Course description:
This course covers the second half of the Book of Genesis (25:19-50:25), consisting of Parshiyot Toldos through Vayechi, and selected commentaries of Rashi. Topics include the life of Yitzchak, the rivalry between Yaakov and Eisav, Yaakov’s experience with Lavan, the development of the 12 tribes, and Yosef as a leader in Egypt.
. Course structure:
3 credits, lower level
Course Syllabus
Study Guide
End of Course Review (approx. 40 slides)
Exam:
66 questions, all multiple choice
2 hours to complete
Closed book
Sample questions:
1. One direct practical lesson that can be learned from Eisav’s selling his birthright to Yaakov is:
a. it takes a lot of meat to please a hungry hunter
b. don’t make major life decisions when you are tired and hungry
c. when a wicked person sells something that involves holiness, he will never regret it
d. don’t try to buy something that has no tangible value
2. Shira feels that all her attempts to make peace between Dinah and Raizy are failing and she is unable to save Raizy completely from Dinah’s taunts. Based on this, Shira would most likely compare her actions and results to those of which Biblical figure?
a. Yaakov
b. Eisav
c. Reuven
d. Yosef
3. What is Yosef arguing in the following phrase?
אֵינֶנּוּ גָדוֹל בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה מִמֶּנִּי וְלֹא־חָשַׂךְ מִמֶּנִּי מְאוּמָה כִּי אִם־אוֹתָךְ בַּאֲשֶׁר אַתְּ־אִשְׁתּוֹ
a. he is not important enough to take on this task
b. this is a task that can only be done after dark
c. Potifar has put too much trust in him for Yosef to break that trust and have relations with Potifar’s wife
d. it is not Yosef’s business to take sides in a family dispute
4. What can we infer about Yosef’s reputation in jail from the following phrase?
וַיִּתֵּן שַׂר בֵּית־הַסֹּהַר בְּיַד־יוֹסֵף אֵת כָּל־הָאֲסִירִם אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית הַסֹּהַר
a. he was trusted by his jailor
b. he was part of a clique among the prisoners
c. he fought with the other prisoners
d. he was at the lowest social level of all the prisoners
5. What is the context of the following verse?
אַתָּה תִּהְיֶה עַל־בֵּיתִי וְעַל־פִּיךָ יִשַּׁק כָּל־עַמִּי רַק הַכִּסֵּא אֶגְדַּל מִמֶּךָּ
a. Yosef is being appointed to be in charge of Mitzrayim
b. the vizier Hakisei is being promoted by Paroh
c. Paroh is moving his throne to a different city
d. Lavan is placing Yaakov in charge of his sheep
Answers:
B 2. C 3. C 4. A 5. A