He poured out some more. His wife, Naomi, a young, worn-looking woman with child, came up to him and whispered in his ear:
"You must not take any more, sir."
"Why not? I haven't seen my brother all these years and I mayn't have a drink on the occasion?"
He rudely pushed her away, giving her such a blow on the stomach with his elbow that she nearly fell.
"Oh, my dears, please don't let him drink, there will be trouble!" she begged the guests, retreating submissively like a beaten dog.
"A second cup to the success of your errand!" Eliav said. "You must have come to us on business I expect, and not for the pleasure of seeing your brother. Well, speak up, Iserker! What have you come for?"
"Issachar, not Iserker," his brother corrected him, paling slightly and frowning.
"Issachar in Hebrew and Iserker in Egyptian," Eliav answered. "Do you know yourself what your name is, I wonder? There now, don't be cross, don't look at me like Abel. I know you want to be an Abel, but I am not a Cain... Rabbi, what did Cain kill Abel for?" he asked Aviezer.
"Because God accepted Abel's gift and rejected Cain's."
"And why did God reject it?"