The New York herald., 1878-10-06
Preparations Among the Russo-PoliSh
Jews for Their Great Fast Day.
CONFESSION OF SINS OVER ROSTERS
The Peculiar Ceremonies OF q
Peculiar People.

main in their synagoguos praying tor forgiveness for
heir past and Tor tho reposc OF the souls OF their
dead. The services OF the most impressive char
actsr for the day Is regarded as day OF preparation
for death we'll the occasion which the
Almighty takes into account the
during the past year aud forecasts the events to
come during tho year just begun On this fast day,
according 10 the Jewish belief, God listens to The
and petitions OF his creatures. and,
cording their con fessons mpetc and sincere
and their petitions are uttered In spirit oil true pen-
tence and their promises OF reform are real and
honest He fsrgves their iniquities and ssblo.s
their snsn The Jewish rciigion teaches that there
Is atoDement without repentance, and, as far as
possible, reparattoD. Therefore no Jew make his
atonement until he has forgiven his enemies, re-
paired such Injuries as he has done that are
rsparabls and honestly determined 10 lead a
better life in tho future The abstinence from
food is not held to constitute atonement; it is
only the means TO an end and is intended to bring
the mind OF tho worshipper into perfect spiritual
communion with the throne of heaven, and to re-
move his thoughts as TAR possible, from all earthly
considerations. such an Importance is attached to
this observance that all Jews, even those who are
not In regular standing In the synagogue. keep up
II is the one day which Is kept over by Israelites
who havo become astraDgcd from their brethren, It
s tho one occasion taken advantage Of by them still
to keep up thor connection with Judaism, 30 that,
dying Ihsy may claim the right OF ewisn burial
AroNEMENr.
To-day, the day of eparaten tor he fast known
as "Aref Ysm Kippurn or the Eve OF Atonement, and
in many respects II is, ameng the orthodox Jews At
least. as important as the great fast day usst The
idea that prompted tho rabbies to advise syna-
gogue worshippcrs always to enter tho synagogue
lew minutes before the beginning OF servicc-namely.
ch~.l
time to prepare for communion with God
and not rush straight from tho affairs
OF the world into A,s awful presence, mas
elevated this day 10 its present Importance Among
the orthodox Polish Jews 1t has become day OF
vival many Of tho customs and practices In vogue
before the destruction OF the Temple ana the fall OF
the Levitic priesthood, and in many OF tho humble
dwellings, OF these people in the ower part OF the city
Tho Temple carried out to the letter.
Among tho reformed Jews tho DAY is no less I'M
portant but It's celebration is moro simple and
moiorn Still thcrc arc few OF them SO radical
neglect tho observance Of tho last even to the extent
OF AbstaInIng from food and drink tor twenty four
hours. One of the results OF this 10 that
this afternoon in every jewish household IN the
the year; the dinner which will have TO suffice in
place OF all meals until Tomorrow evening. This
meal, which s usually taken at about i've O'CLOCK s
= very cxtensiv affair and " IS the occasion
very ncavy eating. so that the partakers OF shall not
thor devotions tomorrow by the pabgs
OF hunger Alter the dinner tho head OF the family
usually bcsses his children and any little domestic
troubles having been made up the family all
70 10 the synagogue and remain until about
eight O'Clock, when they return home and go to bed,
only TO get up bright aid early the next morning
60 asa.n TO me synagoRao mere tney remain until
announce that tho fast IS over and the organ pcals
forth It's awakening sounds accompanying the joyous
OF the Singers, .sSelochte" I'll have torgivcn
which come reply to the 0ft-repeated prayers OF
the day, "Arnah, Adonai Hoshena nar' TO Lord,
save US nsw'I aud "seloch larnsr" ('s0 Lord, for
sBEArINa KKrARos"
THIS is about the extont OF tho atonsment observ-
ance among the reformed Jews and those who have
discarded the strictly rabblncal ordinances. But
among the rabbiuicai Russo-Pssh lows, dcvotees Of
the Beth Hamcdrash Allen street, aud OF the two
scere ~ naRogues and meeting houses which abound
that locality, tho ceremonies are moro numerous
and more picturesque; historically, too, more Jew
ish They are never sosn except among their people,
whose prize u is 10 have preserved intact and unim
paired the traditions ana even The supersiions OF
their ancestors and 10 havo transpanted them here
aud kept 10 thom amid all their modern SURROUNDINGS.
