Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Mar 1897 · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Mar 1897

Author

Morais, Sabato

Date Created

1 March 1897

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

11 pages on 4 sheets

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?

Language(s)

English

Source

Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Sabato Morais Collection, Box 10, Folder 11

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p33776d4s/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p33776d4s

Provenance

Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx10FF11_8.xml

content

S. MORAIS,
546 N. Fifth St.
Philadelphia,

76
March 97
On Suicides among Jews

Whether the people who lived before the flood, fed on slaughtered animals, is a question which historians have left open. Writers' who incline to think that in the primitive ages, human beings derived their nourish--ment largely from cattle and fowl, like in our own days, point to our organism as a proof. They contend that the teeth in their varied shape indicate a capacity to use flesh as nutriment--nature having created nothing without a wise purpose. Others, who dispute the theory, cite in their support the words of the Bible, for we read that Noah was told, "As the green herb I have given you all"--which sentence some Talmudists explain so: In the same manner as Adam and his immediate descendants were permitted vegetables and fruits, do now,--since the deluge has occasioned a change that enfeebled human bodies nature, you may partake of every thing. I shall not attempt to set the question at rest to the general satisfaction nor does it concern us intimately. I simply wish to show that both in his silence and in his command,

the inspired author of the book of Genesis, gives us reasons to infer that the wanton shedding of blood, even of irrational beasts, did not meet with his encouragement. Let the Pentateuch be attentively read, and the thoughtful will have no difficulty in discovering the almost aversion of Moses to an indul--gence in the flesh pot, necessitating the spilling of blood. So that the Rabbis correctly quoting Deuteronomy call it [Hebrew], a craving which could no longer be forbidden in later times, but which did not agree with the prophet's ideas. Mark again how considerate was he in his directions. Having admitted that Noah could feed on all things, he says: "but flesh while the blood, which is its vitality, remains in it, you shall not eat;" that is, you shall not cruelly cut a limb or a portion of a limb, or the least part of a live animal and gratify your appetites--a practice not rare among the Bedouins of the desert, when on a distant journey, but abhorred by the Sages who have proclaimed it a sing against religion, to hurt irrational crea--tures. [Hebrew] and the abused Rabbi who have moreover formula--ted admirable regulations to ease the death of beasts, and to draw therefrom all vital blood that we ourselves become not animalised.

Now, so far we have noticed the rules of humanity towards beings inferior to our nature. Was the Bible silent about practising an act of cruelty against our--selves? I consult tradition, and it tells me that what we read in the same section of Genesis: "Surely your blood of your lives will I require," is an intimation of God's displeasure exhibited in the endless hereafter at self-murder. What a contrast with the notions of heathens, who deemed it nobler in man to put an snap short end to existence, rather sooner than hear the ills that flesh is heir to. A Brutus A Cato demanding a sword to stab himself, & the exclaiming "Now I am free," or a Brutus falling upon his sword and crying: "O virtue, thou empty name; I have worshipped thee as as a god, but thou art only a slave of fortune," a Cato and a Brutus, would not have won the laurel and plaudits of posterity among Hebrews. Life is looked upon by us as a Divine trust to be surrendered solely at the will of the heavenly giver. Through the whole range of Biblical history, covering a period of upwards of three thou--sand years, only three instances of actual suicides are recorded. Saul could scarcely be held responsible for his self-destruction. Crazed by fear, long a victim of to an unconquerable depression of spirits, he

deserves our pity commiseration instead of our censure for having pierced his body through. The Talmudists, so rigid in their judgment against a [Hebrew] one who deliberately does away with himself, apologize for the unfortunate king, who dreaded to be taken alive and made a mockery of by his inveterate enemies. Saul's [?] hearer, following his master's terrible example, I interpret as a pardonable token of devo--tion to an unfortunate military chief and king. Sovereign Ruler. The third case in our Bible, is presented in the cha--racter of a recreant, who sided with a rebellious son against his royal parent. Ahithophel had enjoyed David's perfect confidence. The Rabbis assert that concerning him, the shepherd psalmist sang: "Thou wast a man my equal, my guide and my friend. We took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God amidst a multitude." But Ahithophel treasonably espoused the cause of Absalom in his resolve atrocious attempt to dethrone and kill his father. When the plan which the wicked counsellor had deeply laid was set aside, and the advise of one secretly favoring David was accepted, Ahithophel foreseeing the breaking up

