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 Shemot has six "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 Shemot has two further subdivisions, called "closed portion" (סתומה, setumah) divisions (abbreviated with the Hebrew letter ס (samekh), roughly equivalent to the English letter "S") within the open portion (פתוחה, petuchah) divisions. The first open portion (פתוחה, petuchah) divides the first reading (עליה, aliyah). The second open portion (פתוחה, petuchah) covers the balance of the first and part of the second readings (עליות, aliyot). The third open portion (פתוחה, petuchah) covers the balance of the second and part of the third readings (עליות, aliyot). The fourth open portion (פתוחה, petuchah) covers the balance of the third and all of the fourth and fifth readings (עליות, aliyot). The fifth open portion (פתוחה, petuchah) divides the sixth reading (עליה, aliyah). And the sixth open portion (פתוחה, petuchah) covers the balance of the sixth and all of the seventh readings (עליות, aliyot). Closed portion (סתומה, setumah) divisions separate the third and fourth readings (עליות, aliyot) and conclude the seventh reading (עליה, aliyah).
Read more about this topic: Shemot (parsha)
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