Practice Parashat Bereshit with TropeTrainer
Follow along with Hebrew text, trope cantillation marks, and audio at your own pace.
Parashat Bereshit - פָּרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית
Bereishit (“In the Beginning”), the first parashah in the annual Torah reading cycle, begins with God’s creation of the world. The first people, Adam and Eve, eat from the Tree of Knowledge and are banished from the Garden of Eden. Their elder son, Cain, kills their younger son, Abel, and Cain is destined to a life of wandering.
Torah Portion: Genesis 1:1-6:8
Parashat Bereshit is the 1st weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Next read on October 10th, 2026 / 29 Tishrei 5787
- Annual Reading
Read Annually
1:
1:1 - 2:3· 34 p’sukim
2:
2:4 - 2:19· 16 p’sukim
3:
2:20 - 3:21· 27 p’sukim
4:
3:22 - 4:18· 21 p’sukim
5:
4:19 - 4:22· 4 p’sukim
6:
4:23 - 5:24· 28 p’sukim
7:
5:25 - 6:8· 16 p’sukim
Maftir:
6:5 - 6:8· 4 p’sukim
Haftarah for Sephardim:
Isaiah 42:5 - 42:21· 17 p’sukim
Haftarah for Ashkenazim:
Isaiah 42:5 - 43:10· 31 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 1
October 18th, 2025
1:
1:1 - 1:5· 5 p’sukim
2:
1:6 - 1:8· 3 p’sukim
3:
1:9 - 1:13· 5 p’sukim
4:
1:14 - 1:19· 6 p’sukim
5:
1:20 - 1:23· 4 p’sukim
6:
1:24 - 1:31· 8 p’sukim
7:
2:1 - 2:3· 3 p’sukim
Maftir:
2:1 - 2:3· 3 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Isaiah 42:5 - 42:21· 17 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 2
October 10th, 2026
1:
2:4 - 2:9· 6 p’sukim
2:
2:10 - 2:19· 10 p’sukim
3:
2:20 - 2:25· 6 p’sukim
4:
3:1 - 3:21· 21 p’sukim
5:
3:22 - 3:24· 3 p’sukim
6:
4:1 - 4:18· 18 p’sukim
7:
4:19 - 4:26· 8 p’sukim
Maftir:
4:23 - 4:26· 4 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 3
October 30th, 2027
1:
5:1 - 5:5· 5 p’sukim
2:
5:6 - 5:8· 3 p’sukim
3:
5:9 - 5:14· 6 p’sukim
4:
5:15 - 5:20· 6 p’sukim
5:
5:21 - 5:24· 4 p’sukim
6:
5:25 - 5:31· 7 p’sukim
7:
5:32 - 6:8· 9 p’sukim
Maftir:
6:5 - 6:8· 4 p’sukim
About Parashat Parashat Bereshit
As the opening portion of the annual Torah cycle (Genesis 1:1-6:8), Bereshit lays down the Torah's foundational claims about God, creation, and the moral order. It moves from the cosmic to the personal: God brings the world into being over six days and rests on the seventh, instituting the Sabbath, and humanity is created b'tzelem Elohim ("in the image of God"), entrusted with dominion over and stewardship of creation. The narrative quickly turns to the consequences of free will, as the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Knowledge, and Cain's killing of Abel introduce temptation, disobedience, and moral accountability ("Am I my brother's keeper?"). The portion then traces the generations from Adam through Seth to Noah, ending as human wickedness grows and sets up the Flood narrative of the next reading. It is read on the Shabbat immediately following Simchat Torah, marking the restart of the public Torah cycle from the beginning.
The Haftarah
The haftarah is drawn from Isaiah and begins at Isaiah 42:5, where God is described as the one who "created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it" - a direct echo of the parashah's Creation account and the clear reason this passage pairs with the portion that recounts the making of heaven and earth. The exact ending varies by rite: in most Ashkenazi communities the reading is the longer Isaiah 42:5-43:10, while in most Sephardi communities (and in Chabad/Lubavitch custom) it is the shorter Isaiah 42:5-21. Beyond the opening echo, Isaiah extends the theme of creation toward purpose, presenting Israel as formed to be "a light to the nations" - grounding both the world and the covenant in the foundational fact that God created them. Other rites (e.g. some Italian or Yemenite practices) may differ slightly in the closing verses, so worshippers should follow local custom.
Notable passages and verses
The most famous passage is the Torah's very first verse, "Bereshit bara Elohim et hashamayim ve'et ha'aretz" - "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1) - which gives both the portion and the Book of Genesis their Hebrew name. Other widely known verses include "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3), the creation of humanity "in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27), the institution of the Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3), and Cain's retort "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9). Bereshit's special status is calendrical rather than a "special Shabbat": as the first portion of the annual cycle, it is always read on the Shabbat following Simchat Torah, marking the restart of the Torah from the beginning.
Frequently asked questions
What is parashat Bereshit about?
Parashat Bereshit (Genesis 1:1-6:8) is the Torah's opening portion. It recounts God's creation of the world in six days and rest on the seventh; the creation of humanity in the image of God; Adam and Eve eating from the Tree of Knowledge and their banishment from Eden; Cain's murder of his brother Abel; and the genealogy from Adam through Seth to Noah, ending as human wickedness grows before the Flood. On TropeTrainer you can hear and practice this reading with its trope (cantillation).
What is the haftarah for Bereshit?
The haftarah comes from Isaiah and starts at Isaiah 42:5, chosen because it describes God as creator of the heavens and the earth, mirroring the parashah's Creation account. In most Ashkenazi communities the reading is Isaiah 42:5-43:10, while in most Sephardi communities and in Chabad custom it is the shorter Isaiah 42:5-21; follow your community's practice. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice the haftarah with trope.
What are the themes of Bereshit?
Bereshit establishes the Torah's foundational themes: creation and divine order (six days of creation and the Sabbath), humanity created in the image of God with stewardship over creation, free will and the consequences of disobedience (the Tree of Knowledge and the expulsion from Eden), and moral accountability (Cain and Abel, and 'Am I my brother's keeper?'). It closes with the genealogy leading toward Noah and the coming Flood. You can hear and practice the full reading with trope on TropeTrainer.
When is parashat Bereshit read?
Bereshit is the first weekly Torah portion of the annual cycle, read on the Shabbat immediately following Simchat Torah, typically in October. It marks the restart of the public Torah reading from the very beginning. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice this reading with trope so you can prepare for the new cycle.
Where to go next
Open a sample Torah reading with full Hebrew text, trope marks, and audio to see how TropeTrainer works.
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.