The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-09-07
THE JEWISH NEW YEAR.
Celebration OF Ros.Ha.shonah by the
IsraelItes OF this City.

Celebration OF Ros.Ha.ShOnah by the
IsraelItes OF this City.
Yesterday was the Jewish New Year
Rosh.ha.shonah. The day commence on
Sunday evening. The commemoration Of
the day is celebrated with high regard
wherever Jew can be found. The tenacity
with which this ancient people retain,thei
hold,upon their faith,is unparalleled In the
history OF any people that has ever habi.
ted the globe, and the festival just ushered
in, is, next 10 one, the most sacred which |
they recognize.
In the large cities Of this country and
Europe, where the Israelite stands out
pre-eminently in at least q commercial
sense, the importance OF the day has
large influence upon all mercantile trans.
actions, as few, II indeed any, Of the large
interests controlled by these people, meet
with any attention on that day.
Here the day has lessimportance than in
some places, but Wheeling's large number
OF Israelites engaged in various lines Of
business all observe the day sacredly.
Their stores were closed yesterday, until
r. NJ, and card on the door announced
the reason.
The new year, called Rosh. Hashonah,
was initiated Sunday evening at sunset,
being according to the calendar Of the He
brews the first day OF the month OF 1iStri,
564l, and is claimed as being the anniver-
sary OF the creation Of the world.
The Jews have celebrated the day as 0
national holiday since the neighborhood
Of the year l49O b. O., aboutthe time they
made their exodus from the cruel Egyp-
tian bondage, and ever since that time,
whether peace, with all its accompanying
blessings, attended the Wandering Jew, or
whether war and oppression with all their
curses, blighted his history, he has main:
tanned strict adherence TO the command
found in Numbers, xxx:
"And on the first day Of the seventh
month shall be unto you q holy conyoca-
ZION; no seryile work shall ye do; q day Of
blowing OF the cornet IL shall be to you"
From this precept It will appear that
upon this day the Hebrews are ordered TO
sound the cornet, or as they call 1t the
Shophar, which is simple rams horn.
blown 10. accord with sweet musical
sounds, to announce the breaking oil the
civil year, and according to opinion the
creation OF the universe; 1t Is thought that
the cornet or horn is mentioned in the
Scriptures as the appropriate instrument
with which to arouse the enthusiasm OF
what in time might become dormant or
lethargic spirit, because the same article
was employed by the 0rientals In calling
the troops TO prepare for war. Through
out the whole OF the fabric OF the Jewish
laws can be found disposition to perpet.
uate the symbols and emblems familiar TO
those who first received them.
The seventh month OF the Hebrew
calendar, TiSIri, invariably counting thirty
days, usually corresponds with the second
half OF September and the first half OF
October Of the Gregorian count. twill
thus appear that the anniversary OF the
New Year this time is unusully early in
its date, according to the modern calendar.
Rosh.Hashonah Is called in the Bible
Yom Ah:tkoroD, day OF memorial, signi.
: flying that II is the duty OF all adherents Of
the faith OF their fathers to ask forgive
nesa OF the Almighty for the transgres.
! sions OF the year just closed. It Is also
called Yom Truro, "a day Of blowing oil
trumpets," and according to the chapter
OF Numbers above referred to. The
ancient rabbis also styled the New Year
ga day OF trial TO the soui," and they said,
arguing TO their ideas, that on this day
the world was brought into existencei this
is the day on which the Great God causes
all His creatures TO stand in judgment be.
fore Him.
Rosh- Hashonah is the FIRST OF the ten
days OF penitence which Immediately pre-
cede the great Fast day OF the Hebrews
Such is the history Of the New Year oil the
ancient people, as handed down to US from
mn nnllnfad annraaa