Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/180

 The Book of Genesis

162

it

is

used as

Master,

it

nor can we know the purpose of our

is;

why some He

tries

so hghtly that they barely

feel

His touch, and to others He deals His heavy blows, blow upon blow, until they tremble and writhe and cry out in Yet the Master's purpose is sure, is wise and good, and laden with blessing for all mankind, greater far than all our suffering. Of this we may be certain, and in Him jjain.

we should

ever trust.

whom He

And

perhaps, as the rabbis suggested,

for His greatest work, He tries most severely, to see if they are ready and ht. And, as the story implied, not only Abraham was tried, but also Isaac. For it must have be^n indeed a severe trial and test of Isaac's faith and courage, when he felt himself bound upon the altar, and beheld the knife in his father's hand, upraised to take his life. In that moment he might well have doubted his father's love, and questioned God's wisdom and providence. But the rabbis told that, although

those

is

calling

only a lad, Isaac never faltered nor lost faith, not even for a single moment.

Bravely and loyally he urged his father

performance of his duty, and to strike blow which would sacrifice him at God's command. Thereby he proved himself a worthy son of Abraham, ecjual to his father in faith in God and unflinching devotion to duty, and fit to become his successor in the service for which God had called Abraham and his ])osterity. And not Abraham and Isaac alone has God tested by this most bitter trial, but also their descendants, the children of Israel. All Israel God has called as His servant, and charged to do His work and be a blessing unto all mankind, to be steadfast in the

the

even as

1

le called to

Abraham.

And

continually, to learn whether they

all

Israel

God

were ready and

has tried

fit.

Israel

has sufiered greater hardship and oppression than any other people upon the earth.

been driven persecuted.

For thousands of years Israel has from place to place, homeless, friendless, and Time and again Jewish fathers and mothers