Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/212

 The Book of Genesis

194

enmity;

it

would have meant

that

Isaac Ijrought, not peace,

but warfare to his fellowmen, and was unworthy to be the

But love and forgiveness and patient

servant of the Lord.

forbearance meant peace and fellowship and an eternal cove-

The weak and

nant of brotherhood.

prone to



selfish

are

only

too

only the strong and generous can forgive and

The wise

yield.

sin

fight

from guard him thereafter,

rabbis used to say, "If one refrains

God

once, twice and thrice,

will

and he will triumpli over sin". So it was with Isaac. A charming story about Rabbi Aleir, the greatest disciple of Rabbi Akiba, shows the limits to which the true servant of the Lord will go in order to preserve peace. Rabbi Meir used to hold his lectures until

late in the evening.

woman, whose

for

thirsted

soul

A

certain

knowledge of the law of

God, used to attend his lectures. One evening she returned home from the school later than usual, and found her husband there before her, and enraged because she was not yet He at home and the evening meal had not been prepared. was a boor, altogether without appreciation of the Torah,

and thought only of his aj^petites and pleasures. When he heard that she had remained away so long just to listen to Rabbi Meir's lecture, his rage became extreme, and he drove her from the house and vowed that she should never return until she had first spat in the face of her revered teacher. Almost In sorrow and shame the woman left the house. unconsciously her feet carried her back to the school, whence she

had

departed

Slowlv

and

sadly

teacher

still

sat

the

])rop]iet

joyously entered

with a

Klijah

revealed to liim

When

so

she

how

had

few of

only the his

apj)eare(l

to

a

short

rcjom

chosen

Rabbi

time

before.

where the great disci])les.

Meir,

Now

and had

the cruel luisband liad treated his wife.

Rabbi Aleir saw the woman, he began to blink his Then he eyes and to rub them as if they troubled him. called out, "Does not someone here know a remedy for In those days it was a common belief that if sore eyes?"