Israel and Humanity - Other biblical and rabbinic evidence for the calling of Abraham
§ 4.
OTHER BIBLICAL AND RABBINIC EVIDENCE FOR APOSTOLATE OF ABRAHAM.
A trait of character of Abraham that the Bible emphasizes, is the hospitality that has remained proverbial. We have already observed that the habits of hospitality in ancient times have greatly contributed to establishing relations between the peoples business. It is through them that the peregrinus whose name was equivalent to that of the original enemy, ended up not being a stranger among the Romans, who were conceded to first the right to enter into valid transactions, then the right of entering into alliances and finally full legal civil equality. In the last days of empire, were still rules the hospitium that were used to determine the relationship of the Roman state with the Barbarians that Salaria and who are granted land.
But if one thinks of Abraham, with his deep faith in the one God of all men, receiving guests at his table before them and practicing pagan religious customs which invariably accompanied the meal Former public and private, we understand that Rabbis have rightly pointed out the hospitality exercised by the patriarch as a proof of its monotheistic proselytizing mission to the Gentiles.
The rabbinic evidence for the apostolate of Abraham are also very numerous. Drs noted with [1] Particular emphasis God's promise that he would become the father of many nations and they figured that under the universal fatherhood sweet picture of Sarah. Indeed, at the same time that they accomplished for the prediction on the miraculous birth of Isaac, not only all infertile women become mothers, but all the deaf hear, all the blind see, the mute covering the floor and the insane are cured of their madness [2]. Not content with this the rabbis we represent nursing Sara, with Isaac it comes to the world, the son of noble women, who had been deprived of milk, so that Abraham's wife could use their mother children. It is worthwhile to bring this whole beautiful Haggadah. 'R. Berahia, said on behalf of R. Levi: What do we see that God made our mother when Sarah became a mother? It deprives women of milk of the Gentiles. So they came to kiss the feet of Sarah saying: For charity, give a little milk to our children. Abraham said Sara Sara! sanctify God's name; sit in the street and nurse their children. Therefore the Lord said: "Sarah nursed - not a son - but children." One can deduce from this argument. If a compound of mortal flesh and blood is delighted when her happiness comes and puts everyone in glee at how much more will be there as well when the Lord will rejoice Jerusalem [3] ".
Reading this fable, demonstrate, we believe that far from being dictated by a sense of pride that might have been experiencing the descendants of Abraham to the story of the miracle of the birth of Sarah, he is inspired to the contrary a generous heart of such nobility that it can not fully appreciate the joys of divine favors if others do not share too. This conception of infertile women, breastfeeding their children, the healing of so much suffering at the time of the birth of Isaac, not explained otherwise, and the Midrash could be heard more clearly its true intentions in using this wonderful fact to proclaim the merciful provisions of God towards humanity. [4]
