32. only then be good when the world goes well with him. If a congregation has bad men at its head, that is a punishment 33. for not valuing as they should the good men among them. The children of noble, righteous converts to the faith are to be preferred for the marriage tie, to the children of Jews of low nature or conduct. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. Let one who hath never known parents, but only elder brothers, render the respect and honor due to father and mother unto these. It is because man is half angel, half brute, that his inner life witnesses such bitter war between such unlike natures. The brute in him clamors for sensual joy and things in which there is only vanity; but the angel resists and strives to make him know that meat, drink, sleep, are but means whereby the body may be made sufficient for the study of the truths, and the doing of the will of God. Not until the very hour of death can it be certain or known which of the two hath won the victory. 39. 40. 41. 42. The highest service that can be rendered God is to love Him, purely because He is our Creator. And he who is but a novice in the fear of God will do well to say audibly each day, as he rises: "This day will I be a faithful servant of the Almighty; be on my guard against wrath, falsehood, hatred, quarrelsomeness; and forgive those who wound me. For whoso forgives is forgiven in his turn; hardheartedness and a temper that will not make up quarrels are a heavy burden of sin, unworthy of an Israelite. The proud cedar is felled, while the humble shrub is left alone, fire ascends and goes out, water descends and is not lost. What a man spends on the poor when he is in full health is gold; when sick, silver; what he provides for them in his last will, copper. Unmeasured drinking of wine brings poverty, shame, quarrels; leads to calumnious talk, unchastity, murder, to the loss of freedom, of honor, of understanding. Well is it with him who, even out of all men's sight, fulfils the will of God; who without murmuring suffers pain and trouble for his faith; the day will come when he shall be freed from his griefs. Do not struggle vaingloriously for the small triumph of showing thyself in the right, and a wise man in the wrong; thou art not one whit the wiser therefor. I lay on my children my injunction or advice that at morning, immediately after rising, they read some passages in the Pentateuch or Psalms, or do some work of mercy. In their intercourse with others, Jews or not-Jews, let them be conscientious and anxious to do right, amiable and accommodating, and never speak when speech is superflous; so will they be guarded against uttering words of calumny or mockery against others. 43. The thread on which the different good qualities of human beings are strung, as pearls, is the fear of God. When the fastenings of this fear are unloosed, the pearls roll in all directions and are lost one by one. But without taking a high degree in morality we can neither enter into possession of the learning of divine things nor fulfil positive precepts: nay, even a single grave moral fault may be the ruin of all other advantages, as when, for example, one is always seeking to set off his own excellence by bringing into prominence his neighbor's failings. It is just as with wine, the best of which may escape from a vessel through one little hole overlooked. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. The heart is like a tablet as yet unwritten; fools scratch it all over and ruin it; only the wise know how to engrave it with suitable matter. 50. Five bad habits are hard to get rid of: chattering, calumny, angry temper, suspicion, associating with bad people. Never be ashamed to learn good, even from men less than thyself. Be tender-hearted towards servants. Make not their labour too heavy for them; treat them not as though they were of no account whatever, by word of contempt or blows; even in dispute with a serving man speak affably, and listen to what he has to say. Our ancient teachers relieved the slave from all responsibility to criminal law, and provided anxiously for his needs, even as for their own. Forget never the merits that thou lackest, but forget always the good that thou hast done; set down thy failings, thy faults, in thy book, but not the benefits thou hast conferred. Forget the wounds inflicted on thee by others, and when thou prayest, forget thou earthly things. Thou puttest thyself in fine garments to please men; forget not that God looks in thy heart: adorn that well in honour of Him. Keep thy soul always pure; thou knowest not the moment when it may be required of thee. Many a young, many a strong, man hath gone before thee to his home. Be not blind, but open eyed to the great wonders of nature, familiar objects of every day though they be to thee. But men are more wont to be astonished at the sun's eclipse than at his daily rising. THE END. FORMER PUBLICATIONS OF THE HEBREW SABBATH-SCHOOL UNION. 1. THE PROVERBS. School Edition, arranged by the Rabbis Isaac S. and Adolph Moses. $1 00 2. SELECTIONS FROM THE BOOK OF PSALMS. For school and family use. Arranged by the Rev. Dr. M. Mielziner 72 Pages. Cloth binding, per. doz. $2 40 3. HOW TO ORGANIZE A HEBREW SABBATH-SCHOOL. By Rabbi Henry Berkowitz. The above publications may be had by addressing THE BLOCH PUBLISHING AND PRINTING CO., CINCINNATI, O. |