WHAT DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT ABRAHAM?

 Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D.

In reality, very little!

In the Hebrew Bible, Abram, later called Abraham, appears as the first of the three patriarchs, and the founder of the Israelites. We are told that he was born in “Ur of the Chaldeans” and, that at God’s bidding, he left for the land of Canaan (Gen. 11:31). God also promised that his descendants would own this new land (Gen. 12: 7). Famine, however, forced him to go to Egypt (Gen. 12: 10). When he returned to Canaan, he appears to be a very wealthy man (Gen. 13: 2). He had two wives (Sarah and Keturah), and a concubine, Hagar (Gen. 16: 3) as well as a few children, including Isaac and Ishmael. God set up a covenant with Abraham, promising him that he will be “the father of a great multitude” (Gen. 17: 5). At Sarah’s death, he bought the Cave of Mahpelah near Hebron as a family burying place, and when he himself died, he was buried in it, at the age of 175, next to his wife, Sarah (Gen.25).

The stories about Abraham in the Bible read like an elaborate legend about a leader who is not a perfect individual: He is a righteous person, compassionate and  hospitable with strangers (Gen.18), but also an unscrupulous liar when he tries to pass off his wife, Sarah, as his sister in order to save his skin (Gen. 12: 13). “He believed in God” (Gen. 15:6), we are told, and was blindly loyal, to the point of willing to sacrifice his son Isaac to God (Gen. 22).

There are a number of textual and historical inaccuracies in the biblical description of Abraham, which would indicate that the stories about him most likely circulated orally and were finally written down after a long period of time: for example,

aa. He is not mentioned in any other ancient Near Eastern texts. We do not even know when he actually lived.

bb. The expression “Ur of the Chaldeans” (Gen.11:31) is problematic, because we do not know where the city is located. Furthermore, when the city of Ur existed, there were no Chaldeans, and vice versa. 

cc. There seems to be an internal discrepancy within the text that deal with Abraham’s departure. In Gen.11:31, he departs from Ur with his family, but in Gen.12:1,4, he seems to leave only with his nephew, Lot. Modern scholars ascribe each story to a different literary source (namely P and J).

dd. When the Bible states, “The Canaanites were then in the land” (Gen. 12:6), it implies that they do not exist now. However, when Abraham allegedly lived, there were indeed Canaanites in the land. (9) Clearly, this text was written much later when the Canaanites had disappeared as an identifiable group.

ee. The Bible claims that Abraham died at the age of 175. This number, obviously, cannot be taken literally. In fact, none of the numbers in the Hebrew Bible can be taken as historical fact. They are mostly symbolic and have cultural significance.

The legends about Abraham continued to evolve in time, with a clear tendency to portray him as perfect as possible. In the New Testament, Abraham appears as a dominant figure: Matthew traces Jesus back to him (1:1); in fact, according to John, Jesus was present even before Abraham (5:58). James stresses Abraham’s faith and says that his was so great that he would have offered his son willingly to God (2:21).

The Book of Jubilees (c. 2nd cent. BCE), describes Abraham as a famous astronomer (Chap. 12). Its author also believed that Sarah was taken from Abraham “by force” (Chap. 13) and not as the result of Abraham’s plea that she should pass herself as his sister (Gen.12).

 Josephus, the Jewish historian (born in Jerusalem in 37 CE and died in Rome in 100 CE) considers Abraham as “a person of great sagacity” (Ant. Book I, 7:1), a man of “incomparable virtue” (Ant. I:17) and an astronomer (Ant I.7:1). He discovered monotheism on his own (Ant. I.8: 1). According to Josephus, Isaac willingly went up to the altar to be sacrificed (Ant. I.13:4). Furthermore, the Pharaoh never abused Sarah, and when he discovered that she was his wife and not his sister, he excused himself to Abraham and showered them with all kinds of gifts (Ant. I. 8:1). For Philo, the Greek-Jewish philosopher of Alexandria (c. 15-10 BCE- 45/50 CE), Abraham stands for the person who has total faith in God (Virt. 39).

In the Quran, Abraham appears as a grand personality, who was “a man of truth, a prophet” (Sura 19). He was viewed as the patriarch of the Islamic faith: “the Father of Muslims” (Sura 22) as well as the “imam of the nations” (Sura 2). To him is attributed the construction of the Ka’aba and the pilgrimage rites to it (Sura 2). God, according to the Quran, ordered him to sacrifice his son, left nameless (Sura 37). Muslim tradition, however, stresses that this was not Isaac, but his brother Ishmael, the patriarch of Islam and the forefather of Muhammad.

