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 GOLLANCZ 
 
 SERMON PREACHED AT 
 THE RE -CONSTRUCT ION 
 OF THE SUNDER LAND 
 SYNAGOGUE ON SUNDAY, 
 DECEMBER 30TH, 5661- 
 1900
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 PREACHED AT THE 
 
 RE-CONSECRATION 
 
 OP THE 
 
 SUNDERLAND SYNAGOGUE, 
 
 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30th, 56611900, 
 
 The Rev. Dr. HERMANN GOLLANCZ, 
 
 M.A., D.Lit., RABBI. 
 
 [Reprinted, by request, from the JEWISH CHRONICLE.] 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 " JEWISH CHRONICLE " OFFICE, 
 
 2, FINSBURY SQUARE, E.G. 
 1901.
 
 SERMOIST 
 
 PREACHED AT THE 
 
 RE-CONSECRATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SUMRLAND SYNAGOGUE, 
 
 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30th, 56611900, 
 
 The Rev. Dr. HERMANN GOLLANCZ, 
 
 M.A., D.Lit., RABBI. 
 
 [Reprinted, by request, from the JEWISH CHRONICLE.] 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 JEWISH CHEONICLE " OFFICE, 
 
 2, FINSBTJRV SQUARE, E.G. 
 1901.
 
 SERMON, 
 
 DEAR BRETHREN, Many and varied, indeed, must needs be the thoughts 
 which crowd upon your minds on this day of your rejoicing, as you behold the 
 fruition of your earnest and devoted labours in this practically new structure , 
 to re-dedicate which to the glory of God is the purpose for which we are here 
 assembled. But one thought, dear friends, must of a surety be uppermost in 
 your minds ; it is the same which found expression in the days of the Prophet 
 Haggai, when he said : " Who is left among you that saw this house in her first 
 glory ? and how do ye see it now 1 . . . The glory of this latter house shall 
 be greater than that of the former ; and in this place will I give peace, saith the 
 Lord of hosts." In like manner does theme upon theme suggest itself to me, as 
 I essay to address words of counsel and encouragement to this vast congregation 
 upon the eve of its new career. 
 
 I might speak to you of the blessings of peace and harmony, lessons 
 suggested by the harmonious blending of colour which meets the eye as we gaze 
 upon these new and beautiful windows, which have been added to adorn this 
 sacred fane. As the varied colours mingle with beautiful effect, and are pleasing
 
 to the sight, even so, if you would succeed and prosper, both as individuals and 
 as members of a congregation, it behoves you to mingle with one another in 
 perfect harmony, to preserve intact the inestimable charm of harmony, in your 
 homes as in your Synagogue, and in your Synagogue as in the outer world in 
 which you move. For you know where unity reigns and harmony is present, 
 there may be found the Sanctuary of the Lord there His Dwelling ; the heart 
 of man becomes man's temple, consecrated by the love of humankind, ministered 
 to by the nobler impulses of friendliness and brotherhood ; a temple which, in 
 very truth, may be said to exist " in the midst of man," in the innermost recesses 
 of the soul, one that will endure for ever. 
 
 Or I might dwell at length upon the lessons symbolised by this wondrous 
 Light, newly here installed, a symbol of that spiritual light which should come 
 to us one and all as we dwell in the Temple of God ; a symbol of that divine 
 spiritual gift which illumines the darkness of our lives, tho beam of faith- 
 God's own light which sheds its blessed radiance over tho darkest hour. Lo 1 
 the electric current passes through the building, and our physical sense of sight 
 is delighted at this marvel of our age man's victory over one of the greatest 
 secrets of the natural world. But the marvel of science is but a physical 
 counterpart of that more marvellous, glorious and divine light, which enlightens 
 man's soul, and kindles the holy spark within him, as though he felt the force 
 of the heavenly message spoken in the days of old : " Arise, shine forth, for 
 thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee I " Or, again, 
 this wondrous Light might serve as a symbol to our people of that other light, 
 niN^> mnD U?a rOW TXn J VV ?U enn IIS that " new light which Thou, 
 Lord, wilt cause to shine over Zion, and which we may all be worthy speedily 
 to erjoy," which will bring rest and comfort, peace and gladness, to the weary 
 wanderers of our race, the "Wandering Jew" of Ages. Oh for a spark 
 of that Heavenly Light to shine in the heart of mankind 1 For what, 
 indeed, is the value of a Tabernacle or Temple in which the true light is 
 wanting ? What is the value of a Service from which the enlightenment of the 
 human soul does not proceed ? When we pray, standing in devotion before our 
 God, and when the prayer brings comfort to the heart, and the devotional 
 exercise chases away the gloomy thoughts of sorrow and fear, then it is a true 
 light which this House kindles within us, and the material light from without 
 has awakened a corresponding tlime within our souls. " Light" is the text of 
 the Tabernacle of God, and of the lessons which it preaches. If the lesson of 
 Humanity be taught therein, it is the Light of Love which is kindled ; if the 
 blessings of Education are dilated on, it is the Light of Knowledge which 
 is awakened ; if it be the theme of Morality which is preached, it is the Light
 
