Yithro. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Yithro. 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 13
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p31c1v184/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p31c1v184
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx9FF13_6.xml
- content
-
An explanatory lecture
on Parashat Itró
[Hebrew]
[Hebrew] "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people". Brethren! The liberality of the present age, as exhibited in America, ex--ceeds the most sanguine anticipations of the progressists. The pulpit which to day is devoted to the cause of Unity, lends itself to-morrow to the influences of the adherents of a trinity. I wish to be clearly understood. I do not mean to insinuate that a Jewish preacher is apt thoughtlessly to change side. For unless he be demented deprived of reason, he surely will not display so volatile a temper. But I My words have reference to a novel method of spreading light abroad. It has become a practice among the radicals in our religious camp, to allow a non-Israelite to expound his doctrines in the synagogue, so that the Rabbi may on return be favored with the privilege of ventilating his ideas inside of the church. The advantage to be derived from such a course, I am at a loss to discover. I can find no--where that we are enjoined to seek for proselytes converts. On the con--trary, impressed with the truth enunciated by our sages that "the pious among the nations of the world, will have a share in
the world to come," we use all the powers of persuasion to dysaude the gentiles from embracing a faith fraught with restrictions. And only when the divine wisdom that has [?] them is sincerely confessed, and the knowledge of the One God who rules Supreme is obviously manifested, ought the applicant to be may gain admission into the pale of Judaism.
The charge brought against the Scribes and Pharisees, that they "would compass sea and land to make one proselyte" though given made authoritatively in the books of our gentile neighbors, is not at all borne out by the history of our people nation. Our shepherds of old would positively I am certain have condemned as an unpardonable intermed--dling with other peoples men's people's conscience, even that which our modern pastors do to effect what they term "the melting of the icy crust of superanimated prejudice". And for stronger reasons our ancient teachers would have objected to a non-Isra--elite publicly advancing his views, in the house devoted to Jewish worship. For nothing that he could say, would possibly add force to the dogmas we have ever held, while his attempt to shake them, might, in all likelihood, be attended wit heart--burnings, rather than be promotive of kindly feelings. Surely: True: no one can who notes current events will deny that the [?] mystic belief of the Nazarenes is very slowly but perceptibly becoming
simplified, and we, who hope and pray that the world may finally bend with the same mind before the universal Creator, must regard with satisfaction any step in advance towards that goal. But not by the exchanging of pulpits will the prediction of our Seers be fulfilled. That strange method may be applauded by a few, as the indication of prevailing tolerance; but I challenge my reverend colleagues to show that it has brought round the standard of Christian Unity a perfect absolute Monotheism any defenders. If it has proved anything, it has shown what neither I, nor you, I trust, will hail with pleasure; namely, that the few deems his religion a mere abstraction; and that anxious to [?] to demonstrate it such he intimates that for free oneself gradually from the restrictions ordinances and interdictions surrounding that idea is to speed the time foretold. o In short, that "God will be King over all the earth," when Israel shall cease to be [Hebrew] "a peculiar treasure above all poeple" through their obedience of the Law and precepts.. Such is the inference mindful conclusion I have deduced forced upon my mind on several occasions, but specially of late from on the recital of a lecture, which a minister of our faith delivered on Sunday in a Unitarian church, to reciprocate the courtesy of a clerical gentleman connected with the latter, who had spoken in the synagogue on the preceding Saturday. An error seems to be gain--ing ground everywhere that there exists an avowed identity between the principles of that denomination, and those which
underlie Judaism. In fact I sa read it plainly in the words which dropped form the lips of the Hebrew preacher just alluded to. He says: "This exchange (of pulpits) betokens a spiritual affi--nity between the congregations directly concerned in it, as war--ranted by the name Unitarians." Now, my Brethren! hear it precisely as the appellation would denote. Were we our neighbors who style themselves Unitarians, to disavow disclaim any belief in an intermediate being between us and God, they would nevertheless be as dissimilar to the Hebrews Israelites as the adherents of Islamism whose formula of [?] their faith is "There is no other God but Allah, and Mohamed is his prophet" But this I know, that however wide may be the chism that separates them those religionists from the body of christians, they still cling to notions, which we would reject as because jarring with the Mosaic creed. I have a strong lively recollection of a sermon given by a president distinguished Unitarian minister in this city. It might have fitted the Synagogue, but for its concluding sentence. From that I learnt, how far distant even the most advanced of gentile denominations is from our perfect Hebrew our Monotheism. But I am not here to cast reflection The deified man of Nazareth holds yet a power over their minds, which they cannot entirely entirely shake off. But I am not here to cast reflection on the re- settled -ligious convictions of my fellow-creatures. I would that you, my Brethren, respect any who honestly differ
from our views, certain that a merciful Lord, who judges our intentions will accord to all His salvation. But I am impelled by duty to guard the religion we profess against the admixture of falsehood, the more dangerous, because very plausi--bly brought forth. My The text from our section which I have placed at the head of my discourse, tells you what Judaism is, and what a Jew must be.
