Shemot. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Shemot. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Format
- 14 pages on 4 sheets
- Language(s)
- English
- Source
- Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies
- Sabato Morais Collection, Box 9, Folder 10
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3mc8s238/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3mc8s238
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx9FF10_4.xml
- content
-
On the childhood of Moses
for Parashat Shemot
[Hebrew]
The birth of Hezekiah was announced in language that thrilled a nation with joy. Prophecy, which the plastic mind of Isaiah, moulded in a form unequally unsurpassingly sublime, so described the nativity of Judah's righteous king: "The people that walk in darkness, have seen a great light, upon them that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, brightness hath shone." But who announced the birth of the Crowning glory of mankind?--Of that being whose brow wore a sparkling diadem set thereupon by the hand of the Divinity? Methinks, the morning stars must have then sung together, Cherubim and Seraphim must have made the vaults of heaven ring with their shouting. Yet, on earth an ominous silence kept unbroken. In the streets of Goshen none dared breathe the tidings "A son has been given to Amram." Suppressed sobbing ushered into the world that doomed child. His mother had ar--dently wished that sorrow might come not night to her home. For a daughter she doubtless besought the God of life--For a daughter, whom fierce tyranny would not snatch from her breast, and cast into the Nile.
Human shortsightedness! How often thou lookest for happiness, when unhappiness lies hidden. How very often what thou wouldst that it be driven back as an unmitigated evil, carries in its train incalculable good! A divine fulfilment of Jochebed's prayful longing, might have hindered for ages the march of civilization.
The wheel of progress, rolling now with unwonted ra--pidity, might still be clogged through ignorance of the grand principles established for its motion by him who stood on the top of Sinai. Fellow-Israelites! Not alone we, the acknowledged disciples of Moses, but the en--lightened millions, who owe their national advancement to the moral code he promulgated, must bless the hour in which that mother gave birth to that son. None could then in fitting language proclaim the momentous event, but a light that suddenly burst forth became the herald of a glorious future. That light which, as an olden legend tells, illumined the dwelling of Amram; that light--typical of the Mosaic revelation--has spread far and wide; and it will finally reach the darkest spots on earth, till all the inhabitants thereof walk in its reflection. Then will men will call themselves "brethren" in the true spirit of the
legislator who taught the unity of the Great Creating Cause, and the unity of the human race. It is Israel's privilege to reckon in the line of a noble ancestry, the noblest creature that ever woman bore. And as a loving child delights to relate what the has heard of the early days of his sires, so does my mind feel prompted by what we have just perused to dwell awhile on the infancy of our deliverer, leader and law--giver. Let us, my friends, recall this day what we have learnt in the opening pages of the second book of inspi--ration. I am aware that the history of every individual, whose genius or military prowess influenced mankind, has always received a high colouring from a pencil dipped in fiction. But notwithstanding that Josephus gives currency to many a tale derived from popular traditions concerning the childhood of Moses, and that Philo the Jew presents it in a mystic garb, I will divest it of whatever may sound fabulous; yet, I believe that Jochebed's infant son must have shown signs of supernatural greatness, and that they became a direction to his mother in the course she pursued.
The time arrived, when she could no longer elude the watching of Pharaoh's cruel officers, and she resolved that she would, herself, entrust the existence of her babe to those waters, which had bereaved many a Hebrew mothers. But gazing upon that countenance so calm, and so deeply expressive, a flash of her son's latent spirit flitted before her vision. She had doubtless heard, how God had in the days of yore, had delivered a righteous man from an overwhelming flood, and she prepared with her own hands, an ark, which, like that of Noah, might remain afloat. What feelings struggled within her bosom [inserted above: breast], when seeking the winding shore, she clasped the smiling boy to her bosom, pressed upon his lips a soft ma- the warmest -ternal kiss and laid him on the Nile, mothers alone can tell. But faith stood beside her, and whispered comfort hope. Call it a presentiment, apply to it whatever name your minds suggest, but certain it is that events have hap--pened, which were foreshadowed to our soul, while not yet developped. An inward voice, which Jochebed inter--preted as a message from on high, assured her that the billows would not sweep away the frail vessel, which held her dearest treasure. Strengthened by so comforting a belief, she had ventured upon a course, which, under ordinary
circumstances, would must have rendered the death of her darling greatly more painful. For, to pine away for want of natural food, would have been infinitely worse than to find a grave quickly in the deep. But she did not fear so fatal an issue. Mark, my Brethren! It is not said written that she set her young daughter afar off to learn, what would be the end of her infant brother. No: she felt that he would be spared; that an invulnerable shield encompassed his existence. His speaking eyes had so said, but throbbingly she awaited to hear [Hebrew] "What would be done with him" that is, by what extraor--dinary means would his deliverance be wrought. You know the sequel. But can you tell what force was that which impelled a princess to openly disregard the will of her royal parent? Had she not been taught that compassion for the Hebrews was treason to the State? That the unprecedented increase of that people of foreign descent, had become a torment to all Egyptians; their constant dread! Aye: Pharaoh's daughter may have shared the inimical spirit which had enslaved a noble race of men, and now sought their extermination, but she could not resist the power of that angel-like countenance upturned towards hers.
