עברית
Faith
What Was the Religion of Our Forefather Abraham?
Question
What was the religion of our forefather Abraham?
How is Abraham our forefather defined in terms of belief, since the Jewish Torah and Jewish faith did not yet exist at that time.
Answer
Hello and blessings,
Abraham is called Abraham the Hebrew and also Abraham our father because he upheld the faith of Judaism. He believed in the one Hashem and fulfilled His commandments completely. The Sages say that through prophecy, Abraham our father knew all 613 mitzvot and fulfilled them completely.
It is possible to say that Abraham our father was Jewish, only that in ancient times they were called Hebrews. Only in the period of the Second Temple were the Children of Israel called Jews, after the kingdom of Judah in Jerusalem, which preserved the faith of Israel.
Therefore our forefathers are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they followed the faith of Hashem and fulfilled His commandments completely, unlike Ishmael and Esau, who did not join this tradition because they did not desire it.
With blessings,
Daniel Bels
