Parashah

This article is about section divisions throughout the

Tanakh. For the weekly portion (Parashat HaShavua),
see Weekly Torah portion.
A parashah (Hebrew: Pr portion, plural:

scrolls of all Jewish communities is based upon the systematic list provided by Maimonides in Mishneh Torah,
Laws of Tellin, Mezuzah and Torah Scrolls, chapter 8.
Maimonides based his division of the parashot for the
Torah on the Aleppo Codex.[2] The division of parashot
for the books of Nevi'im and Ketuvim was never completely standardized in printed Hebrew bibles and handwritten scrolls, though important attempts were made to
document it and create xed rules.
Incorrect division of the text into parashot, either by indicating a parashah in the wrong place or by using the
wrong spacing technique, halakhically invalidates a Torah
scroll according to Maimonides.[3]

1 Purpose
A parashah break creates a textual pause, roughly analogous to a modern paragraph break.[4] Such a pause usually
has one of the following purposes:

1. In most cases, a new parashah begins where a new

topic or a new thought is clearly indicated in the biblical text.
A page from the Aleppo Codex, Deuteronomy 32:50-33:29.
Parashah breaks visible on this page are as follows: {P} 33:1-6
(right column blank line 8th from top) {S} 33:7 (right column indentation line 23) {P} 33:8-11 (right column blank line 2nd from
bottom) {S} 33:12 (middle column 1st indentation) {S} 33:13-17
(middle column 2nd indentation) {S} 33:18-19 (left column indentation at top) {S} 33:20-21 (left column space in middle of 6th
line) {S} 33:22 (left column 13th line indentation) {S} 33:24-39
(left column 17th line indentation).

2. In many places, however, the parashah divisions are

used even in places where it is clear that no new topic
begins, in order to highlight a special verse by creating a textual pause before it or after it (or both).
3. A special example of #2 is for lists: The individual elements in many biblical lists are separated by
parashah spacing of one type or another.[5]

parashot or parashiyot) formally means a section of a biblical book in the Masoretic Text of the Tanakh (Hebrew
Bible).[1] In the Masoretic Text, parashah sections are
designated by various types of spacing between them, as
found in Torah scrolls, scrolls of the books of Nevi'im
or Ketuvim (especially megillot), masoretic codices from
the Middle Ages and printed editions of the masoretic
text.

To decide exactly where a new topic or thought begins

within a biblical text involves a degree of subjectivity
on the part of the reader. This subjective element may
help explain dierences amongst the various masoretic
codices in some details of the section divisions (though
their degree of conformity is high). It may also explain
why certain verses which might seem like introductions
to a new topic lack a section division, or why such divisions sometimes appear in places where no new topic
seems indicated. For this reason, the parashah divisions
may at times contribute to biblical exegesis.[6]

The division of the text into parashot for the biblical

books is independent of chapter and verse numbers,
which are not part of the masoretic tradition. Parashot
are not numbered, but some have special names.
The division of parashot found in the modern-day Torah
1

4 HALAKHIC SIGNIFICANCE

History

Parashot appear in manuscripts as early as the Dead Sea

Scrolls, in which the division is generally similar to that
found in the masoretic text.[7] The idea of spacing between portions, including the idea of open and closed
portions, is mentioned in early midrashic literature[8] and
the Talmud. Early masoretic lists detailing the Babylonian tradition include systematic and detailed discussion
of exactly where portions begin and which type they are.

In masoretic codices and in medieval scrolls, these two

spacing techniques allowed for a larger range of options:
An open portion always started at the beginning of
a new line. This could happen the way described
above, but also by leaving a blank line between the
two portions, thus allowing the previous portion to
sometimes entirely ll its last line of text.
A closed portion never began at the beginning of
a line. This could happen as in modern scrolls (a
space in the middle of a line), but also by the previous portion ending before the end of the line, and
the new portion beginning on the next line after an
indentation.

As a group, Tiberian masoretic codices share similar but

not identical parashah divisions throughout the Bible.
Unlike the Babylonian mesorah, however, Tiberian masoretic notes never mention the parashah divisions or attempt to systematize them. This is related to the fact that
the Babylonian lists are independent compositions, while
the Tiberian notes are in the margins of the biblical text Open portions often seem to reect the beginning of a
itself, which shows the parashot in a highly visible way. new topic or a major subdivision within a biblical book,
seem to reect smaller units or miIn the centuries following the Tiberian mesorah, there while closed portions
[11]
nor
subdivisions.
were ever-increasing eorts to document and standardize
the details of the parashah divisions, especially for the Most printed Hebrew bibles today represent the parashot
Torah, and even for Nevi'im and Ketuvim as time went using the more limited techniques found in typical modon.
ern Torah scrolls: A space in the middle of a line for a
closed portion, and beginning at the start of the next line
for an open portion (not a blank line). A notable exception is The Jerusalem Crown (The Bible of the Hebrew
3 Spacing techniques
University of Jerusalem, 2000), whose typography and
layout is fashioned after the Aleppo codex, and follows
the medieval spacing techniques for parashah divisions
by leaving an empty line for {P} and starts {S} on a new
line with an indentation.

Illustration of a closed section followed by an open section in

a modern Torah scroll (closed at Numbers 10:35 and open at
11:1). Note the rare occurrence of "inverted Nun" at these two
points.

In most modern Torah scrolls and Jewish editions of the

Bible, there are two types of parashot, an open portion
(parashah petuhah) and a closed portion (parashah setumah). An open portion is roughly similar to a modern
paragraph: The text of the previous portion ends before
the end of the column (leaving a space at the end of the
line), and the new open portion starts at the beginning
of the next line (but with no indentation). A closed portion, on the other hand, leaves a space in the middle of
the line of text, where the previous portion ends before
the space, and the next portion starts after it, towards the
end of the line of text.

Medieval Ashkenazic sources beginning with the Mahzor

Vitry also refer to a third spacing technique called a
parashah sedurah. This involved starting a new parashah
at the same point in the line where the previous parashah
ended on the line above.

4 Halakhic signicance
4.1 Validity of scrolls
According to the ruling of Maimonides (Laws of Tellin,
Mezuzah and Torah Scrolls 10:1), any error regarding a
parashah completely invalidates a Torah scroll. This includes a parashah in the wrong place, of the wrong type,
or a missing parashah.

However, there is also a responsum by Maimonides[12] in

which he ruled that one may recite a blessing over readIn some manuscripts and in many printed editions, an ing from an invalid scroll, based on the reasoning that the
open portion (petuhah) is abbreviated with the Hebrew commandment is in the reading itself, not in the text beletter "( "peh), and a closed portion (setumah) with the ing read from.
Hebrew letter "( "samekh), often in place of the visual Maimonides strict ruling that any error in the parashot
gap in the line.[9] Rough English equivalents are P and completely invalidates a Torah scroll led to a major
S respectively.[10]
halakhic debate that continues to this day.[13] Among

3
those who ruled against Maimonides stricture in practice were his son, Rabbi Abraham,[14] Rabbi Menachem
HaMeiri,[15] Maharam Halava,[16] Mahari Mintz,[17] and
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.[18]
All of the above authorities rule that a scroll containing
parashot based on alternative scribal traditions that disagree with Maimonides list of parashot (Laws of Tellin,
Mezuzah and Torah Scrolls, chapter 8) is nevertheless a
valid scroll. However, even according to the lenient opinion, a blatant error with no source in any scribal tradition
invalidates a Torah scroll.

4.2

Rules and customs for public reading

See also: Torah reading

One basic halakhic rule for public reading of the Torah
is that no fewer than three verses at a time be read.
As a corollary to this, there is a specic rule regarding
parashot: One may not leave o reading less than three
verses before the end of a parashah, nor may one end o
reading by starting a new parashah but leaving o less
than three verses from its beginning.[19]
When a Torah portion is read in public from a scroll as
part of the synagogue service, it is divided into smaller
sections among several people (for instance, 3 short sections on weekdays or 7 on the Sabbath). The points at
which the portion is subdivided often take the parashot
into account, but there is no hard and fast rule for this.
The selections from Nevi'im that are read as haftarot are
based on custom. At times, some of these customs choose
the exact beginning or end of a haftarah because it coincides with a parashah division.

Torah

because it begins with {S}. Therefore, no section

break is indicated before the rst portion of a biblical book, or after its last portion.
The ve books of the Torah have been broken
down into their weekly Torah readings for convenience. The weekly Torah readings always begin
at a parashah break, with the single exception of
Vayechi (Genesis 47:28). The division into weekly
readings is a prominent feature of the Tiberian masoretic codices along with the division into smaller
parashot, and they are indicated with a special ourish in the margin parallel to the line in which each
one begins.
Special series of parashot used for special types
of text (such as chronologies, lists, step-by-step sequences, repeating formulas) are indicated.
When a parashah ignores a chapter break, this is
indicated for convenience by spelling out the exact
verses from each chapter found in that parashah; for
instance: {P} 32:4-33;33:1-17 {S}. This system allows for immediate calculation of the number verses
in the parashah, and also facilitates easier comparison between the parashot and the chapter divisions.
Variations found in alternative masoretic traditions
(such as in the Leningrad Codex) are provided separately at the end of each book.
Unusual data (such as an unusually lengthy
parashah) is underlined to draw special attention,
followed by a parenthetical note identifying the
contents of the parashah at hand.
The rst words of a parashah are sometimes provided in Hebrew for clarity, especially for parashot
that appear within a verse. A prominent example is
for the Ten Commandments. The titles of prominent parashot mentioned in rabbinic literature are
also sometimes given.

Due to the inuence of Maimonides, parashah divisions

The verse numbering in this list is according to the
in the Torah have become highly standardized, and there
system commonly found in most Hebrew editions.
is close to exact agreement among Torah scrolls, printed
The numbers in translations (and even in some HeJewish bibles, and similar online texts.[20] The following
brew editions such as BHS) may dier slightly.
list thus presents the parashah divisions as found in (a)
modern Torah scrolls, (b) Maimonides' Mishneh Torah,
and (c) the Aleppo Codex (based on several witnesses be- Symbols:
sides Maimonides to the parashot in its missing parts).
Rare inconsistencies between these three sources are ex {P} = parashah petuhah (open portion), typically
plained in footnotes.
resembles a new paragraph
The list is constructed as follows:
{S} = parashah setumah (closed portion), typically represented as a blank space in the middle of
Only breaks between two sections are listed: Any
a line
open or closed parashah break, {P} or {S}, must
always appear between two biblical sections. The
symbols {P} and {S} always indicate the status of
the following section. In Genesis, for instance, {S}
5:32-6:4 {P} indicates a closed section (setumah)

{-} = no parashah break indicated

{SONG} = Special format for songs; details of the
special layout will be described in separate sections.

5 TORAH

5.1

Genesis

{P} 12:1-9 {P} 12:10-20;13:1-18 {P} 14:124 {P} 15:1-21 {S} 16:1-16 {S} 17:1-14 {S}
17:15-27
Parashat Vayera (Genesis 18:1-22:24):
{P} 18:1-33;19:1-38 {S} 20:1-18 {S} 21:1-21
{P} 21:22-34 {P} 22:1-19 {P} 22:20-24
Parashat Chayyei Sarah (Genesis 23:1-25:18):
{P} 23:1-20 {S} 24:1-67 (Eliezer & Rebeccah) {P} 25:1-11 {P} 25:12-18
Parashat Toledot (Genesis 25:19-28:9):
{P} 25:19-34 {P} 26:1-33 {S} 26:34-35 {S}
27:1-46;28:1-9 (blessings of Isaac & Jacob;
see image)
Parashat Vayetzei (Genesis 28:10-32:3):
{S} 28:10-22;29:1-35;30:1-43;31:1-54;32:13 (Jacob in Haran)
Parashat Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4-36:43):

A page of the Aleppo Codex was photographed in 1887 by

William Wickes, containing Genesis 26:35 ( )to 27:30 (
). It shows a single open parashah break {S} at 27:1 (
;) that parashah is in bold within the list below for
Parashat Toledot.

Parashat Bereshit (Genesis 1:1-6:8):

Seven days:1:1-5 {P} 1:6-8 {P} 1:9-13 {P}
1:14-19 {P} 1:20-23 {P} 1:24-31 {P} 2:1-3
{P} 2:4-3:15 {S} 3:16 {S} 3:17-21 {P} 3:2224 {P} 4:1-26
From Adam to Noah: {S} 5:1-5 {S} 5:6-8 {S}
5:9-11 {S} 5:12-14 {S} 5:15-17 {S} 5:1820 {S} 5:21-24 {S} 5:25-27 {S} 5:28-31 {S}
5:32;6:1-4
{P} 6:5-8
Parashat Noach (Genesis 6:9-11:32):
{P} 6:9-12 {S} 6:13-22;7:1-24;8:1-14 {S}
8:15-22;9:1-7 {S} 9:8-17 {P} 9:18-29 {P}
10:1-14 {S} 10:15-20 {S} 10:21-32 {P} 11:19
From Noah to Abraham: {P} 11:10-11 {S}
11:12-13 {S} 11:14-15 {S} 11:16-17 {S}
11:18-19 {S} 11:20-21 {S} 11:22-23 {S}
11:24-25 {S} 11:26-32
Parashat Lekh Lekha (Genesis 12:1-17:27):

{P} 32:4-33;33:1-17 {S} 33:18-20 {S} 34:131 {P} 35:1-8 {P} 35:9-22a {P} 33:22b-29
{P} 36:1-19 {S} 36:20-43
Parashat Vayeshev (Genesis 37-40):
{P} 37:1-36 {P} 38:1-30 {S} 39:1-23 {P}
40:1-23
Parashat Miketz (Genesis 41:1-44:17):
{P}
41:1-57;42:1-38;43:1-34;44:1-17
(Joseph in Egypt)
Parashat Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27) and
Parashat Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26):[21]
{S} 44:18-34;45:1-28;46:1-7 (Reconciliation)
{S} 46:8-27 {S} 46:28-34;47:1-31[21] {P}
48:1-22
Jacobs blessings: {P} 49:1-4 {P} 49:5-7 {P}
49:8-12 {P} 49:13 {P} 49:14-15 {S} 49:1618 {S} 49:19 {S} 49:20 {S} 49:21 {S} 49:2226 {P} 49:27-33;50:1-26
Variants:
Leningrad Codex: {P} 5:1 {S} 5:3 {P} 5:21 {P}
5:25 {P} 5:28 {S} 7:1 {S} 12:1 {S} 23:1 {S} 25:12
{S} 26:1 {S} 40:1 {P} 46:28 {S} 49:8 {S} 49:14
{-} 49:19

5.3

5.2

Leviticus

Exodus

Parashat Shemot (Exodus 1:1-6:1):

1:1-7 {P} 1:8-22 {P} 2:1-22 {P} 2:23-25 {S}
3:1-22;4:1-17 {P} 4:18-26 {P} 4:27-31;5:123;6:1
Parashat Va'era (Exodus 6:2-9:35):
{S} 6:2-9 {P} 6:10-12 {P} 6:13 {S} 6:14-28
{S} 6:29-30 {P} 7:1-7 {P} 7:8-13 {S} 7:1418 {S} 7:19-25 {P} 7:26-29;8:1-11 {S} 8:1215 {S} 8:16-28 {P} 9:1-7 {P} 9:8-12 {S}
9:13-21 {P} 9:22-35
Parashat Bo (Exodus 10:1-13:16):
{P} 10:1-11 {S} 10:12-20 {P} 10:21-29 {P}
11:1-3 {S} 11:4-8 {S} 11:9-10 {S} 12:1-20
{P} 12:21-28 {S} 12:29-36 {P} 12:37-42 {P}
12:43-50 {S} 12:51 {P} 13:1-10 {P} 13:1116
Parashat Beshallach (Exodus 13:17-17:16):
{S} 13:17-22 {P} 14:1-14 {P} 14:15-25 {P}
14:26-31
{P} Song of the Sea: {SONG} 15:1-19
{SONG}
{P} 15:20-26 {S} 15:27;16:1-3 {S} 16:4-10
{P} 16:11-27 {S} 16:28-36 {P} 17:1-7 {P}
17:8-13 {P} 17:14-16
Parashat Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23):

5
{P} 25:1-9 {S} 25;10-22 {P} 25:23-30 {P}
25:31-40 {S} 26:1-14 {P} 26:15-30 {S}
26:31-37 {S} 27:1-8 {S} 27:9-19
Parashat Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20-30:10):
{S} 27:20-21 {S} 28:1-5 {P} 28:6-12 {S}
28:13-14 {S} 28:15-30 {S} 28:31-35 {S}
28:36-43 {S} 29:1-37 {S} 29:38-46 {P} 30:110
Parashat Ki Tissa (Exodus 30:11-34:35):
{P} 30:11-16 {P} 30:17-21 {P} 30:22-33
{S} 30:34-38 {S} 31:1-11 {P} 31:12-17 {S}
31:18;32:1-6 {P} 32:7-14 {P} 32:15-35 {S}
33:1-11 {P} 33:12-16 {P} 33:17-23 {S/P}[23]
34:1-26 {P} 34:27-35
Parashat Vayakhel (Exodus 35:1-38:20):
{S} 35:1-3 {P} 35:4-29 {P} 35:30-35;36:1-7
{S} 36:8-13 {P} 36:14-19 {S} 36:20-38 {P}
37:1-9 {P} 37:10-16 {P} 37:17-24 {P} 37:2529 {S} 38:1-7 {S} 38:8 {S} 38:9-20
Parashat Pekudei (Exodus 38:21-40:38):
{S} 38:21-23 {S} 38:24-31;39:1 {P} 39:25 {S} 39:6-7 {P} 39:8-21 {P} 39:22-26 {S}
39:27-29 {S} 39:30-31 {S} 39:32 {P} 39:3343 {P} 40:1-16 {S} 40:17-19 {S} 40:20-21
{S} 40:22-23 {S} 40:24-25 {S} 40:26-27 {S}
40:28-29 {S} 40:30-32 {S} 40:33 {P} 40:3438
Variants:

