Chapter 7

Question 1

What three minor (post-Mosaic) holidays does Wouk discuss?

Answer 1

Ninth of Av, Purim, Hannukah

Question 2

What does Tisha B’av mean?

Answer 2

Ninth of Av

Question 3

What does Tisha B’Av commemorate?

Answer 3

the destruction of the first temple in 586 BCE and the destruction of the second temple in 70 CE

Question 4

How do observant Jews mark Tisha B’av (i.e. what do they do or not do)?

Answer 4

fasting and all other Yom Kippur abstinences; some eat no meat the first 9 days of the month; some do not cut their hair and abstain from anything festive for the three weeks leading up to it; last meal before the fast is an egg sprinkled with ashes; people meet in dark synagogues (no greetings or smiling) and touch ashes to their foreheads and participate in chants and funeral songs

Question 5

When (in the modern calendar) does Tisha B’av normally occur?

Answer 5

July or August

Question 6

What biblical book is the source for the festival of Purim?

Answer 6

Esther

Question 7

When (in the modern calendar) does Purim normally occur?

Answer 7

February or March

Question 8

Purim is the nearest thing Judaism has to a … what?

Answer 8

carnival

Question 9

What is the Jewish holiday not rooted in the Bible narrative?

Answer 9

Hannukah

Question 10

What does Hanukkah (Hanuka) celebrate?

Answer 10

successful revolt of the Jews against Seleucid Greeks

Question 11

Who was the Seleucid king that persecuted the Jews?

Answer 11

Antiochus Epiphanes

Question 12

Of what priestly family was Mattathias, who started the revolt?

Answer 12

Hasmonean

Question 13

Who was the son of Mattathias, and what did he do that Hanukkah celebrates?

Answer 13

Judah Maccabee, recaptured the temple and began eight days of purifying and rededicating ceremonies

Question 14

What does the Hebrew term Hanukkah (Hanuka) mean?

Answer 14

dedication

Question 15

The oil in the Temple menorah burned for (how many) days on Hanukkah?

Answer 15

8 days