The Jcimsh Religion Jewish
spirit,
11
than a mere knowledge of passing events, the
true Jewish spirit springing out of the Hfe experience of the
Jewish people and expressing
in the
face of
all
its
itself in the literature,
trials
and persecutions,
the stories, the dreams,
and the visions of Jewish thinkers and teachers for almost two thousand years. If we can absorb something of this Jewish
spirit,
we
shall
be prepared to properly understand
and interpret our Judaism of today. Perhaps the stories from the rabbis, contained in this book, may help in this worth}^ task. At least they will show how the moral and spiritual thoughts of the Biblical writers were interpreted, applied, and expanded by the teachers of Judaism of a later period, and will indicate how we, in turn, may interpret, apply, and even expand these teachings, and with them Judaism itself, in accordance with the beliefs, tendencies, and needs of our own time.
Moral Instruction
in the Jezvish Religious School
We
have thus far said hardly one word about moral instruction. surprising, since in the last few decades moral instruction has apparently been generally regarded as the ultimate aim of all Jewish religious school work. Gradually, however, we are reawaking to the old truth. Many modern pedagogical authorities question whether morals can be adequately taught by set instruction. This
may seem
Ethics, perhaps,
may
But
from being morals.
this
is
far
be taught as the philosophy of
Morals can,
human
strictly
conduct. speaking,
not be taught by set instruction, for the simple reason that morals
means, not knowledge, but right habits and habits can be established, not by instruction, but only by practice. The most that set instruction can do is to give a moral incentive, to arouse a moral impulse, to sow, as it were, a seed, which may in time sprout and ripen into right ha1)its and moral conduct. This is, of course, important and indispen?able. Yet the necessity and efificacy of set moral instruction should not be exaggerated, nor should too much be expected from it. Furthermore, it is now generally realized that all instruction, when properly given, and all discipline, when judiciously administered,