{P} 18:1-27 {P} 19:1-24

Ten Commandments: {S} 20:1 { S}
20:2-5 { S} 20:6 { P} 20:7-10
{ S} 20:11 { S} 20:12a
{S} 20:12b { S} 20:12c { S}
20:12d { S} 20:13a
{S} 20:13b[22]
{P} 20:14-17 {S} 20:18-22
Parashat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1-24:18):
Laws: {P} 21:1-6 {S} 21:7-11 {S} 21:12-13
{S} 21:14 {S} 21:15 {S} 21:16 {S} 21:17
{S} 21:18-19 {S} 21:20-21 {S} 21:22-25 {S}
21:26-27 {P} 21:28-32 {S} 21:33-34 {S}
21:35-36 {S} 21:37;22:1-3 {S} 22:4 {S} 22:5
{S} 22:6-8 {S} 22:9-12 {S} 22:13-14 {S}
22:15-16 {S} 22:17-18 {S} 22:19-23 {P}
22:24-26 {S} 22:27-30 {S} 23:1-3 {S} 23:4
{S} 23:5 {S} 23:6-19
{P} 23:20-25 {S} 23:26-33 {P} 24:1-11 {S}
24:12-18
Parashat Terumah (Exodus 25:1-27:19):

Leningrad Codex: {S} 2:1 {P} 6:29 {P} 7:14 {P}

10:12 {P} 12:1 {S} 13:11 {S} 16:6 {P} 20:18 {-}
21:16 {S} 21:27 {S} 22:18 {S} 23:2 {S} 23:20 {-}
23:26 {P} 26:7 {S} 33:12 {S} 34:1[23] {S} 36:14
{P} 38:1 {-} 39:6 {-} 39:22 {P} 40:28

5.3 Leviticus
Parashat Vayikra (Leviticus 1:1-5:26):
1:1-9 {S} 1:10-13 {P} 1:14-17 {S} 2:1-3 {S}
2:4 {S} 2:5-6 {S} 2:7-13 {S} 2:14-16 {P}
3:1-5 {P} 3:6-11 {P} 3:12-17 {P} 4:1-12 {P}
4:13-21 {P} 4:22-26 {P} 4:27-31 {P} 4:3235 {P} 5:1-10 {S} 5:11-13 {S} 5:14-16 {P}
5:17-19 {P} 5:20-26
Parashat Tzav (Leviticus 6:1-8:36):
{P} 6:1-6 {S} 6:7-11 {P} 6:12-16 {P} 6:1723 {P} 7:1-10 {P} 7:11-21 {P/-}[24] 7:22-27
{P/-}[24] 7:28-38 {P} 8:1-36
Parashat Shemini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47):

5 TORAH
{S} 9:1-24;10:1-7 {P} 10:8-11 {P} 10:12-20
{P} 11:1-28 {S} 11:29-38 {S} 11:39-47
Parashat Tazria (Leviticus 12:1-13:59):
{P} 12:1-8 {P} 13:1-8 {P} 13:9-17 {P}
13:18-23 {S} 13:24-28 {P} 13:29-37 {S}
13:38-39 {S} 13:40-46 {S} 13:47-59
Parashat Metzora (Leviticus 14:1-15:33):
{P} 14:1-20 {S} 14:21-32 {P} 14:33-57
{P} 15:1-15 {S} 15:16-18 {P} 15:19-24 {S}
15:25-33
Parashat Acharei Mot (Leviticus 16:1-18:30):
{P} 16:1-34 {P} 17:1-16 {P} 18:1-5
Forbidden relations: {S} 18:6 {S} 18:7 {S}
18:8 {S} 18:9 {S} 18:10 {S} 18:11 {S} 18:12
{S} 18:13 {S} 18:14 {S} 18:15 {S} 18:16 {S}
18:17-30
Parashat Kedoshim (Leviticus 19:1-20:27):
{P} 19:1-22 {P} 19:23-32 {S} 19:33-37 {P}
20:1-27
Parashat Emor (Leviticus 21:1-24:23):
{P} 21:1-9 {S} 21:10-15 {S} 21:16-24 {P}
22:1-16 {P} 22:17-25 {S} 22:26-33 {P} 23:13 {P} 23:4-8 {P} 23:9-14 {S} 23:15-22 {P}
23:23-25 {S} 23:26-32 {P} 23:33-44 {P}
24:1-4 {P} 24:5-9 {S} 24:10-12 {P} 24:1323
Parashat Behar (Leviticus 25:1-26:2):
{P} 25:1-7 {S} 25:8-24 {S} 25:25-28 {S}
25:29-34 {S} 25:35-38 {S} 25:39-46 {S}
25:47-26:2
Parashat Bechukotai (Leviticus 26:3-27:34):
{P} 26:3-13 {P} 26:14-26 {S} 26:27-46 {P}
27:1-8 {S} 27:9-34

Variants:
Leningrad Codex: {P}[24] 7:22 {P}[24] 7:28 {S}
11:21 {S} 15:1 {P} 15:17 {-} 15:18 {P} 15:25 {S}
17:13 {P} 19:20 {P} 19:33 {P} 21:16 {S} 22:14
{P} 22:26 {S} 23:23 {-} 25:29 {S} 26:3 {S} 26:18
{S} 27:26

5.4

Numbers

Parashat Bemidbar (Numbers 1:1-4:20):

1:1-19 {S} 1:20-21 {P} 1:22-23 {P} 1:24-25

{P} 1:26-27 {P} 1:28-29 {P} 1:30-31 {P}
1:32-33 {P} 1:34-35 {P} 1:36-37 {P} 1:3839 {P} 1:40-41 {P} 1:42-43 {P} 1:44-47 {P}
1:48-54 {P} 2:1-9 {S} 2:10-16 {S} 2:17 {S}
2:18-24 {S} 2:25-31 {P} 2:32-34 {P} 3:14 {P} 3:5-10 {P} 3:11-13 {P} 3:14-26 {S}
3:27-39 {S} 3:40-43 {P} 3:44-51 {P} 4:1-16
{P} 4:17-20
Parashat Naso (Numbers 4:21-7:89):
{P} 4:21-28 {S} 4:29-37 {S} 4:38-49 {P}
5:1-4 {P} 5:5-10 {P} 5:11-31 {P} 6:1-21
{P} 6:22-23 {S} 6:24 {S} 6:25 {S} 6:26 {S}
6:27 {S} 7:1-11 {S} 7:12-17 {P} 7:18-23 {P}
7:24-29 {P} 7:30-35 {P} 7:36-41 {P} 7:4247 {P} 7:48-53 {P} 7:54-59 {P} 7:60-65 {P}
7:66-71 {P} 7:72-77 {P} 7:78-83 {P} 7:8489
Parashat Beha'alotekha (Numbers 8:1-12:16):
{P} 8:1-4 {P} 8:5-22 {S} 8:23-26 {P} 9:18 {P} 9:9-14 {S} 9:15-23 {P} 10:1-10 {P}
10:11-28 {S} 10:29-34 {S} 10:35-36{ P}
11:1-15 {P} 11:16-22 {P} 11:23-35 {P} 12:13 {S} 12:4-13 {P} 12:14-16
Parashat Shelach (Numbers 13:1-15:41):
{P} 13:1-33;14:1-10 {P} 14:11-25 {P}
14:26-45 {P} 15:1-16 {P} 15:17-21 {S}
15:22-26 {S} 15:27-31 {P} 15:32-34 {S}
15:35-36 {P} 15:37-41
Parashat Korach (Numbers 16:1-18:32):
{P} 16:1-19 {S} 16:20-22 {S} 16:23-35 {S}
17:1-5 {P} 17:6-7 {S} 17:8-15 {P} 17:16-24
{P} 17:25-26 {P} 17:27-28 {S} 18:1-7 {P}
18:8-20 {S} 18:21-24 {P} 18:25-32
Parashat Chukkat (Numbers 19:1-22:1):
{P} 19:1-22 {P} 20:1-6 {P} 20:7-11 {S}
20:12-13 {S} 20:14-21 {P} 20:22-29 {S}
21:1-3 {P} 21:4-16 {S} 21:17-20 {P} 21:2135;22:1
Parashat Balak (Numbers 22:2-25:9):
{S} 22:2-41;23:1-30;24:1-25 (Balaam &
Balak) {P} 25:1-9
Parashat Pinchas (Numbers 25:10-30:1):
{P} 25:10-15 {P} 25:16-18;26:1a
Census: {P} 26:1b-11
26:15-18 {S} 26:19-22
26:26-27 {S} 26:28-32
26:35-37 {S} 26:38-41
26:44-47 {S} 26:48-51

{S}
{S}
{S}
{S}

26:12-14
26:23-25
26:33-34
26:42-43

{S}
{S}
{S}
{S}

5.5

Deuteronomy
{P} 26:52-56 {S} 26:57-65 {S} 27:1-5 {P}
27:6-11 {P} 27:12-14 {S} 27:15-23
Oerings: {P} 28:1-8 {P} 28:9-10 {P} 28:1115 {S} 28:16-25 {S} 28:26-31 {P} 29:1-6 {S}
29:7-11
Sukkot oerings: {S} 29:12-16 {S} 29:17-19
{S} 29:20-22 {S} 29:23-25 {S} 29:26-28 {S}
29:29-31 {S} 29:32-34 {S} 29:35-39;30:1

Parashat Mattot (Numbers 30:2-32:42):

{P} 30:2-17 {P} 31:1-12 {S} 31:13-20 {S}
31:21-24 {S} 31:25-54 {P} 32:1-4 {S} 32:515 {S} 32:16-19 {P} 32:20-42
Parashat Masei (Numbers 33:1-36:13):
{P} 33:1-39 {S} 33:40-49 {S} 33:50-56 {P}
34:1-15 {P} 34:16-29 {P} 35:1-8 {P} 35:934 {P} 36:1-13
Variants:
Leningrad Codex: {P} 1:20 {S} 2:7 {-} 3:1 {S}
3:14 {-} 3:27 {S} 4:17 {P} 4:29 {P} 7:1 {P} 9:15
{S} 10:18 {S} 10:22 {S} 10:25 {S} 11:1 {P} 16:20
{P} 16:23 {P} 17:1 {-} 17:6 {P} 17:9 {S} 17:25
{S} 17:27 {S} 18:8 {S} 27:6 {S} 27:12 {P} 27:15
{S} 28:11 {P} 29:12 {P} 29:32 {P} 29:35 {P}
31:25

5.5

Deuteronomy

7
The Aleppo Codex is intact starting at Deuteronomy
28:17 (). Parashot from the extant parts are in
bold, as are the parashot shown in the Segall photograph
(image at right).
Parashat Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22):
1:1-46;2:1 {S} 2:2-8a {S} 2:8b-16 { S}
2:17-30 {S} 2:31-37;3:1-22
Parashat Va'etchannan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11):
{S} 3:23-29 {P} 4:1-24 {P} 4:25-40 {P}
4:41-49 {P} 5:1-5
Ten Commandments: {S} 5:6-9 { S}
5:10 { S} 5:11-14 { S} 5:15
{S} 5:16a { S} 5:16b { S}
5:16c { S} 5:16d { S} 5:17a
{ S} 5:17b
{S} 5:18-29;6:1-3 {P} 6:4-9 { S} 6:10-15
{S} 6:16-18 {S} 6:19-25 {S} 7:1-11
Parashat Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25):
{P} 7:12-16 {S} 7:17-26 {P} 8:1-18 {P}
8:19-20 {P} 9:1-29 {P} 10:1-11 {P} 10:1222;11:1-9 {S} 11:10-12 {S} 11:13-21 {S}
11:22-25
Parashat Re'eh (Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17):
{S} 11:26-28 {S} 11:29-32;12:1-19 {S}
12:20-28 {S} 12:29-31;13:1 {P} 13:2-6 {S}
13:7-12 {S} 13:13-19 {S} 14:1-2 {S} 14:3-8
{S} 14:9-10 {S} 14:11-21 {P} 14:22-29 {S}
15:1-6 {S} 15:7-11 {S} 15:12-18 {P} 15:1923 {P} 16:1-8 {S} 16:9-12 {P} 16:13-17
Parashat Shofetim (Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9):
{S} 16:18-20 {S} 16:21-22 {S} 17:1 {S}
17:2-7 {P} 17:8-13 {S} 17:14-20 {S} 18:1-2
{S} 18:3-5 {S} 18:6-8 {S} 18:9-22 {S} 19:110 {P} 19:11-13 {S} 19:14 {S} 19:15-21 {S}
20:1-9 {S} 20:10-18 {S} 20:19-20 {P} 21:1-9
Parashat Ki Tetzei (Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19):

Two consecutive pages of the Aleppo Codex from the nowmissing part of Deuteronomy were photographed in 1910 by
Joseph Segall, containing the Ten Commandments. The image
shows Deuteronomy 4:38 ( )to 6:3 (), including the
following parashah breaks: {P} 4:41 { P} 5:1
{ S} 5:6 { S} 5:10 { S} 5:11 { S} 5:15
{S} 5:16a { S} 5:16b { S} 5:16c { S}
5:16d { S} 5:17a { S} 5:21b { S}
5:22. These parashot are shown in bold within the
list below for Parashat Va'etchannan.

{S} 21:10-14 {S} 21:15-17 {S} 21:18-21 {S}

21:22-23 {S} 22:1-3 {S} 22:4 {S} 22:5 {P}
22:6-7 {S} 22:8-9 {S} 22:10-11 {S} 22:12
{S} 22:13-19 {S} 22:20-21 {S} 22:22 {S}
22:23-24 {S} 22:25-27 {S} 22:28-29 {S}
23:1 {S} 23:2 {S} 23:3 {S} 23:4-7 {S} 23:8-9
{S} 23:10-15 {S} 23:16-17 {S} 23:18-19 {S}
23:20-21 {S} 23:22-24 {S} 23:25 {S} 23:26
{S} 24:1-4 {S} 24:5-6 {S} 24:7 {S} 24:8-9
{S} 24:10-13 {S} 24:14-15 {S} 24:16 {S}
24:17-18 {S} 24:19 {S} 24:20-22 {S} 25:1-4
{S} 25:5-10 {S} 25:11-12 {S} 25:13-16 {P}
25:17-19

6 NEVI'IM
Parashat Ki Tavo (Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8):
{P} 26:1-11 {S} 26:12-15 {S} 26:16-19 {P}
27:1-8 {S} 27:9-10 {S} 27:11-14 {S} 27:15
{S} 27:16 {S} 27:17 {S} 27:18 {S} 27:19 {S/}[25] 27:20 {S} 27:21 {S} 27:22 {S} 27:23
{S} 27:24 {S} 27:25 {S} 27:26 {P} 28:1-14
{P} 28:15-68 {S} 28:69 {P} 29:1-8
Parashat Nitzavim (Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20):
{P} 29:9-29:28 {S} 30:1-10 {S} 30:11-14 {S}
30:15-20
Parashat Vayelekh (Deuteronomy 31:1-30):
{P} 31:1-6 {S} 31:7-13 {P} 31:14-30
Parashat Ha'azinu (Deuteronomy 32:1-52):
{P} Song of Moses:
{SONG}

{SONG} 32:1-43

{P} 32:44-47 {P} 32:48-52

Parashat Vezot Haberakhah (Deuteronomy 33:134:12):
{P} 33:1-6 {S} 33:7 {P} 33:8-11 {S} 33:12-17
{S} 33:18-19 {S} 33:20-21 {S} 33:22-23 {S}
33:24-29 {S} 34:1-12
Variants:

8:18-29 {P} 8:30-35;9:1-2 {P} 9:3-27 {P} 10:1-7

{P} 10:8-11 {S} 10:12-14 {S} 10:15-28 {S} 10:2930 {S} 10:31-32 {P} 10:33-35 {P} 10:36-37 {S}
10:38-43 {P} 11:1-5 {P} 11:6-9 {S} 11:10-20 {S}
11:21-23 {S} 12:1-8
{P} Canaanite Kings:
{SONG}

{SONG} 12:9-24

{P} 13:1-14 {P} 13:15-23 {P} 13:24-32 {P} 13:33

{S} 14:1-5 {P} 14:6-15 {P} 15:1-19
Cities of Judah: {P} 15:20-32 {S} 15:33-36 {S}
15:37-41 {S} 15:42-46 {S} 15:47 {S} 15:48-49 {S}
15:50-51 {S} 15:52-54 {S} 15:55-57 {S} 15:58-59
{P} 15:60 {S} 15:61-63
{P} 16:1-10 {P} 17:1-13 {S} 17:14-18 {P} 18:1-10
{P} 18:11-20 {P} 18:21-28 {P} 19:1-9 {P} 19:1016 {P} 19:17-23 {P} 19:24-31 {P} 19:32-39 {P}
19:40-48 {S} 19:49-51 {P} 20:1-9
Levite cities: {P} 21:1-2 {P} 21:3-4 {S} 21:5 {S}
21:6 {S} 21:7 {S} 21:8 {S} 21:9-12 {S} 21:1316 {S} 21:17-19 {S} 21:20-22 {S} 21:23-26 {S}
21:27 {S} 21:28-29 {S} 21:30-31 {S} 21:32-33 {S}
21:34-35 {S} 21:36-40 {S} 21:41-43
{P} 22:1-6 {P} 22:7-8 {P} 22:9-12 {P} 22:13-20
{S} 22:21-29 {P} 22:30-34 {P} 23:1-16 {P} 24:115 {P} 24:16-26 {P} 24:27-28 {P} 24:29-33

Leningrad Codex: {S} 7:7 {-} 13:7 {S} 16:22 {S}

18:14 {S} 19:8 {S} 19:11 {S} 22:9 {S} 22:11 {S} 6.2 Judges
23:8b { S} 24:6 {S} 24:9 {S} 24:21
{S} 25:4 {S} 25:14 {S} 27:1 {S} 27:20 {-} 24:8 { 1:1-7 {P} 1:8-15 {P} 1:16-21 {P} 1:22-26 {P}
} 24:20 {S} 28:15 {P} 30:11 {P} 31:7 {S} 31:16
1:27-28 {S} 1:29 {S} 1:30 {S} 1:31-32 {S} 1:33{S} 33:8
36 {P} 2:1a {P} 2:1b-5 {P} 2:6-10 {P} 2:11-23 {P}
3:1-6 {P} 3:7-11 {P} 3:12-30 {P} 3:31 {P} 4:1-3
{P} 4:4-24

Nevi'im

Parashot in Nevi'im are listed here according to the

Aleppo codex, with variants from other masoretic traditions noted at the end of each books section.
The Aleppo codex is intact for the bulk of Nevi'im. The few
parashot noted here from its missing parts are listed according to
the notes taken by Joshua Kimhi, who recorded the parashot of
the Aleppo codex in the nineteenth century in the bible of Rabbi
Shalom Shachna Yellin. These are indicated by an asterisk.

