Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/113

 The Tower of Babel mail

is

God

a social being, has been created by

own

his

95

ends,

selfish

but to

Hve with

not to seek

fellowmen,

his

his

and share with them the general responsibility, and them for the common good. But, since man is endowed with the power to choose between right and wrong, what happens if man chooses the wrong, and not only refuses to apply his powers and gifts to their appointed uses, but even applies them deliberately to base uses ? The flood story answers that man is responsible to God for the good or evil

l)rothers,

labor with

of

his

life,

and

that

God

punishes

the

evil

even

He

as

rewards the good, for He is primarily a God of justice; but His justice is tempered by mercy; therefore He punishes only reluctantly and the possibility

late,

and constantly holds out to man forgiveness and renewed

repentance and

of

right living.

Thus far these have been universal questions and probThey deal wnth the relation of all mankind to God. has created all men for the same purpose of good, and God demands from all men certain positive standards of life and

lems.

There

conduct.

is

a universal, ethical law

for

all

even, in a way, also a certain universal ritual law,

up

in the

hibition

men, and

summed

proper observance of the Sabbath and in the pro-

of eating blood.

men must conform

All

to

these

laws

But what understand

mankind

if

how

forgets

these

laws,

or

does

not

them correctly? The Tower of God has in His wisdom and love pro-

to evaluate

Babel story hints that

He will not destroy sinning He will raise up one little people. His whom He will train and discipline and pre-

vided for even this contingency.

mankind



instead

chosen people,

pare to receive a life,

tliat

this

full

people

and concrete statement of His law of

may

live

first

in

accordance with

this

and may then undertake its appointed task of bringing the knowledge of Therebv all men will come this law to the rest of mankind.

law and come to understand

it

thoroughly,