Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/142

 The Book of Genesis

124

down

upon the head of the ventureenergy and vitality. Then people generally seek refuge from the heat. But apparently these three men had no place whither they might turn, until Abraham ran to them and urged them to rest and refresh themselves in his tent. Then he prepared for them a sumptuous meal, from the standpoint of that day a veritable banquet, and, as the final mark of respect, he waited upon them Palestine, beats

some

The

himself. in

his

rabbis of old called attention to the fact that

words Abraham invited the travelers

his

themselves

fresh

cruelly

and consumes

traveler,

piece

of

to

far

remarked,

the

best

worth, to promise

little

hospitality in

and

re-

actually

he

rest

but

bread,

more than he had promised.

offered them is

a

w^ith

This, they

and the truest

words, but to give

much

sign

of

in deeds.

Now^ why was Abraham so urgent that these travelers accept

liis

pitality

is

Of

hospitality?

was touched by

their

course, partly because his heart

plight



but even more, because hos-

Because of

indeed a great virtue.

and many similar

stories

this

incident,

about him, Aljraham has always

been regarded, not only by Jews, but by all men, as the |)atThe wise rabbis used to tell that

tern of true hospitality.

Abraham's

tent

so

w^as

situated that

he could look out on

anyone was coming, to whom he might offer his hospitality. And he always kept the sides of his tent raised, so that he might not miss a single oppor-

all

four sides to see

if

Anyone who has

tunity.

ever

traveled

in

the

Orient,

or

has read extensively about travel there, will a])])reciate what this

means.

hotels

at

all

Until in

the

comparatively

recently

Instead people

East.

there were no would take the

stranger into their homes, and entertain him for as long as

he would stay.

In

fact

it

was thought

that

the

stranger

might demand food and

had a right to be entertained, lie lodging from anyone, and it would be a contemptible churl who would refuse. Occasionally though there were such, and we shall hear of some in our verv next lesson. But in