Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-08
HOLY DAYS OF JUDAISM.
The Autumnal Series of Festi-
walls begins this Week.


taAAAANAN hAAs
Next Tuesday the autumnal series
OF great Hebrew festivals begins
Tuesday, October ,, 1888, according TO
the Gregorian calendar, is Tisri, 56I4,
according to the Hebrew calendar,
and therefore New Year day. In the
construction Of this calendar numer.
Gus details require attention. Ii is
dated from tue creation, Iegish ira
ditiOn holding that the world was
created on the first Of Tisri. The
lunar month OF abOut twentysnine and
thirty days make year OF 35l days.
This is about eleven days short of the
solar year, aud it is, therefore, neees>
sary to add one month every three
years to make the two calendars ap.
proximate. Such a year of thirteen
months is a leap year, and there are
seven leap years in every cycle OF
nineteen years, and it is only at the
end Of every cycle that the Hebrew
calendar agrees with the ordinary
calendar. The year 5643, about to
eLd, was a leap year, and the last OF
the 297 cycle. The New Years day
is computed tobegin Monday, 8 PM,
and ends 6 pm Tuesday. te5 aa
The variance OF the Hebrew year
from the ordinary year makes the He
brew New Years day a movable festi-
val in the ordinary calendar Thus
last year it came on September II, and
next year it will come on September
~, Tisri is the FIRST month Of the re.
liGous year, but che civil year starts
seven months earlier, with Nissan
about April. The festivals to be Gel
ebrated are New Years day, the Day
Of Atonement, the Feast Of Taber.
nables and the Day OF Conclusion.
New Years day (Roshhashanah) is
also known a. the feast Of the
Blowing Of Trumpets,p because on
shat day the shoiai, OF rams horn
trumpet. will be sounded By the
rabbi IN every synagogue IN the world
This sounding the trumpet is a rem
nant OF the early days Of Israel, when
the priests summoned tbs people to
convocation or war BY the trumpets;
now il is to warn the hearers to pre-
pare for the coming great day OF atone
ment, for which the first nine days Of
the year are days Of preparation. On
the tenth il the Day OF Atonement
(Yom HaekippuFim), a day Of sorrow
for past misdeeds From S in the morn
ing till Gin the evening deYout Israel
ties remain 10 the synagogue, sustaining
meanwhile from all food and drink.
A feature Of the service is the read
ing Of prayers for the dead and the
offering Of gifts TO the cause Of char.
ity IN memory Of departed relatives.
Five days later comes a joyful festi-
val, the Feast OF Tabernacles During
the reading Of certain psalms 10 the
day service the reader holds festive
wreath Of leaves Of palm and myrtle,
symbolizing the rich fruits Of the earth
for which this is festival Of thanks.
giving.
The festival lasts eight days the last.
the Day OF Conclusion (Shemini axe,
reth) terminating the festival. The
strict orthodox Hebrews observe EACH
Of the various days, and alec the day
following because, they say, month
having 29l days, it is doubtful just on
which Of tde two days the festival
really falls. However, only one day
Of Atonement is observed By them.
On the Feast Of Tabernaeles a nun.
Der Of them build little lodges in their
houses OF gardens, 10 which they dwell
during the days of that feast. This
celebration euds on the ninth day, the
the day Of rejoicing at the law (Shiu.
kath tOrah). on which day the reading
Of the Pentateueh, portion OF which
Is read at every service, sis, them con-
eluded. sGF