Lecture 45. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Lecture 45. 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 5

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3k06xk48/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3k06xk48

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF5_2.xml

content

Post-Biblical
45

There are persons whose individuality is so strongly marked, that their history becomes the history of a new era. In the course of my occasional brief lectures in the schools of Judea, I have, at times, set to view characters that left among us impressions ever enduring. Such were, for instance, Johanan Ben Zacckaï, whose escape from Jerusalem when all hopes for political safety had died out, was the means of preserving Judaism from extinction by the establishment of Rabbin--ical schools beyond the capital. Such were Akiba the martyred Sage and his disciple Meir, who impart--ed a fresh impulse to our national learning; but no one created so marked an epoch in our annals like Judah the descendant of Hillel the elder, and therefore called Han- -nasi "the prince". That he grew to be singularly famous, it is due to the circumstance which led him to commit to writing most of the traditions orally com--municated by the fathers, and known in their codified form under the general title of "Mishnah." Judah son of Simon III, was not the first to make memo--randa of religious rules thus transmitted from age

to age. Others before him had adopted followed the same plan to help their memory, for it was naturally impossible to store in one's mind all the teachings, which since the days of Ezra had come down to poste--rity, even admitting with the Talmudists that the Sages of antiquity did possess extraordinary retentive faculties. But Ju--dah undertook what none had attempted. He laid out in a somewhat methodical order a voluminous work divided into six parts, with holding more than sixty treatises, and over five hundred chapters. It remains yet an open question, whether the Mishnah was in reality written out by that renowned Rabbi as an authority to posterity, not--withstanding the aversion, and, according to many, notwithstanding the actual prohibition to put to writing for general use more than the Bible. Those who believe that the illustrious Sage did so, argue that he found it necessary, so as to prevent national troubles and voluntary or compulsory emigration from wiping out the memorial of ordinances which had been kept up for centuries. Others, again, are of opinion that Judah the Prince intended the Mishnah for his own personal guide in the instruction of scholars, but that in the lapse of time what he had meant for private

reference, was deemed by his disciples the best arraigned codification of oral laws, and it was universally adopted. Whatever judgment be the correct, it is undeniable that without the aid of the Mishnah we could not intelligently carry out the precepts of Holy Writ. Thus, we could under--stand neither what constitutes a work prohibited on Sabbaths and holidays, nor how to nationally observe solemn fasts and festivals. The service at the Synagogue, marriage regulations, dietary prescriptions and a large number of ordinances followed adhered to by our people in their domestic and communal relations, would be unknown, for, about some our Bible is silent the letter of the Bible does not furnish a date, and about others it has expressed itself in very general terms and concisely, relying undoubtedly on oral instruction for a proper application. Then the Mishnah contains a vast deal of an historical and moral character, while it is invaluable from a linguistic standpoint. To Judah, deservedly styled by way of eminence "our teacher the holy" Rabbiner Ha-Kadosh, belongs the merit of having preserved the bulk of ancestral teach--ings, and to of having indirectly originated a new and

inexhaustible literature, for, as all are aware, the Mishnah forms the text of the Gemara,-- both being together termed Talmud."
The vicissitudes to which our predecessors were ex--posed under Roman rule dominion, necessitated a frequent change in our ancient seat of learning. It was at Tiberius in Galilee, which city Herod Antipas, son of Herod the great had built, and which he called so in honor of the Roman emperor Tiberius, that the Mishnah was computed formulated. In later days, Rabbi Judah, whose health, was always deli--cate, removed to Sepohris--a more mountainous and healthful climate. But wherever he resided, men flocked to receive his tuition. He gave with gladness of the immense erudition possessed, for, as wisely and as modestly, he confessed that questions submitted to us by the inquiring minds of our pupils, add incalculably to our stock of knowledge. He was in the habit of saying: "Much I have learned from my preceptors, still more from my associates, but I owe most to my pupils." His love for study and for students was so deep, that he gave [?] dispensed generously of his means for the support of indigent scholars,

but his fondness of sacred literature led him, on one occasion, very nearly to the commission of a grievous wrong. A famine had spread all over the country. Judah the Prince, who was rich, ordered the following announcement to be made in his name, "Whosoever has become familiar with the Bible or with our traditions in their various forms and charact--ers, shall may apply to me, and he will receive assistance." When a person called for aid, he was asked concerning his acquaintance with Hebrew lore. It fared ill with the illiterate. But the injustice of such a pro--cedure, did not escape the attention of a very learned scholar. He was poor, but at the same time loth to make capital of his literary acquirements. He sought relief. Being questioned about his abilities, he disclaimed the possession of any, but insisted upon obtaining help as one of God's creatures. "Feed me" said he, "as thou wouldst feed a hungry dog, or a famished raven." Rabbi Judah was moved by the appeal and consented, still he regret--ted to have favored a supposed ignorant man. Soon, however, the Sage discovered his error, and profited by the lesson which the applicant feigning illiteracy had taught him, recalled his first order, and let every one in need be assisted.

