The New York herald., 1878-10-11
IS u CCOTH."
Orthodox Jewish Observances Of the
Feast of TabernacleS.
"ES ROC AND LULAF." "
New York Israelites Dwelling in Booths and
Beating HOshana.

The Jews VIII begin this evening at sunset the osls-
bration OF the Feast Of Tabernaoles suoooth, as
is called, by far the most picturesque and OF the
most Important obssrvanoss OF the Jewish calendar.
II 10 one OF the three great annual which,
according TO Jewish law, IL Is incumbent upon all
Israses TO appear In the synagogue 10 give praise TO
God. The other two occasions arc Passover, which
10 kept In commsmoraton OF the exodus from Egypt,
and Psntecost which 10 the anniversary OF the
aion sf Sinai ana the giving by GOD Moses Of the
Ten Commandments Tabsrnaslos Is kept In CON-
menoration or shs gathering In Of the harvest and
also OF the dwelling In booths Of the Israsses after
their release from tho Egyptian bondage 1t is or
asined In the twentythird chapter Of Levitcus, In
these words:-"In the ntteenth day OF the seventh
month, when ye have gathered IN the fruit OF the
land, 70 shall keep feast the Lord seven daya
Yc shall dwel IN booths sovsn days: all that are
Israeltes shall dwell In booths that your generations
may know that made the children Of Israel 30
dwell In booths, whom | brough. them out OF the
Land OF Egypt" This evening begins the fifteenth
day Of the seventh month--that ID, the month Of
Tsbrand this evening begins the celebration OF this
ancient FEAST almost as was observed in the days Of
old Every feature OF the celebration has biblical
authority, and every detail OF the celebration II in
strict accordance with biblical directions.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE YEAsr.
For several days past the orthodox congregations
Of tho city and many individuals OF the orthodox
iaish havs been busy erecting the booths, .aoer.
naccs, in which tho Bible commands all Israeltss
dwell Tor seven days. Al the Nineteenth Street
Synagogue, whore the old customs arc kept up
rgidiy; ~ the Forty fourth Street Synagogue,
and At those on Thirty fourth street and Twenty
pinih street, and at all the orthodox synAeoRues IN
tho Polish Jewish settlement on tho east side Of town
these buildings are now ready and will be opened
this evening amer the initial service Of the least
They small square buildings constructed OF aths
without ROOFS bat the tops are covered with greens
OF ell kinds. Abfss and nre, 80 arranged that tho
stars be seen through the boushs and that the
ram can come in They are usually erected in the
synagogue yards and among the poorer Jews, who rs
side the east sido and have yard privileges, bur
st,Il wish 10 observe the feast. they are found
sometimes ON the roofs Of tene ment housea Within
the tabernacles are decorated with leaves and
flowers and fruits, GIT apples and hanging
grapes. Handsome oandesbra light up the syn
agogue tabernacles, whiie those OF tho poor
Jews dimiy Illuminated by candles and oil lamps
In each tabernacle table 10 laid with kosher wine
that wine made without termsnsasonL with fruits
and cakes and, above ALL with olives. As II 10 no
longer practicable for the Jews to dwell In these
buildings during seven days, they DO the next best
thing they hold services there daily after the syna
gogus exercises. during the least No orthodox Jew
would miss saying a. least blessing In the tsbsr
naclc Tor succah as II 10 calied during The coming
seven days. for she Bible says that all Israelites
shall dwell In booths t is held that 60 into one
OF them Is to separate one's self from tho Israeiish
II Is for This reason that many OF The poorer
classes, who do not get an opportunity 70 20
tabornacss OF the regular Congregations up towu.
themselves. Tho held these very mucn
tns same - those conducted in the synagogus taDer.
