Lecture 40. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Lecture 40. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated

Author

Morais, Sabato

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

10 pages on 4 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 4

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3tm72k55/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3tm72k55

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF4_20.xml

content

Post-Biblical
40
on the schools of Palestine & their Chiefs

Brethren. When I last year, I suspended the series of my post-biblical history lectures, because of the approach--ing summer season, I had reached a period in our history which closed entirely altogether the political life of our people. The disastrous end of the last heroic struggle at Bither, un--der the lead of Bar Cochebà, forced upon the minds of our unhappy ancestors the conviction that any attempt to regain recover country and independence must inevitably fail. Consequently, they wise-hearted bent their energies upon retaining that which would give Israel permanence on earth and solace in trouble. They felt that the cultivation of the Law and tra--ditions must ensure secure their national eternization--so high was the morality inculcated in their sacred books committed to their guardianship, so grand sublime the leading principles of Judaism, which the martyred Akiba had recently sealed with his precious blood. Our progenitors believed that as God, who inspired prophets to teach heavenly truths, is eternal immortal, so the adherents of those verities must be immortalized imperishable. Zion the capital of their land, had been razed to the ground. Upon its ruins

another city was built, whose appellation recalled names detested by a every Jew--Celia Caputo--lina, from Alius the family name of the emperor Hadrian and from Jupiter Capitlinus. In honor of this false god, a temple arose was made to rise where the She--kinah had hovered between the Cherubim, and a statue to the impious Hadrian was set up. Heathens, peopled Jerusalem, pagans, revelled in holy precincts surroundings. To add insult to injury, a marble figure of the [Hebrew] the hated swine, was engraven on one of the gates of the city of David, forbidden thenceforth thereafter to the children descendants of Israel Judah. The privilege to enter it only once a year, on the anniversary of their national calamity in order to weep and pray by the Western wall, was purchased by the exiles, the sorrow stricken exiles purchased had to purchase at the rich price of rich gold. But Israel did not draw his vitality from the soil which had been his in--heritance. Palestine must indeed possess always the power to awaken deep emotions in hearts that are not dead to a sense of religious patriotism. For The Hebrew acquainted with his eventful history, realizes that from that spot true civilization spread. [Hebrew]

It was more than a poetical flight of the imagination which elicited from Judah Hallevi the idea that the Holy Land is to the world at large, what the heart is to the human body--the source of existence, so--cially and spiritually. I even incline to think that Ezekiel considered it so, when he wrote in the name of the Lord: [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "This Jerusalem I have set in the midst of nations, and countries are round about it." Centrally placed in from a geographical point of view, situated on the western coast of the Eastern continent, accessible through the Mediterannean sea that washes it, to Europe on the North, to Asia on the East, and to Africa on the West, it is the channel from which flowed a soul regenerating knowledge-- that the incomparable knowledge imparted in the heavenly inspired volumes of inspiration. But Jews while still bending still in prayer towards that spot, where the light of prophecy to illumine mankind brightly shone, Jews scattered everywhere recognize nevertheless the fact that their separate continuance, is not the effect of a former residence in a the land of promise, but that it it is solely due to the maintenance of the Torah.

All honor then, all thanks to Rabbinism, that prevented its extinction. Brethren. In previous lectures I alluded to Johanan Ben Zackaï. I related that when to fight Rome successfully, against Rome appeared seemed to his judgment a hopeless attempt undertaking, he left Jerusalem by stratagem, and on entering the presence of Vespasian, asked a favor. He requested that he might be allowed to establish a school of learning in Jabnè, or Jammia--a town not far from Jaffa. The granting of that wish, apparently of no significance, was the gift of an delivering into our hands of a impenetrable shield against which the javelins of a Roman soldiery, and the rifles of all the sworn inveterate enemies of Judaism struck in vain. The study and applica--tion of ancestral laws, suiting our changed condition, was our salvation. Going back seventy years in the narrative which concluded my last post-biblical lecture, I purpose speaking very briefly at intervals with great brevity of the colleges founded in various cities of Palestine, after our political downfall under Titus, of their nature of and of that the characters of their leaders.
At Jammia gathered the disciples of the great Sage,

