Letter from Morais, Sabato to Sollas, M. M. Philadelphia, PA; Dec 1861
- Title
- Letter from Morais, Sabato to Sollas, M. M. Philadelphia, PA; Dec 1861
- Date Created
- 12 December 1861
- Format
- 3 pages on 2 sheets
- Language(s)
- English
- Source
- Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies
- Sabato Morais Collection, Box 1, Folder 18
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p38c9rp8m/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p38c9rp8m
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx1FF18_16.xml
- content
-
M M. Sollas Esqr
Phila 12 Dec 1861
Dear Sir
I deem it an honor to have been called upon to solve a question which has already been propounded to Jewish Ministers of distinction, but reasons that I need not explain prompt me to offer my opinion privately instead of giving it publicity.
I have carefully read your communication to Dr Raphall, wherein the merits of the case in which you are interested are fully discussed, and I do not hesitate to say that the conduct of the wardens of your congregation is alike unwarrantable and blamable. According to the laws by which Israelites are graded, a child of a Hebrew woman, though born of a Gentile, is considered as one of our people in every respect, with the sole exception that a female of such an extraction, is not allowed to marry a priest (Cohen)
so it is explicitly laid down in the [?] N[?] vol Eben A[?] sect 4 par 5 & 15 on the authority of the Talmud treatise Yebamot p 45 p 2.
Mr Bessun is not therefore to be regarded as a proselyte but as a native Jew, whom, certain circumstances which he could not control, prevented his entering the covenant of Abraham at its due time, but who with commendable zeal submitted himself to the performance of that observance in later years. He is consequently entitled to all privileges connected with synagogual worship, and whosoever denies the same to him, is greatly to be reprehended.
The Revd Max Wolf acted on the premises as it behooves every pious man; and far from deserving censure, he must claim our thanks for having spiritually benefitted his a fellow believer. Besides, it happens that I am personally acquainted with that Gentle-man, so that I may freely state that he is too
much of a scholar to misunderstand the law, and too honest to act in contraviction thereof.
I trust that the pending question will be settled ami--cably, and I can assure you, dear sir, that to learn that the congregation have retracted, and Mr Bessun is permitted to worship the God of Israel in their midst, will much gratify
yours respectfully
S Morais - Identifier
- p38c9rp8m
- identifier
- SMBx1FF18_16
Part of Letter from Morais, Sabato to Sollas, M. M. Philadelphia, PA; Dec 1861
Morais, Sabato and Sollas, M. M., “Letter from Morais, Sabato to Sollas, M. M. Philadelphia, PA; Dec 1861”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed October 18, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/88988