Daily Office
Proverbs 25
17 Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, otherwise your neighbor will become weary of you and will hate you.
The above passage seems to be the ancient version of our phrase "familiarity breeds contempt." I remember reading the book "The Essential Talmud" which stated that people should try to limit their visits to three days, lest like fish they begin to become an irritating smell to their host. I wonder if long visits build resentments about the disruption of uninhibited normal family life. Maybe people are impressed by the mysteriousness of strangers and we tire of people when we find out they are just as human as we are.
17 Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, otherwise your neighbor will become weary of you and will hate you.
The above passage seems to be the ancient version of our phrase "familiarity breeds contempt." I remember reading the book "The Essential Talmud" which stated that people should try to limit their visits to three days, lest like fish they begin to become an irritating smell to their host. I wonder if long visits build resentments about the disruption of uninhibited normal family life. Maybe people are impressed by the mysteriousness of strangers and we tire of people when we find out they are just as human as we are.