Annual Torah Cycle

In the observance of the annual cycle of Torah Reading, each week is assigned its own portion of Scripture, or what we refer to as a Parashah.  This year, 5780,  began on 1 Tishrei or October 1, 2019. There are 54 Parshiyot (Parashah plural), one for each week of a leap year, so that in the course of one year, we complete the entire Torah from B'resheet to D'varim (Genesis to Deuteronomy). A leap-year adds an additional 4 weeks (one month) to the usual 12 months, and we refer to this month as: ADAR II. During non-leap years (regular), there are 50 weeks, as a result some of the shorter Parshiyot are doubled up.

The weeks of Pesach (Passover) and Sukkot have different Torah portions assigned to them, so on leap years that leaves 52 weeks to accomplish 54 Parshiyot. This is achieved by doubling up 2 portions, and for non-leap years there remain 48 weeks to accomplish 54 Parshiyot and this is achieved by having 6 double Parshiyot.

This Week's Parashah

29

Torah: Devarim(Deuteronomy) 29:9-30:20

Haftara: Isaiah 61:10-63:9

Brit Chadashah: John 12:41-50

 

Portion Summary

The name of the fifty-first reading from the Torah is Nitzavim (נצבים), which means "standing." The name is derived from the first verse of the portion in which Moses says, "You stand (nitzavim) today, all of you, before the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 29:10). In this portion, Moses invites the entire assembly of Israel to take on the covenant. He warns them that if they sin, they will go into exile, but he also predicts that, in the future, they will repent and God will return them to the land of Israel. In some years, Nitzavim is read together with the subsequent Torah portion, Vayelech, on the same Sabbath.

 

Portion Outline

  • Torah
    • Deuteronomy 29:9 | The Terms of the Covenant
    • Deuteronomy 30:1 | Repentance and Forgiveness
    • Deuteronomy 30:11 | The Choice of Life and Death
  • Prophets
    • Isaiah 61:10 | God Favor
    • Isaiah 62:1 | Zion's Coming Salvation
    • Isaiah 63:1 | The LORD's Day of Vengeance
    • Isaiah 63:7 | The LORD's Mercy Remembered
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