Vayakhel. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Vayakhel. 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 9, Folder 17
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3rx94025/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3rx94025
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx9FF17_2.xml
- content
-
For Vayakel
[Hebrew]
Dear hearers! In no instance, except in the section of this sabbath, does a chapter of the Pentateuch commence with the account of a large gathering of people, convened by Moses. And as the opening of the address by the arch-prophet on that occasion, relates to the various ordinances of the Sabbath, the sages of Israel took the opportunity to offer as thereby useful instruction. They imparted it by the following sentence. [Hebrew] "God bid Moses to assemble a vast multitude [Hebrew] and explain to them the laws of the Sabbath, so that posterity might learn feel impelled by the example to do likewise". But figuring that the afore--said might be interpreted simply as a recommendation of to repeating each time the same lesson, they added [Hebrew] [Hebrew] [Hebrew]. "Future generations must learn understand the imp importance of bringing Hebrew communities together every Sabbath, inviting them to be present, wherever the law is taught according to its various different commands." My friends! The principal, if not the sole, object of the seventh day's observance, is thus revealed to us. Instruction; a thorough knowledge of our duties as men and Jews must be obtained thereon.
We should endeavour to learn on the day, which God declared sacred to Himself, the lessons that are to be put into practice, during the six days He has given for our own use. Oh! how fruitful of blessings would be the sabbath so spent. Every human being with whom we associate would experience its benefits. Parents would see their children draw closer to them, in fastening the natural bonds of affection; while children would secure the joint efforts of their parents for their temporal and spiritual progress. Husbands and their wives would vie with each other in promoting the comforts of their home; and kindly kindness towards our equals would be uniformly manifested, consideration and forbearance would also prevail towards in our actions to our dependents. The precepts of God expounded with much frequency and listened to with reverence for their own sake, would be exempli--fied in all our relations of life, and the great goal for the sake of which the Sabbath gatherings were mainly instituted would be reached; that is, the name of the Almighty Creator would be exalted through our agency [Hebrew] worship alone cannot effect that holy purpose. For external observances are only one the means conducive to righteousness. I am far from undervaluing the object of our sacred ceremonies[?]. I know that they keep alive national sentiments; prevent the law and the prophets from
being forgotten, and they are calculated to uplift our souls to their Maker and thus withhold us from sin. But unaccompanied with instruction, prayers and thanksgivings may degenerate into a habit that cannot profit, because the thoughts they should awaken lie dormant. In fact: Has it not been said, and with some degree of truth, that they who are most noted for the attendance to devotional exercises, are not always so--cially, the best of men? It is a common adage among Rab--binical writers that no one ignorant of his duties, can be pious [Hebrew] and our daily experience shows that the mere act of repairing often to the synagogue, is insufficient to uphold retain us in the path of virtue. For, there are some who practice religion in the house of God, but fail to carry it with them along, when mingling with the outward world. "What connection can there be between religion and trade,"? they are apt to ask. "How can religion blend with the pursuit of my vocation"? will the merchant or the practitioner inquire. And I answer. Brethren! If you believe that religion consists in the recital of a certain amount number of prayers, in doing penance on a certain day, and enjoying a sumptuous repast or another; you have mistaken
a shadow for a reality, you have the shell but to not the kernel of the fruit. For religion is in very deed connected with all your walks of life. Like wisdom, personified by Solomon in his book of proverbs, religion stands in the high places ways roads, and in the gates of the city, wherever man is found, there it stands and cries aloud. "Listen, for of noble things I speak"....To fear the Lord is to hate wrong, pride, insolence, waywardness, and a foul mouth." ItClearly then, the synagogue is only one of the aids--confessedly valuable essential--which religion sends forth to assist in a godly work; but it is, by no means, Religion itself. So well our Rabbis understood this fact, that they accorded a greater degree of sanctity to school-houses than to houses of prayer. [Hebrew] They knew that in the latter former latter our growing sons and daughters cannot receive altogether a learning which will qualify them to represent Judaism intelligently and becomingly. For, aside from any rudimental or linguistic instruction, the manner of addressing children must necessa--rily differ from that followed in lecturing to their elders. Were it even that the Sanctuary had in view the teaching of the young in their tender years, its practice would have to be limited to distant intervals, else injustice might be done to the majority of the attendants.
