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var=$(awk 'NR<3{next} NF==0{exit} 1' textfile.txt)

Quick fix:
awk NR==2 RS= textfile.txt |
while read var
do
echo "$var"
done

Yes, "while read" is a keeper, pipeline parallel and robust. Read can capture fields, and bash has "read -a simple_array_var_typedef_-a" so you do not even have to count or name them. I mostly use...

You want to leave out the switching line - so switch off before print and switch on after print.
I don't see a reason why it should not work on a single line except that awk might have difficulties...