Parashat Bo (בא)

Bo tells of the final three plagues, the first commandments given to Israel, the Passover offering, and the Exodus itself.

Torah reading: Exodus 10:1–13:16

Upcoming Reading Dates

ShabbatHebrew Date
Saturday, January 16, 20278 Sh'vat, 5787
Saturday, February 5, 20288 Sh'vat, 5788
Saturday, January 20, 20294 Sh'vat, 5789
Saturday, January 12, 20308 Sh'vat, 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 Bo read?

Parashat Bo 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 Bo in the Torah?

Parashat Bo appears in the book of Exodus (Exodus 10:1–13:16). Each of the Five Books of Moses is divided into 54 weekly portions read over the course of the year.

Why is Parashat Bo 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 Bo about?

Bo tells of the final three plagues, the first commandments given to Israel, the Passover offering, and the Exodus itself.