Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/120

 The Book of Genesis

102

It

God's

is

always best

do the

to

once, and

at

call

to

to

hearken to

shall

learn later

gladly,

v(jrk

we

answer, as

Abraham answered, "Here am I", that is, "Here am I, ready to do Thy work". There is so much good to be done, and men have so many needs to serve, that (lod really calls He calls when we are little children, and He to every one. that

continues to

call

we

ever good

throughout our

everyone can be

lives, to

and thus be blessings

can,

Abraham,

like

if

do His work, whatAnd to mankind.

only he wills to be, and

is

not too lazy and selfish.

But God's call was not to Abraham alone. It was not. just Abraham, the one man, through whom all mankind was to learn about God, and was thus to be blessed, but the whole people, Israel, Abraham's descendants. Abraham is, as was said in the Introduction, the model and type of all The words, "Be thou a blessing", were spoken quite Israel.

much God has

as

to

all

Israel,

called all

and therefore

to

at all times to

be a blessing, to

Jews

every single Jew. live

and to teach the world, more by example and influence than by actual words, what it means to serve Him truly, and to live as He has meant that all

pure, noble and holy

lives,

rrkankind should live.

Ye are My witnesses, And My servant whom

the Lord. have chosen.

saith I

These words were spoken by (lod to all Israel through one They express fully and conof His inspired prophets. vincingly the truth of God's choice of Israel and the service

He

has called Israel to do. Israel's

many

history,

respects.

We

too,

may

upon which Abraham and peace in Canaan.

has been like that of l)e

sure that

it

liad to go, until

Abraham

in

was no easy journey he at

last

found

rest

It meant the sacrifice at God's command of all that he then held dear, native land and birthl)lace and father's house, all the loved ones at home, all the