Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-09-28
IsAIAH,s IDEA OF REPENTANCE.
Eloquent Sermon by the Rev. Raphael
nc. Levin, lin the Temple.
Clear and simple Statement Of The
Duties and Doctrines Of Judaism by
Learned EounE Rabbi

most eloquent and promising ministers of thu
W. " IN tne ohlSeu StS,Ss' eHT neEc tLa ~,
Era, the only Jewish monthly journal pub
lshed in America. After the services b,
Rabbi Samheld suitable to the night tn
preacher ofthe occasion read the nfty-eightl
chapter Of Isaiah, and said:
At n time like the present, my friends
when the great majority Of Jewish eongrega
tons, in this country especially, are afhiiat
ing themselves to what has been termed tne
" reformed school OF Judaism" il is exceed
ingly interesting to study the beautiful words
Of Isaiah, who centuries ago preached pre-
cisely the same doctrines as are now being pu
before the world, in exposition OF our sacred
religion. The glganIlc intellect the tIu,
nobility OF mind, the almost extraVagan
IIfberality Of thought, and above all, the gen
uine piety and religious zeal OF this heavenly
! inspired prophet, are everywhere perceptible
as we peruse his sublime writings. From the
days OF Moses TO the present era, few men have
| arisen in Israel possessed of greater intellect
ual vigor or more sOul-stirring imagination.
As an exponent Of the holy spirit OF Judaism
he stands prominently forward, seldom
eqUalled and never surpassed. Now IL TINS
writer had been but an ordinary man. who,
though renowned for much personal worth
and ability, was yet, after all, only an IN
/ dfvfduaL. who wrote and spoke his own
ideas and doctrines, no greater stress
would be placed upon his writings tina that
which IS usually assigned TO any work OF IT'D
rarv merit. As however,he was BY no means
an ordinary man, but was one OF those great
geniuses who possessed inspiration in the
/ highest degree, a. his writings have been
! placed in the Jewish Canon OF Scriptures and
IS REGARDED alike by Jew and Gentle as form
ing a portion OF the Bible, il follows that his
teachings do claim our most earnest respect,
| and even our veneTatiOn. Net,Strangea as IL may
appear, the words of Isaiah were for ages I'M
needed by the great mass OF Israeiites; his
ideas on Judaism, though in full accordance
with its humanitarian spirit, were altogether
ignored, his magnificent and pathetic appeals
ON behalf OF God and religion found no re-
Spouse in the Jewish heart, while the unin-
spired productions Of sthe Rabbits, the fanati-
cal writings of later Infatuated bigOts,
- I'll tn -
modern sect Of ra5binicaI smatterers,
became the great authorities for their relig-
ious belief and observanees, thus makin a
tradition which every year became more and
more encountered with their own folly,
far more important than the sacred scriptures
themselves In common justice, however, TO
the worthy men who compiled the Talmud,
in common fairness TO the several learned
rabbits who wrote and taught zealOusly, and
with very pure motives IN their days, II
must be stated that not o"ne-thousanuth part
Of the ridiculous notions Of the Jews had any
origin whatever in their works. True, many
aud great are the evils which have been
brought upon Judaism, through their indirect
fnstrumentality, but the cause OF this is
to be sought for in the age in which
they lived and in the circumstances
under which they wrote, rather than in any
desire on their parts 10 abrogate one title Of
the religious idea for the purpose of estab-
fishing their own. They did but develope Ju-
dasm in their day, in accordance with the
requirements Of their time, precisely by the
same authority and from the same motives as
We VI NAE HAE'EAAE a. ca NAAD AAEAA W
VelOpeit, according 10 the necessities OF our
day. The error is to be attributed, not TO those
good men of old, who were compelled 10 sur
round the religious idea with an outer cover
ing OF mail in the form of ceremonial laws
and rftualistic observanees 50 as to preserve
the spirit intact during a degenerate age; but
10 their ignorant followers, hundreds Of years
AFTER the necessity Of such Observances ceased.
As TAR as the rabbinical system is concerned,
there is scarcely a doubt that IL was invalua-
bic in its day, for the people for whom it was
intended. The violent prosecutions TO which
our race was subjected-persecutions which
carried in their train all the horrors and
sufferings which depraved humanity /
can invent must also be taken into c~onsidera-
ton when We cast judgment on the theologlc-
al works of that epoch. 1t is indeed no wonder /
that the principal idea in the Jewish mind
the fulhllment OF a misunderstood
prophecy relating 10 a Messiah and a return
TO Jerusalem. The oppressed, grlef-Strlcken
Hebrews necessarily believed this false inter
OF = very glorious promise, and
and prayed for g restoration 10 the
land OF their fathers, their Old Temple
worship, and their ancestral forms OF gov
ernment Hence prayers and Supp1cat1Ons
were composed in immense quantities. all
breathing "A feeling Of deeply seated hatred
against their OppreSsOrS, and partaklng of the
most dangerous Of human passions, re-
genge. In lii manner the entire thoughts Of
he nation dwelt on the forms and ceremonies
which characterized their religious observan-
to the utter extinction OF the spirit which
hose forms and ceremonies nShrlned. For all :
heSe evils much can be said III
may even 90 further and max excuses
or our people during q long series OF Years
every nation took II by turn TO play the
Of barbarians, to maltreat and Cypress
II who bore the name OF Jew, to hunt them 4
rom city to city, and from Ountry to coun-
ry-when the sword and the stake on the one
de and apostacy on the other were the dread
offered them. Even at a still
date, when the pains OF death or infdeIi-
7 were spared them, we may urge IN e~Ntenua- 4,
on OF the abuses which existed in the OBJ 5
srvance Of Judaism, that the range Of
fought on religious matters was exceedingly
and that among Jews especially, il
lust necessarily have been so, since they were
ated, scorned and reviled, excluded from the
p~pOrtunities Of improving their intellectual L
and debarred from all the more hon n
rable and elevated pursuits Of life. But now =
u this Is as a dream of the night. Within I
le past century immense revolutions =
taken place in mems ideas. Science "
as progressed 10 a wonderful extent. Learn -.
