Parashat Vayikra 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא 21 March 2026  / 3 Nisan 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Vayikra is the 24th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Leviticus 1:1-5:26 In Vayikra (“He Called”), the first Torah portion in the Book of Leviticus, God tells Moses about the sacrifices offered in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Among these are sacrifices entirely burnt on the altar, meal offerings made of flour and oil, peace

Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת וַיַּקְהֵל־פְקוּדֵי 14 March 2026  / 25 Adar 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei is the 22nd and 23rd weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 35:1-40:38 , 12:1-20 Vayakhel (“He Assembled”) opens as God commands the Israelites to observe the Sabbath. Moses asks for material donations for the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), and the people donate. A group of art

Parashat Ki Tisa 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת כִּי תִשָּׂא 7 March 2026  / 18 Adar 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Ki Tisa is the 21st weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 30:11-34:35 ; Numbers 19:1-22 Ki-Tisa (“When You Elevate”) opens as God tells Moses to collect a half-shekel donation from all Israelites and to anoint the Mishkan (Tabernacle), its vessels, and the priests. The Israelites worship the golden calf and Moses bre

Parashat Terumah 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת תְּרוּמָה 21 February 2026  / 4 Adar 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Terumah is the 19th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 25:1-27:19 Terumah (“Donation”) opens as God tells Moses to collect donated materials in order to build a dwelling place for God called the Mishkan (Tabernacle). God describes how to build the vessels that will fill the Mishkan - including the ark, table, meno

Parashat Mishpatim 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים 14 February 2026  / 27 Sh’vat 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Mishpatim is the 18th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 21:1-24:18 , 30:11-16 Mishpatim (“Laws”) recounts a series of God’s laws that Moses gives to the Israelites. These include laws about treatment of slaves, damages, loans, returning lost property, the Sabbath, the sabbatical year, holidays, and destro

Parashat Yitro 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ 7 February 2026  / 20 Sh’vat 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Yitro is the 17th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 18:1-20:23 Yitro (“Jethro”) begins as Moses reunites with his father-in-law Yitro and accepts his advice to appoint judges who will help govern the Israelites. The Israelites prepare to encounter God at Mount Sinai. God descends amidst fire, smoke, thunder, and th

Parashat Beshalach 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּשַׁלַּח 31 January 2026  / 13 Sh’vat 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Beshalach is the 16th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 13:17-17:16 Beshalach (“When He Let Go”) describes the splitting of the Red Sea and the song the Israelites sing upon crossing through. In the desert, God sweetens bitter water and provides manna and quail. The portion ends recounting the victory of the

Parashat Bo 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת בֹּא 24 January 2026  / 6 Sh’vat 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Bo is the 15th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 10:1-13:16 Bo (“Come”) recounts the last three plagues that God inflicts on the Egyptians: locusts, d arkness, and death of firstborns. God commands the Israelites to offer a Passover lamb sacrifice. After the last plague, Pharaoh and the Egyptians demand that the Israelite

Parashat Vaera 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת וָאֵרָא 17 January 2026  / 28 Tevet 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Vaera is the 14th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 6:2-9:35 Vaera (“I Appeared”) opens as God promises to redeem the enslaved Israelites and bring them to the Promised Land. When Pharaoh repeatedly refuses to let the Israelites go, God sends a series of plagues: water turning to blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, de

Parashat Shemot 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמוֹת 10 January 2026  / 21 Tevet 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Shemot is the 13th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 1:1-6:1 Shemot (“Names”) is the first Torah reading in the Book of Exodus. It opens describing the enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt. Moses is born, placed in a basket on the Nile, and adopted into Pharaoh’s household. He later encounters God at a burning bu

(Thank you to Meri Spitzer) How Do You Clean a Menorah? 1 Hot water: Put your menorah in a heat-proof container such as a large pan and pour hot water over the menorah until the wax melts off and floats to the top. Wipe off extra wax with a towel. Be careful that the wax doesn't drip into the sink drain as this can clog your drain! You can also spot clean by warming with a hair dryer (high heat, low fan). If your menorah is glass or ceramic, start with warm water to slowly w

Parashat Vayigash 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּגַּשׁ 27 December 2025  / 7 Tevet 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Vayigash is the 11th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Genesis 44:18-47:27 Vayigash (“He Approached”) opens as Judah pleads with Joseph not to keep Benjamin as a prisoner. Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers, crying and kissing them. The brothers bring Jacob from Canaan to Egypt, and Jacob and his childr

Parashat Miketz 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת מִקֵּץ 20 December 2025  / 30 Kislev 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Miketz is the 10th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Genesis 41:1-41: 52; Numbers 28:9-15 , 7:42-47 Miketz (“After”) follows Joseph as he interprets Pharaoh's dreams and rises to become second-in-command to Pharaoh. When Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt seeking food during a famine, Joseph accuses them of spying. He insis

Parashat Vayeshev 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּשֶׁב 13 December 2025  / 23 Kislev 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Vayeshev is the 9th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Genesis 37:1-40:23 Vayeshev (“He Settled”) begins the story of Joseph, describing his rivalry with his brothers, slavery in Egypt, and imprisonment after his master’s wife frames him in response to Joseph’s refusal of her advances. It also contains the story of T

Parashat Vayishlach 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּשְׁלַח 6 December 2025  / 16 Kislev 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Vayishlach is the 8th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Genesis 32:4-36:43 Vayishlach (“He Sent”) follows Jacob and his family as Jacob wrestles with a man (commonly understood as an angel), is renamed Israel, and reconciles with his brother, Esau. Jacob’s daughter, Dina, is raped by a Hivite prince, and her brot

Parashat Vayetzei 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּצֵא 29 November 2025  / 9 Kislev 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Vayetzei is the 7th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Genesis 28:10-32:3 Vayetzei (“He Went Out”) opens as Jacob dreams about angels going up and down a ladder, and then continues on his journey toward the home of his uncle Laban. During years of indentured servitude, Jacob marries Laban’s daughters Leah and Rachel, b

Parashat Toldot 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת תּוֹלְדוֹת 22 November 2025  / 2 Kislev 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Toldot is the 6th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Genesis 25:19-28:9 Toldot (“Generations”) opens with the births of Isaac and Rebecca’s twins, Jacob and Esau. Esau sells his birthright to Jacob in exchange for soup. Isaac and Rebecca travel to Gerar, where Isaac makes a peace treaty with King Abimelech. Isaac gives

Parashat Chayei Sara 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת חַיֵּי שָֹרָה 15 November 2025  / 24 Cheshvan 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Chayei Sara is the 5th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Genesis 23:1-25:18 Chayei Sarah (“The Life of Sarah”) opens as Sarah dies and Abraham buys the Cave of Machpelah to bury her. Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for Isaac. The servant meets Rebecca at a well, and Rebecca returns with the servant

Parashat Vayera 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּרָא 8 November 2025 / 17 Cheshvan 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Vayera is the 4th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Genesis 18:1-22:24 Vayera (“He Appeared”) opens as guests inform Abraham that Sarah will give birth. Despite Abraham’s attempts to convince God otherwise, God destroys the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sarah gives birth to Isaac, and Abraham sends away Hagar and Ishm

Parashat Lech-Lecha 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת לֶךְ־לְךָ 1 November 2025  / 10 Cheshvan 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Lech-Lecha is the 3rd weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Genesis 12:1-17:27 Lech Lecha (“Go Forth”) recounts Abraham’s (here known as Abram) first encounter with God, his journey to Canaan, the birth of his son Ishmael, the covenant between him, his descendants, and God, and God’s commandment to circumcise the mal