1

PUBLIC TORAH READINGS

Overview The Torah is read in installments as part of the synagogue service every Shabbat morning. For this purpose, it is divided into 54 named portions that are read in sequence over the course of a year, usually one portion per week. This schedule of regular weekly readings may be called a lectionary. Portions 1 to 53 of the lectionary are read over the common Saturdays of the reading cycle. When a Saturday coincides with a major festival, that Saturday is a festival Shabbat, not a common Shabbat. This includes a Saturday that occurs during Chol Hamoed. On a festival Shabbat, the regular lectionary is suspended and instead there is a special reading relevant to that festival. That reading may be from a part of the Torah quite remote from the current position in the regular lectionary. On the first common Shabbat after the festival, the regular lectionary is resumed from where it was interrupted by the festival. There are two to five festival Shabbatot in a year, depending on the year type (i.e. the combination of year length and the weekday on which the year commences). There are fourteen possible year types, seven for common years and seven for leap years. The lectionary has fourteen different forms (which may be called fixture lists), one for each year type. They vary according to how the Saturdays of the year fall vis-à-vis the calendar dates and the festivals.

Depending on the year type, there are 50 or 51 Saturdays in a common year, of which two, three or four are festival Shabbatot, and in a leap year there are 54 or 55 Saturdays, of which three, four or five are festival Shabbatot. No year has fewer than 47 or more than 52 common Shabbatot. To fit all of portions 1 to 53 into the common Saturdays of the year, in certain weeks, two consecutive portions are read together on one Shabbat. In all, there are seven potential pairs of portions whose elements are candidates for being combined. In any given fixture list, some, none or all of them of them will actually be combined. No portions other than the elements of those seven potential pairs are ever combined.

The yearly reading cycle always begins on the last Saturday of Tishrei (the first month), which is the fourth or fifth Saturday of the year. That Shabbat is the first common Shabbat following the festival of Sh'mini Atzeret. On that festival, portion 54, V

ezot Hab

eracha is read (on Tishrei 22 in Israel, Tishrei 23 in the diaspora).

That is the only one of the 54 Torah portions that is not read on a common Shabbat. It is reserved for that festival, which thereby becomes the occasion for celebrating the completion of the annual reading cycle. That celebration is called Simchat Torah. The cycle then commences anew with the first portion, B

ereshit,

being read on the Shabbat following that festival.

In years when Nisan 22 or Sivan 7 falls on Shabbat, the Israeli and diaspora Torah readings are out of step with one another for some weeks, for the reason explained below. In the tables below, the portions for those weeks are shown in red. The arrangements of those portions shown in these tables are for the diaspora. (See the footnote about this below the tables.)

Tables Four tables below show the different arrangements of the Torah portions for:

the seven possible year-calendars for common-years:

Part 1: for Saturdays 1 – 24 and Part 2: for Saturdays 25 – 51

and the seven possible year-calendars for leap years:

Part 1: for Saturdays 1 – 24 and Part 2: for Saturdays 25 – 55

In addition to the 54 Torah portions forming the regular lectionary, on certain special Shabbatot, a small, supplementary Torah reading is read after the portion from the regular lectionary. In the tables below, they are shown highlighted in green.

This applies to the Shabbat (or, in some years, the two Shabbatot) that occur(s) during the eight days of Hanukah, and whenever a Rosh Chodesh (New Moon festival) falls on Shabbat. These are only minor festivals so the coinciding Shabbat is classed as a common (not a festival) Shabbat. The festival does not supplant the regular Torah portion; it is marked by the addition of the supplementary reading.

This also applies to four Shabbatot that occur on or near certain dates during the five-week period ending on Nisan 1. Unlike the ones mentioned above, these are not festivals at all, and to distinguish them from the others, their names are enclosed in parentheses in the following tables. These four portions relate to special observances that are historically relevant to that time of the year.

2

Arrangement of Torah Portions for the Seven Common-Year Types (Part 1: Saturdays 1 to 24)

Year: 5781 5767 5785 5772 5766 5780 5773

Sat

#

Year Type

7, 353, 2 7, 355, 4 5, 355, 2 5, 354, 1 3, 354, 6 2, 355, 6 2, 353, 4

# Sats 47 + 4 = 51 47 + 4 = 51 48 + 3 = 51 47 + 4 = 51 47 + 3 = 50 47 + 3 = 50 48 + 2 = 50

Tis

hre

i

1 Rosh 1 Hashanah

Rosh 1 Hashanah

Haazinu 3 (shuva)

Haazinu 3 (shuva)

Vayelekh 5 (shuva)

Vayelekh 6 (shuva)

Vayelekh 6 (shuva)

1

2 Haazinu (shuva)

Haazinu (shuva)

Yom Kippur Yom Kippur Haazinu Haazinu Haazinu 2

3 Sukkot 1 Sukkot 1 Sukkot 3 Sukkot 3 Sukkot 5 Sukkot 6 Sukkot 6 3

4 Sh'mini Atzeret Sh'mini Atzeret Bereshit B

ereshit B

ereshit B

ereshit B

ereshit 4

5 Bereshit 29 B

ereshit 29 Noach 1 Noach 1 Noach 3 Noach 4 Noach 4 5

He

sh

va

n 6 Noach 6 Noach 6 Lekh L

ekha Lekh L

ekha Lekh L

ekha Lekh L

ekha Lekh L

ekha 6

7 Lekh Lekha Lekh L

ekha Vayera Vayera Vayera Vayera Vayera 7

8 Vayera Vayera Chayei Sarah Chayei Sarah Chayei Sarah Chayei Sarah Chayei Sarah 8

9 Chayei Sarah Chayei Sarah Toldot 29 Toldot 29 Toldot 2 Toldot 2 Toldot 3 9

Kis

lev

10 Toldot 5 Toldot 4 Vayetze 6 Vayetze 7 Vayetze Vayetze Vayetze 10

11 Vayetze Vayetze Vayishlach Vayishlach Vayishlach Vayishlach Vayishlach 11

12 Vayishlach Vayishlach Vayeshev Vayeshev Vayeshev Vayeshev Vayeshev 12

13 Vayeshev Hanukah 2

Vayeshev Hanukah 1

Miqetz Hanukah 3

Miqetz Hanukah 4

Miqetz 30 Hanukah 6

Miqetz 30 Hanukah 6

Miqetz 2 Hanukah 7

13

Te

ve

t

14 Miqetz 4 Miqetz 2 Hanukah 8

Vayigash 4 Vayigash 5 Vayigash 7 Vayigash 7 Vayigash 14

15 Vayigash Vayigash Vayechi Vay

echi Vay

echi Vay

echi Vay

echi 15

16 Vayechi Vay

echi Sh

emot Sh

emot Sh

emot Sh

emot Sh

emot 16

17 Shemot Sh

emot Vaera Vaera Vaera Vaera Vaera 1 17

Sh

eva

t

18 Vaera 3 Vaera 1 Bo 3 Bo 4 Bo 6 Bo 6 Bo 18

19 Bo Bo Beshalach B

eshalach B

eshalach B

eshalach B

eshalach 19

20 Beshalach B

eshalach Yitro Yitro Yitro Yitro Yitro 20

21 Yitro Yitro Mishpatim Mishpatim (Sh

eqalim)

Mishpatim (Sh

eqalim)

Mishpatim (Sh

eqalim)

Mishpatim 29 (Sh

eqalim)

21

Ad

ar

22 Mishpatim (Sh

eqalim) 1

Mishpatim 29 (Sh

eqalim)

Terumah 1

(Sheqalim)

Terumah 2 T

erumah 4 T

erumah 4 T

erumah 6 22

23 T

erumah

(Zachor) T

erumah 6

Tetzaveh

(Zachor) T

etzaveh

(Zachor) T

etzaveh

(Zachor) T

etzaveh

(Zachor) T

etzaveh

(Zachor) 23

24 Tetzaveh

Tetzaveh

(Zachor) Ki Tisa Ki Tisa

Ki Tisa (Parah)

Ki Tisa (Parah)

Ki Tisa (Parah)

24

Notes: Part 2

Year numbers in header row 1 are examples of the year type given immediately below.

The year type in header row 2 is given as: w1, L, w2, where:

w1 = the Weekday on which the year begins (2, 3, 5 or 7 for Mon, Tues, Thu, or Sat),

L = the year Length (354 days plus or minus zero or 1 day),

w2 = the Weekday on which the year ends (and of the second day of Pesach).

(w2 is redundant to specifying the year-type. It is included to enable relationships to be discerned between this datum and the distribution of the readings.)

The third header row gives the number of common Shabbatot in the year (on which the weekly Torah portions are read) plus the number of festival Shabbatot. Their sum is the total number of Saturdays in the year. The Saturdays of the year are numbered sequentially at the two ends of each Saturday row.

