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A Bit of Shavuot Trivia Quiz

Let's learn about the exciting Jewish pilgrimage festival! A Note: The questions regarding observance of the Shavuot holiday pertain to Ashkenazic Jewish communities (those of Eastern European descent).

A multiple-choice quiz by Smurphie. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Smurphie

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
233,056

Updated
Aug 26 24

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
850

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Let's put Shavuot into context: it is the festival that comes after Pesach (Passover). How many days separate the two holidays (if your count begins at the second night's Passover seder)? Hint

40 days and 40 nights

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Question 2 of 10

2. The seven-week period between Passover and Shavuot, which we count one day at a time, is called the Counting of the ________.

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 3 of 10

3. Shavuot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals in the Jewish holiday cycle. What are the other two? Hint

Passover and Rosh Hashana

Passover and Purim

Passover and Sukkot

Chanukah and Sukkot

4. In the Jewish holiday cycle, it is always important to keep track of what we eat and when we eat it. I mean, we wouldn't want Grandma to serve challah on Pesach or latkes on Rosh Hashanah. True or false: It is customary to eat meat at all meals on Shavuot.

True

False

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Question 5 of 10

5. What does Shavuot commemorate? Hint

The oil lasting for eight nights

Receiving the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai

The Israelites being freed from bondage in Egypt

The birthday of the world

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Question 6 of 10

6. It is customary to stay up all night between Erev Shavuot and Shavuot morning and study Torah.

True

False

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Question 7 of 10

7. It is customary to read this book of the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures) on Shavuot. Hint

Ecclesiastes

II Kings

Ruth

Judges

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Question 8 of 10

8. In many liberal Jewish communities (especially within the Reform movement in the United States), this coming of age ceremony also occurs on Shavuot.

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 9 of 10

9. What is the name of the liturgical poem, written in the middle ages, extolling the greatness of God, that is read on Shavuot? Hint

Song of Songs

Eishet Chayel

Akdamut

Eli Eli

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Question 10 of 10

10. The aesthetic of Shavuot is defined by decorating homes and synagogues with greenery and flowers. True or false: this is because Shavuot is also the birthday of the trees and corresponds with the time of first blooms in Israel.

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Let's put Shavuot into context: it is the festival that comes after Pesach (Passover). How many days separate the two holidays (if your count begins at the second night's Passover seder)?

Answer: 49

Shavuot falls exactly seven weeks after Pesach, representing the time marked by the harvest season in Israel.

2. The seven-week period between Passover and Shavuot, which we count one day at a time, is called the Counting of the ________.

Answer: Omer

On the Counting of the Omer (in Hebrew, S'firat haOmer): literally, an "Omer" is a unit of measure. During the Temple period, each day beginning with the second night of Pesach and ending with Shavuot, an omer, or sheaf of barley, would be taken to the Temple as a harvest offering.

3. Shavuot is one of the three pilgrimage festivals in the Jewish holiday cycle. What are the other two?

Answer: Passover and Sukkot

During the Temple period, the festivals of Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot marked the three times of year that all Israelites would have to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to bring offerings to the Temple.

Answer: False

One of the reasons I enjoy this holiday so much is that we are supposed to eat cheesecake, blintzes, brie cheese, and all of that yummy dairy!

5. What does Shavuot commemorate?

Answer: Receiving the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai

Israel receiving the Ten Commandments is also the Torah portion that is read on Shavuot.

6. It is customary to stay up all night between Erev Shavuot and Shavuot morning and study Torah.

Answer: True

Yes, that's right... pull out your Tanakh and your favorite Gemara, Shavuot is the time of year when you should schedule your big Torah-studying pajama party so that we can be all ready to stand again and remember receiving the Torah and the Ten Commandments at Sinai!

7. It is customary to read this book of the Tanakh (Hebrew Scriptures) on Shavuot.

Answer: Ruth

There are varying reasons given for this custom, although none seems to be definitive.

8. In many liberal Jewish communities (especially within the Reform movement in the United States), this coming of age ceremony also occurs on Shavuot.

Answer: Confirmation

Coming at the end of one's formal Hebrew School education, the Confirmation ceremony celebrates a student's commitment to Judaism, and marks his or her first step into lifelong Jewish learning.

9. What is the name of the liturgical poem, written in the middle ages, extolling the greatness of God, that is read on Shavuot?

Answer: Akdamut

Stylistically, the first 44 lines of Akadmut are written in double acrostic format, based on the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This poem has been attributed to Rabbi Meir of Worms.

Answer: False

Actually, that description would be of the holiday of Tu B'Shevat. We decorate or homes and synagogues with flowers and greenery on Shavuot because, according to Midrash (Rabbinic story/legend based on the Torah), Mt. Sinai suddenly blossomed with flowers and blooms in anticipation of the revelation of the Ten Commandments.

Source: Author Smurphie

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ArleneRimmer before going online.
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