Reciting the evening Shema in the early hours of the morning just before dawn:
Does not fulfill the mitzvah of reciting the evening Shema, and should be avoided altogether so that other people will not think that it is an acceptable time.
Does not fulfill the mitzvah of reciting the evening Shema, but just counts as learning Torah.
Does fulfill the mitzvah of reciting the evening Shema, but is it correct to say it as soon as possible after nightfall, and not to leave it too late less one forgets
Is the best possible time – as it is darkest at that time, and most people are indeed asleep
The main reason a person should say the Shema on retiring to bed is:
To get into the appropriate G-d-fearing frame of mind before going to sleep
To fulfill the command of reciting the Shema 'when you lie down' (Deut. 6:7) to the letter
To cover oneself in the event of having recited the Shema before nightfall within the Aravit service
To finish the day with an act of Torah learning
The Talmud recommends a person suffering from an attack of the Evil Inclination to:
Remember the Day of Death
Learn Torah, and then remember the Day of Death
Remember the Day of Death, then learn Torah, and then recite the Shema
Learn Torah. If that does not have the desired effect, recite the Shema. And as a last resort, remember the Day of Death
Which of the following does the Talmud state to be acquired painfully?
A good name, the Torah, and the World to Come
The Holy Land, and a good name
The Holy Land, a good name, and a decent livelihood
The Torah, the Holy Land, and the World to Come
The Talmud brings the tradition that G-d Himself kevayachol wears Tefillin. The main theme of the Parshiot in His Tefillin are:
Reward for those who keep the Torah, and punishment for those who do not.
Reward for those who recognize the One G-d, and punishment for idolaters.
Reward for the nations who help His People, and punishment for those who persecute them.
A declaration of His Love to His People, in response to His People's Tefillin containing their commitments to serve Him out of love.
The Talmud advocates all but one of the following practices
To have a fixed place for prayer in the synagogue
To avoid praying at the back of the synagogue – even when correctly facing the front
That a wedding guest must go out of his way to bring happiness to the bridegroom.
That a person who does not return a greeting is reckoned by the Talmud as a thief
A simple person directly and sincerely tells a great Torah scholar that he wishes him success in his good works. Such conduct is:
An indignity to the status of a great Torah scholar – and should be ignored
An indignity to the status of a great Torah scholar – and should be rebuked
A worthy deed – but need not be acknowledged by the Torah scholar
A worthy deed – and ought to be acknowledged by the Torah scholar
The Talmudic tradition holds that since the destruction of the Temple, G-d's Presence is most intense:
in the Holy Land
on the Temple Mount
in the Beth Hamidrash, where the Torah is studied in depth
in the synagogue
The Shema may be read in the morning:
from dawn until the third seasonal hour of the day
from when a person can recognize his friend at four cubit's distance until the third seasonal hour of the day
from sunrise until the third seasonal hour of the day
from when a person can recognize his friend at four cubit's distance until the fourth seasonal hour of the day
The practice of the Vatikin – (Rashi - humble people who greatly desire to observe Mitvot) is to:
lay Tefillin at dawn
read the Shema when a person can recognize his friend at four cubit's distance
read the Shema within the moments of sunrise
start the Amidah at the moment of sunrise
If a person entertains a Torah scholar and lets him enjoy his possessions, he is accredited (on 10b) with the merit of:
having offered a peace offering (Shelamim) in the Temple
having offered the public daily burnt offering (Tamid) in the Temple
having purchased a portion in his Torah learning
having purchased a partnership in his Torah learning
If a person wakes up ten minutes too late to read the Shema at the prescribed time:
He should read the Shema. He will have has fulfilled the Mitzva of reading the morning Shema, but not in the best way. He should read it with standard blessings before and afterwards
He should read the Shema. He will not have has fulfilled the Mitzva of reading the morning Shema, but he will still be accredited with the more general Mitzva of reading from the Torah. He should nevertheless read it with standard blessings before and afterwards.
He should read the Shema. He will not have has fulfilled the Mitzva of reading the morning Shema, but he will still be accredited with the more general Mitzva of reading from the Torah. He should not include the standard blessings before and afterwards.
He need not read the Shema: he is too late. The verse: 'What is crooked may not be made straight and what is lacking may not be compensated' (Eccl. 1:15) applies to his situation.
