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Torah Portions
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Torah Portions: The Weekly Reading Cycle
Every week, Jewish communities worldwide read the same Torah portion. Explore the 54 parashot, the system of aliyot, the Haftarah connection, and the joyous restart on Simchat Torah.
Parashat Bereishit: The Story of Creation and the First Humans
Parashat Bereishit opens the Torah with the creation of the world, the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve's expulsion, and the story of Cain and Abel — setting the stage for all of human history.
Parashat Noach: The Flood, the Ark, and Starting Over
Parashat Noach tells the story of Noah's ark, the great flood, God's rainbow covenant, and the Tower of Babel — exploring themes of judgment, mercy, and humanity's second chance.
Parashat Lech Lecha: Abraham's Call and the Birth of a Nation
Parashat Lech Lecha follows Abraham's call to leave his homeland, his journey to Canaan, the covenant between the pieces, and the institution of circumcision — the birth of Jewish identity.
Parashat Vayera: Hospitality, Justice, and the Binding of Isaac
Parashat Vayera follows Abraham from welcoming three strangers to arguing with God over Sodom, from the miraculous birth of Isaac to the harrowing test of the Akedah — the Binding of Isaac.
Parashat Chayei Sarah: Death, Legacy, and the Next Generation
Parashat Chayei Sarah covers Sarah's death, Abraham's purchase of the Cave of Machpelah, the search for a wife for Isaac, and Abraham's death — a portion about endings, continuity, and quiet faith.
Parashat Toldot: Twins, Birthright, and the Stolen Blessing
Parashat Toldot tells the story of Jacob and Esau — twin brothers who struggle from the womb over birthright and blessing, raising timeless questions about destiny, deception, and divine favor.
Parashat Vayetze: Jacob's Ladder, Rachel, Leah, and Twenty Years in Exile
Parashat Vayetze follows Jacob from his dream of a ladder reaching heaven to his twenty turbulent years with Laban — marrying Rachel and Leah, fathering eleven sons, and finally escaping back toward home.
Parashat Vayishlach: Jacob Wrestles, Becomes Israel, and Faces Esau
Parashat Vayishlach brings Jacob face to face with his past — wrestling a mysterious figure, receiving the name Israel, reuniting with Esau, and confronting tragedy in the story of Dinah.
Parashat Vayeshev: Joseph's Dreams, the Coat, and the Pit
Parashat Vayeshev begins the Joseph saga — the favored son's dreams, his brothers' jealousy, his sale into slavery, and his imprisonment in Egypt. A story of envy, betrayal, and God working behind the scenes.
Parashat Miketz: Pharaoh's Dreams, Joseph's Rise, and the Brothers' Return
Parashat Miketz sees Joseph rise from prisoner to viceroy of Egypt by interpreting Pharaoh's dreams. When famine strikes, his brothers come to buy grain — and face the brother they sold without knowing it.
Parashat Vayigash: Judah's Plea, Joseph's Reveal, and the Family Reunited
Parashat Vayigash reaches the climax of the Joseph saga — Judah's passionate plea for Benjamin, Joseph's tearful reveal, and the entire family's descent to Egypt, setting the stage for the Exodus.
Parashat Vayechi: Jacob's Blessings and the End of Genesis
Parashat Vayechi closes the Book of Genesis as Jacob blesses his twelve sons, prophesying each tribe's future, and dies in Egypt with a request to be buried in the Promised Land.
Parashat Shemot: Slavery, Baby Moses, and the Burning Bush
Parashat Shemot opens the Book of Exodus with Israel's enslavement in Egypt, the birth and calling of Moses, the burning bush, and the confrontation with Pharaoh — the beginning of redemption.
Parashat Va'era: God's Names, Seven Plagues, and Pharaoh's Hard Heart
Parashat Va'era reveals God's name to Moses, then unleashes the first seven plagues on Egypt — blood, frogs, lice, wild beasts, pestilence, boils, and hail — as Pharaoh's heart hardens.
Parashat Bo: The Last Plagues, Passover, and the Exodus Begins
Parashat Bo brings the final three plagues — locusts, darkness, and the death of the firstborn — the institution of Passover, and the dramatic moment when Israel finally walks free from Egypt.
Parashat Beshalach: Crossing the Red Sea, Manna, and the Song of Freedom
Parashat Beshalach narrates the crossing of the Red Sea, the Song of the Sea, the miracle of manna, water from a rock, and the battle against Amalek — Israel's first steps as a free nation.
Parashat Yitro: Jethro's Wisdom and the Ten Commandments at Sinai
Parashat Yitro brings the defining moment of Jewish history — the revelation at Sinai and the giving of the Ten Commandments. But first, a non-Israelite priest teaches Moses how to lead.
Parashat Mishpatim: Civil Law, Justice, and 'We Will Do and We Will Hear'
Parashat Mishpatim moves from Sinai's thunder to the details of daily justice — laws about slavery, damages, lending, and the stranger — capped by Israel's stunning pledge: 'We will do and we will hear.'