 of Virtue and Goodness which is suggested as the highest possession of man- 
 kind. It is most significant, that when God addresses Moses as the leader of the 
 people, and bids him tell the Israelites Dmm VU3KM KHpD ^ ISTltt, " They 
 sball make unto Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell among them," Scripture 
 does not state that God would reside 131713 " in the midst of the Sanctuary," 
 but D2in3 " in their midst " or " within them." God wished to reside in the 
 midst of the people, within their very hearts, during the time in which they 
 were assembled for Service within the Tabernacle. 
 
 Now, to derive the fullest advantage, or any advantage whatsoever, from 
 our attendance at the House of Prayer, each one of us must ask himself or herself, 
 at one time or another, the following questions : Do I carry away any profit 
 from my attendance at Synagogue ? Do I feel that I am becoming any the better 
 for my attendance there ? that my heart of stone is gradually being changed 
 to a heart of flesh, susceptible of some of the better impulses of which the 
 human soul is capable? Am I making some real advance (however little) 
 towards self-improvement, or am I wasting precious hours that never again will 
 be mine ? And if the answer to these questions be unsatisfactory to ourselves, 
 then let us enquire wherein lies the fault. Does it lie within ourselves, or does 
 it proceed from some cause without us ? Can the external cause be removed, 
 and the result be more satisfactory with reference to our spiritual regeneration, 
 and the benefits of Synagogue Service, or has the work of improvement to be 
 applied to our innermost selves ? have we to attack our own natures, before we 
 can bring about some lasting advantage from our attendance at the House of 
 Prayer ? 
 
 By the mere fact, dear brethren, that we avoid a habit of cold indifference 
 with regard to this all-important consideration, and set ourselves thinking about 
 it, we shall be moving one step nearer the desired goal of rendering our places of 
 worship worthy of the name BHpO, " a hallowed spot " upon earth, worthy of the 
 name P5W, "the dwelling place" of God among men. In very truth, there can 
 be no theme more suitable to the occasion of a Synagogue Consecration than that 
 of realising the true function of the Temple or Tabernacle of old, and the Syna- 
 gogue of modern days. We shall, indeed, find, that properly understood, the 
 Temple and Synagogue Service may be regarded even as a symbol of Life itself. 
 Now, the Book of Leviticus, containing for the most part the laws and prescrip- 
 tions relating to the priestly house which had charge of the Tabernacle or 
 Temple Service, will certaialy not be considered by some the most interesting 
 reading, in the ordinary acceptation of the term. Some will even ask what is the
 
 value of rehearsing in the ears of the people such chapters as treat of the 
 uncleanliness of the priest, and of the blemishes which render him unfit to par- 
 ticipate in the conduct of divine worship ? "What have we nowadays to do with 
 injunctions and precautions which governed a system of sacrifice admitted on all 
 hands to be obsolete under the present conditions of the Jewish people ? Could 
 not our precious time be devoted to something more practical, something more 
 in harmony with our own conditions of life ? The objection, dear friends, is but 
 superficial ; the con tents of many of the least fascinating portions of the Penta- 
 teuch have an application to the Jew of the present day, and as for that to man- 
 kind in general, which is as remarkable as it is wholesome. The lessoas they 
 contain are not limited to country, creed, or age ; but they have a direct appli- 
 cation far beyond the persons to whom they were originally and specially 
 addressed, and they transcend the circumstances under which they were primarily 
 delivered. 
 
