parasha

Parasha, also spelled parashah, is a Hebrew term meaning “portion” or “section.” In Jewish usage, it refers to one of the weekly readings from the Torah—the five books of Moses—that are publicly read in synagogue on Shabbat and on certain holidays. Each parasha represents a distinct portion of the Torah text, and the annual cycle of readings is designed to complete the whole Torah within a year.

There are 54 named parashot, with each name usually taken from the first distinctive word in the opening verses (for example, Bereishit, Noach, Vayikra). After the reading of a parasha, a haftarah—the portion from the Prophets—is traditionally read as a connected or thematically linked segment. In many years, two adjacent parashot are combined into a single, longer reading known as a double portion. The calendar may result in 53 or 54 weekly readings depending on how parashot are arranged and whether double portions are used.

Traditions differ among communities in how they divide and name the parashot, most notably between Ashkenazi and Sephardi practices. Despite these variations, the concept of a weekly parasha remains central to Jewish liturgy and study, with ongoing use in synagogue services, study circles, and personal learning. In modern Hebrew, parasha can also refer more generally to any textual portion, and the phrase parashat haShavua or “weekly portion” is commonly used to designate the Torah portion of the week.