parashim

Parashim are the sections of the Torah that are read publicly on a weekly basis in Jewish liturgy. The term is the plural of parashah, from Hebrew meaning “section” or “portion.” In English, parashim refers to the collective set of Torah portions that comprise the annual cycle of readings.

The weekly cycle, known as parashat ha-shavua, divides the five books of Moses into portions that are read from Genesis through Deuteronomy in sequence. There are traditionally 54 parashot, each named by the opening word or a prominent theme of its text. In some weeks two portions are combined and read as one, and in leap years or due to the calendar, the number of readings can vary, typically resulting in 53 or 54 readings for that year. Each parashah is generally paired with a Haftarah, a selected reading from the Prophets, which is read on Shabbat or a holiday when the Torah portion is read.

Naming convention and study practices vary by community but share common features. The parashot are central to synagogue liturgy and to Jewish Bible study, with emphasis on themes, laws, narratives, and ethical lessons. The days and times of their reading shape annual cycles of study and reflection, and the starting and ending points of each portion are often used as anchors for sermons and educational curricula.

Historically, the public reading of Torah sections evolved after the Temple period and became a standardized practice in later antiquity and the medieval era. The parashim remain a foundational element of Jewish liturgy, education, and communal life across many denominations.