Bar mitsvahs. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1893
- Title
- Bar mitsvahs. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1893
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Date Created
- 1893
- Format
- 8 pages on 4 sheets
- Language(s)
- English
- Source
- Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies
- Sabato Morais Collection, Box 11, Folder 1
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3ms3kk85/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3ms3kk85
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx11FF1_18.xml
- content
-
S. MORAIS,
546 N. FIFTH STREET,
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
For Ki Tavót
About Bikkurim & a
Bar Mitzvah
Last winter a year, in the course of a series of talks given upon the Hebrew ritual, which I gave before the Mickvè Israel literary association, I incidentally referred to the section of the Law that was read this morning. I said, that, according to tradition, there were certain instances in which in which benedictions, confessions and prayers must have been read only in the sacred language, just as recorded in the five books of Moses. One of those instances is chronicled in our Parasha. The Oral code, or Mishnah, has left an interesting account of the occasion on which, our forefathers--the happy owners of the a soil made fruit--ful by an industrious cultivation--publicly acknowledged God's benefactions, by offering the first ripe fruits of their ground. Let me relate the narrative.
A number of representatives of different various cli cities, met at a place previously agreed upon, near Jerusalem. In the morn--ing, when about to they started for the capital of Judea, the ap--pointed chief, who acted as a guide, cried aloud: "Rise and let us go up to Zion, to the house of the Lord our God." At that call, the company moved slowly on, rehearsing in concert David's psalmody. Entering the metropolis, they glowingly sung out: "Our feet are standing
within thy gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem compactly built, as if another city had been joined to it. For, there tribes go up, even the tribes of God, as a statute for Israel, that they may thank the name of the Lord." Men of wealth would present lay their fruits in baskets of golden or silver; baskets, others in baskets artistically made of willow. The horns of the animals carrying on their backs the votive offerings were guilded. Round their head wreaths of olive branches were entwined. At the sound of drums the multitude proceeded went forth, greeted everywhere by peasants and journey--men, and by mechanics that abounded in Jerusalem. Now, mount Moriah, on whose summit the Temple raised its spires turrets, is reached. There At that sight even of a King resides would lift up his bas--ket on his shoulder and says with fervor chant: "Hallelujah, O praise ye God in His sanctuary; let every living being praise God" Having entered the porch of the Temple, the Levites-- the choristers charged by the Divine Legislator to attune their voices to sacred hymns as chosen the appointed choristers and players struck the harp and the cymbal and in behalf of the nation sung: "I will extol Thee, O Lord! for Thou hast raised me up, and rost payt hast not suffered my enemies to rejoice over me." Soon That completed the officiating priests placed their hands under the hands of the Israelites, who offered the product of their soil, waving the basket to and fro, while
the person who had brought presented the votive choice fruits, read in Hebrew what our Bar Mitzvah was privileged to repeat. You must have noticed, my brethren, that the confession, which, according to traditions must have been said in Hebrew, the holy language is not such as national or, racial pride--as now a days called-- would elicit. How different with peoples of antiquity! They boasted of the very highest origin imaginable, or unimaginable. Many pointed to an extraction supernatural to a descant from the very deities but they adored. A weakness which has extended much further for not only nations and tribes indulged in that vanity, individuals also would wish to make us believe that they have issued from a stock signally excelling in nobility, as if that by itself should insure universal respect. I know of some who resented as an unpardonable offence the mere intimation that they had sprung from a humble parentage. Mark then well what the rich professor of fields and vineyards; the opulent farmer, confessed before God. "My father was a Syrian ready to perish;" that is, Jacob from whom the twelve tribes proceeded left his parental house to roam abroad and earn in Aram a livelihood by the work of his hands. He grew slowly at first in number and riches wealth and when he became larger his progeny grew more affluently and stronger, he was enslaved, reviled and scourged. He might have been altogether lost by rea--son of a crushing oppression, had not a compassionate Lord torn off the yoke and brought the seed of Jacob Israel to safety.
