When Noah had built his Ark and made ready to escape the destroying waters of the flood, not only all the visible denizens of the world; birds and beasts, reptiles and insects came to him to find refuge and sanctuary, but there appeared also the invisible qualities, the various virtues and passions which sway the human heart, and begged to be taken in and rescued. And one day there knocked Hatred at the door of the Ark and asked for admittance, However, Noah refused to receive this evil guest. “The Law is,” said the Patriarch, “that only a pair of each kind can be admitted. You come alone. I can not take anyone who presents himself singly and without a companion.”
Hatred then went away and tried to find some quality that should join him and be his mate. But wherever he went he was refused, for his dark and venomous nature filled all with abhorrence. Until he suddenly encountered Stupidity. When Hatred saw the dull features and the vacant eyes of this quality he was jubilant. “Well met, O Destined Mate,” he cried. “Come quickly and join me; together let us ask to be taken into the Ark so that we may survive even the catastrophe of the destroying waters.”
When the ill-favored pair appeared before Noah he could no longer refuse to let them come in, and thus they survived and are to be found even in our day and in the world we live in. But the ancient law still holds good, and Hatred alone is powerless and may well expect to perish. Only when he can mate with Stupidity his survival is assured; only when brutish Ignorance opens the way for him he is able to conquer.
HADASSAH WESTERN GROUP CONDUCTING RUMMAGE SALE
The western group of Hadassah is conducting a rummage sale to raise its annual quota for the Jewish National Fund, and for the benefit of the “Feed Every Child” campaign.
Hadassah headquarters here received word that in order to protect refugee children in Palestine from nutritional diseases, the Hadassah School Luncheon Service be extended to include every child now attending the Jewish Agency schools. Hadassah’s rummage sale, which will help raise funds for this important project, will continue for the next few weeks at 510 Eighth avenue.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
