Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Date Created
- 1896
- Format
- 10 pages on 4 sheets
- 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/p3707x68j/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3707x68j
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx10FF11_3.xml
- content
-
S. MORAIS,
546 N. FIFTH STREET,
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
75
96
The Jewish Publication Society
"The Jewish Publication Society of America", whose seat of honor is Philadelphia, deserves all the praise, which an intelligent public, from near and from far, bestows thereupon. I was wrong, when at the start, I gave utterance to gloomy mis--givings about its final workings. Delivery that it might exercise a wide influence in the interest of new fangled doctrines, I deprecated the undertaking. In contrast with it, I had then in my mind, a modest endeavour conceived in our city, by members of this congregation--an effort the sudden termination of which I witnessed in 1851 at the fire that con-sumed the building, which held the property of our literary organization. I remembered that every book it had issued--unpretentious as it was--had been purely Jewish. Again, I recalled also the pleasing fact, that twenty years later, the too short-lived attempt to revive the same organization in New York, succeeded in furnishing the reader with works altogether advantageous to our faith.
Therefore when in 1888 persons, largely connected with an association of Jews so named by the accident of birth, but not by a consistent adherence to Judaism, strongly advocated the formation of the Publication Society, I expressed fears and doubts, concerning the effects of such advocacy from such quarters.
My apprehensions, however, were in the main ill-founded. I qualify my saying, for a different reason than that which several men have alleged. They felt sore because an organization emanating from America, did not always go in search of writers, whose dwelling place is in America. Now, waving the point, whether our own midst could an-swer in all respects to the requirement--a discus--sion idle and perhaps invidious--I disagree agree[sic?] with the complaints and at all events, with the Rabbis in their maxim, that we must accept a truth from whatever source it may flow [Hebrew] [Hebrew]. To me it matters nothing, if the author be English, French, German, Polish or Russian, provided he keeps steadily in view the main object to be attained, viz the elevation of our race before a prejudiced world, and the broadening of the range of our people's national learning.
I cannot honestly declare that the volumes hither-to brought forth from the press under the auspices of our organization, have afforded me entire satisfaction in their every effort part. It may be idiosyncracy, or the consequence of early training, but I have object--ed to some of the teachings in almost every volume, still, I have also discovered that none aims to throw aside historical Judaism and give the palm to groundless Radicalism.
But alluding this morning more specially to the last production offered to our notice, I wish to say that it supplies a fund of information rare and varied. Admit: all the contents thereof may be met interspersed through countless books, constituting our literature, but Mr Israel Abrahams, has can claim the great merit of having methodically arranged in his volume on "Jewish life in the Middle ages," what could not be learned, except by consulting the pages of mul-tifarious and often inaccessible writings.
Rich is that volume particularly in quotations from [Hebrew], or the solution of questions propound--ed to noted Rabbis in different lands at dif--ferent epochs, upon a diversity of subjects.
I commend Mr Abraham's literary contribution to a the careful perusal of all, surely, of our students of syn--ogogal history, not perhaps in the regular order of chapters, lest it may fatigue the mind, but in the selection of such chapters, the heading of which forcibly invites attention. The objections that I have to some of the ideas advanced in that volume, I shall submit to my hearers in another lecture of mine. To day I may tell of the degree of satisfaction a remarkable change in the standing of our coreligionists in Great Bri--tain must afford. I have no reference to the elevation of a Mr George F. Phillips to the position of lord Mayor. That distinction is not singular. Others of our persuasion were made to enjoy it, and they exercised the functions of the high offices consistently, more or less, with the religion which they professed.
Besides, political preferments attract me very little. What gladdens my heart ex--ceedingly is a revival of Jewish learning in the city of London among English speaking Israelites. When in my youth, I sought then a livelihood, as a school & private master, I found scarcely any of the natives, who cultivated our literature. Attachment to the precepts, I generally dis--covered in the Jews of the metropolis, but religious practices were more a habit--however commendable--than the effect of serious studies in the beauties of the sacred language in which we pray and on the sublime instruction of our prophets and sages. A change has taken place since then which is most admirable. Mr Gangwill--no mean Judge--inclines to attribute it to the coming of Mr Schechter to London. For in the opinion of the now famous novelist, the our erudite Roumanian brother who lectured before us last the year before last under the auspices of the Gratz trust, exercises a most powerful agency for good--he being in Mr Zangwill's conception "perhaps the greatest Hebrew scholar in the world." I am utterly disqualified to pronounce an opinion concerning so decided a judgment.
Doubtless, Mr Schechter's teachings in Rabbinics at Cambridge is the versatility of swift mind, evinced by a multiplicity of writings, influence beneficially younger men and wo-men. Hence the possibility of establishing a "Jewish Quarterly Review," fraught with new names, enrolled in the ranks of our literati, counting among them a Miss Nina Davis and a Mrs H. Lucas, vieying with each other in translating in flowing English rhymes, Hebrew poems. Yet, recognizing that fact, I cannot ignore that even prior to Mr Schechter's settlement in London during the last decade, some weilded already a grace--ful pen of the scribe. I may instance Mr Lucien Wolf, an English Jew, editor, biogra--pher and writer of interesting stories. AS to the foundations of Mr Israel Abraham's learning, I can related that I was personally acquainted with his immediate predecessors. They were not English. Unless I am mistaken they hailed from Recessive Poland, but they could be reckoned a-mong the very few able to instruct the Author of "Jewish life in the Middle ages."
I possess a Hebrew commentary, which his grand father wrote on a volume regarding our method of slaughtering animals for our food. I also sat in com--pany with his father, Bernat Abrahams, forming one part of the ecclesiastical Board of the Sephardic con-gregation--a gifted scholar was he. No doubt, Israel Abrahams, better known than either of the two just mentioned in the world of letters, must have imbibed lessons that lay the foundations basis of his extensive acquirements. I am thankful for the use made thereof. But in order to limit the range of my mental observations, I cast a look only on a galaxy of our worthies, now in London. chiefly on a most luminous met star on our horizon in the city beyond over the I look and Thames I cannot turn away from contemplating a bright star on our horizon. its fast increasing brilliancy. It is Joseph Jacobs shines star brilliantly the that shines so splendidly. The rising Jew He is confessedly a marvel of literary activity. Scarcely has one work of his teeming brains issued forth, when another brimful of knowledge is announced. Mr Jacobs is not a native of London, but he is nevertheless English. Justly does the Mel--bourne "Jewish Herald" pride itself upon the merits of that son of Australia. Joseph Jacobs weilds a pen so prolific that I may not be charged with
exaggeration when I say of him what Johanan Ben Zackaï said asserted concerning a famous pupil of his. He is like an exhaustless foundation [Hebrew]
Brethren. Next month we will be privileged to listen to the rare learning of the Australian Jew. - Identifier
- p3707x68j
- identifier
- SMBx10FF11_3
Part of Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
Morais, Sabato, “Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 19, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/83238