The following questions may help in your preparation for the interview at the Rabbinate. Try answering them and check your answers at the end of each section.
The Jewish Year
1. What is the Hebrew date of Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement)?
(a) 1 Tishrei
(b) 10 Tishrei
(c) 15 Tishrei
(d) none of the above
2. How many days does the holiday of Chanukah last?
(a) 7
(b) 8
(c) 10
(d) 12
3. In what season does Rosh Hashannah (Jewish New Year) fall?
(a) Spring
(b) Summer
(c) Fall
(d) Winter
4. What does the fast of Tisha B'Av commemorate?
(a) the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem
(b) the breach of the walls of Jerusalem
(c) the death of Moses
(d) the sin of the Golden Calf
5. Which holiday begins on the 15th of the month of Nissan?
(a) Purim
(b) Passover
(c) Succot
(d) Shavuot
6. When are the days of the counting of the Omer?
(a) from Passover to Shavuot
(b) from Purim to Passover
(c) from Shavuot to Succot
(d) none of the above
7. Which of the following holidays is not mentioned in the Bible?
(a) Purim
(b) Shavuot
(c) Chanukah
(d) Succot
8. The Book of Esther (Megillat Esther) is read on which holiday?
(a) Purim
(b) Passover
(c) Chanukah
(d) Shavuot
9. On which holiday do we complete the reading of the Torah?
(a) Shavuot
(b) Passover
(c) Simchat Torah
(d) Rosh Hashannah
10. Which of the following is used during Succot?
(a) Shofar
(b) Matzah
(c) Etrog
(d) none of the above
11. When do we burn the chametz (leaven)?
(a) on the first day of Passover
(b) on the morning of the day before Passover
(c) on the night before Passover
(d) after Passover
12. In which Hebrew month does Shavuot fall?
(a) Nissan
(b) Sivan
(c) Tammuz
(d) Elul
13. How many intermediate days (chol hamoed) are there during Passover?
(a) 4 in the diaspora and 5 in Israel
(b) 5 in the diaspora and 4 in Israel
(c) 3 in the diaspora and 4 in Israel
(d) none of the above
14. What theme is central to the month of Elul?
(a) celebration
(b) mourning
(c) repentance
(d) freedom
15. When is the Prayer for Dew recited?
(a) on the first day of Passover
(b) on the first day of Succot
(c) on Yom Kippur
(d) on Shavuot
16. Which fast day is observed on the day after Rosh Hashannah?
(a) the Fast of Esther
(b) the Fast of Gedaliah
(c) Tisha b'Av
(d) Yom Kippur
17. What happens when Rosh Hashannah falls on Shabbat?
(a) the shofar is blown as usual
(b) the shofar is blown in the evening
(c) the shofar is blown more quietly
(d) the shofar is not blown
18. In a leap year, in which month is Purim celebrated?
(a) Adar I
(b) Adar II
(c) Nissan
(d) Shevat
19. Which of the following is read on Shavuot?
(a) the Song of Songs (Shir Hashirim)
(b) the Book of Ruth (Megillat Ruth)
(c) the Book of Esther (Megillat Esther)