6.1

Joshua

1:1-9 {P} 1:10-11 {P} 1:12-18 {P} 2:1-24 {S} 3:14 {P} 3:5-6 {S} 3:7-8 {P} 3:9-17;4:1a {P} 4:1b-3
{S} 4:4-13 {S} 4:14 {P} 4:15-24 {P} 5:1 {P} 5:2-8
{P} 5:9-12 {S} 5:13-15;6:1 {S} 6:2-11 {P} 6:12-25
{P} 6:26 {S} 6:27;7:1 {S} 7:2-26 {P} 8:1-17 {P}

{P} Song of Deborah: {SONG} 5:1-31 {SONG}

{P} 6:1-6 {P} 6:7-10 {P} 6:11-19 {P} 6:20-24 {S}
6:25-32 {S} 6:33-40 {P} 7:1 {S} 7:2-3 {S} 7:4-6
{S} 7:7-8 {P} 7:9-14 {P} 7:15-18 {P} 7:19-25;8:19 {P} 8:10-21 {P} 8:22-28 {P} 8:29-32 {P} 8:3335 {P} 9:1-5 {S} 9:6-25 {P} 9:26-45 {P} 9:46-49
{P} 9:50-57 {P} 10:1-2 {P} 10:3-4 {P} 10:6-10
{P} 10:11-16 {P} 10:17-18 {P} 11:1-3 {P} 11:6-11
{P} 11:12-31 {P} 11:32-33 {P} 11:34-40 {P} 12:17 {P} 12:8-10 {P} 12:11-12 {P} 12:13-15 {P} 13:1
{P} 13:2-7 {P} 13:8-14 {S} 13:15-18 {P} 13:1925 {P} 14:1-20 {P} 15:1-8 {P} 15:9-20 {P} 16:13 {P} 16:4-22 {P} 16:23-31 {P} 17:1-6 {P} 17:713 {P} 18:1 {P} 18:2-6 {P} 18:7-31 {P} 19:1-30
{P} 20:1-2 {P} 20:3-11 {P} 20:12-16 {P} 20:1723 {P} 20:24-29 {P} 20:30-34 {P} 20:35-48 {P}
21:1-4 {P} 21:5-12 {P} 21:13-18 {S} 21:19-22 {S}
21:23-24 {P} 21:25

6.4

6.3

Kings

Samuel

(1Sam) 1:1-28 {S} 2:1-10 {P} 2:11-21 {S} 2:22-26

{P} 2:27-36 {P} 3:1 {S} 3:2-3 {P} 3:4-5 {S} 3:610 {P} 3:11-18 {P} 3:19-20 {S} 3:21 {P} 4:1-17
{P} 4:18-22 {P} 5:1-5 {P} 5:6-8 {S} 5:9-12 {S}
6:1-2 {S} 6:3-14 {S} 6:15-16
Philistine oering:[26] {S} 6:17a {S} 6:17b {S}
6:17c {S} 6:17d {S} 6:17e {S} 6:17f
{S} 6:18-21;7:1 {P} 7:2 {S} 7:3-4 {P} 7:5-17 {P}
8:1-3 {P} 8:4-6 {P} 8:7-9 {S} 8:10 {S} 8:11-21
{P} 8:22 {P} 9:1-14 {S} 9:15-20 {S} 9:21 {S}
9:22-27 {P} 10:1-9 {S} 10:10-11a {S} 10:11b-16
{S} 10:17-18a {P} 10:18b-22a {S} 10:22b-24 {S}
10:25-27 {P} 11:1-10 {S} 11:11-15 {P} 12:1-5 {P}
12:6-17 {S} 12:18-25 {P} 13:1-12 {S} 13:13-14
{S} 13:15-18 {S} 13:19=23 {S} 14:1-5 {S} 14:67 {S} 14:8-12a {P} 14:12b-16 {P} 14:17-19a {P}
14:19b-24 {S} 14:25-35 {P} 14:36-40 {S} 14:4143 {S} 14:44-45 {S} 14:46-48 {P} 14:49-51 {S}
14:52 {P} 15:1 {S} 15:2-3 {S} 15:4-9 {P} 15:10-15
{P} 15:16 {S} 15:17-19 {S} 15:20-21 {S} 15:2223 {S} 15:24-26 {S} 15:27 {S} 15:28 {S} 15:2931 {S} 15:32 {S} 15:33 {S} 15:34-35 {P} 16:16 {S} 16:7-12a {P} 16:12b-16 {P} 16:17-23 {P}
17:1-11 {P} 17:12-14 {S} 17:15-16 {P} 17:1719 {S} 17:20-15 {P} 17:26-33 {S} 17:34-26 {S}
17:37a {S} 17:37b-44 {S} 17:45-47 {S} 17:4854 {S} 17:55-56 {S} 17:57-58;18:1-5 {P} 18:6-9
{S} 18:10-13 {S} 18:14-16 {P} 18:17 {S} 18:1827 {S} 18:28-29 {P} 18:30 {S} 19:1-3 {S} 19:4-7
{S} 19:8-10 {P} 19:11-13 {S} 19:14 {S} 19:1516 {S} 19:17-21a {P} 19:21b-24 {P} 20:1-4 {P}
20:5-8 {P} 20:9 {S} 20:10 {S} 20:11 {S} 20:1217 {S} 20:18-23 {S} 20:24-26 {S} 20:27a {P}
20:27b-29 {S} 20:30-31 {S} 20:32-33 {S} 20:34
{S} 20:35-39 {S} 20:40-42 {P} 21:1-5 {P} 21:6-9
{S} 21:10a {S} 21:10b-14 {S} 21:15-16 {P} 22:14 {S} 22:5 {S} 22:6-8 {S} 22:9-11 {S} 22:12-13
{S} 22:14-17 {S} 22:18-23 {S} 23:1-2a {S} 23:2b3 {S} 23:4-5 {S} 23:6-9 {S} 23:10-11a {S} 23:11b
{S} 23:12 {S} 23:13-15 {S} 23:16-18 {S} 23:1929 {S} 24:1 {S} 24:2-7 {S} 24:8 {S} 24:9-15 {P}
24:16-22 {S} 25:1 {P} 25:2-31 {S} 25:32-44 {S}
26:1-7 {S} 26:8-9 {P} 26:10-14 {P} 26:15-24 {P}
26:25 {P} 27:1-4 {S} 27:5-6 {P} 27:7-12 {P} 28:12 {P} 28:3-14 {S} 28:15 {S} 28:16-25 {P} 29:1-3
{P} 29:4-5 {S} 29:6-7 {S} 29:8-11 {S} 30:1-6 {S}
30:7-12 {S} 30:13-21 {S} 30:22 {S} 30:23-24 {S}
30:25 {P} 30:26

9
9 {P} 2:10-11 {S} 2:12-32;3:1 {S} 3:2-5 {P} 3:68 {S} 3:9-11 {S} 3:12-13 {S} 3:14-30 {S} 3:3132 {S} 3:33-37 {S} 3:38-39 {P} 4:1-3 {S} 4:412 {P} 5:1-3 {S} 5:4-10 {P} 5:11-12 {S} 5:13-16
{P} 5:17-19a {P} 5:19b-21 {P} 5:22-25 {P} 6:120a {S} 6:20b-23 {P} 7:1-4a {S} 7:4b {S} 7:4c5a {S} 7:5b-17 {P} 7:18-24 {S} 7:25-29 {P} 8:18 {S} 8:9-18 {S} 9:1-13 {P} 10:1-16 {S} 10:1719 {P} 11:1 {S} 11:2-15 {S} 1:16-24 {S} 11:2527 {P} 12:1-6 {S} 12:7a {S} 12:7b-10 {S} 12:1112 {S} 12:13a {S} 12:13b-25 {P} 12:26-31 {P}
13:1-22 {P} 13:23-27 {S} 13:28-30 {P} 13:31 {S}
13:32-33 {P} 13:34-39 14:1-4 {S} 14:5-7 {P} 14:89 {S} 14:10-12 {S} 14:13-17 {P} 14:18-20 {S}
14:21-23 {S} 14:24 {S} 14:25-27 {P} 14:28-30
{P} 14:31-33 {S} 15:1-6 {P} 15:7-9 {P} 15:1018 {S} 15:19-24 {S} 15:25-26 {S} 15:27-37 {S}
16:1-9 {S} 16:10 {S} 16:11-13a {S} 16:13b {P}
16:14-19 {P} 16:20-23 {S} 17:1-4 {S} 17:5-6 {S}
17:7-13 {P} 17:14a {S} 17:14b {S} 17:15-20 {S}
17:21-23 {S} 17:24-26 {S} 17:27-29 {S} 18:1-2a
{S} 18:2b-3 {S} 18:4-18 {S} 18:19-28a {S} 18:28b
{S} 18:29-31 {S} 18:32 {S} 19:1-5 {S} 19:6-8a
{S} 19:8b {S} 19:9 {S} 19:10-11 {S} 19:12-21
{S} 19:22 {S} 19:23-24 {S} 19:25-29 {P} 19:3031 {S} 19:32-38 {S} 19:39-40 {S} 19:41-42 {S}
19:43 {S} 19:44{S} 20:1-3 {S} 20:4-5 {S} 20:68 {S} 20:9-14a {S} 2-:14b-19 {P} 2-:20-22 {S}
20:23-26 {S} 21:1a {S} 21:1b-6 {P} 21:7-14 {P}
21:15-17 {P} 21:18 {S} 21:19 {S} 21:20-22
{P} Song of David: {SONG} 22:1-51 {SONG}
{P} 23:1-7 {P} 23:8 {S} 23:9-10 {S} 23:11-12 {S}
23:13-15 {S} 23:16-17 {S} 23:18-19 {S} 23:20-23
Davids Thirty Champions:[28] {S} 23:24 {S}
23:25a {S} 23:25b {S} {S} 23:26a {S} 23:26b {S}
23:26c {S} 23:27a {S} 23:27b {S} {S} 23:28a {S}
23:28b {S} {S} 23:29a {S} 23:29b {S} {S} 23:30a
{S} 23:30b {S} 23:31a {S} 23:31b {S} {S} 23:32a
{S} 23:32b {S} {S} 23:33a {S} 23:33b {S} {S}
23:34a {S} 23:34b {S} {S} 23:35a {S} 23:35b {S}
{S} 23:36a {S} 23:36b {S} {S} 23:37a {S} 23:37b
{S} {S} 23:38a {S} 23:38b {S} 23:39
{P} 24:1-2 {S} 24:3-10a {P} 24:10b-11a {P}
24:11b-13 {S} 24:14-16 {S} 24:17 {P} 24:18-23a
{S} 24:23b-25

6.4 Kings
The Aleppo codex is missing three folios from II Kings that

Spoils:[27] {S} 30:27a {S} 30:27b {S} 30:27c {S}

included 14:21 ( ) to 18:13 (). Parashot listed
30:28a {S} 30:28b {S} 30:28c {S} 30:29a {S}
from the missing section are based upon Kimhis notes on the
30:29b {S} 30:29c {S} 30:30a {S} 30:30b {S}
codex[29] and marked with an asterisk (*).
30:30c {S} 30:31
{P} 31:1-7 {P} 31:8-13 {P} (2Sam) 1:1-12 {P}
1:13-16 {P} 1:17-27 {P} 2:1-4 {S} 2:5-7 {P} 2:8-

(1Kings) 1:1-19a {P} 1:19b-27 {S} 1:28-31 {P}

1:32-53 {P} 2:1-10 {P} 2:11-12 {S} 2:13-22 {P}

10

6 NEVI'IM
2:23-25 {S} 2:26-27 {P} 2:28-38 {S} 2:39-40 {S}
2:41-46;3:1-2 {P} 3:3-14 {S} 3:15 {P} 3:16-23 {P}
3:24-27 {S} 3:28

Solomons ocials: {S} 4:1 {S} 4:2 {S} 4:3a {S}

4:3b {S} 4:4a {S} 4:4b {S} 4:5a {S} 4:5b {S} 4:6a
{S} 4:6b {S} 4:7 {S} 4:8 {S} 4:9 {S} 4:10 {S} 4:11
{S} 4:12 {S} 4:13 {S} 4:14 {S} 4:15 {S} 4:16 {S}
4:17 {S} 4:18 {S} 4:19-20;5:1
{P} 5:2-5 {S} 5:6-8 {S} 5:9-14 {S} 5:15 {S} 5:1625 {P} 5:26-28 {S} 5:29-30 {S} 5:31-32 {P} 6:110 {P} 6:11-13 {P} 6:14-38;7:1-12 {P} 7:13-26
{P} 7:27-37 {S} 7:38-39 {S} 7:40-50 {P} 7:51
{P} 8:1-11 {P} 8:12-21 {S} 8:22-34 {S} 8:35-36
{S} 8:37-53 {P} 8:54-66;9:1 {P} 9:2-9 {P} 9:10-13
{P} 9:14-22 {S} 9:23-28 {P} 10:1-13 {P} 10:14-17
{P} 10:18-25 {S} 10:26-29 {P} 11:1-6 {S} 11:710 {P} 11:11-13 {S} 11:14-25 {P} 11:26-28 {S}
11:29-39 {S} 11:40 {S} 11:41-43 {S} 12:1-17 {P}
12:18-19 {S} 12:20-21 {P} 12:22-24 {S} 12:2533 {P} 13:1-10 {P} 13:11-20a {P} 13:20b-32 {P}
13:33-34 {P} 14:1-4 {P} 14:5-20 {P} 14:21-24
{P} 14:25-31 {P} 15:1-8 {P} 15:9-14 {S} 15:15-24
{P} 15:25-32 {P} 15:33-34 {S} 16:1-7 {P} 16:814 {P} 16:15-20 {P} 16:21-22 {P} 16:23-28 {P}
16:29-34 {S} 17:1 {S} 17:2-7 {S} 17:8-16 {P}
17:17-24 {P} 18:1-14 {S} 18:15-46;19:1-14 {S}
19:15-21 {P} 20:1-22 {P} 20:23-25 {P} 20:2634 {S} 20:35-43 {P} 21:1-16 {P} 21:17-26 {P}
21:27 {P} 21:28-29;22;1 {P} 22:2-18 {S} 22:19-40
{P} 22:41-51 {S} 22:52-54;1:1-2(2Kings)[30] {S}
1:3-14 {S} 1:15-17a {P} 1:17b {S} 1:18 {P} 2:118 {S} 2:19-22 {P} 2:23-25 {P} 3:1-3 {P} 3:410 {S} 3:11-27 {P} 4:1-7 {P} 4:8-37 {P} 4:3841 {S} 4:42-44 {P} 5:1-19 {S} 5:20-27;6:1-7 {P}
6:8-23 {P} 6:24-33 {P} 7:1-2 {P} 7:3-20 {S} 8:14 {S} 8:5-6 {P} 8:7-15 {P} 8:16-24 {P} 8:25-29
{P} 9:1-28 {P} 9:29-37 {S} 10:1-14 {S} 10:15-17
{P} 10:18-29 {P} 10:30-36 {P} 11:1-3 {P} 11:412 {S} 11:13-16 {S} 11:17-20 {S} 12:1 {P} 12:2-6
{P} 12:7-17 {P} 12:18-22 {P} 13:1-9 {P} 13:10-13
{P} 13:14-19 {P} 13:20-21 {P} 13:22-25 {P} 14:17 {P} 14:8-16 {P} 14:17-22 {P*} 14:23-29 {P*}
15:1-7 {P*} 15:8-12 {P*} 15:13-16 {P*} 15:1722 {P*} 15:23-26 {P*} 15:27-31 {P*} 15:32-38
{P*} 16:1-20[31] {P*} 17:1-6 {P*} 17:7-23 {P*}
17:24-41 {P*} 18:1-8 {P*} 18:9-12 {P*} 18:13-16
{P} 18:17-37;19:1-14 {P} 19:15-19 {S} 19:20-31
{S} 19:32-37 {P} 20:1-3 {S} 20:4-11 {P} 20:12-21
{P} 21:1-11 {S} 21:12-18 {P} 21:19-26 {P} 22:1-2
{P} 22:3-20;23:1-30 (Josiahs deeds) {P} 23:31-35
{S} 23:36-37;24:1-7 {P} 24:8-17 {P} 24:18-20 {S}
25:1-7 {S} 25:8-24 {P} 25:25-26 {P} 25:27-30

