The sacred books of the Hebrew people were always regarded as the heritage of the entire community of Israel. They were never the possession of a privileged elite, as often occurred with sacred texts in other cultures. Although the priests and Levites were entrusted with the custody of the sacred writings, they were also given the responsibility of teaching the Torah — the instructions of Yehovah to the people — without this implying that they held exclusive control over its study or knowledge.
The survival of the Hebrew people has depended on faithfulness in fulfilling this mission. For this reason, ignorance of the Torah is inexcusable among Israel, especially since the Torah itself repeatedly makes this demand. Moses himself set this pattern by teaching it publicly:
“And he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people.”
— Exodus 24:7
One of the commands of the Torah specifically requires the public reading of the entire book of Deuteronomy before the assembled people:
“At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), when all Israel comes to appear before Yehovah your Elohim in the place He chooses, you shall read this Torah before all Israel in their hearing.
Assemble the people — men, women, children, and the stranger within your gates — that they may hear and learn and fear Yehovah your Elohim, and be careful to observe all the words of this Torah.
And that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear Yehovah your Elohim all the days you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
— Deuteronomy 31:10–13
Thus, every seven years during the Feast of Sukkot in the Sabbatical year, the entire people of Israel were gathered to be instructed by the priests and Levites. From the beginning of their existence as a nation, it was clear that they were the people chosen by Yehovah to develop a distinct identity. For this reason, the sacred writings were never secret documents, but the shared inheritance of the entire community.
Tradition attributes to Moses the practice of publicly reading portions of the Torah on Shabbat, during the festivals of Yehovah, and on Rosh Chodesh (the New Moon). However, the structured cycle of Torah readings as we know it today developed during the Babylonian exile (5th–4th century BCE).
At the beginning, there was no fixed order for the public reading of the Torah. Over time, the systematic reading of the Torah each Shabbat and on the Festivals grew in importance, exerting a profound influence upon the people. The Torah was not only to be read, but also explained and interpreted to facilitate its application. This is attested in the following passage from the book of Nehemiah:
“And the Levites — Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah — helped the people understand the Torah, while the people remained in their places. They read from the scroll of the Torah of God, clearly explaining the meaning so that the people understood the reading.”
— Nehemiah 8:7–8
When the Hebrew people returned from exile in Babylon, as recorded in Ezra and Nehemiah, they had largely ceased speaking Hebrew, since Aramaic was the common language of that empire. Therefore, it became necessary for someone to translate aloud each phrase as it was read.
Later, the Talmud records the rabbinic practice of extensively explaining the meaning of the text. Rabbis used parables to present truth and facilitate its application to daily life. Thus emerged the “sermon,” a long-standing Jewish tradition whose purpose was both to explain the Torah and to teach Judaism to the assembled community — a practice that continues to this day.
Because Monday and Thursday were market days, when farmers came into the towns to sell produce and purchase supplies, these days became ideal opportunities to gather the people for several hours of Torah instruction. However, urban merchants were occupied serving the visiting farmers and could not attend such gatherings. For their benefit, an additional Torah reading was established on Shabbat afternoon.
The weekly Torah portion is called in Hebrew Parashat ha-Shavua, though it is more commonly known simply as the Parashah (or Parshah), and is also referred to as the Sidra (or Sedra).
Each Parashah takes its name from one of the opening words of the Hebrew text, often from the first verse.
When this practice began, the Torah was divided into 155 portions, requiring three years to complete the cycle. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Reform synagogues and some Conservative communities maintained this triennial cycle; however, it was gradually replaced by the annual cycle followed by most congregations today.
Are these divisions mandatory?
It is important to recognize that neither the annual nor the triennial divisions for reading the Torah were commanded by our Father Yehovah. Therefore, following either cycle is not mandatory. Nevertheless, for the purpose of becoming familiar with the Torah and deepening our understanding of its role as the foundation of the rest of Scripture, it is highly beneficial to read it continually.
When should one begin?
There is likewise no command regarding when to begin reading the Torah. It may be started at any time, and if someone wished and were able to read it all at once, that would be wonderful. However, since we live in a society with limited time, establishing an orderly pattern is wise. By committing ourselves before our Father, we can determine when and how to engage in this reading and study. Then, when we gather with others who seek to live by the Torah, we will have fresh insights to share as we discover the treasures within it — treasures that are surely transforming our lives.
If we are to affirm our identity as the people of Yehovah, we must remain immersed in His Word. Otherwise, we will be unable to discern truth amid the multitude of voices and messages that reach our ears each day. The path is narrow, and remaining upon it requires our full attention to the Instructions — the Torah — that our Father has given us.
The survival of the Hebrew people has depended upon faithful devotion to this mission: teaching and transmitting the Torah. For this reason, ignorance of the Torah has never been considered acceptable within Israel, especially since the Torah itself repeatedly calls the people to know, remember, and live by its words.