Beautiful are the maxims as his life, so was the character of the tuition which the worthy descendant of the meek Hillel inculcated. Most significant is the one of his aphorisms, which reads thus: "Man! weight in even scales the temporal loss which thou mayest bear by the performance of righteousness, and the gain which thou mayest enjoy by following wickedness, then consider three things and thou wilt avoid sin. Know that there is above thee, an eye ever open, an ear ever listening, and a volume ever un--folded to register all thy deeds." Of a nature intensely devotional, our Judah was in the habit of making at the conclusion of his customary prayers an invocation, which has been embodied in the ritual still adhered to by con--servative Jews. It runs so: "May it be Thy will O Lord our God! to deliver me this day and always from arro--gance and from the arrogant, from an evil person and a malicious opponent, from a severe judgment, and a severe judge, whether he be one of Thy covenant peo--ple or a non-Israelite." Now, some may consider it an exaggeration on the part of the successors of Judah, to have written that at his death there died piety

piety and humility, but certainly the last words and the last will of that great man, who stood up full thirty years for his religion and his fellow religionists, prove him entitled to high encomium. Having resignedly suffered bodily pains for a long time, when he felt that the end was approaching, he sent for his children and his colleagues. Raising Lifting up his hands, and stretching out his ten fingers, he exclaimed: "Sovereign of the Universe! Thou, the all-seeing, knowest that I have labored with these, and that I have not derived the slightest material compensation from my endeavours; only for Thy glory have I worked. Grant, I beseech Thee, that spiritual peace be my reward." Then turning to his sons, he gave them directions how to proceed in the government of academical and national Synedrial affairs, bid them pay their mother the highest respect, and keep the house in the usual order as if he were alive. To the Rabbis whom he had summoned, he ordered that his burial and obsequies be inexpensive and unostentatious, and that two of his servants, who had faithfully waited on him in life, should follow his mortal remains to their resting place. Like Gamliel of Jammia his honored grand-sire, and Simon III his father,

who deprecated under all circumstances extravagance at funerals and the waste of gold in the erection of tombstones, so our holy teacher Rabbim Hakkadosh, recognized the wisdom of living godly and the folly of being entombed interred luxuriou--sly. If asked, those ancient preceptors of ours would have advised the purchase of everlasting merits with that gold, by bestowing it on institutions of learning, of industry and of charity. The venera--tion in which the guardian and perpetuator of ancestral traditions was held, revealed itself extraordinarily at his decease. Though some of his disciples were informed that their Master had gone to heaven, no one ventured to spread abroad the report. At length of one of the pupils, noted for his versatile mind cried out: "Archan--gels and their adversaries engaged in a severe combat contest, who shall seize lay hold of the holy ark? Archangels bore bared their arms, and won the glorious victory, they laid strong hold of seized the ark of God." The people understood it, and sobbingly lamented exclaimed "He is gone, he is gone, our holy teacher is gone". With the demise of Rabbi Judah, the period of Mishnic Sages, or Tannaim closed, & that of Talmudical sages, or Emoraim, commenced.

I cannot conclude my remarks, without paying a tribute of respect to the memory of a disciple of our Rabbi, the holy. Jacob Frankel of Philadelphia copied the moral standard once set forth by the immortal teacher of sephoris. The Cantor of the Rodef Shalom congregation never laid claims to natural talents and scholarly attainments. He understood the limits of his knowledge, and kept within bounds. Yet, he remarkably illustrated the truth that character exceeds learning in value beyond calculation. Genial in his inter--course, kind in his speech, tender hearted towards the needy, he won the esteem of a far more extended circle than that of his own constituents. And how very acceptable the performance the of his offices! At the sacred desk, where he sang the praises of God, his bearing, his mellifluously sweet voice inspired reverence. Out of the Sanctuary; in the usual walks of life, his commanding appearance, his friendly smile made him uni--versally welcome. On occasions of joy, either in a ministerial capa--city, or as an invited guest, he always strove to add pleasure to the pre--vailing pleasure. In time of affliction, his sterling sympathies acted as a balm to the sorrow-stricken. My intercourse with with2 that venerable colleague, existing for1 of nearly thirty six years, has3 been uninterruptedly agreeable. I had cause to discover in him an honest and truthful man. Privileged to call on him when he became the recipient of congregational tokens of regard & he felt happy, & when sickness & trials depres--sed his spirits, I invariably found Jacob Frankel a meek and God-fearing Israelite. If, as as taught by the Talmudists, the prayer of a whole population will surely be heard in heaven [Hebrew], the soul of my noble hearted colleague will now rise [Hebrew] to the realms where the saints & pure shine like the firmament. May it be so. Amen.

Identifier

p3k06xk48

identifier

SMBx12FF5_2