The day-of-month is shown at the top right of the cell for the first Shabbat of each month and for a Shabbat that falls on the 29th or 30th of a month. The 30th is the first day of a two-day Rosh Chodesh and on the 29th a special haftarah is read. Rosh Chodesh dates are highlighted in green.

Yellow cell-shading indicates festival Shabbatot. Green text highlighting indicates a special supplementary Torah reading that is read after the weekly Torah portion. Where green highlighting is used for a day-of-month number (1 or 30), it means that day is celebrated as Rosh Chodesh.

3

Arrangement of Torah Portions for the Seven Leap-Year Types (Part 1: Saturdays 1 to 24)

Year 5784 5787 5771 5765 5782 5776 5790

Sat

#

Year Type

7, 383, 4 7, 385, 6 5, 385, 4 5, 383, 2 3, 384, 1 2, 385, 1 2, 383, 6

# Sats 51 + 4 = 55 50 + 5 = 55 52 + 3 = 55 52 + 3 = 55 52 + 3 = 55 52 + 3 = 55 51 + 3 = 54

Tis

hre

i

1 Rosh 1 Hashanah

Rosh 1 Hashanah

Haazinu 3 (shuva)

Haazinu 3 (shuva)

Vayelekh 5 (shuva)

Vayelekh 6 (shuva)

Vayelekh 6 (shuva)

1

2 Haazinu (shuva)

Haazinu (shuva)

Yom Kippur Yom Kippur Haazinu Haazinu Haazinu 2

3 Sukkot 1 Sukkot 1 Sukkot 3 Sukkot 3 Sukkot 5 Sukkot 6 Sukkot 6 3

4 Sh'mini Atzeret Sh'mini Atzeret Bereshit B

ereshit B

ereshit B

ereshit B

ereshit 4

5 Bereshit 29 B

ereshit 29 Noach 1 Noach 1 Noach 3 Noach 4 Noach 4 5

He

sh

va

n 6 Noach 6 Noach 6 Lekh L

ekha Lekh L

ekha Lekh L

ekha Lekh L

ekha Lekh L

ekha 6

7 Lekh Lekha Lekh L

ekha Vayera Vay

era Vayera Vayera Vayera 7

8 Vayera Vayera Chayei Sarah Chayei Sarah Chayei Sarah Chayei Sarah Chayei Sarah 8

9 Chayei Sarah Chayei Sarah Toldot 29 Toldot 29 Toldot 2 Toldot 2 Toldot 3 9

Kis

lev

10 Toldot 5 Toldot 4 Vayetze 6 Vayetze 7 Vayetze Vayetze Vayetze 10

11 Vayetze Vayetze Vayishlach Vayishlach Vayishlach Vayishlach Vayishlach 11

12 Vayishlach Vayishlach Vayeshev Vayeshev Vayeshev Vayeshev Vayeshev 12

13 Vayeshev Hanukah 2

Vayeshev Hanukah 1

Miqetz Hanukah 3

Miqetz Hanukah 4

Miqetz 30 Hanukah 6

Miqetz 30 Hanukah 6

Miqetz 2 Hanukah 7

13

Te

ve

t

14 Miqetz 4 Miqetz 2 Hanukah 8

Vayigash 4 Vayigash 6 Vayigash 7 Vayigash 7 Vayigash 14

15 Vayigash Vayigash Vayechi Vay

echi Vay

echi Vay

echi Vay

echi 15

16 Vayechi Vay

echi Sh

emot Sh

emot Sh

emot Sh

emot Sh

emot 16

17 Shemot Sh

emot Vaera Vaera Vaera Vaera Vaera 1 17

Sh

eva

t

18 Vaera 3 Vaera 1 Bo 3 Bo 5 Bo 6 Bo 6 Bo 18

19 Bo Bo Beshalach B

eshalach B

eshalach B

eshalach B

eshalach 19

20 Beshalach B

eshalach Yitro Yitro Yitro Yitro Yitro 20

21 Yitro Yitro Mishpatim Mishpatim Mishpatim Mishpatim Mishpatim 29 21

Ad

ar

1 22 Mishpatim 1 Mishpatim 29 T

erumah 1 T

erumah 3 T

erumah 4 T

erumah 4 T

erumah 6 22

23 Terumah T

erumah 6 T

etzaveh T

etzaveh T

etzaveh T

etzaveh T

etzaveh 23

24 Tetzaveh T

etzaveh Ki Tisa Ki Tisa Ki Tisa Ki Tisa Ki Tisa 24

Notes: Part 2

Year numbers in header row 1 are examples of the year type given immediately below.

The year type in header row 2 is given as: w1, L, w2, where:

w1 = the Weekday on which the year begins (2, 3, 5 or 7 for Mon, Tues, Thu, or Sat)

L = the year Length (384 days plus or minus zero or 1 day)

w2 = the Weekday on which the year ends (and of the second day of Pesach)

(w2 is redundant to specifying the year-type. It is included to enable relationships to be discerned between this datum and the distribution of the readings.)

The third header row gives the number of common Shabbatot in the year (on which the weekly Torah portions are read) plus the number of festival Shabbatot. Their sum is the total number of Saturdays in the year. The Saturdays of the year are numbered sequentially at the two ends of each Saturday row.

The day-of-month is shown at the top right of the cell for the first Shabbat of each month and for a Shabbat that falls on the 29th or 30th of a month. The 30th is the first day of a two-day Rosh Chodesh and on the 29th a special haftarah is read. Rosh Chodesh dates are highlighted in green.

Yellow cell-shading indicates festival Shabbatot. Green text highlighting indicates a special supplementary Torah reading that is read after the weekly Torah portion. Where green highlighting is used for a day-of-month number (1 or 30), it means that day is celebrated as Rosh Chodesh.

4

Arrangement of Torah Portions for the Seven Common-Year Types (part 2: Saturdays 25 to 51)

Year: 5781 5767 5785 5772 5766 5780 5773

Sat

#

Year Type

7, 353, 2 7, 355, 4 5, 355, 2 5, 354, 1 3, 354, 6 2, 355, 6 2, 353, 4

# Sats 47 + 4 = 51 47 + 4 = 51 48 + 3 = 51 47 + 4 = 51 47 + 3 = 50 47 + 3 = 50 48 + 2 = 50

Ad

ar

25 Ki Tisa (Parah)

Ki Tisa (Parah)

Vayaqhel (Parah)

Vayaqhel + P

equdei

(Parah)

Vayaqhel + P

equdei

(Hachodesh)

Vayaqhel + P

equdei

(Hachodesh)

Vayaqhel + P

equdei

(Hachodesh) 25

26 Vayaqhel + P

equdei 29

(Hachodesh)

Vayaqhel + P

equdei

(Hachodesh)

Pequdei 29

(Hachodesh) Vayiqra 1 (Hachodesh)

Vayiqra 3 Vayiqra 3 Vayiqra 5 26

Nis

an

27 Vayiqra 7 Vayiqra 5 Vayiqra 7 Tzav (Hagadol)

Tzav (Hagadol)

Tzav (Hagadol)

Tzav (Hagadol)

27

28 Tzav (Hagadol)

Tzav (Hagadol)

Tzav (Hagadol)