6.5

Isaiah

Prophecies about Judah and Israel (1-12): 1:1-9

{P} 1:10-17 {S} 1:18-20 {P} 1:21-23 {S} 1:24-31

{P} 2:1-4 {P} 2:5-11 {P} 2:12-22 {P} 3:1-12 {P}

3:13-15 {S} 3:16-17 {S} 3:18-26;4:1 {S} 4:2-6 {P}
5:1-6 {P} 5:8-10 {S} 5:11-17 {S} 5:18-19 {S} 5:20
{S} 5:21 {S} 5:22-23 {P} 5:24-30 {P} 6:1-13 {P}
7:1-2 {S} 7:3-6 {P} 7:7-9 {P} 7:10-17 {P} 7:1820 {P} 7:21-22 {S} 7:23-25 {P} 8:1-3a {S} 8:3b-4
{ ' S} 8:5-8 {S} 8:9-10 {S} 8:11-15 {P}
8:16-18 {S} 8:19-23;9:1-6 {P} 9:7-12 {S} 9:13-20
{S} 10:1-4 {P} 10:5-11 {P} 10:12-15 {P} 10:1619 {S} 10:20-23 {P} 10:24-32 {P} 10:33-34 {S}
11:1-9 {S} 11:10 {P} 11:11-16;12:1-6
Prophecies about the Nations (13-23): {S} 13:15 {S} 13:6-22;14:1-2 {S} 14:3-27 {P} 14:28-32
{P} 15:1-9;16:1-4 {S} 16:5-12 {S} 16:13-14 {P}
17:1-3 {P} 17:4-8 {S} 17:9-11 {S} 17:12-14 {P}
18:1-3 {S} 18:4-6 {S} 18:7 {S} 19:1-17 {S} 19:18
{S} 19:19-22 {S} 19:23 {S} 19:24-25 {S} 20:1-2
{S} 20:3-6 {P} 21:1-5 {S} 21:6-10 {P} 21:11-12
{P} 21:13-15 {S} 21:16-17 {S} 22:1-14 {P} 22:1525 {P} 23:1-14 {S} 23:15-18
Prophecies about Judah and Israel (24-35): {P}
24:1-15 {S} 24:16-20 {S} 24:21-23 {P} 25:1-5 {P}
25:6-8 {P} 25:9-12 {S} 26:1-10 {P} 26:11 {S}
26:12 {S} 26:13-15 {P} 26:16-19 {P} 26:20-21
{P} 27:1 {S} 27:2-6 {P} 27:7-11 {P} 27:12 {P}
27:13 {P} 28:1-4 {S} 28:5-6 {S} 28:7-8 {P} 28:913 {P} 28:14-15 {P} 28:16-17 {S} 28:18-22 {P}
28:23-29 {P} 29:1-8 {P} 29:9-12 {S} 29:13-14 {S}
29:15-21 {P} 29:22-24 {S} 30:1-5 {S} 30:6-11 {S}
30:12-14 {S} 30:15-18 {P} 30:19-26 {P} 30:2733 {P} 31:1-3 {S} 31:4-9 {P} 32:1-8 {S} 32:9-20
{S} 33:1 {S} 33:2-6 {P} 33:7-9 {S} 33:10-12 {P}
33:13-24 {S} 34:1-17 {S} 35:1-2 {P} 35:3-10
Narrative (36-39): {S} 36:1-10 {S} 36:11-16a {P}
36:16b-22 { S} 37:1-14 {S} 37:15-32 {S}
37:33-35 {S} 37:36-38 {S} 38:1-3 {S} 38:4-8 {S}
38:9-22 {S} 39:1-2 {S} 39:3-8
Consolations (40-66): {P} 40:1-2 {S} 40:3-5 {P}
40:6-8 {S} 40:9-11 {S} 40:12-16 {P} 40:17-20 {S}
40:21-24 {S} 40:25-26 {S} 40:27-31 {S} 41:1-7
{S} 41:8-13 {S} 41:14-16 {S} 41:17-20 {P} 41:2124 {P} 41:25-29 {P} 42:1-4 {P} 42:5-9 {P} 42:1013 {S} 42:14-17 {P} 42:18-25;43:1-10 {S} 43:1113 {S} 43:14-15 {S} 43:16-21 {S} 43:22-28 {P}
44:1-5 {P} 44:6-20 {S} 44:21-23 {S} 44:4-28 {P}
45:1-7 {P} 45:8 {S} 45:9 {S} 45:10 {S} 45:1113 {S} 45:14-17 {P} 45:18-25;46:1-2 {P} 46:3-4
{S} 46:5-7 {S} 46:8-11 {S} 46:12-13 {S} 47:1-3
{P} 47:4-7 {P} 47:8-15 {S} 48:1-2 {S} 48:3-11
{P} 48:12-16 {P} 48:17-19 {S} 48:20-22 {P} 49:14 {S} 49:5-6 {S} 49:7 {S} 49:8-13 {S} 49:14-21
{P} 49:22-23 {S} 49:24 {S} 49:25-26 {S} 50:1-3
{P} 50:4-9 {S} 50:10 {S} 50:11 {S} 51:1-3 {S}
51:4-6 {P} 51:7-8 {S} 51:9-11 {S} 51:12-16 {S}
51:17-21 {P} 51:22-23 {P} 52:1-2 {S} 52:3 {S}
52:4-6 {S} 52:7-10 {S} 52:11-12 {S} 52:13-15 {S}

6.6

Jeremiah
53:1-12 {P} 54:1-8 {S} 54:9-10 {S} 54:11-17 {S}
55:1-5 {S} 55:6-13 {P} 56:1-2 {S} 56:3 {P} 56:4-5
v{S} 56:6-9 {P} 56:10-12;57:1-2 {S} 57:3-14 {S}
57:15-21 {P} 58:1-14 {P} 59:1-14 {S} 59:15-21
{S} 60:1-22 {S} 61:1-9 {P} 61:10-11;62:1-9 {S}
62:10-12 {S} 63:1-6 {S} 63:7-19;64:1-2 {S} 64:311 {P} 65:1-7 {S} 65:8-12 {P} 65:13-25 {S} 66:14 {S} 66:5-9 {S} 66:10-11 {S} 66:12-14 {S} 66:1524

6.6

Jeremiah

Jeremiah is divided into distinct prophecies, each of

which begins with an announcement of the word of
the Lord to Jeremiah or a similar phrase. Each such
prophecy begins a new open parashah {P} in the Aleppo
Codex, with the single exception of the sixth prophecy
(14:1) that begins with a closed parashah {S}.
The Aleppo codex is missing two folios from Jeremiah, and
the folio following them is also partly torn. The missing text
included parts of chapters 29-32.[32] Parashot listed from the
missing parts are based upon Kimhis notes on the codex[29] and
marked with an asterisk (*).

Prophecies of Destruction (1-25):

First prophecy (1): 1:1-3 {P} 1:4-6 {S} 1:7-10
{P} 1:11-12 {S} 1:13-19
Second prophecy (2:1-3:5): {P} 2:1-3 {P} 2:4-28
{S} 2:29-37;3:1-5
Third prophecy (3:6-6:30): {P} 3:6-10 {S} 3:1117 {S} 3:18-25 {S} 4:1-2 {S} 4:3-8 {P} 4:9 {S}
4:10-18 {P} 4:19-21 {P} 4:22-31 {S} 5:1-9 {S}
5:10-13 {S} 5:14-19 {P} 5:20-29 {S} 5:30-31;6:15 {P} 6:6-8 {P} 6:9-15 {S} 6:16-21 {P} 6:22-30
Fourth prophecy (7-10): {P} 7:1-2 {S} 7:3-15
{P} 7:16-20 {P} 7:21-28 {S} 7:29-31 {P} 7:3234;8:1-3 {S} 8:4-12 {P}8:13-16 {P} 8:17 {S} 8:1822 {S} 8:23 {S} 9:1-5 {S} 9:6-8 {S} 9:9-10 {S}
9:11 {S} 9:12-13 {P} 9:14-15 {P} 9:16-18 {S}
9:19-21 {S} 9:22-23 {S} 9:24-25 {P} 10:1-5 {P}
10:6-10 {P} 10:11 {S} 10:12-16 {S} 10:17 {S}
10:18 {S} 10:19-21 {P} 10:22 {S} 10:23-25
Fifth prophecy (11-13): {P} 11:1-5 {P} 11:6-8
{S} 11:9-10 {S} 11:11-13 {S} 11:14 {S} 11:15-17
{P} 11:18-20 {S} 11:21 {P} 11:22-23 {S} 12:1-3
{P} 12:4-6 {S} 12:7-12 {S} 12:13 {P} 12:14-17
{S} 13:1-2 {P} 13:3-7 {P} 13:8-10 {S} 13:11-12a
{S} 13:12b-17 { S} 13:18-19 {S} 13:20-27
Sixth prophecy (14-17): {S} 14:1-9 {S} 14:10 {P}
14:11-12 {S} 14:13 {S} 14:14 {S} 14:15-18 {S}
14:19-22 {P} 15:1-9 {S} 15:10 {S} 15:11-14 {S}
15:15-16 {S} 15:17-18 {S} 15:19-21 {S} 16:1-2
{S} 16:3-4 {S} 16:5-8 {P} 16:9-13 {P} 16:14-5

11
{P} 16:16-18 {P} 16:19-21 {S} 17:1-4 {S} 17:5-6
{S} 17:7-10 {S} 17:11-13 {P} 17:14-18 {S} 17:1927
Seventh prophecy (18-20): {P} 18:1-4 {S} 18:5-6
{S} 18:7-8 {S} 18:9-10 {S} 18:11-12 {P} 18:1317 {S} 18:18-23 {S} 19:1-5 {P} 19:6-13 {P}
19:14 {S} 19:15;20:1-3 {S} 20:4-6 {P} 20:7-12
{S} 20:13 {S} 20:14-18
Eighth prophecy (21-24): {P} 21:1-3 {S} 21:1-3
{S} 21:4-10 {S} 21:11-14;22:1-5 {P} 22:6-9 {S}
22:10-12 {S} 22:13-17 {S} 22:18-19 {S} 22:20-27
{P} 22:28-30 {P} 23:1 {S} 23:2-4 {S} 23:5-6 {P}
23:7-8 {P} 23:9-14 {P} 23:15 {P} 23:16-22 {S}
23:23-29 {S} 23:30-40 {P} 24:1-2 {P} 24:3 {P}
24:4-7 {S} 24:8-10
Ninth prophecy (25): {P} 25:1-7 {P} 25:8-14 {P}
25:15-27a {P} 25:27b-31 { S} 25:32-38
Prophecies interwoven with narratives about the
prophets life (26-45):
Tenth prophecy (26-29): {P} 26:1-6 {P} 26:7-10
{S} 26:11-15 {S} 26:16-24 {P} 27:1-22 {P} 28:111 {P} 28:12-17 {P} 29:1-9 {P*} 29:10-15 {S*}
29:16 {S*} 29:17-20 {P*} 29:21-23 {S*} 29:24-29
{P*} 29:30-32
Consolations (30-33):
Eleventh prophecy (30-31): {P*} 30:1-3
{P*} 30:4-9 {S*} 30:10-11 {S*} 30:12-17
{S*} 30:18-22 {S*} 30:23-25 {S*} 31:1-5
{P*} 31:6-8 {P*} 31:9-13 {P*} 31:14 {S*}
31:15-19[33] {S*} 31:20-21 {P*} 31:22-25
{S*} 31:26-29 {S*} 31:30-33 {S*} 31:34-35
{S} 31:36 {S} 31:37-39
Twelfth prophecy (32-33): {P} 32:1-5 {P}
32:6-14 {S*} 32:15 {P*} 32:16-25 {S}
32:26-35 {S} 32:36-41 {S} 32:42-44 {P}
33:1-3 {P} 33:4-9 {S} 33:10-11 {S} 33:1213 {S} 33:14-16 {S} 33:17-18 {P} 33:19-22
{S} 33:23-24 {S} 33:25-26
Thirteenth prophecy (34): {P} 34:1-5 {S} 34:6-7
{P} 34:8-11 {P} 34:12-16 {S} 34:17-22
Fourteenth prophecy (35):
35:12-19

{P} 35:1-11 {P}

Fifteenth prophecy (36-39): {P} 36:1-3 {S} 36:48 {P} 36:9-18 {S} 36:19-26 {S} 36:27-29 {S}
36:30-32 {P} 37:1-5 {P} 37:6-8 {P} 37:9-11 {S}
37:12-21;38:1-2 {S} 38:3-6 {S} 38:7-13 {S} 38:1416 {S} 38:17a {S} 38:17b-18 { S} 38:1923 {S} 38:24-26 {P} 38:27-28a {S} 38:28b;39:114 { S} 29:15-18

12

6 NEVI'IM

Sixteenth prophecy (40-45): {P} 40:1-6 {P} 40:712 {S} 40:13-16 {P} 41:1-10 {S} 41:11-15 {S}
41:16-18 {P} 42:1-6 {P} 42:7-22 {S} 43:1 {S}
43:2-7 {S} 43:8-13 {P} 44:1-6 {S} 44:7-10 {S}
44:11-14 {P} 44:15-19 {S} 44:20-23 {S} 44:24-25
{S} 44:26-29 {P} 44:30 {S} 45:1-5
Prophecies against the nations (46-51):
Against the nations (46-49): {P} 46:1-12 {P}
46:13-19 {S} 46:20-26 {P} 46:27-28 {P} 47:1-7
{P} 48:1-11 {S} 48:12-39 {S} 48:40-47 {S} 49:1-6
{P} 49:7-11 {S} 49:12-19 {S} 49:20-22 {P} 49:2327 {P} 49:28-33 {S} 49:34-39
Against Babylon (50-51): {P} 50:1-7 {S} 50:8-16
{S} 50:17 {P} 50:18-20 {P} 50:21 {S} 50:22-27
{S} 50:28-30 {P} 50:31-32 {S} 50:33-46 {S} 51:110 {S} 51:11-14 {S} 51:15-19 {P} 51:20-24 {S}
51:25-32 {S} 51:33-35 {S} 51:36-51 {P} 51:52-53
{S} 51:54-57 {S} 51:58 {S} 51:59-64
Narrative (52):
Destruction and Hope (52): {P} 52:1-23 {S}
52:24-27 {S} 52:28-30 {S} 52:31-34

6.7

Ezekiel

Prophecies before the Fall of Jerusalem (1-24):

1:1-28 {P} 2:1-2 {P} 2:3-5 {P} 2:6-7 {P} 2:8-10
{S} 3:1-3 {P} 3:4-9 {P} 3:10-16a {P} 3:16b-21
{ P} 3:22-27 {P} 4:1-3 {P} 4:4-12 {S} 4:1314 {S} 4:15 {S} 4:16-17 {P} 5:1-4 {P} 5:5-6 {S}
5:7-9 {P} 5:10 {S} 5:11-17 {P} 6:1-10 {P} 6:1114 {P} 7:1-4 {P} 7:5-22 {P} 7:23-27 {P} 8:1-6
{P} 8:7-8 {S} 8:9-14 {S} 8:15-18;9:1-3 {P} 9:411 {P} 10:1-22;11:1 {P} 11:2-3 {S} 11:4-6 {P}
11:7-13 {P} 11:14-15 {S} 11:16 {S} 11:17-25 {P}
12:1-7 {P} 12:8-16 {P} 12:17-20 {P} 12:21-25 {P}
12:26-28 {P} 13:1-7 {S} 13:8-12 {S} 13:13-16 {P}
13:17-19 {S} 13:20-23;14:1 {P} 14:2-3 {S} 14:4-5
{S} 14:6-8 {S} 14:9-11 {P} 14:12-20 {P} 14:2123 {P} 15:1-5 {S} 15:6-8 {P} 16:1-35 {P} 16:3650 {S} 16:51-58 {S} 16:59-63 {P} 17:1-10 {P}
17:11-18 {S} 17:19-21 {P} 17:22-24 {P} 18:1-20
{S} 18:21-23 {S} 18:24-26 {S} 18:27-32 {P} 19:19 {P} 19:10-14 {P} 20:1 {S} 20:2-26 {S} 20:2729 {S} 20:30-31a {S} 20:31b-44 { P}
21:1-5 {P} 21:6-10 {S} 21:11-12 {P} 21:13-18 {P}
21:19-22 {P} 21:23-28 {S} 21:29 {P} 21:30 {S}
21:31-32 {P} 21:33-37 {P} 22:1-16 {P} 22:17-18
{S} 22:19-22 {P} 22:23-31 {P} 23:1-10 {S} 23:1121 {S} 23:22-27 {P} 23:28-31 {S} 23:32-34 {S}
23:35 {S} 23:36-45 {S} 23:46-49 {P} 24:1-5 {S}
24:6-8 {P} 24:9-14 {P} 24:15-24 {S} 24:25-27

Prophecies about the Nations (25-32): {P} 25:15 {P} 25:6-7 {P} 25:8-11 {P} 25:12-17 {P} 26:1-6
{P} 26:7-14 {S} 26:15-18 {S} 26:19-21 {P} 27:1-3
{S} 27:4-36 {P} 28:1-5 {S} 28:6-10 {P} 28:11-19
{P} 28:20-24 {P} 28:25-26 {P} 29:1-7 {S} 29:812 {S} 29:13-16 {P} 29:17-18 {S} 29:19-21 {P}
30:1-5 {P} 30:6-9 {S} 30:10-12 {S} 30:13-19 {P}
30:20-21 {S} 30:22-26 {P} 31:1-9 {P} 31:10-14
{P} 31:15-18 32:1-2 {S} 32:3-10 {P} 32:11-16 {P}
32:17-32
Prophecies after the Fall of Jerusalem (33-39):
{P} 33:1-6 {P} 33:7-9 {P} 33:10-11 {P} 33:1220 {P} 33:21-22 {P} 33:23-24 {S} 33:25-26 {S}
33:27-29 {P} 33:30-33 {P} 34:1-10 {S} 34:11-19
{P} 34:20-31 {P} 35:1-10 {S} 35:11-13 {S} 35:1415 {P} 36:1-12 {S} 36:13-15 {P} 36:16-21 {P}
36:22-32 {S} 36:33-36 {S} 36:37-38 {P} 37:1-9a
{S} 37:9b-14 { P} 37:15-28 {P} 38:1-9 {S}
38:10-13 {S} 38:14-16 {S} 38:17 {S} 38:18-23 {S}
39:1-10 {S} 39:11-16 {P} 39:17-24 {S} 39:25-29
Visions of the Future Jerusalem (40-48): {P}
40:1-49;41:1-26;42:1-20;43:1-9 (the future Temple) {S} 43:10-27a {S} 43:27b
{S} 44:1-8 {S} 44:9-14 {P} 44:15-31 {P} 45:1-8
{P} 45:9-15 {P} 45:16-17 {S} 45:18-25 {S} 46:15 {S} 46:6-11 {P} 46:12-15 {S} 46:16 {S} 46:1724;47:1-12 {P} 47:13-23 {P} 48:1-29 {S} 48:30-35

6.8 Twelve Minor Prophets

The Aleppo Codex leaves four empty lines between
each of the books of the Twelve Minor Prophets. The
Leningrad Codex leaves three lines. Parashot within each
of the twelve individual books are listed below.
The Aleppo Codex is missing seven folios from two dierent
sections of the Twelve Minor Prophets. Parashot listed from the
missing sections are based upon Kimhis notes on the codex[34]
and marked with an asterisk (*). The two sections are: (a) three
missing folios that included Amos 8:13 to the end, Obadiah,
Jonah, Micah until 5:1 (( ;)b) four missing folios that included Zephaniah 3:10 ( )to the end, Haggai, Zechariah
until 9:17 ().

Hosea: 1:1-2a {P} 1:2b-9 {P} 2:1-15 {S} 2:16-2

{P} 2:23-25 {P} 3:1-5 {P} 4:1-19 {P} 5:1-7 {S}
5:8-15;6:1-11 {P} 7:1-12 {S} 7:13-16;8:1-14 {P}
9:1-9 {P} 9:10-17 {S} 10:1-8 {P} 10:9-15;11:1-11
{S} 12:1-15;13:1-11 {P} 13:12-15;14:1 {P} 14:210
Joel: 1:1-12 {S} 1:13-20 {S} 2:1-14 {P} 2:15-27
{P} 3:1-5;4:1-8 {P} 4:9-17 {S} 4:18-21
Amos:
Three and four transgressions: 1:1-2 {P} 1:3-5
{P} 1:6-8 {P} 1:9-10 {P} 1:11-12 {P} 1:1315 {P} 2:1-2 {P} 2:4-5 {P} 2:6-16

13
{P} 3:1-10 {P} 3:11-15 {S} 4:1-9 {S} 4:1013 {P} 5:1-15 {S} 5:16-17 {P} 5:18-27 {P}
6:1-10 {S} 6:11-14 {P} 7:1-6 {P} 7:7-9 {S}
7:10-11 {S} 7:12-17 {P} 8:1-3 {P} 8:4-8 {P}
8:9-10 {P} 8:11-14 {P*} 9:1-6 {P*} 9:7-12
{P*} 9:13-15

layout unlike that of the rest of the Bible: Instead of the

three narrow columns per page typical of these codices,
Sifrei Emet are written in two wide columns per page. In
each line of these wide columns text begins on the right,
followed by a gap, and then continued by further text until
the left margin of the column. Although there is ample
evidence that the scribes attempted to place the gaps in
Obadiah: There are no parashah divisions in the the middle of the lines at the points where the cantillation
21 verses of Obadiah (1:1-21).
divides the verses, they often did not succeed in doing
Jonah: 1:1-16;2:1-10 {P*} 2:11 {S*} 3:1-10;4:1-3 so because of space limitations. Modern editions based
upon the Aleppo Codex have implemented the idea fully
{P*} 4:4-11
by allowing wide full-page columns for Psalms, Proverbs,
Micah: 1:1-16 {S*} 2:1-2 {S*} 2:3-13 {P*} 3:1- and Job.[35]
4 {P*} 3:5-8 {P*} 3:9-12 {P*} 4:1-5 {P*} 4:6-7 In poetic layout, parashah divisions are typically indi{P*} 4:8-14 {S*} 5:1-5 {P*} 5:6 {P} 5:7-14 {P} cated by a blank line for an open parashah. The gaps
6:1-8 {S} 6:9-16 {P} 7:1-8 {P} 7:9-13 {P} 7:14- in the middle of lines are not considered parashah divi20
sions, and each scribe formatted the verses as he saw t
Nahum: 1:1-11 {S} 1:12-14 {P} 2:1-14 {P} 3:1- for aesthetic and practical reasons. An exception to this
rule, however, is for the introductory titles of many in19
dividual psalms which are followed by formal parashah
Habakkuk: 1:1-17 {S} 2:1-4 {S} 2:5-8 {P} 2:9-11 breaks, often by continuing the text at the beginning of
{P} 2:12-14 {P} 2:15-18 {S} 2:19-20 {S} 3:1-13 the next line. These formal breaks will be indicated in
{P} 3:14-19
the list of parashot for Psalms.
Zephaniah: 1:1-11 {S} 1:12-18 {S} 2:1-4 {S} 2:515 {P} 3:1-13 {P*} 3:14-15 {P*} 3:16-20
Haggai: 1:1-2 {P*} 1:3-6 {P*} 1:7-11 {P*} 1:1214 {P*} 1:15;2:1-5 {P*} 2:6-9 {P*} 2:10-19 {P*}
2:20-23
Zechariah: 1:1-6 {P*} 1:7-17 {P*} 2:1-2 {P*}
2:3-4 {S*} 2:5-9 {P*} 2:10-11 {P*} 2:12-13 {S*}
2:14-17 {P*} 3:1-10;4:1-7 {P*} 4:8-14;5:1-8 {S*}
5:9-11 {P*} 6:1-8 {P*} 6:9-15 {P*} 7:1-3 {S*}
7:4-7 {P*} 7:8-14 {P*} 8:1-5 {P*} 8:6 {P*} 8:7-8
{P*} 8:9-13 {S*} 8:14-17 {P*} 8:18-19 {P*} 8:2022 {S*} 8:23 {P*} 9:1-8 {S*} 9:9-17;10:1-2 {P}
10:3-12 {P} 11:1-3 {P} 11:4-11 {S} 11:12-14 {P}
11:15-17 {P} 12:1-14;13:1-6 {P} 13:7-9 {P} 14:111 14:12-21
Malachi: 1:1-13 {S} 1:14;2:1-9 {P} 2:10-12 {P}
2:13-16 {P} 2:17;3:1-12 {P} 3:13-18 {P} 3:19-21
{S} 3:22-24

Poetic layout of Psalms, Proverbs

and Job

The special poetic cantillation and layout are not implemented for the narrative opening and conclusion of the
book of Job (1:1-3:1 and 42:7-17).

8 Ketuvim
Parashot in Ketuvim are listed here according to the
Aleppo codex, with variants from other masoretic traditions noted at the end of each books section. The
books of Ketuvim are presented in the order they appear in most printed Hebrew bibles. In Tiberian and early
Sephardic masoretic codices (such as the Aleppo Codex)
the order is as follows: Chronicles, Psalms, Job, Proverbs,
Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther,
Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah.
The Aleppo codex is largely intact until the word
(Zion) in Song of Songs 3:11. It is missing the rest of
Song of Songs, as well as the nal books of Ketuvim in
their entirety: Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel
and Ezra-Nehemiah. It is also missing two folios which
included about 10 psalms (15:1-25:1). Parashot listed
here from its missing parts are according to the notes
taken by Joshua Kimhi, who recorded the parashot of the
Aleppo codex for Rabbi Shalom Shachna Yellin in the
nineteenth century. These are indicated by an asterisk.
For some of the books that are largely or completely missing, charts have been provided below to allow for easy
comparison of the parallel data found in the masoretic
manuscripts.

The three poetic books of Psalms, Proverbs and Job

are collectively known as Sifrei Emet (see the article on
Ketuvim). These three books share a unique system of
cantillation unlike that of the other 21 books in Tanakh,
a system designed to highlight the parallelisms in their
verses.
Key to symbols for variants:
In the Tiberian masoretic codices, the unique system of
cantillation for Sifrei Emet is complemented by a scribal

A = Aleppo Codex.

14

8 KETUVIM

A* = Aleppo Codex (parashot in the lost parts based

on Kimhis notes).
L = Leningrad Codex.
Y = Cambridge University Library Add. Ms. 1753
(Yemenite). Yeivin regards this manuscript of Ketuvim as a second or third hand copy of a Tiberian
manuscript no less accurate and reliable than the
Aleppo Codex.[36]
S1 = Sassoon 1053 (10th century). Yeivin judges
this manuscript to be carelessly prepared by comparison with other accurate Tiberian codices.[37]
L34 = EBP. II B 34 of the Russian National Library
in St. Petersburg, a carefully prepared manuscript
of Ketuvim but with many gaps.[38]
F = Finfer, Pesah. Masoret HaTorah VehaNevi'im.

8.1

4:1 {P} = The rst full verse of psalm 4 is a title followed by an open parashah break (text of the body
of the psalm starts at the beginning of the next line).
11:1a {P} = The beginning of the rst verse of
psalm 11 is a title, followed by an open parashah
break in the middle of the verse (text of the body of
the psalm starts at the beginning of the next line).
Besides formal titles, this form is also found after
the word halleluyah at the beginning of a number
of psalms (e.g. 106).
15a {S} = A closed parashah division following a
title at the beginning of the rst verse of the psalm.
This is also occasionally found for a full-verse title,
e.g. psalm 108:1 {P}.
26 {-/T} The beginning of the rst verse is a title,
but there is no parashah division.

Ff = Finfer, few books () . If a

few books say one thing and a few books Book One (Psalms 1-41):
another, these are indicated by Ff1 & Ff2.
Fo = Finfer, other books () .
1 {-} 2 {-} 3:1a {S/T} 4:1 {P} 5:1a {S/T}
C="Cairo
6:1a {S/T} 7:1a {S/T} 8:1a {S/T} 9:1a {S/T}
10:1 {-} 11:1a {P} 12:1 {S/T} 13:1 {P} 14:1a
D="Damascus
{P} 15:1a {S*} 16:1a {P*} 17:1a {P*} 18:1a
Finfer also sometimes notes a tiqqun.
{P*} 19:1 {P*} 20:1 {P*} 21:1 {P*} 22:1a
{-} Finfer notes that there is no parashah
{S/T*} 23:1a {S*} 24:1a {P*} 25:1a {S*} 26
break at this verse.
{-/T} 27:1a {S} 28 {-/T} 29:1a {S} 30:1 {P}
(-) Finfer doesn't list this verse at all.
31:1 {P} 32:1a {S} 33 {-} 34:1a {S/T} 35:1a
{S} 36:1 {P} 37 {-/T} 38:1 {P} 39:1 {P} 40:1
{P} 41:1 {P}

Psalms

The Aleppo Codex leaves two empty lines between the Book Two (Psalms 42-72):
ve Books of Psalms (following psalms 41, 72, 89, 106).
Otherwise there is one blank line between each two
42:1 {P} 43 {-} 44:1 {P} 45:1a {S/T} 46:1a
psalms, the standard way of indicating an open parashah
{S/T} 47:1 {P} 48:1 {P} 49:1 {P} 50:1a {P}
break {P} in poetic layout.
51:1 {P} 52:1 {P} 53:1 {P} 54:1 {P} 55:1
{P} 56:1a {S/T} 57:1a {S/T} 58:1 {P} 59:1a
There is no break at all, however, between psalms 114{S/T} 60:1a {S/T} 61:1 {P} 62:1a {S/T} 63:1a
115, which were apparently considered a single psalm by
{S/T} 64:1 {P} 65:1 {P} 66:1a {S/T} 67:1 {P}
the scribes. Psalm 119, which has sets of eight verses for
68:1 {P} 69:1 {P} 70:1 {S} 71 {-} 72:1a {S}
each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, has an open parashah
break (a blank line) between each set of eight verses.
The titles of individual Psalms have formal rules. Sym- Book Three (Psalms 73-89):
bols for representing these rules are as follows, based on
73:1a {S} 74:1a {S} 75:1 {P} 76:1 {P} 77:1
examples:
{P} 78:1a {P} 79:1a {P} 80:1a {S/T} 81:1 {P}
82:1a {P} 83:1 {P} 84:1 {P} 85:1 {P} 86:1a
1 {-} = Psalm 1 has no formal title. The entire psalm
{P} 87:1a {S/T} 88:1a {P} 88:1b {S/T} 89:1
is written in regular poetic layout.
{P}
3:1a {S/T} = Closed parashah within title verse of
psalm. The title of psalm 3 is more than minimal,
an entire verse containing more than one hemistich. Book Four (Psalms 90-106):
There is a closed parashah division after the rst
90:1a {P} 91 {-} 92:1 {P} 93 {-} 94 {-} 95 {hemistich. In masoretic manuscripts, this gap in the
} 96 {-} 97 {-} 98 {-/T} 99:1a {S} (not a title)
middle of the rst title verse often closely resembles
100:1a {S} 101:1a {S} 102 {-/T} (rst verse is
the poetic layout of the body of the psalm following
title) 103 {-/T} 104 {-} 105 {-} 106:1a {P}
the title verse.

8.4

Song of Songs

15

Book Five (Psalms 107-150):

its associated poetic cantillation. In Tiberian masoretic

codices, the formal title of each individual speech ap 107 {-} 108:1 {S} 109:1a {P} 110:1a {P} [...] pears in the center of its line, while the body of the reply
111:1a {P} 112:1a {P} 113:1a {P} 114-115 {-} appears in poetic form (as in Psalms and Proverbs). The
116 {-} 117 {-} 118 {-} 119:1-8 {P} 119:9- break between the title and the body is considered an open
16 {P} 119:17-24 {P} 119:25-32 {P} 119:33- parashah, and the verse numbers for these titles appear
40 {P} 119:41-48 {P} 119:49-56 {P} 119:57-64 in bold in the list. Blank lines as open parashot are also
{P} 119:65-72 {P} 119:73-80 {P} 119:81-88 {P} used occasionally, and these are noted as {P}.
119:89-96 {P} 119:97-104 {P} 119:105-112 {P}
Main Disputation (3:2-32:1):
119:113-120 {P} 119:121-128 {P} 119:129-136
{P} 119:137-144 {P} 119:145-152 {P} 119:153 Centered titles: 3:2 (Job 3:3-26)
160 {P} 119:161-168 {P} 119:169-176 120:1a
First cycle: 4:1 (Eliphaz 4:2-21;5:1{P} 121:1a {P} 122:1a {P} 123:1a {P} 124:1a
27), 6:1 (Job 6:2-30;7:1-21), 8:1 (Bil{P} 125:1a {P} 126:1a {P} 127:1a {P} 128:1a
dad 8:2-22), 9:1 (Job 9:2-35;10:1-22),
{P} 129:1a {P} 130:1a {P} 131:1a {P} 132:1a
11:1 (Zophar 11:2-20), 12:1 (Job 12:2{P} 133:1a {P} 134:1a {P} 135:1a {P} 136 {25;13:1-28;14:1-22)
} 137 {-} 138 {-/T} 139:1a {P} 140:1 {P}
Second cycle: 15:1 (Eliphaz 15:2-35),
141:1a {P} 142:1a {P} 143:1a {P} 144 {-/T}
16:1 (Job 16:2-22;17:1-16), 18:1 (Bil145:1a {P} 146:1a {P} 147:1a {P} 148:1a {P}
dad 18:2-21), 19:1 (Job 19:2-29), 20:1
149:1a {P} 150:1a {P}
(Zophar 20:2-29), 21:1 (Job 21:2-34),
22:1 (Eliphaz 22:2-30), 23:1 (Job 23:28.2 Proverbs
17;24:1-25), 25:1 (Bildad 25:2-6), 26:1
(Job I 26:2-14), 27:1 (Job II 27:2 1:1-7 {P} 1:8-19 {P} 1:20-33 {P} 2:1-22 {P} 3:123;28:1-28), 29:1 (Job III 29:2-25;30:110 {P} 3:11-18 {P} 3:19-35 {P} 4:1-19 {P} 4:2031;31:1-40).
27 {P} 5:1-6 {P} 5:7-23 {P} 6:1-5 {P} 6:6-11 {P}
Conclusion of the main disputation: {P} 32:1.
6:12-15 {P} 6:16-19 {P} 6:20-26 {P} 6:27-35 {P}
7:1-27 {P} 8:1-31 {P} 8:32-36;9:1-18
Elihu (32:2-37:24):
Centered title: The Proverbs of Solomon 10:1a
(10:1b-19:9). There are no parashah divisions following the centered title until 19:10, an unusually
large amount of unbroken text (278 verses).
{P} 19:10-29;20:1-30;21:1-30 {P} 21:31;22:1-29
{P} 23:1-5 {P} 23:6-35;24:1-14 {P} 24:15-18 {P}
24:19-22 {P} 24:23-27 {P} 24:28-29 {P} 24:30-34

Introduction: {P} 32:2-5

Speech: {P} 32:6-22;33:1-33 (Elihu I). Centered titles: 34:1 (Elihu II 34:2-37), 35:1
(Elihu III 35:2-16), 36:1 (Elihu IV 36:233;37:1-24).
God and Job (38:1-42:6):

God: {P} 38:1-41;39:1-18 {P} 39:19-30.

