Counting the Omer
When do we begin counting the Omer?
On the second night of Pesach.
What 4 activities do we not do during the omer?
1. Haircut
2. Buy new clothing
3. Weddings/ Parties
4. Listen to live music
What do we read on Shavuot?
Megillat Ruth.
Who is Ruth?
What 3 holidays are part of the Shalosh Regalim?
Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot.
When do we finish counting the Omer?
What activity are we allowed to do on Rosh Chodesh Iyar?
Haircut.
What is a central Mitzvah on Shavuot in modern times?
To hear the Aseret Hadibrot read on the first day of Shavuot.
Who was Orpah married to?
Killion, the younger son of Naomi and Elimelech.
What special Mitzvah did we do on Shavuot during the times of the Beit Hamikdash?
Bring Bikkurim
How many days do we count in total?
49 days.
On which day of the Omer are people allowed to start participating in the 4 prohibited activities?
Lag B'Omer (33rd Day of the Omer)
What are 3 special customs we perform on Shavuot?
1. Learning Torah All Night
2. Eating Dairy Foods
3. Decorating the house with greenery, plants, flowers.
What is the name of Ruth's second husband?
Boaz
What are the 4 names for the holiday of Shavuot?
1. Shavuot
2. Yom Habikurim
3. Chag Hakatzir
4. Zman Mattan Torahteinu
On which day do many people celebrate with bonfires, parties, haircuts, etc?
Lag B'Omer (33rd day of the Omer)
Why do we hold the custom of the 4 prohibited activities during the Omer? (Why are we not allowed to do certain activities during the Omer)?
We mourn for the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva that were killed between the second night of Pesach and the 33rd day of the Omer.
Why do we eat dairy on Shavuot?
To remember the times before Matan Torah, we did not receive the Torah with the laws of Kashrut (milk and meat).
What city do Ruth and Naomi return to?
Beit Lechem
What are the Hebrew calendar dates of Shavuot?
5th-7th of Sivan.
If you forget to count at night, what can you do so that you can continue in the mitzvah of counting the omer?
Count the following day without a bracha, and then continue to count at night with a bracha.
What is the difference between Ashkenazi and Sephardi customs during the Omer?
Ashkenazim hold that the prohibitions of the Omer end on the 33rd day of the Omer. Saferdim hold the customs until the morning of the 34th day of the Omer.
What do we stay up all night on Shavuot?
When B'nei Yisrael received the Torah, Moshe told them to prepare to be awake. They were not prepared and they overslept. We stay up all night every year to make up for that mistake.
What are the names of the great grandsons of Ruth and Orpah who fight each other?
David and Goliath.
What is the reason the Shavuot is called Chag Hakatzir?
Katzir means the harvest festival and Shavuot happens during the time of the year when we harvest the first fruits (that we brought to the Beit Hamikdash as Bikurim).