In the rabbinic literature, the number and the intensity of the legends about “Abraham our father,” reach their highest level. For example, we are told that when he was born, a star rose in the east and swallowed four stars in the four corners of heaven. He discovered monotheism on his own. He learned Torah all by himself. He almost sacrificed Isaac when Satan appeared and shoved Abraham’s arm aside so that the knife fell out of his hand. He was tested with ten trials and stood firm in all of them. 

Abraham most likely was a real person, but, it is almost impossible to ascertain the historical details of his life. His legendary stature increased as time went on.

 

WHITE LIES

 Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D

In my professional life, either as an author or as a speaker, I try to be very careful about what I say and what I write. I am also trained as a lawyer and know that every word counts, because words, I believe, have power of action. According to the Bible, when God began to create the world, the text says, “God said: let there be light , and there was light” (Gen.1:3). So, God created the universe (allegorically) with the power of words. In ancient times, borders were secured by placing curses on signs, on the assumption that if one crossed illegally, the curse itself would take effect. Following the teachings of the biblical Book of Proverbs that state, “Death and Life are within the power of the tongue” (18:21), I try to use the media truthfully, not to destroy but to build. I am aware of the fact that it is easier to criticize and to denigrate, and it takes a greater effort to support, encourage or uplift the other. Ultimately, lies beget other lies, whereas truth prevails. Remember, words can be forgiven but can never be forgotten.

Yet, there are occasions when truth can be very hurtful, and can destroy friendships and family bonds. So, at times one resorts to a white lie. What is a while lie? It is an untruth told to spare feelings. The difference between a “black lie” and a “white lie” is that one uses a “black lie” to gain a personal benefit, whereas a “white lie” is often used to please another. The Torah records a good example: In Genesis 18, when God promised Abraham that he would have a child in a year’s time, Sarah, his wife, said to herself, “Now that I am withered, am I to have enjoyment-seeing that my husband is so old” (v.12). Yet, when God repeated these words to Abraham, he changed them to say, not that Abraham was old but that Sarah was old. Thus, as the medieval rabbinic commentator Rashi points out, God saved the good relationship between husband and wife.

The ancient Rabbis also knew of white lies and allowed them in limited circumstances. Here is an example. In the Talmud (Ket. 17a) we are told that the Rabbis were discussing the issue of how to describe the bride in a marriage document. The followers of the school of Shammai argued that the bride should be described truthfully, “as she is.” Whereas the followers of the school of Hillel maintained that the bride should always be described as being pretty. The Sages concluded that in marriage one praises the wife as being fair and attractive.

According to the ancient Rabbis, it is permissible to even exaggerate the facts in order  to establish peace between individuals. Here is an example:

When two people had a dispute, Aaron [the High Priest] went and sat near one of them and said to him: "My son, see what your friend is doing? He is beating his heart and tearing his clothing saying: "Woe is me. How can I lift up my eyes and look at my friend. I am ashamed of myself since I was the one who offended him." Aaron would sit with him until he removed the hatred from his heart. Aaron would then go and sit next to the other and say to him: "My son, see what your friend is doing? He is beating his heart and tearing his clothing saying: "Woe is me. How can I lift up my eyes and look at my friend. I am ashamed of myself since I was the one who offended him." Aaron would sit with him until he removed the hatred from his heart.When the two met, they would they hugged and kissed each other. (Avot de Rabbi Natan 12:3).

Modern writers very often support the use of white lies to promote goodwill. Doing some research online, I found a source that lists 60 popular white lies, whereas another one has 15. Some white lies save relationships, others ease a hectic situation and yet others buy us some time. Among them, we have, “Yeah, you look great in this dress,” “I have no idea how fast I was going,” “I’ll start working on that ASAP,” “He/she was with me last night,” “I thought I already sent that email out.” I would also add, “the check is in the mail.”

