Every Monday there will be a midrashic fable posted from Louis Ginzberg’s classic collection Legends of the Jews. This week the midrash concerns Abraham destroying the idols of this father Terah. As a result of destroying his father’s idols, Abraham was put into a fiery furnace. However, he survived!
This midrash is built upon a sort of pun. In Genesis 15.7 YHWH says to Abraham, “I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” The Rabbis built this story of Abraham in the fiery furnace upon the term “Ur.” In Hebrew it reads מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים. The term “Ur” (Heb. א֣וּר) can also be translated as “fire” (as it is in Isaiah 31.9). Hence, the Rabbis read, “I am the LORD who brought you out from the fire of the Chaldeans…” And this story sprung Read the rest of this entry »
