Theological lectures. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Theological lectures. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Format
- 10 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/p3p55f28z/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3p55f28z
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx13FF10_5.xml
- content
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S. MORAIS,
546 N. Fifth St.
Philadelphia,
On the blessing of Peace
Whoever examines the Jewish liturgy thoughtfully, cannot fail to notice the emphasis which it lays on the value of God's greatest blessing to mortals--the blessing enjoyment of peace. The Kaddish, or sanctification of the name of the Lord, with which the ritual proper, begins and ends, has a an earnest petition for peace [Hebrew] "May abundant peace from heaven be given showered upon us." So also the principal prayer of each service, which the Sephardim call Amidah or standing up devotionally and the Ashkenazim Shemonè Esri or 18 benedictions, concludes with an entreaty for peace [Hebrew] "May He who establishes peace in His high heaven, grant us peace, according to His mercies." Even in the our ordinary intercourse, the mutual greeting in Hebrew among of Hebrews is [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "Peace be with you." It might be therefore rea--sonable to suppose that every Jew thoroughly appreciates the celestial gift of peace and knows how to secure that precious boon. And if in all reality it were so, in reality, a Jew would represent a being typically virtuous, for, to express it in the language of Isaiah, peace follows uprightness very closely [Hebrew] is the intimate associate of uprightness. [Hebrew]. The working of charity accompaniment of righteousness is peace, and the labor endeavour of charity righteousness, tranquillity and sincerity for evermore.
But how open liable to misapprehensions the causes of peace and its their effects are. Few understand for peace to be the offspring of one's efforts to in over coming difficulties faults. Little he understands does he realize the nature of that Divine blessing, who imagines peace to be mistakes it for masterly inactivity. repore, il doke far minte, "the sweet doing nothing" of the idlers. As well might he believe that the lack of sound constitutes harmony, as to think that the absence of live actions is synonymous with peace. The energy Not sleepiness exercised but the keeping of the mind wide awake, ready to respond to the call of duty will brings peace. The energy exer--cised in rising above ourselves to conquer low propensities, forces open the sky that showsg us the rainbow of promise--peace. Not he who lies supinely when his obligations urge him on to exertions enjoys repose the rest predicted by the prophet I quoted, but he who stirs up his soul to noble sublime elevating purposes. Isaac The patriarch, whom the section of this sabbath, places prominently, supplies an a fair illustration of the prophetic Isaiah's teaching that the work, accompaniment of righteousness is peace. Diligently had Isaac labored and had his to coin success. In the field he had made his sinewy arms had yeilded abundance, in the plain his industry had enriched arid spots with wells gushing forth refreshing water. A well noble spirit manhood had the son of Abraham exhibited among strangers.
But his prosperity so rightly earned, aroused rankling jealousy. It hurled Envy sharpened its arrows at him and he became their victim. The gain he had anticipated and deserved was denied him by the ill will of men to whom his father had shown kindness. Did he then seek peace by a vile agency? Did he then consider peace the wages of revenge? Did he seek peace by their vile agency? No: the price of peace repose rest is g righteousness not vengeance, grudge or spite, we are assured by inspiration. [Hebrew] By subduing his offended feelings the patriarch, wrongly dealt with, disarmed opposition, conciliated his foes and conquered peace. Most wisely was Solomon's wrote maxim [Hebrew] "he who rules over his spirit is greater than he who captures a cl city." Unhappy King Saul. He strikingly il--lustrates the literally the opposite character. He could not rule his spirit. Fortune had smiled on him; being a member of a the smallest tribe in Israel, and himself of humble descent, he was nevertheless unexpectedly raised to the throne. A victory obtained in the dawn of his reign, ensured for him fame and conciliated the disaffected against royalty. But in governing his own life, Saul lost the compass that regulates our actions existence, and he was tossed on a surging sea of troubles, he found no peace.
At one time the melodious strains of a harp in the hand a masterly skillful of a youthful shepherd hand cheered him; at another they exiled kindled his anger. He feared David detested the minstrel shepherd when near, and when David was far, he dreaded the brave youth's influence. Now touched by tokens of loyalty, he praised the warrior, anon he laid a snare at his feet. Dark suspicions estranged the monarch from his own household, suspicions stained him with the blood of eighty five innocent beings. He risked Samuel's displeasure while the prophet lived, and in a fit of su--perstition he sought to consult him dead. Truly, peace refuses to abide with him who has left behind whole--some restraints, and lets his passion go unbridled.
