Penitential Sabbath (Shabat shubah). Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Penitential Sabbath (Shabat shubah). Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Format
- 17 pages on 5 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/p3w08x262/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3w08x262
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx10FF2_18.xml
- content
-
103
A sermon on penitence
[Hebrew]
[Hebrew]
[Hebrew]
[Hebrew] [Hebrew] In the Talmud, treatise Rosh Hashaná, we read the following paraphrastical sentence "Whoever passes indul--gently by a slight received, will in return obtain the remission of all his sins, for it is written "O God! who is like unto thee, who pardonest iniquity," that is, the iniquity of such who pass by the transgression com--mitted against them". Beloved hearers! One of the means which the Sages of Israel deem very effective to propitiate our offended God, is, to seek a reconciliation with our offended brother. They have therefore recommended that ere the great and tremendous day arrives, when our deeds are weighed upon in the scales of divine retributive justice, we should strenuously endeavour to pacify our fellow man, whose heart our demeanour has alienated from us. They opine that the unsolicited acknowledgment of our fault, will best prove our sincerity. [Hebrew] "I am humbled, for--give me". Such or similar words, flowing from lips that utter
the whole truth, will atone for the improper act, of which we have been guilty towards our neighbour, and the Universal Father will register the goodly expression in the book that lies open before his throne. But while the maxims and talmudical illustrations of the Rab--bins teach that candour and humility, will plead for us on the day of judgment, they forcibly demonstrate the contrary effects of haughtiness and implacabilityleness. Accordingly, we read [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "He that is of an unrelenting disposition, does not belong to the seed of Abraham" for, the characteristic virtue of the latter is mercy in the highest degree [Hebrew]. But such a one, as Maimonides observes in his laws on repentence, ought rather to be considered as the progeny of the heathen Edomites, of whom the prophet says [Hebrew] "His anger tore perpe--tually, and he kept his wrath for ever". Thus likewise, if you search through the writings of our ancient tutors instructors, you will learn by many other aphorisms of equal import, that a vindictive spirit
is held up to utter condemnation abhorrence.
Now, my friends! I am convinced in my mind that each of you fully assents to that imparting of the Sages; I am certain that none of you will proclaim it a noble trait in man "to avenge and bear grudge"; but, Alas! need I say, how frequently that which we admit as true in the abstract, is practically repudiated? Our inordinate cravings; self-interest, pride, covetousness, wantonness, they obscure the intellect, so that, what we readily condemn in others as wicked, fails to impress us with its obliquity when practised by ourselves. Witness it the penitent King, whom to whose mind only the open rebuke of the prophet, could reveal to his mind the enor--mity of his crime. When the terrible denunciation [Hebrew] "thou art the man" rung in his ears, then did he perceive how the tumult of the passions had overpowered the voice of religion and humanity. Suffer then, beloved hearers! that upon this Sabbath which proceeds the awful [Hebrew], I
may exhibit to view the sin which they commit who refuse their brethren the forgiveness they ask of God. If there be but one among us, whose breast--unconsciously perhaps--harbours male--volence or aversion, let my friendly admonition awaken him to a proper sense of his guilt, so that he may timely bethink himself, and by a speedy reconciliation with his fellow-creature, he may obtain the love and favor of the eternal Creator.
