Penitential Sabbath (Shabat shubah). Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Penitential Sabbath (Shabat shubah). Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Format
- 12 pages on 4 sheets
- Language(s)
- English
- Source
- Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies
- Sabato Morais Collection, Box 10, Folder 2
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p30r9mq0v/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p30r9mq0v
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx10FF2_3.xml
- content
-
For the Sabbath of penitence.
The spirit of God rested on the prophet Isaiah, and he heard a voice that bid him loudly to cry. Aroused by the call, the inspired son of Amoz asked "What shall I cry?" and the same supernatural voice answered. "Cry that all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is like the field flower of the field." Cry that that human flesh so bent intent upon worthy pursuits, is like grass which is soon mowed down. Cry, that all the acquirements of which it boasts are like the flower that blooms in the morn, and but which the scorching rays of the sun soon wither. Let this be thy solemn mission, and thou mayest bring many back to virtue. Dear Brethren! What our merciful Father in heaven, wished to bring to pass through the agency of men saintly and of a staub stainless life, our Sages sought to accomplish by means of fallible but God-fearing men. They commissioned the spiritual guides of Judah's remnant to reclaim sinners by picturing to them the instability of human [?]. When the Universal shepherd inspects the flock
of his pasture [Hebrew] at the period which follows immediately the closing of a years that may have been mispent in the vain attempt of grasping shadows, the Rabbins ask their disciples to hasten and loosen the prisoners fettered in the bonds of wickedness, ere the verdict be pronounced, and the sentence sealed. Tell the house of Israel, say those zealous teachers of old, that [Hebrew] "the day is short, a but the work great" Es In obedience to the order of my superiors, I shall on this penitential sabbath, pro--claim from the pulpit a truth startling but necessary for all to la learn. Let youths who are wedded to wanton pleasures hear it, and wean themselves away from what they must relinquish. Let the gentle sex hear it, and direct their thoughts to higher aims than the enhancing of personal charms, the cultivating of arts intended to attract and captivate the senses. Let those vested with authority hear it, and beware of wield power with g kindly consideration and not with imperiousness. the power which is theirs Let those who can command possess wealth hear it, and seek strive to gather riches of which inconstant fortune cannot rob them. Let all who are swayed
by the the corruptive flesh hear it, and approach the fountain of purification. Aye, my Brethren brother, whosoever that art, whether in a lofty or in a lowly condition, at the climax of prosperity, or in a state of abjection [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "Thou must die"....
"But is this the appalling tiding which was to effect our conversion? Methinks I hear many deridingly ask of themselves. Who knows not that there is no man who liveth and seeth not death; we did not need a prea--cher to tell us what we witness every day." Well, full well you know that "like birds caught in a net, so are men taken in the evil day", but you do not set your minds on it; hence the general neglect to maker proper previsions again for the endless futurity.
To secure some temporal advantage, men will use all means within their reach. They will consult persons of experience, advice with their intimate friends, seriously and maturely reflect. If a scheme, which we deem advantageous is set afloat, it will entirely accepb our thoughts will be entirely engrossed with by it. In the day-time it will obtrude itself amidst
other occupations. At night it will disturb our sleep, and until it is accomplished, we will continue perfectly restless. Not so, however, with regard to the all-important project of freeing ourselves from the mes meshes of vice and to irreligion. Oh no! we cannot bestow devote our best years to the barren exercise of upright--ness. We cannot, we cannot give up the br buoyant days that yeld yield so much definite positive good, because at some indefinite period we may be forced to forego abandon what we now possess. Time enough, time enough. When we grow older, we will be better suited to respond to the call of religion. This we fallaciously reason forgetting that perhaps the old destroyer is treading on our heels, as forgetting that "no man has power over the spirit to retain it"; forget--ting that to the sinners of Zion who considered all men mortal but themselves, the prophet was predicted that that they would be first lost in the scourge which was to pass over Judea. [Hebrew] But I will not do all of us injustice by declaring that we are utterly reckless; that we rush headlong after vanities without any pause. No, there are moments in our life, sacred moments, sent as a warning by the Almighty, moments aroused by some startling events, when we ack--nowledge that all pomp and grandeur, all that which
we in fancied would excite the admiration of the world, is but a shadow. Then we fell feel like bending low at the foot stool of our Maker, and seeking for pardon. But how fleeting these moments! Strong passions rise again, and drive over goodly feelings sentiments forcibly away. No, says ambition, I cannot listen this day, it would shut against me the avenues to greatness. No, says covetousness, it might involve the retrenching of expenses necessary to keep up credit. No, says avarice, it would enrich others at to my own detriment. How could I suffer my next-door neighbor to gain by my loss? Not to-day, some other time, when this task I is completed, I will be in a better frame of mind to attend the to the calls from within. But the task is never completed; for no sooner have we disposed of that in which we were busily engaged, than others claim our undivided attention. Now, were we really impressed with a sense of our mortality. No, not that--for if death was but the dissolution of our corruptible bodies we might with good some show of reasons indulge in every excess, gratify every appetite--, but were we impressed with
the truth that "there is an eyes that seeth, an ear that heareth, and that all our deeds are written down"; that we must give an account of the manner in which we employed the faculties mercifully granted [Hebrew] [Hebrew], we would not attend to our spiritual wants earlier than when all ex else is finished. Nay, we would postpone the latter to the former.
