Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/140

 122

Tlic

Book of Genesis

Lesson l

ABRAHAM'S HOSPITALITY XVJII

(Genesis

W'lien he

He verbs

that

is

XIX,

Read 'J'luts

saw them he ran

to

1-16)

(Genesis XVJII,

meet them.

gracious unto the poor lendeth unto the Lord.

2.)

(Pro-

17.)

LVIII,

Isaiah

far

6-12.

Abraham had

stood God's

with Lot had proved his willingness to

The

test.

make

incident

great sacrifices

order to preserve peace. Yet Lot was a near kinsman, and frequently we will do for those who are close to us things which we would be unwilling to do for others. Furin

thermore, the duty of preserving peace with Lot had, as were, come of

its

not be put aside.

maintain

the

old

own accord

to

He had had relations

of

it

Abraham's door, and could to

do something

confidence

and

at

once

affection,

to

or

would have been severed forever. Indecision, or inwould not have helped. But there are many duties in life, which do not seek us out, but which we must seek, if we would perform them. It is so easy to shut our eyes to duties like these, and refuse to see them, to fold our hands, and refuse to do them. These are only sins of omission, as they are called, and to many, if not most people such sins seem negligible, hardly sins at all. However, one of the wisest of the ancient rabbis use'd to say, "Be as diligent in the performance of a small duty as in the performance of a great one". He who would go upon the mission of God, and perform His service these

action, or shutting the eyes