Marvellous features, that could so deeply affect a being trained in an Egyptian palace! Was it their beauty, which exercised that mighty influence? The lo comeliness of the child's form might have attracted the attention of the princess, but she would not, assuredly, have braved, because of it, the wroth of her father. For, by adopting as her own son, the scion of a stock he had determined to root out, she had set the Ruler of Egypt at defiance, and stirred up the hearts of his subjects to rebellion. But prudence, expediency, cool reason, whatever might have dictated a different course was set cast aside. A look of that eyes a visage which a heavenly fire illumined, overpowered all other sen--timents save that of becoming a mother to that machless[sic?] child. The allegorical saying of our ancient teachers, can truly in this instance be applied to the letter. [Hebrew] [Hebrew] Pharaoh's daughter beheld the Divinity at the hour she first met the face of Moses. Feelings to which she may hitherto have been a stranger, seized her powerfully mightily. That Hebrew infant held her irresistibly in his control.
The disciples of a school, that attribute to chance whatever sees no Divine interposition in the befalls affairs of mankind, deny unto Moses any supernatural gifts.
They insist that he owed his safety to an instinct natural to human creatures, and the renown acquired in after-life to the exceptional manner in which he was educated. I readily admit the efficacy of both those agencies. I concede that pity did mingle with the feelings that moved the princess to rescue a babe from impending danger, for we are so explicitly told in Holy Writ [Hebrew] "she had compassion on him" I grant likewise, that the teaching obtained at the royal courts must have ripened all his high faculties, for, the Sages assert that "prophecy can rest only upon the wise-hearted" [Hebrew] But I maintain withal that unless a spark of a heavenly flame had shone upon the visage countenance of him destined to humanize the world, he would not have become the object of the the most cherished solicitudes of from a despot's daughter; nor would Moses have gained an instruction reserved solely for a privileged caste. Nothing short of a peremptory command from the princess, would have forced open for him doors most jealously guarded. For, it is well known, that the priests of Egypt were the exclusive possessors of learning. Shrouded under a veil of impenetrable mystery, they suffered none but their
own numbers to enter their assemblies. The books they wrote were hidden from the people. The rights of the latter consisted in blindly following sacerdotal ordinances. But what was kept from the multitude, became un--folded before the mind of that divinely gifted youth. He fathomed what was profound in science. He studied much and learnt much. But he sucked the honey and not the poison of priestly culture. His knowledge was not that which inspired comp contempt for the masses, and makes the heart swell with pride. Not that knowledge which is the arm of tyranny against the humble classes and the illiterate, but a knowledge drawn from the book of nature, more than from the ponderous volumes of human theories and human researches speculations, a knowledge teaching to recognize in all men the same origin, the same capacity for moral elevation, a knowledge that pleads for the right of every sentient being to be enlightened when ignorant, assisted when poor, defended when maltreated. That knowledge pervaded the soul of Moses, and rendered him the fitted ex--ponent of the will of a Universal God, who loves goodness, and hates inhumanity.