Pesach 1 Pesach 3 Pesach 3 Pesach 5 28

29 Pesach 7 Pesach 5 Pesach 7 Pesach 8 Shemini Sh

emini Sh

emini 29

30 Shemini Sh

emini Sh

emini Sh

emini 29

Tazria + 1 M

etzora

Tazria + 1 M

etzora

Tazria + 3 M

etzora

30

Iya

r

31 Tazria + 5 M

etzora

Tazria + 3 M

etzora

Tazria + 5 M

etzora

Tazria + 6 M

etzora

Acharei Mot + K

edoshim

Acharei Mot + K

edoshim

Acharei Mot + K

edoshim

31

32 Acharei Mot + K

edoshim

Acharei Mot + K

edoshim

Acharei Mot + K

edoshim

Acharei Mot + K

edoshim

Emor Emor Emor 32

33 Emor Emor Emor Emor B

ehar +

Bechukotai

Behar +

Bechukotai

Behar +

Bechukotai

33

34 B

ehar +

Bechukotai

Behar +

Bechukotai

Behar +

Bechukotai

Behar +

Bechukotai

Bamidbar 29 Bamidbar 29 Bamidbar 2 34

Siv

an

35 Bamidbar 4 Bamidbar 2 Bamidbar 4 Bamidbar 5 Shavuot 2 7 Shavuot 2 7 Naso 35

36 Naso Naso Naso Naso Naso Naso Behaalot'cha 36

37 Behaalot'cha B

ehaalot'cha B

ehaalot'cha B

ehaalot'cha B

ehaalot'cha B

ehaalot'cha Sh

elach 37

38 Shelach Sh

elach Sh

elach Sh

elach Sh

elach Sh

elach Qorach 30 38

Ta

muz

39 Qorach 2 Qorach 30 Qorach 2 Qorach 3 Qorach 5 Qorach 5 Chukat 7 39

40 Chukat Chukat 7 Chukat Chukat Chukat + Balaq

Chukat + Balaq

Balaq 40

41 Balaq Balaq Balaq Balaq Pinchas Pinchas Pinchas 41

42 Pinchas Pinchas Pinchas Pinchas Matot + Mas'ei

Matot + Mas'ei

Matot + Mas'ei

42

Av

43 Matot + 1 Mas'ei

Matot + Mas'ei

Matot + 1 Mas'ei

Matot + 2 Mas'ei

Devarim 4 D

evarim 4 D

evarim 6 43

44 Devarim D

evarim 6 D

evarim D

evarim Vaetchanan Vaetchanan Vaetchanan 44

45 Vaetchanan Vaetchanan Vaetchanan Vaetchanan Eqev Eqev Eqev 45

46 Eqev Eqev Eqev Eqev Re'eh R

e'eh R

e'eh 46

47 Re'eh 29 R

e'eh R

e'eh 29 R

e'eh 30 Shof'tim 2 Shof'tim 2 Shof'tim 4 47

Elu

l

48 Shof'tim 6 Shof'tim 4 Shof'tim 6 Shof'tim 7 Ki Tetze Ki Tetze Ki Tetze 48

49 Ki Tetze Ki Tetze Ki Tetze Ki Tetze Ki Tavo Ki Tavo Ki Tavo 49

50 Ki Tavo Ki Tavo Ki Tavo Ki Tavo Nitzavim + Vayelekh

Nitzavim + Vayelekh

Nitzavim + Vayelekh

50

51 Nitzavim Nitzavim + Vayelekh

Nitzavim Nitzavim

Note: Part 1

Portions shown in red: The arrangement shown here is for the diaspora. In Israel, where Pesach and Shavuot only last for 7 days and 1 day, respectively, these portions are read one week earlier in the calendar until the pair of portions at the end of the section shown in red. In Israel, those two portions are read separately, over two weeks, after which the Israeli and diaspora distributions resync. For explanation of other table items, see notes to part 1.

5

Arrangement of Torah Portions for the Seven Leap-Year Types (Part 2: Saturdays 25 to 55)

Year: 5784 5787 5771 5765 5782 5776 5790

Sat

#

Year Type

7, 383, 4 7, 385, 6 5, 385, 4 5, 383, 2 3, 384, 1 2, 385, 1 2, 383, 6

# Sats 51 + 4 = 55 50 + 5 = 55 52 + 3 = 55 52 + 3 = 55 52 + 3 = 55 52 + 3 = 55 51 + 3 = 54

Ad

ar

1

25 Ki Tisa Ki Tisa Vayaqhel Vayaqhel Vayaqhel (Sh

eqalim)

Vayaqhel (Sh

eqalim)

Vayaqhel (Sh

eqalim)

25

26 Vayaqhel 29 (Sh

eqalim)

Vayaqhel (Sh

eqalim)

Pequdei 29

(Sheqalim)

Pequdei 1

(Sheqalim)

Pequdei 2 P

equdei 2 P

equdei 4 26

Ad

ar

2

27 Pequdei 6 P

equdei 4 Vayiqra 6

Vayiqra

(Zachor)

Vayiqra

(Zachor)

Vayiqra

(Zachor)

Vayiqra

(Zachor) 27

28 Vayiqra (Zachor)

Vayiqra (Zachor)

Tzav (Zachor)

Tzav Tzav Tzav Tzav (Parah)

28

29 Tzav (Parah)

Tzav (Parah)

Shemini

(Parah) Sh

emini

(Parah) Sh

emini

(Parah) Sh

emini

(Parah) Sh

emini

(Hachodesh) 29

30 Sh

emini

(Hachodesh) Sh

emini

(Hachodesh) Tazria (Hachodesh)

Tazria 29 (Hachodesh)

Tazria 1 (Hachodesh)

Tazria 1 (Hachodesh)

Tazria 3 30

Nis

an

31 Tazria 5 Tazria 3 Metzora 5 M

etzora 7

Metzora

(Hagadol) M

etzora

(Hagadol) M

etzora

(Hagadol) 31

32 M

etzora

(Hagadol) M

etzora

(Hagadol) Acharei Mot (Hagadol)

Acharei Mot (Hagadol)

Pesach 1 Pesach 1 Pesach 3 32

33 Pesach 5 Pesach 3 Pesach 5 Pesach 7 Pesach 8 Pesach 8 Acharei Mot 33

34 Acharei Mot Acharei Mot Kedoshim K

edoshim Acharei Mot 29 Acharei Mot 29 K

edoshim 1 34

Iya

r

35 Kedoshim 3 K

edoshim 1 Emor 3 Emor 5 K

edoshim 6 K

edoshim 6 Emor 35

36 Emor Emor Behar B

ehar Emor Emor B

ehar 36

37 Behar B

ehar B

echukotai B

echukotai B

ehar B

ehar B

echukotai 37

38 Bechukotai B

echukotai Bamidbar Bamidbar B

echukotai B

echukotai Bamidbar 29 38

Siv

an

39 Bamidbar 2 Bamidbar 29 Naso 2 Naso 4 Bamidbar 5 Bamidbar 5 Shavuot 2 7 39

40 Naso Shavuot 2 7 Behaalot'cha B

ehaalot'cha Naso Naso Naso 40

41 Behaalot'cha Naso Sh

elach Sh

elach B

ehaalot'cha B

ehaalot'cha B

ehaalot'cha 41

42 Shelach B

ehaalot'cha Qorach Qorach Sh

elach Sh

elach Sh

elach 42

43 Qorach 30 Shelach Chukat 30 Chukat 2 Qorach 3 Qorach 3 Qorach 5 43

Ta

muz

44 Chukat 7 Qorach 5 Balaq 7 Balaq Chukat Chukat Chukat + Balaq

44

45 Balaq Chukat + Balaq

Pinchas Pinchas Balaq Balaq Pinchas 45

46 Pinchas Pinchas Matot Matot Pinchas Pinchas Matot + Mas'ei

46

47 Matot + Mas'ei

Matot + Mas'ei

Mas'ei Mas'ei 1 Matot + 2 Mas'ei

Matot + 2 Mas'ei

Devarim 4 47

Av

48 Devarim 6 D

evarim 4 D

evarim 6 D

evarim D

evarim D

evarim Vaetchanan 48

49 Vaetchanan Vaetchanan Vaetchanan Vaetchanan Vaetchanan Vaetchanan Eqev 49

50 Eqev Eqev Eqev Eqev Eqev Eqev Re'eh 50

51 Re'eh R

e'eh R

e'eh R

e'eh 29 R

e'eh 30 R

e'eh 30 Shof'tim 2 51

Elu

l

52 Shof'tim 4 Shof'tim 2 Shof'tim 4 Shof'tim 6 Shof'tim 7 Shof'tim 7 Ki Tetze 52

53 Ki Tetze Ki Tetze Ki Tetze Ki Tetze Ki Tetze Ki Tetze Ki Tavo 53

54 Ki Tavo Ki Tavo Ki Tavo Ki Tavo Ki Tavo Ki Tavo Nitzavim + Vayelekh

54

55 Nitzavim + Vayelekh

Nitzavim + Vayelekh

Nitzavim + Vayelekh

Nitzavim Nitzavim Nitzavim

Note: Part 1

Portions shown in red: The arrangement shown here is for the diaspora. In Israel, where Pesach and Shavuot only last for 7 days and 1 day, respectively, these portions are read one week earlier in the calendar until the pair of portions at the end of the section shown in red. In Israel, those two portions are read separately, over two weeks, after which the Israeli and diaspora distributions resync. For explanation of other table items, see notes to part 1.

6

TORAH PORTIONS COMPRISING THE LECTIONARY OF THE ANNUAL READING CYCLE Haftarot in parentheses (also shown in red) are the readings according to Sephardic custom

where they differ from the Ashkenazic custom.

