patriarchs

patriarchs

(PAY-tree-arks)

"The three Patriarchs, as well as Sarah, Rebecca and Leah, are believed to be buried at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, a city in the southern West Bank (a region also known as Judea)." (source)

Religious: Jews who are engaged in religious observance and have some Jewish education

The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words, by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, (Philadelphia, 2001).

patriarch

See also matriarchs.

"In Genesis 12:1, Abraham is chosen by God to 'take your people to a new land, where I [God] will make of you a great nation.' In the Torah, Abraham is singled out many times by God; he is regarded as the originator of monotheism. Less is known about Abraham’s son Isaac. He was the 'only son' that Abraham was asked to sacrifice when God tested him. Isaac’s son Jacob had 12 sons, who became the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel, from whom all the Jewish people are descended. The names of the patriarchs are recited in many prayers, including the Amidah, which reads in part, 'Blessed are you, God of our fathers, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Their names are also included in a blessing for male children, a wish that they 'grow up to be like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' On Sukkot, the names of the patriarchs and matriarchs are invoked in the custom of ushpizin. Today, they remain some of the most popular names given to Jewish children." (JPS)

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