The Shema may be read:
preferably standing up
preferably sitting down
preferably standing up in the morning, and preferably sitting down in the evening
either standing up or sitting down – continuing his position in the previous prayer
The practice of the regular Temple reading of the Ten Commandments within the Shema section of the service was discontinued in synagogues because:
people would get bored through hearing the same reading week after week.
its content emphasized the likely sins of people during the Biblical rather than the Rabbinical period.
there was a fear that people would give it too much importance relative to the rest of the Torah.
they were already built into the designs of synagogues as two tablets of stone on top of the Ark.
The third paragraph of the Shema is also read at night because it contains:
the command to wear tzitzit.
the command to remember G-d's Commandments which apply by day and by night.
the warning not to 'stray after your heart and after your soul' (Num. 15:39), which must be re-emphasized at night.
the obligatory nightly recall of the Exodus.
The miracles of the Messianic Era are destined to:
dwarf the miracles of the Exodus entirely.
reduce the miracles of the Exodus to a secondary role.
form the second chapter of the miracles of the Exodus.
form a replay of the principles of the miracles of the Exodus.
Interruptions between and within the sections of Birchot Keriat Shema and Keriat Shema are only permitted on the following lines:
In between the sections one may open conversation with anyone, and respond to anyone. Within the sections: one may open conversation with a person if he fears unpleasant consequences in failing to do so, and not only respond to him, but also to someone he respects, even if he does not fear him.
In between the sections one may open conversation with a person one respects, and respond to a person one respects. Within the sections: one may open conversation with a person if he fears unpleasant consequences in failing to do so, and not only respond to him, but also to someone he respects, even if he does not fear him.
In between the sections one may open conversation with a person one respects, and respond to anyone. Within the sections: one may open conversation with a person if he fears unpleasant consequences in failing to do so, and not only respond to him, but also to someone he respects, even if he does not fear him.
In between the sections one may open conversation with a person one respects, and respond to anyone. Within the sections: one may not open conversation at all, but one may only answer a person if he fears unpleasant consequences in failing to do so.
The minimum amount of the Shema that must be said with Kavana for a person to have fulfilled his duty is:
the first sentence.
the first paragraph.
the first two paragraphs.
all three paragraphs.
The minimum amount of the Shema that must be said by a person having been woken up from sleep and genuinely needs to get back to sleep is:
the first sentence.
the first paragraph.
the first two paragraphs.
all three paragraphs.
Interrupting during full Hallel is only permitted:
As with half Hallel - even within the sections one may open conversation with a person one respects, and respond to anyone.
Stricter than during the Shema – only between paragraphs in response to someone he fears.
On the same lines as during the Shema if there is a minyan; on the same lines as half-Hallel if there is no minyan.
Is it permitted to taste soup without a Beracha while it is being prepared - to decide whether it needs salt or not?
Yes – so long as it is not a reviit.
Yes – so long as it is not a minor fast day.
Yes – if he suspects that the soup may have already been entirely ruined; no, otherwise.
No.
If a person is performing an urgent (but not life saving) Mitzva and does not have the time to say the morning Shema:
as it is not a life-saving Mitzva, he must interrupt and say the Shema.
it depends – he is exempt only if the other party would suffer additional physical pain by his having to interrupt to say the Shema.
it depends – he should interrupt and say the Shema only if there is someone else ready to take over from him .
he is exempt as 'He that is occupied with a Mitzva is exempt from another Mitzva at the same time'..
If a person needs to wash his hands before the Amida and no water is available:
He may wipe his hands on any cleansing article, and then say the Amida.
He should not say the Amida unless water is available – and if necessary, say the Amida twice in the next service.
He should make every effort to obtaining water: – up to eighteen minutes walk out of one's way, or one Persian mile along one's way.
He should take no further action, but fulfill his duty by answering 'Amen' at the repetition of the Amida – without actually uttering G-d's name.
When time is lacking due to pressing business commitments
One may miss the Amida and say a compensating extra Amida in the next service.
He is fully exempt from the Amida and all but the first paragraph of the Amida.
He may say a standard condensed version of the Amida and Bircat Hamazon, but say an extra compensating full version of both the next time they need to be said.
He may say a standard condensed version of the Amida and Bircat Hamazon, by which he will have fulfilled his duty.
Is it praiseworthy for an ordinary member of the public to take on the extra Halachic stringencies of a Talmid Hacham?
Yes – it might encourage him to work in that direction.
Yes – so long as it is done discreetly and not in a manner that might imply a public display of unseemly self-aggrandizement.
No – unless his reputation is such that at least his general conduct, if not his scholarship, is of the standing with a Talmid Hacham.
No – it is an insult to standing of genuine Talmidei Hachamim.