This afternoon, before the regular afternoon hncha)
people WIN perform thc ceremony known "bsating
Kcparos-" Having assembled bis family around him
one beng preferred IL he can GET it. and ra,s,pg Il
pioi, says bcnsdction. He then swings II his
shoulder, utiering words In Hebrew which sisaiiy
he desires the rooster shall assume all ns
sins, "the TOR which he should have suffered
fsrty lashcs, tho SINS for which he should have
beeu stoneu, The sins which ne has committed
against God ana the SINS which he has committed
against man. Over the he confosscs all
wrong aoings and on the rooster lays tho weight
OF ali his sina HIs wife. taxing a hes repeats ihs
ceremony with the same iervor and earnestnees
tho inner thus cisansed OF tho Polish Jew
c0ntn his preparations for the important
OF The evening aud the morrow by rcsorting to the
public jewish bath. Before going there, however,
that he may know, thus adding 10 his rengous per-
tormances Of charity the less appreciated
by the recipient on account oil the uscs 10 which it
had Ucsn put.
The jewish bath, or Mkvan, is situated In the
basement OF me Beth Hamcdrash at No. IS Alien
street. In form, design ami arrangements IL Is copy
the bath when played so prominent part In the
religious ives of ancient Jews. Il 10 divided
two parts, one reserved Tor mon and tho other Tor
women The women use u Tor purposes Of purinca-
lion before iago and after cpidpirth. II 10 also
used ior the purpose Of purifying Gcntle women who
desire become converts 10 tho synagogue. By the
mon Il Is means OF purincatiou before great
religious observances and a. other stated periods.
The visit of tho Polish Jews to 1t this afternoon
made Ia order shat tney may appear In their syna-
heart as thcy wish TO be when the day OF death ar
rivcs and they summoned-as they consider them
selves on this occasion 70 DO summoncd-into tho
presence OsGod.
CLAD IN BusIAL GARMENTS
This death idea, too, rs carried far that tho
Polish Jews this evening and all day tomorrow SIT IN
their syna9oguos their grayo clothes clad 10 the
very garments which they are to be buried. Win
their plain whsc robes covering thom from neck
loot, and with the long ,ailh OF scarf thrown ever
hesds, they look almost shost-like, and ap-
psarancs they are exactly what their ancestors were
hundreds OF years ago. Indeed, the whole scene
TO the tone 10 which the prayers .rs
lar from the scenes and services Of tho
Jews OF tho Middlo Ages Nor is u The Polish Jews
only who wear their shreuds In the synageEne on
the Day Of AtonemonI Ihe same custom obtains
among some Of the members OF the Forty -iourth
street ana rhiry-iourth Street synagoeoss. though
there u Is not UNIVERSAL In the Portugues Syna-
gogue on Nnstecnth street, the congrcgation do not
their clothes but they take on their socs
most Of them do. entering the sy nagegue build
ing, ana put ON si slippers instead This is sad 10
be done quite mucn for tho sake OF csmiors
from any religious ssnincauce attached to the Gus
tam z IN 4 n ~
ish favor.
THR suPYLIcArIoS.
During she Day OF Atonsnent services, NJ certain
parts OF tho liturgy The whole congrseasson IN the
osthsdox Psissh synagogucs ia down on their faces
In euppicason They 40 NOS knes, tor kneciing 10
idoisrous, bat, prosrate the noor Of tue
synagogue they repeat the touching appeals Divine
mercy whioh make up 30 large n part ot the Atone
ment ritual some OF the more dcvout worshippers
the uptown synsgogues do this also, theugn u Is
not general among The Polish Jewr. Tho Day OF
Atsnemcnt the only occasion which this attitude
Is assumed BY tho Jews In their synagogucs, Tor
seii-aossemcnt Is regarded win great disfasor
by the rsbbiss. and rs looked upon by most Jews