Imbued with it, the inmate of a palace preferred went seeking the lowly, those who suffered, to rather than associating with those who weilded the scepter or the sword. His advice to the latter, might go unheeded, but his kindly words to the former might would bring comfort and solace. Do you then wonder, that his anger kindled at the sight of unendurable oppression? Could he calmly look on, while his brother in faith, bent under a heavy burden, had his flesh torn by the rod of a task-master? Was it not a righteous indi--gnation that incited him to seize the weapon which might, in return, strike down that monster, and deliver his fellow-Israelite? Aye: he who was subsequently directed by the Lord to write in his code of laws [Hebrew] "Thou shalt not stand idly, when thy neighbor's blood is spilt," could not, without concern, behold the crushing of the inno--cent and the triumphing of the wicked. Indeed, wherever his judgment showed him wrongs, his high nature prompted him to rise to their its vindication. The same spirit of justice which made him upbraid the Hebrews, who without provocation gave vent to his was about passions by smiting his own coreligionist, stirred up the soul of the noble youth which Jethro's daughters were forcibly held back by the shepherds at the well. It was only when his deeds might have
won for him renown, that he would fain have continued inactive. Full of vigour, & of indomitable courage he always was, when his Arm could shield the helpless, but lowly in spirit and timid to a fault, when sought after that he might assume authority. But humility, write our sages, is the sure forerunner of of greatness. [Hebrew]. The monarch of Egypt by whose absolute will, millions were trodden down, stood in awe before One man. He dares not aim a blow at his life, he dares not even threaten. His aspect terrifies the Ruler, and yet fills him with reverence. That coun--tenance upon which a majesty divine had been from at the birth, been imprinted, that countenance which had animated Jochebed and fo strengthened her in faith, that countenance which had melted the heart of Pharaoh's daughter, and made her postpone to one of its smiles country and parentage, that countenance could not be looked upon without [inserted above (in pencil): that countenance which at the age of 120 was not furrowed with the marks of decrepitude] experiencing profound veneration. [inserted above (in pencil): but kept fresh and unfaded] Moses confronted the oppressors of his brethren, he warned, he condemned, he punished, but none ventured to lay hand upon him.
And if on the eve of that terrible night, in which the angel of death made havoc among the Egyptians, their kind bid Moses never reenter his presence, the answer given obviously shows that the tyrant who wore a crown was powerless, and the messenger of an avenging Deity was arrived with in dreaded superhuman strength; as Holy Writ testifies when it says "that man Moses was very great in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people". And has he ever ceased to be great? Search, my Brethren, ancient and modern history, call back the names that grace the roll of fame; summon together the men of a gigantic mind, the heros, the statesmen, the poets; assemble together the potentates of the East, and the sovereigns of the west. Their glory will pale before the halo which surrounds that child of the Hebrew-race. Moses is still great, and his greatness lies in the monu--ment which inspiration has raised to his name. A monument is that which looks down from the distance of thirty five centuries, standing unscathed amidst the wrecks of monarchies and the crush of empires. How many the forces that combined to destroy it from the foundations! But the missiles of heathenism, the darts
of Atheism, and the barbered arrows of infidelity have not demolished it. Human science has been set up over against it upon a lofty pedestal, to lessen by contrast the height of that venerable monument. But it still towers above all structures that fallible man has raised. Nay: the more intently will the mind gaze upon that monument, the more will its surpassing magnificence become visible unfurled. Modern The philosophy of this maternal age bent upon stripping Moses of his glory supernatural power, quoting the laws of Mandou and Confucius to exhibit therein an equal degree of wisdom and of goodness progressive humanity will stop short their investi--gations; they will see and feel that to the son of Jochebed preeminently belongs the glory of having, under God, cast down the idols of human fancy, and raised upon their ruin an altar to the Creator of the universe. That he tore the walks that which divided human beings into castes, that he wrenched the weapon of despotism, and set an example for freedom loving to follow. a people free. In a word, Moses was Israel's first instructor in the art of war, first in the art of peace, and but he woul was and will ever be the first beacon-light leading all to the way of salvation truth and of salvation.
Faithful disciples of the son of Amram and Jochebed, bow in reverence to the memory of one so great and so good! - Identifier
- p3mc8s238
- identifier
- SMBx9FF10_4
Part of Shemot. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
Morais, Sabato, “Shemot. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 19, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/91214