Avraham: Philosopher, Prophet - Introspective and a Nation Builder.

Commenter R. Phil Goode posed some interesting questions that I felt deserved detailed answers. As I do not believe in too long posts let me answer them in more than one. (The questions are in italics, edited and rearranged in a different order than the original)

Let me give you an example of how I lose track of what is being said: “According to Rambam’s understanding of prophecy, the conversation between Avraham and God are all internal experiences triggered by the prophet’s speculation about God and His actions.”Ok. I think when you are saying “conversation” you are referring to the entire Akedah event as described by the Rambam in the passages that follow. When you say they are “internal experiences” you mean that they are a vision or dream – again, as described below.

Am I misreading something here?

No and let me explain:

Prophecy is an internal process where the prophet, in contemplating God’s actions comes to certain conclusions. In the case of Avraham he concluded that the world had lost its way and it was necessary to propagate that there is only One God who created the universe.
ח וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם הָהָרָה, מִקֶּדֶם לְבֵית-אֵל--וַיֵּט אָהֳלֹה; בֵּית-אֵל מִיָּם, וְהָעַי מִקֶּדֶם, וַיִּבֶן-שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַיהוָה, וַיִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה.
8 And he removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east; and he build there an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

See Ibn Ezra ad locum on the last three words “and called upon the name of the LORD” interpreting them as proselytizing.

Also, why was his “whole purpose to create a nation, etc.”?

That is the meaning of the story of Brit Bein Habetarim where he saw the beginnings of a nation in a prophetic vision. In the process of proselytizing, during a moment of introspection and contemplation, he concludes that the best long-term way to do this is to bring about a nation that worships God. The telling of this private experience is clearly intended to explain Avraham’s subsequent actions and their purpose.

Now I am expecting to see something about “the prophet’s speculation about God and His actions.” But what you suggest is that Avraham was questioning his own motivation –

If you understand prophecy as internal visions and dreams that the prophet puts into action, does it not make sense that Avraham, who developed this whole theology on his own, including that man can prophesize, should at some point stop and question whether he is not off on some ego trip? Is he just making all this up? True he experiences prophecies but are they real? Don’t you think that prophets were human beings albeit great ones? Isn’t introspection a sign of greatness? The Akedah experience addressed both his questions. It told him that he was willing to sacrifice his ambitions if God so demanded. It also confirmed that prophecy is such a powerful human ability that it conveys certainty. Based on a vision he was willing to sacrifice all.Also, why the incidental description of Avraham as the great philosopher? Where is this established? Is this just culling from Midrashim?

Let me quote Rambam Hilchot Avodah Zara 1:3 (a little lengthy, but I wanted the Hebrew in Rambam’s beautiful language for those who read Hebrew – courtesy of Mechon Mamre. English translation courtesy of Jonathan Baker.)

ח והחכמים שהיו בהן כגון הכומרין וכיוצא בהן, מדמין שאין שם אלוה אלא הכוכבים והגלגלים שנעשו הצורות האלו בגללן ולדמותן. אבל צור העולמים, לא היה שם מכירו ולא יודעו, אלא יחידים בעולם, כגון חנוך ומתושלח ונוח ושם ועבר. ועל דרך זו, היה העולם מתגלגל והולך, עד שנולד עמודו של עולם, שהוא אברהם אבינו עליו השלום.
ט [ג] כיון שנגמל איתן זה, התחיל לשוטט בדעתו והוא קטן, ולחשוב ביום ובלילה, והיה תמיה: היאך אפשר שיהיה הגלגל הזה נוהג תמיד, ולא יהיה לו מנהיג; ומי יסבב אותו, לפי שאי אפשר שיסבב את עצמו. ולא היה לו לא מלמד ולא מודיע דבר, אלא מושקע באור כשדים בין עובדי עבודה זרה הטיפשים.
י ואביו ואימו וכל העם עובדים עבודה זרה, והוא היה עובד עימהן. וליבו משוטט ומבין, עד שהשיג דרך האמת, והבין קו הצדק, מדעתו הנכונה; וידע שיש שם אלוה אחד, והוא מנהיג הגלגל, והוא ברא הכול, ואין בכל הנמצא אלוה חוץ ממנו.
יא וידע שכל העם טועים, ודבר שגרם להם לטעות, זה שעובדים את הכוכבים ואת הצורות, עד שאבד האמת מדעתם; ובן ארבעים שנה, הכיר אברהם את בוראו.
יב כיון שהכיר וידע, התחיל להשיב תשובות על בני אור כשדים ולערוך דין עימהם, ולומר שאין זו דרך האמת, שאתם הולכים בה. ושיבר הצלמים, והתחיל להודיע לעם, שאין ראוי לעבוד אלא לאלוה העולם, ולו ראוי להשתחוות ולהקריב ולנסך--כדי שיכירוהו כל הברואים הבאים; וראוי לאבד ולשבר כל הצורות, כדי שלא יטעו בהן כל העם, כמו אלו שהן מדמין, שאין שם אלוה אלא אלו.
יג כיון שגבר עליהם בראיותיו, ביקש המלך להורגו; נעשה לו נס, ויצא לחרן. והתחיל לעמוד ולקרות בקול גדול לכל העם, ולהודיעם שיש אלוה אחד לכל העולם, ולו ראוי לעבוד. והיה מהלך וקורא ומקבץ העם מעיר לעיר ומממלכה לממלכה, עד שהגיע לארץ כנען, והוא קורא, שנאמר "ויקרא שם--בשם ה', אל עולם" (בראשית כא,לג).
יד וכיון שהיו העם מתקבצין לו ושואלין לו על דבריו, היה מודיע לכל אחד ואחד לפי דעתו עד שיחזירהו לדרך האמת, עד שנתקבצו אליו אלפים ורבבות, והם אנשי בית אברהם. ושתל בליבם העיקר הגדול הזה, וחיבר בו ספרים. והודיעו ליצחק בנו, וישב יצחק מלמד ומחזיר; ויצחק הודיעו ליעקוב ומינהו ללמד, וישב מלמד ומחזיר כל הנלווים אליו.
טו ויעקוב אבינו לימד בניו כולם, והבדיל לוי ומינהו ראש, והושיבו בישיבה ללמד דרך ה', ולשמור מצוות אברהם; וציווה את בניו שלא יפסיקו מבני לוי ממונה אחר ממונה, כדי שלא ישתכח הלימוד.
טז והיה הדבר הולך ומתגבר בבני יעקוב ובנלווים עליהם, ונעשת בעולם אומה שהיא יודעת את ה'

