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Reverend Sir:
Although I have always declined to come forth
publicly to state my opinions concerning religious matters, still on
carefully examining the numbers of your Occident for some months past,
including the last one for February, I cannot remain behind the curtain
of truth, and 1 hope that the following communication to you will find a
space also in your paper. I feel so determined to state my opinions,
that in case my remarks do not meet with an insertion in your magazine,
I shall endeavour to publish them elsewhere.
The title of your periodical is “The Occident,” or
The Western; this cannot signify news or light from the western states,
but it must mean “a light dawning from the Western Hemisphere,”
embracing thus the idea that a broad light should come forth from the
establishment of your paper, to instruct the Israelites
הדרך ילכו בה the way in which they
should go. Your Hebrew motto also says ללמוד
וללמד לשמור ולעשות “to learn and to teach, to observe and to do;”
now teach means to instruct others, first, the true foundation of
our religion; secondly, how to conduct themselves in the house of God;
and thirdly, how to conduct themselves towards their neighbours, which
latter duty includes, according to the Talmud, the observance of the
whole religion, as we are told ואהבת לרעך כמוך
זו כלל גדול בתורה, “And thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,
this is the principal command in the Law.” I refer you also to the
conversation of Hillel with the Proselyte who demanded of him to teach
him the law while he could stand on one foot. Now permit me to ask, do
the poetical pieces you publish give the Israelites any light in respect
to their religion, so that the object of your motto “to teach” can be
promoted thereby?* Does the publication of the establishment of the new
Bachelor’s Society of New York, their regulations, proceedings, and
letters to their Pastor, which term should signify their
חזן or
ש״ץ,
procure the Israelites any light in their religion? Or, does the long
account of the congregation at Sydney, New South Wales, afford the
Israelites any guide to their religion?† Do the sketches of the
condition of the Russian Israelites,
<<6>>written by the Chief Rabbi of the
German congregations of this city, cause any greater or stricter
observance of the Holy Law or Talmudical ordinances, which latter are so
violently attacked, and endeavoured to be thrown aside, so that the
words of our wise men of blessed memory are to be regarded no longer;
and this by some rulers or headmen of several congregations, whose
motives are not להפריץ תורה בישראל (to
spread the law in Israel), but לפרוץ גדר חז״ל
(to break down the fences of our sages)?‡ Does the advertisement of the
Charleston congregation guide the Israelites to the better and stricter
observance of the Holy Law, so as not to violate the Sabbath, and to be
diligent in the study of the Holy Scriptures? Is not such an
announcement concerning their violation of the second day of the
festivals, their manner of reading the Law of God but once in three
years, whereas the annual reading thereof on the Sabbath was already
introduced by Ezra the Scribe, and approved of by his followers—is not,
I ask, such a public announcement, for which you allowed a space in your
advertiser, a guide to destroy the fence of our blessed sages?§ What
will our honest Christian neighbours say of our religion when they see
that the manner of worshipping among the Israelites is so varied, and
that a good shepherd as you opens the way for this becoming known to the
innocent Israelites?
And lastly, are the arguments of your correspondent
“Talmid,” scattered through a great many of your numbers, and the reply
to the same signed H. G., which appeared in the one for February, such
as will instruct the community at large, either Israelites or
Christians, in the law of God? will Jews, by such arguments, be enabled
to obtain a better knowledge of Hebrew, of their religion, of Talmud and
Kabbala? so that the motives of the establishment of your magazineללמוד וללמד לשמור ולעשות to scatter
religion among Israel, be thereby satisfied?*
<<7>>I do not depreciate the talents of these learned
disputants; so also are my poor abilities of too little consequence to
judge of their qualifications; I know both the gentlemen to be well
versed in Hebrew literature, &c. But as I know them both personally, and
that the one signing himself Talmid has received his present knowledge
of the Hebrew from him signing himself H. G., which instruction is still
going on, whilst both enjoy each other’s society harmoniously, and live
together in the same house; permit me then to ask, could not these
learned gentlemen discuss their disagreements in their own study, and
contend concerning religious points privately among themselves (even
granting that Talmid’s first object was לשמה),
and not fill up your work with arguments, which leave no impression on
the mind of the Israelites concerning their religious observances? The
learned will say, “What does Talmid mean?” and will refer him to the
opinions of our חכמי התלמוד. The less
educated Israelite considers such arguments as entirely of no use, and
expresses himself thus, “What, shall I trouble myself with these
discussions?” if he do not say nonsense. You may rely upon it,
that all the above-stated articles are considered as entirely out of
place in your work; and I am certain that the want of encouragement, and
the non-increase of new subscribers, are to be ascribed to the
above-stated facts. Undoubtedly you will admit, that such
discussions as those of our highly learned neighbour, Mr. Emanuel
Goldsmith, with the Rev. Mr. Rice, of Baltimore, in regard to Citrons
אתרוגים, are of great consequence, and
calculated to enlighten the community of Israel here, as they are
well calculated toלפקח עיני העברים so
that שלא לברך ח״ו ברכה לבטלה בלקיחת מורכבים;
farther, the beneficial effect of the paper of Mr. Jacob Falkenau (one
of our most learned men here), on Lard Oil, his motives having been
שבני ישראל לא יאכלו ח״ו שום טרפות או תערובות.*
Articles such as these two just named, ought always
to find a broad space in papers like yours, if the motto you have chosen is to be followed out. I again say, that I do not
find fault with you, knowing you as רעה נאמן;
but your inclination to satisfy all parties, makes you willing to insert
such articles as those in question; but is it not the highest duty to do
first the will of our Creator? Do you think that it will meet the
approbation of our Holy Father, to make room for advertisements, wherein
is shown how his laws, Sabbath, festivals, &c., are violated, which may
tend to mislead Israelites <<8>>from the righteous path, so that they know
not whither they are to go, and to break asunder the threefold chord,
which, with the help of the Blessed God, will not soon be broken? Are we
not by the Divine Giver of our most glorious possession, the Law,
commanded, “You shall not add to nor diminish therefrom?” And “Thou
shalt not turn from the word to the right or to the left?” is it not the
decision of our חכמי התלמוד Talmudists
(see Treatise Betzah, ch. 11), in answer to the question
והשתא דידעינן בקביעי דירחי למה אנו עושין שני
ימים, “And now that we are acquainted with the regulation of
months, why do we keep two holidays?” משום
ששלחו מתם הזהרו במנהג אבותיכם “Because the Sanhedrin sent the
following message when they had met at Tham, Observe carefully the
received custom of your fathers in this respect?”