Book 1 Bereshit (Genesis)

Portion Torah Reference Haftarah

1 Bereshit Genesis 1:1 – 6:8 Isaiah 42:5 – 43:10 (Isaiah 42: 5–21)

2 Noach Genesis 6:9 – 11:32 Isaiah 54:1 – 55:5 (Isaiah 54: 1–10)

3 Lekh Lekha Genesis 12:1 – 17:27 Isaiah 40:27 – 41:16

4 Vayera Genesis 18:1 – 22:24 2 Kings 4: 1–37 (2 Kings 4: 1–23)

5 Chayei Sarah Genesis 23:1 – 25:18 1 Kings 1: 1–31

6 Toldot Genesis 25:19 – 28:9 Malachi 1: 1–2:7

7 Vayetze Genesis 28:10 – 32:3 Hosea 12:13 – 14:10 (Hosea 11:7 – 12:12)

8 Vayishlach Genesis 32:4 – 36:43 Hosea 11:7 – 12:12 (Obadiah 1: 1–21)

9 Vayeshev Genesis 37:1 – 40:23 Amos 2: 6–3:8

10 Miqetz Genesis 41:1 – 44:17 1 Kings 3:15 – 4:1

11 Vayigash Genesis 44:18 – 47:27 Ezekiel 37: 15–28

12 Vayechi Genesis 47:28 – 50:26 1 Kings 2: 1–12

Book 2 Shemot (Exodus)

Portion Torah Reference Haftarah

13 Shemot Exodus 1:1 – 6:1 Isaiah 27:6 – 28:13; 29: 22–23 (Jeremiah 1:1 – 2:3)

14 Vaera Exodus 6:2 – 9:35 Ezekiel 28:25 – 29:21

15 Bo Exodus 10:1 – 13:16 Jeremiah 46: 13–28

16 Beshalach Exodus 13:17 – 17:16 Judges 4:4 – 5:31 (Judges 5: 1–31)

17 Yitro Exodus 18:1 – 20:23 Isaiah 6:1 – 7:6; 9: 5–6 (Isaiah 6: 1–13)

18 Mishpatim Exodus 21:1 – 24:18 Jeremiah 34: 8–22; 33: 25–26

19 Terumah Exodus 25:1 – 27:19 1 Kings 5:26 – 6:13

20 Tetzaveh Exodus 27:20 – 30:10 Ezekiel 43: 10–27

21 Ki Tisa Exodus 30:11 – 34:35 1 Kings 18: 1–39 (1 Kings 18: 20–39)

22 Vayaqhel Exodus 35:1 – 38:20 1 Kings 7: 40–50 (1 Kings 7: 13–26)

23 Pequdei Exodus 38:21 – 40:38 1 Kings 7:51 – 8:21 (1 Kings 7: 40–50)

Book 3 Vayiqra (Leviticus)

Portion Torah Reference Haftarah

24 Vayiqra Leviticus 1:1 – 5:26 Isaiah 43:21 – 44:23

25 Tzav Leviticus 6:1 – 8:36 Jeremiah 7:21 – 8:3; 9: 22–23

26 Shemini Leviticus 9:1 – 11:47 2 Samuel 6:1 – 7:17 (2 Samuel 6: 1–19)

27 Tazria Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59 2 Kings 4:42 – 5:19:

28 Metzora Leviticus 14:1 – 15:33 2 Kings 7: 3–20

29 Acharei Mot Leviticus 16:1 – 18:30 Ezekiel 22: 1–16

30 Qedoshim Leviticus 19:1 – 20:27 Amos 9: 7–15 (Ezekiel 20: 2–20)

31 Emor Leviticus 21:1 – 24:23 Ezekiel 44: 15–31

32 Behar Leviticus 25:1 – 26:2 Jeremiah 32: 6–27

33 Bechuqotai Leviticus 26:3 – 27:34 Jeremiah 16:19 – 17:14

7

Book 4 Bamidbar (Numbers)

Portion Torah Reference Haftarah

34 Bamidbar Numbers 1:1 – 4:20 Hosea 2: 1–22

35 Naso Numbers 4:21 – 7:89 Judges 13: 2–25

36 Behaalot'kha Numbers 8:1 – 12:16 Zechariah 2:14 – 4:7

37 Shelach Numbers 13:1 – 15:41 Joshua 2: 1–24

38 Qorach Numbers 16:1 – 18:32 1 Samuel 11:14 – 12:22

39 Chuqat Numbers 19:1 – 22:1 Judges 11: 1–33

40 Balaq Numbers 22:2 – 25:9 Micah 5:6 – 6:8

41 Pinchas Numbers 25:10 – 30:1 1 Kings 18:46 – 19:21

42 Matot Numbers 30:2 – 32:42 Jeremiah 1:1 – 2:3

43 Mas'ei Numbers 33:1 – 36:13 Jeremiah 2: 4–28; 3:4 (Jeremiah 2: 4–28; 4: 1–2)

Book 5 Devarim (Deuteronomy)

Portion Torah Reference Haftarah

44 Devarim Deuteronomy 1:1 – 3:22 Isaiah 1: 1–27

45 Vaetchanan Deuteronomy 3:23 – 7:11 Isaiah 40: 1–26

46 Eqev Deuteronomy 7:12 – 11:25 Isaiah 49:14 – 51:3

47 Re'eh Deuteronomy 11:26 – 16:17 Isaiah 54:11 – 55:5

48 Shof'tim Deuteronomy 16:18 – 21:9 Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12

49 Ki Tetze Deuteronomy 21:10 – 25:19 Isaiah 54: 1–10

50 Ki Tavo Deuteronomy 26:1 – 29:8 Isaiah 60: 1–22

51 Nitzavim Deuteronomy 29:9 – 30:20 Isaiah 61:10 – 63:9

52 Vayelekh Deuteronomy 31:1 – 31:30 Hosea 14: 2–10; Joel 2: 15–27 (Hosea 14: 2–10; Micah 7: 18–20)

53 Haazinu Deuteronomy 32:1 – 32:52 2 Samuel 22: 1–51

54 Vezot Haberakhah Deuteronomy 33:1 – 34:12 Joshua 1: 1–18 (Joshua 1: 1–9)

SUPPLEMENTARY TORAH READINGS FOR SPECIAL (NON-FESTIVAL) SATURDAYS AND SPECIAL HAFTAROT

Haftarot in parentheses (also shown in red) are the readings according to Sephardic custom where they differ from the Ashkenazic custom.

Reading Torah Reference Haftarah

Shabbat Shuvah none Hosea 14: 2–10; Joel 2: 15–27 (Hosea 14: 2–10; Micah 7: 18–20)

Hanukah, First Shabbat. (On day 6 (Kislev 30th), this is read after the reading for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh.)

For day 1: Numbers 7: 1–17 For day n (where n = 2 to 7): Six verses from Numbers 7, beginning with verse 6(n+1)

Zechariah 2:14 – 4:7

Hanukah, Second Shabbat Numbers 7:54 – 8:4 1 Kings 7: 40–50

Sheqalim Exodus 30: 11–16 2 Kings 12: 1–17 (2 Kings 11:17 – 12:17)

Zakhor Deuteronomy 25: 17–19 1 Samuel 15: 2–34 (1 Samuel 15: 1–34)

Parah Numbers 19: 1–22 Ezekiel 36: 16–38 (Ezekiel 36: 16–36)

Hachodesh Exodus 12: 1–20 Ezekiel 45:16 – 46:18 (Ezekiel 45:18 – 46:15)

Shabbat Hagadol none Malachi 3: 4–24

Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh on a Sunday

none 1 Samuel 20: 18–42

Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Numbers 28: 9–15 Isaiah 66: 1–24

8

TORAH READINGS FOR FESTIVALS AND OTHER SPECIAL DAYS

Torah references in red are the maftir (final call up) reading.

Haftarot in parentheses (also shown in red) are the readings according to Sephardic custom where they differ from the Ashkenazic custom.

Festival Readings

Reading Torah Reference Haftarah

Rosh Hashanah, Day 1 (5 call ups, 7 on Shabbat)

Genesis 21: 1–34: Numbers 29: 1–6

1 Samuel 1:1 – 2:10

Rosh Hashanah, Day 2 (5 call ups)

Genesis 22: 1–24: Numbers 29: 1–6

Jeremiah 31: 2–20

Yom Kippur, Morning (6 call ups, 7 on Shabbat)

Leviticus 16: 1–34: Numbers 29: 7–11

Isaiah 57:14 – 58:14

Yom Kippur, Afternoon (3 call ups)

Leviticus 18: 1–30 Jonah 1:1 – 4:11; Micah 7: 18–20

Sukkot, Day 1 (5 call ups, 7 on Shabbat)

Leviticus 22:26 – 23:44: Numbers 29: 12–16

Zechariah 14: 1–21

Sukkot, Day 2 (diaspora) (5 call ups)

Leviticus 22:26 – 23:44: Numbers 29: 12–16

1 Kings 8: 2–21

Sukkot, Shabbat Chol Hamoed (7 call ups)

Exodus 33:12 – 34:26 Reading for Sukkot day n

Ezekiel 38:18 – 39:16

Sh'mini Atzeret (diaspora) (Israeli reading: as in next row) (5 call ups, 7 on Shabbat)

Deuteronomy 14:22 – 16:17: Numbers 29:35 – 30:1

1 Kings 8:54 – 9:1

Simchat Torah (diaspora) (5 call ups)

Deuteronomy 33:1 – 34:12: + Genesis 1:1 – 2:3: Numbers 29: 35–30:1

Joshua 1: 1–18 (Joshua 1: 1–9)

Pesach, Day 1 (5 call ups, 7 on Shabbat)

