Yithro. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Yithro. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Format
- 11 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/p3cj8856d/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3cj8856d
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx9FF13_3.xml
- content
-
A moral lecture Discourse for delivered
on
Sabbath Itró [Hebrew]
by
Revd S. Morais
[Hebrew]
[Hebrew]
What is a Jew?...A Jew is the noblest of God's creatures. So I say. But the world mocks me, and sneers at my assertion. Yet, it is not arrogance in me so to speak, for the voice of the Universal Creator has prompted the answer. You have all heard it, my dear Brethren "Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation." (Psalms XIX.6.) Is this not a high title? Or does perchance the honor granted by the Omnipotent, need be confirmed by human potentates? No, let those who will, decide the thought, but we are the nobility of mankind. We are [Hebrew] [Hebrew] a peculiar treasure set apart by the Almighty to enrich the whole earth therewith. But not every one of us is entitled to that glorious appellation. They only deserve it, who hearken unto the voice of God, and keep his comm covenant ([?] XIX. 5), for, on the fulfilment of that condition (Deu XIX. 5) rest the claims we may lay to a double portion of Divine grace. The man who in all his daily walks exhibits an exemplary demeanour. The man who, despite allure-
-rements or difficulties, rigidly adheres to the moral and ceremonial precepts, of the Mosaic legislation, is a faithful representative of the people whom God has called "holy." He is a veritable Jew. He, on the contrary, whose moral conduct cannot stand the severest scrutiny. He who rejects as valueless the eternal observances enjoined in Holy Writ, though born a Jew, has voluntarily sunk down from the eminence on which he was stationed. He refused to obey has evinced his determination to disobey God and his He has broken the covenant made with God with [?] He therefore falsifies the name he bears. He should not be called a Jew. Yes Aye, my friends! religion and morality, piety and social virtues: these are the characteristics of the descendants of the favored beings, who beheld the Divinity at the summit of Sinai. And those noble traits it behooves us to brightly evince in every one of our actions. For such is our the mission imposed on us by our heavenly Father, in order that--as expressed by his ancient Seer--nations may walk in our light, and we bring salvation to the uttermost ends of the earth (Isaiah XLIX. 6.) [Hebrew] [Hebrew]
Let us then clearly and fully comprehend our duty, that we may discharge it, in accordance with our high posi-tion. For, if every Hebrew man acknowledges the existence of God one Eternal Being, and owns the necessity of obeying his revealed word; if every one declares like Joseph "I fear God", all do not seem impressed with the true spirit of religion. All do not realize in what piety does consist, and how the worship due to the Deity is best tendered. So likewise, my dear Brethren! though the laws of morality are extolled among the Congregations of Israel, not all the members thereof act as if sensible of their supreme importance.
Religion and morality are actual things. They should not be uttered in an equivocal and indefinite sense. We must once for all feel that what raises our minds to God is religion; what benefits our fellow-beings is morality. To bear the name of our Maker often upon our lips and bless it, is not altogether indication of piety. No, To meditate on his attributes, and endeavour to copy them in all our the relations of life, is an offering more acceptable unto the Lord.
Rather than the chastening of our bodies with frequent fasting, He desires the cleansing of our soul. Rather than in ceaseless prayers and thanksgivings, He delights in deeds of justice and mercy. Barren is the piety, which is narrowed down within the limits of a Synagogue. Like an arid waste are supplications which do not influence our feelings with kindness and beneficence. Nor can that Jew be pointed at as an exemplar of morality, who quibbles and wilfully prevaricates in his customary dealings; who will stoop low to gather what would have benefitted his neighbor, while the acquisition thereof can only add to his superfluities; who believes that charity begins and ends at home; who lavishes treasures on those that look to him for support, but is niggardly to the rest of the human family.
Let us undeceive ourselves. The thermometer which denotes the degrees of human progress; is not the inventions of arts and the discoveries of science, but the practice of social virtues. For the same reason, we should judge of the piety of a community, not simply by their attendance to outward practices,
but by their general demeanour. By the honesty of the men, by the chastity of the women, by the strength of natural affections, by propriety of speech, by deeds of generosity, by evidences of philanthropy. And this is the criterion by which we, O house of Jacob! will be judged by God and man. Woe unto us if we are found wanting!. The world will heap contumely on our heads. The Lord will cast us away as unworthy of his celestial trust. I have said it. Morality disconnected from religious observances is, to the seed of Abraham, the forswearing of the covenant made established at Horeb, but adherence to ceremonial prescriptions, disjoined from social virtues, is the forfeiture of the title with which they have been divinely vested, for so has been written in the book I have [?] recited this Sabbath in your presence. "And it shall be Now, therefore, if you will diligently hearken unto my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be to me a peculiar treasure above all people, though all the (inhabitants creatures of) earth be mine." (compare Deut Upon the performance of these conditions, depends the countenance or cessation of that noble epithet. In fact if, as we have been taught by the Sages, to walk with
God means to imitate his attributes (Lecture B.d. Sotah f. 14) it follows that no one can be called pious who does not contribute to the welfare of the creatures He has made. The Jew whose life is not a shining pattern of integrity, departs from the way of the Lord, for He corrupts his associates, and thereby endangers the public weal. The Jew who does not employ his faculties for the benefit of his fellow-mortals, is [?] withered grass in the field of human actions labor. He may perform all the ceremonial laws to the letter, but he cannot justly be styled religious. He may flatter himself that those practices to which he has long been accustomed, are the exclusive means whereby he can gain hap--piness, but his hopes will be blighted. He will not obtain what he seeks for, by reason of the very nature of his professed piety. An egotistical piety! a useless devotion! standing on the narrow basis of personal advantage.+ He will not obtain what he seeks for, because when David asked himself, (Psalms XXIV.3.4.5) "Who shall go up to ascend the mountain of the Lord, & who shall stand in his holy place?" The answer given was this. "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn
+The picture character of a pious Israelite has been beautifully delineated by Mr. Judah Hallevi in his philosophical work, (See Kuzari. DeMertation[?] III. par 3.)
