Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/25

 The Jemish Religion

7

most primitive beginnings down to our own present day aye, even down to tomorrow, if we can but raise the curtain of the future but a Httle, and behold the stage set for tomorrow's act. However, we are unable to trace our history in all its The most we can do is to details back to its actual origin. begin with the earliest period of our Bible narrative and follow the history of our people and our religion through

and centuries, noting the fortunes and through all these, whether good or ill, the ever-growing knowledge of God and of the meaning of life, and the constantly expanding consciousness We are, of mission and message, down to our own day. in a very real and positive sense, as important actors upon the stage of Jewish history as were the heroes and sages of successive

which

old.

generations

befell

We

them,

are the heirs of

all

our glorious past.

Jews we must know what Judaism is. what Judaism is only when we know

its

not merely in Bible times, but throughout

knowing Jewish history

thus,

we can

light of present times, conditions,

make Judaism what

it

To

And we

be true

know

can

complete history,

all

and when,

ages,

reinterpret

it

in

the

and needs, and can thereby

has alw^ays been in truth, not merely

a religion of the past, but also a religion of the present and the

future, a religion of God's true life on earth.

vast knowledge, and given only to the few to

It

know

is

a

with

any degree of fulness. Yet upon every Jew rests the duty of learning all of Judaism that he can, that through it he may come to feel as a Jew, think as a Jew, and interpret life

and duty as a Jew.

The Periods of Jezmsh History It

is

a

fallacy

of

a

large public,

sadly unfamiliar with

Jewish tradition and literature, that the Bible is our only book, and that all our history is contained in the Biblical