Hi
Religion Using Holy Days to Get Leave For its Adherents in Time of War
Yesterday in the US of A, the 4th of July marked the 245th-year of Independence from England. Celebrations and riots were the norms of a divided country that prefers Coffee to Tea owing to taxation?
Nothing has changed, it is still a divided nation with its people storming its capital building. With 50% claiming elegance to one president, and the other 50% claiming its president as democratically elected. Although six months later, the two factions ars still squabbling over a controversial voting system.
However, I have digressed, and before starting on with the post, I would like to give a belated Happy Independence Day to all you ungrateful colonialists. Not my words! See the abdication letter of George III. Also, in the letter, King George emphasises that America is still a British colony. So I would not keep celebrating your 4th of July. JK
In the early days, America was seen as a land of religious freedom, albeit short-lived. With the religious oppressed becoming the oppressors of other faiths. Over time, a few sects divided like the primordial soup multiplying into a myriad of thousands of denominations we see today, claiming tax exemption for it God. Before it celebrated its first centenary, a civil war took place, a conflict over God and scriptures. With godly men claiming the right to hold slaves.
The perspective of what would quickly become the Confederate States of America the southern perspective—balanced on two points: first, that the individual state was sovereign, even to the point of secession; second, that the peculiar institution of slavery was not only expedient but also ordained by God and upheld in Holy Scripture.
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/cwsouth.htm
This year (2021) will mark the 160 years since the commanding General of the Confederate States Army wrote the reply to a letter from a Jewish Rabbi. Declining, the request to furlough Jewish soldiers so they could be home for the Jewish High Holiday or High Holy Days, known as the Yamim Noraim (Hebrew: ימים נוראים Days of Awe) during the opening stages of what would become a bloody civil war. The declining letter, requesting the furloughs written during a tense period with the Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries in NC on August 28-29, 1861, with a Union victory.
The Participants
1.The Union army fought for the emancipation of slaves.
2.The Confederate army was for retaining the slaves, as were its supporters the southern churches, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholics, included the Southern Jews. These religions at the time were ardent believers of slavery, as told in their Bibles.
However, the southern Jews, when it came to religious holidays, they wanted their Jewish soldiers back home to celebrate the occasions.
Richmond Virginia’s, German-born senior Rabbi—Maximilian J. Michelbacher wrote to the commanding general asking to grant furloughs to the Jewish soldiers, which was denied. However, this was just after the Confederates battle with the Union in 1861. The First Battle of Bull Run (named by Union forces). Also known as the First Battle of Manassas (so-called by Confederate forces) was the first major battle of the American Civil War and was a Confederate victory.
The action of the Rabbi on receiving the letter of rejection was to show Jewish soldiers how they could get out of the war—to celebrate the Jewish holidays.
The commanding General had unwittingly opened the gate, so to say. By adding that, they make their application to their regiment Commanders. Which they duly did according to the information!
The Letter Declining the Furlough for Jewish Confederate Troops For The High Holidays!
The Letter
Hd Qrs; Valley Mt:
29 Aug 1861
Rabbi M. J. Michelbacher
Preacher Hebrew Congregation
“House of Love” Richmond Va;
Revd Sir
I have just recd your letter of the 23rd Inst; requesting that a furlough from the 2nd to the 15th Sept; be granted to the Soldiers of the Jewish persuasion in the C. S. Army, that they may participate in the approaching holy Services of the Synagogue.
It would give me great pleasure to Comply with a request so earnestly urged by you; & which I know would be so highly appreciated by that Class of our Soldiers. But the necessities of War admit of no relaxation of the efforts requisite for its Success, nor can it be known on what day the presence of every man may not be required. I feel assured that neither you or any member of the Jewish Congregation would wish to jeopardize a Cause you have so much at heart by the withdrawal even for a Season of a portion of its defenders. I cannot therefore grant the general furlough you desire, but must leave to individuals to make their own application to their Several Commanders, in the hope that many will be able to enjoy the privilege you seek for them, & should any be deprived of the opportunity of offering up their prayers according to the rites of the Church, that their penitence may nevertheless be accepted by the Most High, & their petitions answered. That your prayers for the Success & welfare of our Cause may be granted by the great ruler of the Universe is my ardent wish.
I have the honor to be with high esteem
Your Obt Servt
R E LEE
Genl Commd.
I am unsure if any conflicts during WWII that anyone was given furloughs during periods of fighting, as serving armies nowadays have their chaplains.
By 1860, many of the 25,000 Jews who had made their homes in the South identified with “the southern way of life” and its “peculiar institution.” (Doesn’t the Talmud, after all, teach that “the law of the land is the law”?) So when the War came, Jewish Southerners fought just as their Gentile neighbors did to preserve that way of life – and, too, the pernicious enslavement and exploitation of other human beings.
I have maintained word for word and grammar and spellings of the time from the original R. E. Lee letter. What do you say on the topic? Should Jews have had the leave of absence to acknowledge their God? Without taking advantage of so-called loopholes after being denied. The same God who the Christians accept. A God they cannot see, cannot hear, but will come on a cloud, what do you say?
Cofion
Jero Jones
Article URL : https://breakingnewsandreligion.online/discuss/