The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-09-17
TIE JEWISH FEsr1vALs.-The jew

THE JEWISH rEsIlNALo' NV ""
ish New Year Is now over, and the ten
days intervening between it and the Day
of Atonemeut are called the penitential
days, and are supposed to be devoted to a
vigorous self examination, and to care
full preparation for the great fast day, the
most important in the Jewish calendar
Although many of the customs OF for
mer days are not now observed in con-
nection with the Day Of Atonement, the
latter exercises very strong influence
over even the least religious of the Jews.
Men who are not known as Jews all
the year round, who may have mar
ried out of the faith, and even brought
I'D their children out of the faith,
these men are often seen on the
great fast day going quietly into the syn
agogue and remaining unobserved among
the most devout worshippers there. To
the pious Jew, who observes the Sabbath
and all the festivals, this is a day on
which no worldly act or thought must
be permitted. He generally goes to syn
aoogue at eight or nine o'clock in the
morning. and does not leave his place I'M
til the blowing of the 'shophar," which
makes known the ending of the feast, at
about six o'clock in the evening. The
services for the day are very impressive.
It used to be the custom, and it still with
MANY of the orthodox German and Polish
Jews, to 90 to synagogue on atonement
day in their shrouds or at least to wear
their shrouds during the service, in order
that they might not for moment forget
the awful meaning of the day they were
observing.
Following the day comes "Taberna-
cles," the festival which was held annu-
ally in Judea after the ingathering OF
the harves. 1t lasts seven days, the first
and last of which are observed rs days OF
rest and rejoicing. As in the case of ali
festivals, the orthodox keep the first two
DAYS. 1t is custom among many con-
gregations to have tabernacle erected
every wear, and have meals served there
during the festival, in obedience to the
command in Leviticus, xiii, 81: "le
shall dwell in booths seven days; all that
are IsraeliteS born shall dwell in booths.
RThe seventh day Of the tabernacle Is
known rs "Hoshanna Rabah.' Among
the orthodox Jews, and notably among
Spanish and Portuguese, this is looked
upon as the day when the atoncmcnt
made on the great fast day is sealed and
confirmed. Seven circuits of the syna-
gogue are made by the congregants,
bearing a palm branch and II citron,
those not having the palm being provid-
ed with n bunch of myrtle. Between
each circuit the bunch of myrtle is waved
aloft, and in the Portuguese synagogues
the waving of the myrtle is accompanied
bv the sacred sounds Of the "Shophar, "
! which is blown four times between each
circuit. The airs sang are the same aS
those in use on fast day and New Year :,
and the synagogucs are draped in white
u on those occasions.
The eight day of the feast is also holy
day, and is known As the Eighth day of
the Solemn Assembly, The services are
the same us those in use on the first day,
except that the palm branch is not used.
The dav after this, which is observed only
by the Orthodox Jews, is called the
DAY of the Rejoicing of the Law, and
is the occasion of much rejoicing and
mcrriment. This ends the autumn ics-
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