100-Question Jewish Trivia Quiz (1)

[A] Aramaic | The Talmud's primarily written in Aramaic, the everyday language of ancient Jewish communities. Hebrew was for prayers while Aramaic handled legal arguments, like ancient code-switching.

[B] Rosh Hashanah | Literally "head of the year," featuring apples dipped in honey and existential dread about the coming year. The shofar blast supposedly confuses Satan, though your neighbors might be equally bewildered.

[B] Passover | Eight days of unleavened bread commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. Matzah is simultaneously sacred and capable of causing digestive distress that makes ancient plagues seem mild.

[D] Hebrew | The Mishnah uses Hebrew despite Aramaic being more common then. Rabbis wanted to preserve the holy tongue while discussing whether you can carry keys on Sabbath.

[C] Hannah | Hannah's desperate prayer for a child was so intense the priest thought she was drunk. Her son Samuel became a prophet, proving sometimes desperate prayers get interesting answers.

[A] Manasseh | Manasseh ruled 55 years, mostly badly according to biblical accounts. He reversed his father's reforms and introduced pagan practices, proving longevity doesn't equal quality leadership.

[B] Genesis | Genesis opens with creation and quickly descends into family dysfunction. By chapter four we have murder, proving humanity didn't waste time inventing problems.

[A] Friday evening | Shabbat starts Friday at sunset, beginning 25 hours of rest. Jewish time runs sunset to sunset, making Friday afternoon grocery runs surprisingly stressful.

[C] Shavuot | Shavuot celebrates receiving the Torah at Sinai, traditionally with all-night study sessions and cheesecake. It's the only major holiday without specific ritual objects, just dairy overload.

[D] Kashrut | Kashrut governs what Jews eat and how it's prepared. No cheeseburgers, no lobster, and definitely no bacon—basically eliminating most of America's favorite foods.

[C] Zohar | The Zohar explores Kabbalah's mysteries in cryptic Aramaic. Madonna studied it, proving even pop stars seek meaning in medieval Jewish mysticism.

[A] Shabbat | Shabbat runs Friday evening through Saturday night, featuring rest, family meals, and arguing about what constitutes "work" in the modern era.

[D] Rabbi | "Rabbi" means "my teacher" in Hebrew. Modern rabbis handle everything from theological questions to wedding planning, basically serving as CEO of Jewish life.

[B] No leavened products are allowed | For eight days, Jews avoid chametz (leavened products), leading to creative matzah-based cooking. Matzah pizza exists, though Italians probably consider it blasphemy.

[B] Hebrew | Biblical Hebrew differs from modern Israeli Hebrew like Shakespearean English from Twitter posts. Ancient scribes didn't need vowels, apparently assuming future readers enjoyed puzzles.

[D] Ketubah | The ketubah outlines the groom's obligations to his bride, historically protecting women's rights. Modern ones often feature beautiful artwork suitable for living room display.

[A] Sarah | Sarah laughed when told she'd have a baby at 90, which seems reasonable. She became Judaism's first matriarch and proved that divine timing ignores biological clocks.

[C] Fast and pray | Twenty-five hours without food or water while confessing sins. The break-fast afterward tastes amazing, though that might be starvation talking.

[A] Kabbalah | Kabbalah explores divine mysteries through complex symbolism and meditation. It went mainstream in the 1990s, spawning red string bracelets and celebrity spiritual advisors.

[B] Lashon Hara | Literally "evil tongue," prohibiting gossip even if true. This makes Jewish social gatherings interesting exercises in creative conversation while avoiding obvious topics.

[D] Latkes (potato pancakes) | Fried in oil to commemorate the Temple miracle, latkes are basically religious french fries. The oil splatter is considered part of the holiday experience.

[C] Saturday | Saturday is Shabbat, the day of rest. God apparently worked Sunday through Friday, making divine labor laws surprisingly progressive for ancient times.

[A] Hanukkah | Eight nights of candles commemorating when one day's oil lasted eight days. It's the miracle of efficiency that every Jewish mother secretly envies.

[B] Halakhah | Halakhah means "the way to walk," covering everything from prayer to business ethics. Rabbis debate these laws with intensity usually reserved for sports playoffs.

[C] Michal | Michal helped David escape her father's murderous rage, then got remarried when David fled. Their reunion was awkward, proving some relationships shouldn't get second chances.

[D] Kibud Av Va'em | Honoring father and mother is so important it made the Ten Commandments. Jewish guilt has biblical backing, making it theology's most effective parenting tool.

[D] Jehoshaphat | Jehoshaphat's reign gets detailed coverage in Chronicles, featuring military alliances and judicial reforms. He proved you could be righteous and politically savvy simultaneously.

[B] Yiddish | Yiddish mixes German, Hebrew, and Slavic languages into something uniquely expressive. It gave English "schmooze," "chutzpah," and other words for concepts English somehow missed.

[A] Chocolate wrapped up like a coin | Chocolate gelt (money) teaches kids about Hanukkah gifts while providing sugar rushes. It's educational candy, which is peak Jewish parenting efficiency.

[C] Solomon | Solomon built the First Temple using forced labor and Lebanese cedar. It lasted 400 years before Babylonians destroyed it, proving even divine architecture isn't invasion-proof.