Beginning Parshot Recap
What happens to Lot's wife when she looks back at Sodom after HaShem tells her not to?
She turns into a pillar of salt.
Multiple choice:
Yaakov is born holding on to what body part of his brother, Esav?
A) the nose
B) the heel
C) the elbow
D) the ear
B) the heel
Who did Yaakov want to marry? Who did he end up marrying first?
He wanted to marry Rachel. He married Leah first.
What is the difference between a menorah and a channukiah?
(150 points extra if you get two differences.)
A menorah has seven branches and a channukiah has nine branches.
A menorah is designated for service in the Holy Temple and a channukiah is specifically for home/public use.
Provide one reason why someone might keep Kosher.
1) Because that's the rule. A rule from the Torah, a rule from G-d, and a rule from our tradition.
2) It gives us identity. It connects us with Jewish people around the world and our ancestors.
3) It is an act of discipline. It helps with decision-making, and knowing right from wrong, and acting to do what's right.
4) Peace of mind that the animals we eat suffered the least possible level of suffering in their death.
When HaShem tells Avraham "Lech Lecha", to which land is he sending him?
Canaan (later Israel)
Between their kids Yaakov and Esav, who did Yitzchak favor more and who did Rachel favor more?
Yitzchak favored Esav and Rachel favored Yaakov.
How did Lavan trick Yaakov into marrying Leah?
Bonus (extra 150 points): what Jewish tradition do we do now at weddings because of what happened to Yaakov?
He put a veil over Leah's head to cover her face.
Bonus: The groom checks the bride's face and veils her himself to confirm her identity.
Where is it important to place a menorah and why?
By a window to publicize/make known the miracle.
What are the most important rules regarding a Sukkah's roof?
1) The roof must be of leaves and straw
2) The roof must have enough open space so that the stars can be seen through it
In Parshat Vayeira, Avraham welcomes three visitors who are actually angels. What important Jewish value does his behavior teach?
Bonus (150 extra points): What does Avraham specifically do to welcome them?
Hachnasat Orchim (hospitality/treating guests well)
Bonus: Avraham runs to them, bows, brings them water to wash their feet, prepares bread, and serves a meal with meat and milk.
Why did Esav give Yaakov his birthright?
Esav was hungry and tired after hunting, and Yaakov offered him lentil stew. In exchange for the food, Esav agrees to sell his birthright to Yaakov.
Why did Lavan want Leah to be married before Rachel?
Bonus (extra 150 points:) Where else do we see this tension between younger and older siblings and what they are entitled to?
Because Leah was older than Rachel, and in Lavan's tradition the oldest must marry first.
Bonus: Yaakov and Esav with the birthright.
HaShem strangely tells Rebecca "and the older shall serve the younger.
What does Channukah mean?
Bonus (extra 150 points): Why is the holiday called this?
"dedicate" or "set aside for a special purpose".
Channukah is the holiday celebrating the dedication or rededication of the Temple.
What three practices can change your decree regarding your inscription in the Book of Life on Rosh Hashana?
Tzedakah (charity), Tefila (prayer), and Teshuvah (repentance)
What test does Rebecca pass that showed Eliezer that she will be the future wife of Yitzchak?
She offers him and his camels water without being asked.
How did Yaakov trick his blind father, Yitzchak, into thinking he was Esav?
He wore Esav's clothes to smell like him and wore animal skin on his hands and neck to feel hairy.
After working for Lavan for seven years only to end up marrying Leah, what did Yaakov do in order to marry Rachel?
He worked for another seven years.
Judah was called Judah HaMaccabee. The name Maccabee is speculated to have come from the word makkab, a common nickname for a great warrior. What does makkab mean?
"the hammer"
What are the two main reasons we celebrate Sukkot?
1) to celebrate the harvest and the season
2) to commemorate the hard 40 years Jews wandered in the desert (Jews had huts in the wilderness) on their way to Israel
In Parsha Noach, HaShem instructs Noah to "make a tzohar for the ark". What is one translation of the word tzohar?
Bonus (extra 150 points) if you can name both.
A window or a stone.
Yaakov acted very sketchy in this parsha, but at the same time, he is one of our esteemed forefathers. What is one take-away or lesson learned from this parsha? Be DESCRIPTIVE. This is a 500 point question!
Good people can make mistakes. Even though Yaakov arguably tricked his brother and then blatantly deceived his father, he still grew to be a very righteous person. This shows that there is always room to grow while still striving to do what is right.
Alternate answer: What goes around comes around/an eye for an eye/karma, as later Yaakov is deceived into marrying the wrong woman.
What happened in Yaakov's dream?
Angels were going up and down a ladder.
What is another explanation besides the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days that explains why we celebrate Chanukkah for eight days?
When they were cleaning out the Temple, the Maccabees realized they had not had time to celebrate Sukkot while fighting, so they decided to do a second Sukkot (which is an eight day holiday) for the days of Sukkot that they missed.
Sing in it's entirety either Ashrei, Lecha Dodi (Chorus + 5th and 6th verses), or the Kabbalat Shabbat prayers.
NO teacher help.
You may use a siddur.
See... was that so hard?