Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/195

 The Wooing of Rcbckah ury.

Still

her love and faith

in

her husband buoyed her

u])

and made her happy. But Akiba's heart was as he saw his loved one suffering so bravely and uncomplainingly, and thought of all that she had sacrificed for his They were compelled to live in a miserable hovel and sake. sleep upon a couch of straw even in midwinter. One cold day they heard a knock on their door. A ])oor man, trembling and in rags worse than theirs, asked for a for his sick wife. little straw, that he might have a bed Then they realized that there wxre human beings even poorer and more wretched than themselves, and they thanked God, The poor man, despite their poverty, for all His blessings. so the rabbis told, w^as the prophet Elijah, who had come in this guise to comfort and encourage them in their misery. And he had encouraged them. Up to this time Akiba torn with grief

had not had the heart go and study a

man

to

young wife, to seemed hopeless for Nor had his brave, young

leave his beloved

the great schools.

in

of forty to begin to study.

It

wife been quite brave enough to bid him leave her.

courage came

to

both.

Bravely she

bravely he set out to study and learn,

Now

him forth, and and to become a wise was a difficult undersent

man, teacher and leader in Israel. It taking. He had to begin with the little children to learn his letters. But the thought of his noble wife and of all her And at last, at the end of loving sacrifice spurred him on. twelve long years, he thought he had learned enough to warrant

his returning to her.

Meanwhile things had gone badly with her. Sternly her Time and again she was on the father had kept his vow. Yet she labored on and sent all that verge of starvation. she could earn in one

way

or another to her husband, that

he might continue untroubled ter,

at

when her earnings had been

less

And

one win-

than usual, she even

market place and sold her beautiful, long might send him some assistance.

stole forth into the tresses, that she

his studies.