(TW: Using the Talmud and Midrash to commit Heresy)
First off, I don't take any narrative in Genesis as literal truth at all even if I find it spiritually meaningful. I am of course, of the opinion that anything even remotely resembling hard historical fact starts around Exodus and Numbers. And even then, I'm not sure how much of it is distorted by the multi century long gap between when the events purportedly happened and when they were written down. I am also of the opinion that Judaism fundamentally grew out of the milieu of Syro-Mesopotamian and Hurro-Hittite religions that surrounded the ancient Israelites. It is of course, absolutely an evolution and a step forward in the same way that Homo Sapiens are more evolved than Homo Erectus, but to deny its roots is completely illogical in my opinion.
Because of this, I find comparing the Tanakh to other stories in the ancient semitic world incredibly valuable both spiritually and academically. Especially by seeing what Judaism chose to change and alter versus what they kept. Studying these ancient faiths can also help add context to various passages by putting them into the context of the religious and cultural norms of the time they were written down. Of course, this may sound denigrating to look for answers in scriptural interpretation in the Ugaritic Ba'al cycle and the Neo Babylonian Enuma Elish but it's also important to outreach with other small MENA ethnoreligions around today. Many of whom share ideas both with us and the Ancient Semitic, Hurro-Hittite, and Iranic religions that would also evolve and coalesce into Judaism. The key to this linkage both with the Ziggurates of Ur, and the Yazidis, Druze, and Mandaeans of the modern age is the biblical figure of Shem.
For those of you that don't know Shem is the third son of Noach and the ancestor of most peoples who speak semitic languages (Bereshis 9:18). Like his brother Japeth, Shem covered his drunken naked father and received a blessing instead of receiving a curse like Ham (Bereshis (9:20-27). For the record Ham isn't strictly the father of Africans, instead he was mainly the father of groups the Israelities didn't like, such as Egypt (Mitzrayim), Nimrod, the Canaanites (Canaan) and even the probably Indo-European Philistines (Through his Grandson Caphtor). It's entirely possible that Ethiopians and Nubians simply got caught in the crossfire because they were very closed to and partially related to the Egyptians. Especially as the Pharaohs of the period most of our earliest Hebrew texts come from (The 8th to 7th centuries BCE) were members of the purely Nubian 25th Dynasty that was in close contact with the monarchy in Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:9). Therefore, contrary to what racist asshats may think the curse of Ham wasn't black skin (The Philistines were described as fair, and most Canaanites resembled Israelites and modern Lebanese Maronite Christians), it was getting their asses handed to them by the Israelites in the biblical past.
Moving back from that tangent on taking biblical quotes out of context to fuel racism, let's return to the topic of Shem. Because Shem was the direct ancestor of Abraham it makes a lot of sense for Jews wanting to give Abraham an impressive pedigree for a Hellenistic gentile audience to start writing about Shem and how Abraham either inherited his library or studied with him in person (1). According to these texts such Pagan luminaries as Galen, Hippocrates and even the Greek demigod Asclepius used various medical treatise supposedly written by Shem. The fact that Nehushtan resembled the Greek symbol of Asclepius, a deity who had temples in and around Eretz Israel most likely did not go unnoticed by Jewish intellectuals (2). Shem's academy also gave pre-Mosaic patriarchs and Matriarchs somewhere and something to study (Bereshit Rabbah: 63: 10) thus making them more rabbinic figures who also poured over texts for secret meanings and consulted their seniors on matters of Jewish law.