Which of the following statements is not correct?
A close relative of a person who has not yet been buried, and those who are actively assisting the burial are exempt from reading the Shema.
A close relative of a person who has not yet been buried, and those who are actively assisting the burial are exempt from reading the Shema.
Those present at the burial that are less than actively involved are required to say the Shema, but not the Amida.
The participants are not required to fulfill the Mitzva of reading the Shema even if there is a little time after the burial. Instead, they should exclusively attend to the needs of the mourners.
If a person suddenly finds that he is wearing a garment made of Shaatnez, may he continue to wear it until it is convenient to change it?
Yes – because of kavod habriot. However, he must change as soon as possible.
No – kavod habriot does not override any Torah ordained law.
No – kavod habriot overrides Rabbinical law, but not Torah Law.
No – kavod habriot overrides passive non-observance of laws in money matters only.
Women are Halachically required to observe all of the following Mitzvot except:
The Shema.
The Amida.
Mezuza.
Birchat Hamazon.
. A person is in the middle of the Mincha Amida. He suddenly remembers that he recited that same Mincha Amida in an earlier Minyan. He therefore should:
Stop reciting the Amida at wherever he has reached that moment.
Continue to the end of the current Beracha and stop there.
Continue to the end of the current Beracha and stop there. Wait where he is until Aravit, and continue the prayer to the end as an act of praying the Aravit service.
Continue to the end of the Amida.
. May a person deliberately say an additional voluntary Amida? (e.g. after praying the Mincha service, but still during the Mincha time zone)
Yes.
Yes – on the condition that he adds something pertinent to it.
Yes – but it must be the shortened version (Havineinu) only.
No.
If one enters the synagogue and finds the quiet Mincha Amida already in progress, he should:
Immediately start the Amida and pray at his own pace.
Immediately start the Amida and endeavor to finish at the same time as reader begins to repeat the Amida.
Only start the Amida if there is enough time to finish it before the Kedusha.
Wait until the Kedusha, and recite the Amida afterwards.
May a person completely unclothed in water say a prayer with the name of G-d in it if there is no way he could make up that obligation by the time he has left the water and got dressed?
Yes – provided he has covered his head.
Yes – provided the water is not transparent.
Yes.
No.
May a person continue praying if he feels the calls of nature?
Yes – but he should attend to those needs as soon as possible afterwards.
Yes – if he can wait the time it would take to walk a parsang (Persian mile).
No – but if he is still able to wait the time it takes to walk a parsang (Persian mile), the prayer, after the act, would be acceptable.
No – in all circumstances, such a continuation would be considered an abomination.
May a person say the quiet Amida loud enough that others may hear if it assists his devotion and concentration?
Yes.
Yes – so long as it is in the Hebrew language.
Yes if done in private, but not in a shul – as it can disturb the prayers of other people.
No.
Following the accepted ruling in the Mishna, the Shacharit Amida may be recited until the end of which seasonal hour?
the third
the fourth
the fifth
the sixth
Until when may Mincha be recited?
until four seasonal hours after tbe beginning of the Mincha Gedola period.
until one seasonal hour into the Mincha Ketana period.
until Plag Ha-Mincha.
until nightfall.
If a person missed Mincha on Erev Shabbat, and he had already reached the Aravit Amida on Shabbat itself, he should:
Say the Aravit Amida only – the weekday Amida may not be said on Shabbat.
Say the Aravit Amida quickly followed by the weekday Mincha Amida.
Say the weekday Amida first, and the immediately follow it up with the Shabbat Aravit Amida.
Say the Shabbat Aravit Amida twice – thus covering the omitted weekday Mincha
If a person did not recite Mussaf before the end of the seventh hour:
he is too late, and must make up the prayer by saying the Mincha Amida twice.
he is too late, and cannot make up the prayer at Mincha as Mussaf is a more public type of prayer.
he may say the Mussaf until the end of the day.
he should say the Mussaf Amida first and the Mincha Amida afterwards.
. The extra Beracha bringing the weekday Amida up to nineteen Berachot is recorded by the Talmud as being:
for justice
against evildoers and heretics
for the welfare of the righteous
for the coming of the Messiah
. If a person misses out Tal-Umatar and remembers his mistake while saying the next Beracha, he should:
go back to the beginning of the Amida.
go back to Bareich Aleinu and insert Tal-Umatar there.
go on to Shema Koleinu and insert Tal-Umatar there.
continue to end of the Amida without correcting the mistake.
