Parashat Chukas (חוקת)

Chukas contains the laws of the red heifer (Parah Adumah), the deaths of Miriam and Aaron, the episode of striking the rock, and the battles with Sihon and Og.

Torah reading: Numbers 19:1–22:1

Upcoming Reading Dates

ShabbatHebrew Date
Saturday, July 1, 20287 Tamuz, 5788
Saturday, June 23, 202910 Tamuz, 5789
Saturday, June 28, 20317 Tamuz, 5791
Saturday, June 19, 203210 Tamuz, 5792

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 Chukas read?

Parashat Chukas 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 Chukas in the Torah?

Parashat Chukas appears in the book of Numbers (Numbers 19:1–22:1). Each of the Five Books of Moses is divided into 54 weekly portions read over the course of the year.

Why is Parashat Chukas 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 Chukas about?

Chukas contains the laws of the red heifer (Parah Adumah), the deaths of Miriam and Aaron, the episode of striking the rock, and the battles with Sihon and Og.