The New York herald., 1866-09-26
THE FEAST or TABeRhAClES.

Although the Jews are banshed from their native
land and have to encounter difficulties in the obsery
OF their religious ceremonies, which could not have
been anticipated at the time when the Mosaic laws were
given TO The people, is truly wonderful how they have
surmounted all obstacles, and whilst enduring the
severes, prosecutions and terrible ordca they have
always managed to obey the preceps and keep mp the
customs Of their On each anniversary OF one OF their
great festivals the Jew refans from all kinds OF work,
and no matter how POOR he may be- he always makes it
day Of fcating and rejoicing, forgetting the trials OF
every day te and praying for the future celebration IN
jerusalem. One Of these festivals, called 'sucoh or
the foas, of Tabcnacles is pending; 1t commenced
n, sunset Sunday aud will at the time next
Monday.
The origin Of this feast is tho commemoraon Of tn,
departure OF the children Of Israel from Egypt and their
delivery rom bondage. After leaving EGYPT they so.
ourned for forty years in the wilderness, whore they
Obliged o build themselves huts or booths made or
the branches Of trees The MUM ton to observe the
feast o abernacles is found IN the thirty fourth and
thirty fifth verses OF the twenty third chapter OF Levitt
Gus "And the Lord spake unto Moses saving Speak
unto the children OF Israel saying, the fifteenth day Of
this seventh month shall he tho feast Of tabernaces or
seven days unto the Lord" Tho ,hriynnth verse Of
the same chapter cnions:"Also In The fifteenth day Of
the seventh month, when ye have gathered IN tho fruit
the land shall keen feast unto the Lord seven
daysn Hence Is customary for the jew 10 ba Id him
scig booth tabernacle, and decorate 1t with fruits
flowers and cyersreens "a In s .g Ia dTfh M nose friends
se a~sbis 70 Soiid booth Tor themselves arc glad
avail themselves Of the hcsptah'c welcome which they
OF Sucothr are kept holy, but during tho remainder
of the week the Jews attend 10 their business usual
During IN. whole festival, however some curious cere
monies observed, such rs shaking The Lnnf, or
palmbranch and smelling the citron which Is probably
derived FROM tho injunction contained IN the crtcih
verse of the chapter already referred To- And ye shall
take you the art day the boaghs OF goodly ireeA
branches Of pamrecs and boughs of thick trees and vii
lows OF the brook and 70 shall rcclte before the Lord
your God seven days.
very fine trait OF the Jewish people is their charity,
which they practice especially each OF their great
festivals: customary these occasions 70 make IN
Offering FOR the poor and however humble man may
b. he always manages TO spare tribe for the wants OF
those who are even worse on than himself
Divine sesvice he a all Jewish places OF worship
on the two FIRST days o. the festival Among other
synagognes which conspicuous that snaie at ha
corner Of aud Fourth street 1his congrcsa.
ton has lately engaged the Rev. Adorh Rueescli, OF
Prague their spiritual leader and in doing 80 has So
cured tho services OF gentleman who has enjoyed con-
siderable celebrity In theological circles IN Europe
On Monday the reverend gentleman held an eloquent
DISCOURSE in which he explained tho twoiod meaning
OF tho Feast of abernaclesthe historical and the social
meanings In the first instance, he showed that
throughout all their trials in captivity, the ch
dren OF Israel carried their observance OF The aber
uacles and their scrolls %, the Law with thcm and that
In spite OF their troubles, they believed iu any
other than the one Supreme Being whom they have
worShipped from the beginning of the world In tho
second instance he explained that the tabernacle II
m a symbol of peace and harmony, as place o
refuge for the destitute and wandcrer and Sond iO
the reunion OF those who asuDder