Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/146

 The Book of Genesis

128

XOTKS The which

picture of is

Abraham

served, and of the

and of the meal the open space have seen in a pre-

sitting at his tent-door,

manner

of serving

it

in

We is typically nomadic. Al^raham is represented as living the life of a typical nomad, such as a wealthy Beduin sheikh would live today. before the tent-door, lesson

vious

that

A Modern Nomad V.

2.

Tent

There are various modes of bowing

in

the

Orient.

The

Hebrew verb used

here denotes a complete prostration of the body. In this the person bends the knees, and then gradually inclines the

body until the head touches the ground; cf. XXIIT, 7. XLIII, 26. This is the extreme form of bowing, and

12:

XLIT, 6;

is

indicative

of the desire to accord the highest possible honor. In the Orient where only sandals are worn, washing the one of the most indispensable acts of the toilet, and one of the most characteristic services of hospitality; cf. XXI', 42. The tree here is the largest and most striking tree of the grove, in whose shade Abraliam's tent is pitched. Cf. note to XIV, 13. V. 6. Bread or cakes (however, not cakes in our sense, but small, round loaves of bread), are in the nomad households not prepared in quantities and stored for several days, but are baked fresh

V.

feet

is

4.