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/p37s7jc3r/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p37s7jc3r
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx9FF13_2.xml
- content
-
For Sabbath Ytrò
Brethren! The battle most gloriously fought, is that in which a man's principles conquered a man's desires. For, He is truly valiant, who, beset by pressing wants, holds fast then keeps steadfast into the way of righteousness. Yet, such heros, who ought to command universal respect, are regarded as individuals weak-minded and over scru--pulous. So accustomed we are to see justice make room for expediency, and vital questions to be settled by a compromise, that we cannot duly appreciate a mind that which knows not a middle course between right and wrong. Hence it is that the concientious and the pious suffer. The section I will briefly of this Sabbath suggests an illustration to my illustrate my assertion. assertion. Imagine one of our brothers in faith seeking a situation in life. He possesses all the requisites to fill it creditably. But in order to reach the object in view, he must overstep the bounds set by God by his heavenly legislator. He pauses to reflect. Shall I trespass? Or, shall I destroy my future prospects? I also long to rise by my own exer--tions. Why, shall I not, like others, acquire a
competency and a name? But a voice resounds in his ears [Hebrew]. it cries: "Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy;" it cries. He cannot, he dares not disobey. His Sovereign Creator has spoken. His final judge has pronounced the sentence "Whosoever doeth work on that seventh day of Sabbath, that soul shall be cut off from among its people terrifies him God's eternal displeasure" Between the sin of rebellion, and constant privations, he chooses the latter. We then--the witnesses of a self-denial so great and noble noble to human nature--should practically evince the respect it inspires. We should stretch forth our hand and say: Brother! Your high principles must not stand as a barrier against your temporal advancement. Success shall attend your endeavours, even through my own agency. But we, on the contrary, can only find simply a word of pity for him whose sense of his obli--gations, is so very keen. We deem it rather un--fortunate that while possessing the qualifications ena--bling him to obtain preferments, he should be ham--pered by religious scruples.
So general is the desecration of the fourth command--ment of the Decalogue, that to learn that any one Hebrews
would is be ready to sacrifice to its observance a lucrative position, creates astonishment. "Necessity knows no law," one will say. "Times have changed very materially," another will exclaim, "we can no more adhere to practices conflicting with the present state of society. Our forefathers did not follow so extensively engage in commercial pursuits, and could therefore devote the seventh day to religious purposes, but we would be exceedingly incon--venienced by imitating their example." Thus it happens that the men who profess to believe in the book that teaches [Hebrew] "It is Sabbath for you to the Lord in all your habitations," [Hebrew], in the holy land & in foreign-climes; thus it happens that those men very men place this land beyond the limits of that divine ordinance. Now, my friends! that any man one in Israel should so think, and so act is really lamentable--for the violation of the Sabbath-- is the sure forerunner of other grievous transgressions, but that by reason of that laxity of principles, the high-minded should be exposed to severe trials, is deplorable in the extreme. Often have my feelings been harrowed when told that the condition by which an Israelite was offered employ--ment by his coreligionist, was that the seventh day should
be desecrated. Alas! I know of incidents, in which a stranger to our faith granted what the Hebrew man had peremptorily refused. Say ye, o parents that fear the Lord! is this not a thought that weighs heavily upon your minds? How will our sons secure a position in society, and cling to the ances--tral religion? Will we be forced to wince at--if not to sanction, their backslidings open derelictions? For, many have I beheld that struggled mightily, but could not stand proof against all temptations. Impelled by nature to activity, and restrained by religious motives, they finally succumbed. The act did violence to their feelings: it grieved the hearts of the parents; but few my friends! are the heros that can, under urgent nece-ssities, cling unflinchingly to principles.
This day a lad has assumed in your presence the per--formance of sacred duties. I am fully convinced that at this moment he shrinks from the idea of making his future conduct belie his present professions. He doubtless believes that in order to keep fast to one's pledge, the observance sanctity of the sabbath cannot under any circumstance be tampered with. But what difficulties
will he not have to encounter? How forcefully strong will be the seductions inciting him to sin! He will see his coevals enjoy lucrative situations, while he may perhaps barely earn a subsistence. He will see others brought to preeminence, while he may be compel--led to continue remain in a state of dependence. Among his associates, one will advise that he shall set aside all religious restraints; another will pronounce it unwise to check his aspirations for the sake of an ancient law prescriptions. Were he even my own son, I could not vouch for his ability to withstand those seductions allurements. Precept has a decided influence, example is very efficacious, but a ceaseless contrast between ourselves--the victims of abstract high principles, and our neighbors, in the fruition of wealth and honors, through their disregard of the law, will work with fatal results upon the susceptible minds of susceptible youths.
Is there then no remedy to this growing evil? Shall we continue to offer our children an alternative so painful as that I have just described?...Dear Brethren! You possess the means, whereby to relieve the mind of God-fearing parents, and benefitting your souls, while benefitting your fellow-believers. Resolve that henceforth your storehouses shall all be closed in the Sabbath-day.
I have been informed that in other cities, the object has been was attained by a general agreement all Israelites consented to abstain from servile labor on the seventh day. The plan commends itself also to ourselves our consideration, but not it should not be followed in the its exact form. I do wish that we establish a covenant, but not with men, but with God; not a covenant founded upon selfishness. Not a covenant, that has for its basis a mutual un--derstanding that no one shall suffer pecuniarily, through business transacted by a Jewish neighbor on the Sabbath day, but such a covenant as that made at Horeb [Hebrew] "Ye shall be my people, and I will be your God" a covenant of righteousness, a renewal of the promise that we would sanctify the name of the Lord among the nations of the earth, and He would signally protect our race. In other words: I most eagerly desire that you be impressed with the necessity of proving yourselves consistent before men, and faithful to your God. That you feel it your bounden duty to adhere to the fourth as to the rest of the tenets promulgated at Sinai for no line of demarcation separates them. I desire that you feel how wrong, how false it is to stand before the book of the law, blessing the Lord for having
vouchsafed it unto Israel, and immediately violate it by repairing on this day to your habitual vocations, on this day; by intentionally and publicly desecrating the Sabbath. And when deeply imbued with the idea that the institution of the Sabbath is essential to the preservation of our distinct nationality, that to enforce its observance upon your offspring sons, is equally important as to admit them into the covenant of Abraham, I would thus address you. Brethren! Reward those of youth your faith, who cling to its holy ordinances. Let them find in your employ, the facility to pursue righteousness. Yonder youth might have fre--quently obtained an honorable position, but he refused it not to dishonor God. You may trust him, for, he is honest. The man who wavers in opinion about religious obligations may deceive and defraud; but he who is firm with God, he who has constantly that has the fear of the Lord Almighty before his eyes, will serve you with fidelity, and promote your interests. But more than your material welfare, your spiritual happiness will increase through that means. You will have David a fellow-believer from the power of temptation, and God will save you in the day of judgment, when summoned ot give an account of your deeds on earth you will have given your brother-Israelite his Sabbath
and God will receive for you a Sabbath of everlasting rest, & peace unalleged. [Hebrew] - Identifier
- p37s7jc3r
- identifier
- SMBx9FF13_2
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/91391