TorahCalendar.com

Current Jerusalem time:

To View Calendar:

TorahCalendar.com displays Hebrew
Months which begin at each new moon.
Enter the Gregorian calendar date to view
the corresponding Hebrew Month, OR
a Hebrew Month and Gregorian year.

Home

The Calendar Restoration Project

Explains the history and science behind the restoration of the Creation Calendar.

How to Use the Creation Calendar

Explains the colors, symbols and other information displayed on the calendar.

Determining the Hebrew Day

A Hebrew Day begins at sunset.
Find local sunset times for any place.

Determining the Hebrew Month

A Hebrew Month begins with the first visible crescent moon at Jerusalem.

Determining the Hebrew Year

A Hebrew Year begins with Month 1 nearest to the spring equinox.

The Parashah Cycle

Describes the Parashah and why it is included in the Creation Calendar.

Archive of Articles

Calendar related articles previously published on TorahCalendar.com

Friendly

The Parashah Cycle

The Torah of יהוה

Ancient Torah Scroll in Hebrew
opened to column showing
Exodus 15:1-19.

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy comprise the first five books of Scripture known collectively as the "Torah of Moses" or simply the "Torah". These books are also known as the Pentateuch. The Torah contains the written statutes, right rulings and commandments of יהוה and has been referred to as "the Law".

The word "Torah" derives from the Hebrew "yarah" which figuratively refers to an archer shooting an arrow straightly. "Torah" carries the idea of pointing in the right direction or hitting the mark. The instructions of יהוה in the Torah are there to point all people in the right direction.

As a result of the promises made to Abraham, and the saving work of יהושע the Messiah, anyone who embraces and lives by the Torah, as יהושע did, and who believes in יהושע as their Savior will enter into the kingdom of יהוה in the Year 6000 since the creation.

The Parashah

Tradition holds that in the fifth century B.C.E. Ezra the scribe and the 120 elders of the Great Assembly created an annual reading schedule in which the entire Torah could be read in one year. They divided the Torah into sections and read one section each Sabbath. Each individual section was called a "Parashah". Collectively, all the readings were called "parashot".

"Parashah" means "portion" and ancient masoretic codices exist which exhibit Parashah divisions. The title of each Parashah typically consists of a few Hebrew words from within the first verse of the Parashah. Parashot are not divided according to the modern chapter breaks in Scripture. In the Creation Calendar, the Torah is divided into 54 parashot. Each Parashah can be further divided into seven subsections called "aliyot".

With the possible exception of the last Parashah, parashot are read sequentially throughout the year on weekly Sabbaths. The appointed time of Shemini Atzeret occurs on Day 22 of Month 7 according to Leviticus 23:36. The annual reading of the Torah begins with the first Parashah "Bereshit" which is read on the first weekly Sabbath after Shemini Atzeret. The last Parashah "Ve-Zot Ha-Berakhah" is always read on Day 21 of Month 7 whether it is a weekly Sabbath or not. The last Parashah is the only one which is read on a calendrical date rather than a weekly Sabbath.

Day 21 of Month 7 is called the Day of Salvation or Hoshana Rabbah. Hoshana Rabbah is traditionally the day when the Torah scroll is carried around the inside of the synagogue, making "the seven circuits". This commemorates the events that happened on the seventh day the Israelites marched around Jericho when Joshua entered the Promised Land. According to Leveticus 23:34, Day 21 of Month 7 is the seventh day of the festival of Sukkot which is in the seventh month. This day is historically and prophetically significant.

This annual custom for reading the Torah is known as the "Parashah cycle". However, the Parashah is not read on weekly Sabbaths occurring on or during the appointed times described in Leviticus 23, as there are different readings for those days. In Acts 15:19-21, James indicates that new believers in יהושע the Messiah should abstain from idolatry, immorality and eating unclean food. James then instructs believers to listen and learn from the weekly Parashah from the Torah read in the synagogues.

