Yithro. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Title
- Yithro. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated
- Author
- Morais, Sabato
- Format
- 4 pages on 1 sheet
- 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/p3445hz3q/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3445hz3q
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx9FF13_8.xml
- content
-
A skeleton of a discourse for Parashat Itrò.
We read in the Medrash. "The son of a King, after having recovered from a serious illness, was requested by his teacher to attend to his schooling. But the royal father objected. He said My child's looks betray his mobility to submit to a course of study. Let him[?] his health be recruited, during a short period, by healthy [?] means of invigorating sustenance and he will afterward then be better qualified for the task. In like manner did the King of the universe act respecting His liberated children. They might have received the divine imparting teaching of Sinai immediately after having been made free, but many among them emerging from a state of abject servitude were unprepared for to bend the mind to that sublime instruction. God said. Let them first be refreshed with the gushing waters of a miraculous spring, fed with a heavenly bread, afterward & an abundant supply of flesh, then they will be more apt to imbibe and retain the lessons I contem--plate to impart" Brethren! This Rabbinical allegory intends to signify that truth, which [inserted above: while] a mind entirely uninfluenced by wrong notions, will clearly perceive, remains hidden from that mind which is affected with perverted baneful thoughts. From the language of Ezekiel which relates how the anger of the Lord was very nigh kindled against Israel, while still in the land of Egypt, as we read [Hebrew] "I had said, that I would pour out my wrath on them, exhaust my ire against them, aver in the country of Mizraim" From that prophetic sentence, we obviously infer that pernicious surroundings had lowered the standard of morality among our forefathers. That the
principles of which the sainted patriarchs had become the exponents, were obliterated from the memory of some of their descendants, and were supplanted by ideas which the fulsome worship of their masters was calculated to instill. The Almighty deemed it therefore necessary to awaken in the breasts of such, feelings of gratitude for benefits daily obtained; before he communicated His celestial will. When de--serving that they were marvellously supplied with their wants by their Deliverer, they might be willing to listen to His instruction, and having listened they might agree to accept it and abide by its consequence. Thus it happened that fifty days were suffered to elapse between the time in which the shackles of a physical bondage were broken, and that wherein the fetters of a spiritual thraldom were sundered apart. But when that period arrived then "all the people answered together and said "all the words which the Lord hath spoken we will do" [Hebrew] [Hebrew]. They all bent their heads down to assume the yoke of the Law, that yoke so light, so easy to bear unto those who receive it in love. That [Hebrew] which to the pious is not a burden, but a healthful restraint. Our fathers on the day of Sinai regarded it as an ornament, & as such they donned it. We their progeny are invested therewith, and will never part with it. But let us reflect a few moments upon the object which the imposing of that yoke was designed to effect.
The inspired son of Amioz speaking in eloquent strains of Israel's glory, gave utterance to the following sentence. "I have put my word in thy mouth, I have th covered thee in the shadow of my hand, to plant the heaven, and lay the foundation of the earth, and to say unto Zion that thou art my people." [Hebrew] The mission of Israel is then to plant the heaven. To establish the king--dom of heaven amid the denziens of this nether world. To exhibit the close relation existing between the creature and His Creator. Men incapa-ble of comprehending what seemed too ab far above their mental vision, towed down to objects within reach of their bemuted view narrow compass. The lord of nature, became the slave of works of nature. Their altars reeked with human blood. Crimes at which we instinctively shrink with horror were perpetuated as an act of divine adoration. For, dread and not love inspired man's worship. But Israel was chosen to dethrone false deities; and point to that Being who is the sovereign Dweller of heaven. Israel had stood at the foot of mount Horeb, of that memorable spot [Hebrew], because from thence would issue forth the instru--ment wherewith to destroy the gods of heathenism, to tear down the shrines which priestly craft had dedicated to corruption. Israel "the holy nation" was chosen to plant the heaven. To cast sow broadest among mortals the seeds of happiness. To offer them the enjoyment of a heaven-like repose which is the offspring of obedience to the word of the wise Legislator.
To show that the Law has eternity in her right hand. In her left contentment and peace. This teaching was to open before our fellow-men a heaven heretofore hidden from his sight. And the more it will be heeded, the brighter and more serene it will grow become. - Identifier
- p3445hz3q
- identifier
- SMBx9FF13_8
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/91392