deceitfully" He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." It is not therefore sufficient that we fulfill a portion--and that undoubtedly the easiest--of our duty. We must discharge it all, fully and zealously. It is not sufficient that we worship God and bless his name outwardly, we must adore him inwardly in admiration of his paternal goodness. The service we render to the Creator of all men, must be the respect paid to our neighbour's property, the purity of our intentions, our freedom from guile. It must be "our departing from evil and doing good", exercising our cultivating the arts of peace, and promoting them every--where. (Idem XXXIV. 14. 15.) This is our duty as social beings, and especially as Jews, and the discharge thereof will prove us worthy of the high title bestowed upon us by the Almighty. "A Kingdom of priests and a holy nation."
But with that moral duty is the other, which imposes ceremonial observances, inseparably connected. Both emanate from one fountain of celestial wisdom; both are with equal authority enjoined. The Jew who continues whatever appertains to the
latter, is a false representative of God's chosen people. He may aspire to the name of a champion of progress, men may call him enlightened, but he is only dazzled by his [?] vain conceptions. He deems himself wiser than his Maker. That which the voice of the Sovereign Legislator, declared a perpetual statute, he proclaims obsolete. What the Father of all mankind instituted as an everlasting sign of a his covenant between Himself and the witnesses of his truth, he dares stigmatise as an impediment to human advancement; as if he had the happiness of the com--munity at heart, more than the author of us all more than God--the spring of knowledge; the sure guide to moral perfection. Arrogant being! He casts away breaks down the tables of the law, to substitute in their stead his crude inventions. And can such a one be called a Jew? A missionary of the Lord of hosts?....But mark him well, my Brethren. And you will discover this: Personal interest is the impelling force that wages his actions. Progress and civilization are only the words he employs to disguise his thoughts.
He proclaims them but to wage war against those practices of religion that curb the desires [?] of the flesh. He does not see that, while fostering preserving our body in health, and our mind in vigour, they foster moderation and sobriety. He does not consider progress in its true sense, which is a gradual develop--ment of whatsoever is good and useful, but he rushes headlong after innovations, mindless of their nature, regardless of the time or circumstances, or of the condition of the individuals among whom those changes are to take place. Hence his innovations are the forerunner of destruction; the lightning which precedes the thunder that strikes the tree and tears it by the root. Brethren! Hear this, and ponder thereon; Civilization is not the rejection of all ancient usages; nor is every change a progress. I have given you this Sabbath, a summary of your duty. It is drawn from the law which our fathers accepted and to which they swore allegiance to at the foot of Sinai. Any innovation clashing with it, is the offspring of impurity Cast it away. Be less concerned in the outward form of devotional exercises, and more deeply interested in the spirit that calls forth a prayer.
Watch your steps when going to the house of God, and be more ready to hear listen than to give offer a surefire of folly. (Ecclessiastes IV 17). Take heed never to neglect not the ordinances that restrain the appetites and encourage abstinence moderation; but exercise ever greater care in avoiding what might injure your fellow man and stain your reputation. Call sacred the days, which you have been instructed to separate to the Lord, but strive to improve them by meditating thereon upon your obligations as social beings, on your destination as mortals, and on your mission as Jews. Then you will go forth on the days destined for labor, girded with new strength for to accomplish the task imposed upon you. Every one of you will then bring a stone to rear set up the edifice of real progress, which is the propogation of the ten com- the knowledge of the glorious -mandments imparted to you principles enunciated at Sinai on the glorious day of Sinai for the benefit of all ultimate salvation of the whole human race. The spreading of a that belief that which teaches love for God, respect for our neighbour's possessions, charity for all. When you shall illustrate these sublime principles tenets by your daily actions, then will the name of "Jew" be an honor among to him that bears it; It will be a glory to God who sent us forth as the missionaries apostles of his word. We shall all merit the title of nobility conferred upon us. "A kingdom of priests and a holy nation." - Identifier
- p3cj8856d
- identifier
- SMBx9FF13_3
Part of Yithro. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
Morais, Sabato, “Yithro. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 16, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/91390