Who Am I
I was the founder of the Mussar Movement and emphasized ethical self-refinement, emotional awareness, and fear of Heaven. Who am I?
R’ Yisrael Salanter
Name 3 people who lived in Tzfat during the Tzfat Renaissance after the Spanish Expulsion:
Shulchan Aruch, Arizal, R’ Moshe Cordovero, R’ Shlomo Alkabetz, R’ Moshe Alshich, Shita Mekubetzet (R’ Bezalel Ashkenazi), R’ Chayim Vital, Radbaz (R’ David ben Zimra)
Who said “אל תפרש מן הצבור” – “Don’t separate from the community” and “ובמקום שאין אנשים להשתדל להיות איש” – “In a place without leaders, strive to be a leader?”
Hillel
The Amoraim (Rabbis of the Gemara) had the practice of dressing in honorable clothing and greeting Shabbos as it approached. They used 2 terms of endearment to describe Shabbat, which inspired the poem Lecha Dodi. What are the 2 ways Shabbat is characterized?
Bride and Queen
I was a leading German rabbi who lived from 1808–1888 and combined strong Torah commitment with general culture and involvement in society in my model of Torah im Derech Eretz. My commentary on Chumash stresses the moral vision of the Torah, and I led Frankfurt’s Orthodox community in opposition to Reform Judaism. Who am I?
Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch
Name 3 Tanach commentaries written during our time-period
Abarbanel, Alshich, Haamek Davar (Netziv), Beis Halevi (R’ Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik), Metzudat David, Malbim, Ohr Hachayim, Kli Yakar, R’ David Zvi Hoffmann on the Torah, Haktav Vehakabalah, Rav Hirsch on the Torah, Sfat Emet, Kedushat Levi on the Torah, Shadal, Torah Or, and Likutei Torah by Rav Schneur Zalman of Liadi
Who said “We are worth what we are willing to share with others?”
Moses Montifiore
When do we recite the following Blessing for the Kahal?
מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת כָּל הַקָּהָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה עִם כָּל קְהִלּוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ הֵם וּנְשֵׁיהֶם וּבְנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם. וּמִי שֶׁמְּיַחֲדִים בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת לִתְפִלָּה וּמִי שֶׁבָּאִים בְּתוֹכָם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וּמִי שֶׁנּוֹתְנִים נֵר לַמָּאוֹר וְיַיִן לְקִדּוּשׁ וּלְהַבְדָּלָה וּפַת לְאוֹרְחִים וּצְדָקָה לָעֲנִיִּים. וְכָל מִי שֶׁעוֹסְקִים בְּצָרְכֵי צִבּוּר בֶּאֱמוּנָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְשַׁלֵּם שְׂכָרָם וְיָסִיר מֵהֶם כָּל מַחֲלָה וְיִרְפָּא לְכָל גּוּפָם וְיִסְלַח לְכָל עֲוֹנָם וְיִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם עִם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲחֵיהֶם. וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן:
Before Mussaf on Shabbat
I was a Yiddish writer and spiritual teacher, best known for Tkhines—personal prayers—written for women. My work Tkhine Imohos reflects deep kabbalistic and ethical themes, offering a unique feminine voice. My writings were widely beloved among Eastern European Jewish women. Who am I?
Sarah Bas Tovim
Name 3 commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch
Rema, Taz, Shach, Mishnah Berurah, Magen Avraham, Beit Shmuel, Ba’er Heitev, Pri Chadash, Pri Megadim, Shaarei Teshuvah, Machatzit HaShekel, Ketzos HaChoshen, Avnei Miluim, Netivot Hamishpat, Beur HaGra, Birkei Yosef (Chida), Kaf Hakhaim
Who said the following when converting to Judaism: עַמֵּךְ עַמִּי וֵאלֹקָיִךְ אֱלֹקָי
Rut
When do we recite the following Hadran prayer?
מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לְּפָנֶיךָ ה׳ אֱלֹקינוּ וֶאֱלֹקי אַבוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁשַּׂמְתָּ חֶלְקֵנוּ מִיּוֹשְׁבֵי בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ, וְלֹא שַׂמְתָּ חֶלְקֵנוּ מִיּוֹשְׁבֵי קְרָנוֹת. שֶׁאָנוּ מַשְׁכִּימִים וְהֵם מַשְׁכִּימִים. אָנוּ מַשְׁכִּימִים לְדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וְהֵם מַשְׁכִּימִים לִדְבָרִים בְּטֵלִים. אָנוּ עֲמֵלִים וְהֵם עֲמֵלִים. אָנוּ עֲמֵלִים וּמְקַבְּלִים שָׂכָר וְהֵם עֲמֵלִים וְאֵינָם מְקַבְּלִים שָׂכָר. אָנוּ רָצִים וְהֵם רָצִים. אָנוּ רָצִים לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְהֵם רָצִים לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת. שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר: וְאַתָּה אֱלֹקים תּוֹרִדֵם לִבְאֵר שַׁחַת אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים וּמִרְמָה לֹא יֶחֱצוּ יְמֵיהֶם וַאֲנִי אֶבְטַח בָּךְ:
When making a siyum/finishing a masechet
I was one of the greatest Torah scholars in Jewish history, lived from 1720 to 1797 in Lithuania and opposed the Chassidic movement. I was the Rabbi and teacher of Rav Chaim Volozhin and helped shape the Lithuanian yeshiva tradition and Torah scholarship. Who am I?
The Vilna Gaon
Name 2 Roshei Yeshiva (or assistant Rosh Yeshiva) of the Volozhin Yeshiva
R’ Chaim Volozhin, R’ Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik (Beis HaLevi; Assistant), R’ Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (Netziv), Also: R’ Yitzhak of Volozhin, R’ Eliezer Yitzchak Fried, R’ Yechiel Michel of Minsk, R’ Hillel Fried, R’ Chaim Hillel Fried, R’ Refael Shapiro, R’ Chaim Soloveitchik, R’ Chaim Berlin
Who said – “אֻמָּתֵנוּ אֵינֶנָּה אוּמָה כִּי אִם בְּתוֹרוֹתֶיהָ” – “Our nation is not a nation except through its Torah’s?”
Rav Saadia Gaon
What does the acrostic (first letter of each stanza) of Lecha Dodi spell (you need to say the actual words spelled by those letters)?
שלמה הלוי (Which is the name of the author, Rav Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz)
I was a Moroccan-born rabbi and early proto-Zionist who lived from 1789–1852 and urged Jews to make aliyah to Eretz Yisrael decades before Herzl. I served as a rabbi in Corfu and Gibraltar, and am an ancestor of modern Israeli hero Yarden Bibas. Who am I?
R’ Yehuda Bibas
Name 5 Chassidic leaders from our Tochnit
Baal Shem Tov (Rav Yisrael ben Eliezer), Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, Kedushat Levi / Rav Levi Yitzchak MiBarditchev, Sfat Emet (Rav Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter), Maiden of Ludmir (Hannah Rachel Verbermacher), Avnei Nezer (R’ Avrohom Bornsztain), Maggid of Mezeritch (R’ Dov Ber ben Avraham of Mezeritch), Alter Rebbe of Chabad (Rav Schneur Zalman of Liadi), Tzemach Tzedek (R’ Menachem Mendel Schneersohn), R’ Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin
Who said: There is no greater mercy than to remind and inspire people to study the fear of God
R' Yisrael Salanter
There are seven Sefirot that correspond to each day and week of Sefirat HaOmer, each a manifestation of Hashem’s Presence and involvement in the world. List the 7 Sefirot
חסד, גבורה, תפארת, נצח, הוד, יסוד, מלכות