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Reference.org
Weekly Torah portion
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<p>It is a custom among religious Jewish communities for a weekly Torah portion to be read during <a href="/facts/Jewish_prayer/toeaSvSu">Jewish prayer</a> services on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. The full name, <i>Parashat HaShavua</i> , is popularly abbreviated to <i><a href="/facts/Parashah/EfGfDVSb">parashah</a></i> (also <i>parshah</i> /pɑːrʃə/ or parsha), and is also known as a <a href="/facts/Seder_(Bible)/1gjUDlu4">Sidra</a> or Sedra /sɛdrə/. </p><p>The <i>parashah</i> is a section of the <a href="/facts/Torah/BdJr9IFo">Torah</a> (Five Books of Moses) used in Jewish liturgy during a particular week. There are 54 parshas, or <i>parashiyot</i> in <a href="/facts/Hebrew/hqKCSy9d">Hebrew</a>, and the full cycle is read over the course of one Biblical year. </p>