The designation applied to the three fathers of the Jewish people, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel). Traditionally, Jews refer to each of them as "Our father Abraham." The Bible and the Midrash see them as spiritual models for the Jewish people and among the founders of its tradition, its national and religious consciousness, its faith in the one God, and its affinity to Eretz Israel. The Midrash also describes them as living the full Jewish way of life as presented in the Torah and elaborated by the talmudic sages, and ascribes to them the institution of the three daily prayers.
Abraham symbolizes the quality of hesed (kindness, hospitality, grace), Isaac, the quality of justice, and Jacob symbolizes compassion. Late rabbinic literature has dealt with their status in detail, speaking of a "patriarchal merit" that stands ready to safeguard Jewish individuals, the Jewish people as a whole, and the entire world against evil.
