Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/19



Judaism is essentially a religion of this life and this world. Other religions may stress the though that this world is merely the preparation for the world to come, that there lies the goal of all existence, and that we must live in this life to the end and in such manner that we may attain to the life hereafter. But Judaism holds no such view. True, it affirms the doctrine of future life and of reward and punishment. But it is never magnified the other world at the expense of this. On the contrary, it teaches that this life is worth living for its own sake, that this world and all that it contains are good, that they were created by God for some purpose of good, and that man was put here by God to help realize by his own living this ultimate purpose of good. Judaism has, therefore, concerned itself chiefly with the tasks, duties and ideals of this life, assured that if this life be but well lived, the future, however it may be, will care for itself. Not salvation in the future world was its chief aim and concern, but faithful, conscientious performance of the daily, and often burdensome duties of this world. It has always cherished faith highly; but it was ever a true faith, which expressed itself in the lifelong conviction of the existence of one God, to know whom and to walk in whose way, daily and hourly, is man's supreme duty. Faith, in Judaism, could, and can, live and grow only with an ever-