If a person misses out Ata Honantanu on Motzei Shabbat, and remembers his mistake while saying the next Beracha, he should:
go back to the beginning of the Amida.
go back to Ata Honein and insert Ata Honantanu there.
go on to Shema Koleinu and insert Ata Honantanu there.
continue to end of the Amida without correcting the mistake.
If a person had to leave home before sunrise, he should recite:
the earlier parts of Shacharit before dawn, but the Brachot Kriat Shema and the Amida after dawn.
the earlier parts of Shacharit at dawn, but the Brachot Kriat Shema and the Amida at sunrise.
the entire Shacharit service at dawn, including the Shema
the entire Shacharit service at dawn, including the Shema. He should say the Shema again from sunrise onwards.
. The ideal state of mind for prayer is predominantly:
spiritual happiness
Seriousness
Fear
regret for past mistakes
May a Sheliach Tzibbur who is a Kohen participate in Birchat Kohanim?
Yes.
Yes – provided that he get back to his duties as Sheliach Tzibbur without a hiatus
Yes – provided that he get back to his duties as Sheliach Tzibbur without a hiatus, and he is the only Kohen present.
No.
Bowing is necessary at the beginning and end of which Berachot?
Avot and Hoda-a
Avot and Gevurot
Avot, Kiddush Hashem, and (on Shabbat and Festivals), Kiddush Hayom
Kiddush Hashem and Avoda
Which Beracha is made over drinking medicine?
Shekahol - always.
The same Beracha that would be made if it were for normal consumption.
The same Beracha that would be made if it were for normal consumption so long as he likes the taste. Otherwise no Beracha at all.
No Beracha at all.
Following the Gemara, if the food is not of the nature that it is consumed in a normal normal way, the Beracha is:
Shekahol.
Hatov Ve-Hameitiv.
The normal Beracha for the species.
No Beracha at all.
The respective Berachot before and after eating rice are:
Shekahol and Borei Nefashot
Ha-adama and Borei Nefashot
Mizonot and Borei Nefashot
Mizonot and Al Hamichya
A mixture containing a small amount of wheat requires the Beracha of:
Mizonot
Hamotzi
Shehakol
The appropriate Beracha for the largest component.
Borei Minei Mizonot is made before eating the following:
(i) barley soup (ii) soup where wheat flour is added to soup is added for thickening only (iii) soup where wheat flour is added to soup is added to remove the scum only (iv) soup where barley flour is added to improve the taste
(i) and (iv)
(ii) and (iii)
(iii) and (iv)
all of the above
What should a person do if he makes Shehakol over wine by mistake?
Immediately say the correct Beracha – Shehakol was a Beracha Le-Vatala – a wrong Beracha.
Immediately say the correct Beracha – Shehakol was a Beracha She-eino Tzericha – a Beracha that was made for no significant purpose.
Throw out the offending wine.
Drink the wine without any further Beracha.
A person washed and made Hamotzi over bread, without any specific intentions. After the meal, (but before Birchat Hamazon) some cherries were served up as a 'surprise'. What Beracha does he make over the cherries?
Shehakol – as there is a genuine doubt on the right Beracha in the circumstances.
Ha-adama – the full Beracha of Ha-etz would be inappropriate as the fruit is still partly covered by Hamotzi.
Ha-etz: as he had no intention for the original Hamotzi to cover such incidental post-meal 'surprises'.
No Beracha at all – Hamotzi covers all, intention or no intention.
What Beracha should a person make on wine served during the meal if he already said Hagafen on similar wine before the meal?
Hagafen.
Ha-etz – a more general Beracha.
No Beracha on Sabbaths and Festivals; Hagafen during the week.
No Beracha at all – Hagafen before the meal covers the wine during the meal at all times.
Applying the Mishna on 44a. what Beracha should be made on an ice cream in a wafer?
Shehakol
Mizonot
Shehakol on the ice cream and Mizonot on the wafer.
The issue is doubtful in Halacha. Therefore a person should make Hamotzi over bread, which will exempt the ice cream and wafer from whatever Beracha they take.
The minimum amount a person should eat to be able to fully participate in a Mezuman is:
an olive size.
and olive size from two items of food, one of which is bread.
an egg size.
a full meal – the volume of four eggs.
At a formal meal where participants are seated round the table, it is desirable that:
The Baal Habayit makes Hamotzi for all, and the Guest leads the Bircat Hamazon.
The Baal Habayit makes Hamotzi for all, and the Baal Habayit also leads the Bircat Hamazon.