 To take but one example. As it stands, the injunction to Aaron, the High 
 Priest, ran as follows : "No man that hath a blemish of the family of Aaron the 
 priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire .... he 
 shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God .... He shall not go in unto 
 the veil, nor come nigh unto the altar ... so that he profane not my sanctuaries, 
 for I the Lord doth sanctify them." (Levit. xxi., 21-23). It is not my purpose 
 to-day to dwell in detail upon the functions discharged by the priest of old, or 
 upon the physical or moral characteristics which he was expected to possess. 
 Suffice it to say, that in his relation to the Sanctuary, a higher ideal bad to be 
 present to his mind than in the outer world, and that such blemishes which were 
 beyond his control, and did not affect him beyond the Sanctuary, were sufficient 
 to render him unfit to appear before his Maker with the offerings of fire, 
 unworthy to approach the sacred altar dedicated to the service of the Most High. 
 
 Surely, dear friends, there is in this one statement food for reflection, suffi- 
 cient for each and every individual worshipper who professes nowadays to 
 appear before his Maker with offerings of the lips, and to approach the altar of 
 prayer ! If we would but remember that the modern synagogue has taken the 
 place of the Tabernacle or Temple of ancient times ; that the sacrifices of 
 calves or lambs have given way to the sacrifice of the heart, and that each 
 worshipper, as he pours forth his offering before the throne of the Possessor of 
 All, has to regard those same injunctions as were addressed to the priest in days 
 gone by ; then, indeed, the words of Holy Writ will appear to have a vividness 
 and a natural freshness, which even the lapse of tens of centuries has not 
 blighted.
 
 Let man beware, lest by his blemishes he profane the Sanctuary of the Lord, 
 in the hour that he draweth nigh unto the altar, to offer the offerings of the 
 Lord. Who is able to recount all the blemishes which taint the sacrifice offered 
 by us unto God ? Speaking figuratively, have we so much improved since the 
 days of Malachi last of the prophets who charged the people, saying : " Ye 
 offer polluted bread upon mine altar, and ye say wherein have we polluted 
 Thee ? . . . and if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil, and if ye offer 
 the lame and sick, is it not evil ? Offer it now uato thy ruler, will he be pleased 
 with thee, or accept thy person, saith the Lord of Hosts ?" 
 
 Surely each one of us knoweth the plague of his own heart, and knoweth 
 but too well what constitutes a blemish in the hour of devotion ; what it is 
 which is likely to render man's prayer unacceptable in the sight of Him unto 
 whom it is addressed. If we would be reminded of what kind such blemishes 
 are, let us see to it that during the time in which we are engaged in solemn 
 devotion, whether in the home or in the House of God, let us see to it that our 
 thoughts go with the words we utter, and that our prayer resolve itself not 
 into mere lip-service, ever remembering that : 
 
 Prayer is the burden of a sigh, 
 The falling of a tear, 
 The upward glancing of an eye, 
 When none bat God is near. 
 
 Let us beware against the fallacy fondly indulged in by many well-meaning 
 yet half-informed brethren of ours, that the effectiveness of prayer is propor- 
 tionate to its length, or that it is sinful to add silent prayers and petitions in a 
 language other than Hebrew, when we are ignorant of the sacred tongue. 
 When base thoughts and unholy desires assail us during the hour of prayer ; 
 when we harbour feelings of ill-will against our neighbour, assembled under 
 the same roof with us to supplicate before the same Throne of Grace ; when 
 emotions of envy and jealousy gain the mastery over us, while outwardly and 
 professedly we meet for prayer ; then, indeed, may we be said to be tainted 
 with blemishes, much more serious than those physical ones which disqualified 
 the priest of old, and prevented him from going in unto the veil, and drawing 
 near unto the altar to offer the offerings of tha Lord. As far then as concerns 
 our inward thoughts, let us beware that in our communion with Heaven, we 
 profane not God's sanctuary, remembering that the Lord Himself doth sanctify 
 it, and that no strange unholy fire dare burn within the precincts of what should 
 be the prayerful soul of man.
 
