Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-08-29
Confirmation at the Synagogue.

assembled at the synagogue 10 VIII
ness the confirmation of Abraham M.
Edelman, son of Rev. A.W. Edelman,
the pastor of the congregation. The
confirmation of Jewish males takes
place at the age of thirteen, and from
the date of confirmation the "Bar-
Mitzvah" is responsible before God
and man for his moral and religious
department. The candidate for con-
firmation is supposed to have made
the Pentateuch (the five books of
Moses) his study, and to be prepared
to stand satisfactory examination in
Hebrew by the Elders of the congre-
CATION. For the convenience of the
members the Pentateuch is divided
into fifty-two chapters, one of which
is to be read each Sabbath, and these
chapters are subdivided into seven
sections. At the Bar-Mitzvah yester-
day Messrs. J. Newmark and M. Nor
ris acted as the Elders of the Congre-
CATION and assisted at the recitation of
the law from a written scroll. At the
close of each of the seven sections
member of the congregation went for
ward and blessed the law. The con-
cluding section is usually from the
prophets, and at its close the Bar
Mitzvah (son of the Commandments)
is ali acknowledged son of Israel. The
examination was pronounced most
satisfactory by those who understood
Hebrew, and must have teen gratify-
ing to the young mans relatives and
friends, as we'll as fattering to his
father and tutor, as he had been under
instruction only six weeks. 1t being
the custom for the "Bar-M -Mitzvah" to
address the congregation, he did so in
the following remarks:
MOST WORTHY CONGREGATION: In
accordance with the tenets of our sa-
cred religion, 1 am to-day numbered
among the responsible sons of Israel,
and am called Bar-Mitzvah, son of
tuo Couluu uuluChOJ WIlICl oiS hihCo
that must take upon myself to per-
form the commandments of the Lord,
to distinguish the difference between
wrong and right, and that alone am
held responsible for all my actions. 1t
is, therefore, requisite, previous to my
solemn declaration of love and obedi-
ence to Israeps God and to Israel's re-
ligion, to invoke the name of our
Heavenly Father to strengthen the re.
solves of my youthful heart, and to
give you some proof that am willing
to live and to die in Israels law, and
through that law alone to seek saliva
tion hereafter.
PRAYER.
Hd-oh-ze-noh, Ah-do-noy, Td.fe-los-
81 Vd-hak-she-Vdu, Bd-kOte, Idk-ne-
naW-se. Give ear, o! Eternal, to my
prayer, and attend to the voice of my
supplications, for I humbly beseech
Thee to look down with mercy and
and favor on my entrance this day as
a responsible member in Thy congre-
cation, to claim portion Of the in
heritance in Thy divinelaw. Strength
en-, O Lord, the pious resolves of my
youthful heart to reach that exalted
destiny which Thou hast appointed to
our race. Endow me with Thy holy
spirit and support me with Thy love,
that may become o faithful servant
of Thy will, Obedient to Thy sacred
statutes and an Israelite in heart and
spirit. For 1 do avow here in Thy
presence and in the midst of our con-
gregation, that the decalogue which
Thou hast revealed to the children of
Israel on Mount Sinai is Thy direct
revelation, and that it forms the base
to all the religious obligations; that
Thou art the Eternal God who brought
us out of the land of Egypt and from
the house of bondage; that we must
have no other Gods before Thee; that
we must not take Thy holy name in
vain; and to remember the Sabbath
day to keep it holy, q sign forever; to
honor our father and mother, for they
that honor them honor Thy great
name; that we shall not commit murder
nor commit adultery; that we must
not steal, nor bear false witness against
our neighbor, and that we must not
covet anything that is our neighbors.
also avOw that the cardinal doctrines
of the Israelitish fate as devised from
this decalogue are the pure principles
for every moral and social virtue. For
this day acknowledge with perfect
faith that Thou art the creator and
governor of all created beings; that
Thou alone hast made, and dost make
and ever will make every production;
that Thy unity is unlike any other
unity; and that Thou alone art one
God, who was, is, and forever shall
exist; that Thou art immortal, and
that Thou art not subject to any of
those changes which are likely to oc-
cur to mortals; that Thou art the first
and will be the last of all beings; that
Thou alone ought to be worshipped
and that we ought not to worship any
other being; that all the words of the
prophets are true; that the prophecies
of Moses, our law-giver, are true; that
he was the chief of all the wise men
that came before him and those after
him; that the law now in our posses
sion is the same that was given to
Moses on Mount Sinai; that this law
will never be changed and that Thou
will never give US any other law; that
Thou knowest all the thoughts and
actions of man, for Thou hast formed
the hearts of all men; that thou re-
wardest those who keep Thy COM.
mandments and punishest those who
transgress them; that Thou wilt send
us the Messiah TO redeem all nations
and be acknowledged one Almighty
God, who created the world and all its
inhabitants, and that there will be
resurrection of the dead at the time
when it shall please Thy great ana
almighty name. Amen.
Our sacred bard said LULA, To-rOs-
oho ohio a n .shu-ah n Os-oh-vad-fa Va