yom Kippur rituals. In Mumbai, the practice (as recorded in Joseph Ezekiel Rajpurkar’s bilingual Hebrew/Marathi siddur) was to recite Psalms 85 on Yom Simḥat Kohen. The editor has included the text of Psalms 85, Rajpurkar’s Marathi translation, a new English translation, and a vocalized version of the Arabic tafsir of Rav Saadiah Gaon.

An English translation of Psalms 92 set side-by-side with the Masoretic text.

An English translation of Psalm 104 set side-by-side with the Masoretic text.

Psalms 106 in Hebrew with English translation by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer.

Psalms 111, an alphabetic acrostic translated into English by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer.

Psalms 113 in Hebrew with English translation.

Psalms 114 in Hebrew with English translation.

Psalms 115 in Hebrew with English translation.

Psalms 116 in Hebrew with English translation.