Questions to Ask Jewish People: What Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Say About Inquiry and Dialogue

Within Judaism, asking questions isn't just permitted — it's expected. The tradition is arguably the most question-friendly of the three Abrahamic faiths, and that spirit is baked into its most celebrated rituals and texts Mishnah Pesachim 10:4.

The most iconic example is the Passover Seder. The Mishnah (tractate Pesachim, compiled around 200 CE) describes how the son asks his father four questions about why that night differs from all others Mishnah Pesachim 10:4. Crucially, if a child can't formulate questions independently, the father teaches them how to ask — questioning itself is something to be learned and practiced Mishnah Pesachim 10:4.

This culture of inquiry extends beyond ritual. When the Israelites faced legal or moral uncertainty, Deuteronomy instructed them to enquire of the priests and judges Deuteronomy 17:9. Moses himself served as a living question-answering institution: "the people come unto me to enquire of God" Exodus 18:15. Nehemiah, returning from exile, immediately asked questions about the surviving Jewish community and Jerusalem Nehemiah 1:2 — modeling how curiosity about Jewish experience is itself an act of care.

So what are good questions to ask a Jewish person? Consider asking about their denomination (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, etc.), how they observe Shabbat, what Passover means to them personally, how they relate to Israel as a concept versus a state, or how they navigate Jewish identity in a largely non-Jewish world. Scholars like Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (1948–2020) emphasized that Judaism is a "tradition of argument" — disagreement and debate are features, not bugs. Expect nuanced, sometimes contradictory answers, and welcome them.

Christianity's relationship with questioning is complex but ultimately affirming of genuine inquiry. Jesus himself is frequently depicted asking questions in the Gospels — not because he lacked answers, but as a pedagogical method. In Mark 9:16, he turns to the scribes and asks directly: "What question ye with them?" Mark 9:16, modeling engaged, probing dialogue.

The Old Testament, shared with Judaism, also frames inquiry as spiritually appropriate. Jehoshaphat's counsel — "Please, first inquire of GOD" (1 Kings 22:5) 1 Kings 22:5 — suggests that asking questions before acting is a mark of wisdom and faithfulness.

For Christians engaging with Jewish people, theologians like Krister Stendahl (1921–2008) advocated what he called "holy envy" — a posture of genuine curiosity toward another tradition's practices. Good questions might include how a Jewish person understands the Hebrew scriptures (what Christians call the Old Testament), how they observe the High Holy Days, or what the concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world) means in their daily life. Christian-Jewish dialogue has been formally encouraged since the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), which repudiated the charge of collective Jewish guilt for the crucifixion and opened a new era of respectful inquiry.

Islam opens Surah An-Naba (78) with a striking rhetorical question: "About what are they asking one another?" Quran 78:1 — immediately establishing that questioning is a fundamental human activity, one that God himself acknowledges and engages. The Quran elsewhere affirms divine accountability through questioning: "Them, by thy Lord, We shall question, every one" (Quran 15:92) Quran 15:92, suggesting that inquiry is woven into the fabric of existence itself.

While Islam doesn't have a specific tradition of interfaith dialogue with Judaism as formalized as post-Vatican II Christianity, the Quran recognizes the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab), which includes Jews, as communities with legitimate religious heritage. Scholar Tariq Ramadan (b. 1962) and others have argued that Muslims engaging with Jewish neighbors should approach with curiosity and respect, asking about shared Abrahamic roots, the meaning of Torah in daily life, or how Jewish communities understand prophecy and covenant.

Meaningful questions a Muslim might ask a Jewish person could include: How do you understand the covenant between God and the Jewish people? How does halakha (Jewish law) compare to sharia in your view? What does the concept of a chosen people mean to you personally? These questions honor the Quranic acknowledgment that Jews are a community with their own divine guidance.

Judaism explicitly frames asking as a religious act: people are told to come to priests and judges “and enquire,” receiving guidance in matters of judgment Deuteronomy 17:9. Moses describes people approaching him “to enquire of God,” linking questions with seeking divine direction Exodus 18:15. Leaders also model inquiry, as Nehemiah asks about the remnant and Jerusalem’s state Nehemiah 1:2, and kings are urged to “first inquire of God” before acting 1 Kings 22:5. The Passover Seder ritualizes questions so thoroughly that, if a child cannot ask, the parent teaches the questions—ensuring inquiry is learned and celebrated Mishnah Pesachim 10:4.

Respectful questions to ask Jewish friends (adapt as appropriate):

• What does Shabbat mean to you personally, and how do you mark it in your life? Deuteronomy 17:9
• In your community, who do you turn to when you’re discerning a difficult question, and what makes their guidance trustworthy? Deuteronomy 17:9
• Do any Passover Seder questions resonate with you throughout the year? Mishnah Pesachim 10:4
• When facing big decisions, how do you “inquire of God” in practice—through study, rabbinic counsel, or prayer? Exodus 18:151 Kings 22:5
• How do stories of the remnant and return shape your sense of Jewish peoplehood or community today? Nehemiah 1:2

In the New Testament, Jesus himself asks questions and engages questioners; for example, he asks the scribes what they’re disputing, highlighting inquiry as a way into truth and discernment within the community Mark 9:16.

Respectful questions to ask Christian friends:

• When you wrestle with a passage or teaching, how do you bring questions to your church or mentors? Mark 9:16
• What’s an example of a question that deepened your faith rather than weakened it? Mark 9:16
• How do conversations in your tradition balance honest doubt with trust in God? Mark 9:16

The Qur’an acknowledges questioning as integral to human engagement and divine accountability: it opens Surah al-Naba’ with, “About what are they asking one another?” and affirms that God will question everyone Quran 78:1Quran 15:92. This frames inquiry within responsibility and the search for truth before God.

Respectful questions to ask Muslim friends:

• How do you approach questions about faith—through Qur’anic study circles, scholars, or personal reflection? Quran 78:1
• What does being answerable to God mean for how you handle doubts or disagreements? Quran 15:92
• Is there a question about Islam you wish more people asked thoughtfully? Quran 78:1