Comparative Religion 2: Following Abraham’s Path Flashcards
Where did Abraham live?
Abraham lived in Ur in the southern part of Chaldea. (Today, that land is part of Iraq.) Ur was located southeast of the city of Babylon. As best as archeologists and historians can piece it together, the Sumerians, who lived farther to the valley’s south, founded the country of Babylonia. Eventually, Babylon gave its name to the whole area.
What does the name Babylon mean?
Gate of God
Which language did Abraham speak?
Abraham would have spoken Babylonian, as well as Aramaic (from Aram). Aramaic was a group of languages, really, and contained many dialects. Old Aramaic is long gone, but it remains the language of half of the Talmud — the record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish history, customs, ethics, and law.
No one remembers the country of Aram anymore, but at one time, it was very important to business (today the area is called Syria). It sat in between Chaldea and the rich and ancient land of Egypt.
Which were the first laws?
The Chaldean laws, also known as the Code of Hammurabi. Hammurabi, the king of Chaldea, decided to clean up so many years of misrule by writing down laws for the land. Abraham grew up under Hammurabi’s laws.
This was the first time a king had written down the laws so all of his subjects would know them. This system meant the local priests and judges could not change the rules at will. In the past, different people in power created their own rules and regulations. The king’s laws superseded all of that.
Why is Abraham called “the first Jew”?
Abraham wasn’t a Jew. He lived long before there were Jews. Instead, according to Jewish Scripture, God spoke to Abraham and promised him that if he obeyed the will of God, he would become the “father of many nations.” So Abraham rejected idolatry and obeyed the one God.
However, Abraham didn’t exactly become the father of nations. Instead, he became the father of Western religions. Three faiths trace their origins to him. He is their patriarch. Muslims consider Abraham the first monotheist (a person who believes there is only one God), and therefore the first Muslim who “submitted to the one, true God.”
What is the b’rit (covenant) between God and his descendants, who became known as Jews?
The idea of a b’rit is fundamental to Judaism. Jews believe they have a special contract with God, which involves rights and obligations on both sides. In the biblical book of Exodus, God revealed the law, and the entire nation responded, “Everything that the Lord has spoken, we will do” (Exodus 24:7). According to Jewish tradition, every Jewish soul that would ever be born was present at that moment and agreed.
