Difference between revisions of "Avraham/0/en"
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<category>Unique Traits | <category>Unique Traits | ||
<subcategory>Belief in Hashem | <subcategory>Belief in Hashem | ||
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li><b> Was Avraham's monotheism unique?</b> This question depends on how one understands the phrase "וּמַלְכִּי צֶדֶק מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם...וְהוּא כֹהֵן לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן":</li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li><b> Not Unique</b> – Malkitzedek, and perhaps his followers, were monotheistic.</li> | ||
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li>Shem - The Midrash and many sources in its wake identify Malkitzedek with Shem, whose monotheism predated that of Avraham.</li> | ||
| + | <li>Radak, instead, allows for the possibility that Malkitzedek was an outsider, unrelated to Avraham in any way, who served only one God. Moreover, given that he was a king, it is possible that the entire city of Shalem was similarly monotheistic. </li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
| + | <li><b>Unique</b> – Shadal, Netziv, and Hoil Moshe, in contrast maintain that being a "כֹהֵן לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן" simply meansserving the highest god in a pantheon of many gods, or that "Elyon" was the name of a Canaanite god.<fn>See Hoil Moshe who  points out that if one posits that Malkitzedek and his whole town were monotheists, this would greatly lessen Avraham's importance and uniqueness</fn></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li><b>Did Avraham convert others? </b>Sefer Bereshit never explicitly presents Avraham as actively converting others to monotheism, yet commentators point to several verses which might bear on this question:</li> | <li><b>Did Avraham convert others? </b>Sefer Bereshit never explicitly presents Avraham as actively converting others to monotheism, yet commentators point to several verses which might bear on this question:</li> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li><b>"הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן"</b> – <multilink><a href="SifreDevarim6-5" data-aht="source">Sifre Devarim</a><a href="SifreDevarim6-5" data-aht="source">6:5</a><a href="Sifre Devarim" data-aht="parshan">About Sifre Devarim</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BavliSanhedrin99b" data-aht="source">Bavli Sanhedrin</a><a href="BavliSanhedrin99b" data-aht="source">Sanhedrin 99b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, and R. Elazar in <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah39-14" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah39-14" data-aht="source">39:14</a><a href="BereshitRabbah84-4" data-aht="source">84:4</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink> all suggest that this verse speaks of converting those in Charan. Most of the non-midrashic sources, in contrast assume it refers to Avraham's slaves and maidservants.</li> | <li><b>"הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן"</b> – <multilink><a href="SifreDevarim6-5" data-aht="source">Sifre Devarim</a><a href="SifreDevarim6-5" data-aht="source">6:5</a><a href="Sifre Devarim" data-aht="parshan">About Sifre Devarim</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BavliSanhedrin99b" data-aht="source">Bavli Sanhedrin</a><a href="BavliSanhedrin99b" data-aht="source">Sanhedrin 99b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, and R. Elazar in <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah39-14" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah39-14" data-aht="source">39:14</a><a href="BereshitRabbah84-4" data-aht="source">84:4</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink> all suggest that this verse speaks of converting those in Charan. Most of the non-midrashic sources, in contrast assume it refers to Avraham's slaves and maidservants.</li> | ||
| − | <li><b>וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַי"י וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם י"י</b> – While Onkelos, Rashi, and R"Y Bekhor Shor assume that this refers to personal prayer, Bereshit Rabbah and Ramban maintain that it refers to Avraham calling to others to worship Hashem. According to Ramban, it is possible that the altar was not meant for sacrifices but instead served as a monument to announce Hashem's unity.</li> | + | <li><b>וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַי"י וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם י"י</b> – While <multilink><a href="TargumOnkelosBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Onkelos</a><a href="TargumOnkelosBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:8</a><a href="Targum Onkelos" data-aht="parshan">About Targum Onkelos</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:8</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, and<multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit13-4" data-aht="source"> R"Y Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit13-4" data-aht="source">Bereshit 13:4</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:33</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink><fn>His comments are on Bereshit 13:4 rather than Bereshit 12:8.</fn> assume that this refers to personal prayer, <multilink><a href="BereshitRabbah39-16" data-aht="source">Bereshit Rabbah</a><a href="BereshitRabbah39-16" data-aht="source">39:16</a><a href="Bereshit Rabbah" data-aht="parshan">About Bereshit Rabbah</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RambanBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Ramban </a><a href="RambanBereshit12-8" data-aht="source">Bereshit 12:8</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>maintain that it refers to Avraham calling to others to worship Hashem. According to Ramban, it is possible that the altar was not meant for sacrifices but instead served as a monument to announce Hashem's unity.</li> |
