Miscellaneous. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1894 · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Miscellaneous. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1894

Author

Morais, Sabato

Date Created

1894

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 9, Folder 32

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p31z42c7m/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p31z42c7m

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx9FF32_1.xml

content

S. MORAIS,
546 N. FIFTH STREET,
PHILADELPHIA, PA.

G
94
On the main virtue
in the character of Abraham

It is not a new revelation to say that the Hebrew Bible represents men as they actually were, that it offers no apology for their shortcomings, however surpassing their merits may otherwise have been. During the last three consecutive Sabbaths, the same character has passed in review before our mental vision. Was its possessor all-perfect? Nearly so as a mortals creature can possibly be, barring some weaknesses, impartially recorded, which, upon the minds of the ancients, did not leave the unpleasant impression which they create in ours. Still, people's views vary as to the most prominent feature, distinguishing in the cha--racter of the founder of our nation. Some will point to the benevolence shown towards his fatherless nephew; will admire also his pacific disposition in his intercourse with Lot. That demeanour they will deem a noble example set to posterity, which the moralist expressed in the maxim: [Hebrew] "A brother is born to aid in distress".
Others will prefer to direct attention to Abraham's generous hospitality, and they will enlarge upon that merit of our patriarch. In fact, the entertaining of strangers is a trait highly eulogized by Talmudists. It is related that on one occasion a number of our older preceptors

met at an Academy of learning in Jamnia. They opened the discussion by alluding to the quality, which they greatly valued. Unanimously they extolled hospit--ality as an glory to shedding honor upon those who practice it [Hebrew] [Hebrew] Some, again, will consider the magnanimity which prompted our patriarch, after having risked his life and delivered a city from its invaders, to restore to all every one the property he revered, and to refuse the least gift for himself, the noblest of all virtues. And that also received at the hands of the Talmudists a profound acknowledgment [Hebrew] very many will agree that Abraham's willingness to part with the dearest treasure in his possession; with the son of promise, through whom his name would remain a blessing upon earth to the end of time [Hebrew]; his readiness I say to tear from his heart the child so eagerly, so yearningly ex--pected, so fondly loved, in order to prove his fidelity to God, was the crowning merit of Abraham's the patriarch's life. And really it is in that light that his descendants have regarded the trial borne during the three days' journey to the mountain, where devotion to religion struggled for victory over paternal affection. The authors of the Hebrew ritual, observing the halo

with which prophets and sages surrounded the sainted brow of the patriarch Hebrew of Ur Chasdim, as a reward of his heroic faith, filled our formulary of prayers with striking references to the his binding of Isaac upon the altar [Hebrew]
Not a few will be drawn closer to Abraham by reason of that melting tenderness which bedewed with tears what was mortal of his Sarah; by reason of his affectionate anxiety to sure secure for her, who had shared his joys and sorrows, an honorable burial. at any cost regardless of Yet, admitting that each of those qualities was lovely, were I asked of what we, the progeny of Abraham, should notably boast, rather than cite his kindness to Lot--great as it was; his hospital--ity far reaching unlimited as it showed itself; his unsel--fishness, so very truly admirable; his having show proved to the world that if, like the brutal deities of pagan--ism, the God he discovered in nature demanded human sacrifices, the great believer would have obeyed; or his devoted care of the body which had en--shrined the immortal soul of his wife, rather than all I would point to Abraham's intercession ever for irreclaimable unfortunate sinners. That I would call the loftiest virtue in the character of our patriarch.

I will explain my sentiment. It is not unusual with our Christian neighbors to draw a contrast prejudicial to Judaism. Often I am pained by the charge that the religion of the Synagogue loses much in comparison with the religion of the Church; that ours is an austere religion, a re--ligion of unbending rigor, while through that the religion of our neighbors a current of gentle love and humans soft forgiveness compassion runs freely with limpid clearness.
Literature, whether light or serious harps upon that subject with so much such assurance, that even Israelites learn to chime in, encouraged by their own pulpits which place the Galilean, whose supposed alleged mission heaped upon Israel mountains of sorrow, on a par with Moses and Isaiah and Micah--the glory of our race. The man of Naza--reth is eulogized as a friend of the abandoned and the fallen. The new Testament represents him as a seeker of publicans and outlaws for a good pur-pose. But while I would always upraise and never cast down my fellow-creature; while I would never counsel the rejection of even the lowest among backsliders, I hold nevertheless that the demeanour of the founder of our people and belief, rises infinitely higher than that of the Nazarene,

