Thanksgiving Day prayer in honor of King Umberto Ⅰ of Italy upon the passing of a cholera epidemic, by Rabbi Sobato Morais (28 November 1884)

Contributor(s):

Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription) and Sabato Morais

Shared on:

25 November 2023 under the Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication

Categories:

Epidemics & Pandemics, Italy

Tags:

1881–1896 cholera pandemic, 19th century C.E., 57th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, Prayers for leaders

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Blessings innumerable have the heavens showered down upon fifty-five millions during the cycle of months now returning, and none has been more precious than a deliverance from a disease which covered the south of France and of Italy as with a pall. The agonies of death, and the anguish of its terrors were set before us in the gloomy picture which the submarine cable daily portrayed.
	In it a figure stood out in bold relief, and thereupon our admiring looks dwelt long— Humbert Ⅳ,^[1] Umberto Ⅰ of Italy (1844-1900), who reigned from 1878-1900. heroic in the field of humanity, scattering broadcast the seeds of beneficence. His loving kindness to his cholera stricken subjects, is the brightest gem in his kingly crown.
	From hence we greet the consoler in the hour of trouble; him we hail a true nature’s nobleman, more royally great when in search of the hovel of misery than when seated upon a dazzling throne.
	May he continue to merit the loyal affection of the nation, he gently rules, by hygienic and social improvements which will render his self abnegation less needful.
	May the visitation which so sorely tried the successor of Victor Emmanuel^[2] Victor Emmanuel Ⅱ (1820-1878) who reigned from 1849-1861, the first king of a united Italy since the 6th century. His successor was Umberto Ⅰ. be palsied when attempting to come near us. The Lord, who has spoken through creation and prophecy, bids us resort to wise measures which will paralyze the arm of a destructive infection. Cleanliness and continence, temperance and moderation and a serene confidence in the Sovereign Keeper of our Republic, will speed on to our rescue the angel of health, pure air, bringing food in abundance, heart rejoicing prosperity, without end.
	To Thy guardianship O God! we commit the permanence of this glorious monument of wisdom and righeousness. Thou stoodst by its founders when they designed it in a manner that depth and solidity might lie at it basis. Thou didst endow with a supernal power those who sustained it, when it might have tottered and fallen. Vouchsafe now to breathe a spirit of justice into the man whom a majority of this self-governing people have chosen as chief.
	May the continuance of that grandest of monuments towards which the freedom-loving of every clime hopefully look become the highest of his aspirations, the longing of his very soul. Grant that in his heart beatings he may hear Thy voice directing him to work with fidelity.
	Accompanied by rectitude, may he go forth to fill this land with happiness, “as the waters which cover the sea.” (Habakuk 2:14) Amen.

This prayer in admiration of King Umberto Ⅰ of Italy after the passing of a cholera epidemic was preserved on page 246 of the Sobato Morais Scrapbook (a/k/a, the Morais Ledger) in a clipping from the Philadelphia Inquirer on 28 November 1884, “The Church and Its Duty: Rev. S. Morais on the Limits of Politics in the Pulpit.”

Source(s)

thanksgiving day prayer in admiration of Umberto I (aka Humbert IV) [Philadelphia Enquirer 1884-11-28] (Sabato Morais Ledger, p. 246)

Notes[+]

Notes
1	Umberto Ⅰ of Italy (1844-1900), who reigned from 1878-1900.
2	Victor Emmanuel Ⅱ (1820-1878) who reigned from 1849-1861, the first king of a united Italy since the 6th century. His successor was Umberto Ⅰ.

. Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication . 1.0 . Universal .

“Thanksgiving Day prayer in honor of King Umberto Ⅰ of Italy upon the passing of a cholera epidemic, by Rabbi Sobato Morais (28 November 1884)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.

Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)

Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)

Sabato Morais

Rabbi Sabato Morais (שבתאי מוראיס; April 13, 1823 – November 11, 1897) was an Italian-American rabbi, leader of Mikveh Israel Synagogue in Philadelphia, pioneer of Italian Jewish Studies in America, and in 1886, co-founder (with Henry Pereira Mendes) of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America to preserve the knowledge and practice of traditional, historical rabbinic Judaism in the United States.

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Works of related interest:

Rev. George Jacobs (Fifty years' work of the Hebrew Education Society of Philadelphia- 1848-1898), p. 91

Prayer in Eulogy for Rabbi George Jacobs, by Rabbi Sabato Morais (18 July 1884)

A Supplication Before the Divine Throne During an Outbreak of Asiatic Cholera in Montreal by Rabbi Abraham de Sola (1849)

Gebet wenn Seuchen oder epidemische Krankheiten herrsche | Prayer When Epidemic Diseases Prevail, a teḥinah by Meïr Letteris (1846)

Thanksgiving Day [1851] (Sabato Morais Ledger, p. 2, clipping 001)

Prayer for the United States on Thanksgiving Day, by Rabbi Sabato Morais (27 November 1851)

Thanksgiving Day [1856] (Sabato Morais Ledger, p. 8, clipping 007) - a

Prayer for the United States on Thanksgiving Day, by Rabbi Sabato Morais (20 November 1856)

Thanksgiving Day Prayer [1866-11-29] (Sabato Morais Ledger, p. 25, clipping 031)

Prayer for the United States on Thanksgiving Day, by Rabbi Sabato Morais (29 November 1866)

Prayer for the United States on Thanksgiving Day, by Rabbi Sabato Morais (24 November 1870)

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Stable Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=53408

Associated Image:

Humbert Ier de Savoie (1844-1900), roi d’Italie de 1878 jusqu’à sa mort en 1900. Vers 1880.

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17