I would then first remark, that the holy religion we profess, does not only prohibit open revenge, but denounces as a heinous delin- crime -quency even a thought inimical to our fellow-being [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart" [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "To exclude the idea, say the expositors of our laws, "that only acts of violence are forbidden, the Scripture purposely expresses itself in those terms." Yes: Our divine legislator, who has also framed human nature knows that evil thoughts beget evil actions; that mere antipathy will insensibly lapse
into rankling hatred; He designed therefore, by his command, that we vigilantly a guard against the encroachment of that dire passion. Our beneficent Maker desired that the feelings which swell our the bosoms of his children be only kindliness and amity. He has not denied us the privilege of preserving our honor, our life, or our property from any detriment to which they might be exposed. He has even sanctioned, in extreme cases, our repelling aggression by main force, for; He has exempted from punishment the individual who smites a thief while breaking through his premises, under the cover of the nightly shadows. He has granted to all men the right of self-defence, for, as our sages express it [Hebrew] "We must prevent the blow which aims at our destruction", but all this, my friends! should be circumscribed within the bounds of that which is consonant with the rules of eternal justice. The acts which proceed from our unruly passions, are, on the contrary a violation thereof as well as a crime against the Most High God; for nothing can we
allege in their justification. Are we aggrieved by reason of our neigh--bor's offensive deportment towards us? We ought to commit our righteous cause unto the Lord; to whom vengeance solely belongs [Hebrew]. We ought to bear in mind that the impartial King who abhors a vindictive spirit, has likewise threatened our offenders with his celestial wrath, that in his revealed book, He demands of them, under penalty of enduring torments, the reparation of the injury inflicted, the recantation of their aspersions. Besides, the Deity has delegated to human magistrates the authority of watching over our interests. He has delivered into their hands a flaming sword, which, if it does not always deter the malefactor from trespassing upon the Eden of our earthly existence--our honor and our substance--it falls upon his head with tremendous force, for, in consenting that we should appeal to that tribunal for redress, He has solemnly adjured it to execute the law with unflinching inflexibility [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor
honor the person of the mighty, but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour". All this has been granted to us every one of us, alike for the protection of his life and property; as also for the vindication of his character. Now, say my beloved hearers! is not a Monarch so considerate and so beneficent, so deeply concerned in our welbeing, entitled to our obedience? See! "He forbids vindictiveness. But why? Not as a screen to for the adversary of our happiness, but as a token of parental affection towards ourselves, for, knowing for certain, that the rancorous feelings we cherish, will affect us injuriously, without working prejudicially against him who has excited them. If he is highly stationed, he is not brought, through it, to a lowly condition, if he is wealthy, he does not grow needy thereby. Wisely has Solomon asserted [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "that anger"--which is always the concomitant of hatred--" lodges only in the bosom of the foolish" for the reflecting and the sober-minded will not hatch therein the serpent which
will destroy their vitals, they will not voluntarily imbibe the draught which will poison their existence. I believe that if our religion had prescribed a law attended with half as much suffering as the baneful passion of hatred inflicts, we would disregard it as too onerous; why should we then contravene a precept intended to avert from us harrowing pains? My brother! my sister!, whatever be thy grievances, whatever be the insult thou wast made to endure, if thou valuest the peace of thy mind, keep the Lord's command [Hebrew] "Hate not thy brother in thy heart" By But a part of from any per--sonal consideration; let me ask, whether it becomes frail and erring mortals to hold resentment and bear animosity! Will you point out to me one, whose conduct is so irreproachable, that it has never given cause for censure? If there is so pure an individual among my audience, let me him come forward, he shall be our preceptor and exemplar; but if each of us, on the contrary, hears at the very moment the voice of conscience that upbraids
him with the utterance of offensive words, with imperious or arbitrary manners, with backsliding, with subtle practices detri--mental to the interests of his neighbour; let us not hesitate one instant to grant the forgiveness, which we ourselves ought often to solicit [Hebrew] "for many a time" O my brother-sinner--"thy heart feels thou hast also hurled an imprecation against others."
But I am not ignorant of the pretext adduced by the vindictive for the committal of their reprehensible actions. They assert that their reputation would suffer, if an indignity offered thereto were to go unresented: That to overlook it, would be giving room for misconstruction, that it might be regarded as an evidence of a cravens spirit, as a want of self-respect. Very cogent reasons indeed are these: Nay, I ought to congratulate people so honorable that will not be guilty of so base an action as to pass by an offense.
