Review Questions 5780
Aggada
1. How did Bob Dylan's
visual art change before 1975 and after, how did this impact his lyrics? Why is
this important for the study of Aggada?
2. Why did Moshe not
understand Rebbi Akiva's class? (according to our conclusion)
3. What happened when
Moshe entered Rabbi Akiva’s classroom?
4. What were the three
approaches the Rambam mentioned to Aggada texts? Which did he prefer?
5. Which two
theological questions were raised by the passage of Rabbi Akiva and Moshe?
6. Which line from the
passage of Rabbi Akiva and Moshe was left out of the advertisement which
mentioned the story?
7. In the passage of
Rabbi Akiva and Moshe how did Rashi solve a theological problem? What is the
possible weakness in his approach?
8. In the passage of
Rabbi Akiva and Moshe how did Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (Ari'Zal) solve the
theological problem?
9. In the final analysis,
did the passage of Rabbi Akiva and Moshe deal with the question of "why
bad things happen to good people"?
10. In what way did
Rabbi Akiva continue the life of Moshe?
11. What was God's
"first thought"? (according to Rashi)
12. How were both Rabbi
Akiva and Moshe treated?
13. What does the
word tel mean? Why is it significant in understanding the
passage?
14. Which text did we
see which seems to support a postmodern argument?
15. How did Tosfot
cited by the Ritva understand “Elu v’Elu divrie Elokim Haim”?
16. How did Rabbenu
Yechiel understand “Elu v’Elu divrie Elokim Haim”?
17. How did the rabbis
respond to the voice from heaven which expressed support of Rabbi Eliezer?
18. How did Rabbenu
Peretz understand “Elu v’Elu divrie Elokim Haim”?
19. What was our
conclusion regarding the modifier and the referent in the phrase “Elu v’Elu
divrie Elokim Haim”?
20. What two things did
the Talmud Yerushami say about the student who could argue a hundred ways that
a “sheretz” is pure? (someone who allowed something which isn’t allowed)
21. Is the concept of “Elu
v’Elu divrie Elokim Haim” supported by Biblical law?
22. What does the Torah
say to do in cases of disagreement?
23. What was the dual
role of the Sanhedrin?
24. Where did the bat
kol say “Elu v’Elu divrie Elokim Haim”?
25. What is the
significance to the Bat Kol and Yavne?
26. Why couldn’t the
argument between the schools of Hillel and Shamai be resolved in the “old
fashioned” way?
27. Why was the law
established like the school of Hillel?
28. In what way did the
school of Hillel identify more with the concept of “elu v’ elu”?
29. What question does the
Talmud ask about Chanuka?
30. What is the context
in the Gemara when it asks “what is Chanukah?”?
31. What is the primary
focus of the Gemara’s answer when it asks “what is Chanukah?”?
32. Why would the
Talmud not wish to emphasize the military victory? 3 answers
33. What deficiency
does the Ramban identify with the Maccabees?
34. What does the
Rambam think is a great outcome of the Chanukah story? In what way does he see it
as a “secular holiday?
35. In a retrospective
biblical perspective – what is the significance of the “miracle of lights”?
36. Which statement about
Chanuka was most repeated in Rabbinic literature?
37. What does a “horn
of an ox” represent?
38. What does a horn
have to do with Tefilin?
39. What was Noah’s
blessing for Shem and Yefet?
40. What was the
dispute regarding the Oven of Achnai?
41. What was the
context in terms of the Mishna/Talmud regarding the Oven of Achnai?
42. In the Oven
of Achnai did Rabbi Eliezer have the ability to defend his position?
43. What did Rabbi
Eliezer do when the rabbis would not engage him in dialogue?
44. Who were the other
protagonists who argued with Rabbi Eliezer?
45. In the Oven
of Achnai why did Rabbi Eliezer resort to the performance of miracles?
46. Who told Rabbi
Eliezer he was banished?
47. Which prayer would
Rabbi Eliezer's wife (Ema Shalom) not allow him to say?
48. What happened when
Rabbi Eliezer prayed?
49. What is the symbol
of a tree being ripped from the ground?
50. What is the symbol
of a stream flowing backward?
51. What is the symbol
of the walls of the Beit Midrash collapsing?
52. How did Rabban
Gamliel defend himself when he was in a sinking boat?
53. Why did Rabbi
Eliezer think he was correct?
54. Why did the rabbis
who argued with Rabbi Eliezer think that they were correct?
55. How did Rabbi
Eliezer’s youth shed light on his later life?
56. To what did Rabban
Yochanan ben Zakkai compare Rabbi Eliezer?
