Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-03-13
mtrncles.

Rev. DIR. Schrsiber lectured last night
in the Synagogue on the subject OF
miracles" in the presence of large
audience, composed both of Israelites
and Christians. The following is short
synopsis:
Miracle means change of the laws Of
nature. Among most Of the ancient ma
tions, and also among the Hebrews, the
notion prevailed that certain connec-
tion exists between the sensual nature
outside and the moral nature within
man. Thus we read: "If ys will heark-
en- unto the commandments Of God,
then will send rain for thy land in due
season, etc. But If ye refuse to hear,
then thy heaven will be like iron and
thy earth like metal" And on another
passage concerning the time of Messiah
for the prophets spoke only of Mes
sianic aqe-Isaiah said: "The wolf shall
dwell peacefully with the sheep, the
leopard shall lie down with the kid, the
sucking baby shall play on the hole of
the asp, and on the basilisk's den shall
the weaned child stretch out his hand"
which means that at that period not
only men, but even animals, in fact the
whole nature will present a picture Of
undisturbed peace and harmony-a state
of affairs from which we are still pretty
far remote, although the Messiah is said
to have come long ago.
Now, these and great many other
passages cannot be understood, when
literally taken, except when we believe
that a radical change OF the laws of
nature took place or may take place at
any moment, which, however, Is incom-
patible with reason, daily experience
and science; and even with the Bible.
W hich says that "God is no man, that
he would break the continuity of the
regular order OF things" (uumeri), which
his own creative will has established.
For arguments sake may mention that
the passage concerning the standing still
of the sun at the bidding of Joshua is
poetical figure Of speech only. because
such cessation OF planetary motion
would have brought on universal con-
fagration, setting the whole solar sys-
tenn and even other worlds ablaze, and
rapidly melting them and diffusing them
through space as a glowing. gaseous
mass. Such a biblical passage, lit
orally taken, would stamp the
writer OF Joshua as ignorant Of the
rudiments OF astronomy. The question
why miracles did not happen TO later
was answered by some
Rabbis Of the Talmud. that only the
Israelites Of old were worthy of miracles,
while later generations did not deserve
such privileges. 1t is superauous TO
state that such view is entirely erro-
nsous. For history proves that mankind
advances, improves. is getting better and
not worse. We believe in progressive
1t is, however, interesting that neither
the Bible nor the Talmud regard the be-
lief in miracles necessary, or even as |
support OF religion. In Deut. l3 we
read, thus: "1f there arise prophet or |
dreamer and give thee sign or token |
and the sign or token come to pass
then shalt thou not hsarken unto The
toords Of that prophet"
In Exodus we are told that the Egyp- |
tian magicians actually initiated some OF
Moses miracles. Now the mere cences-
sion on the part Of the b BILE, that false"
prophets, sorcerers, magicians, etc., are |
OF performing miracles proves
beyond a doubt that the Bible does not |
regard miracles as demonstrations OF re-
liglon. And indeed where would this
ends Fer since times immemoriaI down |
to Mormonism every religion claimed to
have miracles OF its own, and do not
see what right believer In miracles has
to say that only the miracles of his own |
religion are true, while those of others |
are false. Therefore Judaism teaches:
Thou shalt knov God" Not the creed |
but the deed. Not salvation by faith, |
but by ''doing Justice, loving humanity |
and walking humbly." Micah 6s).
Some of the Talmudists went even a
step further. saying that the so-called
"miracles" were not at all changes OF |
the laws OF nature, but special creations
Of God ON the eve of the Sabbath. They |
mel ton especially the mouth with which |
the donkey is siad to have spoken to |
Balaam, the mouth of the earth which
is said to have swallowed korah and |
his band, the mama, the staff of Moses
and Aaron, ect. Divested of its alle-
gorical cloak this passage simply denies
those miracles, for if these things were
indeed special creations, then they were |
not changes of the laws Of nature and
no miracles. The Baby |
lonian teachers Of the Talmud protested
against the belief in miracles. When |
Rabbi Joseph related to r. Abaji the |
case Of man who, after the death Of |
his wife, nursed his baby, and added;
How virtuous must that man have been |
that the laws OF nature were changed |
for his benefit, Abaji answered: How |
sinful was that man, having been the |
cause Of change Of the laws of nature.
(Shabbat 5s). Another passage reads;
Moses could not help performing mira
cles in Egypt. the classical land OF won
ders. in order to conquer the enemy with |
his own weapons, (Menachot s5l In |
other words, Egypt with its supersti- |
tious religion could not do without mira
cles. while Judaism, believing in ethical |
and humanity teaches moth |
ing which is incompatible with science |
and reason, and therefore can do very |
well without the belief in supernatural
miracles. King Hiskiah destroyed the |
brazen serpent which Moses had made,
because it was instrumental in inoreas-
ing superstition and idolatry.
The shining lights Of Jewish lore in |
middle ages (Laadish Gaon, Ibn Esra,
Cheyi OF Balk, Joseph Lalomo. Del |
Me,ligo, eto explained the miracles in a
rational way. So the crossing through |
the Red Sea was caused by ''ebb and
food; the mama as a kind of resin, |
emitted by the sweating of certain
trees; the radiant face OF Moses when
descending from Sinai as the result of
too much fasting; the struggle Of Jacob
with an angel as night vision, etc.
Now, what lesson do the miracles Of
the Bible teachf They convey the no.
BILE idea that the laws OF nature and
the law of ethics ought to harmonic.
II is a keen sense of Justice which un-
ierlies them. Whether or not the cities
Sodom, Gomorrha, ETC., were destroyed
in a miraculous way; whether or not the
tyrant Pharaoh was compelled to redeem
the enslaved Israelites by means of mir
aculous plaques, etc., Is immaterial.
But the poetic and dramatic justice
itself in these narratives;
the sentiment prevailing in ancient Is
Clbitt ~ uttcAiy ot"tAo u w
virtues of humanity--hospitality and
charity-should be wiped out from the
face OF the earth; that heartless despois
and oppressors Of their subjects should
be compelled by severe punishments to
listen to the voice Of conscience and
right. This living testimony Of the
high moral jugement Of the old He
brews, then surrounded by iamoral,
nations--this alone is impor-
tant and highly instructive. In this
sense Hebrew poetry is indeed holy, di-
vine aud sublime literature, appealing
as it does to the noblest traits IN the hu-
man character-to Justice, humanity |
and morality. Considered in this light,
we will better understand, and, hence,
the spirit Of our sacred lit
erature.
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