Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/40

 ;

The Book of Coicsis

22

the central theme of the

makes them both the

of

cycle

first

unit

a

stories

Ahraham in in

stories, which and a unit with I-XI and with the Jacob and

cycle of

themselves,

which follow. For to a certain, though less marked degree, not only Abraham, but also Jacol) and Joseph are prototypes of Israel

Joseph cycles

or rather God's relation with these two jxitriarchs

God's relation with discharge but

if

its

Israel.

all

Israel

typihes

might faithfully

must not only be tested and proved, vices, and do lack any of the the former must first be eradicated and the

mission,

it

do possess faults and

it

requisite virtues,

developed, before

latter

That

Above

all

ceit, if

such exist

can be ready for God's service.

it

and demust give way to unselfishness, capacity for self-sacrifice, and perfect righteousness. He alone who, in his eagerness to serve God and fellowmen truly, can forget self and personal advantage entirely, is God works only with perfect worthy of the divine call. tools. For His service He selects the best tools available. But if these best tools be still imperfect, they must be corrected and made right, that they may be fit for God's use. Israel was the best tool for God's service, the story tells us, and these Biblical writers would have us believe, better than of

else the vices of selfishness, covetousness

Ishmael or Edom,

Abraham.

first to

But even so

other

the

it

was not

Israel

It

])erfect.

It

had

might become ready

the earth.

of

Then only

the soul. is

But such purification is trial and suft'ering and inclination is purged from

demands years of

bitter struggle, until at last all evil

chapters

it

descendants

as a precious birthright, of bringing blessing

families

never easy.

Such

traditional

on the work committed to Al)raham, and which had

descended to all

the

be purified and ennobled, that

to carry

to

at all in Israel,

the tool ready and fit for God's use. theme of the third portion of Genesis,

is

the central

XXV, 19-XXXVI.

Here, too, a number of ancient

legends were emjiloyed by the authors in order to give con-