Bo (—in Hebrew, the command form of "go," or "come," and the first significant word in the parashah, in Exodus 10:1) is the fifteenth weekly Torah portion (, parashah) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the third in the book of Exodus. The parashah constitutes Exodus 10:1–13:16. The parashah tells of the last three plagues on Egypt and the first Passover.

The parashah is made up of 6,149 Hebrew letters, 1,655 Hebrew words, 106 verses, and 207 lines in a Torah Scroll. Jews read it the fifteenth Sabbath after Simchat Torah, generally in January or early February.Fred Reiss, The Standard Guide to the Jewish and Civil Calendars: A Parallel Jewish and Civil Calendar from 1899 to 2050 with Parashiyyot and Haftarot and Candle-Lighting Times for Selected Cities (West Orange, New Jersey: Behrman House, 1986); "Parashat Bo", Hebcal. As the parashah describes the first Passover, Jews also read part of the parashah, Exodus 12:21–51, as the initial Torah reading for the first day of Passover, and another part, Exodus 13:1–16, as the initial Torah reading for the first intermediate day (Chol HaMoed) of Passover. Jews also read another part of the parashah, Exodus 12:1–20, which describes the laws of Passover, as the maftir Torah reading for the Special Sabbath Shabbat HaChodesh, which falls on the first day (Rosh Chodesh) of Nisan, the month in which Jews celebrate Passover.

Readings In traditional Sabbath Torah reading, the parashah is divided into seven readings, or , aliyot. In the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), Parashat Bo has seven "open portion" (, petuchah) divisions (roughly equivalent to paragraphs, often abbreviated with the Hebrew letter (peh)). Parashat Bo has seven further subdivisions, called "closed portion" (, setumah) divisions (abbreviated with the Hebrew letter (samekh)) within the open portion divisions. The first open portion contains the first and part of the second readings. The second open portion covers the balance of the second and part of the third readings. The third open portion covers the balance of the third and all of the fourth readings. The fourth open portion covers the fifth and part of the sixth readings. The fifth and sixth open portion divisions further divide the sixth reading. The seventh open portion divides the seventh reading. Closed portion divisions separate the first and second readings, separate the second and third readings, and separate the third and fourth readings. Further closed portion divisions divide the fourth and sixth readings, and conclude the seventh reading.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, The Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus (Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2008), pages 58–87.

First reading—Exodus 10:1–11

In the first reading, after seven plagues, God continued visiting plagues on Egypt. Moses and Aaron warned Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, or suffer locusts (, arbeh) covering the land.. Pharaoh's courtiers pressed Pharaoh to let the men go, so Pharaoh brought Moses and Aaron back and asked them, "Who are the ones to go?". Moses insisted that young and old, sons and daughters, flocks and herds would go, but Pharaoh rejected Moses' request and expelled Moses and Aaron from his presence.. The first reading and a closed portion end here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 61.

Second reading—Exodus 10:12–23 In the second reading, Moses held his rod over the land, and God drove an east wind to bring locusts to invade the land.. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, asked forgiveness, and asked them to plead with God to remove the locusts.. Moses did so, and God brought a west wind to lift the locusts into the Sea of Reeds.. But God stiffened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.. The first open portion ends here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 63.

In the continuation of the reading, God instructed Moses to hold his arm toward the sky to bring darkness (, choshech) upon the land, and Moses did so, but the Israelites enjoyed light.. The second reading and a closed portion end here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, pages 63–64.

Third reading—Exodus 10:24–11:3 In the third reading, Pharaoh summoned Moses and told him to go, leaving only the Israelites' flocks and herds behind, but Moses insisted that none of the Israelites' livestock be left behind, saying, "[W]e shall not know with what we are to worship the Lord until we arrive there.". But God stiffened Pharaoh's heart, and he expelled Moses saying, "[T]he moment you look upon my face, you shall die.". The second open portion ends here with the end of chapter 10.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 65.

In the continuation of the reading in chapter 11, God told Moses that God would bring one more plague, and then Pharaoh would let the Israelites go.. God told Moses to tell the Israelites to ask their neighbors for silver and gold, and God disposed the Egyptians to favor the Israelites and Moses.. The third reading and a closed portion end here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 66.