 8 
 
 But, dear friends, the Synagogue with its service, while being a type of the 
 Temple of old with its sacrifices, is also a symbol of Life in general. The House 
 of Prayer is but a means to an end, not the end itself ; properly regarded, it is 
 the place of preparation for the pious soul, which purified by prayer launches 
 forth into the storms and stress of busy life. And, therefore, all those pre- 
 cautions and rules, which apply to the mode and method of the human being 
 while engaged in the House of God. are equally applicable to the 
 human being while engaged in the turmoil of the work connected with the 
 outer world. His conduct and dealings in life must be " pure and with- 
 out blemish" ; he may be called upon to make many a sacrifice in 
 the interests of truth; but, though it may cost him dear, honesty and integrity 
 dare not be sacrificed. The sanctity of the sacred Sabbath dare not be violated ; 
 the distinctive laws of Judaism dare not be disregarded or discarded ; our 
 national honour as Jews dare not be tarnished, our national honour as English- 
 men dare not be tarnished. Our two-fold honour and privilege, our pride and 
 responsibilities as Englishmen and Jews, as Jews and Englishmen, going hand 
 in hand, should be a two-fold armour of defence. We may be called upon in 
 life to offer much of that which we hold dear in the struggle for existence, of 
 that which oft makes existence endurable ; but the struggle has to be borne, 
 the sacrifice has to be brought unto the altar of the Lord, in the right way and 
 with the proper spirit. The heroic spirit, the qualities of endurance, sacrifice, 
 and fortitude, have to be displayed by the men and women of the world in their 
 daily round of duty, as much as by the soldier on the battlefield ; though the 
 exercise of great heroic qualities shown in the great arena of public life, in the 
 sacred cause of Queen and country, wins the world's applause, yea, and rightly 
 so. But none the less he is a true warrior, 
 
 Who, whether praise of him mast walk the eatth 
 For ever, and to noble deeds give birth, 
 Or he mast fall to sleep without his fame, 
 And leave a dead unprofitable name 
 Finds comfort in himself and in his cause ; 
 And, while the mortal mist is gathering, draws 
 His breath in confidence of Heaven's applause ; 
 This is the happy Warrior ; this is He 
 That every man in arms should wish to be. 
 
 This is, perhaps, one of the chief lessons in life, to know how to bear its 
 trials and troubles, amid the most perplexing conditions, in the right way 
 and with the proper spirit. No murmuring, no discontent ; no blemish of 
 unholy thought, no blemish of unholy action, to mar the beauty of whole-hearted
 
 9 
 
 devotion to duty, of whole-hearted service to man and to God. It is useless 
 worse than useless (because it is hypocrisy), to appear pious in the House of 
 God, and to be other than pious in our homes, or in the outer world in which 
 we move ; outwardly to profess Judaism, but to bring it into discredit by 
 disregarding its true spirit, the lofty morality which it inculcates. We are 
 rejoicing together to-day in this restored and beautified Synagogue in which 
 we are now assembled ; but, dearest brethren, 'twere better for us Jews to 
 worship in hovels, conscious of the true Shechina resting upon our lives and 
 actions, than to restore even the Temple itself with impure hands and unclean 
 hearts. 
 
 Oh, my brethren ! We know but too well, how the wrong-doing, on the 
 part of one individual Jew, fixes the stigma of shame upon the whole House 
 of Israel. May you, indwellers of this town, ever reveal the true character of 
 Judaism in the sight of your neighbours of other creeds 1 It is related of one 
 of our Sages of old, that he was in the habit of uttering a short prayer prior to 
 his entering the House of Study, which, in ancient times, was synonymous with 
 the House of Prayer ; and it ran thus : " May I never be guilty of error, so 
 as to be the cause of other men's wrongs " I It is the spirit in which the 
 righteous man will act at all times, for to him the world at large is God's 
 House, and Life itself is His Temple. 
 
 And now I would, in conclusion, but say, that as you have all worked 
 together, with one aim and purpose, to bring about this glorious day for your- 
 selves, to possess so beautiful a Temple of Prayer in which the truths and 
 beauties of Judaism will be unfolded to you and to your children, ever continue 
 to work in the same spirit of harmony and unity. Remember that it is only 
 by mutual forbearance, by peace and goodwill, that many a good work is accom- 
 plished, many a hard task consummated ; while, on the other hand, by bickerings 
 and want of union, many a worthy object is frustrated, aye, many a temple is 
 destroyed, and reduced to ruin. Brethren of the House of Israel 1 How 
 significant in this connection is the passage of the Midrash commenting, by way 
 of allegory, upon the words of yesterday's Sabbath portion 1 HX1 7U 72M 
 "131 "pM VriS |O*:3 " When Joseph fell upon the neck of Benjamin, his brother 
 he wept " ; for, say our Sages, by his prophetic spirit Joseph foresaw the troubles 
 which would befall his people, consequent upon the destruction of the two 
 Temples which would be erected in the territory of Benjamin. He foresaw, as 
 it were in a vision, how, during the First Temple, Israel would be against Judah 
 Judah against Israel ; and how, before the Second Temple would fall, there 
 would exist in the midst of the people sect against sect, faction against faction
 
