In ancient times, the Torah was read in the synagogue from beginning to end on a three-year cycle. Today, it is read over the course of one year. “Parashah” is a Hebrew word meaning, “portion.” The Torah readings are divided into fifty-four portions. One portion is read each week. “Parash’ot” is the plural form of “Parashah.” It refers to all of the “portions” as a whole. The name of each Parashah is derived from the first significant Hebrew word in the first sentence of the Parashah.
