What torah portion was read on my birthday

First and foremost, a birthday is a day to feel grateful. It’s a day for parents to be grateful to G‑d for the precious gift He granted them. A day for the Jewish nation to be grateful for the addition of a new member of the nation-family. And, of course, it is a day for the birthday celebrant to express gratitude to G‑d for the gift of life.

This is the day when you were given the mandate to change the world. The day when G‑d entrusted you with the mission to challenge a world that is hostile to spirituality and transform it into G‑d’s private sanctum. And in accomplishing this goal, you, too, were given the ability to achieve incredible spiritual heights—heights unimaginable to the soul before it was dispatched from its lofty heavenly abode to inhabit a physical body.

Celebrating a birthday is thus also a demonstration of confidence. Confidence that you are and will continue to be worthy of G‑d’s trust. No matter the obstacles, you will persevere and live up to G‑d’s expectations of you.

This day takes on additional significance if you are above the age of bar or bat mitzvah. The word “mitzvah” means commandments, but is also related to the word “tzaveta,” which means “connection.” Fulfilling G‑d’s commandments is the vehicle through which we connect to G‑d. Until bar and bat mitzvah, mitzvot are primarily an educational experience—the commandment element kicking in upon adulthood. That means greater responsibility, but an infinitely greater connection, too. Your birthday is also the anniversary of that momentous occasion. Another reason to be grateful…

Déjà Vu

Time is like a spiral. Annually, on the anniversary of any momentous event, we have the ability to tap into the same spiritual energy that originally caused that event (hence the concept of Jewish holidays).

When you were born, G‑d invested within you a soul abounding with talents and qualities. Your mazel was shining and at full strength. That same energy is present once again every year on the anniversary of that date. On this day you have the ability to accomplish that which would perhaps be very difficult on another day.

Rosh Hashanah is so special because it is the birthday of humankind—it is the day when Adam and Eve were created. Your birthday is your personal Rosh Hashanah—utilize it to its utmost!

The Torah, also known in book form as the Chumash, meaning “Five” Books of Moses, is studied and chanted aloud in weekly segments known as the parsha, or “portion.” This annual process ends and starts all over again on the holy day known as Simchat Torah, which is a day of “Rejoicing in the Torah.”  Since Judaism follows a lunar cycle, with certain years containing leap “months,” one year’s Jewish calendar does not help with the next. For the same reason, in some years two portions will be assigned to one date. On festivals and holidays special portions are read that go out of order with the sequence of the year.  

Every parsha has a name given to it; this name is derived from an early word or phrase in its verses. For example the first portion is named after its first word, Bereishit, “In the beginning.” Here is a list of all the Torah portions in order: 

Your Haftorah portion will be drawn from the post biblical period Jewish sacred texts known as Neviim, “Prophets.”  These are found in the TaNaKh, the full canon of the Jewish bible.  The TaNaKh includes the Torah (Five Books of Moses), the Neviim, (Joshua, Judges, Kings, and prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Micah, Habakkuk, Zechariah and Malachi) and the Ketuvim (Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Book of Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nechemiah and Chronicles.)   

Be Advised that:

It is always important to check carefully for what Torah portion is assigned to a given date.

Hebcal.com is an easy place to look up which Torah and haftorah (prophetic) portions are matched with any given Shabbat in any year.

On occasion two Torah portions will be assigned to one Shabbat in order to fit the full sequence of readings into a given year

Holidays have special portions assigned, not simply the next portion in the sequence.

Traditionally, there are certain black out dates during which Jewish life cycle events are prohibited due to their proximity to other sacred occasions. Check Living Jewish Life Cycle (below) for these specifics.

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