Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/177

 159

TJie Sacrifice of Isaac

pected so

much from him and from

his

..

descendants,

the

children of Israel".

But not only Abraham did God try thus. He tries everyin some way. Some He tries just as severely as He Others, from whom, perhaps, He expects tried Abraham. But all people not quite so much. He tries less severely. must be tried in some way, and their fitness for God's service proved. A wise and good rabbi of old, it is told, sufHe was blind and crippled in hands and fered very much. Many feet, and was dependent upon others for everything. Yet of everything additional misfortunes, too, befell him. That he said, gam zii rtovah, "This, also, is for good". was complete trust in God. The following story is told of his pupil, the well-known Rabbi Akiba. He was compelled by persecution to leave his home and wander about in a sparsely settled country, with only an ass, upon which he rode, a cock which would wake him in the morning, and a lamp, by the light of which he used to study the Torah until late into the night. Once, just at nightfall, he came to a village and asked for lodging. But the churlish people, very much like the inhabitants of Sodom, refused, and Rabbi Akiba was compelled to spend the night shelterless in a nearby wood. He consoled himself with the thought, *'God is just; no doubt, as my beloved master taught me, this, too, is for good". He lit his lamp and prepared to study. But scarcely had he commenced, when a sudden gust of wind blew out the light, and he could not rekindle it. Soon a So he lay down to sleep. wolf came and killed the cock then a lion carried away the ass. But Rabbi Akiba piously remarked, "This, too, must be for good", and he thanked God for having spared his life. Early in the morning he arose and went back to the village to purchase food. But to his surprise, he found not a single person alive. During the night robbers had killed all the inhabitants and carried away all their property.

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