Ben Avraham
Well-Known Member
1.- Not all midrash is correct. 2 - The Hebrew originally sacrificed their children as well, and the Abraham and Isaac story is probably representing the new idea of offering an animal in place of the firstborn. There is a lot of information available on this subject. Also, - Possibly the story of the death of the First born of Egypt, and passing over of the First Born of the Hebrew, because of the killing of an animal, and wiping the blood above the door, - could also be a change over to animal sacrifice story.
You could be right but, being still speculation, we have an extra evidence that this midrash is correct based on the fact that Abraham was a Prophet and, from Numbers 12:6 HaShem would reveal Himself to His prophets only through dreams and visions. So, Abraham had a dream about the Aquedat of Isaac.
Gen 22:2
And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. Gen 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram/lamb caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram/lamb, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
Not only Thomas Mann but also myself in my humble opinion, that could not have happened in reality.
Exo 11:5
And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: Exo 12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. Exo 12:23 For YHVH will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, YHVH will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite. Exo 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight YHVH smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
The Hebrew did worship Molech, and brought him, and Sacred Prostitutes, into the Temple. Bible tells us so. There are several verses which seem to point to Molech being associated with YHVH. There is a verse in Tanakh saying they knew YHVH - before - under a different name.
I am sorry but, I need a quote for those charges. I have only that the Hebrews, from time to time would worship Baal Molech. That's true, because IMHO, it was mostly due to the sacrifices that Moses added as a religious ritual to the religion of Israel.
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