Wichita eagle., 1888-06-01
DAY OF ATONEMENT.
THE MOST SOLEMN EVENT IN The
JEWISH CALENDAR.
Prayer and Fasting for Twenty-four
Hours-Ancient Sacrificial Ceremonies.
Solemn Closing Service-Wearing YER
fable Shrouds-A Very Curious Custom.


average American can hardly understand,
still less can he appreciate, the awe and rev.
erence with which the Day Of Atonement 10
regarded by the jew 1t is the most sacred
twenty-four hours in the calendar OF the
Hebrew. Into the minutes of that day are
woven the splendors of his ancient temples,
the pomp and ceremonial of the Mosaic rit-
ual, the sadness of nation without home
The Jew was not condemned and a wanderer
when that sacred day was instituted.
By orthodox and reformed Jews alike this
day is held in reverence. Every one OF the
Hebrew faith will observe it by fasting and
PRAYER The time of this service is the tenth
day of the seventh month in the Jewish cal
endar The day is significant. 1t is
the tenth day TO signify the com
pleteness OF the atonement; it is the
seventh month because the month closed
the festal half of the Mosaic year, and
thus in sense, formed its Sabbath; it is the
tenth day Of the month, because, say the wise
men, on that day Adam sinned and repented,
Abraham was circumcised and Moses came
down from the Mount and found his people
worshiping the golden calf. The day thus set
apart is strictly and solemnly kept. On it,
and on it alone, is there fast en- joined The
Jew is expected to "afIiict his soul" on that
day, which means fasting in addition to re-
pentance and humiliation.
TIE ANCIENT CEREMONIAL.
The ancient ritual included a ceremonial Of
Oriental magnifcence The priests were
dressed in pure white linen, signifying sim
plicity Two goats were furnished by the
people upon which were cast lots-one lot for
r IL,
of bad spirit living in the wilderness One
of these goats was killed as a sin Offering
after the priest had slain bullock; then fol-
lowed that singular ceremony of sending the
living goat into the wilderness. A man ap-
pointed the year before led the goat away
into q district from which there was no re.
turn path.
The idea of this procedure evidently was
that the sins which had symbolically been
laid upon the goat did not return. The man
who had led the goat could not re-enter the
camp until he had washed his clothes and
himself. The high priest then took off his
linen garments, washed himself, put on his
usual dress and burned the fat of the other
goat upon the altar.
Since the destruction of Jerusalem the
Day Of Atonement has not been observed
with such imposing ceremonial But yet it
is kept up. In place Of the sin Offering there
is the expiatory prayer. In which there are
many beautiful passages. The modern OBJ
servance of the day consists Of rigorous
fast, beginning at sunset and continuing
until the next evening at O'clock Not
drop Of water nor O morsel of food can be
taken in that time. This observance is bind
ing on every Jew, except those who are too
III to risk the fast. The synagogue services
begin about sunset and las. several hours
They are resumed the following morning at
o'clock and continue until sunset The
services consist of a set ritual Of prayers for
forgiveness, expressions of contrition and
promises of amendment. Selections from
the law and prophets are read, and addresses
upon the topics of the day are made by the
rabbis The music for the day is pitched in
tone of special solennity. striking
feature of the service Is the memorial of the
dead. SO called, in which not alone tho names
and virtues of departed members of the con-
gregatiou are mentioned, but the fact Of
their departure is used to point lesson Of
morality, and their memory employed to in
cite the pious emulation of those who mourn
them. In many congregations very large
poses.
SOLEMN CLOSING SERVICE
The closing service, which begins Just be-
fore shutdown, is pitched in a still higher key
OF solemnity. The synagogue is then crowded
to its utmost. Those who have gone out dur
ing the day for ART is very wearisone sit
ting in a crowded room for twelve hours; be-
sides, the effects Of the fast are beginning to
be felt-return encouraged by the knowledge
that the close of the service is near The re-
sponses are louder The rabbi ascends the
steps of the ark to close its doors, which
have been open all day. The whole congle-
cation, standing, repeat the Shemang or He
brew declaration OF faith: Here, oh, Israel,
the Lord our God is one" Then follows the
repetition OF the peoples cry upon Mount
Carmel in Elijah's time seven times: "rhe
Lord he is God" The doors Of the ark are
closed and a single blast is blown upon a
rams horn, which dismisses the congreee-
ton. The article used in the service which
probably comes the nearest in resemblance
to the one used in Jerusalem before the Jew
hung his harp upon the willows is this rams
horn. 1t is just such an instrument as that
which Joshua and his band blew upon when
the walls of Jericho fell. Some little skill is
required TO blow it. 1t emits but one note,
and that of a peculiarly weird and mournful
character.
Following the custom established by the
priests in the early history of the cult, it has
been the habit from time inl1nemorial for the
men to wear the veritable shrouds or gar
meuts intended to be used at their burial
This practice, however, among the wealthier
Jews of this city has fallen into diSuse
Among the poorer congregations the white
garments are still worn. But rich and poor
alike yet cling to the little white cap which is
worn on the Day Of Atonement.
A very curious ceremony in connection
with this day is practiced by strict jews. On
the day previous to the Day of Atonement
each man takes cock and each woman q
hen, and swinging it three times around the
head they each exclaim: May this cock (hen)
TO death that l may go into the life Of the
blessed with all Israel Amen" The fowls
are then killed and given TO the poor, or else
kept and their value given.
a highly cultured rabbi, when asked this
morning if he made any preparations for the
fast by eating hearty meal, replied there
was time in his experience when he did so,
but he had found that such a course was in
furious. Now he eats only an ordinary meal.
But an aged clothing dealer On Chatham
stree: pursues different course. He eats all
that he can hold and saws be suffers 10 III
effects from so doing.-New YORK Sun.