The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-04-05
THE PASSOVER.

A well known Rabbi of the State has the
subjoined anent, the passover which was
celebrated last Monday.
| Monday evening the Feast of Passover
began, the feast of unleavened bread, in
memory of the departure of Israel from
Egypt. 1t is well known why the ancient
Israelites celebrated this feast with partic-
ular gladness; it was to them the nations
natal day, the memorial of liberty and in
dependence gained by divine interposition
in behalf of the oppressed and ensiaved
multitude. The event was too important
to be forgotten, liberty and independence
too precious not to have its peculiar day as
| many great idea had particular memo
| rial in Israel. AS long as liberty is loved
and independence appreciated, the day
when both were gained must remain sacred
in the memory of man.
1t is a remarkable fact that in Judaism
everything begins with liberty. The nation
begins with liberty gained. The revelation
On Mount Sinai begins with announcing
the eternal God as the one who broke the
yoke of Egypt. The statute law begins
with the abolition of slavery among the
Hebrews, and the whole of it is based upon
the principle of equality and jubilee year
known religions, start from the principles
of liberty and equality. This distinguishes
Judaism only.
Therefore, we still celebrate the ancient
Passover, in spirit at least, as did our IA
theirs of old. Judaism has its start in the
idea of Freedom-political, moral and in
tellectual. Politically, it demands equality
and justice; morally, il declares the
free viii of man; intellectually, it
defends the right of individuality and free
thought; and yet this is only one indivis-
ible liberty personifed in the Passover
feast. This is our heritage, our pride our
distinction, belonging exclusively to us
and to no other religious con fession. Why
should not we, in these United States, at
least, give up the Passover, and celebrate
the Fourth of July in its stead7 Why
should not citizens of France or SwItzer
land do the same? Because we celebrate
not the natal day of liberty for one nation
we mean the day when the exalted idea
of freedom for all nations was born-born
rs the will of God. We say freedom, of
which liberty is branch, and mean also
moral and. intellectual freedom, which is
not realized in any of the three countries
Too many, alas! are yet slaves of immorta-
lily or absurdity and do not even know
that they are slaves. Political liberty
without moral and intellectual freedom, is
imperfect. Not for one nation, but for all,
was freedom born when Israel went ont
from Egypt. As long as there is any des-
potism in church or state anywhere we
cling to freedom personifed in the Passover
feast, for it is Israei's mission to bear those |
great truths to the very end of falsehood. |
Anyhow, we prefer the (Mazzoth) unleay
ened bread of freedom to the bread of mys- |
ticism, and the wine of gladness to that
which represents the blood of man.
Let US sing:our hymns, celebrate our Pass
over in gladness The battle is half won,
the world accepts one truth after another
from the shrine of Israel. Sinai Jndea,
viii be the signet by which all shall recog-
nize our names, as men loyal to God, faith
full to Israel, while glorying in being called
citizens of the American republic
REV. p CARO-.