1. The reading of the Law is preceded and followed by a blessing. In
the first we praise God for having distinguished Israel by revealing
the Law to them, and in the second for the benefit derived from the Law
as the source of eternal life. The love and regard for the Law
expressed in these blessings should be shown by the congregants in
silent and respectful attention to what is recited by the Reader. Those
who are called up to the Law consider this as an important event, and
make it an occasion of special prayers for relatives and friends
(mi-shebberach), accompanied by promises of contributions to communal
and charitable institutions. On days of family rejoicing, as well as on
days of mourning, the religious privilege of being called to the
Reading of the Law is especially valued; in the former case offerings
are vowed in honour of our living friends, in the other case in
memoriam of those near and dear to us, who have departed from our
midst. These additional prayers thus serve a double purpose; they help
to preserve the bond of relationship and friendship, and secure a
material support for the benevolent and other institutions of the
community.
Objections have been raised to this in itself praiseworthy custom for
two reasons: first, the mi-shebberach only concerns a few, and appears
to the rest of the congregation a useless interruption in the reading
of the Law; secondly, it gives occasion to a display of vanity and
pride.
As to the first objection, provision could and should be made that the
interruption be not unduly long, and cause irritation among the
congregants. Due regard should be shown to the fact that the Divine
Book is open on the reading-desk, and everything should be avoided that
might diminish the reverence proper to such an occasion. The second
objection is based on a pessimistic estimate of our fellow-men; if
there is any one whose offerings are made from vain and ostentatious
motives, he is certainly lost in the multitude of those who take a more
serious and a more dignified view of their duties when standing before
the open Torah.
2. There is an old tradition that we should recite daily a hundred
benedictions. On Sabbath and Holy-days, when the Amidah contains only
seven berachoth instead of eighteen, the deficiency is made up by
seeking an occasion for birchoth ha-nehenin. Hence the minhag spread of
partaking on these days of various kinds of fruit between the meals.
3. Tradition teaches us that on the holy days of rest we must not only
abstain from actual work, but also from ordering anything to be done by
those who refuse to recognise the Sabbath-laws as binding on
them.—Circumstances force us to deviate at times from this rule. There
were Jews who would not allow any work to be undertaken on Friday which
would continue of its own accord after the Sabbath had set in. Thus
they would not have light in their homes on Friday evening or warm food
on the Sabbath-day, although all necessary precautions had been taken
before Sabbath came in to keep the light burning and the food warm for
twenty-four hours. But the more these Jews insisted on excluding light
and fire from their homes, the more did our Sages demand light and warm
food as essential comforts of the Sabbath, and to them the
Sabbath-candles and the warm food were a mitsvah of great importance.
Much work is done on Sabbath for the public by non-Jews; e.g., in
connection with railway-trains, steamboats, and other public
conveyances. May the Jew avail himself of the work thus done for all
alike without his bidding? He may in some cases—e.g., for a long
sea-voyage—in others not. But he must always bear in mind that Judaism
depends on the adherence of the Jews to the noble principle, כל ישראל
ערבים זה בזה “All Israelites are sureties responsible for each other.”
The meaning of this principle is this: If a certain act appears to one
of us allowable, but at the same time our action might mislead others
and cause them to break the Law, we must not do it. Thus if Jews were
to avail themselves of the public conveyances, the whole aspect of the
Sabbath would change, and the day would ultimately be forgotten.
4. When dire necessity compels a Jew to break the Sabbath, let him not
think that the Sabbath is lost to him, or he to Judaism. So long as
Jewish conscientiousness is alive within him, let him endeavour to keep
as much of the Sabbath as he is able. He must not say, “I have broken
the Sabbath. How can I join my brethren in the Sabbath Service!”
Whatever he does conscientiously will be acceptable before God, and he
will thus find himself exhorted to watch carefully, and to seize the
first opportunity of returning to the full observance of Sabbath. The
same principle applies to all the Divine Precepts.