Say, my Brethren, was there any disgrace in that admis--sion of a lowly beginning? None, in the least your thinking minds will immediately answer. Nay, it was you will recognize it as most honorable, because it called forth expressions of gratitude to the Most High, who uplifts the lowly that they may acquire nobility, worthy of a on which righteousness prides itself--the nobility of character. Mark again, how sublime in its closing sentence the portion perused by our young brother. in its closing sentence The religion of Moses, which is the religion of reason and the religion of human kindness, invites the wealthy owner of oxen and sheep and gardens and orchards, to rejoice because of all the good which the Lord has vouchsafed to bestow. But how was he to rejoice? By storing every thing away that he had gathered? By looking for the opportunity when he may might sell to the greatest advantage, even if he fattened on the flesh of creatures who have been reduced to penury? You have heard the sentence from the lips of the lad whom we welcome as a fellow congregant. [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "Thou shalt rejoice in all the good that the Lord thy God has given unto thee and to thy household, thou and the Levite and the stranger that is in the midst of thee." To enjoy wealth then means, in the language of the Hebrew scriptures, to share it the Lord's benefactions with those who do not possess it the organs to gain riches; such as the Levites of old, who had no portion in the land, depending on the votive offerings of the
faithful, in compensation of for their officiating at the Temple, and teaching the Law of God to multitudes; such were also the strangers, who did not own a land, but for whom the Pentateuch demanded that they be treated with the greatest consideration as it often repeats: "Ye shall love the stranger for strangers ye were in the land of Egypt." My Dear Bar Mitzvah. What you have read for our edification, is the teaching of the religion, which will acknowledge you form this day a member qualified to form a quorum for the services, publicly rendered in the house of God. Here your own father stood to make pronounce declare his allegiance to the Torah, when at the age which you have just attained. Here your father's father stood, repre--senting at a stage of this congregation's in history its temporal government interests, and here, I hope, you will continue to worship the One Eter--nal God. for that I make supplication. I eagerly wish desire that you may remain attached to the venerable Mickvé Israel in spirit, as well as personally. Ap--preciate your descent from the tribe to which you belong. It is honorable, because tradition relates that Aaron gloried in serving God by serving His creatures. The books of our post Biblical literature state that the first High Priest consecrated to the service of the Lord, found delight in promoting peace. He would call to his aid for that blissful purpose, exhortations, gentle coun--sel, entreaties, all means arts of fine persuasion in order to restore tranquillity among families, to bring the hearts of children closer to the hearts of their parents, to
endear ever to one another those who were fed at the same parental table, cared and cared for and provided for for by the same father and mother earthly guardians of our childhood and youth. May you follow in that respect the footsteps of the first Cohen. Both the Scriptures and the Talmud regard you the Cohen with special value, as the conservators of the Torah in various stages periods of our history. Therefore certain prerogatives have been granted to the Cohen, one of which you exercised this morning, when you ascended this sacred desk and perused for us a portion most fittingly applyc applicable. Let this day be then a mile stone in your life, at which you will retrospectively look, and keep in the path of traditional Judaism. This day, on which your best of friends, your father and mother are doubtless glad--dened because you have been spared to them, endeavour try to heighten their joyfulness by the assurance that you will grow from a manly boy to a man irreproachably good, un--swervedly true. May the knowledge which you will acquire hereafter widen your intellect, but also soften your feelings, and let me give offer you the assurance of my sincere wishes for your happiness here until a very old age shall have justified the anticipations the formed by your relations and friends on the Sabbath Ki Tabot of of the year 5654 of the world's creation. creation 5654 of the - Identifier
- p3ms3kk85
- identifier
- SMBx11FF1_18
Part of Bar mitsvahs. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1893
Morais, Sabato, “Bar mitsvahs. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1893”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 19, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/83420