Know Your Holidays: A Shavuot Quiz

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Notes from the Lampert Library

5810012748_be1dbd5309Shavuot always seemed to be an orphan holiday even though it is one of the most important of our Jewish holidays and one of the three pilgrimage holidays mentioned in the Torah. Religious school frequently ends before Shavuot and the holiday gets lost in the end of the public school year shuffle.

Shavuot has so much to commend itself. There’s study, of course, learning into the wee hours of the night-all night, if possible. There’s the custom of decorating the synagogue with flowers. And, of course, there’s food. Who can resist cheesecake, blintzes, and all those other dairy delights?

So join with others to celebrate at least part of Shavuot this coming Saturday night, Sunday and Monday.

But before you do, see how much you know-or don’t know- about Shavuot by taking the following quiz (answers below).

1. In what Jewish month is Shavuot celebrated?
A. Iyar
B. Tamuz
C. Sivan
D. Nissan

2. When is Shavuot celebrated?
A. On the 49th day after the beginning of Passover
B. On the 50th day after the beginning of Passover
C. On the 56th day after the beginning of Passover
D. On the 52nd day after the beginning of Passover

3. What does the Hebrew word Shavuot mean?
A. First fruit
B. harvest
Book of RuthC. Weeks
D. Promises

4. Which book is read on Shavuot morning after Shaharit?
A. Eicha (Lamentations)
B. Megillat Esther (The Book of Esther)
C. Megillat Ruth (The book of Ruth)
D. Shir Hashirim (The Book of Songs)

5. Which of the commandments is: Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy?
A. The 6th commandment
B. The 4th Commandment
C. The 5th commandment
D. The 3rd commandment

6. What does the Hebrew word Bikurim mean?
A. First fruit
B. The edge of Mount Sinai
C. Harvest
D. Charity

7. Which of the following is NOT true about Shavuot?
A. The harvest of the fields ended on Shavuot
B. King David was born and died on Shavuot
C. On Shavuot the Torah was given to Israel at Mount Sinai
D. The Bible refers to Shavuot as the commemoration of the giving of the Torah

8. What’s the connection between the number seven and Shavuot?
A. The menorah has seven branches
B. The seven blessings of marriage
C. We count seven weeks after Passover before we celebrate Shavuot
D. There are seven days of the week

9. Which commandment says that you should respect your parents?
A. The 5th commandment
B. The 3rd commandment
C. The 4th Commandment
D. The 6th commandment

10. What’s the main difference between the first 5 commandments and the second 5 commandments?
A. The second five are only for the people of Israel
B. The first five are between people and God; the second five are about interpersonal relationships.
C. The first five are more important than the second five.
D. The first five were written by God and the second five were written by Moses.

11. How many days did Moses remain on Mount Sinai to receive the Torah?
A. 49 days and 49 nights
B. 40 days and 40 nights
C. 7 days and 7 nights
D. 53 days and 53 nights

12. What did the people of Israel answer when God asked if they wanted to receive the Torah?
A. We will do and listen
B. Yes.
C. Why us?
D. We will listen first and then do

shavuot banner13. How many letters are there in the Torah?
A. 304, 805
B. 204, 805
C. 404, 805
D. 505, 805

14. Which of the following is NOT a reason for the custom of eating dairy products on Shavuot?
A. The new dietary restriction (kashrut laws) were still unclear
B. The Torah is compared to milk
C. The numerical value of chalav (milk) is 40. Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days.
D. Meat was not available on Mount Sinai during the giving of the Torah

Image by Center for Jewish History, NYC used with permission via Creative Commons:

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answers: 1c, 2b, 3c, 4c, 5b, 6a, 7d, 8c, 9a, 10b, 11b, 12a, 13a, 14d

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