The Parasha

The parasha (plural: parashiyyot) is the name given to any of the 54 traditional divisions of the Torah for its liturgical reading in synagogues. These divisions are much older than the division into chapters found in current Bibles. The division into verses is not marked in the manuscript pentateuchs, but was known by tradition. The readings usually follow one another week after week, so that the entire Torah is read during the calendar year. However, if a major festival occurs on a Sabbath, the reading for that Sabbath is deferred in favor of a special reading for the festival. This fact, together with the fact that the length of the year in the Jewish calendar varies, means that the order is not the quite the same each year. Sometimes two successive parashiyyot are read on the same Sabbath in order to complete the readings in one year. The very last reading is read on the last day of the High Holy Days Simhhat Torah on whatever day of the week it should happen to fall. The tables offered here make it possible to ascertain the correct readings for any Jewish year.

Within the boundaries of the historic Land of Israel (which is not coextensive with the State) the festive days of the pilgrim festivals of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles are celebrated for one day rather than two. This sometimes causes a discrepancy for a brief period in what is read there and outside. Therefore these tables may not apply to communities located in the historic Land of Israel. When the readings get out of step in this manner, the diaspora communities soon double up two portions, and thereby catch up.

Most Jewish communities read through the entire Torah in the course of a year, but some non-Orthodox communities have re-instituted an ancient alternative custom of spreading the readings over a three year period. They will therefore be at variance with these tables.

The parashiyyot have associated with them readings from the historical/prophetic books, which may vary according to local custom.

There are special additional readings for the New Moon and the Hanukkah festival when they occur on the Sabbath, but they do not pre-empt the regular weekly reading. In the tables, the notation R.H. indicates Rosh Hodesh, New Moon, on those occasions when the last day of the previous month is celebrated as New Moon in addition to the first of the month. There are also four special readings around the time of the feasts of Esther and Passover which are noted in the tables and the list below. Do not forget that these tables are applicable only to communities outside the historic Land of Israel.

I dedicate this calendar to my dear departed friends Albert and Phoebe R. Pereira of Manchester, U.K. Albert loved the Jewish Calendar, and was responsible for updating the calendar information in the Gaster Prayer Book.

List of the Parashiyyot