Theological lectures. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Theological lectures. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Format
- 9 pages on 4 sheets
- Language(s)
- English
- Source
- Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies
- Sabato Morais Collection, Box 13, Folder 10
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3fn11c1s/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3fn11c1s
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx13FF10_1.xml
- content
-
Satisfaction with god's dispositions
[Hebrew] "And the mixed multitude that was among them, felt a lustful longing, and the children of Israel also wept again, and said: who will give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egyept for naught, the cucumbers and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the gar--lic. But now our soil is faint, there is nothing at all, except this manna, which is before our eyes".
Oh human ingratitude! The table is spread with abun--dance of food, and yet a cry is he raised, as when people hunger! An aliment pleasing to the taste is gathered and enjoyed with absolute freedom, still men crave the bread of bondage! Does it surprise you, my friends! that such a deportment should provoke the wrath of God? Is there anything more grievous than to hear a child whom we have, from pure love, supported in a manner most conducive to health, repine at the want of that which is the earning of thraldom? Than to see him contemn, what we, unrequited, have profusely given? No, you should rather wonder at the long-suffering of the Deity, who does not
instantaneously visit upon us our offences, who allows the sinner time to bethink himself and retract. But did I say "upon us"? Is the reproach recorded against our ancestors, in the section of this Sabbath, applicable to ourselves also? Aye, even so, my dear Brethren! The Father of all living, provides for our necessities, and though little might suffice us, he with an unsparing bountiful hand showers down an exuberance of good [Hebrew]. The fields invite us to feast on their rich produce, the sea offers us an ample tribute. We luxuriate on countless species of nutriments, but withal we are discontent. Verily, our ingratitude exceeds that of which our ances--tors became guilty, for, they murmured because unable to multiply their viands, we complain though an immense variety thereof be at our command. A beneficent Lord grants us affluence, but out demeanour is that of the hapless necessitous. We toil and plod as he who needs a morsel to sustain his famished children. Possessed of the means to satisfy all our requirements, we despond, if our material advan--cement falls short of our anticipations. Hence it is that labour, which should dignify our existence,
debases it. Its exercise intended to preserve in us, a hale body and a cheerful mind, becomes a bane to both; for, whereas we ought to regulate it wisely, we are ruled by it despotically. We should remember [Hebrew] "that man liveth not on bread alone" and that the Sovereign of the Universe, dispenses the same super abundantly, in order that we might employ our noble faculties, for higher purposes; but a wrong impression has laid hold of the human mind. We believe, as (because the common adage teaches it) that business preceeds all things; but it is an error, my friends! a fatal error which occasions days of sorrow, and sleepless nights. Not business, but duty must preceed all things. To be sure, it is the obligation of every man to labour. The sluggard falsifies his being, and whether he be rich or poor he is despicable, but we are told that there are such "whose labour is with wisdom and knowledge" while that of others is with folly and indiscretion. To apportion certain hours to work, to steadily follow it, is laudable, but to sacrifice to it all hours; the comforts of home, the pleasure of a domestic repast, the delightful task of studying and promoting the good tendencies of
of our tender offspring, is not alone reprehensible but sinful. It is evincing ingratitude to Him, who supplies us with more than we actually require; for, what could impel us thus to be fettered by incessant labour? What; but an ungodly fear that the Power which sustains the world might flag, and we perish for want! There are many of even among us who store their houses with the choice increase of the earth. Many who have built their own dwellings and provided themselves against all seasons, but notwithstanding that they will drudge at all season for the acquisi--tion of a substance, which they can never enjoy, because superfluous, and their successors may squander away. Exhort such ones, to labour less, and confide more in God. To have the moral welfare of their children at heart, and to let them seek their own material progress, To devote some of their time to the furtherance of their spiritual improvement; to muse upon the law of the Eternal, and contemplate his handiwork, and they will probably answer, that their acquisitions are not yet set upon an immoveable footing, that they fear reverses, and must therefore strive unremittingly to augment their possessions. It is, my Brethren, that want of confidence in our Celestial Benefactor,
that delivers consigns us in shackles to constant toil. It is that which often shuts out from our breasts a feeling of kindliness and charity for they who need, and have a claim on our assistance. It is that which creates the vampyre that sucks out the life-blood of the miser. Two days since, one of our city journals illustrated my position, by recounting that an individual, who had amassed a fortune, by ding of his industry, was seized with the dread of losing it, and so powerfully did the evil thought prey on his mind, that he committed self-destruction. Such an example, is happily very rare, but it never--theless corroborates what the wisest of men, wrote by inspiration; "The fear which man entertaineth is to him a snare; but whosoever putteth his trust in the Lord shall be set on high" [Hebrew] "Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full, with travail and vexation of spirit" [Hebrew] [Hebrew]--. Let us learn2 then1, my beloved hearers! to be contented with the dispensation of Providence. To be moderate in our desires, "He is rich," say our Rabbis, who rejoiceth in his lot, for2, he [Hebrew] is blessed with a wealth, which the whims of fortune cannot rob him of,; he has an inward wealth,
springing from a heart which leans upon the sup--porter of the whole universe. No complaints, no murmurs escape his lips. He understands his real wants, and satisfies them agreeably to his means. Like Ague the son of Jackeh, he prays to God "Give me neither riches nor poverty, but feed me with my daily allowance" for, that alone is man's indespensable requisition. To seek the enlargement of our sphere of action, to endeavour honestly to increase our possessions, may be productive of happiness to ourselves and our fellow-beings but if we render that the sole aim of our life, they it will be apt to engender an ambition which knows no bound; for "he that loveth silver, will never be satisfied with it" [Hebrew]. If we deliver up the best years of our existence to the pursuit of what is perishable, our demeanour will be as condemnable as that of our fathers, who, for the gratification of the appetites, they would fain have offered their liberty. If despite the infinite care which our Father in heaven, bestows on his creatures, we aspire to the attainment of the superfluities, we will prove ourselves more unthankful than they were; for, immeasurably larger than theirs, is the compass of our enjoyments.
But we should direct our activity with judiciousness, we must exert ourselves, in order to acquire competency and not become a burthen to our fellow-men. Society demands it of us, religion enjoins it; but labour should be alternately followed by rest; for, the latter is not synonimous with inertness. While the physical powers of man are passive; his men--tal and moral faculties, which form his noblest endowments, expand2 and develop1. Those we should principally cultivate, those we should eagerly seek to bring into action; for when our efforts may have failed in procuring us amplitude of means, the force of our intellect shall sustain us in adversity; our wisdom shall exalt us.--[Hebrew] "There is a valuable treasure and oil in the habitation of the wise; that is, my friends! the serenity and placidness of his mind, amidst all vicissitudes; for he has been promised, that what he possesses shall gain him a vast reward, and his hopes shall never be cut off. [Hebrew] May the Almighty grant that we also become imbued with such thoughts and such desires. May we be deemed worthy of his infinite bounty, may we profit by it to benefit our spiritual health, and be ever
thankful unto Him, and contented with the position, which, He in according to his inscrutable decree, has apportioned for assigned to every one of us here below. Amen. - Identifier
- p3fn11c1s
- identifier
- SMBx13FF10_1
Part of Theological lectures. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
Morais, Sabato, “Theological lectures. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 19, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/91264