Questions about Shavuot.
LeIluy Nishmat Sonya bat Yisroel.
1. What does the word
"Shavuot" mean?
2. What other names have this
holiday?
3. Is there any connection
between the word "Shavuot" and its homonym "Sh'vuot"
(oaths)?
4. How many times does the
Torah mention the name of the holiday as “Shavuot”?
6. If a person travels around
the world after Pesach, when he should celebrate Shavuot?
8. On Shavuot two loaves of chametz break were brought to the
9. What is certain known
contradiction between the Zohar and the Talmud with
respect to these breads?
10. What is the earliest
source of custom not to sleep on Shavuot?
11. Why do we eat dairy on
Shavuot? What is the earliest source of this custom?
12. What lenience is brought
with regards to eating dairy on Shavuot in some early authorities? (The later
sages did not agree with this leniency and today it is not practiced).
13. Some sidurim
during Mussaf of Shavuot two goats for sin offering
are mentioned, rather than one as in the other holidays. Why is that?
14. What is the basis of
tradition that it was on Shavuot that our people heard "Aseret Hadibrot" at Sinai?
15. "Aseret
Hadibrot" literally translates as “Ten Sayings”,
but are called "The Ten Commandments". How
many actual Commandments are there in "Aseret Hadibrot"?
16. And how does the Torah
call “Aseret Hadibrot”?
17. When "Aseret Hadibrot" are being read
it’s customary in most communities to stand up, but there are rabbis who are
against this custom. Why is that?
18. There are two different
ways to read "Aseret Adibrot."
What are they based on?
19. What are the haftoras we read in the two days of Shavuot and why?
20. Why is customary to read
the Megillat Ruth on Shavuot?
21. Why is Yizkor said on the second day of Shavuot (as well as the
last day of Pesach and Shemini Atzeret)?
22. Why do we decorate the
room with flowers on Shavuot? What is the earliest source of this custom?
23. Why the day after Shavuot
we don’t say Tachanun?