The Patriarchs, known as the Avot in Hebrew, are Abraham, his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. Collectively, they are referred to as the three patriarchs (sh'loshet ha-avot) of Judaism, and the period in which they lived is known as the patriarchal period.
Their primary wives – Sarah (wife of Abraham), Rebecca (wife of Isaac), and Leah and Rachel (the wives of Jacob) – are known as the Matriarchs.
Thus, classical Judaism considers itself to have three patriarchs and four matriarchs.
Other uses
In more general terms, a patriarch is a man who exercises autocratic authority over an extended family; a man who is the head of a household. By extension, the title "Patriarch" is given to various senior bishops in certain strains of Christianity.
See also
