Parashat Bereshis (בראשית)
Bereshis (Bereshit) opens the Torah with the creation of the world in six days, the Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel, the ten generations from Adam to Noah, and the corruption that leads to the Flood.
Upcoming Reading Dates
| Shabbat | Hebrew Date |
|---|---|
| Saturday, October 10, 2026 | 29 Tishrei, 5787 |
| Saturday, October 30, 2027 | 29 Tishrei, 5788 |
| Saturday, October 14, 2028 | 24 Tishrei, 5789 |
| Saturday, October 6, 2029 | 27 Tishrei, 5790 |
About the Weekly Torah Reading
The Torah is divided into 54 portions (parshiyot) read publicly in synagogue on Shabbat, completing the entire Five Books of Moses every year. The annual cycle restarts on Simchat Torah, when the final portion, Vezot HaBerachah, is read and Parashat Bereshis begins immediately.
Because the Hebrew calendar varies in length from 50 to 55 weeks, some portions are read separately in longer years and combined in shorter years — for example Parashat Matos and Parashat Masei, or Parashat Nitzavim and Parashat Vayeilech. The dates above are calculated algorithmically from the Hebrew calendar using the PhpZmanim library.
See this week's Torah portion or browse the full upcoming schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Parashat Bereshis read?
Parashat Bereshis is read on Shabbat as part of the annual cycle of Torah readings. Its upcoming dates are listed in the table above — calculated from the Hebrew calendar, which determines how the 54 portions align with the Jewish year.
Where is Parashat Bereshis in the Torah?
Parashat Bereshis appears in the book of Genesis (Genesis 1:1–6:8). Each of the Five Books of Moses is divided into 54 weekly portions read over the course of the year.
Why is Parashat Bereshis sometimes read together with another portion?
In years that do not require an extra Shabbat — shorter Hebrew years, or years without a Shabbat falling inside a festival — two adjacent portions are combined into a single reading. In longer years they are read on separate weeks.
What is Parashat Bereshis about?
Bereshis (Bereshit) opens the Torah with the creation of the world in six days, the Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel, the ten generations from Adam to Noah, and the corruption that leads to the Flood.