We should therefore hail every effort to combine plain and persuasive instruction with a simplified worship, beyond these precincts, and give it pecuniary and moral support. I cannot disguise my surprise at hearing that such exertions meet with a disapproval among some of my brethren, and that the unavoidable dissolution of the Education society school, and its transformation into a Sabbath-afternoon Bible-teaching and prayer, and week days' Hebrew classes, is made a cause for the withdrawal of a patron--age still essentially greatly needed. Yet, the change can effectually serve the purpose for which, according to the Talmudists whom I have quoted, Moses gathered a large multitude, as told in the opening sentence of our Parasha. But while I regret the difficulties which undertakings that principally aim to the cultivation of the Hebrew language encounter among Philadelphia Hebrews, I congratulate myself on the popularity of an institution in our midst, heretofore combatted against as useless and effete. Our two Sunday-Schools are a valuable an important adjunct to the Syna--gogue. They do not set forth pretentious claims. Modestly and unobtrusively they carry out a plan whereby our children acquire what, lamentable circumstances, often debar the rising generation from learning anywhere else. Portions of our people's history read, and explained in conversational
style, the pointing of morals principles to be drawn from the events narrated, the origin and object of the holidays, the passages of the Scriptures which have reference to the Unity of God and to the divine promises of reward and punishment; these, together with a little memorizing of ca--techisms, constitute the instruction there imparted. Admit it. The range of religious knowledge compassed is very limited, but how many might have grown in total ignorance of sa--cred duties except for the hour spent on the first day of the week in the association of their coevals and fellow core--ligionists! How many might have deserted our fold, but for the memory of childhood, when the belief in One indivisible Creator, the Provident Father and Saviour of all mankind, had been rooted into their nature! Certain it is, that our Sunday-School does not come under the charge lately brought against the Episcopal institution of the same name, and publicly made by prominent ministers of that denomination; namely, that "it drives children away form the Church, instead of drawing them thereto." The speakers attribute the fault to the church itself, to the contrast between the democratic ben--ches and the aristocratic pews; to the noted facts the
places of worship are overburdened with debt, and they cannot afford to reserve free seats for the children of the destitute. But it is not so with our Sunday-school. Knowing that all can find a place ample room in the Synagogue, it strenuously urges attendance to the service. It even offers accords tokens of distinction to the young who behave well during the sacred devotional exercises.
A case in point, is that of the lad, who attained this Sab--bath his thirteenth year. The Sunday-school gave him an idea, however faint, of Jewish doctrines. The Sunday-school surroundings aroused the thought of being thus congregational-ly recognized as a Hebrew, and it will be due to the Sunday-school, if the lad youth will hereafter be seen with frequency in the dwelling of Israel's God. For, in the Sunday-school the kindest influence has been exercised to that effect. More would be unseemly for me to say, as I must spare the feelings of parents, and, on the other hand, avoid words of praise, though richly deserved, which might be sound as studied designed flattery. With regard to myself, I may add, that through the Sunday-school I became acquainted with our young brother, and I could therefore gratify the wish expressed, that he be made to stand in this holy spot, on the day of his becoming Bar Mitzvah.
Dear lad. I have reason to think that you feel much pleased at having been called to the Law in this Synagogue. And it would also be a afford me pleasure to me to make a few remarks which might increase your gratification for the event celebrated, and your love for this hallowed place. Specially I would like to keep you awhile to recommend your studying every Sunday, how best to prove yourself in future worthy of the name of Jew, and of citizen of the goodly land in which your lots has been cast. But the Sabbath which comes before the month of Nissan, lengthens the service, and I have, accordingly, detained the congregation beyond the usual time. Therefore, I must bring my re- obser-marks to you vations abruptly, to a close. May But not without praying that the God whose miraculous deeds in Egypt we are about to commemorate may bless and preserve you, as He watched over and rescued from death the first-born of Israel on the night of our father's deliverance from slavery. Oh! Lord of wonders! I petition Thee to prepare for every family of the men and women I have addressed, a festival as joyful as at the birth of our nationality, when freedom from the burden of affliction was experienced. May the lightheartedness with which the redeemed left the country of oppression, be felt by those whom reverses have depressed. May all have cause to sing the inspired psalm uniting the sick and the prisoner, him that fears danger and those exposed to ills to thank the Lord for His salvation, and for His mercy which endureth for ever. May such be Thy gracious will. Amen. - Identifier
- p3rx94025
- identifier
- SMBx9FF17_2
Part of Vayakhel. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
Morais, Sabato, “Vayakhel. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 19, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/91277