Related holidays
In May, this is the holiday of revelation, and receiving the 10 commandments at Mt Sinai. It is also one of the three pilgrimage festivals to the Temple in Jerusalem. We will eat dairy and study Torah all night.
Shavuot
This guy traveled a lot. Sometimes he argued with God to find even 10 good people in a town, and sometimes he made mistakes, giving up his own kid(s). Ultimately, he was promised that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars.
Who is Abraham
This is the book that has the Passover Story, Golden Calf, and receiving of the 10 Commandments.
What is Exodus
The name of this book is literally "in a beginning." It starts with the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet that is a "forward" facing home; and it also includes a word that is based on the Hebrew word for "head," and something that you put on your bed.
What is B'reisheet
Compassion, and kindness. We will build the world with this.
What is Hesed
This is the holiday when we complete reading the Torah and we dance around with it in celebration and joy. When we unfurll the whole Torah, the last word's last letter letter Lamed connects with the first word's first letter Vet to make the Hebrew word "Lev" which means "heart."
What is Simchat Torah
After a bit of a personal identity crisis, and a courageous job transition, he got mad when the Jewish people were impatient and he dropped something important.
Who is Moses
This text includes stories of creation, a great flood, coupling up and sibling rivalry. Rashi said that the Torah begins with this book (instead of just starting with a calendar of how to celebrate holidays) so that we have a framework of ethics, of good-bad, and holy-unholy.
What is Genesis
The name of this book is literally "Names." It sounds like the prayer for listening; or like the past tense of an English word for hitting or destroying.
What is Shmot
Meaning strength, or power. In our Amidah standing prayer, we say You are powerful.
What is Gevurah
We count 50 days from this holiday to the next one, and every year we remember being in this narrow place of slavery. This is one of the three pilgrimage holidays to the Temple in Jerusalem.
Passover
This teacher had many students, and he liked to argue. He had one rival in particular, but he always made sure to include the minority opinion in the conclusion. Maybe that's why there is a college program named after him.
Who is Rabbi Hillel
This book retells some of the former stories, from the perspective of Moses last reminders to the people before they go into Canaan without him.
What is Deuteronomy
Literally meaning "And he called." The name of this book in Hebrew starts with the sound most sentences in the Torah start with, and maybe sounds like a green seeded vegetable.
What is Vayikra
Meaning balance and beauty, sounds like if a long furry creature didn't like to drink coffee...
What is Tiferet
When the Hebrews wandered the desert, they made temporary booths/huts. Today we also build them and sit in them in the fall, and welcome guests. This is one of the three pilgrimage holidays to the Temple in Jerusalem.
What is Sukkot
He loved learning so much, he lived in a cave off of the sustenance of a small tree, and Torah. When he first emerged, his eyes burned with judgement of the common people, and God told him to go back into the cave until he respected their practices. He is attributed as the author of the Zohar (the founding text of Kabbalah), and his name is remembered with the acronym RASHBY.
Who is Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
This book is central to the Torah's 613 Commandments. The content of the book focuses on the priesthood (cohanim), the Tabernacle, holiness and purity for all of Yisrael - the Jewish people.
What is Leviticus
Literally meaning "in the middle of the desert" (not an ice cream bar!)
What is BaMidbar
Meaning "foundation" it ties together the sephirot tree. The word sounds like an Ode to the translation of "Keyn" (which is the opposite of "Lo").
What is Yesod
This minor holiday commemorates the yartzeit/ death anniversary of the founder of Kabbalah. Instead of grieving, we make bonfires and celebrate with joy. The name comes from the numerology for the number 33 days in this period of time of collecting and counting.
Lag B'Omer
This warrior-teacher led a revolt to defend the Jewish people from Roman oppression.
Who is Rabbi Akiva
This book is a highlight for anyone who likes math, and it is aptly named for taking a census of the people, groups, and tribes that were travelling in the desert.
What is Numbers
Literally meaning "things" it reminds me of your Torah-speeches.
What is D'varim
Both of these Kabbalah symbols are the "feet" of the sephirot tree. One means eternity, and endurance. The word is spelled using the first letters of the Hebrew words for Miracle...Justice...Life. AND One means majesty, splendor, glory. It is one syllable, hold the L.
What is Netzach and Hod