In addition to his study hall, Shem was associated with the character of Melchizedek found in Genesis 18 (Nedarim 32b:6). The enigmatic priest of El Elyon who blesses Abraham after his war against the Babylonian and Elamite forces. In that same Talmudic section, it not only states that he was born circumcised thus putting him in quite an exclusive club, but also that he was the one who transmitted priesthood to Israel. Similarly his study hall/court also hosted the divine presence (Makkot 23b:12, Yoma 10a:1). Something those passages say had only happened three times in human history. In the non-rabbinic but contemporaneous, Qumran literature Melchizedek is also seen as the earthly incarnation of the Archangel Michael, while some Heikalot literature identified him as another angelic being (1). While this may seem odd to reference, it's quite clear that Jews deemed 'rabbinical' by Karaites had access to texts like these or texts with similar themes. Later on in the Zohar Melchizedek is hinted at as a potential past incarnation of the Messiah (Zohar Lech Lecha 240:24), and as a potential Partzuf of the Sefira of Malkuth (Idra Zutra 79). It's relatively obvious that the writers of these passages would've been familiar with the tradition that Shem and Melchizedek were the same person.
Ironically this high esteem for Shem may not simply come from his ancestral status but also his name. In second temple and heterodox Rabbinic Judaism there was this idea of G-d's name as a hypostatic entity that could reside inside or rest on human beings allowing them to act as superhuman, possibly even super angelic intermediaries (3). With the idea that this name somehow contained all divine knowledge and even had an accompanying angel in the form of either Yahoel or Metatron, beings that though not identical with the name did act as the ultimate wielders and guardians of the name if not direct emanations of the name which emanates from G-d (3). This theology was known as Shem theology as opposed to the image focused Kavod theology, so it becomes pretty obvious who the Rabbis and other interpreters would assume the Shem of G-d definitely rested on (3).
In fact, it's quite possible that some commentators may even have thought that Shem was an actual incarnation of Yahoel or Metatron. Before everyone gets their undergarments in a twist, the main issue between Jewish and Christian theology is the idea that G-d cannot incarnate as a human. This does not mean that angels including incredibly important ones can't incarnate, possess people, or even shape embryos in their likeness (4). In the Merkavah Rabbah, Rabbi Ishmael Hakohen is said to be either the son, the image, or the earthly double of the archangel Gabriel whom he receives his power from (4). Indeed, angelic doubles or personal angels are mentioned in a literal translation of Tractate Kallah 3:4 when Rabbi Akiba argues with some other sages is, "How dare the angel of your heart transgress the words of your colleagues.". Therefore, rather than Shem being seen as exceptional for having an angelic aspect it'd be more likely that Shem's importance came from having a much more important angel in that role than most people. As well as offering an easy way to tie rabbinic doctrine into popular ideas of Melchizedek being intimately connected with high-ranking angels. More importantly unlike most people, Shem would probably be intimately aware of said personal angel.
Because of his relatively high-ranking status and role as a source of esoteric wisdom it'd make sense that he'd at least teach his sons certain things regarding theology and cosmology. Even if over time, said knowledge became garbled and corrupted over time. The sons of Shem are Arphaxad (Jews, Chaldeans, Sumerians, and Akkadians), Lud (Kurds and Anatolians), Elam (Medes and other southern Iranians), Ashur (Assyrians), and Aram (Amorites and other related groups). Therefore, the religions of those groups descended at least partially from the teachings of Shem who in some circles was a figure superior to Noah, and Avraham, and potentially equal to Enoch, Jacob, and Moses in some respects.
Indeed, there is precedence for giving less favored sons secret knowledge as a consolation prize in Jewish texts. Avraham gives his other sons occult secrets as a gift in Sanhedrin 91a. Mysteries that Medieval Kabbalists would consider somewhat unsavory but important to being a fully realized mystic capable of enacting Tikkun on the divine.
As a pre-Diluvian and thus pre-Jewish patriarch, Shem also acts as a backdoor for non-Jewish ideas by putting them within the Jewish tradition. Because it was claimed that Galen and Hippocrates got their knowledge from Shem (1), it was therefore allowed to bring some of their ideas into Jewish thought on the basis that Jews were simply retrieving them. A similar process was applied to Hermetic literature by implying that Hermes Trismegistus was either Moses or Enoch (5). Indeed, in Avodah Zarah 43a:5, using amulets with pagan gods such as Apis or Isis was allowed under the assumption that they represented biblical figures such as Joseph or Eve. Figures that if their amulets worked even if made by Akumim meant that these figures had some powers in and of themselves.
