The Washington herald., 1907-10-20
MENACE TO MORALS
Rabbi Loeb Tells Reason for
Opposing Prohibition.
QUOTES BIBLE IN SUPPORT
While an Advocate of Temperance,
DenOunceN Agitation for Total Alb
stinence as Anti-ReligiOus, Dan
gerous, and DemOraIizins-PoIn
Out Some Examples.

1T is well-known fact that all over
the world the Jews exercise great mod
Grafton in drinking. Habltual drunken
ness is very rare among them. and they
| seldom appear as guests at police sta
tions and jails. l. therefore, as spiritual
adviser of a Jewish community, need
hardly assert that am strongly in favor
of temperance and detest the excessive
Use of alcoholic beverages.
But TO me temperance means mOdera-
ton. / do not favor abstinence, and am
emDhatically opposed to any kind Of pro
hibitive legislation. Ny reasons therefor
are of a Biblical and religious character.
This statement comprises the opinion
Of Rev. Dr J. T. Loeb. former rabbi Of
the Adath Israel Orthodox Congrega-
tion, of this city, on the question OF In
Producing prohibition in this city.
Time and again. continued DIR. Loeb,
4 have been approached on the subject
by the numerous temperance associa-
tiOns and asked to cooperate in the
movement for prohibition. My reply was
always brief; it was simply 20 the effect
that an agitation for prohibition or tee
totalism of any sort is against my re-
ligious faith and conviction. The unre-
deeming and irreconcilable plan TO abolish
the entire use Of fermented beverages
appears TO me TO be as detrimental to
public morals as it is impractical from
every point Of view
Would Break Many Ties.
at is bound to break uD-business in
tercourse and friendly relations amidst
open. honest and lawful circles Of hu-
maaity. Il will drive the better classes
into low dives, and many a bitter soul To
dependency. The Bible. which Is the
standard teaching Of morality and CiviliZ-
ing principles. repeatedly speaks in praise
Of wine. and fully grasps the meaning
Of the situation by saying: Give strong
drink 10 the unhappy and wine to the
embittered soul.
This appears in Proverbs. Xxxi.6. The
Bible contains innumersble references to
strore drink. recommending the use Of
the same TO respondent souls and the
unhappy.
Legislation should not, and must not,
rule out the use OF wine in religious and
sacred ceremony. such as the sanctifica-
tion Of the Sabbath and solemn feasts
among Jews. particularly on the Pass
over Eve. when every member OF the
Hebrew race is commanded 10 drink the
four cups OF the best wine obtainable,
or, on the Purim festjvity and the dag
Of the Rejoicing In the Law when
drinking IS not only commendable, but an
Imperative duty for all those who can
not be materially injured by its effects.
Judaism Prohibits Prohibition.
Judaism positively and absolutely pro-
hibits prohibition, as il strictly forbids
asceticism and every other extreme meas
ure. For more than thirty centuries the
Jewish people drank wines and liquors.
and were not worse for it in their tenn
perance and moderation, as during all
generations they had offered the best ex-
ample for temperance versus abstinence.
There is hardly a Jewish home where
you do not find alcoholic beverages. and
yet sobriety and industry are prevailing
among Jews everywhere. II is there
fore, but natural that the Jews as a
business people, and more especially from
religious and moral standpoint. are
strongly opposed to prohibition. or any
legislation of a prOhIbitive character.
In striving TO accomplish our duty as
men we must not try to 20 beyond hui
man nature and the ordinary conditions
Of human existence. We must not be
come over-wise and righteous over-much.
in just the same manner as we must not
be wicked and foolish over-much.' &c
clesiastics viiI6,1S.
The way TO reform Is not to prevent
but 10 teach the proper use Of things, and
to prevent their abuse"