Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Date Created
- 1897
- Format
- 14 pages on 5 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/p3fj29x80/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3fj29x80
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx10FF11_6.xml
- content
-
S. MORAIS,
546 N. FIFTH STREET,
PHILADLEPHIA, PA.
111
97
On the proposition of
O. J. Simon to gain proselytes
Our daily prayers contain a benediction pe--culiar in its wording. I have examined the various ancient rituals in my possession, to discover ascertain whe--ther the peculiarity in that benediction agrees in each of them. I found that the Italian, which I judge to be the oldest, the Ashkenazic and French (Mahzor vitri) the next, and the Sephardic the last, are, with scarcely any noticeable difference, identical. The wording to which I allude, is a petition to God, that He may bestow His tender mercies upon righteous proselytes [Hebrew].
I shall not discuss now the origin and author--ship of that supplication. While our olden traditions tells that on the return of our ancestors from the Ba--bylonian captivity, the great synod [Hebrew] presided over by Ezra the priest, formulated a Hebrew liturgy for the use of Synagogues, which doubtless multiplied fast at that period, modern critics hold that our Manual of prayers has
undergone alterations at various epochs.
What drew my attention just at present to the benediction on proselytes, is a question ven--tilated among some of our coreligionists in London. Especially in the "Jewish Quarterly Review" it has that question been largely dwelt upon and the editors invited a free opinion on its merits, or demerits. A Mr. Oswald John Simon, who writes attractively and who appears sincere, has proposed a novel plan for winning over to Judaism, many of our Christian neighbors. According to it, a place should be chosen and there all who have lost faith in the main dogmas of the Church, should be convened. On Sunday, the general leisure day, Israelites, who firmly believe in the prophecies, as inter--preted by Mr Simon's followers, ought to deliver in English, with uncovered heads, a selection of prayers and preach the Unity of god, as pro--claimed by Moses and as emphasized by his disciples in subsequent ages. But not Christ--ians alone must be urged to attend.
Jews also who are weak-kneed and half-hearted--to use Mr Simon's own phraseology--must be urged to swell the number of the worshippers. The good man, is of opinion, that nominal Hebrews upon hearing the checkered history of their people, the grand effusions of Seers, Psalmists and moralists, will have their weak knees strength--ened, and their divided hearts made whole.
Worth the while it is to read the clashing views, which a literary symposium called forth. I felt interested and pleased, because women, like lady Magnus, men like Israel Zangwill, whom none would charge with bigotry, set their faces against a project very impracticable and pos--sibly mischievous. I am aware that the same idea has often repeatedly struck before persons born in our fold. They declared that unless a vigorous effort is made to widen our ranks, we are doomed to perish as a distinct people.
But not only Jews, exhibited anxiety apprehension on that score. Liberal Christians too have pro--nounced the same pessimistic verdict about our future. A professor who deservedly enjoys a high repu--tation by reason of his researches in the science of religion--Max Müller of Oxford--in a lecture delivered at Westminister Abbey about a quarter of a century ago, predicted that the continuance of Jews upon earth can remain be but precarious, since they do not imitate other denominations. They hsould endeavour, if they wish to live, to disseminate the doctrines of the old testament by means of devout missionaries. Well, in our own city and elsewhere all over the United States, Sunday services have partly for their object an accession of number from among Christians, who cannot subscribe to the fundamental creeds of their parents' religion. I, without any bias; only to subject to a severe scrutiny my best understanding of our Scriptures and our Rabbinical teachings, I ask myself whether the supplication in the Amidah, or Shemoné Esré, as others call it, can relate
to men and women attending a Sunday service, as proposed in England and as followed in Ame-rica; whether in all reality the epithet of [Hebrew] "righteous proselytes" applies to them.
Mr Simon and others who side with him will answer affirmatively. They quote the prophets, principally Isaiah and Malachi to prove them-selves correct, insisting that Judaism was meant from its very beginning as a missionary-faith. Let us impartially cast a glance on examine a few of the sentences triumphantly cited as evidences of the theory advanced. Isaiah is brought out foremost by persons, who contend that a bounden duty requires that we our going in search of gentiles. In the 56th chapter we read what follows: "Let not the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak saying; "The Lord will surely keep me apart from His own people?; neither let the eu-nuch say: 'Behold I am but a dry tree'
For, thus saith the Lord of the eunuchs that keep Thy Sabbaths, and choose the things that I wish, and hold fast upon Thy covenant. Unto them I will give in Thy house and within thy walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters. I will given them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the strangers that join them--selves to the Lord; to minister unto Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants; every one that keepeth the Sabbath not profaning it, and who holdeth fast upon Thy covenant, even then will I bring to Thy holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer."
