The name of the parashah [portion] is taken from the first words of the parashah. There are 54 weekly portions—one for each week of the Jewish leap year and one, Parashat Vezot ha-Beracha, which is always reserved for Simchat Torah. In non-leap years [50 weeks] portions are paired and read together.

In the table above the Parashat Hashavuah is listed with its accompanying Haftarah reading and follows the readings used in the Diaspora. These readings may vary from portions read in Israel at times when, as is customary in the Diaspora, a second day of a Jewish holiday is celebrated and falls on Shabbat. Sometimes, the length of time that the parashiot are "out of sync" can be quite long, e.g., up to fifteen weeks. When Diaspora readings are out of sync with Israel certain rules around what parashiot should be read at certain times in the cycle of observances help bring the two groups back into line, e.g., Shabbat Nachmanu (Parashat Vaetchanan) is always read on the shabbat following Tisha B’Av; Ha’azinu must be read before the last Shabbat of Sukkot so that the final Parashat, V’zot Ha-Beracha, can be read on Simchat Torah. These rules, combined with reading doubled Parashiyot on designated Shabbats all ensure both Israel and the Diaspora are in sync to read the same parashah on the Shabbat before Tisha B'av.

The table above, beginning with Rosh Hashanah—the first day of the Jewish year—completes the entire reading cycle within one year. Communities who read the Parashat Hashavuah over three years will read a section from each parashah each week. At times the Haftarah reading varies according to diffierent traditions. When this occurs the Sephardic reading is added in brackets.

The Haftarah
The haftarah is a reading from the Prophets and adds a reflection to the parashah. While each parashah normally has its own accompanying haftarah reading, the haftarah reading also varies, during the year, according to special festivals or events. The word haftarah comes from the Hebrew root pey.tet.resh, meaning “concluding”, “parting” or “ending.”

The practice of adding a haftarah reading to the Torah portion is ancient and has obscure origins. The Talmud mentions the haftarah being read in the presence of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus (c. 70 CE) and evidence from the New Testament indicates that the haftarah readings were a common practice. Acts 13:15 states, "After the reading from the Law and the Prophets the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them saying..."

Haftarah readings given in brackets in the above table indicate readings used in the Sephardic tradition where these differ from the readings of the Ashkenazim.

The Maftir
The word maftir, which belongs to the same Hebrew root as haftarah [pey.tet.resh] means “concluder” and refers to the last person called [i.e., the last Aliyah (aliyah, “to go up”)] to the Torah of the succession of readers at a Sabbath morning or holiday service. This person normally reads the haftarah. The maftir reading normally repeats the last words of the parashat hashavuah. This is according to an ancient custom which sort to honor the greater importance of the Torah over the Prophetic reading (Talmud, Megillah 23a). On special Sabbaths and holidays a special reading is added [provided in the table above] which is related to the celebration or event.

A Point of interest: The division of the parashah hashavuah readings [the plural of parashah is sometimes spelled and pronounced, Parshiot or Parshiyot or Parashot] found in the modern-day Torah scrolls of all Jewish communities (Ashkenazic, Sephardic, and Yemenite) is based upon the systematic list provided by Maimonides in Mishneh Torah, Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah and Torah Scrolls, Ch. 8. Maimonides based his division of the portions of the Torah on the Aleppo Codex.