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Parashat Achrei Mot - פָּרָשַׁת אַחֲרֵי מוֹת
Achrei Mot (“After The Death”) opens by describing the ritual service of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It then details the prohibitions of offering sacrifices outside of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and of eating animal blood, and ends with a list of forbidden sexual relations.
Torah Portion: Leviticus 16:1-18:30
Parashat Achrei Mot is the 29th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Next read on May 1st, 2027 / 24 Nisan 5787
- Annual Reading
Read Annually
1:
16:1 - 16:17· 17 p’sukim
2:
16:18 - 16:24· 7 p’sukim
3:
16:25 - 16:34· 10 p’sukim
4:
17:1 - 17:7· 7 p’sukim
5:
17:8 - 18:5· 14 p’sukim
6:
18:6 - 18:21· 16 p’sukim
7:
18:22 - 18:30· 9 p’sukim
Maftir:
18:28 - 18:30· 3 p’sukim
Haftarah for Sephardim:
Ezekiel 22:1 - 22:16· 16 p’sukim
Haftarah for Ashkenazim:
Amos 9:7 - 9:15· 9 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 1
Read Together in 2026/5786
Achrei Mot and Kedoshim are read together for Triennial Year 1.
- Triennial Year 2
May 1st, 2027
1:
17:1 - 17:7· 7 p’sukim
2:
17:8 - 17:12· 5 p’sukim
3:
17:13 - 17:16· 4 p’sukim
4:
18:1 - 18:5· 5 p’sukim
5:
18:6 - 18:21· 16 p’sukim
6:
18:22 - 18:25· 4 p’sukim
7:
18:26 - 18:30· 5 p’sukim
Maftir:
18:26 - 18:30· 5 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Ezekiel 20:2 - 20:20· 19 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 3
Read Together in 2028/5788
Achrei Mot and Kedoshim are read together for Triennial Year 3.
About Parashat Parashat Achrei Mot
Achrei Mot is the sixth portion in the Book of Leviticus (16:1–18:30), and its name, "After the Death," refers to the deaths of Aaron's sons Nadav and Avihu, whose passing frames the opening of the Yom Kippur service. At its heart is the theme of atonement and purification: the High Priest's once-a-year entry into the Holy of Holies, the cloud of incense, the special white linen vestments, and the ritual of the two goats — one offered to God and one (the scapegoat) sent into the wilderness "to Azazel" bearing the people's sins. The blood prohibition is grounded in the principle that "the life of the flesh is in the blood," and the closing catalog of forbidden relations is framed as the defiling practices of Egypt and Canaan. Taken together, the portion explores holiness through separation — the boundaries, both ritual and moral, that set Israel apart and make holy living possible — bridging Leviticus's priestly laws into the "Holiness Code" that continues in the next portion, Kedoshim.
The Haftarah
The Haftarah for Achrei Mot depends on whether the portion is read on its own or paired with Kedoshim, which varies year to year by the calendar. When Achrei Mot is read alone, most Ashkenazi communities read Ezekiel 22:1–19 and many Sephardi communities read Ezekiel 22:1–16 — the same prophecy, with the Ashkenazi custom adding the closing verses. This reading is a direct mirror of the portion's conclusion: Ezekiel indicts Jerusalem as a "city of bloodshed" whose people commit precisely the sins Leviticus 18 forbids and shed blood, showing the consequences of abandoning the boundaries the portion lays out. When Achrei Mot is read as a double portion with Kedoshim (common in many years), the Ashkenazi custom is generally Amos 9:7–15 and the Sephardi custom is Ezekiel 20:2–20. Exact verse ranges and customs can vary by community, so check your congregation's practice.
Notable passages and verses
This portion is the source of the English word and concept "scapegoat," from the goat sent "to Azazel" into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:7–10). Much of the portion carries elevated liturgical status: Leviticus 16, describing the High Priest's Yom Kippur Avodah service, is traditionally read on Yom Kippur morning, and Leviticus 18, the forbidden relations, is read on Yom Kippur afternoon (Mincha). Leviticus 16:30 — "For on this day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you shall be clean before the Lord from all your sins" — is a signature verse of the Day of Atonement, and Leviticus 17:11 ("the life of the flesh is in the blood") is frequently cited on the meaning of the blood prohibition. By many Sephardi accounts, the portion is chanted in Maqam Hijaz, the musical mode associated with mourning, alluding to the deaths of Nadav and Avihu that open it.
Frequently asked questions
What is parashat Achrei Mot about?
Achrei Mot (Leviticus 16:1–18:30) opens with the Yom Kippur Temple service led by the High Priest, including entry into the Holy of Holies and the ritual of the two goats, one offered to God and one sent to the wilderness as the scapegoat. It then restricts sacrifices to the Sanctuary, forbids consuming blood ('the life of the flesh is in the blood'), and closes with the list of forbidden sexual relations described as the defiling practices of Egypt and Canaan. Its overarching themes are atonement, purification, and the holiness that comes from separation. With TropeTrainer you can hear and practice this reading with its trope.
What is the haftarah for Achrei Mot?
It depends on whether the portion is read alone or together with Kedoshim. When read alone, most Ashkenazi communities read Ezekiel 22:1–19 and many Sephardi communities read Ezekiel 22:1–16 — a prophecy indicting Jerusalem for the very bloodshed and forbidden relations the portion prohibits. When read as a double portion with Kedoshim, the Ashkenazi custom is generally Amos 9:7–15 and the Sephardi custom is Ezekiel 20:2–20. Customs and exact verses vary, so confirm your community's practice. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice the Haftarah chant alongside the Torah reading.
What are the themes of Achrei Mot?
The portion centers on atonement and purification — cleansing both the Sanctuary and the people on the Day of Atonement — and on holiness through separation: the ritual and moral boundaries that set Israel apart from the surrounding nations. The scapegoat ritual, the restriction of sacrifice to the Sanctuary, the blood prohibition, and the laws of forbidden relations all express how sanctity is achieved by drawing clear lines. It bridges Leviticus's priestly laws into the Holiness Code that continues in Kedoshim. You can hear and practice the full reading with trope on TropeTrainer.
Why is Achrei Mot connected to Yom Kippur?
Achrei Mot describes the original Yom Kippur Avodah — the High Priest's once-a-year service in the Holy of Holies, the incense cloud, the white linen garments, and the two goats. Because of this, Leviticus 16 is the traditional Torah reading on Yom Kippur morning, and Leviticus 18 (the forbidden relations) is read on Yom Kippur afternoon. Leviticus 16:30, about being cleansed of all sins, is a signature verse of the day. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice this reading with its trope so you can prepare for these readings.
Where to go next
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