Avraham and the idols

Avraham's Discovery of God

• Avraham's discovery of God was like a person traveling who saw a palace with lights on and wondered who was looking after it, and God replied, "I am the Master of the Universe."
• Avraham's father, Terach, created idols and left Avraham to sell them.

Avraham's Confrontation with Idols

• A man came to buy an idol and Avraham asked his age, pointing out the irony of a 50-year-old worshipping a day-old object.
• A woman came to offer flour to the idols, and Avraham broke them, placing the stick in the hand of the largest one, and then blamed the idol for breaking them.

Avraham's Confrontation with King Nimrod

• King Nimrod challenged Avraham to worship fire, but Avraham pointed out that water puts out fire.
• When Nimrod suggested worshipping water, Avraham said the clouds carry the water.
• When Nimrod suggested worshipping the clouds, Avraham said the wind disperses them.
• When Nimrod suggested worshipping the wind, Avraham said humans can stand up to it.
• Nimrod was enraged and threw Avraham into a fiery furnace, but Avraham was saved.

The Meaning of Ha'Ivri (The Hebrew)

• Rabbi Yehudah said Avraham was called Ha'Ivri because he stood on the opposite side of the world (עבר - Ever in Hebrew) from everyone else.
• The sages said Avraham was called Ha'Ivri because he traveled across the river Prat and spoke the Hebrew language (Ivrit).