 10 
 
 Hold this one thought before your minds, dear friends ! Think of the Brother- 
 hood of Israel, the most ancient brotherhood in the world, and away with 
 communal dissensions ! Away with party strife and petty feuds, lest we delay 
 the realisation of the prophet's dream : I&W HX enpo 'n ^X 3 DHn WV1 
 0?W? DDira 'JSnpD nvna " The nations shall know that I, the Eternal, sanctifieth 
 Israel." The sanctification of Israel, and the sanctification of the nations, will 
 only be brought about, " when God's sanctuary (of Peace) shall be established in 
 their midst for evermore" ; when the aspiration of the Sage of the Talmud shall 
 be realised, not alone in every home and in every congregation, but throughout 
 the whole family of Israel, aye, throughout all the families of the earth : 
 
 mini DWI ninxi ranx 03*3*3 psa* sin run rvai IDS* nx ppp D 
 
 "Oh that He who causes His Divine Presence to dwell in this House, might 
 cause to dvell among us all the spirit of friendship and love, of brotherhood 
 and peace ! " 
 
 PRAYER. 
 
 Almighty God ! With hearts full of gratitude and joy do we draw near nnto Thee 
 this day, to dedicate this Sincfcuary anew to Thy Holy Servica. Many have been the 
 sacrifices which the members of this congregation hive brought, in their desire to render 
 this House more worthy the siorad purpose to which it is devoted. Halp Thou them, O 
 Lord, from this day henceforth to saiotify theonelvas, even in greater measure than 
 heretofore, when they approach Thy Throne of Mercy with their humble petitions, and 
 seek Thy face. Hither to this Holy Home they will come to supplicite Thy aid, even to 
 seek Thy forgireness. Hither the toiling fisher will corns at m>rn to a?k Thy blessing 
 upon the worki of his hind, a? he goes forth to labour on behalf of hU family ani house- 
 hold ; hither the anxious mother will repiir at various seasons to pour forth her sonl on 
 behalf of those whom she serves and loves ; here the youths and children of the congre- 
 gation will assemble to join in the service of Song ani Priise, to heir the duties of our 
 Holy Religion expounled, and the history of our raoe unfolded. Here do all congregate 
 in every situation of life, whether the heart doih writhe in sorrow, or leap for joy. Not for 
 us, O Lord, but for Thee it is to consecrate this House. Send, therefore, we beseech 
 Thee, Thy blessing unto the members of this congregition, men, women, and children ; 
 send Thy blessing nnto the Wardens and leaders, unto those who minister before Thee. 
 Strengthen Thou the hands of those who hive laboured zealously in the noble tisk of 
 raising this more spacious and more beautiful Sanctuiry to the glory of Thy holy name ; 
 and strengthen the hearts of all, so that through ignorance or indifference none shall 
 become faithless to Thy teachings, none shall lapse away from the fold of Judaism. We 
 invoke Thy choicest blessings upon our beloved and venerable Queen the pattern of 
 domestic and public virtues, upon her who has so frequently been tried in the crucible of 
 affl ction, and yet has not been found wanting in faith. We invoke Thy blessing on 
 behalf of the members of the Royal Family, who take their share in every good and
 
 11 
 
 philanthropic work ; on behalf of the Chief Magistrate, Councillors, and Parliamentary 
 representatives, who watch over the welfare of this borough ; on behalf of onr blessed 
 country, the land of freedom and justice, where all are equal in the sight of the law. 
 Send Thy light and Thy truth unto all the peoples of the earth, so that in every country 
 creature may be linked to creature, man to man, in the bonds of friendliness and brother- 
 hood. Cause the din of battle to cease from our midst, and hasten the time when nation 
 shall not lift up sword against nation, and the sound of war shall no longer be heard 
 in the world. Hasten Thou the era of universal peace and brotherhood, when, through 
 Israel, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Amen.
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
 Los Angeles 
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