Practice Parashat Yitro with TropeTrainer
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Parashat Yitro - פָּרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ
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.
Torah Portion: Exodus 18:1-20:23
Parashat Yitro is the 17th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Next read on January 30th, 2027 / 22 Sh'vat 5787
- Annual Reading
Read Annually
1:
18:1 - 18:12· 12 p’sukim
2:
18:13 - 18:23· 11 p’sukim
3:
18:24 - 18:27· 4 p’sukim
4:
19:1 - 19:6· 6 p’sukim
5:
19:7 - 19:19· 13 p’sukim
6:
19:20 - 20:14· 20 p’sukim
7:
20:15 - 20:23· 9 p’sukim
Maftir:
20:19 - 20:23· 5 p’sukim
Haftarah for Sephardim:
Isaiah 6:1 - 6:13· 13 p’sukim
Haftarah for Ashkenazim:
Isaiah 6:1 - 7:6· 19 p’sukim
Haftarah for Ashkenazim:
Isaiah 9:5 - 9:6· 2 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 1
February 7th, 2026
1:
18:1 - 18:4· 4 p’sukim
2:
18:5 - 18:8· 4 p’sukim
3:
18:9 - 18:12· 4 p’sukim
4:
18:13 - 18:16· 4 p’sukim
5:
18:17 - 18:19· 3 p’sukim
6:
18:20 - 18:23· 4 p’sukim
7:
18:24 - 18:27· 4 p’sukim
Maftir:
18:24 - 18:27· 4 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Isaiah 6:1 - 6:13· 13 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 2
January 30th, 2027
1:
19:1 - 19:6· 6 p’sukim
2:
19:7 - 19:9· 3 p’sukim
3:
19:10 - 19:13· 4 p’sukim
4:
19:14 - 19:19· 6 p’sukim
5:
19:20 - 20:14· 20 p’sukim
6:
20:15 - 20:18· 4 p’sukim
7:
20:19 - 20:23· 5 p’sukim
Maftir:
20:21 - 20:23· 3 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Isaiah 44:9 - 44:23· 15 p’sukim
- Triennial Year 3
February 19th, 2028
1:
19:1 - 19:6· 6 p’sukim
2:
19:7 - 19:9· 3 p’sukim
3:
19:10 - 19:13· 4 p’sukim
4:
19:14 - 19:19· 6 p’sukim
5:
19:20 - 20:14· 20 p’sukim
6:
20:15 - 20:18· 4 p’sukim
7:
20:19 - 20:23· 5 p’sukim
Maftir:
20:21 - 20:23· 3 p’sukim
Alternate Haftarah:
Ezekiel 16:4 - 16:14· 11 p’sukim
About Parashat Parashat Yitro
Beyond the events themselves, Yitro (Exodus 18:1–20:23) carries two foundational ideas. Yitro's advice to Moses establishes one of the Torah's earliest models of shared leadership and tiered governance: appointing capable, God-fearing officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, recognizing the limits of any one person's authority. The Sinai revelation is the theological climax, the moment of national encounter and covenant that binds Israel to God's law. Before the Ten Commandments, God offers the famous charge that Israel shall be "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6), to which the people collectively assent. Together these make Yitro one of the high points of the entire Torah, joining a practical vision of just governance with the drama of national revelation.
The Haftarah
The Haftarah is drawn from Isaiah 6, the prophet's inaugural call vision. In most Ashkenazi communities the reading is Isaiah 6:1–7:6 and 9:5–6, while in most Sephardi communities (and many Italian and Yemenite congregations) it is the shorter Isaiah 6:1–13, ending with chapter 6. The thematic link is dramatic divine revelation: just as Israel encounters God at Sinai amid smoke, fire, and quaking, Isaiah sees God enthroned on high with the doorposts shaking and the Temple filling with smoke (Isaiah 6:4), imagery that deliberately echoes Sinai. Both passages also feature a human emissary commissioned to carry God's word, with Isaiah responding "Here I am; send me" (Isaiah 6:8). Exact verse boundaries and customs can vary, so confirm your community's practice.
Notable passages and verses
Yitro contains the Ten Commandments (the Decalogue, Exodus 20:1–14), among the best-known passages in the entire Bible, alongside the covenantal declaration that Israel shall be "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6). A section of the portion (Exodus 19:1–20:23) is read again on the first day of Shavuot, the festival commemorating the giving of the Torah at Sinai. Yitro is also often cited as the shortest weekly Torah portion in the Book of Exodus, about 75 verses. From the Haftarah, the Seraphim's threefold cry "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory" (Isaiah 6:3) became the basis of the Kedushah in synagogue liturgy, and "Here I am; send me" (Isaiah 6:8) is widely quoted. Note that the famous phrase "na'aseh v'nishma" ("we will do and we will hear") is commonly associated with Sinai but actually appears in the following portion, Mishpatim (Exodus 24:7); Israel's assent in Yitro is Exodus 19:8.
Frequently asked questions
What is Parashat Yitro about?
Yitro (Exodus 18:1–20:23) covers two pivotal events: Moses's father-in-law Yitro advises him to appoint a tiered system of judges to share the burden of governing Israel, and God reveals the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai amid fire, smoke, thunder, and the blast of a shofar. It is one of the theological high points of the Torah, marking the moment of national revelation and covenant. With TropeTrainer you can hear and practice this reading with its trope (cantillation).
What is the Haftarah for Yitro?
The Haftarah comes from Isaiah 6, the prophet's call vision. In most Ashkenazi communities it is Isaiah 6:1–7:6 and 9:5–6, while in most Sephardi communities it is the shorter Isaiah 6:1–13. The connection is dramatic divine revelation: Isaiah's vision of God enthroned, with the Temple filling with smoke, echoes the theophany at Sinai. Customs vary, so check your community's practice. TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice this Haftarah with its trope.
What are the main themes of Yitro?
Two themes stand out: shared leadership and the limits of one person's authority, seen in Yitro's advice to appoint judges over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens; and divine revelation and covenant, climaxing in the giving of the Ten Commandments and God's charge that Israel be 'a kingdom of priests and a holy nation' (Exodus 19:6). TropeTrainer lets you hear and practice this reading with trope.
Where are the Ten Commandments in the Torah?
The Ten Commandments (the Decalogue) appear in Parashat Yitro at Exodus 20:1–14, given at Mount Sinai amid fire, smoke, and the sound of a shofar. Verse numbering can differ slightly between printed chumashim. This section (Exodus 19:1–20:23) is also read on the first day of Shavuot. With TropeTrainer you can hear and practice this 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.
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