Till
he was circumcised, it is said, God did not speak to Abraham in
Hebrew. Not till then is sacredness of speech, any more than
sacredness of life, possible. Doubtless among the Jews
circumcision was the symbol of their separation from the ethnic
religions; and hence the jealousy with which their prophets
looked upon any compromise with idolatry. Hatred of that, utter
and intense, was the one essential negative pole of genuine
Judaism, and circumcision was its sign and seal.
Abraham was the first of the proselytes.
_Succah_, fol. 49, col. 2.
Abraham it was that ordained the form of prayer for morning worship,
which is extant to this very day.
_Berachoth_, fol. 26, col. 2.
As he himself was pious, so were his very camels, for they would not
enter into a place where there were idols; as it is written (Gen. xxiv.
31), "I have prepared," i.e., removed the idols from, "the house and
room for the camels."
_Avoth d' Rabbi Nathan_, chap. 8.
Abraham had a daughter, and her name was Bakol.
Ibid., fol. 16, col. 2.
Abraham was free from evil passion.
_Bava Bathra_ fol. 17, col. 1.
He was also free from the Angel of Death.
Ibid., fol. 17, col. 1.
He delivered to the children he had by Keturah a secret name, with which
they learned to practice witchcraft and do the works of the devil.
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