Summary
This 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica entry argues that the biblical figure of Abraham is more valuable for the study of Old Testament theology than for reconstructing the actual history of Israel. The narratives present Abraham as an idealized sheikh, not a historical personage, and his life story was built by borrowing from common popular lore. The compiler of Genesis used the Priestly source (P) to complete the account, including the purchase of the cave of Machpelah. The entry notes that Abraham became the embodiment of Hebrew ideals, the founder of the nation to whom Yahweh manifested love through promises and covenants. In Israel's bitterest hours, the nation turned to these promises for consolation. The entry also discusses other Jewish scholars, including the Palestinian amora Abbahu (c. 279–320), who encouraged Greek study and is often cited in the Talmud, and the 8th-century Talmudist Ahai of Shabha, author of the *Sheiltoth* (Quaestiones), a collection of homilies on Jewish law and ethics.
Key concepts
- Idealized sheikh — The representation of Abraham in biblical narratives as a traditional ancestral figure, not a historical person.
- Priestly source (P) — The narrative source used by the compiler of Genesis to complete the history of Abraham, including the purchase of Machpelah.
- Amora — A Jewish scholar of the period c. 279–320, such as Abbahu, who flourished in Palestine and is cited in the Talmud.
- Sheiltoth (Quaestiones) — The first work written by a Jewish scholar after the completion of the Talmud, a collection of homilies on Jewish law and ethics by Ahai of Shabha.
- Halakhoth (Decisions) — A Talmudical Digest by Al-phasi that condensed the Talmud with a special view to practical law, omitting homiletical passages and laws only practicable in Palestine.
From the book
For other versions of this work, see Encyclopædia Britannica . ← 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica ( 1911 ) Title page → related portals : Reference Works Shortcut : EB11 or EB1911 Notes on reading the Wikisource edition . A special disclaimer for this project . Collaboration page for contributors . 12543 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica 1911 Table of contents This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1931. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works . Public domain Public domain false false← Alabama 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica , Volume 1 "Alabama" Arbitration by Montague Hughes Crackanthorpe Alabama River → See also Alabama Claims on…
He is commonly known as Rab.← Abbadie, Jakob 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica , Volume 1 'Abbahu Abba Mari → See also Abbahu on Wikipedia ; and our 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica disclaimer . 12925 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica , Volume 1 — 'Abbahu ʼABBAHU, the name of a Palestinian ʼamora ( q.v. ) who flourished c . 279–320. ʼAbbahu encouraged the study of Greek by Jews. He was famous as a collector of traditional lore, and is very often cited in the Talmud.
He was author of Quaestiones ( Sheiltoth ), a collection of homilies (at once learned and popular) on Jewish law and ethics. This is recorded to have been the first work written by a Jewish scholar after the completion of the Talmud.← Alphabet 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica , Volume 1 'Al-phasi, Isaac Alphege, Saint → See also Isaac Alfasi on Wikipedia ; and our 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica disclaimer . 1202415 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica , Volume 1 — 'Al-phasi, Isaac ’AL-PHASI, ISAAC (1013–1103), Jewish rabbi and codifier, known as Riph , was born near Fez in 1013 and died at Lucena in 1103. ’Al-Phasi means the “man of Fez” (medieval Jews were often named after their birthplaces). He was forced to leave Fez when an old man of 75, being accused on some unknown political charge. He then…
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