Jewish Holiday Trivia Questions and Answers: Passover, Sukkot, Shabbat & More

Jewish holidays are rooted in the Torah and elaborated through centuries of rabbinic literature, including the Mishnah, Talmud, and later codes like Maimonides' Mishneh Torah (12th century). Here are trivia questions and answers drawn from scripture and tradition:

Q1: On what date does Passover (Pesach) begin?

A: The fourteenth day of the first month (Nisan) at evening. Leviticus 23:5 The Israelites first observed it in the wilderness of Sinai, following God's command to Moses. Numbers 9:5

Q2: What is Rosh Hashanah, and when does it fall?

A: Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, falls on the first day of the seventh month (Tishrei). The Torah describes it as a zikron teru'ah — a memorial of blowing of trumpets — and a holy convocation. Leviticus 23:24 The shofar (ram's horn) is the iconic instrument blown on this day. Scholars like Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (20th century) emphasized its dual character as both a day of judgment and renewal.

Q3: When does Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) begin, and how long does it last?

A: Sukkot begins on the fifteenth day of the seventh month (Tishrei) and lasts seven days. Leviticus 23:34 Celebrants build and dwell in temporary booths (sukkot) to commemorate the Israelites' wandering in the wilderness. It's one of the three pilgrimage festivals (Shalosh Regalim).

Q4: What is Shabbat, and what does the Torah command about it?

A: Shabbat is the weekly day of rest, observed from Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall. The Torah commands that no work be done on the seventh day — not by the Israelite, their children, servants, animals, or resident foreigners. Deuteronomy 5:14 It is described as a perpetual covenant between God and Israel. Exodus 31:16

Q5: How many major Jewish holidays are biblically mandated?

A: Leviticus 23 lists seven appointed times (mo'adim): Shabbat, Passover/Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Post-biblical holidays like Hanukkah and Purim were added later through rabbinic authority.

Christianity shares the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) with Judaism, so the foundational texts establishing Jewish holidays are part of Christian scripture as well. Early church fathers and New Testament writers frequently referenced these feasts, and Jesus himself observed them. That said, most Christian denominations do not practice these holidays liturgically — though Messianic Jewish Christians and some Reformed communities do observe them as foreshadowings of Christ.

Passover in the New Testament

The Gospel of John explicitly identifies Passover as a Jewish feast that was approaching during Jesus' ministry: "And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh." John 6:4 Christian theology, particularly in the Pauline tradition, interprets Jesus as the fulfillment of the Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), a typological reading developed extensively by scholars like N.T. Wright in the late 20th century.

Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) in the New Testament

John 7:2 notes that "the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand" John 7:2, situating a key episode in Jesus' ministry within the Sukkot calendar. Some theologians, including ancient church father Origen (3rd century), speculated that Jesus was born during Sukkot rather than December, though this remains debated.

Shabbat Controversy

The New Testament records tension over Sabbath observance. When Jesus healed a man, the Jewish authorities objected: "It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed." John 5:10 This reflects the strict halakhic interpretation of Deuteronomy 5:14 Deuteronomy 5:14, which Jesus frequently challenged, reinterpreting the Sabbath's purpose rather than abolishing it outright.

Not applicable. This question concerns Jewish holiday trivia rooted in Torah and rabbinic tradition, and has no direct counterpart in Islamic scripture or practice.

Use these bite-size trivia prompts—each answer cites a primary source.

1. Q: On what exact date did the Israelites keep the Passover in the wilderness of Sinai?
   A: “On the fourteenth day of the first month at evening” in the wilderness of Sinai. Numbers 9:5
2. Q: Which festival is described as “a memorial of blowing of trumpets,” and when is it observed?
   A: The first day of the seventh month is a sabbath, “a memorial of blowing of trumpets,” a holy convocation (Rosh Hashanah). Leviticus 23:24
3. Q: When does Sukkot begin, and how long does it last according to the Torah?
   A: It begins on “the fifteenth day of this seventh month” and is “the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.” Leviticus 23:34
4. Q: According to the Book of Esther, what practices characterize Purim, especially for village Jews?
   A: Observing the fourteenth of Adar as a day of “merrymaking and feasting,” with “sending gifts to one another,” and “presents to the poor,” especially among “village Jews, who live in unwalled towns.” Esther 9:19Esther 9:22
5. Q: What teaching method at the Passover Seder ensures children engage with the Exodus story?
   A: After the second cup is poured, the child asks the Mah Nishtanah (Four Questions); if the child cannot, the parent teaches the questions, discussing matza, bitter herbs, dipping, and (in Temple times) the roasted Paschal lamb. Mishnah Pesachim 10:4

Not applicable. Concerns Jewish scripture/practice; no direct counterpart.

Not applicable. Concerns Jewish scripture/practice; no direct counterpart.