of the conspiracy and his own ignominious end, hast--ened home and hanged himself. I cannot recall any other instance of suicide among Hebrews in Holy Writ. Was it cowardice that prevented "to take arms against a sea of troubles," or was it an overweening attachment to worldly pleasures, or incapacity to set a higher value or virtue than on life? Ignorant of stirring episodes in our history annals must he be, who advances those charges. Let him read of men and women of Israel girded with strength, ready to rush into the embrace of death rather than sacrifice principles. I have no reference now to religious martyrs or patrio--tic heros that every country and creed produced. I allude to a voluntary surrendering of existence, when faced by temptations inevitable. Why did the fair wife of Moses of Cordova,--captured by pirates--, plunge into the raging sea? Because she chose to be a prey to the waves rather than to the licentious cravings of her captor. Why did the scion of the famous stock of Ashin in Toledo kill himself, to set his f wife and family a similar example? Because he preferred the grave to disgrace and apostasy. Aye: honor

was prized above life by the true in Israel; yet they did not dare cut off asunder the threads of their earthly existence in order to loosen let go the burden of human trials go off.
How fearfully we have degenerated, a glance at the daily journals will show. With shame I acknowledge that suicides among Hebrews are, in proportion, as frequent as among those not born in our faith. Congregational rules to denying such the usual obsequies and burial are not a the means to determent to from the rash deed, and I myself, have in recent years set laid aside in regulation which serves only to intensify grief, without hinder--ing a sinful act. Sometime ago a youth who appeared anxious to learn, and whose laud--able disposition I tried to encourage by procuring for him free admission to the lectures at the rooms of the Young Man's Hebrew Association, and the use of the library, seized with morbid feelings, occa--sioned perhaps by his humble parentage and sur--roundings, instead of summoning his inner powers and rising above his lowliness, he allowed morose--ness to master his energies and lead him to self-murder.

Very shortly after a man widely learned for his age, and who had filled the office of Rabbi preacher, and aspired to the same position in our city, fired at his head after leaving sought in vain a livelihood as a deserter to his faith creed and a perjurer. Since then in--stances have multiplied, and none created so great a stir as the latest, for, a voluntary suicide, involved an involuntary one. Humiliating in the extreme we must consider the circumstance, when we bear in mind that the main actor in the tragedy was ostensibly generally believed to be qualifying himself as a leader in the path of righteousness, for, to a college which claims to train youths to the Jewish Rabbinate, he was admitted on strong recommendations, unconditionally if you wish as now apologetically alleged, or on probation. as was claimed. What supervision was kept over that student, may be clearly inferred form the fact that notwithstanding certain of his irregular practices of his own, ill-agreeing with the Mosaic injunctions which forbid seeking to dive into matters wi--sely hidden form human minds comprehension, the Philadelphia youth was held by the hand twice accepted as a scholar and permitted to freely associate with the guileless over whom he exercised a fatal influence. None will ever be able to tell the subtle working, which resulted in a double self-murder.

My pity goes principally with the innocent victim of a companion, who confessedly preferred to the simple but soul-elevating literature of his people with which he was in duty bound to become familiar, a German philosophy, which sees in the government of the world, a blind Will. The mind that should have been lifted on high by the teachings of Holy Writ; widened by the maxims of our moralists, drawn lovingly towards all creatures as the objects of God's providential care, became engulphed in the theories of a Schopen--hauer breeding discontent and malevolence, and in the vagaries of a Mesmer and an awfully dangerous hypnotism. I will not be guilty of rash accusations. I will not as--cribe to assign to the fault of the trustees of the Union College the cause of the terrible appalling event. but I am of opinion that They may have depended on the vigilance of the President for should have guarded against it by a close inspection of the habits of his misled and mis--leading pupil. Rather than grow indignant be--cause the latter asked to be cremated, and peremptorily com--mand that the body be removed from the school room to which it had been taken, the Dr main professor should have early set about to enforce among those sitting at

his feet the golden rule of Ben Sera. "Search not what is too high above thee, neither what is too deep for thee; seek to understand what is allowed unto thee. Let not thy heart keep away from that which is concealed, do not look after events and their causes too profound, enough has been shown thee." If the studies and their imparting had carried out that wholesome aphorism, we would hear more of Judaism in the pulpits occupied by the graduates of the West and less of Darwinism, more of man's amenableness to an Omnipotent Judge, and less of evolutionary theories. If the lessons were Jewish intended for Jews, in we would be told more of our Joshua son of Perachia, than of Jesus son of Joseph, more of Rabbi Gamliel than of Paul of Tarsus. Above all ex--ample better than the tuition would prove a fence against subversive ideas, and guard against such appalling shocking misfortunes as the unhappy occurrence which must have cast a gloom on the institution and humiliated its professors. Twice I find in the book of Proverbs the following maxim: [Hebrew] [Hebrew]. "The prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself, but the simple passes and they are punished."

Identifier

p33776d4s

identifier

SMBx10FF11_8