Jewish Trivia Quiz: Tashlich

By Mark D. Zimmerman

Mark D. Zimmerman

As ‍part ‍of ‍the ‍Rosh ‍Hashanah ‍observance, ‍many ‍Jews ‍participate ‍in ‍the ‍tashlich ‍ceremony, ‍usually ‍held ‍on ‍the ‍first ‍day ‍of ‍Rosh ‍Hashanah, ‍though ‍some ‍celebrated ‍tashlich ‍this ‍year ‍on ‍the ‍second ‍day ‍of ‍Rosh ‍Hashanah ‍because ‍the ‍first ‍day ‍fell ‍on ‍the ‍Sabbath. ‍Others ‍will ‍celebrate ‍tashlich ‍any ‍time ‍through ‍Hoshana ‍Rabah, ‍the ‍seventh ‍day ‍of ‍Sukkot. ‍Tashlich ‍is ‍a ‍symbolic ‍casting ‍of ‍sins ‍upon ‍the ‍water, ‍based ‍on ‍the ‍verse ‍from ‍Micah ‍(chapter ‍7 ‍verse ‍19) ‍which ‍states ‍“He ‍will ‍take ‍us ‍back ‍in ‍love; ‍He ‍will ‍cover ‍up ‍our ‍iniquities. ‍You ‍will ‍cast ‍all ‍their ‍sins ‍into ‍the ‍depths ‍of ‍the ‍sea.” ‍In ‍addition ‍to ‍reciting ‍prayers, ‍the ‍ceremony ‍often ‍includes ‍the ‍tossing ‍of ‍bread ‍into ‍the ‍water ‍to ‍represent ‍the ‍shedding ‍of ‍sins. ‍The ‍rabbis ‍stated ‍that ‍tashlich ‍is ‍best ‍celebrated ‍at ‍a ‍body ‍of ‍water ‍with ‍fish, ‍outside ‍the ‍city ‍limits. ‍Some ‍suggest ‍that ‍the ‍presence ‍of ‍fish ‍is ‍desired ‍because ‍the ‍eyes ‍of ‍fish, ‍having ‍no ‍eyelids, ‍are ‍constantly ‍open, ‍symbolizing ‍God’s ‍constant ‍watch ‍over ‍the ‍Jewish ‍people. ‍Another ‍rationale ‍is ‍that ‍fish ‍symbolize ‍our ‍desire ‍to ‍be ‍fruitful ‍and ‍multiply ‍like ‍fish. ‍If ‍a ‍body ‍of ‍water ‍with ‍fish ‍outside ‍the ‍city ‍is ‍not ‍an ‍option, ‍tashlich ‍can ‍be ‍performed ‍at ‍a ‍body ‍of ‍water ‍with ‍fish ‍inside ‍the ‍city, ‍or ‍even ‍a ‍body ‍of ‍water ‍without ‍fish. ‍Where ‍else ‍to ‍the ‍rabbis ‍allow ‍for ‍the ‍tashlich ‍ceremony ‍to ‍take ‍place?

‍The ‍Taslich ‍prayer. Photo by ‍Government ‍Press ‍Office.

A. At a fish aquarium.

B. At a Phish concert.

C. At a running faucet.

D. At a mikveh.

E. At the fish counter at Russ and Daughters.

Link to answer: http://rrrjewishtrivia.com/answers-2023/tashlich-answer.html

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Mark Zimmerman is the author of a series of Jewish trivia books, under the title RASHI, RAMBAM and RAMALAMADINGDONG: A Quizbook of Jewish Trivia Facts & Fun.