Open a sample Torah reading with full Hebrew text, trope marks, and audio to see how TropeTrainer works.
Practice Parashat Lech-Lecha with TropeTrainer
Follow along with Hebrew text, trope cantillation marks, and audio at your own pace.
Parashat Lech-Lecha - פָּרָשַׁת לֶךְ־לְךָ
Lech Lecha (“Go Forth”) recounts Abraham’s (here known as Abram) first encounter with God, his journey to Canaan, the birth of his son Ishmael, the covenant between him, his descendants, and God, and God’s commandment to circumcise the males of his household.
Torah Portion: Genesis 12:1-17:27
Parashat Lech-Lecha is the 3rd weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Next read on October 24th, 2026 / 13 Cheshvan 5787
- Annual Reading
Read Annually
1:
12:1 - 12:13· 13 p’sukim
2:
12:14 - 13:4· 11 p’sukim
3:
13:5 - 13:18· 14 p’sukim
4:
14:1 - 14:20· 20 p’sukim
5:
14:21 - 15:6· 10 p’sukim
6:
15:7 - 17:6· 37 p’sukim
7:
17:7 - 17:27· 21 p’sukim
Maftir:
17:24 - 17:27· 4 p’sukim
Haftarah:
Isaiah 40:27 - 41:16· 21 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 1
November 1st, 2025
1:
12:1 - 12:3· 3 p’sukim
2:
12:4 - 12:9· 6 p’sukim
3:
12:10 - 12:13· 4 p’sukim
4:
12:14 - 12:20· 7 p’sukim
5:
13:1 - 13:4· 4 p’sukim
6:
13:5 - 13:11· 7 p’sukim
7:
13:12 - 13:18· 7 p’sukim
Maftir:
13:16 - 13:18· 3 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Judges 6:24 - 6:32· 9 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 2
October 24th, 2026
1:
14:1 - 14:9· 9 p’sukim
2:
14:10 - 14:16· 7 p’sukim
3:
14:17 - 14:20· 4 p’sukim
4:
14:21 - 14:24· 4 p’sukim
5:
15:1 - 15:6· 6 p’sukim
6:
15:7 - 15:16· 10 p’sukim
7:
15:17 - 15:21· 5 p’sukim
Maftir:
15:17 - 15:21· 5 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Joshua 10:1 - 10:14· 14 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 3
November 13th, 2027
1:
16:1 - 16:6· 6 p’sukim
2:
16:7 - 16:9· 3 p’sukim
3:
16:10 - 16:16· 7 p’sukim
4:
17:1 - 17:6· 6 p’sukim
5:
17:7 - 17:17· 11 p’sukim
6:
17:18 - 17:23· 6 p’sukim
7:
17:24 - 17:27· 4 p’sukim
Maftir:
17:24 - 17:27· 4 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Isaiah 41:8 - 41:16· 9 p’sukim
About Parashat Parashat Lech-Lecha
Lech Lecha (Genesis 12:1–17:27) is the third weekly portion in the annual Torah cycle and marks a theological turning point: God shifts from relating to humanity collectively—through Creation, the Flood, and Babel—to forging a particular, lasting relationship with one individual and his lineage. Its central thread is the founding covenant between God and Abraham, in which God promises to make him a great nation and to give the land of Canaan to his descendants. Recurring sub-themes include faith and obedience tested through trials (leaving home, famine, war, and barrenness), the transformation of identity signaled by the name changes from Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah, and episodes such as the separation from Lot, Lot's rescue and the meeting with Melchizedek, and the "Covenant Between the Pieces" (brit bein ha-betarim). Many commentators read it as the foundation of Jewish peoplehood.
The Haftarah
In most Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities the Haftarah for Lech Lecha is Isaiah 40:27–41:16, and the standard annual reading is the same across both rites. It is paired with the portion because it explicitly invokes Abraham: Isaiah 41:8 names Israel as "the seed of Abraham My friend," tying the exiles directly to the patriarch of Lech Lecha. Thematically both readings emphasize faith and divine faithfulness—just as Abraham went forth trusting God, the prophet reassures the despairing Babylonian exiles that God remains faithful to His covenant and will renew their strength. Rabbinic tradition (including Rashi) further reads Isaiah 41:2's "one from the east" as an allusion to Abraham's journey, though this is a midrashic interpretation rather than the plain text. Congregations following the triennial cycle may read different alternate passages, so practice can vary.
Notable passages and verses
The opening verse, Genesis 12:1—"Lech lecha me-artzecha..." ("Go forth from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you")—is among the most famous calls in the Torah and gives the portion its name. Genesis 15:6, "And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him as righteousness," is a celebrated verse on faith. The portion also contains two foundational covenant texts: the Covenant Between the Pieces (Genesis 15), which foretells the descendants' enslavement and eventual redemption, and the commandment of circumcision, brit milah (Genesis 17), given as the sign of the covenant. Notable details include Abram setting out for Canaan at age 75 and the birth of Ishmael through Hagar when he is 86. From the Haftarah, the image "they shall mount up with wings as eagles" (Isaiah 40:31) is also widely known. Lech Lecha is read on an ordinary Shabbat with no special liturgical status.
Frequently asked questions
What is parashat Lech Lecha about?
Lech Lecha (Genesis 12:1–17:27) follows Abraham—at first called Abram—from God's call to "go forth" from his homeland to the land of Canaan. It covers God's promise to make him a great nation, the founding covenant between God and Abraham, the birth of Ishmael through Hagar, the name changes from Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah, and the commandment of circumcision as the sign of the covenant. Many see it as the moment God turns from humanity as a whole to one family and its lineage. On TropeTrainer you can hear and practice this reading with its trope.
What is the haftarah for Lech Lecha?
In most Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities the Haftarah for Lech Lecha is Isaiah 40:27–41:16, and the standard annual reading is the same across both rites. It is chosen because Isaiah 41:8 calls Israel "the seed of Abraham My friend," directly linking the prophet's words of comfort to the patriarch of the portion. Congregations following a triennial cycle may read alternate passages. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice this Haftarah with trope.
What are the themes of Lech Lecha?
The central theme is the founding covenant between God and Abraham, including the promises of land and descendants and the "Covenant Between the Pieces." Closely related themes are faith and obedience tested through trials, the transformation of identity reflected in the name changes from Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah, and the shift from God relating to humanity collectively to forging a particular bond with one lineage—often viewed as the foundation of Jewish peoplehood. You can hear and practice the reading with trope on TropeTrainer.
Why is the portion called Lech Lecha?
The name comes from the portion's opening words in Genesis 12:1, "Lech lecha" ("Go forth" or "Go for yourself"), God's command to Abram to leave his land, birthplace, and father's house for the land that God would show him. Torah portions are traditionally named for a distinctive early word, and this famous call gives Lech Lecha its name. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice this reading with trope.
Where to go next
See the complete list of weekly parashot with links to every reading and detail page.
Work through guided lessons on Torah trope cantillation, from basic symbols to advanced phrase patterns.