Welcome to Virtual Tikkun
Virtual Tikkun is a digital Torah reading practice application designed for learners, tutors, and communities. Whether you're preparing for a bar/bat mitzvah, practicing a weekly Torah reading, or teaching students, Virtual Tikkun provides the tools you need.
What is Torah Reading?
In Jewish communities worldwide, a portion of the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) is read aloud during weekly synagogue services. This reading follows a fixed annual cycle—the same portion is read in synagogues everywhere on the same week.
The Torah is read from a handwritten scroll that contains no vowels, punctuation, or musical notation. The reader must memorize these elements and chant the text according to traditional melodies.
The Practice Challenge
Learning to read Torah requires significant preparation:
- Learn the text — Memorize which vowels go with each word
- Learn the melody — Each phrase has musical notation (called "trope" or "cantillation") that must be memorized
- Practice repeatedly — Until the reading can be performed fluently from the unvoweled scroll
What is a Tikkun?
A Tikkun (Hebrew for "correction" or "preparation") is a traditional study book with a unique two-column layout:
| Left Column | Right Column |
|---|---|
| Torah scroll text (no vowels) | Chumash text (with vowels and trope marks) |
The learner practices by looking at the right column to see the vowels and melody, then covering it and reading from the left. Virtual Tikkun digitizes this experience, adding features like flashcards, progress tracking, and collaboration between teachers and students.
Who Uses Virtual Tikkun?
Learners
Anyone preparing to read Torah publicly—bar/bat mitzvah students, adults with regular synagogue roles, or occasional readers. Learners use Virtual Tikkun to practice their assigned portion, track progress through verses, and study on any device.
Tutors
Teachers, cantors, or experienced readers who help others prepare. Tutors use Virtual Tikkun to assign portions to students, monitor progress remotely, and communicate through built-in chat and video meetings.
Casual Practitioners
Regular Torah readers who maintain their skills or review familiar portions. They want quick access to specific sections without intensive study features.
Application Modes
Virtual Tikkun is organized into six modes, each designed for a different task. Click any card to learn more.
Browse
View and navigate the Tikkun scroll. Toggle between Torah, Chumash, and side-by-side views.
Study
Flashcard-based study with verse-by-verse practice, progress tracking, and collaboration.
Teach
Manage student assignments, send invitations, and track learning progress.
Community
See what your synagogue is reading, who is looking for readers, and join the community chat.
Resources
Access synagogue-specific external learning resources and materials.
Settings
Your profile and photo, the defaults new things start with, your subscription, phrase colors, and the mobile app.
Creating an Account
You can use Virtual Tikkun without an account to browse the Torah in Browse mode. To unlock bookmarks, flashcard learning, collaboration, and progress tracking, create a free account: click the account button at the top right and choose Create Account.
Sign-In Options
- Google — "Continue with Google" creates the account or signs you in with your Google account
- Email & Password — your name, an email address, and a password of at least 8 characters
A new account starts a 30-day free trial, with no payment details needed. Forgot your password? Choose Forgot Password? on the sign-in form and we'll email you a link to set a new one.
Tip: Your photo and name are edited in Settings, under Profile.
Choosing Your Synagogue and Scroll
Virtual Tikkun supports multiple synagogues, each with their own Torah scroll images. When you first visit the app, you'll see the synagogue selection page with logos for available communities. Select your synagogue to load its specific Torah scroll content.
Some synagogues have multiple scrolls (Torah manuscripts). Use the Scroll dropdown in the sidebar to switch between them.
Understanding the Interface
The Virtual Tikkun interface has three main areas:
- Header bar — At the top. Shows the synagogue logo, mode tabs (Browse, Study, Teach, Community) and your account button.
- Sidebar — On the left (in Browse mode). Contains the Table of Contents for navigating through the Torah: Books, Parshas (weekly portions), and Aliyot (sections within each parsha).
- Main content area — The large central area where Torah content, flashcards, or other mode-specific content is displayed.
Key Concepts
Here are the essential terms you'll encounter throughout Virtual Tikkun. For a complete list, see the Glossary.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Parsha | Weekly Torah portion (54 per year). Each parsha is read on a specific Shabbat (Sabbath). |
| Aliyah | A section within a parsha (numbered 1–7, plus "M" for Maftir). Each aliyah is read by a different person. |
| Kriyah | The reading cycle. Full (Annual) reads the entire Torah in one year. Triennial splits it across three years. |
| Torah view | The scroll text without vowels — what the reader sees during the actual reading. |
| Chumash view | The text with vowels and trope marks — the "answer key" for practice. |
| Tikkun view | Side-by-side Torah and Chumash — the traditional study format. |
| Bookmark | A saved aliyah that you're practicing. Bookmarks unlock Study mode features for that aliyah. |
| Trope | Musical notation (cantillation marks) that indicate how to chant each phrase. |