Timing of Derasha in Shul

I’ve been in a number of shuls where the Rov of the shul will get up before Krias HaTorah on Shabbos and say some sort of “drasha”. Sometimes it was connected to the parsha or inyunei d’yoma (i.e. before a yom tov, etc.) Or sometimes to “strengthen” the kehillah with words of “chizzuk” or mussar.

Where does this come from that the Rov should speak at this time? Perhaps it was only because of convenience that usually everyone was together and also it’s not disrupting a particular part of the tefillah.

Many often find this bothersome that they are being forced to listen to a drasha at such a time and rather not make the tefillah any longer than it already is.

I’m asking to see if there is any source for this “minhag” in earlier seforim or sources.

An additional point, I once heard that it says one shouldn’t speak before Krias HaTorah as it’s not kavod for the Torah to speak (even Divrei Torah) right before the Torah itself is supposed to be read from. Is there a makor to this?

Answer:

The concept of a derasha on Shabbos goes back many years.

The derasha can be said whenever it is most convenient: Before reading from the Torah, or before Mussaf.

Please see sources, below.

Best wishes.

Sources:

There are many sources for the idea of having a derashah on Shabbos, and indicating that this was an ancient custom. See Tur (Orach Chaim 290), and see Seder Eliyahu Rabbah (1). Some research was done on the subject in Kovetz Yehudim Ve-Yahadut Biymei Bayit Sheini (pp. 266-278).

As to the timing of the derasha, the most popular time for a derashah is before Mussaf. A Rabbi will often want to speak about the parashah that was read, and certainly about the reading of a Bar-Mitzvah boy, and so on.

Some, however, point out that this is somewhat bedieved based on the ruling of the Mishnah Berurah (284:15; Magen Avraham 7) whereby one should not say anything after Ashrei, because the Kaddish before Mussaf is related to the Ashrei one recites before.

Because of this issue, some bring in the Sefer Torah before Ashrei, and have the derasha before Ashrei and Kaddish. The problem with this is in changing the accepted order of prayer, which some see as being problematic.

There is no prohibition of bringing the derasha before the reading of the Torah. Where appropriate, this is a good option. Certainly, there is no problem to study Torah before davening, and many arise early to learn Torah before going to daven.