Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1889-01-26
EUROPEAN HEBREWS.
Peculiaritics of Their Bu aial Custom.

From the st James Gazette
The Jews rightly exclude all rela-
tlves from the chamber of n diving CO.
leligion;st. Only Strangers should be
present when the sou! leaves the body.
As sooa as death occurs all the vessels
in the house containing water are emp
tied. On the continent, where Jews
res de, the cmptying Of the water YES
se!s in the public roadway is the usual
method of notifying that death has
occurred. The practice had its origin,
We gather from the rabbinical Looks,
IN an old-world superstition that stand
ing water in such circumstances lie
came the abiding place Of certain evil
spirits whose presence in the house
was prajuuic:al 10Th To the dead and
to the living. In the interval between
death and internent the Jews lay the
corpse Oh the bare ground with the
feet toward the DOR The body is
covered, but notwithstanding occasion.
ally little straw--may lie pla ed
uader it. Then the two big toes are
tied together. On Sabbaths, it is no.,
! however, PERMITTED to remove body
on to the floor; it would be work
this should neverthel rss be done rab-
bmicgl ingenuity has contrived means
of accomplishing it without violating
the san 'tity of the day. A loaf of
breal is placed upon the corpse, and
the two together IRE lifted to the
grounl 1t is held that only the bread
has be2n moved, and this is permitted
on the Sabbath
Two or three hours before the in.
terment takes place, the ceremonial
/ publication Of tho body known Us the
tahlra takes place. 1t consists mere
~ III po1rinS several definite measures
| OF warm wa,er over the body while re
p ating the words, 81 viii pour on you
cleansing waters, and We shall be
81 aascd of vour uncleanliness; for all
Your impurities I will purify YOU" The
BODY is then placed in q co lin, attircd
in q white cotton gown as kiltle
This kirtle is in Northern Europe
presented to bridegroom by his bride
Oh the day of their wedding, and is
worn b. him en- certain occasions, such
as the day of atoncment and the Pass
over eve celebration. 1t is made by
the female relatives of the bride, but
shn herself must not take part in the
sewing of it. In Poland, Galicia, and
in Russia the bridegroom always wears
the death garment under the wedding
canopy during the performance of the
marriage ceremony. Besides the kirtle
the body is enveloped in praying
scarf, or talith used by the dee ased
during life. When this is done the
relatives are summoned. One by ono
draw near and bend over the coffin: q
friend takes a sharp knife and makes n
slit i'll one of the outer garments of the
mourner-on the right side if the de-
ceased be parent, on the left if n
child. The mournar himself then
rends the garment, according to the
custom OF the country. In the Ea
Jews tear the vestment clean across
in England it is only torn couple of
fingers ia breadth. The rent must not
he sown up for month, and the
mourning garment must he worn for
a parent fully eleven months. The
Spanish and Portuguese Jews rend
their mdergarments as we'll Except
among the German JewS-as they are
| called-in this country, the last offices
of the dead are performed by the
members of what are termed "Chevrah
kadisha," or Holy Brotherhood, an
organization formed in every orthodox
congregation only for this purpose.
No hired hands are suffered to perform
| for pay the last services needful in the
| case of departed co-religionist. The
kindness in this way shown to the dead
is regarded rs an act of the highest
merit, since from its very nature it is
! such as the recipient can never return.
The Legend Of II Rose.
There is 4 most sentimental story at
tached to the Gen. Jacqueminot rose.
Finding his daughter in the garden in
the embrace If lover he had forbid
den h,r to meet, the General killed
him on the spot, his blood flowing
whore pal, rose bush stood. The
daughter soon died OF despair and
asked 10 be buried in the garden where
| her lover died. Out of the grave grew
the bloodred res hat is now called
the JacIueminot
A Romeo OF Othe!lo's hue at Smiths