tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3564064.post7850126072854604816..comments2023-07-16T07:03:20.896-04:00Comments on GedankenTravelExperiment: An amateurish attempt at Hume scholarshipkarlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13511491414073382506noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3564064.post-78593513857684640722008-11-05T14:10:00.000-05:002008-11-05T14:10:00.000-05:00Which of the numerous places where Cecil Roth disc...Which of the numerous places where Cecil Roth discusses The Book of Religion, Ceremonies and Prayers did his quote -- "exaggerated importance to the least attractive minutia of observance and by an undue insistence upon anything of a scrofulous nature" -- appear? (email me -- Jastrow@gmail.com)Menachem Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00074784950795186720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3564064.post-35241563798792721032008-01-13T19:36:00.000-05:002008-01-13T19:36:00.000-05:00I think you are right. It does seem that Hume is r...I think you are right. It does seem that Hume is referring to the Siddur. But, while you suggest that the context is not important, it seems that a lot of clues as to what Hume refers to by ‘Sadder’ can be gleaned from the larger point that he is trying to make. <BR/><BR/>He is speaking out against the way that religious people often seek favor from God by means of empty rituals and supplications, and not through moral conduct. As such, reference to the Siddur makes sense, more than the other options that you mention, since prayer is an example of people trying to obtain favor from God by begging and ritual rather than through merit.<BR/> <BR/>Thus, two paragraphs after his mention of the Sadder he says “Nay, if we should suppose, what never happens, that a popular religion were found, in which it was expressly declared, that nothing but morality could gain the divine favour; if an order of priests were instituted to inculcate this opinion, in daily sermons, and with all the arts of persuasion; yet so inveterate are the people's prejudices, that, <BR/>[Root ed., p. 71] <BR/>for want of some other superstition, they would make the very attendance on these sermons the essentials of religion, rather than place them in virtue and good morals. The sublime prologue of ZALEUCUS'S laws^91 inspired not the LOCRIANS, so far as we can learn, with any sounder notions of the measures of acceptance with the deity, than were familiar to the other GREEKS.<BR/><BR/>So what Hume is saying is that typical religions services are not about virtue and good morals. In this context it makes sense that he should refer to the Jewish Siddur, which describes the Jewish services, as a way of making his case. <BR/><BR/>As an aside it always irked me how in Russian the word for prayer is MOLITVA which literally means ‘begging’. Similarly, in English the word ‘prayer’ traces to begging. There is something wrong with thinking that a perfect being who is all knowing and all powerful would, like a megalomaniac, afflict us with sickness and despair just so we could beg him for mercy. And yet, prayer basically comes down to begging and, what would appear to be, empty rituals like wrapping leather string around parts of your body and shaking citrus fruit. <BR/><BR/>Incidentally, on Wednesday, January 20th Christopher Hitchens is going to debate Rabbi Shmuley Boteach about whether God exists at the 92dn street Y, in case you are interested.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3564064.post-5810111024977407312008-01-13T15:12:00.000-05:002008-01-13T15:12:00.000-05:00As soon as I read "Sadder" I paused and then thoug...As soon as I read "Sadder" I paused and then thought, "oh, he means siddur." It didn't occur to me that there would be any other options. Show off ;)<BR/><BR/>-ShoshAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com