Parashat Yitro / פָּרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ

Parashat Yitro is the 17th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Next read on / 20 Sh’vat 5786.

Torah Portion: Exodus 18:1-20:23

Yitro (“Jethro”) begins as Moses reunites with his father-in-law Yitro and accepts his advice to appoint judges who will help govern the Israelites. The Israelites prepare to encounter God at Mount Sinai. God descends amidst fire, smoke, thunder, and the blast of a shofar and gives the Ten Commandments. [1]

Full Kriyah
    1. 1: 18:1-12 · 12 p’sukim
    2. 2: 18:13-23 · 11 p’sukim
    3. 3: 18:24-27 · 4 p’sukim
    4. 4: 19:1-6 · 6 p’sukim
    5. 5: 19:7-19 · 13 p’sukim
    6. 6: 19:20-20:14 · 20 p’sukim
    7. 7: 20:15-23 · 9 p’sukim
    8. maf: 20:19-23 · 5 p’sukim

Haftarah for Ashkenazim: Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6 · 21 p’sukim

Haftarah for Sephardim: Isaiah 6:1-13 · 13 p’sukim

Triennial Year 1
  1. 1: 18:1-4 · 4 p’sukim
  2. 2: 18:5-8 · 4 p’sukim
  3. 3: 18:9-12 · 4 p’sukim
  4. 4: 18:13-16 · 4 p’sukim
  5. 5: 18:17-19 · 3 p’sukim
  6. 6: 18:20-23 · 4 p’sukim
  7. 7: 18:24-27 · 4 p’sukim
  8. maf: 18:24-27 · 4 p’sukim

Alternate Haftarah: Isaiah 6:1-13 · 13 p’sukim

Triennial Year 2
  1. 1: 19:1-6 · 6 p’sukim
  2. 2: 19:7-9 · 3 p’sukim
  3. 3: 19:10-13 · 4 p’sukim
  4. 4: 19:14-19 · 6 p’sukim
  5. 5: 19:20-20:14 · 20 p’sukim
  6. 6: 20:15-18 · 4 p’sukim
  7. 7: 20:19-23 · 5 p’sukim
  8. maf: 20:21-23 · 3 p’sukim

Alternate Haftarah: Isaiah 44:9-23 · 15 p’sukim

Triennial Year 3
  1. 1: 19:1-6 · 6 p’sukim
  2. 2: 19:7-9 · 3 p’sukim
  3. 3: 19:10-13 · 4 p’sukim
  4. 4: 19:14-19 · 6 p’sukim
  5. 5: 19:20-20:14 · 20 p’sukim
  6. 6: 20:15-18 · 4 p’sukim
  7. 7: 20:19-23 · 5 p’sukim
  8. maf: 20:21-23 · 3 p’sukim

Alternate Haftarah: Ezekiel 16:4-14 · 11 p’sukim

Note: in the abbreviated triennal readings above, the congregation experiences עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִבְּרוֹת only in years 2 and 3 of the cycle. Some congregations read the entire parsha every year.
Weekday for Shabbat afternoon, Monday & Thursday
  1. 1: 18:1-4 · 4 p’sukim
  2. 2: 18:5-8 · 4 p’sukim
  3. 3: 18:9-12 · 4 p’sukim

Commentary and Divrei Torah

Yitro: The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary by Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin (paid link)

Yitro: The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS Study Bible)

List of Dates

Parashat Yitro is read in the Diaspora on:

References

Parashat Yitro from Sefaria.org
Sefaria, Inc.
Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23) and Haftarah (Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6): The JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary (JPS Study Bible) (paid link)
Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin, Jewish Publication Society, 2017
The Chumash: The Stone Edition (Artscroll Series) (paid link)
Nosson Scherman, Mesorah Publications, 1993
A Complete Triennial System for Reading the Torah
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly, 1988
Haftarot for a Triennial Cycle Torah Reading
Avram Israel Reisner, 2014

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