This Shabbat, Jews everywhere will read Bereishit, the first portion of the Torah. The annual cycle of daily Torah study has already begun, and for anyone who has thought about learning the Torah from start to finish, there won’t be a better week to start.

The idea of studying the weekly Torah portion goes back centuries, and early in his leadership, the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad-Lubavitch, taught that “one must live with the times.” His brother, Rabbi Yehudah Leib, explained what he meant: to live with the week’s Torah portion, and with the section assigned to that day.

Each weekly portion is divided into seven portions, one for each day. Learn a section a day, seven days a week, and you will have covered the entire Chumash, the Five Books of Moses, by next Simchat Torah. Many add a daily portion of Tehillim (Psalms) and Tanya as well, a study regimen known as Chitas, instituted by the Sixth Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneerson, of righteous memory, and championed by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, as a source of Divine blessings.

Whether you prefer to listen on a morning commute, read the text in Hebrew and English, or explore the Rebbe’s teachings on each week's portion, here are 8 ways to start.

Available on Chabad.org, as well as in Chabad.org’s Daily Study app, the remastered “Lessons in Tanya” boasts a linear translation and complete mobile integration.

1. Daily Study on Chabad.org

Tens of thousands of people turn to Chabad.org each day for their daily learning. With classes on Chumash, Tanya and Rambam (Maimonides) by several teachers that run concurrently as users follow the text, the Daily Study app is an invaluable resource for Torah Study.

The late master teacher Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin (Josh) Gordon was a pioneer of teaching Chitas, and his humor, erudition and teaching ability have made his classes, recorded for posterity on Chabad.org, a household name for generations of Torah students worldwide, even a decade after his passing. The Daily Studies with Rabbi Gordon App is a go-to resource for the thousands of students who still learn with him every day, while Chabad.org podcasts, available everywhere, feature classes by him and other teachers updated daily.

Rabbi Yehoshua B. Gordon

Chabad.org also features a comprehensive Parsha Section, complete with the original text of the Torah, translations, summaries, in-depth insights from classical commentaries, and the teachings of the Rebbe. Contemporary essays, classes, and videos are also presented each week.

The Scroll is Chabad.org’s print newsletter for every Shabbat, when offline inspiration is needed. Packed with commentaries, stories, and teachings, it is a must for every home.

2. Selections From Likkutei Sichos

For in-depth study of the weekly Torah portion, Likkutei Sichos—the Rebbe’s 39-volume magnum opus containing his collected and edited talks from thousands of hours of teachings—is the essential resource. Originally published in Yiddish and Hebrew, ‘Selections in Likkutei Sichos’ was recently released by Sichos in English, bringing the Rebbe’s insights into clear, contemporary English alongside the original text.

3. Project Likkutei Sichos

Project Likkutei Sichos is a worldwide initiative to learn and complete the entire Likkutei Sichos within eight years, two talks at a time, each week tied to that week’s Torah portion. Classes are offered in English, Hebrew, Yiddish, Portuguese and Spanish, with downloadable texts, translations and summaries, plus live classes, podcasts and an app.

4. ‘Torah Studies’ by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, the late Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, adapted a selection of the Rebbe’s talks on the weekly Torah readings and Jewish holidays into English. Published in 1996 and given a modern update in recent years by Kehot Publication Society, Torah Studies follows the order of the weekly Torah portion, with a short introduction to each chapter outlining the central question the Rebbe addresses as well as his answer. The full book can be read on Chabad.org.

5. Shabbat deLights

Published by Chabad.org, in collaboration with Ezra Press, an imprint of Kehot, Shabbat deLights is a collection of essays on the Torah portion by Chabad.org author, editor and podcaster, Chana Weisberg. For each Torah portion, Weisberg shares concise and impactful essays rooted in Biblical text and chasidic thought, providing practical, empowering tools for dealing with contemporary life’s most pressing challenges. The book is available here.

6. Daily Wisdom

'Daily Wisdom' was the gold winner in the religion category of the prestigious 2015 Benjamin Franklin Awards.

Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky and published by Chabad House Publications of California, Daily Wisdom summarizes each daily Torah reading and presents an original insight based on the Rebbe’s teachings for every day of the year. Daily Wisdom’s 378 daily lessons offer a accessible taste of the Rebbe’s profound teachings, filled with love for G‑d, Torah, and the Jewish people. The complete volume is available on Chabad.org.