[Hebrew] Now, therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people" Say, dear hearers! What is the covenant upon the dis- maint- -charge -enance of which the fulfilling of God's promise depends? Is it the simple acceptance avowal of an abstract principle? Our The eternal allegiance we owe to the Unity? Listen to the answer which the son of Amram gives to this query. [Hebrew] [Hebrew] "The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.....I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to show you the word of the Lord". You have heard it. The abstract idea of the Unity is the trunk of the tree, the observance of the precepts commandments is the branching out of its strong boughs, with fruit and foliage, sweet to the taste and charming to the eye. The Jew is a Unitarian, but a Unitarian Jew is an anomaly.
For how can he be so called who does not accept the whole performance of the covenant, that is, of positive ay laws, alike moral and ceremonial? obligations? At Sinai we entered into a compact with our living Redeemer. We would f keep faithful to the commandments word received, and the Lawgiver would watch over our preservation as a man, who sets his whole heart on a precious heirloom. The Decalogue which imposes ritual as well as moral social duties, is part of that compact. The Sabbath-day with the prescriptions attending it, as derived--not from the Rabbis now unheeded, and little cared for contemned--not from the Rabbis, but from Isaiah, from Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Nehemiah. The Sabbath day, to speak of no other statute, shows that to reduce the Jewish religion into a metaphysical abstraction, would be as fatal an error, as that into which some have fallen, who saw in it only a mass of external forms. Verily, the latter have tar--nished its lustre beauty; but the former have would extinguished its beauty life. The nationalists placing reason above the Law, sought to raise it on stilts, that it might come up to their level preconceived standard. The ceremonialists, if I may coin the word, have drawn it down-ward with a procrustean measure. Both proceeded from false principles. Hence the blessed torah suffered obloquy, and the name of the heavenly Legislator is being profaned [Hebrew]
But what we have read this morning, should convince us that neither can Judaism must not be confounded with Deism,--what--ever form it might assume--, and that neither nor can that indi--vidual be ranked high among the faithful, who accepts a portion of the covenant, and rejects another portion. Do you know, my Brethren! Why the Decalogue was written upon two tables, each containing five commandments? The Rabbis explain it so. In order that their corresponding position might teach the recipients their equal value. For, he that breaks the sixth will be adjudged as culpable as if he trespassed against the first, and in like manner none can for instance may be said to be exonerated from the fourth, because he is obedient to the ninth. The liberal spirit of our age however, has an entirely different system of instruction. Its rules are exceedingly easy, and they are besides presented in so engaging attractive a garb, that pliant susceptible minds, will soon become enamored therewith. Israelites! Choose between them and those the tenets I have perused from the book of Exodus. To continue [Hebrew] "a peculiar treasure above all people," the sacrifice of human appetites, the sacrifice of means, of time, of feelings is demanded. To follow the path opened by the Hebrew Unitarians of America is to enjoy freedom from many restrictions, and be considered enlightened. I prefer privations declared to be acceptable
to the Lord, and the name title of "benighted" for the sake of my God. You are free-agents. Reflect upon what I have said spoken, and act consistently. - Identifier
- p31c1v184
- identifier
- SMBx9FF13_6
Part of Yithro. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
Morais, Sabato, “Yithro. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 18, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/91385