(d) none of the above
20. The New Year for the Trees is:
(a) Rosh Hashannah
(b) Lag b'Omer
(c) Tu b'Shevat
(d) Tisha b'Av
21. Which of the following months does NOT contain a joyous holiday?
(a) Tishrei
(b) Adar
(c) Sivan
(d) Tammuz
22. How many days are counted in the Counting of the Omer?
(a) 21
(b) 33
(c) 49
(d) 50
23. On which holiday are costumes traditionally worn?
(a) Chanukah
(b) Purim
(c) Passover
(d) Shavuot
24. When is Kol Nidrei recited?
(a) on the night of Yom Kippur
(b) on the morning of Yom Kippur
(c) at the Passover seder
(d) on Tisha b'Av
25. The holiday that traditionally commemorates the Giving of the Torah is:
(a) Passover
(b) Shavuot
(c) Simchat Torah
(d) Chanukah
26. Which holidays are known as the 'Days of Awe' (Yamim Noraim)?
(a) Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur
(b) Yom Kippur and Succot
(c) Passover and Shavuot
(d) Chanukah and Purim
27. We increase our rejoicing during the month of:
(a) Sivan
(b) Av
(c) Adar
(d) Tevet
28. How many cups of wine are drunk at the Passover seder?
(a) 1
(b) 3
(c) 4
(d) 5
29. On which of the following holidays is Hallel recited?
(a) Passover
(b) Shavuot
(c) Chanukah
(d) all of the above
30. The Fast of the Firstborn is on:
(a) the day before Passover
(b) the day before Purim
(c) the day before Rosh Hashannah
(d) none of the above
The answers:
1) b 2) b 3) c 4) a 5) b 6) a 7) c 8) a 9) c 10) c 11) b 12) b 13) a 14) c 15) a 16) b 17) d 18) b