7. ‘Studies in Rashi’

For more than 25 years, beginning in late 1964 after the passing of his mother, to whom he dedicated this initiative, the Rebbe regularly devoted part of his Shabbat addresses to a close reading and study of a single comment of Rashi on the weekly portion. Kehot’s Studies in Rashi, translated by Rabbi Y. Eliezer Danzinger, brings those talks to English readers in a bilingual Hebrew-English set.

8. For Hebrew Readers

For Hebrew readers, an additional wealth of the Rebbe’s teachings is available. Shulchan Shabbat offers a collection of adapted Sichot for each parsha, while Otzar Likkutei Sichos translates selected talks for each Torah portion into Hebrew. Additional volumes can be browsed and purchased on Kehot’s website.

The two days of the holiday of Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah (in Israel, only one day) constitute a major holiday (yom tov). Women and girls light holiday candles each evening, taking care not to light on Shabbat.

Here’s how:

Night One

On Shemini Atzeret eve (Fri, Oct. 2), light a “preexisting flame” which will be used to light candles again the following night.

See: What Is a Pre-Existing Flame?

Then, 18 minutes before sundown, light candles and say two blessings:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת וְשֶׁל יוֹם טוֹב

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm, ah-shehr ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nayr shehl Shah-baht veh-shel yohm tov.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to kindle the Shabbat and Yom Tov light.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-heh-kheh-yah-noo veh-kee-mah-noo ve-hig-ee-yah-noo liz-mahn hah-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

Night Two

Candle-lighting and all meal prep for the second night must take place after Shabbat is completely over. So on On Simchat Torah eve (Sat, Oct. 3), after night has fallen, say:

בָּרוּךְ הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְקֹדֶשׁ

Bah-rookh hah-mahv-deel bayn koh-desh li-koh-desh

Blessed is the One who separates between (the) holiness (of Shabbat) and (the) holiness (of the holiday).

Then prepare and light your candles (from your pre-existing flame), and say:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל יוֹם טוֹב

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm, ah-shehr ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nayr shel yohm tov.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to kindle the Yom Tov light.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-heh-kheh-yah-noo veh-kee-mah-noo ve-hig-ee-yah-noo liz-mahn hah-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

For local candle-lighting times: Chabad.org/candles

It’s the Final Hurrah

Simchat Torah is the grand finale of a season that began with the solemn repentance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and then transitioned into the joy of Sukkot and Simchat Torah. The sages compare this final day to the following analogy: A king threw a grand feast for seven days. All citizens of the kingdom were invited for the seven days of partying. He then told his loved ones: We have fulfilled our duty to the citizenry. Now let me and you continue with what remains.

This is our final party with G‑d before we enter the year ahead, supercharged and inspired by the holiday.

Chag Sameach!

The first two days (one day in Israel) of Sukkot are classified as yom tov.

Women and girls light holiday candles in the sukkah each evening, taking care not to light on Shabbat. (If it is rainy or windy in the sukkah, and you cannot protect the candles from the elements, or if they pose a fire hazard in the sukkah, they may be lit indoors.)

Here’s how:

Night One

On the first night of Sukkot (Fri, Sept. 25), light a “pre-existing flame” which will be used to light candles again the following night. See: What Is a Pre-Existing Flame?

Then, 18 minutes before sundown, light candles and say two blessings:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת וְשֶׁל יוֹם טוֹב

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm, ah-shehr ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nayr shehl Shah-baht veh-shel yohm tov.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to kindle the Shabbat and Yom Tov light.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-heh-kheh-yah-noo veh-kee-mah-noo ve-hig-ee-yah-noo liz-mahn hah-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

Night Two

Since we may not prepare on one day of a holiday for the following day, candle-lighting and all meal prep for the second night must take place after the first day is completely over. So on the second night of Sukkot (Sat, Sept. 26), after night has fallen, say:

בָּרוּךְ הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְקֹדֶשׁ

Bah-rookh hah-mahv-deel bayn koh-desh li-koh-desh

Blessed is the One who separates between (the) holiness (of Shabbat) and (the) holiness (of the holiday).

