Thanks Josh for the feedback. Good question. Today, people use the words “Sedra” and “Parsha” interchangeably to refer to a Torah portion.
People say they are studying the “Parsha of the Week” or the “Sedra of the week”.
But technically there is a major difference. The weekly Torah portion is divided into paragraphs. Each paragraph is called a Parsha.
The whole Torah portion is then a collection of Parshas organized into a whole. Sedra comes the root word, “seder” which means organization. Just like the Passover Seder is the organization of the evening into steps, the weekly Sedra is the organization of the Parshas into a whole.
But for practical purposes, you can use them today the same way.
Great presentation. Thanks!
What’s the difference between a Sedra and a Parsha?
Thanks Josh for the feedback. Good question. Today, people use the words “Sedra” and “Parsha” interchangeably to refer to a Torah portion.
People say they are studying the “Parsha of the Week” or the “Sedra of the week”.
But technically there is a major difference. The weekly Torah portion is divided into paragraphs. Each paragraph is called a Parsha.
The whole Torah portion is then a collection of Parshas organized into a whole. Sedra comes the root word, “seder” which means organization. Just like the Passover Seder is the organization of the evening into steps, the weekly Sedra is the organization of the Parshas into a whole.
But for practical purposes, you can use them today the same way.