You should once for all decline to make room for
any articles which may lead Israel into the paths of error; but
endeavour to obtain contributions at all times from such men as “fear
God;” let these send you articles* for insertion, calculated to instruct
Israel in the service of the Creator; which course will to a certainty
best subserve the object of your motto, ללמוד
וללמד לשמור ולעשות. So that you may contribute “to strengthen the
hands that are weak, and the knees which are stumbling;” that truth
may not be missed, and that the law may not be forgotten from Israel;
and then you may be sure that the blessing of the Almighty will be
showered down in abundance.
Yours truly,
אמת
New York, Adar Rishon, 5608.
We have merely to state as a general thing, in
addition to what we have said already, that since we first commenced our
career, we have tried all in our power to obtain suitable articles from
a variety of persons in this and other countries, some written in
English, and some in other languages; and to render the latter into the
vernacular, and to correct some of the former have not been a small
labour; and we only submitted to it from the consideration that by so
doing we added much interesting matter to our work. It would still not
be speaking the truth were we to <<9>>allege that we are entirely satisfied
with our magazine; far from it; we are perfectly conscious that much yet
is to be desired: but we candidly say, that we have done all that we
were able to accomplish, and in accordance with what we think a Jewish
periodical should be. We believe it ought to embrace not alone pieces
urging submission to what religion teaches, but also those which tend to
examine the whole subject, as we hold that a temperate discussion of
contested views will enable the Israelites, scattered as they are among
persons differing from them widely and radically, to contend with
success against the attacks constantly aimed at their faith. We have had
frequent conversation with young men living alone in distant villages
and remote districts, and they have assured us that from The Occident
they had obtained the weapons of defence when asked for the reason of
their hopes and belief. Now if discussion is admitted, it follows that
to present one side would not be examining, but denouncing the opposite
side; hence we have always been ready to admit discussion proper within
a certain range; believing as we do, that all subjects are not
fit for debate in a miscellany like ours. Farther, we wished to attract
the young to examine religion under a more pleasing garb than mere dry
detail; and have therefore accepted the services of several highly
endowed females of our people, to weave a garland of fancy and fiction,
based upon religious truths, so as to draw by a pleasant path, the
inquirer to the pure fountain of divine knowledge. In an age when
fictitious narratives occupy so much space in libraries, and engage so
many hours of all readers almost, it would he unpardonable in a
religious teacher were he to disdain employing the faults even of his
time to produce a lasting impression; and hence the tales and poetry of
our fair friends, independently of their great absolute merit, have, we
think, had as good a tendency in awakening attention to the precious
concerns of the soul, as the more sober pieces where the same truths are
presented in the homely garb of simple instruction.
Now as regards reports of public proceedings, they
belong to the history of the day, and though many may deem them too
long, and even if short, useless, they do not, we apprehend, take a
correct view of the matter. We have no Jewish daily or weekly press in
the country, and as it is a laudable pride in the various
<<10>>societies and
communities to desire publicity for their transactions, which, though at
present of but comparatively small interest, may be sought after at a
later period as the evidence of the present state of progress of our
early settlements in America: we cannot, consistently with our sense of
right, refuse their admission into The Occident. We ought indeed to give
more space to literature proper; but as yet we have not been able to
obtain sufficient aid, and our labour in the religious and general
departments is already as great as our feeble state of health will
permit. We are in hopes, however, of enlisting by degrees men of high
attainments as contributors; and in fact our last volume will show that
we have progressed herein already; and with the farther aid which has
been promised, we hope to satisfy in some measure the just demands of
our readers. They will absolve us from one thing, that we have ever
promised what we failed to fulfill; and if there were great difficulties
to be overcome occasionally, difficulties of which few have any
knowledge, we trusted in the goodness of our cause and proceeded with a
steady heart, though greatly depressed at times by adverse
circumstances. Every one, no doubt, has his own idea of what he could
have made of The Occident; but few indeed have been willing either to
furnish us contributions or to obtain pecuniary support for our labour;
and we had thus to proceed as we were best able. So far we have been
permitted to exercise our self-assumed calling; and with a firm reliance
on Him who directs all for the best, we mean to persevere in the path we
have hitherto pursued, and only promise to profit by all the hints and
advice which our friends, or even our opponents, may occasionally give
us. With this we take our leave from a subject which is entirely
personal, and which of all others has occupied the least space in The
Occident, and which we never wish to introduce, unless compelled to do
so by unforeseen circumstances. |