As long as we are not hurting others or breaking the law, these white lies make life more pleasant. However, if they become routine, and are used all the time, we undermine the trust that others have in us. In the Talmud, Yeb.63 a, we are told that Rav (3^rd century, Amora) did not have a good relationship with his wife. In the words of the Talmud, “She would constantly aggravate him.”  When Hiyya, Rav’s son, grew up, he would alter his father’s words so as not to anger his mother. When Rab became aware of his son’s tactics, he told him to stop doing that, less it becomes a life pattern for his son.

In our time, some politicians make use of white lies so often that we do not know where the truth is and where the lies begin. So, we don’t trust them. But that is not the correct way to communicate with others. We have to be truthful and reliable. So, my advice for you is to follow the teachings of Ecclesiastes that tells us to keep our words few in number (5:1), and to use white lies only in extreme cases. Please don’t forget to tell me you absolutely loved my short essay!!
  

 My newly edited book, published by Cognella. 

This is an introduction to Judaism that deals with history, basic beliefs, festivals and life-cycle rituals. 

FROM ISTANBUL TO CINCINNATI; LIFE AT THE COLLEGE

 PART VI

Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D  

LEAVING CINCINNATI

Towards the end of my fifth year at the Hebrew Union College, the question arose as to where  would I serve the Jewish community. There was no future for Reform Judaism in Turkey, so I had to find another country. France had limited possibilities. I did not care for a position in England or South Africa.  So, it was either Australia or New Zealand. But the College had other ideas. One day I was asked to meet with Dr. Sandmel, the provost. He told me, “Rifat, you are going to Buenos Aires.” I was shocked! I said, “Why Argentina? I don’t know anyone there.” “Well,” he added, “the World Union for Progressive Judaism that paid for your education needs you there, because you can speak Spanish.” I was not very happy, but did not have another choice. I asked for his personal advice. He suggested that I apply for an American citizenship before leaving the country. (Regrettably, I did not do that at the time). I told him that I would like to visit my parents before traveling to Argentina. He said he would facilitate this. Rabbi Haim Asa, who was the first Rabbi of Temple Emanu-El in Buenos Aires, was leaving at the end of June. The congregation would have to wait until late August for my arrival.

            In the meantime, I prepared myself for my ordination and eventual departure. The Consecration program took place at Rockdale Temple on Friday night June 3, 1966. The 82^nd Ordination service was held at the Isaac M. Wise Temple on Saturday morning, June 4. At the beginning of a very impressive ceremony, 17 of us walked down the aisle with academic garb. Provost Samuel Sandmel presented the hoods to us, and Nelson Glueck conferred our degrees. He blessed each one of us in front of the ark, sharing personal thoughts privately with us. Rabbi Isaac Jerusalmi gave the final benediction. Then we all went to a downtown hotel for a luncheon.  Because I did not have any family that would sponsor the lunch for me, I invited the Guttmanns, (He was my Talmud professor), the president of my congregation in Kokomo, IN and few others local friends. 

            Shortly after, I said good-bye to Cincinnati and all the people I knew in the States, and left for Turkey. My parents were glad to see me, and I was happy to be back with the family. However, I was anxious to start my work in Buenos Aires. An important incident prompted my departure from Istanbul. At that time, Turkey and Greece were at each other’s throats over Cyprus, and there was a great likelihood that they would go to war over it. I decided to get out before being called up as a reserve officer. I departed a few days earlier than expected. It was a smart move, for a few hours after I left home, the Turkish military came home to look for me. By that time I was on my way to Argentina, a move that represents a pivotal experience in my life.  It was in Buenos Aires that I revived a small congregation, Templo Emanu-El, got married to Ines and became a father. On Aug. 1969, we left for Philadelphia to begin work as Rabbi-Educator at Main Line Reform Temple,  and to obtain my doctoral degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Bible and Cuneiform studies. In 1975, after I got my Ph.D , we left for North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe, IL and in 1980, we came to Needham, MA, and I became the Rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom, from which I retired in 2003.

