Parashah is the Hebrew term for a weekly Torah portion read in Jewish communities.
The Torah is divided into sections so that the Five Books of Moses can be read publicly over an annual cycle. Each section is called a parashah, or parashat ha-shavua, meaning “portion of the week.” In English, it is also commonly called a weekly Torah portion.
Most communities complete the Torah reading in one year, with Simchat Torah marking the conclusion and restart of the cycle. Some historical Jewish communities followed a triennial cycle, dividing the text into smaller sections over roughly three years.
A parashah may be divided into aliyot, portions assigned to people called to the Torah. The term should not be confused with midrash, which refers to interpretive literature, or haftarah, the prophetic reading traditionally paired with the Torah reading.