The Guest makes Hamotzi for all, and the Guest also leads the Bircat Hamazon.
There are no preferences.
How many out of the ten people within the company must have eaten bread for the 10-person Mezuman to be said? (the rest having had vegetables only)
5
6
7
9
Ya-aleh Veyavo was missed out during the Bircat Hamazon and suddenly remembered the line before Al-Yechasreinu. In those circumstances:
carry on: it may be made up later in Bircat Hamazon.
go back to Ya-aleh Veyavo and continue from there.
go back to the beginning of the Beracha and insert the specific Beracha specially instituted for the situation.
go back to the beginning of the Bircat Hamazon.
If someone already said Bircat Hamazon privately, and a Mezuman is later made at the meal, that person:
is eligible to both lead and be counted to those who answer the Mezuman.
is not eligible to lead, but may be counted to those who answer the Mezuman.
is neither eligible to lead, nor be counted to those who answer the Mezuman.
may not be counted to the Mezuman of three, but may be counted to a Mezuman of ten, if he started eating at the same time as the others.
Two groups, each of five people, are eating not quite in sight of each other, but served by the same waiter. They make Mezuman:
as two separate groups – without Elokeinu.
as two separate groups – each with Elokeinu.
as one single group – without Elokeinu.
as one single group – with Elokeinu.
A person popped a hard candy into his mouth and then realized he had not made a Beracha. He should:
put it to one side of his mouth and say a Beracha over it.
take it out of his mouth, and then say a Beracha over it.
leave it where it is and say a Beracha over it.
finish eating it and make a Beracha over another one if available.
If a person finished eating without making a Beracha beforehand:
he should go back to his seat and say all the Berachot he missed.
he should say all the Berachot he missed at once without returning to his seat.
he should return to his seat and say Shehakol only – that covers all the other Berachot.
it is too late to do anything about it.
The Beracha Acharona may be said:
at the table only – once he leaves it, it is too late.
where he is (so long as the food has not been fully digested) – and he need not go back to his place.
up to half a seasonal hour after completing the meal.
any time up to the next meal.
Does one answer Amen to the Beracha make by a child under Bar-Mitzva?
Yes – as one would do for an adult.
Yes – so long as the Beracha was valid for the occasion and not merely an educational exercise.
No – unless the child would feel hurt by not answering.
No. An adult cannot fulfill his Halachic duty in being incorporated into the act of the child – even if performed faultlessly.
A raging bull died of a heart attack in hot pursuit of Chaim. Chaim and his new friend, Moshe pass that same field four years later:
No Beracha need be said as Chaim 'benched gomel' after the event.
Chaim should make the Beracha: she-asah li (for me) nes… No Beracha need be said by Moshe, as the miracle was personal to Chaim.
Chaim should make the Beracha she-asah li (for me) nes…, and Moshe should say she-asah nisim lanu (for us).
Both Chaim and Moshe should say she-asah nisim lanu (for us).
Based on Psalm 107, after which of the following should a special thanksgiving be made:
those who recovered from illness, and were set free from prison.
those who crossed the sea, and traversed the wilderness .
those who crossed the sea, traversed the wilderness, and were set free from prison.
those who crossed the sea, traversed the wilderness, recovered from illness, and were set free from prison.
The Talmud specifies which of following as enabling a person to increase his personal potential?
Success in part-time business – so long as the Torah remains his main occupation.
Success in part time business, and a nice home.
A nice home, and a good wife.
A nice home, a good wife, and quality clothes.
Which Beracha is prescribed by the Talmud on seeing a person of unusual bodily form caused by non-natural causes?
dayan he-met
meshaneh Habriyot
mechaye Hameitim
rofeh cholei amo yisrael
. 'Hatov ve-hameitiv' is said on wine where:
(i) it is of better quality than the last wine served at the same meal (ii) the person is sitting at the same table where the previous wine was served (iii) there are others with whom to share it.
(i) only
(i) and (ii)
(ii) and (iii)
(i), (ii), and (iii)
'Shehecheyanu' is said on acquiring a valued item so long as:
(i) it is not similar to something he as already (ii) he has exclusive use of the object (iii) it is not something that was once his property, and then repurchased from the buyer.
(i) only
(ii) only
(ii) and (iii)
(i), (ii), and (iii)
Is it permitted to use the synagogue solely as a short cut route to get from one place to another?
Yes – the synagogue is no different from his home in that respect.
Only if he is in a great hurry.
Only if the synagogue route was formerly established as a short cut.