The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-02-07
NO. A.

tie sprig or haddassim, called in tho Bible
''the boughs of the tree oboth,' . aud the will
lows of the brook or ahrabbin. Scripture
being silent as to the manner in which these
four species are to be used, Rabbnical in
genuity has supplied the want, and has al
so assigned reason for the command. The
myrtle sprig and the willows are tied to the
palm-branch, and these being held firmly in
the right hand are pressed close to the cit
ron, which is held in the left, and in this
way during certain portions OF the service
they are waved east, west, north, south, up
and down. These minim, or species, are
said by the Rabbis to symbolic the rela-
ton between God and the universe, which
is composed OF the spiritual, the astral, and
the inferior worlds. The citron, which
must be perfect in every respect, and free
from the slightest stain or blemish, Indicates
the Great First Cause, absolute and abstract
from all creation. Therefore is this emblem
not bound up with the others, but held sep
arately in the hand, and this truly expresses
the Jewish idea of God, thai He is not ma
ture nor identical with it, but that He is
above and independent of nature-n other
words, the sole and absolute Creator from
whom all nature is but an emanaton. The
| first declaration of the Bible is: SIN the be-
ginning God created the heavens and the
| earth," thus showing, according to jewish
doctrine, that He existed prior to every
! thing, and that by His win all things were
called into being. The religious philosophy
of the ancients arrived at the existence of
Supreme Power by the inductive process.
The world is, therefore there is a God. jul
daism, however, needed no reasoning meth
cd by which to reach that conclusion. The
existence of God was assumed, acknow-
lodged, felt, rather than proved. Judaism
emphatically declares s'God is, therefore the
world exists.'' Thesm is the cardinal
principle of the Jewish religion it is the
ground work upon which the entire SUPER
structure is reared. The palm branch de-
notes the spiritual world, In which the be-
ings, although separate like the leaves of
the palm and having individual existence,
are yet closely united to the stem. The
myrtle denotes the astral or material world,
and the willows of the brook indicate this
inferior world, in which all beings are sub
ject to dissolution. These three species be-
ing tied together show that, notwithstand-
ing the gradations, creation forms one COM
plete whole, subject to one master will and
regulated for one noble purpose-the happi-
ness Of the creature according to its degree.
In pressing them against the citron the OBJ
ject is to show. their entire dependence on
the Great and Good Cause who gave them
being, and with whom they must remain
united for ever. The waving Of these spe-
cies in the manner mentioned above is TO
indicate that God is omnipresent, Sin the
heavens above and on the earth beneath
In orthodox congregations many of the wor-
slippers possess these species and use them
in their devotions; among the reformers the
actual using of them has been discontinued.
but one complete set is generally placed on
exhibition in the Temple. As with the Pass
over, the intervening days, called Chol Ha.
moed, between the commencement and ter
mination OF the feast, are merely half holt
days, and the business vacations Of life are
permitted.
At the end Of the seven days OF Tabcr-
nacles separate feast called Azeretb or con-
Guiding feast is held, and this is kept holy
by both the orthodox and the reformers.
No ceremonies of any Importance mark the
day, with the exception OF an especial pray
er for rain and propitious Winter season.
t1,o< ,,s, 4, = ,1,1>,
ted called S,mchath Torah, or Rejoicing of
the Law. The Torah or Law is the Penta-
touch or Five Books OF Moses, and these are
divided into weekly portions and read aloud
every Sabbath, the whole being completed
once every year. The last portion is read
on this festival, and 1t is customary on the
evening which terminates the Azeretb and
begins SinacAath Torah to take out all the
Sephorim or Scrolls Of the Law, from the
Ark and to carry them in procession round
the synagogue, which is Illuminated. On
this day the last chapter of Deuteronomy
and the first chapter Of Genesis are read,
thus closing and beginning the Law on the
same day, to show that there should be no
break in the study of Gods Word. The
persons called up to the reading of these
portions by the reader, or to the perform
ance of the duty by themselves, if they
choose, regard their selection by the War
dens as great honor, and they respectively
bear the title Of bridegroom of the Law"
and bridegroom of Genesis" There is no
Biblical authority for this day; it was insti-
frat b1, a.. D,hb boc IL
some connection with an ancient festival
which it was customary to celebrate at the
Temple in Jerusalem at the close OF the
feasts, on which occasion brilliant illumina-
tions formed part of the festivities In re-
form congregations the weekly portions of
the law being shorter, it is gone through
once in three years, and the Simchath Torah
festival is not celebrated.
In addition to the observances and cere-
monies herein described, and founded upon
the exodus from Egypt, may also be men
toned the dietary regulations Of the Jews,
whereby certain animals were forbidden as
food. These laws, which have been abroga-
ted by the reformers, are still binding on
the orthodox, and may be regarded princi-
pally as sanitary regulations, intended by
Moses to preserve the health of the people
and to promote their holiness. AS by the
redemption from Egypt the Israeltes were
intended to be race devoted TO the service
of God and to the dissemination of His
Word among all the nations of the earth, it
was necessary that they should be kept pure
in body as well as in mind. For this reason
the dietary laws and many of the ceremu-
NAL ebservances were ordained to make the
Jews s'a peculiar people," to keep them
ever mindful of the Law of God and of their
holy mission, and to prevent them from
mixing too intimately with other nations.
The MARROW GAUGE RoAD.-The Wash.
ington Republican says:
president Borst, of the Washington City,
Cincinnati and st. Louis railroad was in
town Yesterday and inSnected TIE niers m