| − | <li><b> וַיִּטַּע אֶשֶׁל... וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם בְּשֵׁם י"י</b> – According to Resh Lakish in <multilink><a href="BavliSotah10a-10b" data-aht="source">Sotah</a><a href="BavliSotah10a-10b" data-aht="source">Sotah 10a-10b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, Targum Pseudo Jonathon and R. Saadia, the planting of the Eshel was meant to encourage people to gather around Avraham, so he could teach them about Hashem. R"Y Bekhor Shor and Radak, in contrast, suggest that it | + | <li><b> וַיִּטַּע אֶשֶׁל... וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם בְּשֵׁם י"י</b> – According to Resh Lakish in <multilink><a href="BavliSotah10a-10b" data-aht="source">Sotah</a><a href="BavliSotah10a-10b" data-aht="source">Sotah 10a-10b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="TargumPseudo-JonathanBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Targum Pseudo Jonathon</a><a href="TargumPseudo-JonathanBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:33</a><a href="Targum Pseudo-Jonathan" data-aht="parshan">About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RSaadiaGaonCommentaryBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">R. Saadia</a><a href="RSaadiaGaonCommentaryBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Commentary Bereshit 21:33</a><a href="R. Saadia Gaon" data-aht="parshan">About R. Saadia Gaon</a></multilink>, the planting of the Eshel was meant to encourage people to gather around Avraham, so he could teach them about Hashem. <multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">R"Y Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit13-4" data-aht="source">Bereshit 13:4</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:33</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink> and <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit21-33" data-aht="source">Bereshit 21:33</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, in contrast, suggest that it related to the covenant with the Philistines.</li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li> | + | <li><b>How did Avraham arrive at belief in Hashem?</b></li> |
| − | + | </ul> | |
| + | <ul> | ||
<li>Akeidat Yitzchak</li> | <li>Akeidat Yitzchak</li> | ||
| − | |||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</subcategory> | </subcategory> | ||
Version as of 04:32, 15 October 2018
Avraham – Overview
Unique Traits
Belief in Hashem
- Was Avraham's monotheism unique? This question depends on how one understands the phrase "וּמַלְכִּי צֶדֶק מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם...וְהוּא כֹהֵן לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן":
- Not Unique – Malkitzedek, and perhaps his followers, were monotheistic.
- Shem - The Midrash and many sources in its wake identify Malkitzedek with Shem, whose monotheism predated that of Avraham.
- Radak, instead, allows for the possibility that Malkitzedek was an outsider, unrelated to Avraham in any way, who served only one God. Moreover, given that he was a king, it is possible that the entire city of Shalem was similarly monotheistic.
- Unique – Shadal, Netziv, and Hoil Moshe, in contrast maintain that being a "כֹהֵן לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן" simply meansserving the highest god in a pantheon of many gods, or that "Elyon" was the name of a Canaanite god.1
- Did Avraham convert others? Sefer Bereshit never explicitly presents Avraham as actively converting others to monotheism, yet commentators point to several verses which might bear on this question:
- "הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן" – Sifre Devarim, Bavli Sanhedrin, and R. Elazar in Bereshit Rabbah all suggest that this verse speaks of converting those in Charan. Most of the non-midrashic sources, in contrast assume it refers to Avraham's slaves and maidservants.
- וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַי"י וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם י"י – While Onkelos, Rashi, and R"Y Bekhor Shor2 assume that this refers to personal prayer, Bereshit Rabbah and Ramban maintain that it refers to Avraham calling to others to worship Hashem. According to Ramban, it is possible that the altar was not meant for sacrifices but instead served as a monument to announce Hashem's unity.
- וַיִּטַּע אֶשֶׁל... וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם בְּשֵׁם י"י – According to Resh Lakish in Sotah, Targum Pseudo Jonathon and R. Saadia, the planting of the Eshel was meant to encourage people to gather around Avraham, so he could teach them about Hashem. R"Y Bekhor Shor and Radak, in contrast, suggest that it related to the covenant with the Philistines.
- How did Avraham arrive at belief in Hashem?
- Akeidat Yitzchak
