Abraham’s Gifts to the East: The Biblical Roots of Eastern Spiritual Wisdom

For many years, there has been a trend among young people to travel to the Far East in search of a hidden meaning to existence and a connection to the spiritual dimension of creation. The Far East is often perceived as a place where one can find the gateway to deep and hidden wisdom. Indeed, the East does contain various forms of knowledge and spiritual methods, but where did the sages of the East first acquire this knowledge? From whom did they originally learn the secrets of the wisdom they possess?

The answer can be found within the Torah itself. The Torah tells us that Abraham had sons by a woman named Keturah, who was his concubine. These sons were sent by him to the lands of the East after he gave them gifts: “And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. But to the sons of the concubines that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, to the land of the East” (Genesis 25:5–6).

The biblical name for the eastern lands is Kedem, and there are multiple references in the Tanach where the East is called Kedem. For example: “On the east side, toward the sunrise” (Exodus 27:13), which Rashi explains as: “The face of the east is called Kedem — the word for ‘front,’ whereas ‘west’ is called ‘back.’ Thus, the east is called Kedem because it is the ‘front,’ and the west is the ‘back.’” Another example: “Their inheritance was beyond the Jordan at Jericho, eastward, toward the sunrise” (Numbers 34:15), meaning that the eastern side of the Jordan is called Kedem.

The Torah tells us that Abraham gave all his material possessions to Isaac, as well as all the spiritual treasures, including the secrets of divine spiritual forces. To the sons of Keturah, he gave deep wisdom in the realm of the natural and energetic forces of the world and of the human being.

The Talmud states that to the sons of Keturah, Abraham “gave them a name of impurity” (Sanhedrin 91a), meaning that the wisdom he gave them could be used even when a person was not in a state of holiness — when spiritually impure, which is why it is called a “name of impurity.” Abraham knew his sons from Keturah, and he did not trust that they and their descendants would guard themselves from the impurity of negative spiritual forces such as sorcery or idolatry. Therefore, he did not give them secrets that could be used only in holiness. Indeed, over generations, the original wisdom in the Far East became mixed with many elements of idolatry and the use of impure spiritual forces.

Interestingly, Hindu priests are called Brahmins, which closely resembles Avraham (Abraham), the giver of this wisdom.

Escape from Life or Face Life’s Challenges?

At the heart of Buddhism stands its proposed “solution” to the suffering that exists in life. This religion claims that the world is a place of despair, disappointment, and pain, and that to be free of these feelings, one must avoid hopes, desires, aspirations, and needs. Its claim is that a life of asceticism and withdrawal from human society will grant a person spiritual liberation and bring them to the ideal state.

The goal of meditation in Buddhism for example, is to achieve a state of mental emptiness, by quieting the mind and neutralizing one’s self-awareness. However, Buddhism does not deal with connecting to the Creator of the universe or to the ultimate purpose for which the world and humanity were created. Instead, it focuses solely on escaping suffering, without answering the deeper questions of why does suffering exist? Who created it? Does it have meaning? Judaism provides deep and comprehensive answers to these and many more questions.

Beyond the fact that Buddhism is a human-made religion while Judaism originates from the Creator of the universe, and beyond the fact that Buddhism does not lead a person to their ultimate life purpose, while Judaism leads a person to both spiritual and personal fulfillment, the vast difference between the two can be seen clearly in their approaches to life:

• Buddhism seeks escape from life; Judaism teaches how to face and overcome life’s challenges.

• Buddhism seeks detachment from the material; Judaism teaches how to sanctify the material.

• Buddhism seeks disconnection; Judaism teaches connection between body and soul, between you and yourself, and between you and the Creator.