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As I understand it, God created Adam, who had direct communications with God.

According to the questions and answers in these four questions, at the time of Avraham the existence of God had been lost to humanity.

I also reviewed 1 & 2 prior to asking they shed some light on the relationship between belief in God and being Jewish. It looks like Avraham was the first Jew and Adam was the last man prior to him who spoke with God.

Was there any recognize of God between Adam and Avraham?

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    Hey James, welcome to Mi Yodeya, and thank you for your interesting question, +1.
    – MTL
    Oct 12, 2014 at 0:29
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    It appears that Shem (Malkitzedek) was considered a kohen of Hashem and Yaakov studied at the Yeshiva of Shem vaEiver. This meant that they did continue to recognize Hashem, but could not succeed in spreading it or passing it on as Avraham Yitzchak and Yaakov did. Also see the question about what happened to the "souls that Avraham made". Oct 12, 2014 at 2:08

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Yehuda Halevi in the Kuzari 1:47, (translated), says that there is a chain of sainted individuals from Adam, Seth and Enosh to Noah; then Shem and Eber to Abraham; then Isaac and Jacob to Moses. The chronology in Genesis, by which we date, was established through those Godly people, who were individuals among many children who fell short of such a level, (until the 12 sons of Jacob).

So according to this, it seems that Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah, and Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, and Terah, Abraham's father, recognized God between Adam and Abraham.

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    Downvoter, how can I improve my answer?
    – Baby Seal
    Oct 13, 2014 at 1:20
  • Is it clear that all those people were believers? Maybe the chain skipped a generation because a grandfather talked to his grandson (or something like that)? That would still form a continuous chain.
    – Double AA
    Oct 13, 2014 at 2:29
  • @DoubleAA Halevi is talking about dating when he mentions these individuals. I'm fairly certain all of the above are necessary to span from Adam to Abraham: ולכן נמנה המנין לפי האלוהיים לבד
    – Baby Seal
    Oct 13, 2014 at 13:47
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    @DoubleAA so its not a matter of "mesora", that he's discussing. Its a matter of the noteworthiness of the individuals that are mentioned for dating purposes.
    – Baby Seal
    Oct 13, 2014 at 13:48
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Chanoch (Enoch) and Noach, at the very least.

Chanoch, as it says:

ויתהלך חנוך את-האלוהים, אחרי הולידו את-מתושלח, שלוש מאות, שנה; ויולד בנים, ובנות. ויהי, כל-ימי חנוך, חמש ושישים שנה, ושלוש מאות שנה. ויתהלך חנוך, את-האלוהים; ואיננו, כי-לקח אותו אלוהים. Bereishit 5:22-24

Noach, it is clear, as he merited to be saved from the flood.

אלה, תולדות נוח--נוח איש צדיק תמים היה, בדורותיו: את-האלוהים, התהלך-נוח. Bereishit 6:9

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    One more, sort of: Bereishit 4:26 says that Seth begat Enosh, and (Chabad's translation)"it became common to call on the Name of ****" or (JPS translation)"then began men to call upon the name of ****". Both ways seem to imply that some people at that time recognized HaShem. Rashi says that the way they did it was idolatry, however.
    – Gary
    Oct 11, 2014 at 22:54
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There was never actually a period in which GOD was not recognized. Shem and Ever were transferring the knowledge well before Avraham. Shem and Ever taught Torah to Yakov Avinu -- Rashi Bereishit 28:9. They certainly didn't learn it by themselves, but just passed the tradition which was never completely forgotten from Adam.
Some say that the true meaning of being "ivri" means believing in one G-d, because of "Ever" who passed the tradition of monotheism to the forefathers.

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  • I am not sure that is true, according to @MonicaCellio answer here "Avraham deduces the existence of God" implying his existence had been lost to humanity and/or to his people. Oct 12, 2014 at 20:51
  • Oh....I though something like 37:3 or 25:22 might be more direct, but your verse works too. [ Disclaimer: did not read the whole Rashi you linked to, and found my own through a search engine just now :P ]
    – MTL
    Oct 13, 2014 at 5:33

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