Exodus 12: 21–51: Numbers 28: 16–25

Joshua 5:2 – 6:1 (Joshua 5:2 – 6:1; 6:27)

Pesach, Day 2 (5 call ups, 7 on Shabbat)

Leviticus 22:26 – 23:44: Numbers 28: 16–25

2 Kings 23: 1–9; 23: 21–25

Pesach, Shabbat Chol Hamoed (7 call ups)

Exodus 33:12 – 34:26: Numbers 28: 19–25

Ezekiel 37: 1–14

Pesach, Day 7 (5 call ups, 7 on Shabbat)

Exodus 13:17 – 15:26: Numbers 28: 19–25

2 Samuel 22: 1–51

Pesach, Day 8 (diaspora only) (5 call ups, 7 on Shabbat)

Deuteronomy 15:19 – 16:17: Numbers 28: 19–25

Isaiah 10:32 – 12:6

Shavuot, Day 1 (5 call ups)

Exodus 19:1 – 20:23: Numbers 28: 26–31

Ezekiel 1: 1–28; 3:12

Shavuot, Day 2 (diaspora only) (5 call ups, 7 on Shabbat)

Deuteronomy 15:19 – 16:17: Numbers 28: 26–31

Habakkuk 3: 1–19 (Habakkuk 2:20 – 3:19)

Readings for the days of Chol Hamoed of Pesach and Sukkot that do not fall on Shabbat There are four call ups: a), b), c), d)

Torah Reading Israel Diaspora

Sukkot, day n (where n = 2 to 7 for Israel, 3 to 7 for diaspora)

a) Three verses from Numbers 29, beginning with verse 3(n+1) + 8.

b, c, d) Same as for a.

a–c) Israeli reading for days n−1, n, and n+1 (Day 7, same as day 6)

d) Israeli reading for days n−1 & n

Pesach, day 2 (Israel only) a–c) Leviticus 22:26 – 23:44

d) Numbers 28: 19–25

Reading for d is same for all remaining days of Pesach

if Pesach commenced on:

Saturday, Sunday or Tuesday Thursday

Pesach, day 3 a–c) Exodus 13: 1–16 a–c) Exodus 34: 1–26

Pesach, day 4 a–c) Exodus 22:24 – 23:19 a–c) Exodus 13: 1–16

Pesach, day 5 a–c) Exodus 34: 1–26 a–c) Exodus 22:24 – 23:19

Pesach, day 6 a–c) Numbers 9:1 – 9:14

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Readings for Other Special Days that Do Not Fall on Shabbat

Reading Torah Reference Haftarah

Rosh Chodesh (4 call ups: a–d)

Numbers 28: (a) 1–3, (b) 3–5, (c) 6–10, (d) 11–15

None

Hanukah (3 call ups: a–c) If it is also Rosh Chodesh (Hanukah day 6 or 7), this is preceded by the reading for Rosh Chodesh.

For day 1: Numbers 7: 1–17 For day n (where n = 2 to 7): a–b) Six verses from Numbers 7

beginning with verse 6(n+1). c) Same as a–b.

For day 8: Numbers 7:54 – 8:4

None

Purim (3 call ups) Exodus 17: 8–16 None

Fast of Av 9, Morning Deuteronomy 4: 25–40 Jeremiah 8:13–9:23

Fast of Av 9, Afternoon (3 call ups: a, b, c) a) Exodus 32: 11–14,

b) Exodus 34: 1–3, c) Exodus 34: 4–10

Isaiah 55:6–56:8 (Hosea 14:2–10; Micah 7:18–20)

Minor Fasts, Morning None

Minor Fasts, Afternoon Isaiah 55:6–56:8 (Sephardim read no haftarah)

Torah Reading Procedures

The public reading is conducted by a specially trained reader who is familiar with the text and its meaning so that he can read it meaningfully and with the right punctuational pauses. He must also be familiar with the grammatical rules of pronunciation so that he will pronounce the words correctly and with the right syllabic stress, and he is also trained in the cantillation of the special chant used for the reading.

The public Torah readings are divided into several sections and between them there are brief breaks in the reading. These sections are called call ups (aliyot) because for each one, a different worshipper is honoured by being called up to participate in the ceremonials that accompany the reading. The oleh (person who is called up) participates by coming up to the reading desk and standing alongside the reader while that section is read. The reader points as he reads and the oleh follows the text visually in the Torah scroll as it is read. The oleh also recites a designated blessing before and after the reading of the section to which he was called up. The oleh is then further honoured and rewarded for his participation by having a personalised blessing addressed to him aloud at the conclusion of his call up.

This blessing, called a mi sheberach, invokes God's help and protection upon the oleh and his family, and, often, it also becomes the occasion to deliver other public thanks and recognition that may be due to the oleh for any other good works and assistance that the oleh may have contributed toward the operations of the congregation. Usually, the job of calling people up and delivering the personalised blessing to each oleh is performed by an assistant to the reader who also stands next to the reading desk.

For each call up, a minimum of three verses must be read. The number of call ups is set by tradition and the minimum number differs depending on the occasion. On a Shabbat, the minimum number is seven. For all other occasions that do not fall on a Saturday, the minimum number is: six for Yom Kippur morning, five for festivals and four for Rosh Chodesh and for Chol Hamoed. For all other occasions, the number is three. On the occasions for which the number is set as three or four, the minimum is never added to. On the Rosh Chodesh that occurs during Hanukah, the two readings are combined and there are four call ups.

On Shabbat and festivals, the Torah reading is followed by a haftarah reading. At the conclusion of the Torah reading, the person appointed to read the haftarah is called up to the Torah and the last few verses of the Torah reading that was just concluded are read again for that person, who is called the maftir. The maftir call-up is in addition to the minimum number specified for the occasion. When there is a supplementary reading, the supplementary reading is read for the maftir call-up (instead of re-reading the last few verses of the main reading). The maftir then reads the haftarah.

On the Saturdays before Yom Kippur and before Pesach (known as Shabbat Shuvah, and Shabbat Hagadol), a special haftarah is read on, respectively, the theme of repentance and of redemption. They replace the haftarah that would otherwise go with the Torah portion that was read. Also, when Rosh Chodesh occurs on a Shabbat or on a Sunday, a special haftarah sometimes replaces the one that usually goes with the Torah portion on the Shabbat that falls on or just before that Rosh Chodesh, but there are exceptions to this.

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Calendar Information

The Jewish calendar has two types of months and fourteen year types, and for each year type there is a unique year-calendar.

The two types of months are long months, which have 30 days and short months, which have only 29 days. For the most part, the two types alternate, but months 2 and 3, Heshvan and Kislev, sometimes depart from this pattern, as described below where the three year forms are discussed. The variations to this alternation allow the long months to slightly outnumber the short ones in a ratio of about 53% to 47%. This causes the calendar's mean month-length to closely approximate the mean length of a synodic lunation, which is about 29.53 days. A synodic lunation is a full cycle of lunar phases from one New Moon to the next. In this way, the calendar months are closely aligned to the phases of the Moon, each month beginning close to an astronomical New Moon. The lengths of the other months never vary.

The year type depends on a combination of three properties of a year: the class of year, the year form and the weekday on which it commences. There are two year classes: common years, which have 12 months, and leap years, which have 13 months. Adar, the sixth month of a common year, is replaced in a leap year by Adar-1 and Adar-2. The extra (intercalary) month is Adar-1, and it is always long. Both common and leap years may be of three forms: short, regular and long.

In a regular year, the two month types occur in strictly regular alternation throughout the year so that (ignoring the extra month of a leap year) all the odd-numbered months are long and all the even-numbered months are short. Thus, a regular common year has 354 days (6 × 30 + 6 × 29) and a regular leap year has 384 days (354 + 30). Short and long years have, respectively, one day less and one day more than a regular year of the same class. They occur when either of the two variable months, Heshvan or Kislev, departs from the normal length that it has in a regular year. Their lengths in any specific year may occur in one of three permitted combinations: (a) short, short, (b) short, long and (c) long, long. These three combinations produce, respectively, short, regular and long years. The resulting year lengths are shown in table 1 below.

Table 1: The Six Year Lengths:

Together, the class of year and the year form produce six possible year lengths, three for common years and three for leap years. This is summarised in the adjacent table 1.

From the above, it can be seen that stating a year's length, in days, is enough to fully specify both its class and form. The middle digit of the year length indicates the class of year. For common years, that digit is 5, for leap years it is 8. The last digit of the year length indicates the year form. For short, regular and long years, that digit is, respectively, 3, 4 and 5.

In summary, there are three properties of a year, that, together, determine the year type, and two of them, the year class and form, may be specified by stating the year length. This means that the year type may be fully specified by stating the year length and the weekday on which the year commences. The latter of these two is the one property that now remains to be discussed.

