Sukkah
What blessing do we make when we eat or sit in a sukkah?
Leishev basukkah — לישב בסוכה.
How many hadassim and aravos are needed in a set of Arba Minim?
At least 3 hadassim and 2 aravos.
Who am I? I am famous for welcoming guests, and I lead the Ushpizin on the first day of Sukkos.
Avraham Avinu.
Why do we celebrate Simchas Torah?
Because we finish reading all five books of the Torah and begin again.
How many מצוות are there?
613.
Which kinds of food require the brachah לישב בסוכה?
Hamotzi or mezonos foods, if you eat more than an egg-sized amount.
Spot the mistake: "We take the lulav and esrog on every day of Sukkos."
We do NOT take the Four Minim on Shabbos.
What does "Ushpizin" mean and what language is it?
Guests. The word is Aramaic.
What do the words "Simchas Torah" mean in English?
The joy of the Torah / rejoicing with the Torah.
Which brachah do we make on an apple, and which on a carrot?
Ha’etz on an apple and Ha’adamah on a carrot.
What are 2 of the requirements for kosher schach? (bonus points if you get all 3)
1. It grew from the ground.
2. It is now cut off from the ground.
3. It cannot become טמא (ritually impure).
Someone says, “An esrog without a pitom is always not kosher.” Is that correct? Explain.
No. An esrog that naturally grew without a pitom can be kosher.
Someone says, “Only one Ushpiz (guest) visits our sukkah each night.” What is wrong with that statement?
All seven visit every night. A different Ushpiz leads each night.
What is the name for the joyful rounds of dancing with the Torah?
Hakafos (hakafot).
What are the כשר signs of an animal? (2)
Chews its cud, has split hooves.
How much of the sukkah must be covered with shade from the schach for the sukkah to be kosher?
More than half — there must be more shade than sunlight.
Match ALL FOUR minim to their taste and smell, and what type of Jew they represent.
Esrog, lulav, hadas, aravah.
The esrog has both taste and smell. It represents a Jew with Torah learning and mitzvos.
The lulav comes from a date palm, whose fruit has taste but no smell. It represents a Jew with Torah learning but lacking mitzvos.
The hadas has smell but no taste. It represents a Jew with mitzvos but lacking Torah learning.
The aravah has neither taste nor smell. It represents a Jew lacking both Torah learning and mitzvos.
Double guest challenge: Who leads on the FIFTH day of Sukkos?
Name BOTH the Torah Ushpiz and the Chassidic Ushpiz.
Aharon Hakohen and the Tzemach Tzedek.
What words do we say when we finish reading a book of the Torah? What do they mean?
We say “Chazak, chazak, venischazek.” It means “Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen one another.”
What extra blessing do you say when eating a new fruit?
שהחיינו וקיימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה
Smallest sukkah challenge:
What are the minimum HEIGHT and the minimum FLOOR dimensions of a kosher sukkah? Give both in tefachim.
Minimum height: 10 tefachim.
Minimum floor: 7 by 7 tefachim.
Someone holds the esrog upside down for the entire mitzvah. Have they fulfilled the mitzvah? Explain.
No. It must be held with the stem down and the pitom end up.
Name the SEVEN Ushpizin OR the SEVEN Chassidishe Ushpizin.
1) Avraham 2) Yitzchok 3) Yaakov 4) Moshe 5) Aharon 6) Yosef 7) Dovid
1) Baal Shem Tov 2) Maggid of Mezritch 3) Alter Rebbe 4) Mitteler Rebbe 5) Tzemach Tzedek 6) Rebbe Maharash 7) Rebbe Rashab
On Simchas Torah, what is the LAST parshah we read to finish the Torah, and what parshah do we begin immediately afterward?
Vezos Haberachah & Bereishis.
What was created on the 3rd day of creation?
Oceans, dry land, grass, trees.