57. How is the death of
Rabbi Akiva related to the story of the banishment of his teacher?
58. How is the death of
Rabbi Akiva visually foreshadowed at the funeral of his teacher?
59. Why did the rabbis
think that they could ignore the voice from heaven? According to The Sefer
Hachinuch? According to the Vilna Gaon? Rav Nissim Gaon?
World of the Sages
1. Why did the people
build the tower in a valley and not on a mountain?
2. What is meant when
the people who built the tower said “make for us a shem”?
3. Why did the people
who built the tower detest Avraham?
4. Does the Torah
describe the sin of the building of the Tower?
5. What inspired
Avraham to start looking back where things came from?
6. In what way does
Terach teach Avraham?
7. In what way did
Avraham go further than his father?
8. What was the
substance of the “debate” which Avraham had with the man who came into the idol
shop?
9. What was the
substance of the “debate” which Avraham had with the woman who came into the idol
shop?
10. What was the
substance of the “debate” which Avraham had with his father?
11. What was the
substance of the “debate” which Avraham had with Nimrod?
12. In what way does
the work of Victor Frankel compound the test of the Akaida?
13. What does the
Rashbam say was the event which led to the Akaida? How is this a “Zionist”
introduction?
14. What do we see in the
dialogue between Avraham and Avimelech?
15. How does the
dialogue with Avimelech shed light on the Akaida?
16. What was the
ultimate reason God told Avraham to place Yitzchak on the altar (according to
our conclusion)?
17. Who thought that
both Avraham and Sara were equals (more or less)?
18. Who thought that
Avraham was the central character, and Sara was merely in a supporting role?
19. Who was Hagar
according to the Midrash? Targum Yonatan?
20. In what ways did we
see Avraham’s sojourn to Egypt was a prototype for the Egyptian exile and
redemption?
21. Was the choosing of
Hagar a brave choice? Why was she chosen?
22. Did Esav treat both
parents equally?
23. What was Yitzchak’s
dream for Yakov and Esav?
24. Which biblical
character reminds us of Esav?
25. Which Blessing did
Yitzchak wish to give to Esav?
26. Which Blessing did
Yitzchak wish to give to Yakov? (did he give to Yakov – when he knew it was
Yakov)
27. Which Blessing did
Yitzchak give to Esav? Did he see Esav as his spiritual heir? How do we know?
28. When God blessed
Yakov – which blessing was missing?
29. What evidence is
there that Esav was superficial?
30. When did Yakov
realize that his mother was right and that Esav was a failure?
31. Which secret did Rivka
apparently keep from her husband?
32. What did Yitzchak
wish to accomplish when he asked Esav to bring him food?
33. What reason does
the Torah give for the love of Rivka toward Yakov?
34. What reason does
the Torah give for the love of Yitzchak toward Esav? Was it conditional or
unconditional?
35. When Yitzchak said "the
voice is the of Yaakov, and the hands are the hands of Esav", did the
sentence end with a "question mark" or an exclamation point?!
36. What was Yakov told
by his father would be the relationship between him and Esav (at least according
to the Sfat Emet?)
37. What complicated
the relationship between Rivka and her children?
38. Which instruction did
to Yaakov did both of his parents agree upon?
39. What is the
background of the Yakov/Yosef story/selection?
40. Does the Torah
actually say that Yakov loved Yosef the most of all his sons?
41. Who originally
suggest to kill Yosef?
42. How did Reuven save
Yosef from death?
43. What sign did
Yehuda think he received which caused him to suggest the sale of Yosef?
44. What sign did
Yehudah ignore?
45. What was the
underlying nature of the competition between Yosef and Yehudah?
46. How is the Yehuda
story thematically related to the Sale of Yosef?
47. Which terms did
Tamar use in chapter 38 which were reminiscent of chapter 37?
48. When does Yehuda
self-centeredness end?
49. What episode in the
life of Yosef in chapter 39 was in stark contrast to the behavior of Yehuda in
chapter 38?
50. What does the
midrash say was created by God around the same time as the sale of Yosef?
51. According to Rabbi
Yoel Bin Nun, why didn’t Yosef inform his father of his fate?
52. When Yosef sees his
brothers after many years –what does he accuse them of? Why?
53. When Yosef sees his
brothers after many years – what does he want them to say?
54. Why does Yosef
arrest his brothers?
55. What did Yosef put
in his brother’s bag the first time? The second time? Why?
56. Why does Yosef put
his brother's money back in their bags?
57. Why does Yosef
place the chalice in his brother's bag?
