The haftarah or (in Ashkenazic pronunciation) haftorah (alt. haphtara, Hebrew: הפטרה; "parting," "taking leave"), Or "feter" can mean "to set free", as in 1st Chron. 9:33 and Prov. 17:14. Solomon Gaon, "Minhath Shelomo: A Commentary on the Book of Prayer of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews" (1990, NY, Union of Sephardic Congregations) page 147; Israel Abrahams, "A Companion to the Authorised Daily Prayer Book" (1922, rev. ed., London) pages clvi-clvii; Israel Abrahams, "Studies in Pharisaism and the Gospels" (1917, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1st series) page 4-5; it appears that in antiquity the Sabbath service ended with the "haftarah" so that the congregation was dismissed and free to go home. The word "haftaro" - הפטרה - is used in "Midrash Rabbah" of Genesis, sec. 69 (last paragraph), for "farewell speech".</ref> (plural form: "haftarot" or "haftoros") is a series of selections from the books of "Nevi'im" ("Prophets") of the Hebrew Bible ("Tanakh") that is publicly read in synagogue as part of Jewish religious practice. The "haftarah" reading follows the Torah reading on each Sabbath and on Jewish festivals and fast days. Typically, the "haftarah" is thematically linked to the "parasha" (Torah Portion) that precedes it. The "haftarah" is sung in a chant (known as ""trope"" in Yiddish or "Cantillation" in English). Related blessings precede and follow the haftarah reading.