Fourth reading—Exodus 11:4–12:20 In the fourth reading, Moses warned Pharaoh that God would kill every firstborn in Egypt.. And Moses left Pharaoh in hot anger.. A closed portion ends here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 67.

In the continuation of the reading, God told Moses and Aaron to mark that month as the first of the months of the year.. And God told them to instruct the Israelites in the laws of the Passover service, of the Passover lamb, and of abstaining from leavened bread.. The fourth reading and the third open portion end here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 76.

Fifth reading—Exodus 12:21–28 In the short fifth reading, Moses instructed the elders of Israel to kill their Passover lambs, paint their doorways with the lamb's blood, and remain inside until the morning.. For God would smite the Egyptians, but when God saw the blood on the lintel, God would pass over the house and not allow the Destroyer to come into that house.. The Israelites were to observe the Passover service for all time, and when their children would ask what the service means, they were to say that it commemorates the time when God passed over the Israelites' houses when God smote the Egyptians. And the people bowed and worshipped.. And the Israelites did as God commanded Moses and Aaron.. The fifth reading and a closed portion end here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 78.

Sixth reading—Exodus 12:29–51 In the sixth reading, in the middle of the night, God struck down all the firstborn in Egypt.. Pharaoh arose in the night to a loud cry in Egypt, summoned Moses and Aaron, and told them to take the Israelites and go.. So the Israelites took their dough before it was leavened, and asked for silver, gold, and clothing from the Egyptians.. The fourth open portion ends here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 80.

In the continuation of the reading, the Israelites and a mixed multitude journeyed from Rameses to Sukkot.. They baked unleavened bread (, matzah), because they could not delay before they left Egypt.. The Israelites dwelt in Egypt for 430 years and left the land after the night of watching for the Lord.. The fifth open portion ends here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 81.

In the continuation of the reading, God told Moses and Aaron the laws of who was to keep the Passover.. A closed portion ends here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 83.

The reading concludes with a notice that on the same day, God bought the Israelites out of Egypt.. The sixth reading and the sixth open portion end here with the end of chapter 12.

Seventh reading—Exodus 13:1–16

In the seventh reading, in chapter 13, God instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to consecrate to God every firstborn human and animal, and Moses did so.. Moses told the people to remember the day and the month in which God brought them out of Egypt, and to keep the service to commemorate their deliverance in the same month, eating only unleavened bread (, matzah).. And they were to tell their children to keep it as a sign upon their hands and for a memorial between their eyes and to keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.. The seventh open portion ends here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 85.

In the continuation of the reading, God instructed Moses in the laws of the firstborn..

In the maftir () reading that concludes the parashah,See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, pages 86–87. God instructed that if their children asked about consecrating the firstborn, the Israelites were to tell their children that God slew the firstborn of Egypt, and therefore the Israelites were to sacrifice to God all firstborn animals and redeem their firstborn sons.. And thus it shall be for a sign upon their hands, and for frontlets between their eyes, for with a mighty hand God brought them out of Egypt.. The seventh reading, a closed portion, and the parashah end here.See, e.g., Menachem Davis, editor, Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Chumash: Shemos/Exodus, page 87.

Readings according to the triennial cycle Jews who read the Torah according to the triennial cycle of Torah reading read the parashah according to the following schedule:See, e.g., Richard Eisenberg, "A Complete Triennial Cycle for Reading the Torah", in Proceedings of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Conservative Movement: 1986–1990 (New York: Rabbinical Assembly, 2001), pages 383–418.

Year 1Year 2Year 32023, 2026, 2029 . . .2024, 2027, 2030 . . .2025, 2028, 2031 . . .Reading10:1–11:311:4–12:2812:29–13:16110:1–311:4–1012:29–32210:4–612:1–1012:33–36310:7–1112:11–1312:37–42410:12–1512:14–1612:43–51510:16–2312:17–2013:1–4610:24–2912:21–2413:5–10711:1–312:25–2813:11–16Maftir11:1–312:25–2813:14–16

In ancient parallels The parashah has parallels in these ancient sources:

Exodus chapter 10