Years in the Creation Calendar can have 12 or 13 lunar months, and appointed times can occur on weekly Sabbaths. It becomes obvious that the total number of available days when the Parashah is read can vary from year to year. For any given year, it can range from 47 to 54 reading days. Traditionally, this problem has been resolved by providing from 1 to 7 "doublings" where two sequential Parashah portions are read together on certain Sabbaths.

The original intent and purpose of the ancient Parashah Cycle has been restored in the Creation Calendar at TorahCalendar.com. The Creation Calendar offers Parashah readings for any year selected. The Rabbinic calendar operates under certain manmade "rules of postponement". However, since יהוה gave no "rules of postponement" for the appointed times of Leviticus 23, the assignment of Parashah readings may differ slightly from those of the manmade Rabbinic calendar. When viewing months in the Creation Calendar, click on the rectangle for any Sabbath day to locate the suggested Parashah readings.

The Haftarah

A fragment of the Book of Isaiah from the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The Haftarah consists of additional readings taken mostly from the Prophets (Nevi'im) as well as some from the Writings (Ketuvim). The Haftarah portions are generally read after the Torah readings as part of the weekly Parashah cycle. These readings generally have a thematic link with the corresponding Parashah readings.

Historically, the origins of the Haftarah are uncertain. When Judea was under the rule of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the reading of the Torah was forbidden. Some historians believe that the Haftarah cycle originated during that time. Later, when it was once again possible to read the Torah, the Haftarah cycle was retained and incorporated into the Parashah cycle.

The 54 Parashah Readings

Bereshit

Genesis 1:1-6:8
"In the Beginning"

#19

Terumah

Exodus 25:1-27:19
"An Offering"

#37

Shelach

Numbers 13:1-15:41
"Send"

Noach

Genesis 6:9-11:32
"Noah"

#20

Tetzaveh

Exodus 27:20-30:10
"You Shall Command"

#38

Korach

Numbers 16:1-18:32
"Korah"

Lekh Lekha

Genesis 12:1-17:27
"Go Out"

#21

Ki Tissa

Exodus 30:11-34:35
"When You Take"

#39

Chukat

Numbers 19:1-22:1
"The Ordinance Of"

Vayera

Genesis 18:1-22:24
"And He Appeared"

#22

Va-Yakhel

Exodus 35:1-38:20
"Gathered Together"

#40

Balak

Numbers 22:2-25:9
"Balak"

Chayei Sarah

Genesis 23:1-25:18
"Life of Sarah"

#23

Pekudei

Exodus 38:21-40:38
"The Inventory"

#41

Pinchas

Numbers 25:10-29:40
"Phinehas"

Toledot

Genesis 25:19-28:9
"Generations"

#24

Va-Yikra

Leviticus 1:1-6:7
"And He Called"

#42

Mattot

Numbers 30:1-32:42
"Tribes"

Va-Yetzei

Genesis 28:10-32:2
"And He Went Out"

#25

Tzav

Leviticus 6:8-8:36
"Command"

#43

Masei

Numbers 33:1-36:13
"The Journeys Of"

Va-Yishlach

Genesis 32:3-36:43
"And He Sent"

#26

Shemini

Leviticus 9:1-11:47
"The Eighth"

#44

Devarim

Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22
"Words"

Va-Yeshev

Genesis 37:1-40:23
"And He Settled"

#27

Tazria

Leviticus 12:1-13:59
"Conceived Seed"

#45

Va-Ethchanan

Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11
"And I Pleaded"

#10

Mi-Ketz

Genesis 41:1-44:17
"At the End Of"

#28

Metzora

Leviticus 14:1-15:33
"Leper"

#46

Ekev

Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25
"Reward From"

#11

Va-Yiggash

Genesis 44:18-47:27
"And He Drew Near"

#29

Acharei Mot

Leviticus 16:1-18:30
"After the Death"

#47

Re'eh

Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17
"See!"