{P}
God and Job (centered titles): 40:1 (God
25:1-13 {P} 25:14-20 {P} 25:21-28;26;140:2), 40:3 (Job 40:4-5).
21 {P} 26:22-25;27:1-22 {P} 27:23-27;28:1-4 {P}
God: {P} 40:6-32;41:1-26 {P}.
28:5-10 {P} 28:11-16 {P} 28:17-28;29:1-17 {P}
29:18-27 {P} 30:1-6 { P}
Job (centered title): 42:1 (Job 42:2-6).
30:7-9 {P} 30:10-14 {P} 30:15-17 {P} 30:18-20
{P} 30:21-23 {P} 30:24-28 {P} 30:29-33 {P} 31:1- III. Narrative Conclusion (42:7-17):
7 { P} 31:8-9
{P} 31:10-31 .
Common layout and regular cantillation: {P} 42:7
{S} 42:8-17.

8.3

Job

I. Narrative Opening (1:1-3:1):

8.4 Song of Songs

The Aleppo codex is extant until the word ( Zion)

in Song of Songs 3:11. Bibles that show parashot in the
Song of Songs based upon the Aleppo Codex (with reconstruction of its missing parts based on Kimhis notes)
II. Poetic Disputations: The disputations, which consti- include two editions following the Breuer method (Horev
tute the bulk of the book of Job, employ the special po- and The Jerusalem Crown). The ow of text in such bibles
etic layout in common with Psalms and Proverbs, along is as follows:
Common layout and regular cantillation: 1:1-5 {P}
1:6-22 {P} 2:1-10 {P} 2:11-13;3:1.

16

8 KETUVIM

1:1-4 {P} 1:5-8 {P} 1:9-14 {S} 1:15-17;2:1-7 {S}

2:8-13 {S} 2:14 {S} 2:15-17 {S} 3:1-5 {S} 3:6-8
{S} 3:9-11 {S*} 4:1-7 {S*} 4:8-16;5:1 {S*} 5:216;6:1-3 {S*} 6:4-9 {S*} 6:10 {S*} 6:11-12;7:1-11
{S*} 7:12-14;8:1-4 {S*} 8:5-7 {S*} 8:8-10 {P*}
8:11-14

8.7 Ecclesiastes
The Aleppo codex lacks Ecclesiastes in its entirety.
Parashot listed here are based upon Kimhis notes on the
codex.[46]
1:1-11 {P*} 1:12-18;2:1-26;3:1

The Tiberian masoretic codices are nearly identical in the

parts at which they show parashah breaks in the text.
However, while A and L have {S} almost exclusively, Y
(which is usually very close to A) shows {P} for the large
majority of parashot,[39] as shown in the chart below:

{S*} Song of the Seasons {SONG*} 3:2-8

{SONG*}
{S*} 3:9[42]

There are no further parashah divisions at all in the rest of

the book (3:9-12:14) according to Kimhis notes on the
Aleppo Codex, an unusually large amount of unbroken
In the Tiberian masoretic codices, the only parashah text (170 verses) that is conrmed by Y. The Leningrad
found in Ruth is for the short chronology at the end of codex has a solitary parashah break: {S} at 9:11. The
following chart compares the meager parashah breaks for
the book:
Ecclesiastes as found in manuscripts:

8.5

Ruth

{P} 4:18-22

8.8 Esther
Variant:

The book of Esther is traditionally read by Jews on the

holiday of Purim from a handwritten scroll on parchment
While A, Y, L, and Ff1 all have {P} at 4:18, that must be halakhically valid. This means that the rules
other traditions noted by Finfer dier: F={-}, of open and closed parashot are of more practical releFf2={S}.[43]
vance for Esther than for any other book in Nevi'im or
Ketuvim. Despite thisor perhaps because of the large
numbers of scrolls of Esther that have been written, and
8.6 Lamentations
the special attention that has therefore been paid to the
problem by rabbis and scribesmanuscripts of Esther
The Aleppo codex lacks Lamentations in its entirety. and opinions about how they should be written betray
Parashot listed here are based upon Kimhis notes on the a relatively large number of discrepancies regarding the
parashah divisions.
codex.[44]
In the nineteenth century, Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried pub First lamentation (1:1-22): {S} between each of the lished a manual for scribes called Keset HaSofer, in which
he follows the rule that all parashot in Esther are closed
22 verses and {P} following the last one.[45]
{S} (Keset HaSofer 28:5).[51] This is currently the dom Second lamentation (2:1-22): {S} between each of inant tradition for Ashkenazic and Sephardic megillot
(scrolls of Esther) today. But the Tiberian masoretic
the 22 verses and {P} following the last one.
codices contain both open and closed portions. Also,
Third lamentation (3:1-66): {S} between each of 66 Yemenite scribes did not entirely adopt the tradition of
closed portions, leaving the divisions in many scrolls of
verses and {P} following the last one.
Esther similar to what is found in the masoretic codices.
Fourth lamentation (4:1-22): {S} between each of Ganzfried ruled that a scroll of Esther with open porthe 22 verses and {P} following the last one.[45]
tions is invalid, but added that some authorities validate it (Keset HaSofer 28:5).[52] When discussing these
Fifth lamentation (5:1-22): 5:1-18 {P} 5:19-22
authorities in his additional notes,[53] Ganzfried cites a list
open parashot found in the book Orhot Hayyim, and concludes: And even though our custom is that all of these
Variants:
are closed, it nevertheless seems that if some or all of
these are open one may read from the scroll with a bless In the third lamentation, the Leningrad Codex has ing. These have been listed in the chart below under at
{S} between each set of three verses beginning with OH under Keset HaSofer, and they are very similar to
the same letter.
what is found in the Tiberian masoretic codices.[54]

8.10

Ezra-Nehemiah

Most printed Jewish bibles, even those based on

manuscripts, show the ow of text in Esther according
to the widespread tradition based on Keset HaSofer (only
closed parashot). Such editions include the Koren edition (Jerusalem, 1962), Breuers rst edition (Jerusalem,
1982) and Dotans editions (which are otherwise based
upon the Leningrad Codex). The ow of text in such
bibles is as follows:
1:1-8 {S} 1:9-12 {S} 1:13-15 {S} 1:16-22 {S} 2:14 {S} 2:5-20 {S} 2:21-23 {S} 3:1-7 {S} 3:8-15 {S}
4:1-17;5:1-14 {S} 6:1-14;7:1-4 {S} 7:5-8 {S} 7:910 {S} 8:1-2 {S} 8:3-6 {S} 8:7-14 {S} 8:15-17;9:16
{S} Hamans Sons: {SONG} 9:7-9 {SONG}
{S} 9:10-28 {S} 9:29-32 {S} 10:1-3
Bibles that show the parashot in Esther based upon a reconstruction of the Aleppo Codex include two editions
following the Breuer method (Horev and The Jerusalem
Crown). The ow of text in such bibles is as follows:
1:1-9 {S*} 1:10-15 {P*} 1:16-22 {P*} 2:1-4 {P*}
2:5-10 {S*}[56] 2:11-20 {S*} 2:21-23 {P*} 3:1-7
{S*} 3:8-15 {S*} 4:1-12 {P*} 4:13-17 {S*} 5:12 {S*} 5:3-14 {S*} 6:1-14;7:1-4 {S*} 7:5-8 {S*}
7:9-10 {P*} 8:1-2 {S*} 8:3-6 {S*} 8:7-14 {S*}
8:15-17;9:1-6
{S*} Hamans Sons: {SONG*} 9:7-9 {SONG*}
{S*} 9:10-19 {S*} 9:20-28 {S*} 9:29-32 {S*}
10:1-3

8.9

Daniel

The Aleppo codex lacks Daniel in its entirety. Parashot

listed here are based upon Kimhis notes on the codex.[58]
1:1-21 {S} 2:1-13 {S} 2:14-16 {S} 2:17-24 {S}
2:25-28 {S} 2:29-30 {S} 2:31-45 {S} 2:46-49 {P}
3:1-18 {P} 3:19-23 {P} 3:24-30 {P} 3:31-33;4:125 {P} 4:26-34 {P} 5:1-7 {S}[42] 5:8-12 {P} 5:1316 {P} 5:17-30 {P} 6:1-6 {S}[42] 6:7-11 {S}[42]
6:12-14 {P} 6:15 {S} 6:16-29
{P} 7:1-14 {P} 7:15-28 {P} 8:1-27 {P} 9:1-27 {S}
10:1-3 {P} 10:4-21 {P} 11:1-45;12:1-3 {P} 12:413

8.10 Ezra-Nehemiah
The Aleppo codex lacks Ezra-Nehemiah in its entirety.
Parashot listed here are based upon Kimhis notes on the
codex.[59]

17
(Ezra) 1:1-8 {S} 1:9 {S} 1:10-11
People of the province who returned to Jerusalem:
{P} 2:1-2 {S} 2:3 {S} 2:4 {S} 2:5 {S} 2:6 {S} 2:7
{S} 2:8 {S} 2:9 {S} 2:10 {S} 2:11 {S} 2:12 {S}
2:13 {S} 2:14 {S} 2:15 {S} 2:16 {S} 2:17 {S} 2:18
{S} 2:19 {S} 2:20 {S} 2:21 {S} 2:22 {S} 2:23 {S}
2:24 {S} 2:25 {S} 2:26 {S} 2:27 {S} 2:28 {S} 2:29
{S} 2:30 {S} 2:31 {S} 2:32 {S} 2:33 {S} 2:34 {S}
2:35 {S} 2:36 {S} 2:37 {S} 2:38 {S} 2:39 {S} 2:40
{S} 2:41 {S} 2:42 {S} 2:43 {S} 2:44 {S} 2:45 {S}
2:46 {S} 2:47 {S} 2:48 {S} 2:49 {S} 2:50 {S} 2:51
{S} 2:52 {S} 2:53 {S} 2:54 {S} 2:55 {S} 2:56 {S}
2:57 {S} 2:58 {S} 2:59 {P} 2:60 {S} 2:61 {S} 2:6266 {S} 2:67 {P} 2:68-69 {S} 2:70
{S} 3:1a {S} 3:1b {S} 3:2-7 {P} 3:8-9a {S}[42]
3:9b-13 { P} 4:1-6 {S} 4:7 {P} 4:8-11 {P}
4:12 {S} 4:13 {S} 4:14-16 {P} 4:17 {P} 4:18-22
{S} 4:23 {S}[42] 4:24 {P} 5:1 {S} 5:2 {P} 5:3-5
{P} 5:6-7 {S} 5:8-10 {P} 5:11-12 {P} 5:13-15 {P}
5:16-17 {P} 6:1-2 {P} 6:3-4 {S} 6:5 {S} 6:6-12
{P} 6:13-15 {P} 6:16-18 {P} 6:19-22 {P} 7:1-6
{P} 7:7-10 {S} 7:11 {P} 7:12-24 {P} 7:25-26 {P}
7:27-28
Chiefs of the clans: {P} 8:1 {S} 8:2a {S} 8:2b {S}
8:2c {S} 8:3a { S}[42] 8:3b
{S} 8:4 {S} 8:5 {S} 8:6 {S} 8:7 {S} 8:8 {S} 8:9
{S} 8:10 {S} 8:11 {S} 8:12 {S} 8:13 {S} 8:14
{S} 8:15-18a {S} 8:18b-19 { S} 8:20-30
{P} 18:31-34 {P}[42] 18:35 {P} 18:36 {S} 9:1-9
{S} 9:10-14 {S} 9:15 {P} 10:1 {P} 10:2-3 {P} 10:4
{P} 10:5-8 {P} 10:9 {P} 10:10-11 {S} 10:12-14
{S} 10:15-17
Priestly families who were found to have foreign
women: {P} 10:18-19 {S} 10:20 {S} 10:21 {S}
10:22 {S} 10:23 {S} 10:24 {S} 10:25 {S} 10:26
{S} 10:27 {S} 10:28 {S} 10:29 {S} 10:30 {S}
10:31 {S} 10:32 {S} 10:33 {S} 10:34 {S} 10:35
{S} 10:36 {S} 10:37 {S} 10:38 {S} 10:39 {S}
10:40 {S} 10:41 {S} 10:42 {S} 10:43-44
{P} (Nehemiah) 1:1-11 {P} 2:1-9 {P} 2:10-18 {P}
2:19-20
Builders: {P} 3:1 {S} 3:2 {S} 3:3 {S} 3:4b {S} 3:4c
{S} 3:4a {S} 3:5 {S} 3:6 {S} 3:7 {S} 3:8a {S} 3:8b
{S} 3:9 {S} 3:10 {S} 3:11 {S} 3:12 {S} 3:13-14
{S} 3:15 {S} 3:16 {S} 3:17a {S} 3:17b {S} 3:18
{S} 3:19 {S} 3:20 {S} 3:21 {S} 3:22-23a {S} 3:23b
{S} 3:24-25 {S} 3:26 {S} 3:27-28 {S} 3:29a {S}
3:29b {S} 3:30a {S} 3:30b {S} 3:31-32
{P} 3:33-35 {P} 3:36-38 {P} 4:1-8 {P} 4:9-17 {P}
5:1-8 {P} 5:9-19 6:1-4 {P} 6:5-7 {P} 6:8-13 {P}
6:14-15 {P} 6:16-19 {P} 7:1-5
People of the province who returned to Jerusalem:
{P} 7:6-7 {S} {S} 7:7 {S} 7:8 {S} 7:9 {S} 7:10

18

8 KETUVIM
{S} 7:11 {S} 7:12 {S} 7:13 {S} 7:14 {S} 7:15 {S}
7:16 {S} 7:17 {S} 7:18 {S} 7:19 {S} 7:20 {S} 7:21
{S} 7:22 {S} 7:23 {S} 7:24 {S} 7:25 {S} 7:26 {S}
7:27 {S} 7:28 {S} 7:29 {S} 7:30 {S} 7:31 {S} 7:32
{S} 7:33 {S} 7:34 {S} 7:35 {S} 7:36 {S} 7:37 {S}
7:38 {P} 7:39 {S} 7:40 {S} 7:41 {S} 7:42 {S} 7:43
{S} 7:44 {S} 7:45 {P} 7:46 {S} 7:47 {S} 7:48 {S}
7:49 {S} 7:50 {S} 7:51 {S} 7:52 {S} 7:53 {S} 7:54
{S} 7:55 {S} 7:56 {S} 7:57 {S} 7:58 {S} 7:59a {S}
7:59b { P} 7:60 {P} 7:61 {S} 7:62 {S}
7:63-67 {S} 7:68-69 {S} 7:70-72a {S} 7:72b;8:14 { S} 8:5-8 {P} 8:9-12 {P}
8:13-15 {S} 8:16 {S} 8:17-18 {P} 9:1-3 {P} 9:437 {P} 10:1-14 {S} 10:15-34 {S} 10:35-40;11:1-2
{P} 11:3-6 {P} 11:7-9 {P} 11:10-14 {S} 11:15-18
{P} 11:19-21 {P} 11:22-36 {P} 12:1-7 {P} 12:822 {P} 12:23-26 {P} 12:27-34 {P} 12:35-47 {P}
13:1-9 {P} 13:10-13 {P} 13:14-18 {P} 13:19-21
{P} 13:22 {P} 13:23-30a {P} 13:30b-31
.