But the wise teacher, whose words I have chosen for my text, affirms that just such ones will obtain the remission of their sins against God. Furthermore, when I open the volume of truth, I read that "it is an honor for man to forbear from strife" [Hebrew], that "it is a glory unto him to pass over a transgression" [Hebrew]. Again: I learn from the same pure source that individuals greater and nobler than we are, exercised the law of forgiveness and it was not imputed considered any derogation of their high-character. Who, for example instance, has ever dared to say that the patriarch, who, not alone pardoned those that had both injured his possessions, and banished him from their land, but hospitably entertained them at a sumptuous banquet, was mean-spirited and pusilanomous? And Joseph--that glorious specimen of human virtue--did he betray a feeble mind, when to the appeal of his self-condemned brothers, responded with
tears and embraces? But what will the honorable in revenge think of Moses, who--misrepresented and traduced--besought God in behalf of the offenders? Was it the absence of dignity of character that prompted him thus to act? Oh! human pride! how baneful are thy teachings! How lurid is the darkness into which thou enshroudest the intellect! Lo! the example of sainted men exhorts to goodness and mercy. The word of the living God imperatively enjoins their exercise, and yet swayed by thee, individuals can be found, who will consider it degrading to extend to their erring brothers the hand of fellowship! But mark, my friends! when I closely inspect the conduct of such, I discover a great defficiency in of those hightoned principles, & dignified bearing which one would sup--pose to be its governing rule. I could point out to you men, alas! women too, who would scorn the idea of yielding their resentment, occasioned perhaps by some trifling circumstance,
but who nevertheless are not so chary of their reputation in other respects; I could show that they do not scruple to resort to chicanery if it redounds to their advantage; that they will sometimes seek diversion at the gaming board, or at immoral representations, that they will also grow elated at over the inebriating cup; but I forbear, because I believe, that the heart whence mercy has been shut out, can only be the receptacle of vice. [Hebrew] [Hebrew]. "The Israelite that craves but for the injury of his fellow-man is absolutely wicked." He may from habit, or from an undefinable dread of the Supreme Judge adhere to certain observances. He may even be applauded by the world for his rigid attendance to its conventiona--lities. He may be polished, he may be accomplished, but he will be, even like the apple that grows near the dead sea. Beautiful indeed is is its appearance, but at our touch,
it dissolves into dust. Aye, my beloved hearers! hollow is the morality of the unforgiving, false are their religious profes--sions. The heart of stone which refuses to be appeased; the heart of stone that hates implacably, cannot feel love for the Almighty Father of all men; for the beneficent Being who delights to pardon. It cannot And much less can be it hold in veneration that sublime code whose very essence is mercy. A certain Rabbi who was desirous of learning the various dispositions of his disciples, requested of them, on one occasion, to point out the means which they deemed best to forward human perfection. Each of them advanced his opinion, but, that which made it to depend upon the possession of "a good heart," elicited the full approbation of the teacher, for, he remarked that in it were comprised all the requirements regarded as essen-tial in the opinion held by his other pupils [Hebrew] [Hebrew]. And this doctrine my dear friends! inculcated by the Sages of Israel, and exemplified by their lives, is but
an emanation from the grand truths treasured up in the volumes of inspiration. There we are repeatedly told that neither our learning, nor our exalted position will render us acceptable to the Most High, but that the exhibition of a pure heart, free from animosity or hatred, from rancour or aversion, of a heart kin--dled with affectionate feelings for those who are near akin unto us, and for those also who are strangers to our family and land will liken us, even while below, to the spirits enthroned above. Listen, my beloved hearers! listen to the memorable sentence of the prophet and imprint it on the tablets of your minds. "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 glorieth, glory in this; that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, who exerciseth loving-kindness, justice and righteousness in these earth; for, in these things I delight, sayeth the Eternal [Hebrew] What shall I, in the poverty of my intellect and language--
add now to the soul-stirring words of that heavenly celestial messenger? Has he not shown you what is good, and what the Lord requires at your hands?..... Brethren! Love mercy. Let that virtue be the herald that shall usher you into the presence of the universal Judge King, when He sits to judge your past deeds. On the day, in which your trespasses are arrayed before his tribunal, the mercy you have exercised towards your fellow-mortals, will be your advocate and deliverer. Your humility will exalt you; your remission of your brother's faults, will expunge your own delinquencies. Oh! stretch forth the hand, which you have hitherto withheld from your fellow-being. Press it with the warmth of fraternal affection. Exhibit the heroism of conquering your resentment and aversion. Though insulted a hundred times, forgive, for the sake of our beneficent Father, who is in heaven.
Let not a thought separate you any more from him who has given you cause of offense. See! there he stands seeking, yearning for a reconciliation. In his name behalf, I, by virtue of the sacred office, with which I have again been vested, appeal to your hearts. I urge you to curb the passions, to banish pride, to sacrifice revenge to human brotherhood and to peace. Refuse me not Deny not him who ceaselessly prays for your happiness but let me carry hence the ineffable satisfaction of having performed a most essential tenet of our religion [Hebrew] "of having drawn man to man in endurable amity", of having earned for myself a place in eternity, and secured for you the love and favor of Almighty God. Forgive, my friends, forgive and you shall be forgiven. So may it be. Amen. [Hebrew] - Identifier
- p3w08x262
- identifier
- SMBx10FF2_18
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/91101