Beards, and Those Who Wear Them Quiz

Answer: Five

Five presidents altogether have done so - Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, Rutherford B. Hayes and Ulysses S. Grant.

Answer: William Shakespeare

Did you know that during Shakespeare's life he spelled his last name eighteen different ways?

Answer: Chemical Agents

With the introduction of chemical agents like Mustard gas, the troops needed to wear gas masks. A gas mask is only as effective as its seal to the face, so beards were prohibited.

Answer: Holiness

Mystical Judaism goes under the name 'Kabalah' which means 'to receive' - essentially, to receive a secret understanding of something not commonly known or understood.

Answer: Grizzly Adams

The actor who played the role of Grizzly Adams was Dan Haggerty born in Hollywood, California!

Answer: Commander William T. Riker

Here's an interesting bit of trivia regarding Jonathan Frakes (Commander William T. Riker): Frakes broke into the television business acting for a soap opera called Doctors. The funny thing is in real life his wife who is also an actor, plays Laura as in "Luke & Laura" on General Hospital.

Answer: Yes

Indeed it is a 'wajib' or obligation to grow a beard. And that's not all- it is required to be a full fist's length to meet the requirement. The Taliban would jail anyone who was not in compliance and their release was dependent upon the beard reaching its mandatory length.

Answer: No

Perhaps you've heard of the Five Pillars of Islam? Well Sikhism has a sacred 'five' of its own, too. Known as the Five K's, the growing of a beard is part of the requirement of a faithful Sikh. i.e. Kesh-hair(includes beard), Kanga- a comb, usually wooden, Kara- an iron bracelet, Kaccha-knee length shorts, Kirpan-a small curved dagger.

A mention of this last item, the Kirpan. Several years ago in the state of New York there was a case where a young teen aged Sikh was not permitted to bring his Kirpan to school because it was deemed as a weapon.The boy's family took the school to court; The Higher Court ruled in favor of the child citing it was indeed part of his faith traditon to have this item and he should be allowed to wear it on school grounds.

Answer: Black Beard

Imagine being so famous like Black Beard but no one knowing what your real name was? That's the case with this fellow but most settle on the name Edward Teach. So in the future if you intend to be famous and you're going to use a nickname make certain someone knows who you really are!

Answer: Honor

To me, a beard wearer myself, it's interesting to see that so many religions value a beard as being sacred yet Western society seems to have a standard that a beard is anything but worthy. I've included here some bible verses that you might like to look up and see how a beard is viewed in the Tanach: Jeremiah 41:5, Isaiah 15:2, 1 Samuel 21:13, 2 Samuel 19:24, Psalm 133:2.