The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-11
A QUESTION IN JUDAISM.
" AMERICAN JEWRY rs ALL AGOG,"
SAYS RABBI ROSENIU.

aay Instead OF saturday as Their ssb-
hath - various Opinions on the Subject.
II Is impossible to find confirmation for the
statement OF Rabbi Rosenau that American
Jewry Ii all agog" at this time; but II Is certain
that the question, whether the Jews Of the
United Statos should keep Sunday instead Of
Saturday as their Sabbath, or holy day, Ia n
question which has been brought under lively
debate by several Of tho organs Of Judaism,
and which is at this time stirring up the read
ers OF that one OF them called Jetcish Comment.
The striking disquisition printed in It's columns
under the title '"Thc Other Side OF the Sabbath
Question" consists of an argument strongly
favoring tho change. The writer speaks dis
respectfully Of tho extraordinary Significance
which many Jews attribute to n particular day
OF the week, moro especially since some limo
waiting Jews have manifested n desire to trans
fer tho religious obscrvanccs OF the Sabbath to
another day OF tho week. He analyses the prin-
cipal objections to tho proposed change, which
arc: That 1t implies n violation OF tho sanctity
of the Mosaic Sabbath; that It means n sur.
render to cxpediency, and that 1t is n concession
to Christianity. Ho says that n Sunday Sab
bath would not be contemplated II the Saturday
Sabbath were not In danger of being gradually
abandoned by modern Jews, and that many
Jews have already abandoned 1t, openly or
secretly. ms is made manifest by tho circum-
stance that the Jewish pulpit rings with eS-
postulatory sermons upon tho subject. 1t
savors of superstition to attach nm exceptional
sanctity to n particular day OF tho year, the
month, or tho week. Tho numerical position
OF u day Is merely an arrangement OF the calen-
dar. Originally. the Sabbath was not ordained
on religious GROUND: II was to DO simply n day
Of rest from labor: six days thou shalt do thy
work, and ON the seventh day thou shalt rost."
Tho particular day for rest was left to the
choice OF the rabbis, and the day chosen by
them was accepted as the lawful day. Tho
festival OF tho New Moon was frequently spoken
OF in the Bible in conjunction with tho Sabbath;
md the celebration of It is ns dcfcnsihlc as tho
Observance of the Saturday Sabbath, though it
now exists only In the liturgy of Jewish prayer
books. 1t Is awkward to lay stress upon an
Gent Jewish history. in which polygamy and
slnvery have a place.
In times not very remote the eve OF Friday,
when the jewish Sabbath begins, used to be
associated with the amenities Of Jewish life,
and with domestic reunions, in which the bread.
winner was surrounded by his family, after he
had retired from an inimical outside world, in
which he had been subjected to jeers and jibes.
or had suffered wrongs hard to bear.
AS bearing upon this matter the writer In
Jetrish CONNER says:
'Our rising generation Of American Hebrews,
thank God. know nothing Of this. Things are
now greatly changed. The spirit which In by.
gone days and In other lands had created among
Hebrews a peculiar sentiment Of affection for
the Saturday Sabbath has well nigh faded, as
the cause that called it forth does not exist
among us. Those who reckon Of making CAPT.
tai Of the force Of that feeling in having a bear
ing on the Sabbath question will be disap-
pointed. Conditions and circumstances often
arise when prudence and expediency lead to
results, while highly wrought sentiments. as
well as superdne virtues, overshoot the mark"
= The writer next argues for q change Of tho
Jewish day Of rest on grounds Of expediency.
Lot US reflect that through a concentration
Of events, which need not be specified. it hap
pened that Sunday has been made a legal day OF
arc in the vast majority, 1t may be reasonably
asked why the Jew should not avail himself Of
to keep his Sabbath on that day rather than
make of himself the victim. of a custom that
aa%s}R1iy1Ss hin 4, q one more asy Of the week ! IA e
him to make the sacrifice for conscience sake.
be may honestly reply that he cannot afford to
fippantiy.. although, with the airs Of a saint. il
you ask him to work but Ave days in the week.
s ems: Hhs everything else that processes to be
In speaking of tho implied concession to
Sabbath, the writer uses the following language:
ca .m there Sn,d is any any s sStisfaf ft 81 in in making "a dn5 hi this
that the whole OF Christendom made the con.
cession Of adopting the observance Of a Sab
Neither Paul's dominant influence on early
ohristianityy nor his irony on times and sea,
the Christian Church. The vigorous observance
Of the Sunday sabbath n some regions q Chris,
had witnessed it. 1t Is mere prattlo when it il
alleged that the Jew would cling less rrmly to
bath to sunday. Only the anti.somite would
regret the success of this movement, which
sSes sway with an an x imRISSrtc cRs0 item t Of SeW wish
glory in their exeIusiyeness. Little risk may. be
feared in asserting that the American Jewish
It is maintained by the Jewish innovato,
whose words are here quoted that the adoptior
to the Jewish faith. He says:,.
m ,Ihsre q, is ,S one IShn,s slis cited tt hn o %RIt the q di :
able reflection on tho Jews We are told tina.
would be the death.knell Of Judaism. Wha'
sort Of an opinion must we form Of the religion
OF o man who subordinates its most precious
Would 1t be believed that. for example, the 40
%rosation Of the Abrahamic rite, that skeleton hid
judaism 80. " thousand So tines no. .
n The The foregoing nsst fragments in favor Y, p Of E chang
RossHy ssln'. and S" By RaS 81 William az 'i ROssn @S'f Il
ye,eish Comment; Rabbi Rosenstein believe
adoption Of Sunday as sabbath would destro!
s sSs isas sSis . SR1iHitt Is Of in the hisiGTie% n,t Sa6 b ssG
day of worship: He denies the practicability o
the proposed change. and speaks slightingly o
the religious standard OF those Jews who hav,
accepted It. You may crafty tho taste o
some nominal Jews by sacrificing tho characte
Of Israel's history to their temporary interest
q their greed; but you VIII look in vain for tn
resurrectiop Of the Sabbath on sunday" Tn
permit the Jew to keep the Sabbath is unreason
two In divine worship on Friday evening and Sat
prday morning. More strict rules must be en-
are really atheists, though they may visit tn
synagogge when there LIS u wedding or
Rabbi Rosenau's paper on tho subject IL o
great length. He regards the Sabbath questio
a. q most serious one for tho jew, on accoun
d the trying SOCIAL and religious condition
which exist In this country. 1t touches III
very life of Judaism. It is Of more importanc
than the division Of Israel,s kingdom undo
destruction wrought by Titus, or the execu
tone during the reign Of Hadrian. or tho eS
pulsion from Spain, or tho Jewish sufferings 4
Russia, It is an old controversy; 1t has bee
renewed by a Russian Jew In America. who ha
rAcantly uruad hIa cn-raliutnniata to tnrn from