Taré

Terah, Tareh, or Teraj (Hebrew תרח Terah) was the father of Abraham mentioned in the Bible. He emigrated with his family from Ur in Chaldea to Haran in Mesopotamia where he died at the age of 205. Genesis 11: 24-32

Biblical story

According to the book of Genesis chapter 11, Terah was the son of Nahor, who was the son of Serug, who was the son of Reu, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of Eber, who was the son of Salah, who was the son of of Arphaxad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah. According to the Old Testament Terah had three sons: Abram, Haran, and Nahor, and at least one daughter, Sarah, who was Abraham's wife and half-sister. where his son Haran died, leaving his son Lot. Later Terah emigrated with Abraham, his grandson Lot and their families. He tried to reach Canaan but they settled in Haran where he died at the age of 205. Abram continued his journey to Canaan when Terah was 145. The Bible also states that Terah worshiped other gods.

Post-biblical Jewish tradition

The Midrash holds that Terah was evil. In Numbers Rabbah 19:1 and 19:33, Rabbi Hiyya points out that Terah was a maker of idols and narrates the following story: Once Terah had to leave and left Abraham taking care of the business. A woman came with a bowl full of flour and asked Abraham to let her offer it to idols. Abraham taking a stick broke the idols and put the stick in the hands of the larger idol. When Terah returned he asked her to tell him what he had done. Abraham replied that the idols had fought among themselves and that the largest had destroyed the others with a stick. "Why do you make fun of me?" Terah cried, "do they have any discernment?" Abraham replied, "Listen to what you are saying!" So Terah sent Abraham to King Nimrod to punish him. The Zohar says that when God saved Abraham from the furnace he was put in, Terah repented. Rabbi Abba b. Kahana says that God assured Abraham that his father Terah would have a portion in the world to come (Olam HaBá in Hebrew).

Islamic tradition

Several passages in the Qur'an describe the story of Ibrahim (Abraham) and his father. The name given to Terah in the Qur'an is Azar, although Arab scholars point out that Ibrahim's father's name is Tarih. Early Muslims debated whether Azar was an alternate name for Tarih, just as Israel is the alternate name for Jacob, or whether it was actually the name of an idol. Many Sunni and Shia Qur'anic commentators also mention the view that Azar was Ibrahim's paternal uncle or maternal grandfather rather than his father. The Muslim account is very similar to that of the Jewish tradition: Azar was a polytheist whose profession was making wooden idols. One day the family leaves the place to go to a celebration, leaving Ibrahim alone. So Ibrahim destroys all the idols except the biggest one. When they all return, they ask Ibrahim what had happened and he tells them that the biggest one had destroyed the others. As punishment he was put into a fiery furnace but was unharmed because of his trust in God.

The place

Terah is also the name of a place where the Israelites stopped during the Exodus.