The rules of the calendar allow a year to commence only on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday. It might appear, at first, that these two properties of a year – its six possible lengths and the four weekdays on which it may commence – could occur in 24 possible combinations, giving rise to 24 year types. However, a side effect of the calendar rules restricts the permitted combinations of these two properties to only fourteen – seven for common years and seven for leap years.

Table 2: The permitted combinations of year length and commencement day

The permitted combinations are those marked with an X in table 2. The table shows that although there are six possible year lengths, the permitted lengths for a year that commences on any particular weekday are only a subset of those six.

Year Form: Short Regular Long

Days in Heshvan 29 29 30

Days in Kislev 29 30 30

Days in Common years 353 354 355

Days in Leap years 383 384 385

Commencement Day

Year Length (in days)

Common Leap

353 354 355 383 384 385

Monday X X X X

Tuesday X X

Thursday X X X X

Saturday X X X X

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Table 3 below shows the seven possible year types for common years and the seven possible year types for leap years. The year type is specified as w.LLL, where w is a number indicating the commencement day (2, 3, 5 or 7 for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday) and LLL is the year length in days. Below each year type is the number of Saturdays in such a year. This is specified as nn+f, where nn is the number of common Saturdays in the year and f is the number of festival Saturdays. Their sum is the total number of Saturdays in the year.

Table 3: The Fourteen Year Types and the number of Saturdays in each

Common Year Types

Year Type: 7.353 7.355 5.355 5.354 3.354 2.355 2.353

Saturdays: 47+4=51 47+4=51 48+3=51 47+4=51 47+3=50 47+3=50 48+2=50

Leap Year Types

Year Type: 7.383 7.385 5.385 5.383 3.384 2.385 2.383

Saturdays: 51+4=55 50+5=55 52+3=55 52+3=55 52+3=55 52+3=55 51+3=5

The Annual Reading Cycle In Detail

RULES GOVERNING THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE PORTIONS WITHIN THE CALENDAR

For each of the fourteen year-calendars there is a specific arrangement for fitting the Torah portions of the lectionary into the common Saturdays of the year. The particular form of the lectionary for a specific year type may be called a fixture list. The fixture lists vary according to how the Saturdays of the year fall vis-à-vis the calendar dates and the festivals. A common year has 50 or 51 Saturdays, of which 2, 3 or 4 are festival Shabbatot, and a leap year has 54 or 55 Saturdays, of which 3, 4 or 5 are festival Shabbatot.

The yearly reading cycle always begins on the last Saturday of Tishrei (the first month), which is the fourth or fifth Saturday of the year. That Shabbat is the first common Shabbat following the festival of Sh'mini Atzeret. On that festival, portion 54, V

ezot Hab

eracha, is read (on Tishrei 22 in Israel, Tishrei 23 in the diaspora).

That is the only one of the 54 portions that is not read on a common Shabbat. It is reserved for that festival, which thereby becomes the occasion for celebrating the completion of the annual reading cycle. That celebration is called Simchat Torah. The cycle then commences anew with the first Torah portion, B

ereshit,

being read on the Shabbat following that festival.

There are five more rules governing the arrangement of the portions within the calendar:

1) The reading for the Shabbat before the festival of Pesach (known as Shabbat Hagadol), is portion 25, Tzav, in a common year, or, in a leap year, portion 28, M

etzora. (Both of these portions contain

regulations regarding the purging of vessels, which is relevant to preparations for Pesach.) Pesach begins on Nisan 15. (On Shabbat Hagadol a special haftarah is read.)

2) The reading for the Shabbat before the festival of Shavuot is portion 34, Bamidbar. (This is to prevent portion 33, B

echuqotai, from immediately preceding Shavuot, because B

echuqotai contains a list of

punishments with which Israel is warned against disobeying the Torah's precepts.) Shavuot begins on Sivan 6.

An exception to rules 1 and 2 applies to the two leap-year types that commence on a Thursday. In such years there is one extra Shabbat between Sh'mini Atzeret and Pesach. As a result, portion 28, M

etzora, is

read two Saturdays before Pesach and on Shabbat Hagadol portion 29, Acharei Mot, is read. For the same reason, portion 34, Bamidbar, is read two Saturdays before Shavuot, and on the Shabbat before Shavuot portion 35, Naso, is read.

3) In years when Nisan 22 or Sivan 7 falls on a Saturday, the Israeli and diaspora Torah readings differ for that Shabbat and for some weeks afterward. In the diaspora calendar, those two dates are the eighth day of Pesach and the second day of Shavuot, but not in the Israeli calendar, in which those two festivals last only seven days and one day, respectively. When either of those two dates falls on Saturday, diaspora Jews read a special festival reading on that Shabbat, but in Israel, where it is a common Shabbat, they read the next portion from the regular lectionary. For some weeks after that, the diaspora remains one portion behind Israel in the lectionary until they catch up with Israel by combining two portions, which, in Israel, are read separately over two weeks. The period commencing with the above two dates during which the Israeli and diaspora readings differ is five weeks and a day in common years. In leap years, it is five weeks and a day from Sivan 7 and fourteen weeks and a day from Nisan 22. There are seven affected year types as follows. From Nisan 22: 5.354, 3.384 and 2.385. From Sivan 7: 3.354, 2.355, 7.385 and 2.383.

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4) Portion 44, Devarim, is read before or on the ninth of Av. (This is so that Moses' exhortations to the

Israelites in Devarim will precede the fast of Av, and the account in portion 45, Vaetchanan, of the

Israelites accepting the Ten Commandments will follow it.)

5) Portion 51, Nitzavim, is always read on the last Shabbat of the year. (This is, firstly, to prevent portion 50, Ki Tavo, from immediately preceding the New Year festival, because Ki Tavo contains a list of punishments with which Israel is warned against deserting the Torah's precepts. Secondly, Nitzavim has passages dealing with repentance and other matters relevant to preparations for the Days of Awe.)

PAIRS OF PORTIONS:

From table 3 above showing the different year types, it can be seen that no year has fewer than 47 or more than 52 common Saturdays. To fit all of portions 1 to 53 into the common Saturdays of the year, in certain weeks, two consecutive portions are read together on one Shabbat. In all, there are seven potential pairs of portions whose elements are candidates for being combined. In any given fixture list, some, none or all of them will actually be combined. (To the astute reader who is left with questions arising from what has just been said, those questions will be answered later.) No portions other than the elements of those seven potential pairs are ever combined. The seven potential pairs are:

1) Portions 22 + 23, Vayaqhel + Pequdei

2) Portions 27 + 28, Tazria + Metzora

3) Portions 29 + 30, Acharei-Mot + Kedoshim

4) Portions 32 + 33, Behar + B

echukotai

5) Portions 39 + 40, Chukat + Balaq

6) Portions 42 + 43, Matot + Mas'ei

7) Portions 51 + 52, Nitzavim + Vayelekh

The above rules governing the arrangement of the portions in the calendar are implemented by sometimes combining and sometimes separating the component portions of the seven potential pairs listed above. The practice as to which portions are combined and when they are combined is as follows:

1) The portions in pairs 1 to 4 are always separated in leap years. In common years they are combined, except in year type 5.355. That year type has an extra Shabbat between Sh'mini Atzeret and Pesach, requiring the portions in pair 1, Vayaqhel and P

equdei, to be separated to satisfy rule 1 above. Also, to

satisfy rule 3, the portions in pair 4, Behar and B

echukotai, are separated in Israel in year type 5.354.

2) The portions in pair 5, Chukat and Balaq, are separated in both common and leap years, except in the following four year types when they are combined in the diaspora to satisfy rule 3: 3.354, 2.355, 7.385 and 2.383.

3) The portions in pair 6, Matot and Mas'ei, are always combined in common years. In leap years they are also combined, except in the two leap-year types that commence on a Thursday. In such years there is an extra Shabbat between Sh'mini Atzeret and Pesach, requiring these portions to be separated to satisfy rule 4. Also, to satisfy rule 3, they are separated in Israel in year types 3.384 and 2.385.

4) Pair 7 consists of portions 51 and 52, Nitzavim and Vayelekh. Nitzavim is always read on the last Shabbat of the year, as per rule 5. If the new year commences on a Monday or Tuesday, these two portions are separated and Vayelekh is read on the first Shabbat of the new year. If the new year commences on a Thursday or Saturday, these two portions are combined on the last Shabbat of the old year, and the first portion of the new year is portion 53, Ha'azinu. The reason for this is explained directly below.

PORTIONS 51, 52 AND 53, NITZAVIM, VAYELEKH AND HA'AZINU:

Portion 51, Nitzavim, is always read on the last Shabbat of the year. This leaves portions 52 & 53, Vayelekh and Ha'azinu, to be read between then and the reading of portion 54 on Sh'mini Atzeret (Tishrei 22 to 23). Since that festival is immediately preceded by the seven-day festival of Sukkot (Tishrei 15 to 21), during which the third Shabbat of the year always occurs, this must occur before Tishrei 15. So the rule is this:

If the new year begins on a Monday or Tuesday, the first two Saturdays of the new year are both common Shabbatot, and portions 52 and 53 are read on those two Saturdays.