9) b 20) c 21) d 22) c 23) b 24) a 25) b 26) a 27) c 28) c 29) d 30) a
Prayer
1. How many times is the Shema Yisrael passage recited each day?
(a) 1
(b) 2
(c) 3
(d) 4
2. On Shabbat and holidays, the extra prayer recited is:
(a) Mincha
(b) Maariv
(c) Mussaf
(d) Selichot
3. The first prayer recited in the morning is:
(a) Modeh Ani
(b) Aleinu
(c) Tachanun
(d) the Amida
4. In what order are the tallit and tefillin donned?
(a) arm tefillin, head tefillin, tallit
(b) head tefillin, arm tefillin, tallit
(c) tallit, arm tefillin, head tefillin
(d) arm tefillin, tallit, head tefillin
5. How many blessings are in the Amida on Shabbat?
(a) 6
(b) 7
(c) 18
(d) 19
6. The Torah is read on:
(a) Mondays and Thursdays
(b) Mondays and Wednesdays
(c) Sundays and Wednesdays
(d) Tuesdays and Thursdays
7. Mincha begins with:
(a) the Amida
(b) Tachanun
(c) Ashrei
(d) Aleinu
8. The Amida is repeated by the chazzan at the following prayers:
(a) Shacharit, Mussaf and Mincha
(b) Mussaf, Mincha and Maariv
(c) Shacharit, Mussaf and Maariv
(d) Shacharit, Mincha and Maariv
9. On a weekday, how many people are called for an aliyah to the Torah?
(a) 2
(b) 3
(c) 4
(d) 7
10. During the winter (rainy season) we add the following words to the Amida:
(a) Yaaleh v'yavo
(b) Al hanissim
(c) Mashiv Haruach umorid hageshem
(d) V'ten bracha
11. A minyan is needed to recite which of the following prayers:
(a) Kaddish
(b) Kedusha
(c) Borchu
(d) all of the above
12. The blessing recited after using the facilities is:
(a) Asher yatzar
(b) Asher bara
(c) Shehecheyanu
(d) Hagomel
13. The second aliyah is given to a:
(a) Kohen
(b) Levi
(c) Yisrael
(d) any of the above
14. Which prayer is recited by a mourner?
(a) Tachanun
(b) Kaddish
(c) Avinu Malkenu
(d) Aleinu
15. How many people are needed for a zimun in the Grace After Meals?
(a) 3
(b) 4
(c) 5
(d) 10
16. Gelila is:
(a) opening the Ark
(b) lifting the Torah
(c) rolling the Torah closed
(d) carrying the Torah
17. A traveler recites the following prayer:
(a) Tefillat Haderech
(b) Mi Shebeirach
(c) Shehecheyanu
(d) Kaddish
18. On Shabbat and holidays,
(a) tefillin are worn but not a tallit
(b) a tallit is worn but not tefillin
(c) neither a tallit nor tefillin are worn
(d) tefillin are worn but without a blessing
19. During the counting of the Omer, at what point in the prayers do we count?
(a) at the end of Maariv
(b) at the beginning of Shacharit
(c) in the middle of Shacharit
(d) at Mincha
20. Tachanun is omitted:
(a) on joyous holidays
(b) when a groom is present
(c) when a brit milah is taking place
(d) all of the above
21. It is customary to cover one's eyes when reciting:
(a) the Amida
(b) the Shema
(c) Kaddish
(d) Aleinu
22. El Maleh Rachamim is recited for:
(a) a deceased relative
(b) a sick person
(c) a groom
(d) none of the above
23. Which prayer follows an alphabetical acrostic?
(a) Kaddish
(b) Aleinu
(c) Ashrei
(d) Avinu Malkenu
24. Which hymn is sung during Kabbalat Shabbat (the welcoming of the Shabbat)?
(a) Adon Olam
(b) Lecha Dodi
(c) Maoz Tzur
(d) none of the above
25. The blessing recited over washing one's hands (before eating) is:
(a) al netilat yadayim
(b) al netilat lulav
(c) al rechitzat yadayim
(d) none of the above
The answers:
1) b 2) c 3) a 4) c 5) b 6) a 7) c 8) a 9) b 10) c 11) d 12) a 13) b 14) b 15) a 16) c 17) a 18) b
19) a 20) d 21) b 22) a 23) c 24) b 25) a
Shabbat
1. How many categories of work are forbidden on Shabbat?
(a) 10
(b) 25
(c) 39
(d) 40
2. Which of the following actions is permitted on Shabbat?
(a) writing with a pencil
(b) carrying a key in the public domain
(c) carrying a heavy piece of furniture within the house
(d) lighting a candle from another candle
3. Which hymn is traditionally sung before Kiddush on Friday night?
(a) Shalom Aleichem
(b) Adon Olam
(c) Anim Zemirot
(d) none of the above
4. Which of the following objects are muktzeh?
(a) a hammer
(b) a pen
(c) a cellular phone
(d) all of the above
5. If a piece of clothing gets a stain on Shabbat,
(a) it may be washed as usual
(b) it may not be washed at all on Shabbat
(c) it may be washed with cold water
(d) it may be washed in an unusual way
6. Playing a musical instrument on Shabbat is:
(a) permitted because it is not constructive work
(b) permitted because it increases joy
(c) forbidden because it is one of the forbidden categories of work
(d) forbidden out of fear that one will come to fix the instrument
7. Kiddush may be recited over:
(a) red wine
(b) white wine
(c) grape juice
(d) any of the above
8. Which of the following actions is forbidden on Shabbat?
(a) tying a shoe
(b) tearing toilet paper
(c) flushing a toilet
(d) locking a door
9. If a refrigerator light will go on when the door is opened, then:
(a) the refrigerator may not be opened at all
(b) the refrigerator may be opened but not closed
(c) the refrigerator may be opened only for taking out food
(d) the refrigerator may be opened and closed as usual
10. It is customary to bless the children:
(a) before Shabbat
(b) on Friday night before the meal
(c) on Shabbat morning
(d) at the end of Shabbat
11. Conducting business is prohibited on Shabbat because:
(a) it is one of the categories of forbidden work
(b) it could lead to writing
(c) it could lead to carrying
(d) it could result in a loss which would take away from the enjoyment of Shabbat
12. Carrying outdoors on Shabbat is permitted only:
(a) if an Eruv has been established
(b) within 2000 cubits of the city
(c) if the object carried is needed for Shabbat
(d) if the object carried is very light
13. Havdalah is recited over:
(a) a cup of wine and 2 loaves of bread
(b) wine, spices and a candle
(c) wine, bread and 2 candles
(d) bread, spices and a candle
14. Zemirot are sung:
(a) at the Friday night meal
(b) at the Shabbat lunch meal
(c) at the third meal (Shalosh seudot)
(d) all of the above
15. It is permissible to ask a non-Jew to do forbidden work on Shabbat:
(a) in all cases
(b) only if you do not pay him
(c) only if you do not ask him explicitly (by hinting)
(d) only if he doesn't know that it is Shabbat
16. Which of the following actions are forbidden on Shabbat?
(a) placing a seed in the ground
(b) watering a plant
(c) picking a fruit off a tree
(d) all of the above
17. A traditional hymn for the conclusion of Shabbat is:
(a) Shalom Aleichem
(b) Eliyahu Hanavi
(c) Adon Olam
(d) none of the above
The Answers:
1) c 2) c 3) a 4) d 5) b 6) d 7) d 8) b 9) a 10) b 11) b 12) a 13) b 14) d 15) c 16) d 17) b
