Exegetical lectures. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1896 · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Exegetical lectures. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1896

Author

Morais, Sabato

Date Created

1896

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

13 pages on 5 sheets

Rights

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

Language(s)

English

Source

Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Sabato Morais Collection, Box 12, Folder 2

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3r78672v/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3r78672v

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF2_13a.xml

content

On the character
of Joseph
96

Last year at this time, I delivered two lectures, which, ap--parently, met with general approbation. I judge so, because several persons asked that they might peruse the manuscripts. The request was readily acquiesced in; but that circumstance neither rare nor remarkable, was attended with a result, I had not anticipated. It induced me to discard altogether the written discourse, and preach simply from some brief notes. For, what I had lent, came never to hand. My compositions, of which I possessed no other copy, were lost, and all endeavours to recover them, proved fruitless. I consequently, adopted a plan, which would preclude the recurrence of that vexatious incident, by preventing a repetition of the request which had occasioned it. But I have long regretted, my inability to make from memory even an abstract of what I had then said. For, the subject I had treated, interested me greatly, and for its sake alone I set some value on my writing. Now, the same topic presents itself to our consideration, and I purpose to dwell thereupon. You will not, I imagine, refuse

me attention, because ideas and probably expressions I have uttered in your presence, may be repeated. The character of Joseph cannot lose aught of its attractiveness, though our eyes be directed to it with frequency. Nay, each time we contemplate it, a new feature may be revealed, whose radiant beauty, had not yet struck our vision. As a portrait from the pencil of a great master, will unfold all the loveliness of its lineaments, after minute observation; so will Joseph's excellencies virtues, disclose their full excellency, the nearer we draw to them our minds. An ancient translator has rendered so a passage occur--ring at the commencement of the history of Jacob's favorite son. "Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, for, a wise son was he to him" [Hebrew] I will not discuss, at present, the correctness or in--correctness of that version. It may not be borne out by the text in the original. But that the god-like quality attributed to the youth, was stamped upon his soul, a checkered existence incontestably proves. Wisdom--which is the employing of righteous means, to accomplish a righteous end--, governed his conduct,

in all the relations of life.
Joseph loved his father dearly. Filial obedience had prompted him to meet, in a spot, dangerous because unfrequented, those brothers who had not disguised the rancour they harbored. His heart which had swelled with filial attachment under the garment, indicative of paternal preference, throbbed with the same sentiment, under the insignia of power [Hebrew] "I am Joseph, is my father yet alive?" was the first utter--of the Egyptian ruler at the hour of recognition. Still, twenty years glided by, and no search had been made of that father so cherished, so reverenced, Joseph whence as a bondman, Joseph an the inmate of a prison cell, might have found it impossible to apprize his afflicted parent of his condition, and of his land of exile. But all of us instinctively feel, that when seated next to the mighty Sovereign of Mizraim, he should not have suffered one instant to elapse, ere he sent that important communication. Whence then the apparent neglect?....

Seek it, my beloved hearers! in that quality which distin-guished him from his earliest years [Hebrew] such tidings directly from the individuall foully dealt with, must needs have criminated his brothers. The unravelling of that plot, whose consummation had plunged a fond parent with inconsolable grief, might have brought down a curse upon the heads of eleven ten sons. It might have created a fatal estrangement between a father and his numerous descendants, rewakened and intensified the ill will once entertained against the favorite offspring of Rachel, and prevented the realization of those dreams, which a voice within declared to be prophetic. Not so, when the culprits crimi--nals themselves with tokens of fraternal reconciliation, with glowing countenances, tell, in accents not to be mistaken [Hebrew] "Joseph lives yet; he is the governor of all the land of Egypt." That news, so related, is the dove with the olive branch which betokensing the abeting of stormy passions. the It is the rain-bow of family peace and reunion. In fact, not a word denoting anger followed that disclosure.

The heart, suddenly opened to emotions long unfelt, cannot find reproaches and accusations. Love, the purest, the deepest love for a virtuous son, thrilled at that moment the aged patriarch [Hebrew] "It is enough, my son Joseph is lives yet alive I will go and see him before I die."
Let us ponder again, my dear hearers! and we shall see wisdom. The viceroy of Egypt might have prepared in the kingly court, sumptuous apartments for the reception of his own kinsmen. in the kingly court. What a satisfaction for the loving Joseph to set a habitation for his father, where he dwelt! Yet, Jacob's household were far removed from the metropolis. Their benefactor desired that the ancestral profession might not be exchanged for others of greater dignity, but of less simplicity. Shepherds were looked upon with abhorrence by the Egyptians, who paid divine honors to cattle and herd dumb animals. But that did not alter his purposes. He had not aimed at gaining for his brothers favor among the magnates of the land; but at obtaining a place of security,

where they might abide together, and, pursuing the ancient calling; preserve in their midst the precious knowledge entrusted by their progenitors to their safe-keeping. The people, whom Providence had called Joseph to govern, ranked foremost among the enlightened nations of that time historical period; but he prized the knowledge of God's Unity treasured up as within his own kinsmen family, was above all the learning of Egyptian sages. To lose that knowledge, would have been to destroy the hope of Abraham, and of all generations to the end of time. A constant intercourse with high officials might have engendered that evil. It was therefore to strengthen the blessed belief in One God among its chosen propagators, that they were stationed away from the capital, where idolatry and idolators pre--ponderated. But to show the world that the most distinguished of all men in the kingdom, gloried in his lowly parent, Joseph himself conducted Jacob into the presence of Pharaoh. The unpretending shepherd of Canaan was introduced by his illustrious son to the still greater potentate a still higher personage to the Monarch of a renowned country.

