Fear of Isaac

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Fear of Isaac

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1richardbsmith
Ago 12, 2016, 4:07 pm

This phrase seems very interesting and not clearly defined - pahad Yitzhak (Fear of Isaac).

Genesis 31.42 and 31.53.

It is possible to consider this simply a name of God, though why the text mentions the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac seems a curiosity.

It also seems possible that the phrase is not a reference to a name of God, rather an attitude of Isaac. In which case it might most likely be a reference to the Akedah (Binding) of Isaac, and Isaac's state of mind.

Further this phrase is part of the E source, which might have originally had Abraham actually sacrifice Isaac. I cannot find any other mention of Isaac in E after the story of the binding.

2paradoxosalpha
Ago 12, 2016, 4:56 pm

My (probably unprovable) notion of the sacrifice of Isaac is that it reflects what was once a generic initiatory ordeal: a youth would be taken into the wilderness by his father or male guardian, who would bind him and make as if to kill him in a sanctified ceremony. This murder would be called off on account of a divine omen. Thus the rite would graduate the youth to manhood, creating for him a personal debt to the godhead, while reducing his obligation to his father from that of his life itself, to one of mere honor.

To take an oath on "The Fear of Isaac" would thus be to swear on one's own manhood, as well as to invoke a dread of mortality associated with the divine.

3richardbsmith
Ago 12, 2016, 5:11 pm

I had not heard that interpretation. There seems to be midrash that treats this as a punishment for the abuse of Ishmael or for doubting God by lying that Sarai was his sister.

One idea I had is that E does not have the story about Abraham trusting God. It may be that the promise of being father to many nations came after the sacrifice of Isaac, in the E source.

Which means Isaac was sacrificed in that original account. And how might the fear of Isaac be understood, if he were sacrificed. It almost seems that a sacrificed first son might be thought of as having some kind of power over the living?

4paradoxosalpha
Ago 12, 2016, 5:19 pm

>3 richardbsmith:

By my lights, the version in the Torah is a legend founded in secondhand memory of obsolete rites, and the midrashim would be etiological justification for the legend.

5overlycriticalelisa
Ago 12, 2016, 5:24 pm

i don't know the bible verse so don't know the exact phrasing before and after pahad itzhak but that could mean Isaac's fear, depending.

6Jesse_wiedinmyer
Ago 12, 2016, 6:34 pm

How does fear make a man a man?

And how fucked do you need to be to assume that not killing something or someone that depends on you makes you exceptional?

7librorumamans
Ago 12, 2016, 7:25 pm

The Jerusalem Bible renders Gen 31:42 as:
If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the Kinsman of Isaac had not been with me ....
A footnote explains:
A name for God that appears only here and v. 53; Arabic and Palmyrene Aramaic justify this translation; ...

8richardbsmith
Ago 12, 2016, 7:42 pm

Jesse,

You know I am always too slow to follow your questions.

9richardbsmith
Editado: Ago 12, 2016, 7:53 pm

>7 librorumamans:

My guess is that Arabic and Aramean are late to have any influence over the meaning of pahad in this verse. Perhaps someone might comment in the way of correcting me about that guess.

The BDB, Brown, Driver, Briggs, has the verb form to mean "to dread, to be in awe". And the noun to mean "dread", either the emotion or the object of dread. And the BDB has another, related word for religious awe, pakdah.

10richardbsmith
Ago 12, 2016, 8:00 pm

I think there was some perception of power in the sacrificed Isaac that brought fear to an enemy when invoked. Which would require that in E, Isaac was actually sacrificed.

Of course leaving the question of Jacob's father. The only passage I can find in E that mentions Isaac as Jacob's father is this verse 31.53 which contains the phrase fear of Isaac.

I think likely it is not possible to discover the original significance of the phrase "fear of Isaac.

11librorumamans
Ago 12, 2016, 8:11 pm

There's a discussion of this issue on StackExchange, where the principal responder seems well informed, but who knows?

12richardbsmith
Ago 12, 2016, 8:23 pm

>11 librorumamans:

I think he covered the options very well. And I think I agree with his conclusion, if I understand it correctly. pahad generally means fear induced by someone. pahad YWHW means fear induced by YWHW.

pahad Yitzhak then would mean fear induced by Isaac.

And perhaps that refers to some perceived, even magical, power from a sacrificed Isaac?

I wish the commenter, David, had discussed the Akedah, if he thinks that had any influence over this phrase, fear of Isaac.

Thanks. I had never seen that forum.

13librorumamans
Ago 12, 2016, 8:25 pm

>12 richardbsmith: So, why not ask him?? See what happens.

14richardbsmith
Ago 12, 2016, 8:27 pm

I had not thought of that. : )

Never used stack exchange.

15richardbsmith
Ago 12, 2016, 8:38 pm

>13 librorumamans:

I had to post my comment there as an answer, not as a question to David. Unfortunately to comment directly to an answer requires a reputation level which I do not have. Perhaps David will see my answer and comment.
Thank you.