New-York tribune., 1874-04-27
MOSAIC HEALTH,LAWS.
The Rec. Or MsRdez al Shldrdi Tephtld.

Dr. MendeZ of Shaara Tephila in West
Forty yfourthst preached Saturday morning on jewish
Dietary Laws. We're any literary person. said he, to
come before you lay claim perfection, would
expect him subsantiate his claim by fautess logic
research profound thought and perfect style. These
requirements in the Pentateuch Of Moses, that
great teacher whose writings the Hebrews heir
loom. The Pentateuch distinguishes nationality it
is as the PsamIst says perfect law 1t ascends to the
regions OF psychology and does not hesitate to descend
to the plane Of Mosess corpOrea wants In the Ian
guage OF every day. IL speaks Of food wages garments
and of their fitness and requirements With regard to
blood an article OF food the law III Leycus xvii, TO-
reads "And whatsoever man there be OF the House
you. that eateth any manner or blood, VIII
even set my face against that soul that
eateth blood, and will cut. him off from among his
people" Let us turn our attention TO blood prohibition
in particular and the dietary laws in general Blood Is
considered IN Hoy Writ as the connecting link between
soul and body, view expressedby modern scientists
terms perhaps little less gross than those Of the Mosaic
versions not that OF the earlier Greek philosophers who
say that the blood is the life. In the days of Samuel
during the against the Phstines the Israeltes,
suffering with hunger. were tempted TO slaughter cattle
and eat Of the blood They thus called forth severe
dietary laws, notice the blood prohibition The early
founders of sOcaed Christianity regarded M0sess
mand. loyal Heorew pays strict attention to to
blood. But let us turn TO the wider subject OF
full topic for discussion, and have been men
toned In terms either of disparagement or honor.
There Is scholar who asserts tnat the Mosaic law had
its origin in a more ancient code-that OF the Zend
Avesta-n which animais are divided into clean and
unclean III relnarhaDe that the cilca dscernment
the learned author did enable him TO appreciate
spirit embodied in the Jewish law and TO contrast IL
with that OF the Indie The religion Jewss monothe
iatc and their God God OF goodness resemblance
between the Egyptian and the Jewish dietary laws has
been traced ana ther relative antiquity considered Ihe
Aegorca school takes exception TO certain meats such
the flesh OF beasts OF prey and serpens because II
believes that the characteristics OF these animals are
transmitted 10 those who feed upon their bodies The
Ratlonalists, in their sanitary law, approach more
nearly than any other body TO the truth Turning TO
modern JeNis. ,heuxht, NJ tnd hint upon the suo-
to forbidden beasts the law says: Thou shalt not eat
aDOmlndtlOns." The substance OF ths precep Is also
found in Leyiticus.
From these two sources we deduce three motives FOR
abstinence from food forbidden in the Mosaic writings
motives resulting from desire for the webeng OF the
body, the mind, and the nation. The same God who
gave the immortal decaogue furnished the dietary laws
OF the Pentateuch; and in his eyes there can be
gradaton with regard TO any OF the wants OF mans ma
ture-all are OF the first Importance Moses, who
educated among the learned OF his medical cotem
porares, admirably adapted TO the exp0unding OF
a hygenic system His laws are so simple and yet 50
complete that they the wonder OF modern medicine
Because OF their observance OF Nosess health the
Jews have been peculiarly exempt from epidemcs and
have therefore, sometimes unfortunately been peise-
cuted. During the Middle Ages, when so many were
stricken with fatal pestence great numbers Of He
brews were destroyed because rising superior 10 the
disease, they were said TO have poisoned the
wells. Secondly, the observance of the Mosaic
only the physical status but mental characte
ne f0aa' % IN fn when 1hsy SaySSated
Mosaic is intrinsicay unique, Its fdhmenJ fixes
the Jews among other peoples as peculiar They are
moreover holy people, and the law given % them will
eventually Dc adopted by other nations desrous only Of
truth.
There some Hebrews who, sensitive over their ma
tlona and ISOLATION attempt TO deny their Hebrew
origin ant education. They seek TO curry favor with
the stranger But right well does the stranger under
stand the pitful part they play They call upon their
heads the derison Of the Gentes aud the bitter
tempt of their For their sakes let them
deem themselves wiser than their ancestors. Let
them inquire and they Will nd that the dietary laws OF
Moses cOnduce to health Let the jews educate
their children that those children will have desire
to glut themselves With the food or the Gen
tiles To my young friends who have this day
sGmed all tho responsibilities OF Judaism. let Inc say
that they may do great good by steadast adherence
their principles Let Them remember that the graft
ncaon OF SIN is small the penalty large that, II they
steadfast God will with them throughout long
life, "a life Of aealth aud prosperity.