Cycles. Repetitions. Birth. Death. Rebirth.
Scripture gives us many examples of cyclical patterns: the moedim, the daily prayers, and even life itself.
In that spirit, Ezra and the men of the Great Assembly established a periodic schedule of readings of the Torah along with corresponding readings from the Neviim and Ketuvim. In this cycle, the Torah is sectioned into weekly readings each called a parashah (plural parashyot). This provides a yearly cycle through which we can read, study, and learn about the entire Torah. Some take this cycle and apply it to a three-year period which allows for a more in-depth study of each portion. John Parsons of Hebrew4Christians.com has more information about the history of the parshah.
If you would like to see a reading schedule, Torah Portions.org publishes a yearly reading schedule.
Special thanks go to my son, Nathan, for his help in putting the weekly parashah pages together and doing the initial research on the Hebrew words and meanings.
List of the parashyot
The list below contains links to articles that include notes and commentary about each parashah.
| Nbr | Name | English Meaning | Scripture |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | בּראשׁית (Bereshit) | "In the Beginning" | Genesis 1:1-6:8 |
| 2 | נח (Noach) | "Noah" | Genesis 6:9-11:32 |
| 3 | לך לך (Lech Lecha) | "Go Out" | Genesis 12:1-17:27 |
| 4 | וירא (Vayera) | "And (He) Appeared" | Genesis 18:1-22:24 |
| 5 | חיי שׂרה (Chayei Sarah) | "Sarah Lived" | Genesis 23:1-25:18 |
| 6 | תולדת (Toldot) | "Generations" | Genesis 25:19-28:9 |
| 7 | ויצא (Vayetze) | "And He Went Out" | Genesis 28:10-32:2 |
| 8 | וישׁלח (Vayishlach) | "And He Sent" | Genesis 32:4-36:43 |
| 9 | וישׁב (Vayeshev) | "And He Lived" | Genesis 37:1-40:23 |
| 10 | מקץ (Miketz) | "At the End" | Genesis 41:1-44:17 |
| 11 | ויגשׁ (Vayigash) | "And (He) Came Near" | Genesis 44:18-47:27 |
| 12 | ויחי (Vayechi) | "And (He) Lived" | Genesis 47:28-50:26 |
| 13 | שׁמוֹת (Shemot) | "Names" | Exodus 1:1-6:1 |
| 14 | וארא (Va'eira) | "And I Appeared" | Exodus 6:2-9:35 |
| 15 | בֹּא (Bo) | "Go" | Exodus 10:1-13:16 |
| 16 | בּשׁלח (B'shalach) | "Sent Out" | Exodus 13:17-17:16 |
| 17 | יתרוֹ (Yitro) | "Jethro" | Exodus 18:1-20:26 |
| 18 | משׁפּטים (Mishpatim) | "Judgments" | Exodus 21:1-24:18 |
| 19 | תרוּמה (Terumah) | "Contribution" or "Heave offering" | Exodus 25:1-27:19 |
| 20 | תצוּה (Tetzaveh) | "You Shall Command" | Exodus 27:20-30:10 |
| 21 | כּי תשׂא (Ki Tisa) | "When You Take" | Exodus 30:11-34:35 |
| 22 | ןיקהל (Vayak'hel) | "And (He) Assembled" | Exodus 35:1-38:20 |
| 23 | פקוּדי (Pekudei) | "Number" | Exodus 38:21-40:38 |
| 24 | ויקרא (Vayikra) | "And (He) Called" | Leviticus 1:1-5:26 |
| 25 | צו (Tzav) | "Command" | Leviticus 6:1-8:36 |
| 26 | שׁמיני (Shemini) | "Eighth" | Leviticus 9:1-11:47 |
| 27 | תזךיע (Tazria) | "Conceived" | Leviticus 12:1-13:59 |
| 28 | מצרע (Metzora) | "Leper" | Leviticus 14:1-15:33 |
| 29 | אחרי מוֹת (Acharei Mot) | "After the Death" | Leviticus 16:1-18:30 |
| 30 | קדשׁים (Kedoshim) | "Holy Ones" | Leviticus 19:1-20:27 |
| 31 | אמר (Emor) | "Speak" | Leviticus 21:1-24:23 |
| 32 | בּהר (B'har) | "On Mount (Sinai)" | Leviticus 25:1-26:2 |
| 33 | בּחקתי (B'chukotai) | "In My Statutes" | Leviticus 26:3-27:34 |
| 34 | בּמדבּר (B'midbar) | "In the Wilderness" | Numbers 1:1-4:20 |
| 35 | נשׂא (Naso) | "Take (a Census)" | Numbers 4:21-7:89 |
| 36 | בּהעלתך (Beha'alot'cha) | "When You Mount" | Numbers 8:1-12:16 |
| 37 | שׁלח לך (Sh'lach) | "Send Out" | Numbers 13:1-15:41 |
| 38 | קרח (Korach) | "Korah" | Numbers 16:1-18:32 |
| 39 | חקת (Chukat) | "Statute" | Numbers 19:1-22:1 |
| 40 | בּלק (Balak) | "Balak" | Numbers 22:2-25:9 |
| 41 | פּינחס (Pinchas) | "Phineas" | Numbers 25:10-30:1 |
| 42 | מטות (Mattot) | "Tribes" | Numbers 30:2-32:42 |
| 43 | מסעי (Masa'ei) | "Journeys" | Numbers 33:1-36:13 |
| 44 | דברים (Devarim) | "Words" | Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22 |
| 45 | ואתחנן (Va'etchanan) | "And I Pleaded" | Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11 |
| 46 | עקב (Ekev) | "Because" | Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25 |
| 47 | ראה (Re'eh) | "See" | Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17 |
| 48 | שׁפטים (Shoftim) | "Judges" | Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9 |
| 49 | כּי תצא (Ki Tetze) | "When You Go Out" | Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19 |
| 50 | כּי תבוא (Ki Tavo) | "When You Enter" | Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8 |
| 51 | נצבים (Nitzavim) | "You Stand" | Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20 |
| 52 | וילך (Va'yelech) | "And (He) Went" | Deuteronomy 31:1-31:30 |
| 53 | האזינו (Ha'azinu) | "Give Ear" | Deuteronomy 32:1-52 |
| 54 | וזאת הברכה (Vezot Ha'Bracha) | "And This Is the Blessing" | Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12 |
Special Readings for the Moedim
| Name | Scripture |
|---|---|
| פסח Special readings for Pesach (Passover) | Exodus 12:21-51 Numbers 28:16-25 Joshua 3:5-7, 5:2-6:1, 6:27 John 13-21 1 Corinthians 5:7 |
| שׁבוּעוֹת Special readings for Shavuot (Pentecost) | Exodus 19:1-20:23 Deuteronomy 15:19-16:17 Ezekiel 1:1-28; 3:12 Habakkuk 2:20-3:19 |
| יוֹם תרוּעה Special readings for Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashanah | Genesis 21-22 Numbers 29:1-6 1 Samuel 1:1-2:10 Jeremiah 31:2-20 |
| יוֹם כפר Special readings for Yom Kippur | Lev 16,18 Num 29:7-11 Isa 57:4-58:14 Micah 7:18-20 Jonah |
| סכוֹת Special readings for Sukkot | Lev 23:33-44 Num 29:12-16 Zech 14 1 Kings 8:2-21 |
| שׁמיני עצרת Special readings for Sh'mini Atzeret/Simchat Torah (the 8th day of Sukkot) |
Deut 33:1-34:12; 14:22-16:17 Josh 1:1-18 Gen 1:1-2:3 Num 29:35-30:1 |