The parashah is a section of the Torah (Five Books of Moses) used in Jewish liturgy during a particular week. There are 54 parashiyot in Hebrew, and the full cycle is read over the course of one Jewish year. It is a custom among religious Jewish communities for a weekly Torah portion to be read during Jewish prayer services on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. The full name, Parashat HaShavua, is popularly abbreviated to parashah, and is also known as a Sidra or Sedra.