Readings
In traditional Sabbath Torah reading, the parshah is divided into seven readings, or עליות, aliyot. In the Masoretic Text of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Parshah Chayei Sarah has three "open portion" (פתוחה, petuchah) divisions (roughly equivalent to paragraphs, often abbreviated with the Hebrew letter פ (peh), roughly equivalent to the English letter “P”). Parshah Chayei Sarah has no "closed portion" (סתומה, setumah) divisions (abbreviated with the Hebrew letter ס (samekh), roughly equivalent to the English letter "S"). The long first open portion (פתוחה, petuchah) spans the first five readings (עליות, aliyot). The second open portion (פתוחה, petuchah) coincides with the sixth reading (עליה, aliyah). And the third open portion (פתוחה, petuchah) coincides with the seventh reading (עליה, aliyah).
Read more about this topic: Chayei Sarah
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