The herald., 1894-09-30
SWEET CHARITY.
A Homily on Israers Now Yoar, 5G5!
A. ID.

A Homiiy on Israeps Now Yoar, 5G55
A. ID.
Rabbi A. W. Edelman has handed in
the following interesting paper:
The Hebrew year 5654. which closes
its record with this evening sunset, was
lap year Of 1856 days. It WAS indeed
long. and eventful year, OF unusual strin-
gency and hardship throughout the
whole civilized world; and financial
disaster, as well as business and COM
mercial depression, spread its wide ex-
istence TO such an extent that but very
few OF us can hardly remember its equal.
But its record is closed and we are now
standing on the threshold OF a new pc
riod.
Life, with its manifold requirements.
allows us o brief moment of meditation
at the change OF time. We pause for a
while in our unremitting chase at the
grave of period of our existence, won
dsring what the year that is to come has
in store for ue.
The Hebrew new year is termed Yom-
Hazik-koron-a day OF memorial time
for the memory to be aroused, to reflect
on the past and to prepare for the future,
and to remind us that Tzadskah-chari-
ty-is one of the principal advocates be-
fore throne of God.
When We tax our memory to divine
what we are doing for the cauee of
charity, it 10 source of intense gratif-
cation to know that, while the times
are changed, and we as Israelites have
changed in many things. there is one
subject which appears to admit OF no
alteration or modification; and that is,
our Denevolence and our charity. The
many Jewish charitable societies in this
and other cities, established for every
variety of objects, demonstrate that 1t 10
needless to ask OF the Jew to give, or to
prove the necessity OF alms-giving. The
very word by which aims-giving ie des-
ignated, shows what the Jew holds char
ity to be: he calls it "Tzadakah,"
righteousness he esteems it part
of the duties by which he can alone
merit divine favor. The word "Tzada-
kah" is derived from the same
root as the term "Tzsdik," 1.-THE
| righteous" an epithet applied to
God Himself, the Omnipotent, the Crea-
tor, the benefactor OF all that exists. 1t
is by these words that we signify the
temper OF our mind which prompts us
to give, and to hasten to the relief of
the distressed. Hence, in every pSrt Of
the world, wherever the Jews happen to
form settlement, their fret organiza-
tion is for the purpose of distributing
/ charity, and to make the mind of the
| poor easy and comfortable.
But our bounty is often misdirected.
| We have indeed in our midst great
number OF men and women who are
truly benehcent. who are ever ready and
willing to extend real relief to the
needy. We have also many benevolent
persons among US whose hearts beat in
the right place, but have not their
hands fnll OF gold and silver. But how
many have we not in our midat who
have plenty of everything and give but
little or nothing? And how many have
We not, who deceive themselves by mis-
| taking the monetary impulse of gener-
osity for the steady, ever active spirit of
philanthropy which regulates every act,
! predetermines every step and gilds the
| whole course of life by it's brightness.
| Such indiscriminate alms-giving ia
not true charity. Our charity is also
very often too noisy, it courts publicity,
whilst the essence of charity and benev-
olence is to be found in ite unobtrusive-
ness. The true charity strives to elicit
information whore distress ia to be
found and leaves q substantial prsscrip-
tion, sure to remedy the disease. This
prescription is termed Tzadakah
Bassser, charity secretly dispensed.
Such charity has at all times been
lauded rs oxcelling all other deeds of
benevolence, just as light excsls gloam-
ing.
To illustrate my meaning more clearly
by an example. l will relate On incident
that occurred eome time ago in London /:
On the day of Atonement letter WAS
left at the home for convalescents in that
city-an institution founded for the
benefit of Israelites, established as a
memorial to Lady Judith Montefiore
The letter contained $4,000 from an
anonymous person. for enhancing the
benefits resulting from the home. Now,
although the name of the generous
donor is unknown on earth, the deed
is recorded in heaven and the reward
registered in the great book OF life
eternal.
SaThis is what term true benevoence,
! true charity; and we would ell be de-
| lighted could we but see this kind OF
charity more generally introduced
among our people.
Sacred Scripture tells us Levitt Qua,
xxv-26) that I'VE should aid our fellows
man who hath become reduced, go that
ne may live with u.s." We have in our