The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-09
{. N. CAL|sCH
ON MOSAIC LAW
Distinguished Rabbi Addresses
the City Bar Association on
This Subject.
THEY LISTEN AND APPLAUD
-
Quarterly Meeting Suspends All
Other Business to Hear
Fine Speech.
THEY LISTEN AND APPLAUD

Little or no business of Importance
was transacted at the quarterly meeting
OF the City Bar Association in the Cir
cult Courtroom yesterday afternoon, the
session having been given up to listen
ing to an eloquent address by Rev. DR..
e. N. Calisch on THE Mosaic Law
President George Bryan presided and
presented DR.. Calisch, whose scholarly
effort provoked frequent rounds of ap-
plause.
He spoke, in part, as follows:
"The subject upon which ! have the
honor to address this association. IS one
t ighta Is inte soeiety' t9 The be- MOSAIC Mosaic 0t Code ode
commands attention because the threads
of its thought are inextricably inter-
woven into every fabric of human &C
tivity. The seal of Its influence has
been tamAe upon every institution OF
civilized humanity. Time was when
this ~pervasive dominance was fruitage
Of the fact that men looked upon it
as the expressed word of God and con,
sidered that its statutes were framed
by Omniscience. without desiring, to
o oaesrt into to any m dR} sass Of At it's an t%h tSe snSl
jects of inspiration OF revelation. 1t
may yet be said that: aside from these
questions, removing from 1t altogether
lIle pIeSllSS ulNIliV . 49,
code, by reason of It's intrinsic merits:
will stand out as the central sun OF
mans ethical universe. | trust TO pc
able to point out to you some of It's
peculiar virtues. and to demonstrate
to you that, although nearly 5000
years Of progress have pass
reconciliation years in which the hu-
man intellect and conscience have been
most wonderfully developed and edu-
cated-in which man has made an al
So ~rx 40 AL - ~, NJ n ~ 6n ~ G
and agencies of nature. In which he has
placed the infringing sceptre of his
dominion upon the face of the earth.
upon the beasts Of the field, the birds
which he has called and counted the
stars In the heavens and the planets IN
their orbits. and has built for hlmself
law-yet in all this progress he has
not been able to diverge greatly from,
or improve upon, the lofty ethical ideals
are contained and expressed in this
ancient code.
Laws Of Property.
The Mosaic legislation regarding
real property is peculiar. l think Moses
would have disappointed our friend,
proved of the Torrens system. The
legislation was framed to prevent the
sale and transfer OF land, and to keep
1t as far as possible WITHIN the oIi ,fa
iitii
of each tribe on the settlement OF
Canaan. The particular laws that We're
to accomplish his were those of the
sahbatic and Jubilee years. (Deut. Ky.
and Levitt. XIV Every seventh year
the land was to lie fallow. it should
have a Sabbath of rest. Only the spon-
able for use. and then, too, the stranger
and the community and wild and do
nestle animals had a right TO share
with the oWner. .lkewise al none ne
tween Hebrews. The creditor was leg
ally barred from making any attempt
to collect his debt. CDeut. XVI Every
seventh Sabbatic year. !. e.. every forty
ninth year. ushered in the Jubilee year.
Obidem vs. 100. During 1t the regula-
tions of the Sabbatic year We're In
man returned unto his possession
Every piece of land that had been sold
or transferred was restored to Its orig
inal owner without price and without
recompense. Also, all Hebrew slaves
We're unconditionally set free.
Marriage and Divorce.
The Importance of the marriage re-
lation cannot be overestimated. Right
fully conceived and properly maintain
ed it safeguards the happiness OF the
uity of society. In civilized nations
the State has assumed control of mar
riage. Our law considers marriage In
no other light than as a civil contract
tract. its validity depends upon the vol
untary consent of both parties and their
ability to enter into IT. 1t diff
fers from the ordinary contract in that
1t is drawn for an indefinite period and
cannot be terminated merely by the
agreement of the contracting parties.
It's voidance must be determined by
the court. In addition to the civil safe
guards society considers also necessary
the sanction of religion. The court Is
sues the license. the church performs
the While 1t is true that
perform the ceremony that renders the
lively few couples who are content
with this civil performance only. In
Virginia, 7 believe. the rule is that
only ministers or the accredited repre-
at q marriage. This is a wise provi-
sion. for the reason that there is n
moral and ethical ASPECT to the mar
rage relation that should be empha-
sized. Religion places upon the couple
obligations. which. not co~mprehended
the consummate happiness of which
tho relation is potent.
THE broad and basic principle under
living the whole thought of the Mosaic
Code Is that of even-handed Justice,
There breathes throughout It the spirit
cry Of Abraham. Shall the Judge of all
the earth not do 1ustice?' Gen. xviii,
25) to that magnificent passage in
Deut. XVI, 1920, eliminating In the
Injunction, Justice, justice only shalt
thou pursue The code Furnishes the
and the oppressed on the basis of JUS
tice, 1t insists that justice shall OBJ |
tain in all the relations of life and the
Intercourse of men. The Greek custom