Then prepare and light your candles (from your pre-existing flame), and say:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל יוֹם טוֹב

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm, ah-shehr ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nayr shel yohm tov.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to kindle the Yom Tov light.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-heh-kheh-yah-noo veh-kee-mah-noo ve-hig-ee-yah-noo liz-mahn hah-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

For local candle-lighting times: Chabad.org/candles

Enter the Divine Embrace

The sukkah is a Divine embrace—the only mitzvah we do with our entire body. When you sit inside a sukkah on Sukkot, those walls and that ceiling—that’s G‑d hugging you. Those branches up there—for these eight days, those are holy branches, an intense love from the highest heaven shining down on you. You need only to sit there, doing whatever you need to do, and you are enveloped in a mitzvah.

Chag Sameach!

As with every major Jewish holiday, women and girls light candles on the eve of Yom Kippur

Here’s how:

On Yom Kippur eve (Sunday, Sept. 20), light a “pre-existing flame” which will be used for Havdalah the following night. See: What Is a Pre-Existing Flame?

Then, 18 minutes before sundown, light candles and say two blessings:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm ah-sher ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nehr nayr shel yohm hah-ki-poo-rim.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to light the candle of Yom Kippur.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-heh-kheh-yah-noo veh-kee-mah-noo ve-hig-ee-yah-noo liz-mahn hah-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

For local candle-lighting times: Chabad.org/candles

NOTE: If you intend to drive to synagogue for the Kol Nidrei prayers, have in mind while lighting the candles that you are not yet accepting upon yourself the sanctity of the holiday. Then head off to synagogue to arrive well before sunset.

Tune in to the Joy

Although Yom Kippur is the most solemn day of the year, it is suffused with an undercurrent of joy; it is the joy of being immersed in the spirituality of the day and expresses confidence that G‑d will accept our repentance, forgive our sins, and seal our verdict for a year of life, health and happiness.

Wishing you an easy and meaningful fast. Gemar Chatimah Tovah!

As with every major Jewish holiday, women and girls light candles on each evening of Rosh Hashanah.

Here’s how:

Night One

On the first night of Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 11), light a “pre-existing flame” which will be used to light candles again the following night. See: What Is a Pre-Existing Flame?

Then, 18 minutes before sundown, light candles and say two blessings:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶל שַׁבָּת וְשֶׁל יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm, ah-shehr ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nayr shehl Shah-baht veh-shel yohm hah-zee-kah-rohn.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to light the candle of the Shabbat and of the Day of Remembrance.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-heh-kheh-yah-noo veh-kee-mah-noo ve-hig-ee-yah-noo liz-mahn hah-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

Night Two

Since we may not prepare on one day of Rosh Hashanah for the following day, candle-lighting and all meal prep for night the second night must take place after the first day is completely over. So on the second night of Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 12), after night has fallen, say:

בָּרוּךְ הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְקֹדֶשׁ

Bah-rookh hah-mahv-deel bayn koh-desh li-koh-desh

Blessed is the One who separates between (the) holiness (of Shabbat) and (the) holiness (of the holiday).

Then place your new fruit within eyesight of the table, prepare and light your candles (from your pre-existing flame), and say:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm, ah-shehr ki-deh-shah-noo beh-mitz-voh-tahv veh-tzee-vah-noo leh-hahd-lik nayr shehl yohm hah-zee-kah-rohn.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to light the candle of the Day of Remembrance.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm sheh-heh-kheh-yah-noo veh-kee-mah-noo ve-hig-ee-yah-noo liz-mahn hah-zeh.

Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

For local candle-lighting times: Chabad.org/candles

You Are Entering a Shabbat Year!

Since Rosh Hashanah is the “head of the year,” and the head literally directs the entire body, it follows that this entire year has a Shabbat theme. Back in 1972, just before the Jewish year of 5733, which also began on Shabbat, the Rebbe explained this to mean that everything we do throughout the year is to be elevated and sacred. Just like Shabbat affords us more time to study Torah and focus on spiritual matters, this entire year enjoins us to bring the Shabbat spirit into everything we do.

Wishing you a sweet, new, Shabbat-filled year. Shanah tovah!

Read: 6 Ways This Year (5787) Is Unique