The New York herald., 1870-05-08
JEWISH OBSERVANCES IN MAY.
Historical Foundation and SymbOlical Inter.
probation Of Some Of the Jewish Religions
Obscrvances During the Present Month.

probation Of Some Of the Jewish Religions
Obscrvances During the Present Month.
Next TO the Catholic Church-which has devoted
every day in the year to the piOus remembrance of
samt-there is probably no religious denomination
than the Hebrew which has many festivals. some
OF which are observed in joy and others with out
ward tokens Of sorrow some being JUL,
some half holidays. For instance the first
day of every month"; Rosh Chodcsh--s half holi-
day, and by the orthodox in the Jewish faith this
day, well as the preceding one, are even kept as
fast days. the latter being called by some JON Kip
pur kaddan-MinOr Days of Atonement. In this
our year Of 1870, which, according TO Mosaic calcua
tion Is rated by the Jews as the year 563S after the
creation Of the world, it appears that the opening
and closing days of each month 90 nearly
respond with The like days OF the regOrian calendar.
Thus the Rosh Chodesh Iyar the current month
Of the Jews, began with the evening Of the 1st of
May and ended with sunset on the 3D. A very in
teresting but among all more or less modcrnized
Jews already obsolete, festival tails the 10th OF
May, winch Is next Sunday. and is called
SIENEB PESAcH
This was an after celebration Of Pesach or Easter
ana although. as stated above, obsolete now IN
Europe as well In America, IL is stl
commenorated and observed IN the East
among the adhcrenis OF the oil Talmudical law
This festival was instituted for those who were alb
sent from their homes on the day OF Pesach and
could appear their temple to offer up the pre-
scribed sacrticlal gifts. For such Shenee Pesacn
was ordained. that after their return they might do
what they could not on The regular day OF the Easter
festival. But the most important and religiouSly
hallowed day for the Jews during the present month
Will be ON the 10th, which is called
LAG BOOMER,
Ii being the thrty-thrd day IRON the first day OF
Pesach BY the 9Th verse OF the 10th chapter OF
Deuteronomy the Jews were commanded:--''Seven
weeks Shalt thou number unto thee; begin to num-
ber the seven weeks from such time as thou begin
nest TO put the sickle TO the corD. Iu obedience to
this, IN all orthodox Jewish families the counting is
begun from the first day of Pesach, each day beng
separately couned and an appropriate blessing said.
These seven weeks extend from Easter to Pente-
Moses having received IL the nftieth day after
Pesach on Mount Sinai. 1t is season OF
sorrow, and no jew was, In former times, permitted
even TO shave ana no marriages were allowed to be
contracted during It's continuance. But the thirty
third day tLag GimmeD of the season OF Omer, was,
ana Is even now "a day or rejoicing Akiba, slave,
who had been converted to Judaism, and, owing to
lists, had number OF disciples, majority OF whom
were carried TO the grave by pestence which had
broken out shortly after Pesach but suddenly ceased
its ravages on the thirtythird day. Hence, the
stranS OF the season OF sorrow are removed on this
day, and JOY and nilariiy and marriages are per-
mitted. N--
There Is also symbolIcal Interpretation of the
institution TINS festive day After the Jews fed
from Egypt they occupied thirlythr days in cleans
ing themselves from the pollution Of slavery and
preparing TO receive the law, which was promul-
gated seventeen days later, the day OF SnebnOth,
which comes this year on the 9th day OF the month
OF Svan, corresponding with the same date IN the
observed
ROSH CHODEsH SWAN,
the first day OF the month OF Swan to which again
the remarks are applicable made In regard to the
FIRST days OF every menth and TO the days preceding
them,