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Parashat Vayeilech - פָּרָשַׁת נִצָּבִים־וַיֵּלֶךְ
In Nitzavim (“Standing”), Moses addresses the Israelites, emphasizing the importance of following God’s covenant and of not worshiping other gods. He describes the process of repentance and returning to God, and stresses that God’s commandments are achievable and “not in the heavens.” Vayeilech (“He Went”) opens as Moses tells the Israelites that he will not lead them into the Land of Israel, and that Joshua will take over. He instructs the Israelites to gather and read Torah publicly every seven years. At God’s command, Moses writes a poem bearing witness to God’s covenant with the Israelites.
Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 31:1-30
Parashat Nitzavim-Vayeilech is the 51,52th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Next read on September 5th, 2026 / 23 Elul 5786
- Annual Reading
Read Annually
1:
31:1 - 31:3· 3 p’sukim
2:
31:4 - 31:6· 3 p’sukim
3:
31:7 - 31:9· 3 p’sukim
4:
31:10 - 31:13· 4 p’sukim
5:
31:14 - 31:19· 6 p’sukim
6:
31:20 - 31:24· 5 p’sukim
7:
31:25 - 31:30· 6 p’sukim
Maftir:
31:28 - 31:30· 3 p’sukim
Haftarah:
Isaiah 55:6 - 56:8· 16 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 1
Read Together in 2026/5786
Nitzavim and Vayeilech are read together for Triennial Year 1.
- Triennial Year 2
Read Together in 2027/5787
Nitzavim and Vayeilech are read together for Triennial Year 2.
- Triennial Year 3
Read Together in 2028/5788
Nitzavim and Vayeilech are read together for Triennial Year 3.
About Parashat Parashat Vayeilech
Beyond the handoff to Joshua, Vayeilech is the Torah's shortest portion (just 30 verses, Deuteronomy 31:1-30) and turns on two intertwined themes: leadership transition at the edge of mortality, and the preservation of Torah across generations. Moses, now 120 years old, frames his departure not as abandonment but as continuity, repeatedly charging Joshua and the people to "be strong and of good courage" (chazak ve'ematz). The portion grounds Torah's survival in concrete institutions: the septennial Hakhel assembly, where the entire nation gathers to hear the Torah read aloud, and Moses entrusting the written Torah to the Levitical priests and elders. It closes on a sober note, with God foretelling that Israel will stray and break the covenant, setting up the witness-song of the next portion. Because it is so brief, Vayeilech is usually read on its own only in years with a Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, binding it closely to the High Holiday season of repentance and renewal.
The Haftarah
The haftarah for Vayeilech is calendar-dependent. When Vayeilech is read on its own it almost always falls on Shabbat Shuvah (the Sabbath between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), and the Shabbat Shuvah haftarah is read, opening with Hosea 14:2-10 ("Shuvah Yisrael" / "Return, O Israel"), which gives the Sabbath its name. The additional verses vary by rite: in most Ashkenazi communities Joel 2:15-27 is added (with Hosea plus Micah 7:18-20 as the base), while many Sephardi communities add Micah 7:18-20, and some communities read all three passages. Thematically the connection is strong: where Vayeilech warns that Israel will break the covenant and turn to foreign gods, Hosea calls the people to return to God and promises forgiveness and renewal ("I will be like dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily"), and the Micah verses speak of God casting sin into the depths of the sea, reinforcing the season's focus on mercy and atonement. When Vayeilech is not on Shabbat Shuvah, the haftarah designated for it is generally Isaiah 55:6-56:8; when it is read combined with Nitzavim, the haftarah is Isaiah 61:10-63:9, the last of the seven Haftarot of Consolation. Communities differ, so check a local chumash or siddur for your congregation's practice.
Notable passages and verses
Vayeilech is the shortest parashah in the entire Torah, just 30 verses, and is almost always read on Shabbat Shuvah ("Sabbath of Return"), the solemn Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Its best-known passage is Moses' charge "Be strong and of good courage; do not fear... for the Lord your God goes with you" (Deuteronomy 31:6), echoed when he commissions Joshua. The portion is also the source text for two well-known mitzvot: Hakhel, the public Torah-reading assembly held every seven years during Sukkot after the sabbatical (shmita) year (Deut. 31:10-13), and, by traditional rabbinic interpretation of Deuteronomy 31:19, the commandment that every Jew write or have a share in writing a Torah scroll, often counted as the final (613th) of the commandments in Maimonides' enumeration. Note that this 613th-commandment attribution follows a particular rabbinic counting and is not shared by every enumeration.
Frequently asked questions
What is Parashat Vayeilech about?
Vayeilech ("And he went," Deuteronomy 31:1-30) centers on Moses preparing Israel for life after his death. At age 120 he announces he will not cross the Jordan, publicly appoints Joshua as his successor, and charges the people to be strong and courageous. He commands the Hakhel assembly, a public Torah reading held every seven years, writes down the Torah and gives it to the priests and elders, and is told by God that Israel will one day stray, prompting the witness-song that follows in Ha'azinu. On TropeTrainer you can hear and practice this reading with its trope (cantillation).
What is the haftarah for Vayeilech?
It depends on the calendar. When Vayeilech is read on its own it usually coincides with Shabbat Shuvah, so the Shabbat Shuvah haftarah is read, opening with Hosea 14:2-10 ("Return, O Israel"); most Ashkenazi communities add Joel 2:15-27 and many Sephardi communities add Micah 7:18-20, with some reading all three. When Vayeilech is not on Shabbat Shuvah, Isaiah 55:6-56:8 is generally read, and when it is combined with Nitzavim the haftarah is Isaiah 61:10-63:9. Customs vary, so confirm with your congregation. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice the haftarah reading with trope.
What are the main themes of Vayeilech?
The portion's dominant themes are leadership transition and mortality, as Moses hands authority to Joshua, and the preservation of Torah across generations through the Hakhel public reading and the written scroll entrusted to the priests. It also introduces the warning that Israel will break the covenant, setting up the witness-song of the next portion, and because it usually falls near the High Holidays it resonates with themes of repentance and renewal. You can hear and practice this reading with its trope on TropeTrainer.
Why is Vayeilech often read together with Nitzavim?
Vayeilech is the shortest portion in the Torah, only 30 verses, so in most years it is paired with the preceding portion Nitzavim to fit the annual reading cycle. It is read on its own only in certain years, typically when a Shabbat falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (Shabbat Shuvah). The exact years follow the Hebrew calendar's rules, so check a current Jewish calendar for any given year. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice both portions with 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.
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