Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/174

156 Isaac is the answer to this question. It is the climax of the Abraham cycle of stories.

This story, like that of the garden of Eden, is recognized as one of the classics of the world's literature. The author's art is incomparable. Although the story proper is told in only fifteen short verses, it is complete and perfect in every detail. The little artless child, with his simple, naive questions, trusting so implicitly in his old father, and the father, silent and grief-stricken, yet steadfast in his faith in God, command our admiration and sympathy. We constantly ask ourselves, "Will the old man actually sacrifice his beloved son, and will God allow him to do so?" Isaac's simple question, "Where is the lamb for the sacrifice?" is dramatic in the extreme. It expresses the very point of the story. And equally dramatic is Abraham's answer, "God will provide the lamb". For all unconsciously, in these words, as well as in those to the two servants, "I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship and come back to you", Abraham has hinted at the real outcome of the story. He thought at the moment that he alone would come back. But actually both were to return. The ancient rabbis said that through prophetic inspiration Abraham foretold the true end of the journey. But had Abraham thus foreseen the outcome of this adventure, there would have been no real trial of his faith, and no point to this story. And so we know that the dramatic effect of his words is due entirely to the author's consummate art.

But besides surpassing artistic merit, the story itself is, because of the spiritual lesson it conveys, sublime and inspiring to the highest degree. Hardly any other story in the Bible equals, and certainly none surpasses it in this respect. Partly because of this. this chapter has become the traditional passage from the Torah read in every synagogue on Rosh Hashonah,

Historically the story had a twofold purpose. On the