By working your way through the TORAH menu of this website, you are able to read Torah reflections for every week of the year, following the Jewish liturgical cycle.

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The Jewish calendar assigns a Torah portion (a section of the Bible) to each week of the year. Over the course of one year, all five books of the Torah (Pentateuch) are read: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

 

The Hebrew term Parashat Hashavuah means 'Torah portion of the Week'.

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In Judaism, each weekly Torah portion has a Hebrew title which reflects the first significant word of that portion. E.g., the Torah portion Exodus 1:1 - 6:1 is titled Shemot (Names); since the opening words are ‘These are the names of the sons of Israel who came out of Egypt.’

 

Light of Torah encourages study-partners and study groups to read the assigned Torah portion each week, with the aid of a Light of Torah article.

 

To find the Torah portion assigned to a particular week, consult the current calendar here (courtesy of Etz-Hayim - Tree of Life publishing). Then select a Torah article corresponding to that Torah portion from the menu: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers or Deuteronomy.

 

Each Light of Torah leaflet guides the reader through a small section of the Torah portion, often just one or two verses. The reflection follows the interpretative lead of Jewish Torah commentaries from ancient, medieval or contemporary sources. In this way, the biblical horizons of the Christian reader are expanded and enriched by Jewish insights.

 

These Light of Torah leaflets have been authored by a Sydney-based Catholic educator, Teresa Pirola, with the guidance of a Jerusalem-based Orthodox rabbi/teacher, 2010-2013. The material is designed for grassroots audiences (e.g., parishioners, teachers, home-based learning) and may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes with acknowledgment of website: lightoftorah.net

Haftarah (from the Hebrew root word; ‘to conclude’) is the name given to the reading which, in accordance with the Jewish lectionary, is read after the Torah portion of the day, at Shabbat and festival services. This biblical reading is normally a selection from Prophets.

 

The Light of Torah website offers a page of notes on the Haftarah reading that accompanies each Torah portion.

Haftarah (from the Hebrew root word; ‘to conclude’) is the name given to the reading which, in accordance with the Jewish lectionary, is read after the Torah portion of the day, at Shabbat and festival services. This biblical reading is normally a selection from Prophets.

 

The Light of Torah website offers a page of notes on the Haftarah reading that accompanies each Torah portion.