Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/63

 The Story of Creation and

story

the

flood-story.

In

their

original

45 form

these

stories

would, at the most, have had only a passing interest for the student It was Israel's religious genius which of archaeology or history. breathed into them a spiritual truth and universal message which

and live not for Israel alone, hut for all men and all borrowed, yes, but it borrowed something that was almost worthless it touched this with the magic wand of its spirit, and thereby transformed it into something of eternal, priceless value. In voicing this spirit of Judaism, the old myths have become new and living stories, in which the spiritual element contributed by Judaism is greater and of vaster significance than the frame wc»rk

made them

live,

Israel

ages.



and

few

the

details

borrowed

from

the

Babylonian.

The

old

Babylonian myth was lost and forgotten two thousand years ago. It is the Jewish story which has lived, because of the Jewish spirit and the Jewish truth contained in it, and has become a part of the great spiritual heritage of the Jew, and a part of his priceless gift to mankind. It may not be amiss to add the caution that all this information

and mythological origin of this creation-story, and of the flood-story as well, is intended solely for the teacher and Nothing thereof can be given to the children the adult student. in the religious school, for it would only confuse them, while at the same time serving no positive purpose. V. 27. According to this story God created man and woman at the same time, and as the final act of creation, just as He had previously created the male and female of every other species of animals. as to the Babylonian

This verse implies that originally God had intended that animals eat only herbs. Later, after the flood, permission was given to eat flesh (Gen. IX, 2ff.). It was the ancient belief that in the Messianic age the original condition w'ill be reestablished, when once more the cow and the bear shall feed together and the lion eat straw like the ox (Isaiah XI, 7). V.

29.

man and

V.

may

the

31.

well

reason

This verse sums up the whole account of creation. It For this considered the key-sentence of the story. have placed it at the beginning of the lesson, and have

be

we

memory by the children. Thereit be committed to mere thought of this verse should suggest the full Jewish

suggested that after the

In almost all the stories of Genesis similar be found. Usually they are easily discerned. Occasionally, however, careful study and analysis of the story are required to fix the key-sentence. Now and then the determination is largely a matter of individual judgment, and may vary with differing

content of the story.

key-sentences

may