Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-09-11
The Jewish New Year-Commencement
OF the Festival.

The hrst OF zoe series VI ycdIiy uoiiuSls
and festivals observed BY the Hebrews com-
/ nenced on Wednesday evening. This festi-
val. which was continued until Friday oight,
with strict observance. is one OF the most IN
po-,ant of all the Jewish feasts, viz: -"The
Festival If Rosh Hashanndh, or New Year."
the origin of which is found 10 Lsvlticus,
chauter XIII, v. % 25: And the Lord spake
unto Moses saying, speak unto the Children
of Israel saying, IN the seventh month IN the
frs. Of the mJntb shall Sc have q Sabbath, q
memorial OF blowing of trumpets, an holy
convocatior, ye shall do no serVile work.
And in Numbers, chapter xxx, v. l, the
command is repeated: And 10 the seventh
/ month on the first day of the mouth ye shall
have an holy conVocation, ye shall do no ser-
vile work, it is a day Of blowing the trumpe,s
unto you Although not one Of the three
great festivals upon which all Israel gsther-
ed at the temple to appear before the Lord.
yet it is. nevertheless, considered as one OF
the FIRST suong the principal hcly days, and
as such has always been celebrated by the
members OF the Jewish persuasion. This
day is considered by the lsraelites as a day
of iuiguent t. all flesh, which is to decide
their fate for the c0ming year-not because
! they do not consider the destiny Of man on
any other day less sub ect to the control OF
Pruvidencc, bus they hold that on this par
ticuidr Day the absolute consequence OF mems
actions ADD the fate Of nations and cliUes
are me,ed out and weighed. The blowing
the ShOUphaT, or cornet of rams horn, which
is Commanded 10 Lew, chap. xiii, v. % to
-, and Numbers, chap. v, is a ceremony
peculiar to the festival, and is not DOLLY OF
served to the day, but the hearing Of 1t Is OBJ
liga;ory 90 ell Jews. |, has a direc, refer
ence to, and close connection With. the service
If the day. 1t proclaims, as the lsraelites
believe, God and His day Of Judgment. IL
is intended to call forth terror at the judge
meat. IL likewise expresses thanks, as 10
Palms: II .!!elujab. praise Him with trum-
pet SQUADS. and it als) denotes the resto-
ration OF Israel. All these ideas are con-
nected with and expressed by the sounding
of the c,rnet on this day, which is also called
gone lie kOurOwa, or, day Of remembrance"
anu gone Ieruho, "the day Of blowing."--
The prayers which are reclted on this holy
day enumcrate such verses of the Sacred
Writings a. relate TO the 81 preme reign Of the
Deity, TO HIS Umnlsclvnce aud 10 the trumpet
which 1t Uoce Is 10 proclaim the liberation
ana express tue JOY OF MANKIND.
All orthodox Jews, 80 far Is practicable,
will attend the Synagogue services for the
special purpose OF praying to Almighty God
for the forgiveness Ut all their sius committed
during the past year. 10 their owe language
1t IS the period--lpplying terms temporal to
things ,plrltual-tDr the annual settlement of
accounts between man and his Maker; q day
tooon which an overriding Providence maps
out, dictates and DEGREES all the events and ex-
p~crience, whether for veal or woe Of every one
VI his creatures for the ensuing year. Follow
Ing this great day OF DEGREES come nine days,
winch are called the Days OF Repentance,
which are spent in fasting until noon each
day, and. attendance at the Synagogue for
the purEo'e OF Offering prayer to Onnipo-
tence 10 mitigate, alter or reverse any evil
DEGREES which may be made to-day. The
tenth day, however, ia the point allotted lac
cordiIg to this bellet) for this intercession to
cease, which is called the Day of AtUnement
alter which there can be no appeal from the
fixed Generalization Of the events of every
ones l%ife,tor the current year. The day upon
which this ti1al day falls. this year, will be
next Saturday week. and will be observed 10
solemn fast from six o'clock on the evening
Of the II "a to the same hour on the evening
f the 18Th instant.
The Nv York Express furnishes the fol-
lowing sketcb OF the Reform Jews, who OBJ
serve the hcl yday but for one day:
The reform system liz prolessed by about
one-fitieth part of the whole number oil the
Israel. les 10 the world. The reformers limit
the authority of tradition, aud in their obser-
Vances reject the second day Of the passover,
Pentacost, New Years and the Tabernscle'.,
which tradition has endowed with the same
s%auctity as the first. The great difference
between the oil and tho new school Jews is,
that tie former in observances resting on ira
titlon, see ard respect q divine origin, while
tie latter treat such observances a. establish
I'd by man, and therefore, liable to be abol-
Bat Observances, commanded 10 the
rorah law Of Moses as the Sabbath circum-
fasting on the day of Atonement,
abstaIning from ieaven on the Passover, all
Jews, new rs well as old school, consider
binding.