 

FROM ISTANBUL TO CINCINNATI; LIFE AT THE HEBREW UNION COLLEGE; THREE VIGNETTES

 PART V

Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D

In addition to our studies at the Hebrew Union College,  each student worked outside, on a part-time basis, in order to make a few dollars. Most of us taught in Sunday schools. I got a job at Rockdale Temple in one of the suburbs of Cincinnati. Since I did not have a car, I depended on others who taught there to drive me back and forth. In my third year, at a student lottery, I ended up with Meir Chayim Temple, a bi-weekly congregation in McGehee, Arkansas. This was a small synagogue in the middle of the South-about 30 families. Twice a month, on Friday mornings, I used to fly to Little Rock, and then take a bus for “whites only”!!! (This was terrible, but those were the days). My responsibility was to lead services on Friday night and to teach on Sunday mornings. I was also asked to join the Rotary luncheons on Fridays. For this I was paid $75 per trip plus expenses, enough to give me some spending money. In my fourth year, I went to Temple Israel in Jonesboro, Arkansas (about 75 families), and for my last year I went to Temple B’nai Israel in Kokomo, Indiana (about 100 families). By that time, the stipend had gone up to about $150 per trip. It was in these congregations that I learned how to function as a congregational Rabbi.

During the summer of 1962 I went to Europe, Israel and Turkey. I was in touch with my family on a regular basis by mail, but had not seen them in person. So, it was nice going back to be with Mom, Dad and Joe, my younger brother. Mom, however, had other plans for me: she wanted to marry me off. In preparation, she had already lined up a few candidates. In those days, I was worth about $100,000 in dowry, a huge amount of money. The minhag in Turkey was for the family of the bride to give a large sum of money to the groom in order to make sure that he would take care of her in the manner in which she was accustomed.   The higher the groom’s education, the higher the dowry. I could not believe what my mother had done, all with good intentions, of course. Yet, I broke her heart when I refused to see any of the candidates, arguing that I would be in Turkey for a short time, and could not possibly make a lifetime commitment to anyone, no matter how wealthy or how beautiful. My mother and, they tell me, the expectant brides, were disappointed. After a short visit, I left Turkey and returned to Cincinnati.

           

My social life at the College was rather poor. I did not have a car- a major disadvantage- and, therefore, had to depend on others for double dating. Furthermore, I was a foreigner, who most likely would have to leave the country for some God forsaken place. The scholarship I received obligated me to serve a progressive congregation outside of the States for a period of two to three years. In those days, what Jewish girl would, in her right mind, leave America, the goldene medina, to go to a third World country? Once in a while a group of us tried to date women from the University of Cincinnati‘s SDT sorority (Jewish). However, it had a reputation of being a place where girls were “seldom dated twice.” Though many of my friends ultimately met and married wonderful women from this sorority, I did not. So, I spent most of my time, either thinking about girls (Remember, I was about 28 years old)  or, most productively, studying, because I knew that this would secure my future. 

Next: Leaving Cincinnati

 

 

FROM ISTANBUL TO CINCINNATI; LIFE AT THE HEBREW UNION COLLEGE; PART iv.

 A FEW VIGNETTES

Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D

In the 60’s, first and second year rabbinic students were required to lead services in the Chapel. Upper level students preached on Shabbat morning, and then on Monday there was a sermon evaluation. When it was my turn to lead the service for the first time, I realized that I had a slight problem. Even though we all studied modern Hebrew in class, the minhag (“custom”) of the Chapel was to recite the Hebrew passages of the liturgy in Ashkenazic. I did not know how to do that, nor did I want to learn it. It sounded strange to my ear. So, I went to see Dr. Glueck, and told him that, being a Sephardic Jew, I did not know how to read Hebrew with Ashkenazic pronunciation. He demurred for a minute but then said, “Rifat, OK, you can read Hebrew in Sephardic.” From then on, using me as an example, other students pressed him for a change. Within a short time, all services in the Chapel were switched from Ashkenazic to Sephardic Hebrew. 

- Many prominent scholars passed through the College. Among them one person stands out: Prof. Gershom Scholem, the great German-Israeli scholar of Jewish Mysticism. One year he came to do some research at our library. He was by himself and stayed in the dorm, in the room next to mine. On the weekends, because there were fewer students around (they were either at their by-weeklies or with their families), Prof. Scholem and I became kind of friendly. I am saying “kind of” because, he was a stern man with a dry sense of humor. He spoke English well, though with a heavy German accent. Once in a while, he and I used to go out to the movies. I must be honest that at the time I did not realize what a giant he was in his field. Now I know better, and I will always cherish the times we spent together.

