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

wine in commemoration of the four expires
sions made use of by the Eternal at tn
time of the redemption, viz IL will brin!
you out, ''"I will release you,' II will re
deem you,' 81 will take you.'' EXODUS, vi.
6, ~ Two other plates attract attention, on
containing q roasted shank-bone of tn,
shoulder OF a lamb and an egg, the othe
having on it some parsley or chervil, lettuce
or horseradish, and mixture composed o
ground nuts, almonds, fruit, and spice
formed into the consistency Of a paste o.
preserve. With these articles the ceremo
NAL part is performed. At stated portions
OF the service the wine is drank, the unleav
ened cakes are broken, land pieces thereof arr
are distributed to every one at table, as are
also the parsley, horseradish, and mixture
and all having been appropriately blessed
are eaten with true religious appetite. The
regular supper of the evening is introduced
during the course of the service, Of which
it may be said to form a feature. The
matzos are eaten in memory of the breaG
| of the Israelites at the time of the exodus
The bone of the lamb represents the Paschal
Egypt; the egg commentaries the Paschal
offering which every family in Israel had to
bring to Jerusalem, during the existence OF
the Temple, on the Passover Eve. The pars
ley represents the fruit of the ground, and is
eaten in acknowledgment of Gods provi-
dence which causes nature to respond to the
labor Of man and to produce means of GUS
tenance. The horseradish, or bitter herb,
and the mixture, called choroses, typify the
bondage of the Israeltes and the cruelty of
the Egyptians in embittering their lives by
the degrading servitude to which they COM
PEELED them. The choroses, beiag prepared
in the form of a paste OF preserve, is SYM
bolic of the mortar which was used by the
Israelites in building the treasure cities for
Pharaoh, and the many magnificent monu-
ments and edifices which their labor gave
to the land of Egypt. SIT is, therefore, in
cumbent on every person in every genera
tion,'' says the Haggadah, ''to look upon
himself as if he himself had actually gone
forth from Egypt" AS a member Of his
race, the orthodox Jew thoroughly identi-
fies himself with his people, and to him
time, country, and circumstances offer no
reason why this feeling Of identity should ev-
er cease to exist. The woes and calamities
which have befallen his people in any age or
land are his also and must be mourned over
by him. In a like manner he shares the joys
and triumphs of his race, and any mark of
divine favor bestowed at any time upon his
brethren is treasured by him and must be
forever gratefully acknowledged. The de-
liverance from Egyptian bondage of his an
cestors, $500 ago, is to him veritable de-
liverance, and on Passover Night he feels as
if he himself had personally been liberated
from slavery. Therefore wine is drank in
token Of JOY and gratitude, and the beauti-
full collection of psalms known by the name
of Hallel, Psalms cxiii. -cxiiii forms prom.
inent feature of the ritual. On this night
Jewish servants and domestics sit at q table
with their employers and are regarded as
members of the family, the idea being that
as the Passover is a festival especially devo-
ted to freedom, no evidence of servitude or
inequality of station should be apparent IN
the household. In this connection may be
noted a popularity among orthodox
Jews in their treatment of their domestics
on the Sabbath, festivals, aud holy days.
They observe with just strictness the COM
mandment which forbids the labor of ''thy
man servant and ''thy maid servant" No
work or labor of any kind which the en-
ployer may not perform is allotted to their
Jewish hirelings, and the Gentle servants
are not permitted to execute any but the
lightest and most necessary duties, which
require no great physical eXertion. Even
their horses must rest on the Sabbath. AS
may be inferred from what has already been
stated about the observance of two days for
all festivals, the Haggadah is also held on
the second night. The first and second, and
seventh and eight days of Passover are kept
sacred; on the intervening or middle days,
the usual vocations of life are permitted.
The Festival of Tabernacles is held in the
seventh month, Tishri, at the season of Au-
tumn. and lasts seven days, commencing on
the 18th and ending on tine 2lst Of the
month. Celebrated at that time of the year
when the ingathering of the productions of
the fields takes place, it becomes true har-
vest festival, held in gratitude to God for his
innumerable favors. The primary object of
the feast, however, is to commemorate the
especial goodness of God in preserving the
Israelites during the forty years they wan.
dered in the wilderness, after their exit from
Egypt and prior to their entry in the land
of Palestine. AS during this period the PEG:
pie did not live in cities or inhabit regularly
built houses, but sojourned in booths or tenn
porary buildings, so their descendants are
commanded, in order to perpetuate the
event, to erect temporary structures and
virtue of this the name of the festival is de.
rived--Succoth, meaning tabernacles or
booths. Every family, therefore, endeavors
to have such a dwelling. The usual custom
is to build small room in the yard of the
house, the beams and supports being Of
wood, the sides and roof being of boughs of
trees. This loon is tastefully decorated
inside with curtains, pictures, and orna-
ments. Fruits of various kinds are suspend
ed from the roof and hung around the sides,
and flowers are in abundance. A table,
large enough to accommodate the family at
meals, is placed in the centre of the room,
and around it and elsewhere are chairs, set
tees. and lounges, according to the size of
the place. Here tie family take their meals
and receive visitors, whenever the weather
will permit for, should it rain, the matched
roof, which is purposely so formed that the
stars may be seen through the boughs, af-
fords no protection, and a retreat to the
more substantial dwelling has then to be
made. The Succah is, in Western countries,
not used for sleeping purposes; it is simply
the reception and dining rooms combined.
Congregations generally have large satccoths
adjoining their synagogues for the accom-
mediation of the poor, and herein is spread a
repast consisting of bread, wine, olives,
frp;t ooLoc ond oehor colioacioe Altar tho