"But as for the Creator, there was not a single person who recognized Him, except for various individuals, such as Hanoch, Methuselah, Noah, Shem and Ever. Things continued in this manner until Abraham the Patriarch, supporter of the world, was born.
3) Once Abraham was weaned, he, as a child, began contemplating and thinking day and night, and wondered how a sphere could follow a fixed path without being directed. If so, who directed it? Surely it would be impossible for it to rotate on its own! Abraham did not have a mentor, but was immersed amongst the stupid idolaters of Ur Casdim, where everyone, including his mother and father, served idols, as did he. In his heart, however, he continued to contemplate, until he realized the way of truth and understood the ways of righteousness from nature, and knew that there is a God who directs the spheres, created the world, and besides whom there is none other. He also knew that the whole world was erring, and knew that what caused the mistake was that they [had] worshipped the stars and figures for so long that the truth had vanished. Abraham was forty years old when he recognized his Creator. Once he achieved this, he began to reason with the inhabitants of Ur Casdim and to argue with them, saying that by serving idols they were not following the way of truth. He broke their images, and began to proclaim that it is not fitting to serve anyone other than God, and to Him it is fitting to bow down and to offer drink sacrifices and sacrifices to, so that all creation will recognize Him. Abraham also proclaimed that it was fitting to break and destroy all the figures, so that nobody will err on account of them, like those who imagined that there is no God except for their idols did. Since people were listening to him, the king, Nimrod, sought to kill him, but a miracle was performed for Abraham, and he went to Haran, where he got up and proclaimed to the whole world that there is just one God in the world, whom it is fitting to worship. He went and gathered people together from cities and kingdoms, until he reached the land of Canaan, where he continued his proclamations, as it is written, "...and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God". Since agnostics were coming to him with questions about this matter, he would answer each person [in a way] so that he would return to the way of truth, until thousands and tens of thousands came to him. These were the people of the house of Abraham. He placed this important principle in their way of thinking, wrote books, and taught it to his son Isaac. Isaac also brought people back [to the way of truth], and taught it to Jacob, instructing him to teach as well, who then taught and brought back those who accompanied him. Jacob the Patriarch taught all his sons, but distinguished Levi, appointing him as head, making him stay in a seminary to teach the way of God and to fulfill the commandments of Abraham. He commanded his [other] sons not to cease supporting the children of Levi, in order that this teaching would not be forgotten. This matter became more and more publicized amongst the children of Jacob and those who accompanied them, and a nation who knew God was established in the world.
Rambam’s sources are Pessukim in Nach and Chazal. He tells a similar story in MN 3:29. I am sure a study comparing the two will yield great information and should be a worthwhile enterprise."

I detect underlying questions that R. Phil and others always struggle with namely historicity and Midrashim. The Torah is not a history book. It tells a story with a purpose other than conveying historical fact. In fact it does not convey history but interprets it. It is a book of ethical and theological teachings and as such uses and adapts history to its intended lessons. The Rabbis knew this and used the Midrashim to pull the lessons, they understood were meant to be taught, out from the text. That is as it should be if the Torah’s purpose is to be understood and accomplished. It is irrelevant what happened only how it is seen and understood.

This is longer than I intended. I will address the last questions in next post.