x has been greatly diffused. Education has !,
Orked its way into all classes and into all =
OF society. a love for Investigation into r,
/ subjects has been fOstered, and religion -
srhaps more than anything else-has en- =,
'oSsed the attention OF the ablest thinkers I,
I'd the most powerful minds In the world. =,
hus, in those countries where the refining y,
inuence Of Letters has been felt and the rays So
modern civilization have penetrated, the
truth has been told and acknowledged Ae
lat conscience can never be forced, and that W
an Is accountable to God alone for his re- y.
belief. SO the Jew became at last the ~,
Iual Of his Gentle cOuntryman: the disabil- -
les under which ne had labored were re- II
owed, and IN the very highest Of the high -
aces OF the land can he now publicly pro- "
aim his faith. Nothing, then, can be urged 80
the present day in e-Ntenuation Of The ~
oSs absurdities which still cling as >"
TO a certain portion OF the "a
OF Israel. Even the excuse OF an over o.,
ndneSS for old customs ceases TO be tangible, =
len the confession has once been made, that ~
telligence has decided these old customs TO ~
valueless, If not indeed sinful; and even i
len such confession is not made. the excuse 80
elf will not hold, since our private fancies ~
predictions have no right to interfere ~
tn our duty. Nothing but a sad want Of re- ~
HnHHE NanNHnH Rnn nAm~ lao nngrn-aa 40 r. 10
5vent1Ne to the general progression of Israel ~,
d the perfect development of the Jewish -.
a. Not that l mean 10 assert that ali of our 4
-thrtn, VINO dltfer from us in our views, soi
lSt necesSartly be wanting in religious feel ~,
= Heaven Forbid Among the millions Of IN
scattered about over the face of the a..
may be some who religiously and ~
'uSly believe that these Did forms, these W.
customs, these old ideas, how ridicu- 70
IS and unworthy sOeVer they may be 10
our ewes, have still the sanction of the ~
ity, and truly constitute the very essence OF e
iaism, and therefore they are bound BY CA
IT c~onsclenceS 10 adhere 70 them. These ~,
sons, however, are by no means numerous. r.,
as their ideas will die with themit is per
useless 70 argue the question or TO &ssturb y
m in the discharge OF what they truly be-
We are the duties Of ISraelites. To these, 81
N, we say, " If indeed this be your ardent -.
l%vietion, II indeed We do act fully up TO az,
which you aSsertyou believe, then, good, Nh
rthy men, keep your ideas, continue in az,
n own path until the sun OF Intelligence -
ShOne more rightly upon Won. but Al -
81 give Us credit for similar sincerity when ba,
conSctentiOuSly refuse to think with YOU ~
,ccept your doctrines" To those, however, bmo,
o shamefully assert that these old ideas are -,
rect, and yet continually refuse to act up Na,
hem; 10 those who put forth one doctrine NJ
heory and another in practice; 10 those Cor
rupt minded persons who represent -,
mock self-constituted ORTHODOXY rDo.''
the present day, we would acf,
ger 70 say nothing, good or bad. Argument VIII,
liable time. In the Lords good day this ~
VIII also be eradicatcd. Let us then wait mo-
trust, But to those who are striving to cha
llre truth TO those who long to be with Us, a.
e their reason tells them we are right; to 10
who lack not the spirit, but the neees- 49,
information on Judaism, and Jewish his Vii
to those we say "Senroh, investigate -
yourselves. Take up your Bible and read -
.tenEvely. Study the writings OF your -
lhets; study Jewish history. Listen to our AZ
and then let yOurr reason, and your con,
On alone, decide for you" 80
brethren, the large majority of Jews dreS
by degreea. returned into HE frne nath W.
thus is Judaism becoming purified from con,
he impurities -engendered by superstition yoi
bigotry, Notwithstanding the curses and pecl'
ofthe so-called Orthodox School nera
ldy allnded to. ~
d now, my friends, let me invite you to snMm.
1lne, with scrIPulous care, the chapter OF feaf,
n / have submitted 10 your notice. On Wbe
perhaps, more than al other ~
during the past twelve months, We stand tysa,
reat need Of reflection, for this is the last anvil
Ath eve Of the old year. Ere you meet again 80
elcome the return of that blessed mes 60
sr OF Gods love, the new year viii be -
Aeu u ana the season Tor annual repent now
VIII be fully inaugerated. Then win ma
- innr ~ ~ tls gIeal char
FNgiii - o Mn!tnersoesSE cOgn
~ 61,,sas y YtfrSe.Su toSeIneI IN lhe any
- worsbTr ll-ytti ~ Lle lv1y purposes OF l
Nth - PlagaA hnu 7 not
looks and bowed heads, viii they then ,iaA11
on tod TO forgive their transgressions -
ne outward signs Of contrition will be h,,t
observed and the entire day win be teaei
d IN the most deYOut exercises. Let us secel
lie. tao fs daScri6iHo ilhPaEleu Dy into
a in Tho Tar1pie ~ ~ ~ scent pre- taugl
D"S VI Abohe= deser
imagination We see yiyidly depicted be- SSS,Shl'
Wieb Pries3 = y = we see IoI
of HOLES. Ne saa M SacrSa,So httFs t1e gard
- the fbonser,SS enS tansa - oueIeI By
orShippers co1ereSated in ne coart pgs il