Witness it in the insatiably ambitious; to day b buoyed up with hopes which depressing fears drown on the morrow; at this hour excited to the highest pitch of expectations, at another the next weary with disappointments. And the intemperate; they "who rise up early to imbibe strong drink" [Hebrew], who set up late at night, till wines denaturalize them. The wretched one who says of his wife "I know her not," and of his children "I have not begotten them." He who consumes their substance in vice, can he enjoy God's greatest blessing--peace?
What agitation like his, if he can at sober intervals notice face the the progress of his work of destruction! wreck he had wrought which labor insobriety wrought! [Hebrew] "The work associate of righteousness is peace," but all passions rob us of that celestial boon, because the sure one identic--al law, rules governs individuals and societies, and in the same manner that in order to preserve peace between ourselves and our fellow creatures mortals, we must incessantly control lay our passions under control, so must we check them to keep our body and soul at rest. But more a sense even higher a higher motive than self-preservation must be at work should stimulate us in our endea--vours to gain peace--a sense of beneficence, of justice, of mercy should impel us [?] onward. That a union of love among creatures endowed by the Creator with intelligence was the original intention of the universal Parent, is evident from his having formed one only being as the root of the human family. And our Sages have undoubtedly so intended to express it, when they figu--ratively wrote that God gathered portions of the dust from the whole earth, and of out of them He made Adam, so that in future generations none should boast of a higher extraction than his neighbor, and but deeming them--selves equal, should help one another here below to make life pleasurable.
Alas! that an evil spirit has often broken torn asunder those sacred ties, and man brutally inhumanly rose against man and by brutal force, by rapine fierceness and ferocity has overpowered her weaker brother. Shame upon us that such deeds have f been pointed at with self-glorification. Everlasting shame disgrace upon us of this boastful age, in which humanity is horrified by the narrative of barbarities perpetrated by whites against powerless defenceless blacks, on the plea of of furthering civilization. Such are the trophies of a heartless progress science ,and the men who carry them aloft receive the plaudits of the world not unlike They are In reading of refined cruelties in the dark continent I am reminded of the Greek artist, who to graphically paint the suffering of Prometheus and graphically and win fame, tortured a slave to death. "Avoid them, cries the Hebrew moralist "who eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence," who silence rebel against nature's instincts and crown selfishness popularity as their queen Sovereign lord. But not alone they destroy the social harmony, who overstep the bounds set by Divine and human laws. Peace is also warred against by them who in the garb of religion, set themselves up as mentors and magnify evils to make a show of zeal to champion claim the championship of religious progress.
A mischievous zeal, which drives away peace from the congregations of the Lord. True zeal aiming at the betterment of man and the glorification of God is modest, the faults it detects, it tries to remove by gentle persuasion, it does not tear the brier, lest the rose also be destroyed, but it preserves the latter by cautiously lopping off the former. True zeal is that which even at a sacrifice, promotes union among brethren, hides differences, does not divulge them [?] display them from the house top at the sound of trumpets. True zeal is a light which dissipates but errors does not seek, errors expose to view them to view. It is strength employed to overcome obstacles, not to raise them up [Hebrew] The work associate of righteousness is peace. That peace is greatly disturbed now adays, through the unhappy contest between the [?] of innovations senseless adorers of superstitions, and those who mistake improvement infidelity for improvement, between those who lay an impious hand on the ark of the Lord, and those who would not forego even a superstition a local custom; between those who would model our worship after a gentile pattern, and those who refuse to conduct it with becoming order and decorum. Oh! when shall we joyfully sing with the Psalmist: "How good and sweet it is for brethren to dwell together in unity"
But to be at peace with one another, we must be at peace with God "Much Abundant Plenteous peace they have who love Thy law," exclaims the psalmist. There can be no peace accord harmony of feelings between such as with studied effrontery deny decry His command--ments, and expose laugh His behests to derision scorn, and Israelites who bow reverently to the revealed Word. Let us then brethren and fellow-worshippers band together, we, who in our liturgy still pray for peace, and having learnting to value that Divine blessing, as the highest boon; let us [Hebrew] invite it that boon to our homes by a conduct unexceptionally in agreeble to tallying with the dictates of our faith, by suppressing our inclinations, when clashing with rectitude, by practising ourselves what we would enforce on our children. Let us even obtain abundant peace for this religious body, so that let whatever be discordant may harmonize through kindness and gentle consideration, and in us will be verified the sentence of the ancient seer [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "Peace peace, to those him who are is far, and to those who are him that is near, says the Lord," and I He will heal all divisions. - Identifier
- p3p55f28z
- identifier
- SMBx13FF10_5
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/91270