Shalom, everyone! The Weekly Torah Portion or “Parashat ha-Shavua,” “parashah,” or “parsha,” is a section of the Torah that is read publicly and aloud each week during Israelite prayer services. The regular weekly Torah portion is read in full during Shabbat (Saturday) morning services, and in part during Shabbat afternoon services, and Monday and Thursday morning services, except when pre-empted during a religious holiday.
There are 54 weekly Torah parashiyot (plural), one for each week of the leap year on the Hebrew calendar. The full cycle of parashiyot, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Deuteronomy, is read over the course of one year according to the Hebrew calendar. During non-leap years, which have 50 weeks, parashiyot are combined to complete the cycle in one year. The cycle begins and ends during the Hebrew month of Tishrei (Ethanim), on the holiday of Shemini Atzeret (the eighth day of Sukkot). On the Gregorian calendar, this occurs during the months of September or October.
The name of each weekly parashah is taken from the first most distinct word in modern Hebrew from the text of the portion, usually the first verse. The reading of each parashah is followed by the reading of a passage from the writings of the Prophets (Nevi’im) in the Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh). This passage is referred to as the “haftarah” which means “end” or “completion.” The haftarah portion has some relation to the Torah portion for that week. The haftarah portion differs among the various Torah communities (Yemenite, Sephardi etc.) around the world.
The following is a list of the regular weekly Torah portions read during an annual cycle on the Hebrew calendar, along with their corresponding haftarah portions. The haftarah portions listed are the most commonly-read portions within the Yemenite and Sephardi communities. Those Torah portions which are combined with the following weekly Torah portion during non-leap years are marked with an asterisk (*). This list does not include the special Torah and haftarah portions read on the holidays (Special Sabbaths, Festivals and Fast Days); these special Torah and haftarah readings are listed in “Hebrew Bible: Special Torah Portions for Mo’edim and Holidays”:
Key: Y=Yemenite, S=Sephardi
| Parashah Name, Modern Hebrew Text, English Equivalent |
Torah | Haftarah |
|---|---|---|
| Bereshit, בְּרֵאשִׁית In the beginning |
Genesis 1:1-6:8 | Y: Isaiah 42:1–16 S: Isaiah 42:5–21 |
| Noach, נֹחַ Noah (rest) |
Genesis 6:9-11:32 | Y: Isaiah 54:1–55:5 S: Isaiah 54:1–10 |
| Lech-Lecha, לֶךְ-לְךָ Go forth, yourself! |
Genesis 12:1-17:27 | Y: Isaiah 40:25-41:17 S: Isaiah 40:27–41:16 |
| Vayeira, וַיֵּרָא And He appeared |
Genesis 18:1-22:24 | Y: 2 Kings 4:1–37 S: 2 Kings 4:1–23 |
| Chayei Sarah, חַיֵּי שָׂרָה Life of Sarah |
Genesis 23:1-25:18 | Y, S: 1 Kings 1:1–31, 1:46 |
| Toledot, תּוֹלְדֹת Generations |
Genesis 25:19-28:9 | Y: Malachi 1:1-3:4 S: Malachi 1:1-2:7 |
| Vayetze, וַיֵּצֵא And he went out |
Genesis 28:10-32:3 | Y: Hosea 11:7-12:14 S: Hosea 11:7-12:12 |
| Vayishlach, וַיִּשְׁלַח And he sent |
Genesis 32:4-36:43 | Y, S: Obadiah 1:1-21 |
| Vayeshev, וַיֵּשֶׁב And he settled |
Genesis 37:1-40:23 | Y, S: Amos 2:6-3:8 |
| Miketz, מִקֵּץ At the end of |
Genesis 41:1-44:17 | Y, S: 1 Kings 3:15-4:1 |
| Vayigash, וַיִּגַּשׁ And he drew near |
Genesis 44:18-47:27 | Y, S: Ezekiel 37:15-28 |
| Vayechi, וַיְחִי And he lived |
Genesis 47:28-50:26 | Y, S: 1 Kings 2:1-12 |
| Shemot, שְׁמוֹת Names |
Exodus 1:1-6:1 | Y: Ezekiel 16:1-14 S: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 |
| Va’eira, וָאֵרָא Appeared |
Exodus 6:2-9:35 | Y, S: Ezekiel 28:24–29:21 |
| Bo, בֹּא Come! |
Exodus 10:1-13:16 | Y: Isaiah 19:1-19:25 S: Jeremiah 46:13–28 |
| Beshalach, בְּשַׁלַּח When he sent out |
Exodus 13:17-17:16 | Y: Judges 4:23-5:31 S: Judges 5:1–5:31 |
| Yitro, יִתְרוֹ Jethro |
Exodus 18:1-20:23 | Y: Isaiah 6:1-13; Isaiah 9:5-6 S: Isaiah 6:1-13 |
| Mishpatim, מִּשְׁפָּטִים Laws |