Oh! that we would so reverence our aged fathers, and our hoary-headed mothers! We would not then witness what many a house exhibits. The sons and daughters entertaining visitors, from whose company, the old parents have designedly been excluded. Perhaps, they are not as polished as we ourselves. They may not speak with the same fluency on the topics of the day. But neither was Jacob acquainted with the customs of the Egyptians, nor had he been trained in their schools. It mattered not to the dutiful son, whether his father's manner of salutation agreed with that which then prevailed, or whether his expressions betrayed his foreign birth. Under all circumstances; in all every event, publicly as well as privately he would do the author of his life honor. He would not raise a shadow of suspicion that he esteemed the guardians of his early days less, because he himself was respected more. From the happy moment that father and son were again clasped into each other's arms, every action betokened filial affection, filial devotion. The patriarch felt the influence of Joseph's wisdom in the direction of his household He felt that he was still [Hebrew] and with

overflowing love, bestowed, on his death bed, a blessing rich and infinite upon that child, who had become "the shepherd, the (corner) stone of Israel." [Hebrew]
But the character we have contemplated, displays features still brighter than those we have hitherto beheld. No effort is required to act gene--rously towards those who have even proved our staun--chest friends. We are impelled by instinct to return good to our benefactors; and he does violence to his nature, who shuts out gratitude from his breast. But to seek the welfare of those who sought our destruction. To crush resentment, and let kindliness alone be the plummet of our deportment, is a heroism, which but few possess. "Revenge is sweet;" so [?] the immoral adage. And who could have wreaked it more fully than Joseph upon his brothers? They had come unawares, under his his absolute power. Those who had plotted his ruin were in his grasp. Why not thrust into their sides the thorns by which he had been pricked? They had ruthlessly torn him away from a joyous home. They had exposed his life to abject

servitude. His wailing and entreaties had not softened their hearts. Now the time had arrived, when the to force up to their lips the bitter cup he had been made to swallow. But,.... "no. Vengeance belongs only to God. What art thou O mortal, that darest to arrogate to thyself powers not thine own? The evil devised against thee, cannot do thee harm, if thou be righteous, for, Providence directs human events. Guile cannot succeed." So thought Joseph. The comforting belief in a just God, which had upheld him amidst the severest trials, infused into his soul a spirit of forgiveness, of pity for the sinners; and an irresistible wish to cancel even from their minds even the remembrance of their guilt. Joseph's austere demeanour towards his brothers, at the outset, was another wise means whereby which to reach a noble end. It was assumed to discover, whether time had wrought a salutary change in their feelings, whether they had become sensible of the enormity of their crime, and they would at all hazards, shield Benjamin, the favorite child of the Rachel from the dangers, whereby which he pa, appa-rently, he was beset. But when that was ascert--ained

to his satisfaction; then tears and kisses, munificent gifts, and suasive words drew heart to heart in fraternal reconciliation [Hebrew] "It was not you that sent me hither, but God." He has willed it. You have only been the instruments of his salvation. You have, unknowingly, caused my exaltation. You have effected the preservation keeping of your family from famine, and the delivery of a vast population. Do not regret the past, for it has been fraught with happiness. Such, my dear hearers, is human forgiveness. Not a pang should they suffer who had been the deadliest enemies shown [?] deep rooted enmity. And when after the death of their father, Joseph's brothers dreading retributive justice resorted to a stratagem, in order to avert its strokes "the rigtheous man the [?] son [Hebrew] nay, the [Hebrew] the merciful son he calmed their fears. How could he punish, he exclaimed, what had yeilded so much good? Their thoughts had been the seeds of a joyful harvest. They should reap it, they should dwell together in the fruition of plenty in harmony in the absence of all misgivings and terror, in that revenge is sweet. But the other, so styled by a corrupt world, is gall and wormwood. It injures him that harbors it; more than the individual against whom it is cherished.

For, passions corrode our vitals, and none is so virulent, as a spirit of vindictiveness. There is a psalm, which I earnestly recommend those to read, who are so un--fortunate as to be swayed by that evil spirit. It is the 37th. In it, the righteous are assured that they will never be overpowered by the wicked [Hebrew] the latter may, at times, seem to succeed in their devices, but the faithful will ever be saved up in the mountain of the Lord. Though they fall, they will shall rise. For, at their right-hand stands the Director of sublunary events, at the left they are sup--ported by the purity of their conscience. Joseph in a dungeon, was a happier being, than his guilty brothers at large. And when the evnied and the hated, heaped upon the envious and the haters, favors and benefactions, he, against his will, awakened a feeling of gnawing remorse. Glorious vengeance, and more glorious recompense. We read [Hebrew] "Moses took the bones of Joseph with him." The most exalted of of all men, assumed to convey those precious relics to the promised land. When the heathens, asked in astonishment [Hebrew]

"Why does the ark in which a dead m creature is deposited, travel with that wherein the word of a living God is enshrined." The answer was [Hebrew]. "He that is enshrouded in this ark, fulfilled what the commandments pre--served in that ark."
Dear hearers! Moses Joseph had not been irra--diated by the light of revelation. He intuitively learnt what was is pleasing in the sight of the Beneficent Lord, and followed it to the letter. We were taught at Sinai not "to revenge, or bear grudge," "not to hate our brother in our heart." That golden rule was given us by our Common Parent, that we may not fall out with our brethren by the way. Oh! let us dwelt together as children of the same God. [Hebrew] In this transitory path which we tread, many are the prickly thorns which impede our course. Let us unite in our efforts and to remove them. Let us strew with flowers our neighbor's way, that the mercy shown unto others, may be shown unto us, and we reach the end of our journey, in peace with our fellow-mortals, in peace with our conscience, in peace with our Creator and saviour.

Identifier

p3r78672v

identifier

SMBx12FF2_13a