8.11 Chronicles
Chronology until David (1 Chronicles 1-10): 1:14 {S} 1:5 {S} 1:6 {S} 1:7 {S} 1:8-9 {S} 1:10 {S}
1:11-12 {S} 1:13-16 {S} 1:17 {S} 1:18-23 {S}
1:24-27 {S} 1:28 {S} 1:29-31 {S} 1:32 {S} 1:33
{S} 1:34 {S} 1:35 {S} 1:36 {S} 1:37 {S} 1:38 {S}
1:39 {S} 1:40 {S} 1:41-42 {P} 1:43-51a {P} 1:51b54 { P} 2:1-2 {P} 2:3 {S} 2:4 {S}
2:5 {S} 2:6 {S} 2:7 {S} 2:8 {S} 2:9-20 {S} 2:21-22
{S} 2:23-24 {S} 2:25-26 {S} 2:27-32 {S} 2:33-41
{S} 2:42-46 {S} 2:47-49 {S} 2:50-53 {S} 2:54-55
{S} 3:1-4 {S} 3:5-9 {P} 3:10-23 {S} 3:24 {S} 4:12 {S} 4:3-10 {S} 4:11-12 {S} 4:13-14 {P} 4:15-18
{S} 4:19-23 {S} 4:24-27 {S} 4:28-33a {S} 4:33b43 { P} 5:1-2 {S} 5:3-10 {S} 5:11-13
{S} 5:14-17 {P} 5:18-22 {P} 5:23-26 {P} 5:27-28
{S} 5:29a {S} 5:29b-41 { P} 6:1-3 {S}
6:4-13 {S} 6:14-15 {P} 6:16-23 {S} 6:24-28 {S}
6:29-32 {S} 6:33-34 {P} 6:35-38 {S} 6:39-41 {S}
6:42-44 {S} 6:45 {S} 6:46 {P} 6:47 {S} 6:48 {S}
6:49-50 {S} 6:51-55 {P} 6:56-58 {S} 6:59-60 {S}
6:61 {S} 6:62-66 {S} 7:1 {S} 7:2 {S} 7:3-5 {S}
7:6-13 {P} 7:14-19 {P} 7:20-29 {P} 7:30-40 {S}
8:1-32 {S} 8:33-40 {P} 9:1 {S} 9:2-4 {S} 9:5-9
{S} 9:10-11 {S} 9:12-34 {S} 9:35-38 {S} 9:39 44
{P} 10:1-4a {S} 10:4b-5 { S} 10:6-7 {S}
10:8-10 {S} 10:11-14
King David (1 Chronicles 11-29):
{P} 11:1-3 {S} 11:4-9 {P} 11:10 {S} 11:1121 {S} 11:22-25
Davids champions (11:26-47): {S} 11:26a
{S} 11:26b { S} 11:27a {S} 11:27b
{S} 11:28a {S} 11:28b { S} 11:29a
{S} 11:29b { S} 11:30a {S} 11:30b

{S} 11:31a {S} 11:31b { S} 11:32a {S}

11:32b { S} 11:33a {S} 11:33b
{S} 11:34a {S} 11:34b { S} 11:35a {S}
11:35b { S} 11:36 {S} 11:37a {S}
11:37b { S} 11:38a {S} 11:38b { S}
11:39 {S} 11:40a {S} 11:40b { S} 11:41a
{S} 11:41b { S} 11:42a {S} 11:42b
{S} 11:43 {S} 11:44a {S} 11:44b { S}
11:45 {S} 11:46a {S} 11:46b-47a { S}
11:47b .
{P} 12:1-5 {S} 12:6-14 {S} 12:15-16 {P}
12:17-18 {S} 12:19 {P} 12:20-23
Davids supporters in Hebron: {P} 12:24 {S}
12:25 {S} 12:26 {S} 12:27 {S} 12:28 {S}
12:29 {S} 12:30 {S} 12:31 {S} 12:32 {S}
12:33 {S} 12:34 {S} 12:35 {S} 12:36 {S}
12:37 {S} 12:38 {S} 12:38-41
{P} 13:1-14 {S} 14:1-2 {S} 14:3-7 {P} 14:812 {P} 14:13-17;15:1-2 {P} 15:3-4 Levites:
{S} 15:5 {S} 15:6 {S} 15:7 {S} 15:8 {S} 15:9
{S} 15:10 {P} 15:11 {S} 15:12-15 {P} 15:16
{P} 15:17a {S} 15:17b-25 { P}
15:26-29 {P} 16:1-4 {S} 16:5-7
{P} Song of Assaf: {SONG} 16:8-22 {P}
16:23-36 {SONG}
{P} 16:37-38 {S} 16:39-43 {P} 17:1-2 {S}
17:3-7a {S} 17:7b-15 { P} 17:16-27
18:1-8 {P} 18:9-17 {P} 19:1-5 {S} 19:67a {S} 19:7b { S} 19:8-12a {S}
19:12b-15 { S} 19:16-19 {S}
20:1-3 {S} 20:4-5 {S} 20:6-8 {P} 21:1-7 {S}
21:8 {P} 21:9-12 {S} 21:13-15 {S} 21:1617 {S} 21:18-26 {S} 21:27-30 {S} 22:1 {P}
22:2-4 {P} 22:5-6 {S} 22:7-17 {S} 22:18-19
{P} 23:1-5 {S} 23:6 {S} 23:7 {S} 23:8 {S}
23:9 {S} 23:10-11 {S} 23:12 {S} 23:13-14
{S} 23:15-17 {S} 23:18-23 {S} 23:24-32 {P}
24:1-5 {S} 24:6
{P} 24:7a {S} 24:7b { S} 24:8a {S}
24:8b { S} 24:9a {S} 24:9b { S}
24:10a {S} 24:10b { S} 24:11a {S}
24:11b { S} 24:12a {S} 24:12b
{S} 24:13a {S} 24:13b { S} 24:14a
{S} 24:14b { S} 24:15a {S} 24:15b
{ S} 24:16a {S} 24:16b { S}
24:17a {S} 24:17b { S} 24:18a {S}
24:18b .
{P} 24:19 {P} 24:20 {S} 24:21 {S} 24:22
{S} 24:23 {S} 24:24 {S} 24:25 {S} 24:26 {S}
24:27 {S} 24:28 {S} 24:29 {S} 24:30-31 {S}
25:1-3 {S} 25:4-8 {P} 25:9a {S} 25:9b
{S} 25:10 {S} 25:11 {S} 25:12 {S} 25:13
{S} 25:14 {S} 25:15 {S} 25:16 {S} 25:17
{S} 25:18 {S} 25:19 {S} 25:20 {S} 25:21
{S} 25:22 {S} 25:23 {S} 25:24 {S} 25:25
{S} 25:26 {S} 25:27 {S} 25:28 {S} 25:29

19
{S} 25:30 {S} 25:31 {P} 26:1-5 {S} 26:613 {P} 26:14-16 {S} 26:17a {S} 26:17b-20
{ S} 26:21 {S} 26:22 {S} 26:23-24
{S} 26:25-28 {P} 26:29-32 {P} 27:1 {P} 27:2
{S} 27:3 {S} 27:4 {S} 27:5-6 {S} 27:7 {S}
27:8 {S} 27:9 {S} 27:10 {S} 27:11 {S} 27:12
{S} 27:13 {S} 27:14 {S} 27:15 {P} 27:16a
{S} 27:16b { S} 27:17 {S} 27:18a
{S} 27:18b { S} 27:19a {S} 27:19b
{ S} 27:20 {S} 27:21a {S} 27:16b
27:22-24 {S} 27:25a {S} 27:25b
{ S} 27:26 {S} 27:27a {S} 27:27b
{ S} 27:28a {S} 27:28b
{ S} 27:29a {S} 27:29b { S}
27:30a {S} 27:30b { S} 27:31 {S}
27:32 {S} 27:33 {S} 27:34

30:23-24a {S} 30:24b-26 { S} 30:27

{P} 31:1 {P} 31:2 {S} 31:3-6 {S} 31:7 {S} 31:8
{P} 31:9-10 {S} 31:11-21 {P} 32:1-8 {P} 32:9-19
{S} 32:20 {S} 32:21-23 {P} 32:24-32 {P} 33:1-9
{P} 33:10-20 {P} 33:21-25 {P} 34:1-7 {P} 34:8-11
{S} 34:12-23 {S} 34:24-26a {S} 34:26b-28
{ ' S} 34:29-33 {S} 35:1-2 {S} 35:3-6
{P} 35:7 {S} 35:8-18 {S} 35:19 {S} 35:20-22 {S}
35:23-24 {S} 35:25-27 {S} 36:1-4 {P} 36:5-8 {P}
36:9-10 {P} 36:11-14 {S} 36:15-17 {S} 36:18-21
{S} 36:22 {S} 36:23

9 Songs with special layout

{P} 28:10 {P} 28:11-19 {P} 28:20-21 {S}

29:1-9 {P} 29:10-19 {P} 29:20-25 {P} 29:2620
King Solomon (2 Chronicles 1-9): {P} 1:1-10 {S}
1:11-13 {P} 1:14-18;2:1 {P} 2:2-9 {S} 2:10-15 {P}
2:16-17;3:1-7 {S} 3:8-13 {S} 3:14 {S} 3:15 {S}
3:16-17 {S} 4:1 {S} 4:2-5 {S} 4:6 {S} 4:7 {S} 4:8
{S} 4:9-18 {S} 4:19-22;5:1a {S} 5:1b
{P} 5:2-10 {P} 5:11-14 {S} 6:1-13 {P} 6:14a
{P} 6:14b-23 { ' S} 6:24-25 {P} 6:2627 {S} 6:28-31 {S} 6:32-40 {S} 6:41-42 {P} 7:1-4
{S} 7:5-6 {S} 7:7-11 {P} 7:12-22 {P} 8:1-9 {P}
8:10-11 {P} 8:12-16 {S} 8:17-18 {P} 9:1-12 {P}
9:13-21 {P} 9:22-24 {S} 9:25-31
The Davidic Dynasty (2 Chronicles 10-36): {P}
10:1-5 {S} 10:6-11 {P} 10:12-16 {S} 10:17-18a
{S} 10:18b { S} 10:19;11:1
{P} 11:2-4 {P} 11:5-12 {S} 11:13-23;12:1 {P}
12:2-4 {S} 12:5-8 {S} 12:9-12 {S} 12:13-14 {S}
12:15-16 {P} 13:1-3a {S} 13:3b { S} 13:4-5
{P} 13:6-9 {S} 13:10-20 {P} 13:21-23 {P} 14:1-6
{P} 14:7a {S} 14:7b-10 { S} 14:11-14 {S}
15:1-2 {S} 15:3-7 {S} 15:8-9 {P} 15:10-19 {P}
16:1-5 {S} 16:6 {S} 16:7-14 {P} 17:1-6 {P} 17:711 {P} 17:12-14a {S} 17:14b { S} 17:15
{S} 17:16 {S} 17:17 {S} 17:18 {S} 17:19 {P}
18:1-17 {S} 18:18-22 {S} 18:23-34;19:1 {S} 19:211 {P} 20:1-13 {S} 20:14-30 {P} 20:31-37;21:1-3
{P} 21:4-11 {P} 21:12-20;22:1 {P} 22:2-12 {P}
23:1-11 {S} 23:12-13 {S} 23:14-15 {P} 23:1621;24:1-2 {S} 24:3-14 {P} 24:15-16 {P} 24:1719 {S} 24:20-22 {P} 24:23-27 {P} 25:1-10 {S}
25:11-13 {P} 25:14-16 {P} 25:17-24 {P} 25:2528;26:1-2 {P} 26:3-10 {S} 26:11-23 {P} 27:1-9
{P} 28:1-5 {S} 28:6-7 {S} 28:8 {S} 28:9-11 {S}
28:12-13 {S} 28:14-15 {P} 28:16-27 {P} 29:1-11
{P} 29:12a {S} 29:12b-13 { S} 29:14a
{S} 29:14b-17 { S} 29:18-19 {S}
29:20-26 {P} 29:27-30 {P} 29:31-36 {P} 30:1-9
{S} 30:10-19 {S} 30:20 {S} 30:21 {S} 30:22 {S}

Image of a modern Torah scroll open to the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:1-19) with special layout visible.

In addition to the common open and closed parashot,

the masoretic scribal layout employs spaces in an elaborate way for prominent songs found within narrative
books, as well as for certain lists. Each such song is
formatted in its own exact way, though there are similarities between them. These sections include:
Torah
Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:1-19)
Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32)
Nevi'im

20

11

Canaanite Kings (Joshua 12:9-24)

Song of Deborah (Judges 5)
Song of David (II Samuel 22)
Ketuvim

REFERENCES

There are thus a total of eleven lines of text in

{SONG} format, each with a single word at the beginning of the line and a single word at the end. The
rst (right) column begins with the word and the
names of Hamans 10 sons follow beneath it. The
second (left) column has the word ten times, and
in the nal row it has the rst word of 9:10 ().

The {SONG} format described here originated in the

typically narrow columns of the Tiberian masoretic
codices, in which a line of text containing only two words
Hamans Sons (Esther 9:7-9)
at opposite margins with a gap between them appears
similar to a standard closed parashah. However, in many
Davids Champions (I Chronicles 11:26-47)
later scrolls the columns are much wider, such that lines
with single words at opposite margins create a huge gap in
Song of Assaf (I Chronicles 16:8-36)
the middle. In many scrolls these eleven lines are written
in very large letters so that they form one full column of
The following sections discuss the layout and formatting text in the megillah.
of each of these songs in detail.
Song of the Seasons (Ecclesiastes 3:2-8)

9.8 Song of Assaf (Chronicles)

9.1

Song of the Sea (Exodus)

9.2

Song of Moses (Deuteronomy)

10 See also

9.3

Canaanite Kings (Joshua)

Compare to (masoretic tradition):

9.4

Song of Deborah (Judges)

9.5

Song of David (Samuel)

9.6

Song of the Seasons (Ecclesiastes)

9.7

Hamans Sons (Esther)

Esther 9:7-9 lists Hamans ten sons in three consecutive verses (three names in 7, three in 8, and four in 9).
Each name is preceded by the Hebrew particle . The
{SONG} format for this list is as follows:
The last word of verse 9:6 ( )is purposely planned
to be the rst word in a new line (at the right margin).
This word will begin the rst line of text in {SONG}
format.
The rst word of 9:7 (the Hebrew particle )is
written at the end of the rst line in at the left margin.
A large gap is thus left between and , which
forms a closed parashah division {S}.
In the next ten lines of text, the ten names of the sons
of Haman appear one after another in the beginning
of each line at the right margin, beneath the word
, while the word appears at the end of each
line text (left margin) until the nal line. The 11th
and nal line of text ends with the rst word of 9:10
().

Weekly Torah portion

Seder (Bible)
Compare to (similar concepts in other traditions):
Chapters and verses of the Bible
Lectionary
Pasha (Quran)
Related masoretic topics:
Masoretic Text
Aleppo Codex
Leningrad Codex
Torah scroll
List of Hebrew Bible manuscripts

11 References
[1] In common usage today the word often refers to the
Weekly Torah portion (a shortened form of Parashat
HaShavua). This article deals with the rst, formal meaning of the word.

21

[2] Though initially doubted by Umberto Cassuto, this has

become the established position in modern scholarship.
As Goshen-Gottstein, Penkower, and Ofer have shown,
Cassutos doubts were based upon apparent discrepancies
he noted between the parashah divisions in the Aleppo
Codex and those recorded by Maimonides. However, the
most striking of these apparent discrepancies are rooted
in the faulty manuscripts and printed editions of Maimonides that Cassuto consulted (as noted in his personal
journals), while the remaining cases can be reasonably explained as diering interpretations of very small spaces in
the Aleppo Codex. Furthermore, the best manuscripts of
Maimonides describe highly unusual implementations of
spacing techniques that are found in no other masoretic
manuscript besides the Aleppo Codex. Full explanations
of each individual discrepancy appear in the notes to this
article.
[3] For more details see the section on Halakhic signicance
below.
[4] For a general description of the section divisions and their
purpose, see Emanuel Tov, Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible, 2nd revised edition (Minneapolis: Fortress
Press, 2001), pp. 50-51.
[5] This phenomena often borders on song format. The
various types and degrees of song format as a sophisticated expansion of the parashah spaces in the Tiberian
masoretic manuscripts has been analyzed at length by
Mordechai Breuer in The Aleppo Codex and the Accepted
Text of the Bible (Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook, 1976),
pp. 149-165 (Hebrew).
[6] Tov, p. 51: The subdivision into open and closed sections reects exegesis on the extent of the content units...
It is possible that the subjectivity of this exegesis created
the extant dierences between the various sources. What
in one Masoretic manuscript is indicated as an open section may appear in another as a closed section, while the
indication of a section may be altogether absent in yet a
third source. Nevertheless, a certain uniformity is visible
in the witnesses of M.
[7] The division of the text in the Qumran scrolls into content
units reects in general terms the system of parashiyyot
that was later accepted in M: a space in the middle of
the line to denote a minor subdivision and a space extending from the last word in the line to the end of the
line, to denote a major subdivision... (Tov, p. 210). Although the medieval manuscripts continue the tradition of
the proto-Masoretic texts from Qumran in general, they
often dier with regard to the indication of individual section breaks... (ibid., p. 50). Data on the manuscript evidence for parashot beginning with the Dead Sea Scrolls
is collated in the Hebrew University Bible Project.
[8] Dibbura de-Nedava (introduction to Sifrei on Leviticus).
[9] The abbreviations are most often used in Hebrew editions
of the Bible with commentaries, and in older one-volume
editions of the Tanakh published through the rst half of
the 20th century. Though most current Jewish editions
use the actual spacing techniques instead of the abbreviations, they are still used some in one-volume editions,
most prominently in Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia.

[10] As implemented here.