Exodus 21:1-24:18 | Y: Jeremiah 34:8-35:19 S: Jeremiah 34:8-22 & 33:25-26 |
| Terumah, תְּרוּמָה Offering |
Exodus 25:1-27:19 | Y, S: 1 Kings 5:26-6:13 |
| Tetzaveh, תְּצַוֶּה You shall command |
Exodus 27:20-30:10 | Y, S: Ezekiel 43:10-27 |
| Ki Tisa, כִּי תִשָּׂא When you elevate |
Exodus 30:11-34:35 | Y: 1 Kings 18:1-18:46 S: 1 Kings 18:20-39 |
| Vayakhel, וַיַּקְהֵל And he assembled |
Exodus 35:1-38:20 | Y: 1 Kings 7:13–22 S: First Kings 7:13-26 |
| Pekudei, פְקוּדֵי Accountings |
Exodus 38:21-40:38 | Y, S: 1 Kings 7:40-50 |
| Vayikra, וַיִּקְרָא And he called |
Leviticus 1:1-5:26 | Y: Isaiah 43:21–44:6 S: Isaiah 43:21–44:23 |
| Tzav, צַו Command! |
Leviticus 6:1-8:36 | Y, S: Jeremiah 7:21-8:3; 9:22-23 |
| Shemini, שְּׁמִינִי Eighth |
Leviticus 9:1-11:47 | Y: 2 Samuel 6:1-7:3 S: 2 Samuel 6:1-19 |
| *Tazria, תַזְרִיעַ She bears seed |
Leviticus 12:1-13:59 | Y, S: 2 Kings 4:42-5:19 |
| Tazria-Metzora | S: 2 Kings 7:3–20 | |
| Metzora, מְּצֹרָע Infected one |
Leviticus 14:1-15:33 | Y: 2 Kings 7:1–7:20; 13:23 S: 2 Kings 7:3–20 |
| *Acharei Mot, אַחֲרֵי מוֹת After the death |
Leviticus 16:1-18:30 | Y, S: Ezekiel 22:1-16 |
| *Acharei Mot-Kedoshim | S: Ezekiel 20:2-20 | |
| Kedoshim, קְדֹשִׁים Holy ones |
Leviticus 19:1-20:27 | Y, S: Ezekiel 20:1–20 |
| Emor, אֱמֹר Say gently |
Leviticus 21:1-24:23 | Y, S: Ezekiel 44:15-31 |
| *Behar, בְּהַר On the Mount |
Leviticus 25:1-26:2 | Y: Jeremiah 16:19-17:14 S: Jeremiah 32:6-27 |
| *Behar-Bechukotai | Y, S: Jeremiah 16:19-17:1 | |
| Bechukotai, בְּחֻקֹּתַי In My statutes |
Leviticus 26:3-27:34 | Y: Ezekiel 34:1-34:27 S: Jeremiah 16:19–17:14 |
| Bamidbar, בְּמִדְבַּר In the wilderness |
Numbers 1:1-4:20 | Y: Hosea 2:1-22 |
| Naso, נָשֹׂא Elevate! |
Numbers 4:21-7:89 | Y: Judges 13:2-13:24 S: Judges 13:2–25 |
| Behaalotecha, בְּהַעֲלֹתְךָ In your uplifting |
Numbers 8:1-12:16 | Y: Zechariah 2:14–4:9 S: Zechariah 2:14–4:7 |
| Shlach, שְׁלַח-לְךָ Send for yourself |
Numbers 13:1-15:41 | Y, S: Joshua 2:1-24 |
| Korach, קֹרַח Korach |
Numbers 16:1-18:32 | Y, S: 1 Samuel 11:14-12:22 |
| *Chukat, חֻקַּת Law |
Numbers 19:1-22:1 | Y: Judges 11:1–40 S: Judges 11:1–33 |
| *Chukat-Balak | Y: Micah 5:6-6:8 | |
| Balak, בָּלָק Balak |
Numbers 22:2-25:9 | Y, S: Micah 5:6-6:8 |
| Pinchas, פִּינְחָס Phinehas |
Numbers 25:10-30:1 | Y, S: 1 Kings 18:46-19:21 |
| *Matot, מַּטּוֹת Tribes |
Numbers 30:2-32:42 | Y, S: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 |
| *Matot-Masei | Y: Jeremiah 1:1-19 S: Jeremiah 2:4-28, 4:1-2 |
|
| Masei, מַסְעֵי Journeys of |
Numbers 33:1-36:13 | Y: Isaiah 1:1-20 |
| Devarim, דְּבָרִים Words |
Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22 | Y: Isaiah 1:21-31 S: Isaiah 1:1-27 |
| Va’etchanan, וָאֶתְחַנַּן Pleaded |
Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11 | Y: Isaiah 40:1-27; 41:17 S: Isaiah 40:1-26 |
| Eikev, עֵקֶב As a result |
Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25 | Y, S: Isaiah 49:14-51:3 |
| Re’eh, רְאֵה See! |
Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17 | Y, S: Isaiah 54:11-55:5 |
| Shoftim, שֹׁפְטִים Judges |
Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9 | Y, S: Isaiah 51:12-52:12 |
| Ki Teitzei, כִּי-תֵצֵא When you go out |
Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19 | Y, S: Isaiah 54:1-10 |
| Ki Tavo, כִּי-תָבוֹא When you enter in |
Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8 | Y, S: Isaiah 60:1-22 |
| *Nitzavim, נִצָּבִים Standing |
Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20 | Y, S: Isaiah 61:9-63:9 (Shabbat before Yom Teruah) |
| *Nitzavim-Vayelech | Y, S: Isaiah 61:9-63:9 | |
| Vayelech, וַיֵּלֶךְ And he went |
Deuteronomy 31:1-31:30 | Y: Hosea 14:2-10 (Shabbat before Yom HaKippurim) |
| Haazinu, הַאֲזִינוּ Listen! |
Deuteronomy 32:1-32:52 | Y: Ezekiel 17:22-18:32 S: 2 Samuel 22:1-51 |
| V’Zot HaBerachah, וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה And this the blessing |
Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12 | Y: Joshua 1:1-9; Joshua 6:27 S: Joshua 1:1–9 |
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