If the new year commences on a Thursday or Saturday, only one of the first two Saturdays in the new year will be a common Shabbat. Therefore in these two cases, portions 51 and 52, Nitzavim and Vayelekh, are combined and read together on the last Shabbat of the old year, leaving only portion 53, Ha'azinu, to be read in the new year before Sh'mini Atzeret. (It will be read on the first Saturday if the new year

13

commences on Thursday, in which case the second Saturday will be Yom Kippur (Tishrei 10). If the new year commences on Saturday, Ha'azinu will be read on the second Saturday (Tishrei 8) because Tishrei 1 (Rosh Hashanah) is a festival Shabbat and the third and fourth Saturdays (Tishrei 15 and 22) will also be festival Shabbatot – day 1 of Sukkot and Sh'mini Atzeret.)

The Shabbat between Tishrei 3 and 8 (inclusive) is called Shabbat Shuvah. A special haftarah is read.

CONSEQUENCES OF THE RULE REGARDING PAIR 7:

The practice relating to pair 7 has an interesting consequence. From what was said above, we see that portion 52, Vayelekh, is read on either the first or the last Shabbat of a year. A result of this that is not immediately obvious is this: Depending on the pattern with which years of different types follow one another, there are some years in which Vayelekh is not read at all, and some years in which it is read twice – on both the first and the last Shabbat of the year. Yet it is only read once in each reading cycle and it is never omitted. Whenever a year (Y) occurs in which Vayelekh is not read at all, it was read on the last Shabbat of year Y−1, and will next be read on the first Shabbat of year Y+1. In a year (Y) when Vayelekh is read twice, it

was not read at the end of year Y−1, nor will it be read at the beginning of year Y+1.

We will now look at two examples of this, which will, at the same time, answer the questions alluded to (but not specified) earlier that we said an astute reader might have in relation to certain facts about the different fixture lists. The relevant facts are:

There are at least 47 and at most 52 common Saturdays in any year.

Of the 54 Torah portions, 1 to 53 are read on the common Saturdays of the reading cycle.

There are seven potential pairs of portions whose elements are candidates for being combined, but:

There are reading cycles in which no portions are combined and some in which as many portions as possible are combined. In the latter case, there will be only 46 separate readings (53 minus 7).

The fixture list for year type 5.383 is the only one in which no portions are combined. But years of this type have only 52 common Shabbatot – the maximum number. The "missing" portion in a year of this type is Vayelekh. This year type begins on a Thursday and the following year begins on a Tuesday. Consequently, following the rule about pair 7, this is one of the year types in which Vayelekh does not occur at all. (The others are: 7.353, 5.355 and 5.354.)

The fixture lists for year types 3.354 and 2.355 are the only ones in which as many portions as possible are combined. Both have 47 common Saturdays – the minimum number. This means that over the course of the common Saturdays of such years, 54 Torah portions (47 + 7) are read. The "extra" one is Vayelekh. These year types begin on a Monday or Tuesday and in both cases the following year commences on a Saturday. Consequently, following the rule about pair 7, these year types are amongst those in which Vayelekh is read on both the first and last Shabbat of the year. (The others are: 2.353 and 2.383.)

SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS:

In addition to the 54 Torah portions forming the regular lectionary, on certain special Saturdays, a small supplementary Torah reading is read after the regular Torah portion for that Shabbat.

This applies to the Shabbat (or, in some years, the two Shabbatot) that occur(s) during the eight days of Hanukah, and whenever a Rosh Chodesh (New Moon celebration) falls on Shabbat. If the 1st or the 30th of a month falls on Shabbat, a supplementary Torah portion for Rosh Chodesh is read.

The above occasions are only minor festivals so the coinciding Shabbat is classed as a common (not a festival) Shabbat. The festival does not supplant the regular Torah portion; it is marked by the addition of the supplementary reading.

There is also a supplementary reading on four Saturdays that occur on or near certain dates during the five-week period ending on Nisan 1. These are not festivals at all. These four readings relate to special observances that are historically relevant to that time of the year. They are collectively known as "the four portions". Their individual names and the Saturdays on which they are read are listed below. Where the month is given as Adar/Adar2, it means Adar of a common year or, in a leap year, Adar2.

a) Sheqalim: The Shabbat on or before the first of Adar/Adar2. If the first of Adar/Adar2 does not fall on

Saturday, it will be the 25th, 27th or 29th of the previous month.

b) Zachor: The Shabbat before Purim, i.e. the second Saturday in Adar/Adar2, which is the 8th, 9th, 11th, or 13th.

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c) Parah: The Shabbat immediately before (d). (This is either the last or the second last Shabbat of Adar/Adar2, which is the 18th, 20th, 22nd or 23rd.)

d) Hachodesh: The Shabbat on or before the first of Nisan. In the latter case, it is the 25th, 27th or 29th of Adar/Adar2.

These four portions are not read on four consecutive Saturdays. There is at least one intervening Saturday either before or after (b) and in some years, both before and after. These gaps provide the basis for another way to determine what the arrangement of these four portions will be within a given year calendar. The first portion, Sh

eqalim, is always read on the Shabbat on or before the first of Adar/Adar2. That date can only fall

on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday (weekday 2, 4, 6 or 7).

If the first of Adar/Adar2 falls on:

weekday 2, Monday, the intervening Saturday is Adar 6th (before b).

weekday 4, Wednesday, the intervening Saturday is Adar 4th (before b).

weekday 6, Friday, the intervening Saturdays are Adar 2nd & 16th (both).

weekday 7, Saturday, the intervening Saturday is Adar 15th (after b).

In summary, if the first of Adar/Adar2 falls:

before Friday, the intervening Saturday occurs before b.

after Friday, the intervening Saturday occurs after b.

on Friday, there is an intervening Saturday both before and after b.

The relevance of these four portions to the above times of year is as follows.

a) Sheqalim is about the half-shekel poll tax for the Temple. It was collected at that time of year because

the financial year for the Temple's budget for the daily sacrifices began on Nisan 1.

b) Zachor contains the enjoinders to remember the depredations of Amalek against the Israelites and to erase the memory of Amalek. These precepts are relevant to Purim because of the rituals observed on Purim and also because Haman (the arch-villain of the Book of Esther) is held to have descended from Amalek.

c) Parah deals with the purification ritual performed with a red heifer. It was relevant to the preparations for the paschal lamb sacrifice performed on the eve of Passover.

d) Hachodesh is relevant to the beginning of Nisan and to Pesach. It begins with the commandment which establishes Nisan as the first month of the festival year and which lays the foundation for the alignment of the calendar months with the Moon's phases so that they begin at New Moon. It also contains the regulations regarding the observance of Passover and the very first paschal lamb sacrifice that preceded the exodus from Egypt.

HAFTARAH READINGS:

In the synagogue services for Shabbat and festivals, the Torah reading is followed by a reading of a selection from The Prophets (the second section of the Bible). The generic name for this reading is haftarah. Unlike the portions of the Torah lectionary, these selections are not textually sequential, rather, they are chosen for their thematic relevance to the Torah portion, the supplementary reading, or the festival, as the case may be. Some calendars, in addition to showing the Torah portion for each Shabbat, also indicate the associated haftarah reading. Most of the haftarot do not have commonly known titles, so the haftarah reading is usually indicated by giving the scriptural reference (chapter and verse numbers) of the selection.

CHUMASHIM:

In most synagogues there are printed copies of the Torah bound in book form for worshippers to follow the Torah readings in. The book is called a chumash (Pentateuch), plural: chumashim. These books have many enhancements not found in the Torah scrolls used for the public reading. They show the division of the Torah into the 54 portions, and following those portions, they usually have the associated haftarah readings as well as the haftarah readings for special Saturdays and for festivals. Therefore if you know the Torah portion, it is easy to also find the relevant haftarah in such books. For this reason it is generally not regarded as very important, practically, that a calendar which shows the Torah readings should also indicate the haftarah readings. Chumash and Pentateuch come from the word five – referring to the Five Books of Moses that, together, comprise the Torah.

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GLOSSARY

BIBLE (Also known as scripture, holy writ.) The sacred foundation texts of the Jewish and Christian religions. The Jewish bible, originally written in Hebrew, is called the Old Testament by Christians, who later added the New Testament, and the two together make up the Christian bible. Amongst Jews, the Jewish bible is called the Tanakh, a word that is formed from the Hebrew initials of its three main sections. Each section is further divided into multiple books. The three sections of the Tanakh are called, in Hebrew, Torah, Nevi'im and K'tuvim. In English: The Law (also known as the Five Books of Moses), the Prophets (who succeeded Moses) and the Writings (sacred texts, but not of prophetic origin).