immortlized in Talmudical literature. In like manner as Johanan Ben Zacckaï had imbibed the principles governing his peace-loving teacher, Hillel the elder, so did he try to infuse sentiments of loving-kindness into the hearts of his own pupils. All may have read in the splendid excellent book, called "Aboth" or, "the Ethics of the fathers," how fond was Johanan of his scholars. Five have received there particular mention, and they helped in carrying out the work of reconstruction. forming They constituted with others a Synod, or Sanhedrin by whom rules, principally regard--ing a uniformity of system in establishing the new moon and festivals and synagogual service, were enacted. We may form an idea of the cha--racter of That Rabbi Ben Zacckaï, from some of his actions and his ingenious utterances. It is asserted in the Talmud that he was invariably the far first to affably greet his neighbor, whether this was a Jew or a Gentile [Hebrew] when he noticed that much knowledge might create boastfulness, he would check it by showing that to study and improve is every man's duty [Hebrew] One day, after the Temple had been delivered to the flames, Johanan, accompanied by his pupils Joshua Ben Hananiah, was walking

through the desolate places deserted streets ruins of Jerusalem. Joshua wept and said: "Alas! what will atone for our sins now that the altars have been overthrown?", to which the teacher answered: "My son, do not lament, we have been left what will ensure forgiveness--beneficence charity" [Hebrew]. The same thought he expressed on ano--ther occasion. Seeing a woman, whom he recognized as the daughter of a once wealthy Israelite, gathering some grains of corn to make a meal, he enchained remarked: "Right is the common proverb, that the salt with which to preserve money, is charity beneficence" [Hebrew]. To discover the disposition of his scholars, the Sage would put to them questions on morals. "Think consider well," he would say to them," and tell me what is best for a person to possess acquire." He listened to their views, but ap--proved the opinion of Eleazar Ben Arach, who thought that a good heart is the noblest possession. At the death of a child of the greater preceptor, he was visited by his five favorite pupils. Some endeavoured to comfort the bereaved father by point--ing out similar losses sustained by Biblical personages, which Biblical personages had sustained,

but Eleazar Ben Arach alone afforded him consolation. He spoke thus: "A man had a precious jewel entrusted to his care. He His Such a responsibility gave him concern. He did not know whether he could no give it back restore the object to its owner its being in the least without any being injured in the least. Thy child was that dear object, and whom thou hast just returned to God. Be comforted because thou hast given back in all the original purity, free from any blemish what be then comforted" was committed to the guardianship care custody custody and thou didst guard well." Verily worthy of a narrative, thou hast given me comfort" said the Master. is the last hour of the illustrious Rabbi. He was lying very ill, when his pupils visited him. Looking on them he shed tears. They said cried: "O light of Israel, O sustaining pillar of the faith, why dost thou weep?" The teacher answered: "Were I to be taken before a human king, whose anger cannot outlast his mortal existence, or whom I might conciliate by words or by gifts, I still would feel a certain dread. Now, I am about to be ushered into the presence of the King of Kings, who is, who is eternal, and so also might be also His wrath which I can never appease by words or gifts. I see two ways lying before me, one leading to joy, another to sorrow grief. I do not know which I am deserving to tread.

Ought I not to weep? The disciples who could testify to their master's virtues and did not entertain his dread, and feelings said "Oh give us thy parting blessing." He answered: "May you fear God, as you fear men [Hebrew]--"Why, nothing more?" they unitedly exclaimed; and he repiled replied: "No, for most persons, when com--mitting a sin of which they are ashamed, the take good heed not to have human witnesses, forget--ful of God who is Omnipresent."
My Brethren. It was excessive humility, that excited feelings of apprehension in the great eminent teacher, not want of trust in the compassionate Lord, as a prejudiced Christian writer asserts alleges. If any doubt could exist respecting that, the last parting words of Johanan would dispel it. Before breathing his last, he said cried [Hebrew]. "Prepare a chair seat for H Ezekiah King of Judah, who has come," mean--ing that the righteous ruler of old will would be my his escort to paradise. Few have obtained so glowing a record in the Talmud, as the founder of the Rabbinical college in Jammia.

His learning has been described as immeasur--able. Besides the written and oral law of which he was a perfect master, Johanan had grasped and retained all the knowledge that was accessible in his age, and he used it most advantageously in behalf of his religion. The Mishnah rehearsing the praises of departed Sages writes, that with the death of Ben Zacckaï "the splendor of wisdom disappeared." [Hebrew]. Providence raised that new Ezra when Judaism was imperilled, endowed him with a broad judgment to plan, with a mighty will to act, with a spirit of goodness to win the affection and cooperation of scholars. To whom him we ough owe under God the survival of the Torah and our imperishable existence, All honor to as missionaries of those Rabbis. world-regenerating truths, where country and inde--pendence were forced away from us. Rome, our destroyer, has sunk into a grave, and is remembered in history alone, the Jew lives, because Rabbinism made him imperishable. All honor then, all thanks to teachers in Israel, like filled with the spirit of our Johanan Ben Zacckaï.

Identifier

p3tm72k55

identifier

SMBx12FF4_20