Eliezer the faithful servant of Abraham undertook a long journey in quest of a suitable wife for the son of his master. Providence prospered his way, and he reached the city of Nabor, where a dear kinsman of the patriarch resided. As customary among hospitable people, he was asked to partake of some food that he might be refreshed after a fatiguing journey. But the trusty servant premptorily refused. "No" said he, "I will not eat until I have told my errand". And he proceeded to describe the happiness that might be derived from a matrimonial alliance between one of their daughters and the rich and respected son of his master, and nor would he allow the himself rest, un--till he received positive evidences of that his mission had been crowned with success. But why such haste? You will inquire. Did he fear that the opportunity
might fail him to do his duty? Was it imperative that he should refuse food until he obtained the consult of Rebecca's relatives? No, my friends! I have said it, What concerns us most will be performed first. Let us now draw a healthful lesson. If to serve a mortal being, so much readiness, so much zeal was displayed, what promptness, what alacrity ought not we to be exhibited in doing what is pleasing to the everlasting Master above! Yet few will say, "this morning I committed a wrong. I will not eat, till I have write righted it." "This day I have practised deceit, and exacted from my neighbor more than my due. I will not eat, until I have made proper reparations." "This week I have given vent to my passions, and brought trouble and sorrow on my nearest and dearest, I will not eat, until I have solemnly vowed never to relapse into my former habits." "This month I have raised myself high by treadin mounting up treading on the ruin of my neigh fellow man's character and reputation. I will not eat, until I have humbled myself and sought his forgiveness." "This year I have been irreverent towards my parents, overbearing towards my children, tyrannical
towards my dependents. I will not eat, o this year I have been recreant to my trust, This year I have..... But why shall I describe more at length what is painful to behold. What I meant to prove, my dear Brethren is, that even when we are not altogether lost to shame; when we feel know our fallibilitybleness, we will not cast out our backslidings as encumbrances on our spirit. We delay, and put off till a more favorable opportunity will present itself; till our minds are better prepared for a change in our course. But the opportunity may never present itself. "Oh sacred veil that encirclest hidest the throne of [?] decree secrets of heavenly justice! What human power can tear thee asunder? What human eye can peer penetrate into the awful mysteries that thou concealest? How many we stalwart frames, that we imagined destined to work wonders have been broken down like a reed! How many were blighted in the bloom of youth, when we fancied would have outlived the myriads! But this absence of the knowledge of our end, was not intended, my dear hearers, to terrify us into a state of inactivity. Not to spread upon
us a dread of being soon ushered into the august presence of an merciful God infallible Judge, but rather to incite us to work; to work steadily for the elevation of our soul, to work in the way of beneficence, in the way of truth; to work for the moral and intellectual advancement of the creatures of the same Father. It is intended to incite stimulate us to say like the old patriarch "I know not the day of my death" It may overtake me while I am engaged in the pursuit of sin running counter to the dictates of morality and religion. How could I then bear the gnawing remorse of having offended the best my kindest of Benefactor! Of having misused the faculties with which He has endowed me! How could I endure the pain of having cut off myself from the association of the righteous ones in the land of spirits? Which of the transient pleasures of this world can [?] counterbalance the sorrow of being denied the contemplation of the Essence of Goodness? Well then; of when passions arise again within my breast, I shall take the chart given to me from on high, consult it, and if I discover that the sentiments I cherish are in contravention to with the rules of the heavenly Legislator, I shall forthwith suppress my will, that His will be done.
For, I know that all my steps are watched, and my deeds will be weighed upon in the balance of justice. Dear Brethren! It is to strengthen these feelings; to confirm us in this belief, that the Almighty has set apart the present solemn season of our year. Listen then, O house of Israel! Were you destined, that as I fervently hope, to outlive the time allotted to men on earth; were you destined, as I most ardently pray, to be all inscribed in the book of uninterrupted prosperity, still even at an advanced age you would consider the long past like yesterday that has gone departed, and as a watch in the night. But what if the morrow was to fail you? (For, who can say, what the morrow will bring forth?) Not without reason have the Sages compared this world to a porch leading to the King's palace. Sudden may be the summons to come in. Let us always be ready to make a presentable appearance. "Let thy garments be always at all times white" said the ancient preacher. Those garments are the consciousness of having never deliberately sullied our lips with falsehood.
Never having deliberately defrauded our neighbor; never having deliberately defied God and His command. Leave then the rest in the hand of Him whose attributes are mercy and compassion, and who delights to pardon. When the passage which divides us from the world unknown shall have been crossed over, you will be carried aloft in the realms where a purling stream of perennial water flow; when a sun that never sets shall irradiate your immortal souls. - Identifier
- p30r9mq0v
- identifier
- SMBx10FF2_3
Part of Penitential Sabbath (Shabat shubah). Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
Morais, Sabato, “Penitential Sabbath (Shabat shubah). Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 19, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/91100