Letter from Jacob Ezekiel to Isaac Leeser;September 04, 1852
- Title
- Letter from Jacob Ezekiel to Isaac Leeser;September 04, 1852
- Author
- Jacob Ezekiel
- Contributor
- Isaac Leeser
- Date Created
- 4 September 1852
- Format
- Letter. 4 page(s).
- Type
- Letter
- Language(s)
- English
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3959ct64/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3959ct64
- Physical Characteristics
- Unlined Paper
- Wax Seal
- Manuscript
- content
-
Richmond Sept 4, 1852
Revd Isaac Leeser
Dear Friend!
By the favourable oppor-tunity afforded by our friend Mr Mailert leaving for your place, I drop you a few lines hoping that they may meet you in the enjoyment of that vigourous state of mind which the al-mighty has for years past endowed you with. My health during this summer has been much enfeebled but thank God I am much impro-ved.
I read your last no of the “Occident” with much delight, your views as to the wants of our people could not have been better portrayed, the question is, how can it be spee-dily accomplished, year after year has glided away since your noble scheme of a convention has been pro-posed. If that cannot be effected, we can do nothing, as that scheme has laid dorment so long, and as the New Yorkers are so jealous on any subject that does not originate with them, could we not
get them to make a new move in the matter, let them have the honor and the glory of reviving the subject, something must be done.
“Our Ritual and its Recital” has claimed much notice here as also Mr Eckman's ar-ticle, they contain stubborn facts and they must be remedied, I often wished that some reformation could be made in the recital of our ritual, my principal, and instructions that I have invariably given to our hazanim here has been, “that every portion of the device that is read in the synagogue should be read in a slow, distinct and impressive manner irregardless of the time that it occupies,” if the Form of Service is too long for to be recited in that manner in reasona-ble length of time, steps should be taken to have them curtailed by omitting all repititions, The Catholics have their “Three hail Mary's &c” it is not necessary for us to have these repetitions.
Only look at the Kipur service where “?” are repeated so often. “El Meleck yosheb” is rattled away ridiculous and so it goes through the whole of the ser-vice the Question arises, how are our children to learn to say their prayers
with that devotion necessary for the recital of our sublime ritual, it gives the high min-ded adult a distaste for the service, now contrast our service with that of the gentiles only see how decorous every part of their service is performed. When you enter into some of their churches we are struck with awe we are reminded often with the solemn scriptural injunction of “the Lord is in this holy Temple let all the earth keep si-lence before Him.”
There must be something done to stimu-late this lukewarmness existing amongst our Co-religionists, had I but the power to weild the pen and give vent my feelings in this matter.
I am aware that any attempt to ab-ridge our form of service would meet with opposition at first, but as it is not the old mosaic or Temple form of service I see no good reason why the change cannot be made to suit the country & times in which we live. I wish we had but one minhag in America, and the service read in good grammatical Hebrew, any thing that I in my feeble efforts can effect, God knows I am willing to do, hoping to hear soon. I remain yours &c
Jacob Ezekiel
Revd Isaac Leeser
Philadelphia
Pa
Favd by
Mr A. Mailert
The above text refers to Occident Volume 10 No. 5 pages 247 through 254. Click here to view.
The above text also refers to Occident Volume 10 No. 5 pages 225 through 238. Click here to view. - Identifier
- LSDCBx1FF9_52
- Date
- 1852-09-04
- References
- True
Part of Letter from Jacob Ezekiel to Isaac Leeser;September 04, 1852
Jacob Ezekiel, “Letter from Jacob Ezekiel to Isaac Leeser;September 04, 1852”, 1852-09-04, Isaac Leeser Digital Repository, accessed September 7, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/leeser/item/65413