CHOL HAMOED (Literally: the non-sacred days of the festival.) The intermediate days of Sukkot or the intermediate days of Pesach that are observed as semi-holidays. They are part of the festival and the observances specific to the particular festival apply, but they are less holy than the main days of the festival which are observed as a full Yom Tov. Everyday work and conduct of business is, largely, permitted. In Israel, Sukkot and Pesach are both observed for 7 days, of which days 2 to 7 of Sukkot, and days 2 to 6 of Pesach are Chol Hamoed. In the diaspora, Orthodox Jews observe Sukkot and Pesach for 7 and 8 days, respectively, and they observe days 1 and 2 of both festivals and days 7 and 8 of Pesach as Yom Tov, which leaves only days 3 to 7 of Sukkot and days 3 to 6 of Pesach as Chol Hamoed. They are called intermediate days because they are both preceded and followed by festival days that are observed as a full Yom Tov. Pesach both begins and ends with Yom Tov days. Sukkot is observed as Yom Tov only at its beginning, but it is immediately followed by the festival of Sh'mini Atzeret, which is observed as a full Yom Tov.

DAYS OF AWE (Also known as the High Holidays.) The collective term for the New Year festival (Rosh Hashanah), held on Tishrei 1 and 2, and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), held on Tishrei 10. The ten-day period from Tishrei 1 to 10 is called the Ten Days of Repentance.

HANUKAH An eight-day minor festival commencing on Kislev 25. Also known as the Festival of Lights, it is celebrated by the nightly lighting of candles in a special eight-branched menorah (candelabra). It commemorates the reclamation and rededication of the Temple following a battle victory in the revolt of the Maccabees against the Seleucid army of Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Syria around 166 BCE.

PESACH (Passover.) The Jewish festival of unleavened bread (Matzot) commemorating the liberation of the Hebrew slaves from Egyptian bondage as described in the book of Exodus, the second book of the Bible. In Israel, it is observed for seven days (Nisan 15 to 21), and days 1 and 7 are observed as a full Yom Tov (festival day) in a manner similar to Shabbat. The five intermediate days are observed as Chol Hamoed (semi-holidays, on which work is largely permitted). In the diaspora, Orthodox Jews observe Pesach for eight days (Nisan 15 to 22), and they observe days 1, 2, 7 and 8 as Yom Tov and the four intermediate days as Chol Hamoed.

PURIM A minor festival celebrated on 14th of Adar, or, in a leap year, 14th of Adar-2. In the city of Jerusalem (and in other walled cities of similar vintage) it is celebrated on the next day. It commemorates the story told in the biblical Book of Esther of a royal edict to annihilate the Jews issued by the Persian emperor at the instigation of his prime minister, Haman, the arch-villain of the story, and the rescue of the Jews through the inter-cession of the Jewish Queen Esther and her uncle Mordechai in the Persian capital, Shushan (c. 500 BCE).

ROSH CHODESH New Moon celebration. A minor festival of biblical origin. (Work is permitted.) It is celebrated on the first of each month, except Tishrei (the first month). Additionally, it is sometimes observed for two days commencing on the last day of the outgoing month. It is observed for two days when the outgoing month is a long month of 30 days. If the first or the 30th of a month falls on Shabbat, a supplementary Torah portion is read, and, usually, a special haftarah replaces the regular one for that Shabbat. Tishrei 1 is not observed as Rosh Chodesh because that day is celebrated as a major festival – the New Year Festival, Rosh Hashanah.

ROSH HASHANAH The Jewish New Year festival, observed on the first two days of the year (Tishrei 1 and 2) both in Israel and in the diaspora. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are collectively called the Days of Awe or the High Holy Days

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and the ten-day period (Tishrei 1 to 10) beginning and ending with those two holy days is known as the Ten Days of Repentance.

SHABBAT (Plural = Shabbatot.) The Jewish Sabbath, observed from sundown on Friday to nightfall on Saturday night. Traditional forms of observance require abstention from everyday work and conduct of business. Observant Jews attend worship services at synagogue. Celebrated at its onset with a candle-lighting ceremony and with family festive meals on Friday night and Saturday lunch, which begin with kiddush (blessings over wine and bread). There is also a havdalah (demarcation) ceremony with wine and candles to see out the Shabbat at its conclusion. In the Jewish numbering of the weekdays, Shabbat is the seventh day of the week.

SHAVUOT (Pentecost.) Shavuot literally means the Feast of Weeks, because there are exactly 49 days (a week of weeks) between the first day of Pesach and Shavuot (both exclusive). The (originally) Greek name, Pentecost, also reflects this, because Shavuot is on the 50th day after the first day of Pesach. Both festivals are grain-harvest festivals – Pesach celebrates the barley harvest and Shavuot celebrates the wheat harvest. Shavuot is observed as a full Yom Tov (festival day) on Sivan 6, and, for Orthodox Jews in the diaspora, also on Sivan 7. It is also called the celebration of the Giving of “the Law” (Torah), because, according to tradition, the Ten Commandments were given to the Jewish people on that day at Mount Sinai, during their journey to the Promised Land after their liberation from Egyptian bondage, as related in the book of Exodus, the second book of the Bible.

SH’MINI ATZERET and SIMCHAT TORAH (The Assembly of the Eighth day.) A festival observed on Tishrei 22, marking the culmination of the series of religious holidays preceding it, consisting of the Days of Awe (Tishrei 1, 2 and 10), and, especially, Sukkot (Tishrei 15 to 21). It is observed as a full Yom Tov (festival day) in a manner similar to Shabbat. It is observed for two days (Tishrei 22 and 23) by Orthodox Jews in the diaspora, where the second day, especially, is marked by the celebration called Simchat Torah, which celebrates the completion of the annual cycle of weekly Torah Readings. In Israel, where Sh’mini Atzeret lasts for just one day (Tishrei 22), the two celebrations are combined.

SUKKOT The Jewish fruit-harvest festival, also called Tabernacles because it is observed by eating in outdoor huts reminiscent of the field shelters used by harvesters and also of the dwellings of the Israelites on their Journey to the Promised Land after their liberation from Egyptian bondage, as related in the second, third and fourth books of the Bible. This is a festival of celebration and thanksgiving for the Autumn harvest and of commemoration and thanksgiving for the divine protection enjoyed by the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land. It is observed for one week, from Tishrei 15 to Tishrei 21, and is immediately followed on Tishrei 22 by the festival of Sh’mini Atzeret. In both Israel and the Diaspora, the first day of Sukkot is observed as a full Yom Tov (festival day) in a manner similar to Shabbat, and Orthodox Jews in the Diaspora also observe the second day in a similar manner. The remaining days are observed as Chol Hamoed (semi-holidays, on which work is largely permitted).

SYNODIC From Synod, meaning meeting. In astronomy, it is commonly applied to the apparent position of a body relative to another. They may be two planets, in which case it refers to how close they are to conjunction with one another as seen from Earth, or they may be a satellite and the Sun, in which case it refers to how close the satellite is to conjunction with the Sun as seen from the satellite's primary. In our context, a synodic month or synodic lunation is the period between successive conjunctions of the Moon with the Sun as seen from Earth, i.e. the period between one astronomical New Moon and the next.

TORAH The first section of the Bible. It consists of the Five Books of Moses. Synagogues keep copies of the Torah in scroll form, hand written on parchment. These are used for the public Torah readings that are conducted as part of the synagogue prayer services. The congregation generally follow the reading from individual printed copies bound in book form, which contain many enhancements not found in the Torah scrolls for ritual use. In book form, it is commonly called a chumash (Pentateuch), plural: chumashim. The word chumash, and also Pentateuch, is derived from the word five – referring to the Five Books of Moses.

YOM KIPPUR (Day of Atonement.) Tishrei 10. A solemn festival that is observed by fasting and day-long synagogue services. Commences at sunset at the end of Tishrei 9, and ends at nightfall the following day, Tishrei 10. It is

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observed for one day both in Israel and in the diaspora. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are collectively called the Days of Awe or the High Holy Days and the ten-day period (Tishrei 1 to 10) beginning and ending with those two holy days is known as the Ten Days of Repentance.

YOM TOV This is the generic name for a Jewish festival day of biblical origin that is observed by Orthodox Jews in a manner similar to Shabbat. Conduct of business and most work is forbidden. It commences at sunset. Observant Jews attend worship services at synagogue and celebrate it at its beginning with a candle-lighting ceremony and a festive evening meal, which begins with kiddush (blessings over wine and bread). It is seen out at its conclusion with a havdalah (demarcation) ceremony with wine and candles. Yom Tov is usually observed for one day in Israel and for two days by Orthodox Jews in the diaspora. Rosh Hashanah (New Year day) is an exception; it is observed for two days even in Israel. Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is also an exception; it is both a Yom Tov and a fast day, and on account of the fast, it is kept for only one day even in the diaspora.