58. What earlier
episode in the brother's lives is Yosef trying to replicate? How do we see that
Yosef was successful?
59. Which previous
episode do the brothers have in mind when they volunteer that whoever has the
cup should die?
60. What words does
Yosef use when he reveals himself to his brothers? How does the Seforno
understand those words?
61. How did Yosef make
his dreams come true?
62. What were the
brothers scared of when Yakov died?
63. In what way did
Yosef fail to reconcile with his brothers? Why?
64. In what way did
Bereishit end on a happy note? (What did Yosef do?)
Contemporary Halacha
1. Is it really
surprising to have found documents of Oliver Wendel Holmes Jr in a Nierenberg
trial collection?
2. What was the
William Brown?
3. What was the case
of “Buck vs Bell”?
4. If two people are
stranded with limited water which belongs to one of them – how many categories
of action are there? (how many solutions to the problem)
5. If two people are
stranded with limited water which belongs to one of them – how would Ben Petura
solve the problem?
6. If two people are
stranded with limited water which belongs to one of them – how would Rabbi Akiva
solve the problem?
7. What is the logic
of Rabbi Akiva? Which verse did he use as support?
8. What is the logic
of Ben Petura? Which verse did he use as support?
9. What insight did we
see from Eli Wiesel regarding the verse “your brother shall live with you?
10. What was the
context in the Talmud where the response was "who says your blood is
redder"?
11. What would Rabbi
Akiva say in the case of "kill him or I will kill you"?
12. How does Tosafot
distinguish between the case in the desert and the case of "kill him or I
will kill you"? Which principle or logic does Tosfot use?
13. How does Rav Chaim
distinguish between the case in the desert and the case of "kill him or I
will kill you"?
14. What did Tosafot
say to do in the case where one's life is threatened, unless they allow
themselves to be pushed on a baby?
15. What did Rav Chaim
say to do in the case where one's life is threatened, unless they allow
themselves to be pushed on a baby?
16. How does the
Tosafot – Rav Chaim argument impact Shabbat elevators?
17. What was the case
of the two streams?
18. What did the Rabbis
say should be the rule if there were 2 streams and both needed the water for
the same purpose?
19. What was strange
about the ruling of Rabbi Yossi - in the case of the two streams?
20. In the case of the
two streams – according to whom did the Sheiltot rule?
21. How did the Netziv
explain the ruling of the Shelitot?
22. What became clear
about the logic and ruling of Ben Petura when we saw the ruling about the two
streams?
23. What became clear
about the logic and ruling of Rabbi Akiva when we saw the ruling about the two
streams?
24. In what way is lack
of laundry dangerous?
25. What is Tikkun Olam
in the Jewish Tradition? (as seen in the Mishna)
26. How did Dr. Ezekiel
Emanuel suggest we solve moral dilemmas involving limited resources?
27. Did the original
text of the Mishna read “whosever saves one life” or whoever saves a Jewish
life”? bring 2 pieces of evidence
28.
From where did we learn that a community need not spend
all of its resources saving lives?
29.
30. Which rabbi
reportedly requested not to be redeemed when he was kidnapped? Why?
31. What is the
Hannibal Directive?
32. What case indicated
that even something of infinite value has a price?
33. What three places
does the Talmud discuss to light Chanukah candles?
34. According to the
Talmud in optimal conditions where should the Chanukah candles be lit? do most
people follow the Talmud today?
35. According to the
Talmud under which conditions can the Chanukah candles be lit inside?
36. What should people
who live in an apartment building do regarding lighting Chanukah candles?
According to Rav Moshe Feinstein? Chazon Ish? Rabbi Soloveitchik?
37. Do all types of
transplants fundamentally present the same challenge in Jewish law?
38. What is the
precedent in terms of donating an organ from a dead body?
39. What is the
precedent in terms of donating an organ from a live body?
40. What is the
complication of donating a heart?
41. What was the case
which the Recanati presented – how does it impact organ donation?
42. What was the case
of the Noda B’yehuda– how does it impact organ donation?
43. Can a person ever
lose the status of being a Jew?
44. Can a person ever
lose the obligations of being a Jew?
45. Can a person ever
lose the privileges of being a Jew?
46. When would it be
permissible to speak negatively about another Jew?
47. Is the Jewish
(Halacha) approach to abortion uniform?
48. In what way was the
Ben Ish Chai coy when asked about abortion?
49. What was a lenient
consideration of Rabbi Yakov Emden (regarding abortion)?
50. What was a lenient
consideration of the Maharit (regarding abortion)?
51. What was a lenient
consideration of the Chavat Yair (regarding abortion)?
