Practice Parashat Beshalach with TropeTrainer
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Parashat Beshalach - פָּרָשַׁת בְּשַׁלַּח
Beshalach (“When He Let Go”) describes the splitting of the Red Sea and the song the Israelites sing upon crossing through. In the desert, God sweetens bitter water and provides manna and quail. The portion ends recounting the victory of the Israelites against an attack by the Amalekites.
Torah Portion: Exodus 13:17-17:16
Parashat Beshalach is the 16th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Next read on January 23rd, 2027 / 15 Sh'vat 5787
- Annual Reading
Read Annually
1:
13:17 - 14:8· 14 p’sukim
2:
14:9 - 14:14· 6 p’sukim
3:
14:15 - 14:25· 11 p’sukim
4:
14:26 - 15:26· 32 p’sukim
5:
15:27 - 16:10· 11 p’sukim
6:
16:11 - 16:36· 26 p’sukim
7:
17:1 - 17:16· 16 p’sukim
Maftir:
17:14 - 17:16· 3 p’sukim
Haftarah for Sephardim:
Judges 5:1 - 5:31· 31 p’sukim
Haftarah for Ashkenazim:
Judges 4:4 - 5:31· 52 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 1
January 31st, 2026
1:
13:17 - 13:22· 6 p’sukim
2:
14:1 - 14:4· 4 p’sukim
3:
14:5 - 14:8· 4 p’sukim
4:
14:9 - 14:14· 6 p’sukim
5:
14:15 - 14:20· 6 p’sukim
6:
14:21 - 14:25· 5 p’sukim
7:
14:26 - 15:26· 32 p’sukim
Maftir:
15:22 - 15:26· 5 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Judges 4:4 - 4:24· 21 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 2
January 23rd, 2027
1:
14:15 - 14:20· 6 p’sukim
2:
14:21 - 14:25· 5 p’sukim
3:
14:26 - 15:21· 27 p’sukim
4:
15:22 - 15:26· 5 p’sukim
5:
15:27 - 16:3· 4 p’sukim
6:
16:4 - 16:7· 4 p’sukim
7:
16:8 - 16:10· 3 p’sukim
Maftir:
16:8 - 16:10· 3 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Judges 5:1 - 5:31· 31 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 3
February 12th, 2028
1:
14:26 - 15:21· 27 p’sukim
2:
15:22 - 15:26· 5 p’sukim
3:
15:27 - 16:10· 11 p’sukim
4:
16:11 - 16:27· 17 p’sukim
5:
16:28 - 16:36· 9 p’sukim
6:
17:1 - 17:7· 7 p’sukim
7:
17:8 - 17:16· 9 p’sukim
Maftir:
17:14 - 17:16· 3 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah Part 1:
Joshua 3:9 - 3:17· 9 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah Part 2:
Joshua 4:19 - 4:24· 6 p’sukim
About Parashat Parashat Beshalach
Beshalach marks the decisive turn from slavery to freedom, the moment Israel finally leaves Egypt behind at the Sea of Reeds. Its great theme is divine redemption made visible: God acts as redeemer and protector, and the people respond first with faith and song, then quickly with complaint. The wilderness episodes (bitter water made sweet at Marah, manna and quail, water from the rock) frame an ongoing test of trust, while the manna introduces the rhythm of Shabbat through the double portion gathered on the sixth day. The closing battle with Amalek, won as Moses' hands are held aloft, establishes Israel's first armed conflict and an enduring symbol of unprovoked enmity in Jewish tradition.
The Haftarah
The haftarah is the Song of Deborah from the Book of Judges. In most Ashkenazi communities the longer reading of Judges 4:4–5:31 is chanted, which includes the prose account of Deborah, Barak, Sisera, and Yael leading into the song; at 52 verses it is often described as the longest haftarah of the year. In most Sephardi communities only the song itself is read, generally Judges 5:1–31, though the exact starting verse can vary by community and edition. The pairing is thematically rich: both readings join a military victory over an oppressor with a victory song, both are led by prophetesses (Miriam at the Sea, Deborah in Judges), and both deliverances turn on water, the sea drowning Pharaoh's army and the Kishon River sweeping away Sisera's forces.
Notable passages and verses
The Shabbat on which Beshalach is read is called Shabbat Shirah, the "Sabbath of Song," named for the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:1–18). In the Torah scroll this song is written in a distinctive brick-like, interlocking pattern unlike ordinary columns, and it is chanted to a special melody. Its famous lines include the opening "Az yashir Moshe" (Exodus 15:1), "Ozi v'zimrat Yah" (Exodus 15:2, often rendered "The Lord is my strength and song"), and "Mi chamocha ba'eilim Adonai" ("Who is like You among the mighty, O Lord," Exodus 15:11), a verse woven into the daily liturgy. Miriam the prophetess then leads the women in song and dance with timbrels (Exodus 15:20–21). A widespread Shabbat Shirah custom in some communities is feeding the birds.
Frequently asked questions
What is parashat Beshalach about?
Beshalach (Exodus 13:17–17:16) is the 16th weekly Torah portion and a turning point in the Exodus story. It recounts the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, the Israelites crossing on dry land while the Egyptian army drowns, and the Song of the Sea that celebrates the deliverance. In the wilderness God sweetens the bitter water at Marah and provides manna and quail, and the portion closes with the battle against Amalek. With TropeTrainer you can hear and practice this reading chanted with trope.
What is the haftarah for Beshalach?
The haftarah is the Song of Deborah from the Book of Judges. In most Ashkenazi communities the longer passage Judges 4:4–5:31 is read, while in most Sephardi communities only the song itself, generally Judges 5:1–31, is chanted; the exact range can vary by rite and edition. The reading is paired with the parsha because both join a victory over an oppressor with a victory song led by a prophetess. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice the haftarah with its trope.
What are the main themes of Beshalach?
Beshalach centers on redemption and miracle, the move from slavery to freedom, and the tension between faith and complaint. The Israelites praise God in the Song of the Sea, then grumble for water and food in the wilderness, where God responds with sweetened water, manna, and quail. The manna also introduces the Shabbat rhythm through the double portion gathered before the day of rest, and the portion ends with the struggle against Amalek. You can hear and practice the whole reading with trope on TropeTrainer.
Why is Beshalach called Shabbat Shirah?
The Shabbat when Beshalach is read is called Shabbat Shirah, the "Sabbath of Song," because the portion contains the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15:1–18), Israel's poetic celebration after crossing the sea. This song is written in the Torah scroll in a unique brick-like pattern and is chanted to a special melody, and some communities mark the day with the custom of feeding the birds. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice this distinctive reading with its trope.
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.