Funeral orations. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1884 · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Funeral orations. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1884

Author

Morais, Sabato

Date Created

1884

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

4 pages on 1 sheet

Rights

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

Language(s)

English

Source

Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Sabato Morais Collection, Box 11, Folder 6

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3542jt21/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3542jt21

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx11FF6_29.xml

content

For a funeral
"When a member of an association dies, all his surviving associates should mourn." This Talmudical sentence has an obvious illustration on the sad melancholy occasion which has drawn us together. I deplore a void suddenly created in the body under my spiritual ministration; its tem--poral directors bewail the absence of a colleague, who labored with them in the interest of the same religious organization. For Meyer Gans, besides contributing to the maintenance of the Congregation "Mikvé Israel" and per--sonally increasing the numerical strength of its synago--gue worshippers, served for a long period on the Board of Adjunta, or administrators. As the position repeatedly offered, and as frequently accepted brought its occupant no material advantage, but it rather entailed exertions, and at times anxious lively concern, it is natural that the absence loss of him who held the office should be deeply felt. Therefore myself and those to whose guardianship the welfare of a holy and ancient institution of Philadelphia has been com--mitted, have just motives to lament.
But the sorrow regret we experienced, if weighed in the balance

together with that of the family of our deceased coreligionist, would be light beyond comparison. Like one crushed stunned by a stunning severe blow, so is the wife of Meyer Gans over--powered. She cannot realize her bereavement useful the sad transition, the quick departure, of her husband and her widowhood. Her grief must be profound, nor will the thought that other women have suffered an equal loss and have had less means at their command, be a comfort to her in her present distress. For when the heart bleeds, different ap-pliances than very different form the cold consideration of riches representations of heaped up gold must be sought after. I would not stand here in the name of our faith, if I imagined that the deepest of human emotions, proving our elevation above materialism, can be overcome by the sight of gold accumulated riches. No: our sorrows are sanctified, because they speak the language of the soul, spiritual, pure, ethereal.
The appliances by which to alleviate the pains of a wife bereft of her life companion, are in this instance ready at hand. Her Sons and daughters must become her a soothing balm. I am not ignorant of the obligations, which necessarily hinder some of her children from bestowing upon their mother undivided

attention, but others can yet devote themselves with singleness of mind purpose to the furtherance of her happiness. Their married sisters may will help to temper the bitterness of the separation which death has occasioned; they that are single must sweeten the widow's exist--ance. Upon them I chiefly call at this solemn hour and them I adjure by every memory, which is sacred and by our belief which is Divine, to rise equal to their obligations duty and perform it in a manner which will ennoble their own existence. Whatever may have savored heretofore of worldliness and juvenile indiscre--tion must henceforth change into seriousness and manliness. Such is the ordinance of Him who has promised lasting rewards to filial devotion. Un- In accord -fortunate to -ance with their age and their station must be the endeavours of the offspring of Meyer Gans to win for his widow [?] enduring consolations.
My prayers are for her, and for all the mourners that they may be sustained in their affliction by mutual affection, by union and peace. May he who has very nigh reached the four score years indicative of strength exceptional vigour, and who is distressed at the

demise of his younger brother, be not enfeebled by the trial, but receive from the source of power fresher vigour strength to bestow it on works of beneficence charity. May all who will miss Meyer Gans in their domestic circles, or in their communal, beneficial, or social companionship intercourse be gladdened cheered by the soul rejoicing gladdening doctrine that death holds the golden keys opening to God's creatures the portals of a celestial Eden. May the congrega--tion affected in its temporal and religious condition by this demise decease, and by departures unhappily occurs in quick succession, find in the survivors equivalent supporters and strenuous upholders. And for our dead brother I beseech Thee O Father of mercy! Grant O Lord that the accusations of sin may not silence the pleadings of virtues. Let O Lord! the sentence now issuing from Thy tri--bunal be eternal deliverance, and a command to an--gelic beings to convey the soul of Thy servant into the realms of unalloyed bliss, amid the association of the righteous and the saints. So may it be. Amen.

Identifier

p3542jt21

identifier

SMBx11FF6_29