Parashat Vayikra (ויקרא)
Vayikra opens Leviticus with the laws of the offerings: burnt, meal, peace, sin, and guilt offerings, brought voluntarily or as atonement.
Upcoming Reading Dates
| Shabbat | Hebrew Date |
|---|---|
| Saturday, March 20, 2027 | 11 Adar II, 5787 |
| Saturday, April 1, 2028 | 5 Nissan, 5788 |
| Saturday, March 17, 2029 | 1 Nissan, 5789 |
| Saturday, March 16, 2030 | 11 Adar II, 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 Vayikra read?
Parashat Vayikra 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 Vayikra in the Torah?
Parashat Vayikra appears in the book of Leviticus (Leviticus 1:1–5:26). Each of the Five Books of Moses is divided into 54 weekly portions read over the course of the year.
Why is Parashat Vayikra 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 Vayikra about?
Vayikra opens Leviticus with the laws of the offerings: burnt, meal, peace, sin, and guilt offerings, brought voluntarily or as atonement.