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​Our Abraham, Not Theirs
Inheriting Abraham, by Jon Levenson, expertly dismantles the idea of the patriarch as the father of three religions
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from www.Tabletmag.com  book review​

"So, it is clear that Levenson’s new book will be resented in liberal religious circles. What it won’t be, however, is easily refuted." By David P. Goldman  |January 25, 2013 7:00 AM
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No, it is not resented but it is received with compassion as it is misguided.   Yes, it can be easily refuted.


First of all, the cornerstone for Judaism, the Torah, does not mention jews or judaism even once. Thus, the Talmud must be the source where all the Levenson, Goldman,  
Michael Wyschogrod, Paula Frederiksen et al doctrine for "Our Abraham, Not Theirs"  (Abraham belongs to the jews and judaism only)  comes from.  Unlike the Torah, the Talmud was not given at Mt. Sinai to the Israelites.  Everything that Yahweh gave to Moses (or king David) was immediately committed to writing  (look up Numbers 33:2; Joshua 23:6; 2 Kings 22:13; 1 Chronicles 28:19; 2 Chronicles 23:18). There is no mention of Oral Law in the Tanakh.  



Moreover, It took king Josiah's high priest and scribe finding of the Torah scrolls and reading it to the king for the king to realize the disastrous falling away of Judah.   If the Oral Law truly existed and was as authoritative as the Torah Scrolls, it would have prevented the kingdom from straying away that far from Yahweh.   



​Judaism / Talmudism is a more recent religion that was created after the Davidic kingdom split and subsequently after the Babylonian captivity and the destruction of the first temple. It was further developed as a reaction to Christianity by Akiva and then later further developed by Maimonides. In its present form, judaism, is quite different from the faith practiced by Abraham and the patriarchs.  Hence the plural number of rival interpretations that didn't survive the passage of time such as that of the Sadducees, Essenes, Karaites, Nazarenes, etc. Most followers of judaism today don't even read Torah because if they did they would find compelling evidence that the promises to Abraham's seed are for Israel (twelve tribes) not exclusively for Jews or Judaism.

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If Talmudist were to read the Tanach, instead of focusing just on Talmud and commentary, they would realize that the reunification of Ephraim and Judah will occur in the Messianic kingdom (Ezekiel 37) and that it hasn't happened yet. They would also find compelling evidence that Ephraim is gentile today (Genesis 48:19).

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Gentile Christians don't claim exclusivity to the faith of Abraham. In Abraham all nations are to be blessed. In Christianity, jews or gentiles need to be born of the spirit, or born again to become children of Abraham through the "seed of the woman." The seed of the woman is that which has perpetual enmity with the seed of the serpent. Those of the seed of the woman do the works of faith of Abraham and the patriarchs.  You can be seed of Abraham after the flesh but still do the evil deeds of the seed of the serpent. Thus both jews and gentiles need to be born again (born of the spirit). The covenant at Mt. Sinai was with Israelites, that is with the twelve tribes (and many egyptians).

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The covenant was renewed during the feast of Shavuot with the outpouring of the Shekinah in the Upper Room per Acts of the apostles. 3000 israelites died at Mt. Sinai and 3000 israelites came to life on Shavuot after the preaching from Simon (Kefas-Peter). Christians believe salvation comes from the Jews, more succinctly from Yahshua and his jewish disciples, not from judaism. Christianity separated even further from mainstream judaism after the jewish rebellions against Rome, to avoid persecution and martyrdom. The shabbat and the feasts were thus abandoned and replaced to impoverish Christianity. This is being reverted nowadays with the christian Hebraic Roots being rediscovered and cherished by some contemporary christians movements. These are not christian zionists which are of an entirely different school of thought.


Islam, has twisted both judaism and christianity. It substituted Ishmael for Isaac and it has taken exclusively apocryphal writings about Yeshua and Myriam as a foundation to create an entirely new religion. However, many who subscribe to this new religion are children of Abraham through Ishmael and heirs of many blessings as well.   

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But the promise is through Isaac and Jacob.    In conclusion, Abraham is not exclusively Jewish, Gentile Christian or Ishamaelite. Abraham is the father of all nations through Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob (Israel). 

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