The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-02-07


Israelites, and among the pious it has al
ways been regarded as precious boon be
slowed upon the race, q welcome visitor.
messenger OF Gods love, and as such it ha
been maintained with every mark Of respec
and reverence.
| The Jewish day being calculated iron
sunset to sunset, the Sabbath commence
on Friday evening. The tolls of the weel
are then at an end, and the pious Israelite
discarding from his mind all the trouble
and anxieties OF business, prepares to receiv
the Sabbath as lie would an honored guest
His home, however humble it may be, pre-
sents clean and cheerful appearance. Th'
faithful partner Of his life has piled her do
nestle care in preparing his abode, so tina
when he returns from the synagogue. with
er he has gone to join the congregation il
the prayerful services which usher in che
Sabbath, his happiness may be enhanced by
the sight Of the dwelling, which everywhere
gives evidence of tranquility and love. On
entering his door his wife approaches him
with smiling face to re ceive the Sabbath kiss
in renewal Of their plighted troth. His
children attired in their best apparel, crowd
around him for that blessing which no child
has failed to receive from his parents ON the
holy day Of rest. The table is covered with
cloth of spotless white, and joyous meal
awaits him. Around his apartment blaze
the sabbath lights" which the pious invo-
cation of the worthy housewife has eonse-
Grated, and at the head OF the table, con-
spicuous amo:.g the viands, may be seen the
cup of wine with which to snake Kiddush'
Or specification Of the Sabbath, and the
Berchoth or blessed bread which recalls the
heavenly mama with which the Deity gra-
ciously fed the Israelites during their forty
years wandering in the desert. Thus sur
rounded by those nearest and dearest to him,
he partakes of the meal provided lchouod
Shdbbos, sin honor of the Sabbath Day."
and at its close all raise their voices in songs
of praise and gratitude. The following
morning. accompanied by his family, he
again visits the synagogue, in which three
seryices.a are performed during the day the
domestic and social enjoyments are repeat
ed, visits are exchanged, and the entire day
is, in fine, devoted to communion with God,
to meditation on the excellences of religion,
and to those rational and innocent pleasures
which beautify and enliven the life of Il
good man.
The Passover, called also the Feast of
Unleavened Bread and the Feast OF Re-
demption, is celebrated in the season of
Spring, at the time of the ripening of the
grains in the land of Palestine, and is in.
stituted, principally, to commemorate the
wonderful delverance of the Israelites from
the Egyptian bondages. The command
ment to celebrate the Paschal festivals the
first which the Lord addressed to the Jews
through Moses. The Rabbis, therefore, de-
clare that the twelfth chapter of Exodus,
in which the Passover is instituted, is the
beginning of the law Of Moses. Accordingly,
this festival occupies q conspicuous place
among the holy seasons, and its annual re-
turn, which takes place on the evening Of
the fourteenth day of the month Nissan,
is hailed with feelings of Joy and gratitude.
Its name, Pasach or Passover, is derived
from the sacrifcial repast prepared by the
Jews in the land Of Egypt, on the eve of
their redemption, in token Of their faith in
the promised delverance. This repasS was
ga lamb without blemish, male OF the first
year," which they were commanded by
Moses to roast by fire and to cat thereof on
the night Of the redemption, with unleay-
ened bread and with bitter herbs. The
lamb was ar object of worship among the
Egyptians. hence the order to the Israelites
to Stay and cat the very god OF their oppres
sors was putting their faith to severe test.
The more effectually to show their firm re-
lance on the power of Deity, the blood of
the lamb was to be put on the two side
posts and Oil the upper door-posts of their
houses. In return for this act Of obedi-
that when the Destroying Angel passed
through the land of Egypt on that terrible
night of the Staying of the iirst-born, he
would pass over the houses Of the Hebrews,
and ne plague Should enter therein to de-
stroy them. In consequence OF the terror
produced on the Egyptians by this tenth
plague, they were urgent on the Israeltes
to send them away fro m the land, and the
haste as to prevent the dough which the
people bad taken with them at their de-
parture from being leavened. In COM
memoration of this event the command was
given that during the continuance of the
festival no leaven was to be- seen in their
houses, but that unleavened bread III st be
eaten, by virtue Of which the festival de-
rives its second name. According to the
Biblical ordinance the feast lasts seven days,
but Rabbinical authority prescribes eight
days, which are, therefore, observed by all
orthodox Jews. The reason of this enact
ment, which likewise holds good with all
the other festivals, is because in ancient
times, almaAacs not being in existence, and
the times for the observance OF the festivals
and holy days being regulated by the moon
the advent of Il new moon being the first Of
every month"; was feared that the time
Of the appearance of the new moon may
not have been exactly ascertained, and to
adhere strictly to the command to celebrate
a festival on the day mentioned in the law,
two days in every case were ordered to be
kept, so that if any mistake had occurred
the right day would certainly fall on one
of the two. Another reason for this dou-
BILE observance was to enable all the scatter
ed members of the race to celebrate the
holy seasons at the same time, which was
then thought to be impossible If only one
day was kept. As astronomical science
can compute with certainty the exact time
of new moon, the reformers of the jew
ish fold have abolished the second day en-
tirely.
The most important portion of the Pass
over festival is the first night, because it
commentaries that august occasion when
God broke the iron bonds of tyranny, re-
deemed the Israelites from Egypt, and pro-
claimed freedom as the inalienable right of
man. 1t is, therefore, customary to cele-