naclea
INTERESTING CEREMONIES
Alter the services, which VIII bs held In oil the
3swan n0uses o. wes:np sn,s svsn,ss. ans doors OF
tion, headed by the ministers and 0nccrs
The munster . read. T:aas snor. prayer concluding w.a
tsasL'' He then makes mo,ze-.nAs Is 10 say. ho
ays:-"Blesscd art Thou, o Loro our Cod, VINO
Drirgs,h forth iooo from ihs EARTH" The bread Is
vine and says:-sBlssssd art Thou. o Lord
81 oIf IN. ' Vine" he .n.n crink. OF sns rise
and the cup 10 passed round among the company and
hen a. me .S. and p"r..ta Of ~.
fsre thai 10 lard before them. This In quality
aoeordIns 20 the means oI the people, but the Quantity
10 always sufficient. Among the wealthy nnds
the tabernacle table loaded down with cho,cc and
iruits expensive wines and other decao,sA but never
with meat for the Israeltcs wore without while
they dwsit In boothA Many orthodox lsrasltcs
viii not cat Of the au.1mnal fruns until they have
sabsrasele. when tn.y ieol a. liberty 10
y
blessing iruts 10 part OF shs old Jewish custom,
which required the pious Israelite to pronounce q
on hearing thunder. seeing ram, on meeting a
Trend alter long voyage, on sesipg rainbow, on
seeing the moon on washing ones hands, on eat
tng fruit, on eating bread, on drinking vino. on
going out OF doors ON coming indoors, and
ad snNn,fun. Among many Of The orthodox Jews
these bcncdctions arc still In vogue. and the Feast
OF Ta0eruaciss rsvvss them, as explained, the
vices incidental 70 the oussrvssce.
The ceremonies 10 the tabernacle repeated after
the services tomorrow morning, tomorrow evening
and sunday morning ana evening. Among some Of
The wealthy orthodox Jows II 10 she custom to nave
private tabernacles ~ their houses they dine
and invite their friends durioG the festival. But this
has died OF years. or years also the re-
formers In Amorica have given up The literal OBJ
servancs Of the least ~ lar the erection Of tabor
sssus,on in spir, Many Of sssn, % ,os % ~i.H an old
time Affection Tor the tabsrnacle which ID OF the
mos. popular Of Jewish instituiicns make point OF
visiting the booths erected By the orthodox oongrega
tiona
THE sYSAaooux sxRvIcEA
The synagogue services the Feast OF Taber.
nscIss are as ancient and Interesting those OF the
tabsrnaois Besides the regular ancient liturgy still
specially On .h,s OCCASION, Of winch ,Ss Rasi Is sss
notable. This is sung all times through tue
us refrain being. Prass the LORD Tor he is good ior
HIS mercy sndufen forever" On this occasion, too,
insrooi that afford with him 20 sy ynagogue
"ulai" and an "ssrog" Tho Iuaf Is q branch OF palm
asa the esrog Is simply "a citron, . perfect ciron,
usually one grown 10 Corfu. These symbos are used
In obsdiencs TO the comnand-Leviticus, xxiiL 40
"And 70 sha take on the nrst day The ruitA goody
trees, branches 81 ana the ughs OF Ihck
trees and the willow OF tho brook. and ye shall re-
joics before the LORD your God.u Armed with tho
lulaf and the ssrog each Jsw,sh worshipper
seat In Tho synagosus al an carly hour and. me
rectai Of the bsnedictions or the day, taxes thcm
botn In his right hsnd holding his raysrbook In his
Ist and shakes them 10 the north, 10 the SOUTH 70
the east and TO the west, At the same sxoiAm-
ms, "PrAse the Lord for Hc good, for his mercy
sndurstn forsvern Al various stages Of the Serves
100, every owner OF citron takes II up ana smells OF
u us u 10 REMIND himself Of the great goodness OF
God In sending such fruits This year the nrst day
OF Tabernasss falls Saturday. tho Jewish Sabbath
ana, - no work Of any kind Whatever BY or
shodox jews on that day. the ceremony OF the luiaf
aud esrog WIN DO postponed until the dsy Of
ths least, which will be sunday The reformed Jews