Parashat Terumah: Building God's Dwelling Place in the Desert
Parashat Terumah details God's blueprint for the Mishkan — the portable sanctuary in the wilderness — including the Ark of the Covenant, the golden Menorah, the showbread table, and the curtains of fine linen.
Parashat Tetzaveh: The Sacred Garments and the Eternal Flame
Parashat Tetzaveh describes the priestly garments — the ephod, breastplate, robe, and turban — along with the eternal flame of the Menorah and the consecration ceremony for Aaron and his sons.
Parashat Ki Tisa: The Golden Calf and the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy
Parashat Ki Tisa contains the dramatic Golden Calf incident, Moses shattering the tablets, his plea for forgiveness, and God's revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy — the theological foundation of repentance in Judaism.
Parashat Vayakhel: The Community Builds the Mishkan Together
Parashat Vayakhel describes Moses assembling the people, reaffirming Shabbat, and the outpouring of donations for the Mishkan — so generous the people had to be told to stop. Bezalel leads the construction with divinely inspired skill.
Parashat Pekudei: The Cloud of Glory Fills the Mishkan
Parashat Pekudei provides a precise accounting of all materials used in building the Mishkan, describes the assembly of the Tabernacle, and culminates with God's cloud of glory descending to fill the completed sanctuary.
Parashat Shelach: The Spies, the Bad Report, and Forty Years in the Wilderness
Parashat Shelach tells how twelve spies scouted the Promised Land, ten returned with a terrifying report, and an entire generation was condemned to wander forty years — ending with the commandment of tzitzit.
Parashat Korach: The Rebellion, the Earth Opens, and Aaron's Blossoming Rod
Parashat Korach tells the dramatic story of Korach's rebellion against Moses and Aaron — a challenge that ends with the earth swallowing the rebels and Aaron's rod miraculously blooming to confirm his priesthood.
Parashat Vayikra: Understanding the Sacrificial Offerings
Parashat Vayikra opens the book of Leviticus with God calling to Moses from the Mishkan and teaching five categories of offerings — burnt, meal, peace, sin, and guilt — each addressing a different dimension of the relationship between humans and God.
Parashat Chukat: The Red Heifer, Miriam's Death, and Moses Strikes the Rock
Parashat Chukat contains the mysterious red heifer ritual, the deaths of Miriam and Aaron, and the fateful moment when Moses strikes the rock — costing him entry to the Promised Land.
Parashat Tzav: The Priestly Duties and Consecration of Aaron
Parashat Tzav details the priestly responsibilities for each type of offering, introduces the prohibition of eating blood and certain fats, and describes the seven-day consecration ceremony that transforms Aaron and his sons into priests.
Parashat Balak: Balaam's Donkey, Blessings Instead of Curses, and Ma Tovu
Parashat Balak tells how the Moabite king hired the prophet Balaam to curse Israel — but a talking donkey, divine intervention, and irrepressible blessings turned the plan upside down, giving us the beloved prayer Ma Tovu.
Parashat Shemini: The Eighth Day, Nadav and Avihu, and the Laws of Kashrut
Parashat Shemini describes the inaugural service of the Mishkan on the eighth day, the tragic death of Aaron's sons Nadav and Avihu for offering 'strange fire,' and the foundational laws of kashrut — which animals are kosher and which are not.
Parashat Pinchas: Zealotry, the Census, Daughters of Zelophechad, and Joshua's Appointment
Parashat Pinchas covers Pinchas's act of zealotry, a new census, the landmark legal petition of Zelophechad's daughters for inheritance rights, the holiday sacrifice calendar, and Joshua's appointment as Moses's successor.
Parashat Tazria: Childbirth, Purity, and the Mystery of Tzara'at
Parashat Tazria addresses the laws of ritual purity after childbirth and the diagnosis of tzara'at — a mysterious skin affliction that the Torah treats not as a medical condition but as a spiritual signal requiring priestly examination and isolation.
Parashat Matot: Vows, the War with Midian, and the Tribes Settling East
Parashat Matot covers the laws of vows and oaths, Israel's war of vengeance against Midian, and the controversial request of the tribes of Reuben and Gad to settle east of the Jordan River.
Parashat Metzora: The Path from Impurity to Purification
Parashat Metzora describes the elaborate purification ritual for a person healed of tzara'at — involving two birds, cedar wood, and mikveh immersion — as well as laws about afflicted houses and bodily discharges.
Parashat Acharei Mot: The Yom Kippur Service and the Scapegoat
Parashat Acharei Mot describes the Yom Kippur service in the Holy of Holies — including the scapegoat sent to Azazel — the prohibition of consuming blood, and the forbidden sexual relationships that define the Torah's moral boundaries.
Parashat Masei: The Forty-Two Journeys, Borders of the Land, and Cities of Refuge
Parashat Masei catalogs all forty-two wilderness journeys, defines the borders of the Promised Land, establishes cities of refuge for accidental killers, and resolves the inheritance of Zelophechad's daughters.