- Another person whose memory stayed with me was Hiroshi Okamoto, later Rabbi Okamoto, originally from Japan. He and his family came to the College to pursue graduate studies in Judaism. After a few years, however, he decided to convert, and underwent circumcision. His wife, too, converted. I befriended Hiroshi and his family. I remember going out with them to drive-ins on Saturday nights. One summer, Hiroshi and I were teaching at “Towanda” (the preparatory summer Hebrew classes at the HUC)- he dealing with beginners and I with more advanced. When his students transferred into my section, I noticed that they were not pronouncing the Hebrew letter “R” (the letter “resh,”) correctly, saying “L” (the letter “lamed”) instead. For example, they would say “Losh” instead of “Rosh” (“head” in Hebrew). They were, in fact, copying Hiroshi who did not pronounce his “R’s very well. (Japanese does not have the equivalent of the American “r.”). When I realized that, I told Hiroshi, “Let me teach the beginners, and you handle the more advanced.” He agreed, and we made the change. Now the students had a solid foundation. After his ordination in 1964, Hiroshi took an academic position in Florida. Sadly, he died a few years after that. He was a wonderful man, one of the most decent human beings I knew.

- Another person I remember was Prof. Abraham Cronbach, who had by that time retired from the faculty. He was a saint! He was also a pacifist. After the Rozenbergs were put to death in 1953 for spying against the US, it was Dr. Cronbach who officiated at their funeral. One Saturday afternoon he came to the College and met with a group of us in the “bumming” room, a foyer outside the dining room. His message to us stayed with me until now. He told us not to judge another without knowing all the facts, and gave us two examples: At a ball game, everyone stood up for the National Anthem, except for one. A spectator got mad and insulted him, until he realized that the person who remained seated was in a wheel chair.  Another story: he had a luncheon date with his son-in-law who came half an hour late. He did not say a word. His son-in-law asked, “Aren’t you going to get mad at me because I am late?” “I will,” answered Dr. Cronbach, “after I find out the reason why!”

 

FROM ISTANBUL TO CINCINNATI; LIFE AT THE HEBREW UNION COLLEGE, PART III

 

Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D.

 

MY TEACHERS

During my stay at the College (1961-66), I had a number of teachers who shaped my thinking. Among them, I can mention the following: Dr. Samuel Sandmel, Bible professor and an expert in the New Testament, infused in me the love of Torah and particularly the study of Bible and Biblical criticism. I studied Bible and New Testament with him, and did an “honors” elective on the development of the Graf-Wellhausen theory. Dr. Julius Levy, professor of ancient Near Eastern studies, and his wife Dr. Hildegard Levy always answered my questions about Hebrew grammar or ancient history. Dr. Jacob Marcus, professor of American Jewish history, used to invite me to his house for lunch, and served me steak and potatoes, while pacing up and down the dining room. He always called me, “Rifat, my boy.” He had met my parents in Israel once, and always asked me about them. Dr. Nelson Glueck, the president of the institution and a well-known archaeologist, knew me well, and asked me over to his house a number of times. Dr. Alvin Reines, professor of Jewish Philosophy, was a very demanding teacher. He had us memorize his class notes, whether we were studying a medieval Jewish philosopher or his own polydoxic approach to theology. But he made us think, and opened our eyes to the intricacies of Jewish thought like no other teacher before. Dr. Jakob Petuchowski, a German born professor who taught liturgy, had a sarcastic approach to everything, but he knew his material well. We learned a lot from him. Dr. Sheldon Blank, Bible professor, was a sweet old man who had a passion for the prophets. He and his wife used to invite students to their home on Shabbat afternoons for tea and conversation. I considered Dr. Ellis Rivkin, history professor, more of a philosopher of history than a mere historian. I learned from him how to look at history from an economic point of view. Dr. Alexander Guttmann (the “Goose”), Talmud professor, tried to make the classes lighter by concentrating on sexual matters. (By the way, I dated his daughter for a while). Dr. Eugene Mihaly, our Midrash professor (called the “Duke” or “the Grease Gypsy” by the students), introduced us to the developmental thinking of the ancient Rabbis. He used to insist that one should never preach “against” the traditional text. If you cannot use the text for a positive message, don’t use it at all, he would say. At that time, we all agreed. [I don’t anymore]. And then we had Mr. McCoy, a wonderful gentleman who was a protestant minister before he gave up service in the church to teach rabbinic students how to preach and how to speak properly. He also taught us how to behave on the pulpit (“Make sure your zipper is up”).