Clearly, a prediction is here enunciated. But what is it, in all truth? Does it foretell that whosoever chooses voluntarily to alter the fourth commandment of the Decalogue, and substitutes for it the miscalled "lord's day", and whosoever chooses to set deliberately aside which the ordinances which our forefathers accepted
at Sinai, and through whose promised obe--dience thereof, God entered with Israel into a covenant, is to be regarded, as one of [Hebrew] "the righteous proselytes"? If my mind is able to grasp the sense conveyed by the imparting of Isaiah, I must answer negatively.
A [Hebrew] whom the compilers of our liturgy had in mind, is not he that merely denies the unreasonable dogmas of Christianity, but he who positively admits the validity of the Sinaic statutes.
Again, Isaiah is invoked as the authority sanc--ctioning the scheme that Mr Oswald John Simon has conceived, namely, the embracing promulgation of a religion stripped of every form, every rite, every practice; a religion of morality pure and simple and naught else. But if morality be is indeed the kernel of Judaism, it is not the whole fruit, as entrusted to our guardianship. The inspired son of Amoz did repeatedly call us God's witnesses, but I cannot agree to the notion, that he meant our sending missionaries among
gentiles, and that unless we Judaize, in a fashion, Christendom and heathendom we forfeit the title. I believe that our imperishableness upon earth, proves us God's witnesses, attesting that there exists a sole creating Lord, who chose Jacob for His servant and Israel for His elect, who is our Legislator, our King, our Saviour [Hebrew] [Hebrew] That is the lesson often impressed issuing from the lips purified by the live-coal at the hand of an archangel. Again: to say that Malachi hinted at the effect of our missionary work among gentiles, is to draw on the imagination. The last of our prophets did say that from the spot, where the sun first rises unto that in which it sets last, the name of God is worshipped, but rather than encourage by it a hot house proselytism, the last of our prophets, desired to reprove born Jews among his contemporaries, who imagined that they could propitiate God's favor by presenting impure oblations.
He meant to say that God cares not for hypocritical sacrificial rites for even nations mistaken in their outward ceremonials, have their thoughts directed to the brightest Power, whom they see not. Beautifully has our poet, Solomon Ben Gabriel, ex--pressed nearly the same idea in his Keter Machut (the Royal Crown) "Thou art God and all creation is Thy servant and adorer, nor is Thy glory lessened because others are worshipped besides Thee, for, all aim to draw night unto Thee. But they heathens act as if blindfolded. Their faces turn towards the King's high way, yet unknowingly they go astray. One sinks into a pit, another is caught in a snare. They imagine that they can attain their goal, but they fatigue themselves in vain. We, thy servants, by walking following at in Thy light, follow pursue the straight path, till we arrive at the court of the King's palace."
Now I will not contradict the assertion that some Talmudical maxims support the suppo--sition that the Rabbis had hoped to gain by our dispersion a closer union between gentilism and Judaism, but admitting it, I am authorized nevertheless to say
that altogether the Sages did not favor prosely--tism, fearing undoubledly interested motives. And I have frequently been surprised at a false application of a saying which reads as follows thus. [Hebrew] "A charity showed the Almighty to Israel, when He scattered them among nations." The real meaning of which is that had the Lord delivered us into the power of a single potentate, or a single people, dire persecution, centred in one spot, would soon have annihilated us, but exiled through through different countries, we discovered outlets to escape a total extermination. Witness the woeful episodes in our history through during the middle ages.
I may here be naturally asked: "Do you not believe then that mankind will finally arrive at the knowledge which we Jews have treasured at the price of unequalled sufferings? Will the day never dawn; when instead of being
despised we shall be honored? instead of hearing the name of Jew accompanied with a curse, blessings will be showered down upon the martyred people? I do trustingly look for the fulfilment of God's promises [Hebrew] I behold that accomplishment in the aspirations of souls, whose flight in search of eternal justice, reached the heaven of heavens, and heard the oath declaration [Hebrew] "By My name I swear, saith the Lord, that to me shall every knee bow, by Me every tongue shall swear." But not by offering Christianity a diluted Judaism, a phantom, denuded of all flesh, will that end be achieved. Mr Simon may offer tender in all sincerity what he imagines an improvement on the fallacious doctrine of a trinity and the blasphemies that are its inseparable attendants, but weekly gatherings interspersed with weak kneed and half hearted Jews, will accomplish no permanent good, if they may not, as it has been intimated, intensify the antisemitism cropping out everywhere. We will always welcome those for whose happiness we pray, even
our [Hebrew] "righteous proselytes," and history has recorded many such of whom we may well be proud, but not Sunday services proselytes, not mixed marriages converts, will strengthen Judaism, and glorify the God who selected the seed of His friend Abraham the Hebrew, as the undying witness of His Oneness and omnipotence. - Identifier
- p3fj29x80
- identifier
- SMBx10FF11_6
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/83243