Parashat Devarim: Moses Recounts the Journey — Always Read Before Tisha B'Av
Parashat Devarim opens the Book of Deuteronomy with Moses's farewell address, reviewing Israel's wilderness journey and failures — always read on the Shabbat before Tisha B'Av as a call to self-examination.
Parashat Kedoshim: 'Be Holy' and 'Love Your Neighbor as Yourself'
Parashat Kedoshim contains the famous command 'Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy' and 'Love your neighbor as yourself' — along with dozens of ethical, ritual, and social laws that together form the Torah's holiness code.
Parashat Emor: The Priestly Code and the Complete Jewish Holiday Calendar
Parashat Emor establishes special rules for priestly conduct, then presents the complete Jewish holiday calendar — Shabbat, Passover, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot — making it the Torah's definitive guide to sacred time.
Parashat Va'etchanan: Moses Pleads, the Ten Commandments, and the Shema
Parashat Va'etchanan contains three of Judaism's most foundational texts: Moses's plea to enter the land, the repetition of the Ten Commandments, and the Shema — 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.'
Parashat Behar: The Sabbatical Year, Jubilee, and Economic Justice
Parashat Behar introduces the revolutionary economic laws of Shemitah (sabbatical year) and Yovel (Jubilee) — when the land rests, debts are released, slaves go free, and property returns to its original owners, ensuring no permanent underclass.
Parashat Eikev: Obey and Prosper — Manna, the Golden Calf, and Birkat Hamazon
Parashat Eikev promises blessings for obedience, recalls the manna and the Golden Calf, and contains the source for Birkat Hamazon — the obligation to bless God after eating.
Parashat Bechukotai: Blessings, Curses, and the Covenant's Consequences
Parashat Bechukotai concludes Leviticus with the blessings promised for obedience, the terrifying curses (tochachah) for disobedience, and laws about vows and tithes — presenting the covenant as a choice between flourishing and catastrophe.
Parashat Re'eh: Blessing and Curse, Centralized Worship, Kashrut, and Tzedakah
Parashat Re'eh presents the choice between blessing and curse, commands centralized worship in Jerusalem, details the kosher dietary laws, mandates tzedakah for the poor, and lists the pilgrimage festivals.
Parashat Bamidbar: The Census and the Camp in the Wilderness
Parashat Bamidbar opens the book of Numbers with a census of the Israelite tribes, the arrangement of the camp around the Mishkan, and the special duties of the Levites — transforming a mass of former slaves into an organized nation ready to march.
Parashat Shoftim: Justice Justice Shall You Pursue — Judges, Kings, Prophets, and War
Parashat Shoftim establishes the Torah's vision of a just society — appointing judges, limiting kings, testing prophets, designating cities of refuge, and commanding the immortal phrase: 'Justice, justice shall you pursue.'
Parashat Ki Tetze: 74 Mitzvot — Family Law, Honest Weights, and Remember Amalek
Parashat Ki Tetze contains more commandments than any other Torah portion — 74 in total — covering family law, the lost object, the bird's nest, honest weights and measures, and the obligation to remember Amalek.
Parashat Naso: The Priestly Blessing, the Nazirite, and the Sotah
Parashat Naso — the longest portion in the Torah — contains the Sotah ordeal, the Nazirite vow, and the Birkat Kohanim (Priestly Blessing): 'May the Lord bless you and keep you' — words recited over Jewish children every Friday night.
Parashat Behaalotecha: The Menorah, Complaints, and Miriam's Punishment
Parashat Behaalotecha covers the lighting of the Menorah, the second Passover for those who missed the first, the people's relentless complaints in the wilderness, the quail plague, and Miriam's punishment for speaking against Moses.
Parashat Ki Tavo: First Fruits, Blessings on Gerizim, Curses on Ebal
Parashat Ki Tavo commands the bringing of first fruits (bikkurim), the declaration of tithes, and the dramatic blessings and curses ceremony — including the terrifying tochachah that warns of exile and suffering.
Parashat Nitzavim: Standing Before God, Covenant Renewal, and Choose Life
Parashat Nitzavim presents the final covenant renewal — every Israelite standing before God, the promise of return after exile, and the immortal command: 'I have set before you life and death — choose life.' Always read before Rosh Hashanah.
Parashat Vayelech: Moses's Last Day, Joshua Takes Over, and the Torah in the Ark
Parashat Vayelech describes Moses's last day alive at age 120 — he transfers leadership to Joshua, completes writing the Torah, places it beside the Ark, and is commanded to write a final song.
Parashat Ha'azinu: Moses's Song — Heaven and Earth as Witnesses
Parashat Ha'azinu is Moses's great poetic song — calling heaven and earth as witnesses, recounting God's faithfulness and Israel's ingratitude, and ending with God's command to Moses to ascend Mount Nebo and die.
Parashat V'Zot HaBracha: Moses's Final Blessing, Death on Nebo, and Simchat Torah
Parashat V'Zot HaBracha is the Torah's final portion — Moses blesses each tribe, ascends Mount Nebo, sees the Promised Land, dies, and is buried by God. 'No prophet like Moses has arisen in Israel.' Read on Simchat Torah.