Decoding the # of verses in the Torah portion

Mnemonics have always been used in Judaism as a tool to remember numbers and laws. The proof is found in the Haggadah for Passover when Rabbi Yehudah gave a mnemonic to remember the order of the ten plagues.

The mnemonic or mnemonics at the end of the parsha are:

• Generally, a name found in the books of the prphets or writings.
• A word found in the parsha.

The object of these mnemonics is not only to remember the number of pesukim in the parsha - but it is also to highligh a theme, an idea, or to answer a question on a particular parsha.