Lastly, unlike in Islam Judaism has an idea of an evolving covenant that continually gets added onto by various divine revelations. The Covenant of the sons of Noah was the precursor to the Covenant of Abraham, which was the precursor to the Covenant at Sinai, which included and preceded the covenant of David. None of these covenants is rendered invalid but it's clear that they aren't all revealed at the same time. So at least for certain groups of people those covenants are still valid even if they aren't members of the Mosaic covenant. Of course, the ancient Mesopotamians and Amorites didn't follow the 7 Noachide laws. But there are groups that explicitly claim Shem as a prophet (Or syncretize another figure to Shem) today that follow these laws assuming one takes Shituf into account.
These groups are the Yazidis, the Druze, the Mandaeans, the Yarnasans, the Alawis, and to a lesser extent, Zoroastrians and Nestorian Christians. All of which are like us, in that they're small persecuted Near Eastern Ethno-Religions. Groups that have found common ground with the Jews while living in diaspora (6). So much so that one Mandaean was shocked with how similar Mandaeans were to the Hasidic Jews he worked with (7). More importantly many of these groups share similar esoteric doctrines to Judaism, including the role of the alphabet in creation, reincarnation, angels incarnating into humans throughout history, angelic doubles, Enoch is Metatron, ostensible monotheism focused on the G-d worshipped by the antediluvian patriarchs, a reluctance to accept converts, the importance of the antediluvian patriarchs, a world soul, as well as an aversion to Pork. Therefore, I'd like to propose a fourth major covenant given to these groups that keep the Noachide laws, the covenant of Shem. Who entrusted the secrets of the universe to his children so that they may heal the world.
More importantly these are esoteric doctrines that Nicene Christians and non-Sufi Muslim don't accept due to their wars on heresy. These are the same esoteric doctrines that Groypers and Anti-Semitic Fundamentalists cite as reasons why Rabbinic Judaism is 'Satanic' or 'evil'. These groups are also metaphorical children of Shem but ones that denied their heritage. Creeds that have disowned Shem and turned to persecute their brothers under the unconscious urgings of Ur, of Habtar, of Samael. By denying or mystical traditions, by shoving Kabbalah under the rug, by considering Heikalot and Shi'ur Qomah as shameful works contaminated by foreign superstition, we potentially risk the same outcome. To become the same Sadducees that our Rabbis fought against for the sake of majority approval in the vain hope that said majority won't persecute us. This isn't to say that mainstream Christianity and Islam won't rejoin the covenant of Shem. Maybe someday they will, but until then it's important to focus on those who still hold this covenant, and as the most numerous and powerful community in this group we should make it our duty to protect them. If we do follow this route, and keep our responsibility to our partners, than who knows, maybe the court of Shem will be rebuilt and once more the Divine Presence shall dwell within it.
Non-Primary Source Bibliography
1.Reeves, John C. Heralds of that good realm syro-mesopotamian gnosis and Jewish traditions. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1996.
2. McCasland, S. Vernon. “The Asklepios Cult in Palestine.” Journal of Biblical Literature 58, no. 3 (1939): 221–27. https://doi.org/10.2307/3259486.
3.Orlov, Andrei A. “Praxis of the Voice: The Divine Name Traditions in the ‘Apocalypse of Abraham.’” Journal of Biblical Literature 127, no. 1 (2008): 53–70. https://doi.org/10.2307/25610106.
4. Idel, Moshe. Ben: Sonship and Jewish mysticism. Continuum, 2008.
5.Lelli, Fabrizio. "Hermes among the Jews: Hermetica as Hebraica from antiquity to the Renaissance." Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft 2, no. 2 (2007): 111+. Gale Literature Resource Center (accessed February 17, 2025). https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A171889288/LitRC?u=anon~68c01c5c&sid=googleScholar&xid=ac6d5f42.
Russell, Gerard. Heirs to forgotten kingdoms: Journeys into the disappearing religions of the Middle East. New York: Basic Books, a member of the Perseus Books Group, 2015.
7. Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen. The Mandaeans: Ancient texts and modern people. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.