It was certainly more honorable in keeping with the dicate dictates of honor and dignity. Abraham did not sit with the degraded--an association of doubtful ad--vantage; He nor did not he say that he who has never committed a sin, should cast the first stone upon the adulteress--intimating that no punishment be meted out and that all wrongs be overlooked. No: he would not preach justice out of the world, but his humanity was so all embracing that he could not contem--plate even at a distance in his mind thought the sufferings that follow close at the heels of crime. A graphic illustration of that trait in Abraham's character is the entreaty which he poured forth. The inhabitants of Sodom or Gomorrah were atrociously wicked. Ezekiel so speaks of them in the name of his heavenly Master. "This was the iniquity of Sodom and her daughters, pride of abundance and of prosperous ease [Hebrew]...nor would she strengthen the hand of the poor and helpless [Hebrew] (Sodom and Gomorrah) were haughty they committed abominations, therefore (says the Lord) I took them away, as I saw fit" [Hebrew] Among the legendary tales of the Talmud we read the following: Two young women met at a fountain, where they had gone to drink and fetch water. One looked very sickly. The other asked what ailed her. She answered

that she was nearly dying with with hunger. Upon that, she who had spoken first quickly went and filled the empty pitcher with flour and sent the starving girl home. The generous donor was cruelly treated because of that by her brutal country--men, as a recompense for her goodness. Now, Abraham must have known and how pro--fligate and inhuman were the people in whose midst his nephew Lot had settled. Still, when the vision vouchsafed to him exhibited to view the impending doom with which Sodom and her sur--rounding towns were threatened, he prayed, ardently prayed, most humbly prayed [Hebrew], perseve--ringly prayed for Divine mercy. He did not simply petition that his brother's son and his relatives be might, for his virtues' sake, be delivered from the univer--sal catastrophe, but he implored of the Lord that all might would be shielded under the wings of Divine heavenly graciousness. [Hebrew] Have the progeny of the patriarch inherited the quality of sweet mercy which is nobility's true badge? Most assuredly they have [Hebrew] is the little they bear. They gained it because the blood of Abraham courses through their veins; they gained it because his example and precept

gave them lasting instruction. To bring forth into action the noblest trait of Abraham's character, God revealed His purpose to the ancient patriarch [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "I have known him--meaning I have distinctly set him apart--to the end that he may command his child--ren and his household after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice". In the word Zedakah translated "righteousness," gene--rous beneficence, deep compassion, absolute forgiveness are comprehended, so ar our Bible proclaims, and all can hear that declaration who study to learn the prin--ciples on which their religion stands [Hebrew] "Zedakah exalts a nation" [Hebrew] "The promotion of peace and the exercise of commiseration are Zedakah". In the word Mishpat or "Justice" Jews who understand their creed, perceive the golden rule, which is not Christian, for Hillel and the Babylonian anticipated Jesus the Galilean when he said [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "Do not unto others what would be unpleasant to thyself." That rule, as inculcated by prophets and Sages, means an honesty of thought so perfect that will not allow an single action which has not been weighed in the scales of truthfulness.

Holy Writ calls a conduct measured by the line of St Zedakah and Mishpat godliness, or keeping the way of the Lord [Hebrew] Thus preached Jeremiah by divine inspiration "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me that I am the Lord that who exercises loving kindness, justice and righteousness Misp Mishpat Uzdakah in the earth, for in those things I delight, says the Lord". Brethren. Why search out goodness through other channels, when it strains forth perennially in our own midst? Why ungratefully b turn our back on our own preceptors, to seek instruction at the hands of the stranger? It has been very re--cently preached, in a spot ostensibly dedicated devoted to the interests of Judaism, that a more sublime teach--ing than the sermon on the Mount, would be very difficult to imagine. Well, beleve believe me Israelites, what is acceptable there, is a facsimile; the original is ours; what clashes there with rea--son is a new testament.

Identifier

p31z42c7m

identifier

SMBx9FF32_1