[11] Tov, pp. 50-51, 210-211. However, no comprehensive
and systematic study of the matter has even been done.
[12] Blau, responsum #294; also appears in Shu"t HaRambam
Pe'er HaDor #9, and is thus cited by Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef
in Yehaveh Da'at VI:56.
[13] An English-language survey of the halakhic sources that
deal with discrepancies in the transmission of details in
the masoretic text of the Torah, regarding both its spelling
(letter-text) and its parashah divisions, may be found in
Barry Levys Fixing Gods Torah: The Accuracy of the Hebrew Bible text in Jewish Law (Oxford University Press,
2001). Levy discusses most of the sources listed here and
translates some of them.
[14] Responsum #91.
[15] Commentary Beit HaBehira to Kiddushin 30a and in the
introduction to his Kiryat Sefer on the laws of writing
Torah scrolls.
[16] Responsum #145. Maharam was a student of Rashba in
thirteenth century Spain.
[17] Responsum #8. Rabbi Judah Mintz ourished in Italy in
the fteenth century.
[18] Yehaveh Da'at VI:56. Basing himself on previous authorities who disputed Maimonides ruling entirely, in addition
to Maimonides own ruling that a blessing may be recited
upon reading from an invalid Torah Scroll, Rabbi Yosef
permits Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews to recite a blessing upon reading from a Yemenite Torah Scroll. Yemenite
scrolls dier from both Ashkenazic and Sephardic scrolls
for exactly one parashah division: an open section at
Leviticus 7:22 (Yemen) instead of at 7:28 (Ashkenaz and
Sepharad). Yemenite scrolls also dier regarding certain spellings (exactly 9 letters), while Ashkenazic and
Sephardic scrolls are identical in all of these details.
[19] The talmudic source for this isMegillah 22a. In later halakhic literature, these rules are discussed in Orah Hayyim
138.
[20] Such as the text found at Mechon Mamre.
[21] Parashat Vayechi is the only one of the weekly Torah readings whose opening verse (Genesis 47:28) is not the beginning of an open or a closed section. Its parashot are thus
listed here sequentially along with those of the previous
weekly reading.
[22] Numerous testimonies verify that the Aleppo codex had a
closed section at 20:13b () . Though this
data does not agree with what is found in several editions
of Maimonides Mishneh Torah, it accords with the original reading of Maimonides based on early manuscripts
and testimonies. See Penkower, Maimonides, pp. 50-64
(at length); Ofer, Cassutto, p. 326; Ofer, Yelin, p. 306.
[23] For Exodus 34:1, -, the vast majority of accurate
Tiberian manuscripts have {S} here instead of {P} (the
latter is as listed by Maimonides and found in current
Torah scrolls). Testimony about the text of the Aleppo

22

11

codex when it was still intact (by Kimhi) reveals that the
form of the parashah at this point was a line of text that
didn't reach the end of the column, followed at 34:1 by a
line that began close to the beginning of the column. Identifying the type of parashah in such a context depends on
whether the reader considers there to be a signicant gap
at the beginning of the line (in which case it is setumah)
or does not consider the gap to be signicant (in which
case it is petuhah). This form of parashah is often indicated by a very small indentation in the extant parts of the
Aleppo Codex, sometimes no wider than the space of one
or two letters. Therefore, Penkower (p. 51 n. 125) and
Ofer (pp. 306-307) suggest that Maimonides judged 34:1
to start at the beginning of its line without a signicant
gap, and was thus followed in later Torah scrolls. Other
observers noted it as setumah (Kimhi, Sithon) or wrote
conicting notations (Amadi).
[24] Ashkenazic and Sephardic Torah scrolls lack an open portion at 7:22 ( ... ... )while Yemenite
scrolls have one. Conversely, Yemenite scrolls lack an
open portion at 7:28 ( ... ... )while
Ashkenazic and Sephardic scrolls have one. This situation derives from Maimonides ambiguous formulation in
Laws of Tellin, Mezuzah and Torah Scrolls, chapter 8,
where he lists a series of six consecutive open parashot
at this point in Leviticus, one of them beginning with the
words " ...( "The Lord spoke to
Moses... Speak to the children of Israel...). However,
there are actually two places where this is found (Leviticus 7:22 and 7:28), and it is unclear which of them Maimonides was referring to. Thus, the scrolls that have a
section break at 7:22 and those with a break at 7:28 are
both implementing Maimonides ambiguous formulation
in two dierent ways. How this formulation by Maimonides accords with the Aleppo Codex has been discussed at length by Ofer (Cassuto, pp. 328-330) and
Penkower (New Evidence, pp. 76-90). If the Aleppo
Codex was indeed missing a parashah break at either 7:22
or 7:28, that would be unique among the 71 occurrences of
The Lord spoke to Moses... in the Torah. Furthermore,
all other Tiberian masoretic manuscripts have parashot
in both places. Available data on this now-missing part
of the codex is as follows: Rabbi Judah Ityah, who examined the codex to answer questions posed by Umberto
Cassuto, reported that there were open parashah breaks
at both 7:22 and 7:28. Earlier, Rabbi Samuel Vital (Responsa Be'er Mayyim Hayyim 27) also conrmed an open
parashah at 7:22. Amadi, however, wrote two opposing notes at 7:22that a parashah break is lacking and
that the Codex of Ezra has a parashah herewhich apparently refer to two dierent codices but it is unclear
which ones. Ofer deals with the evidence by assuming
that Ityahs report was correct and that Maimonides, in
the process of adding sums to the nal version of his list
of parashot for Mishneh Torah, counted " ...
" once instead of twice. Penkower prefers an alternative explanation, namely that there was a small space
at the end of the line preceding 7:22 which Maimonides
did not consider signicant, but which other witnesses
thought indicated an open parashah break (pp. 79-80).
Modern editions based on the Aleppo Codex show these
parashot as follows: Breuers rst edition, published before most of this evidence became available, shows a break

REFERENCES

only at 7:28 (following the Yemenite tradition). His two

later editions (Horev and Jerusalem Crown) show breaks at
both 7:22 and 7:28, noting in the margin that the scrolls
of Ashkenaz and Sepharad or the scrolls of Yemen lack
a break in either place. The Feldheim Simanim edition
shows a break only at 7:28, keeping to the tradition of
Ashkenaz and Sepharad.
[25] Deuteronomy 27:20 is the only one in a series of verses
beginning with ( cursed) not preceded by a closed
break in Maimonides list of parashot (and hence in current Torah scrolls). But other Tiberian masoretic codices
have {S} here as for the other verses in the series, while
testimonies about the Aleppo Codex from when it was still
intact are conicted. Ofer (pp. 307-8) suggests that since
27:19 has more words than usual for this series of similarly constructed verses, its relative length resulted in a
very small space between 27:19 and 27:20 in the narrow
columns of the Aleppo Codex, a space which Maimonides
interpreted as no more than the space between words and
not a closed section break, while other readers evaluated
it as a closed section break.
[26] The word ladonai appears at the beginning of a line followed by a space and then the rst place-name (le-Ashdod)
at the end of the line (left side of the column). Each subsequent occurrence of one (ehad) appears below ladonai
at the beginning of a line followed by a space, with the
place-names at the end of the line (left side of the column).
[27] The thirteen occurrences of la-asher or vela-asher (3 each
in 30:27-30 and once at the beginning of 30:31) are arranged above each other at the end of each line (left end of
the column), with the appropriate place-names following
at the beginning of the next line (right side of each column) and a space in the middle of the line. Some modern
editions follow the same principle with dierent layout by
presenting place names followed by two columns of velaasher on each line.
[28] The closed portions found in the Aleppo Codex for this list
mostly appear in the middle of its narrow columns, leaving
just a single word (or a short phrase) at the beginning and
end of each line.
[29] Ofer, Yellin, p. 320 and p. 332 n. 1.
[30] The Aleppo Codex has no break at all where 2 Kings begins in the Greek textual tradition; text continues on the
very same line with no interruption (see the relevant image at aleppocodex.org). In the Leningrad codex there is
a closed parashah break where 2 Kings begins, such that
in printed editions reecting that tradition, text continues
at the end of the same line after a gap.
[31] The Leningrad codex has an open section at 16:7 (
), but Kimhi did not note any parashah. The possibility that Kimhi erred by neglecting to note a parashah at
16:7 is lessened by the fact that Codex Cairensis also lacks
a parashah at this point (Ofer, Yellin, p. 332 n. 1). For
this reason Breuers editions based on the Aleppo Codex
and Kimhis notes (Horev and The Jerusalem Crown) do
not show a parashah at 16:7. Finfer similarly does not
record this verse in his list of parashot (p. 130), and
thus no break is shown in the Koren edition. However,

23

the volume of Mikraot Gedolot Haketer on Kings does

show an open parashah break {P} at 16:7 as found in the
Leningrad Codex.
[32] These include 29:9 ( )to 31:34 ( ;)32:1
( )to 32:5 ( ;)32:8()
to 32:12
( ;)32:14( )to 32:19 ( ;)32:21()
to 32:24. However, a few words from 32:4-5 and 32:24
remain.
[33] The Leningrad codex has a closed section break {S}
at 31:17 (), but Kimhi did not note any parashah.
The possibility that Kimhi erred by neglecting to note
a parashah at 31:17 is lessened by the fact that Codex
Cairensis also lacks a parashah at this point, as well as
the fact that Finfer records lack of a parashah break here
in most manuscripts (Ofer, Yellin, p. 332 n. 1). For this
reason Breuers editions based on the Aleppo Codex and
Kimhis notes (Horev and The Jerusalem Crown) do not
show a parashah at 31:17, nor does a break appear in the
Koren edition based on Finfers list. However, Finfer does
note that a few manuscripts have {S} here (p. 133).
[34] Ofer, Yellin, p. 321.
[35] Editions which have implemented the poetic layout in full
includeJerusalem Crown: The Bible of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2000); Mikraot Gedolot Haketer, ed.
Menachem Cohen (Bar-Ilan University, 1992-present) on
Psalms (two volumes); and theSimanim editions of Psalms
and the full Tanakh (Feldheim, 2005). For a clear explanation of the phenomenon see Cohens remarks in his introduction to the rst volume of Psalms (p. 8).
[36] See BHQ, General Introduction, pp. xxiii-xxiv. This was
one of the four main codices consulted by Breuer for his
Horev edition and the Jerusalem Crown. See n. 6 to
Breuers explanatory essay at the end of Jerusalem Crown.
It was also collated for BHQ, where it is referred to as MY .
With regard to the parashot it is very close to the Aleppo
Codex, as shown in Yeivin, Division, and also borne out
in this articles lists.
[37] BHQ, ibid. pp. xxiv-xxv. This was also one of the four
main codices consulted by Breuer for his Horev edition
and the Jerusalem Crown and was also collated for BHQ,
where it is referred to as MS1 .
[38] BHQ, ibid. p. xxv.
[39] BHQ Megilloth, pp. 8-9*.
[40] P. 145. Besides the verses listed below, Finfer records
that there are no parashah breaks in the manuscripts he
consulted at 2:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1.
[41] Kimhi made no notation here, and no parashah break appears in the Breuer editions as in Y but as opposed to L.
[42] Not listed in Ofer, Yellin, pp. 322-328, but appears thus
in Horev and Jerusalem Crown editions as stated in the
editorial essays as the back of these volumes: In a few
places where Kimhi did not note anything but a parashah
appears in other accurate codices, I have added a parashah
based on the Leningrad Codex. These include... (Breuer,
Horev, p. 14). These additions assume that Kimhi failed
to note a parashah accidentally.

[43] BHQ Megilloth, p. 6*; Finfer p. 145. Besides this verse,

Finfer records that there are no parashah breaks in the
manuscripts he consulted at 1:19. 2:1, 3:1, 3:8, 4:1.
[44] Ofer, Yellin, p. 323.
[45] Kimhi omits notation of individual verses in Lamentations
at the following points: 1:2, 1:5, 1:14, 4:4, 4:5, 4:6, 4:7,
4:14 (Ofer, Yellin, p. 323). The Breuer edition supplies
these parashot, apparently missing based upon an oversight by Kimhi (see Breuer, Horev, p. 14).
[46] Ofer, Yellin, p. 322.
[47] In addition to the verses listed below, Kimhi specically
noted that the Aleppo Codex lacks parashah breaks at the
following points: 2:1, 5:1.
[48] BHQ Megilloth, p. 14*.
[49] P. 145. Besides the verses listed below, Finfer records
that there are no parashah breaks in the manuscripts he
consulted at 2:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1, 10:1. 11:1,
12:1. A few manuscripts have {S} at 1:11,12; 3:1,2;
9:7. Other manuscripts have {S} at 3:9, 7:1, 11:9.
[50] This verse also begins one of the four sedarim in Ecclesiastes: 1:1, 3:3, 7:1, 9:7 (BHQ Megilloth, p. 14*).
[51] These closed portions are noted with the word at
each relevant verse in Ganzfrieds notes on Esther towards
the end of the book (beginning on page 133a). A digital
image of the text may be found here. The rule is codied in Shulhan Arukh Orah Hayyim 691:2 (Rema), and
its source is Hagahot Maimoniyot on Maimonides Laws
of Megillah chapter 2.
[52] Page (40a) in the digital image of the text found here.
[53] Lishkat HaSofer, note 5 (40a). Ganzfried cites Magen
Avraham as allowing such a scroll to be used in dicult
circumstances, while Peri Megadim is unsure whether a
blessing should be recited over it.
[54] Another medieval list of open and closed sections in Esther is found in Isaac ben Moses of Vienna's Or Zarua
(Part II, Laws of Megillah 373), citing his teacher Eliezer
ben Joel HaLevi (Ra'avyah). Arukh Hashulchan Orah
Hayyim 691:6 notes an internal contradiction in Or Zarua
and concludes that a scroll of Esther written with open
sections may still be used; but see Israel Isserlin, Terumat
HaDeshen, Rulings and Essays 23.
[55] BHQ Megilloth p. 21*. An empty cell in the table under
L34 indicates a gap in that manuscript.
[56] Kimhi simply noted " "at 2:11 () . No other textual tradition, Tiberian or otherwise, has a parashah at
this point in the text, nor does the narrative indicate that
one would be appropriate. Editions based on the Breuer
method or close to it (Horev, The Jerusalem Crown, and
Mikra'ot Gedolot ha-Keter) nonetheless show {S} here.
[57] Mistakenly listed as both {P} and {S} in the notes at the
back of the Dotan edition.
[58] Ofer, Yellin, p. 324-325.
[59] Ofer, Yellin, pp. 325-328.

24

12

13

Literature cited

EXTERNAL LINKS

5. Mikraot Gedolot Haketer, Bar-Ilan University Press,

1992present.

Books and articles cited in the references to this article:

6. Mechon Mamre, online version.

Bible editions consulted (based on the Leningrad

Finfer, Pesah. Masoret HaTorah VehaNevi'im. Codex):
Vilna, 1906 (Hebrew). Online text: DjVu at Commons, (PDF)
1. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft: Stuttgart, 1984.
Ganzfried, Shlomo.
Keset HaSofer.
Ungvr
(Uzhhorod), 1835 (Hebrew). Online text (PDF)
2. Adi publishers. Tel Aviv, 1986. Aharon Dotan, ed.
Goshen-Gottstein, Moshe. The Authenticity of the
3. The JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh. Philadelphia,
Aleppo Codex. Textus 1 (1960):17-58.
1999.
Goshen-Gottstein, Moshe. A Recovered Part of
4. Biblia Hebraica Quinta: General Introduction and
the Aleppo Codex. Textus 5 (1966):53-59.
Megilloth. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft,
2004 (BHQ).
Levy, B. Barry. Fixing Gods Torah: The Accuracy
of the Hebrew Bible text in Jewish Law. Oxford UniBible editions consulted (based on other traditions):
versity Press, 2001.
Ofer, Yosef. "M. D. Cassuto's Notes on the
Aleppo Codex. Sefunot 19 (1989):277-344 (Hebrew). Online text (PDF)

1. Koren Publishers: Jerusalem, 1962.

Ofer, Yosef. The Aleppo Codex and the Bible of R. 13 External links
Shalom Shachna Yellin in Rabbi Mordechai Breuer
Festschrift: Collected Papers in Jewish Studies, ed. Note: Links concerning the Weekly Torah portion do not
M. Bar-Asher, 1:295-353. Jerusalem, 1992 (He- belong here.
brew). Online text (PDF)
Penkower, Jordan S. Maimonides and the Aleppo
Codex. Textus 9 (1981):39-128.
Penkower, Jordan S. New Evidence for the Pentateuch Text in the Aleppo Codex. Bar-Ilan University
Press: Ramat Gan, 1992 (Hebrew).

The Aleppo Codex website to view high-resolution

images of the parashot and songs as they appear in
the extant portions of the codex.
Mechon-Mamre's digital version of the letter-text of
the Aleppo Codex showing its parashah divisions.

Yeivin, Israel. The Division into Sections in the

Book of Psalms. Textus 7 (1969):76-102.

The Westminster Leningrad Codex records the

parashot as they appear in the Leningrad Codex.

Yeivin, Israel. Introduction to the Tiberian Masorah.

Trans. and ed. E. G. Revell. Masoretic Studies 5.
Missoula, Montana: Scholars Press, 1980.

Titles for the Parashot in the Torah, by Aryeh Kaplan

Bible editions consulted (based on the Aleppo

Codex):
1. Mossad Harav Kuk:
Mordechai Breuer, ed.

Jerualem,

1977-1982.

2. Horev publishers: Jerusalem, 1996-98. Mordechai

Breuer, ed.
3. Jerusalem Crown: The Bible of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, 2000. Yosef Ofer, ed.
(under the guidance of Mordechai Breuer).
4. Jerusalem Simanim Institute (Feldheim Publishers),
2004.

25

14

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

14.1

Text

Parashah Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parashah?oldid=626790294 Contributors: IZAK, Nahum, Jdavidb, Dovi, Rich Farmbrough, YUL89YYZ, Xezbeth, Kaisershatner, Alansohn, QVanillaQ, Sburke, Rjwilmsi, MZMcBride, Bgwhite, Mukkakukaku, Saulkaiserman, Sassisch, SmackBot, BenSWiki, Chris the speller, Rigadoun, Iridescent, Sirmylesnagopaleentheda, HammerHeadHuman, MER-C,
Albany NY, Redaktor, R'n'B, Reedy Bot, Mrg3105, Aesopos, Java7837, Alfarero, SieBot, StAnselm, Brenont, Commontater, KathrynLybarger, Shadchan, AMbot, PixelBot, Editor2020, Jgreenman, Addbot, Binary TSO, Leszek Jaczuk, Debresser, Ettrig, TaBOT-zerem,
Boleyn2, LilHelpa, Omnipaedista, Moogla, FrescoBot, Yottie, PleaseStand, EmausBot, John of Reading, Evanh2008, Rebyid613, ClueBot
NG, Ypnypn, Vcohen, Maryester, Wheeke, Monozigote, ChrisGualtieri and Anonymous: 34

14.2

Images

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http://www.aleppocodex.org
Original artist: Shlomo ben Buya'a
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Codex
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X. The S.S. Teachers Edition: The Holy Bible. New York: Henry Frowde, Publisher to the University of Oxford, 1896. Original artist:
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