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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What happens when Meir and Elisha part ways?

2. What is Elisha's great undoing?

3. Why has Akiba come to Antioch to raise money for war against the Romans?

4. What does Elisha realize about the peddlers as they sing their wares?

5. How long does the siege on Bethar last?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do the rabbis have to meet in secret in the attic?

2. Why does Demonax refuse to take on Elisha as a student, and what consolation does he offer to Elisha?

3. What is symbolic about Meir choosing to not walk with Elisha past the boundary where Jews are not allowed to cross on the Sabbath?

4. Where does Elisha go during the blizzard, and why?

5. While in jail, Akiba makes a prediction. What does Akiba predict?

6. What happened to Elisha after he was forced to watch the rabbis be executed?

7. What does Elisha tell Meir about faith and reason?

8. What did Manto make Elisha vow to do, as she lay dying in his arms?

9. As Elisha and Pappas travel back to Jerusalem, how does their hometown look?

10. Why is Elisha not happy about his relationship with Manto?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Meir and Beruriah's sons die, Elisha thinks about the fragility of life. Elisha looks to Jewish stories and traditions for solace, but he begins to doubt their veracity. Why does Elisha look to the Jewish traditions and literature for comfort? Why does he doubt their potency and truth? Cite three examples of mistrust of faith throughout the novel and explain the tensions characters have between faith and reason.

Essay Topic 2

After the ex-communication, Akiba randomly meets Elisha on the road. However, Akiba does not speak to Elisha because he is honoring the orders of the ex-communication. Is Akiba's behavior too drastic? Should the bonds of friendship be more important than the bonds of law? Cite three examples from the book when friendship and rules are at odds.

Essay Topic 3

The Jewish community is generally mistrustful of the Romans. When Shraga and Elisha are working on the court case for the merchant, what does the merchant decide to do, and why? Why did the merchant's business suffer when he took his case to the Roman court? Describe the relationship between the Jewish community and the individual. What pressures and responsibilities do the Jewish members have to their community?

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This section contains 963 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample