Avraham — The Prototype, if not actually a ‘Jew’

Were the forefathers Jewish? Leaving aside the anachronistic usage of the term “Jew,” there are those who argue that while the forefathers were monotheists, calling them “Jewish” is a little disingenuous. The Torah hadn’t been given yet. The covenant of Sinai hadn’t been forged. And so, while they may have been the beginners of the family that came to be known as the Children of Israel, the faith that we now call Judaism hadn’t been formalized yet.

On the other hand, the Talmud claims the forefathers kept all the commandments of the Torah! (See Yoma 28b) Notwithstanding the fact that during his lifetime Revelation is a few hundred years away, it can be argued that Avraham is the prototype of what it means to be a Jew.

Consider this eulogy for Avraham by Rabbi Hertz, inserted in his Chumash at the conclusion of Avraham’s living presence in the Torah:

Avraham was the pioneer of the monotheistic faith. Undazzled by the heathen splendor of a Nimrod or a Hammurabi, he broke away from the debasing idol worship of his contemporaries and devoted his life to spreading the world-redeeming truth of the One G-d of Justice and Mercy.

He forsook home and family to brave unknown dangers because the voice of G-d bade him to do so; and, throughout his days, he showed that faith in G-d must manifest itself in implicit and joyful surrender to the divine will. He set an example to his children to sacrifice the dearest things in life and, if need be, life itself, in defense of the spiritual heritage entrusted to their care. While he preached renunciation in the service of G-d, he practiced lovingkindness and truth towards his fellow men.

Witness his magnanimity in his treatment of Lot; his fine independence in the refusal to accept any of the spoils won by the men of his household; his benevolence in the reception of strangers; his stand for justice, when pleading for the doomed cities; and his all-embracing human pity, which extended even to those who had forfeited all claim to human pity.

Finally, the closing stage of his life shows his anxiety that the spiritual treasures he acquired be transmitted unimpaired through his son to future generations. He is the prototype of what the Jew should aim at being.

The divine exhortation addressed to Israel is in Isaiah 51:1-2: “Look at Abraham your father and at Sarah who bore you, for when he was but one I called him, and I blessed him and made him many.”

Avraham is the only person described in the bible as “Echad” — one. The only figure other than G-d to get such a title (see the Shema). In Ezekiel 33:24 we are told, “Son of man, the dwellers of these ruins on the soil of Israel speak, saying: Abraham was one, and he inherited the land, and we are many — the land has [surely] been given to us for an inheritance.”

Avraham was Echad — the innovator who set the tone for what godlike existence … what Rabbi Hertz called the prototype.

And on the other hand, we have a different perspective about Avraham that should give us pause to think what our lives are about. Isaiah prophesied about a time when the needy will no longer need assistance (Isaiah 29:20-24). In that section, the prophet throws in an aside, “Therefore, so said the L-rd to the House of Jacob, Who redeemed Abraham…”

What could the verse be telling us when it says Avraham was redeemed by Yaakov?

The Midrash Rabba (63:2) says “Avraham was saved from the fiery furnace on account of the merit of Yaakov. In other words, the Midrash explains, G-d knowing the future is what saved Avraham, because He knew Yaakov was to be born.

There are two choices in front of us when we think of modeling a life after Avraham:

The first is to be the first — or to model the path set for us by Avraham, each in our own way. I’m going to be an innovator. I’m going to connect with G-d on my terms, in my way.

The second is to pause and reflect what purpose our lives serve. Perhaps some of us are here in the merit of someone who descends from me, whom I may or may not meet in my lifetime. It is my duty to set a good example, to become a legacy that people speak fondly of not only when I’m alive, but even more so when I’m gone. It is the people who leave legacies, as Avraham did, who find a way to live forever.

Avraham’s life mission was to get close to G-d, to have a child with whom he could share his spiritual legacy, and to teach his children about righteousness and justice. There are movements today that call for justice (in some cases referring to the non-prosecution of a crime), but they neglect to focus on the need for righteousness among the same people for whom they seek “justice.” This is disingenuous and does not promote society’s advancement, instead bringing down those who could otherwise be making positive contributions to society.

May we merit to live up to the two lessons we learn from Avraham. To continue the tradition set by Avraham, the prototype, in our relationship with G-d. And to live up to the legacy we are meant to transmit to those whose future existence may have redeemed our own existence.

Rabbi Avi Billet is a columnist for The Jewish Star.