#12

Va-Yechi

Genesis 47:28-50:26
"And He Lived"

#30

Kedoshim

Leviticus 19:1-20:27
"Set Apart"

#48

Shoftim

Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
"Judges"

#13

Shemot

Exodus 1:1-6:1
"The Names"

#31

Emor

Leviticus 21:1-24:23
"Speak"

#49

Ki Teitzei

Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19
"When You Go Out"

#14

Va-Era

Exodus 6:2-9:35
"And I Appeared"

#32

Be-Har

Leviticus 25:1-26:2
"On the Mountain"

#50

Ki Tavo

Deuteronomy 26:1-29:9
"When You Enter"

#15

Exodus 10:1-13:16
"Go"

#33

Be-Chukotai

Leviticus 26:3-27:34
"In My Statutes"

#51

Nitzavim

Deuteronomy 29:10-30:20
"You Are Standing"

#16

Be-Shallach

Exodus 13:17-17:16
"When He Had Sent"

#34

Be-Midbar

Numbers 1:1-4:20
"In the Wilderness"

#52

Va-Yelech

Deuteronomy 31:1-30
"And He Went"

#17

Yitro

Exodus 18:1-20:26
"Jethro"

#35

Naso

Numbers 4:21-7:89
"Take"

#53

Ha 'azinu

Deuteronomy 32:1-52
"Give Ear"

#18

Mishpatim

Exodus 21:1-24:18
"The Judgments"

#36

Beha'alotekha

Numbers 8:1-12:16
"When You Kindle"

#54

Ve-Zot Ha-Berakhah

Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12
"And This Is The Blessing"

The 7 Parashah Doublings

There are seven defined Parashah doubling sets in which two sequential Parashah portions are read on the same Sabbath. Obviously, there are no doublings needed in years having 54 available reading days, yet all seven doubling sets must be used in years having only 47. Doubling sets occur as needed starting with the lowest numbered ones. If additional doublings are required, they come from progressively higher numbered Parashah doubling sets.

#22
#23

Va-Yakhel
Pekudei

#27
#28

Tazria
Metzora

#29
#30

Acharei Mot
Kedoshim

#32
#33

Be-Har
Be-Chukotai

#39
#40

Chukat
Balak

#42
#43

Mattot
Masei

#51
#52

Nitzavim
Va-Yelech

In the 7000 year Creation Calendar, there are 7000 theoretical Parashah Cycles. Within these 7000 years, shorter Parashah cycles require the use of one or more Parashah doublings. The most common Parashah Cycle length is 49 reading days requiring five Parashah doublings. The rarest Parashah Cycle length is 51 reading days in which there are three Parashah doublings. The table below reveals statistics on the Parashah cycle in the 7000 year Creation Calendar. Modern examples of the Parashah cycle ranging from 47 to 54 reading days are given.

Parashah

Number of

Parashah

Starting Dates for

Cycle

Years Having

Doublings

Modern Examples of

Length

This Length

Required

Parashah Cycle Lengths

47 reading days
48 reading days
49 reading days
50 reading days
51 reading days
52 reading days
53 reading days
54 reading days

111 years
1,235 years
1,879 years
1,197 years
49 years
393 years
1,346 years
790 years

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

1944 C.E. Day 26, Month 7
2009 C.E. Day 27, Month 7
2010 C.E. Day 29, Month 7
2012 C.E. Day 26, Month 7
1850 C.E. Day 28, Month 7
1992 C.E. Day 28, Month 7
2013 C.E. Day 29, Month 7
2011 C.E. Day 25, Month 7

7,000 years

Annual Parashah Reading Calendar

Printable Annual Parashah reading calendars are available below and are provided as two types of PDF files. Two forms exist because the traditional verse divisions in the Hebrew Scriptures differ slightly from those found in the Standard Scriptures. Select the Parashah PDF schedule that matches the version of Scriptures you use.

Standard Scriptures Version

Hebrew Scriptures Version