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Parashat Vayikra - פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא
In Vayikra (“He Called”), the first Torah portion in the Book of Leviticus, God tells Moses about the sacrifices offered in the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Among these are sacrifices entirely burnt on the altar, meal offerings made of flour and oil, peace offerings, and sacrifices brought for sinning inadvertently.
Torah Portion: Leviticus 1:1-5:26
Parashat Vayikra is the 24th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Next read on March 20th, 2027 / 11 Adar II 5787
- Annual Reading
Read Annually
1:
1:1 - 1:13· 13 p’sukim
2:
1:14 - 2:6· 10 p’sukim
3:
2:7 - 2:16· 10 p’sukim
4:
3:1 - 3:17· 17 p’sukim
5:
4:1 - 4:26· 26 p’sukim
6:
4:27 - 5:10· 19 p’sukim
7:
5:11 - 5:26· 16 p’sukim
Maftir:
5:24 - 5:26· 3 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 1
March 21st, 2026
1:
1:1 - 1:4· 4 p’sukim
2:
1:5 - 1:9· 5 p’sukim
3:
1:10 - 1:13· 4 p’sukim
4:
1:14 - 1:17· 4 p’sukim
5:
2:1 - 2:6· 6 p’sukim
6:
2:7 - 2:13· 7 p’sukim
7:
2:14 - 2:16· 3 p’sukim
Maftir:
2:14 - 2:16· 3 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Isaiah 43:21 - 44:8· 16 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 2
March 20th, 2027
1:
3:1 - 3:5· 5 p’sukim
2:
3:6 - 3:11· 6 p’sukim
3:
3:12 - 3:17· 6 p’sukim
4:
4:1 - 4:7· 7 p’sukim
5:
4:8 - 4:12· 5 p’sukim
6:
4:13 - 4:21· 9 p’sukim
7:
4:22 - 4:26· 5 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 3
April 1st, 2028
1:
4:27 - 4:31· 5 p’sukim
2:
4:32 - 4:35· 4 p’sukim
3:
5:1 - 5:10· 10 p’sukim
4:
5:11 - 5:13· 3 p’sukim
5:
5:14 - 5:16· 3 p’sukim
6:
5:17 - 5:19· 3 p’sukim
7:
5:20 - 5:26· 7 p’sukim
Maftir:
5:24 - 5:26· 3 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Malachi 2:13 - 3:4· 9 p’sukim
About Parashat Parashat Vayikra
Vayikra opens the Book of Leviticus and functions as the priestly manual for Israelite worship, laying out the system of korbanot (offerings) by which the people drew near to God at the Tent of Meeting. The word korban derives from a root meaning "to draw near," and the portion's central theme is closeness to the Divine through structured ritual, holiness, and purity. It distinguishes between inadvertent and deliberate sin, establishing mechanisms of atonement for unintentional wrongdoing. Commentators stress that the offerings are meant to engage the worshipper's heart and model ethical conduct, not merely to consume an animal, so the portion frames sacrifice as an expression of devotion, repentance, and gratitude.
The Haftarah
In most communities the haftarah for Vayikra is Isaiah 43:21–44:23, read the same way in Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions. The connection is the shared vocabulary of sacrifice: where the parashah details the laws of burnt offerings, meal offerings, and the fat of sacrifices, Isaiah invokes those same images but inverts the emphasis, rebuking Israel for burdening God with sin rather than calling upon Him, and mocking those who fashion idols with their own hands. The prophetic reading thus serves as a corrective counterpoint, foregrounding sincerity and relationship with God over mechanical ritual. When Vayikra coincides with a special Shabbat, the haftarah changes: on Shabbat Zachor (the Shabbat before Purim) communities read 1 Samuel 15:2–34, and on Shabbat Rosh Chodesh they read Isaiah 66:1–24, which is why some sources list the 1 Samuel reading in a given year.
Notable passages and verses
The most famous feature of Vayikra is the small aleph at the end of the opening word "Vayikra" (Leviticus 1:1), written smaller than any other letter in the Torah. The classic midrashic explanation ties it to Moses' humility: Moses wished to write "vayikar" (He chanced upon, as with the gentile prophet Balaam) rather than "vayikra" (He called, an affectionate summons), and God insisted on the aleph, which Moses out of modesty wrote small; a scribal alternative attributed to Shadal is that it distinguishes the aleph from the following word "el." Another well-known verse is the salt covenant (Leviticus 2:13), requiring that salt accompany every meal offering. The portion catalogs the major offering types — olah (burnt offering), mincha (meal offering), shelamim (peace offering), chatat (sin offering), and asham (guilt offering). It is the 24th weekly Torah portion, the first in Leviticus, covering Leviticus 1:1–5:26, and is typically read in March or early April. In Sephardic tradition it is chanted in Maqam Rast, the maqam that signals a beginning.
Frequently asked questions
What is parashat Vayikra about?
Vayikra ("He Called") is the first portion in the Book of Leviticus, covering Leviticus 1:1–5:26, and is devoted almost entirely to the laws of the korbanot, the sacrificial offerings brought in the Mishkan. It details the major offering types — the olah (burnt offering), mincha (meal offering), shelamim (peace offering), chatat (sin offering for inadvertent transgressions), and asham (guilt offering) — and the procedures for each. With TropeTrainer you can hear and practice this reading with the proper trope.
What is the haftarah for Vayikra?
In most communities the haftarah for Vayikra is Isaiah 43:21–44:23, read the same in Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions; it echoes the parashah's language of offerings while urging sincere devotion over empty ritual. When Vayikra falls on a special Shabbat the reading changes — 1 Samuel 15:2–34 on Shabbat Zachor before Purim, and Isaiah 66:1–24 on Shabbat Rosh Chodesh. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice the haftarah with its cantillation.
What are the themes of Vayikra?
The central theme is drawing near to God through structured worship — the Hebrew korban (offering) comes from a root meaning "to draw near." The portion explores holiness and purity in approaching the Divine, the distinction between unintentional and deliberate sin and the path to atonement, and sacrifice as an expression of devotion and gratitude that engages the worshipper's heart, not just the altar. You can hear and practice the full reading with trope on TropeTrainer.
Why is the aleph small in Vayikra?
The opening word "Vayikra" (Leviticus 1:1) is written with a small aleph, the smallest letter in the Torah. The traditional midrashic explanation is Moses' humility: he preferred the word "vayikar" (He chanced upon) to "vayikra" (He called, an affectionate summons), and when God insisted on the aleph, Moses out of modesty wrote it small. This is a traditional teaching rather than a historical fact, and other scribal explanations exist. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice this opening verse with its 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.