Course description:
This course covers the Book of Leviticus. The entire text of Leviticus and selected commentaries of Rashi are studied. Although most of the exam is in English, students must be able to read and explain the Hebrew text. Some of the main topics include: korbanos (offerings), the death of Nadav and Avihu, the Yom Kippur service, the kohen gadol (high priest), the laws of tzara’as (leprosy) and other types of impurity, kosher and non-kosher animals, the Jewish holidays, agricultural gifts for the poor, the sabbatical year and the jubilee year.
. Course structure:
3 credits, lower level
Course Syllabus
Study Guide
End of Course Review (approx. 60 slides)
Exam:
66 questions, all multiple choice
2 hours to complete
Sample questions:
1. For the week of Parshas Metzora, Rabbi Friend is teaching his congregation that the way to avoid lashon hara is to feel more humble towards others. Why would he mention the אזוב (hyssop) in this context?
a. The אזוב (hyssop) used in the purification process of a מְּצֹרָע symbolizes humbling oneself.
b. The אזוב (hyssop) used to paint the doorposts of Bnei Yisrael in Egypt were acquired by humbling themselves to the Egyptians
c. Eating the אזוב (hyssop) is known by the sages to cause haughtiness
d. Eating the אזוב (hyssop) is known to cause tzara’as which is cured by humility
2. According to Rashi, what is the boldfaced phrase in the passage below instructing one to be careful to differentiate?
זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַבְּהֵמָה וְהָעוֹף וְכֹל נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת בַּמָּיִם וּלְכָל־נֶפֶשׁ הַשֹּׁרֶצֶת עַל־הָאָרֶץ: לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַטָּמֵא וּבֵין הַטָּהֹר וּבֵין הַחַיָּה הַנֶּאֱכֶלֶת וּבֵין הַחַיָּה אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֵאָכֵל
a. proper from improper slaughter
b. kosher and non-kosher fish
c. kosher and non-kosher locusts
d. in any judgment, one must not be drunk when ruling
3. Rabbi Benalu announced that his beit kneset must have separate entrances for men and women. Based on your knowledge of Sefer Vayikra with Rashi’s commentary, which phrase would be his most likely source for this?
a. אַל־תִּפְנוּ אֶל־הָאֱלִילִם
b. וְאִשָּׁה אֶל־אֲחֹתָהּ לֹא תִקָּח לִצְרֹר
c. דַּבֵּר אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם קְדשִׁים תִּהְיוּ
d. וְאִם־פָּשׂה יִפְשֶׂה הַנֶּתֶק בָּעוֹר
4. After the death of Nadav and Avihu, Moshe criticized the remaining kohanim because:
a. they did not stop Nadav and Avihu from drinking wine
b. they did not find wives for Nadav and Avihu
c. they did not eat a korban chatas
d. they did not mourn for Nadav and Avihu
5. What is the following phrase from Parshas Bechukosai promising Bnei Yisrael?
וְרָדְפוּ מִכֶּם חֲמִשָּׁה מֵאָה וּמֵאָה מִכֶּם רְבָבָה יִרְדֹּפוּ
a. utter destruction if they don’t follow the Torah
b. military success
c. success in farming
d. enough people for communal prayer (minyan)
Answers:
A 2. A 3. C 4. C 5. B