San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-09-15
ROSH HASEONAH.
CELEBRATION OF THE JEWISH
NEW YEAR.
Its Significance and Symbolism
The Sabbath of Repentance
and Day of Atonement.

Yesterday afternoon at sunset the jew
ish new year Rosh Hashonah, 1851, began
and was observed all of today very
scrupulously by the Jewish residents of
this city.
In the Temple Beth FL last night, very
solemn services were held and fine choir
was present. The congregation was
large.
Rabbi Jacobson led the services. This
congregation worShips after the manner
of the Reformed church.
In the Knights of Pythias hall, the Or
thodox congregation, Agudas Achim,
held services, led by Rabbi Edelhertz.
Their services consisted in congregational
singing and prayer.
Both congregations held services today,
the latter continuing their service until
tomorrow. while with the Reformed
church the day ends at sunset.
Its Hebrew name is Rosh HashOnah,
although in the Pentateuch where it is
first ordained, it is known only by the
names of Yom Teruah, the Day of Blow
ing the Trumpet, and Yom HaZzikkaron,
the Day of Memorial. To these is yet
added the name OF Iom Haddin, the Day
of Judgment In the allegory of the
Rabbits is beautiful myth to the effect
that on this day God sits in judgment on
the deeds of His people with two ledgerS
before him, each presided over by a re-
cording angel. The angel that records
the good deeds is happy and wreathed
in sunny smiles. The angel recording the
evil, is streaming with tears so that his
ledger is botted, whereas the formers is
clean The good men are inscribed TO
happy life, whence the usual greeting
among the Jews to this day: "LeSh-
anah tOva tikkaSayO" (MayeSt thou
be inscribed to good year, Those.
of evil are inscribed for misery, but
have this day the opportunity for repent
ance which opportunity is heightened I'M
til the Day of AtOnement, the IOm Hak-
kippurim, making ten days of penitence
in all, from Rosh Hashonah to the Day of
Atonement, inclusive, and called in He
brew, Asereth Yemai Tishubah. The
RoSh HaShonah is thus day for sum-
moning the deeds Of the past year before
the mind, symboized by the summoning
notes of the rams horn, and the observ-
ance of the day is characterized by in
sion of sins, REPAYMENT as far as possible
of all injury or wrong committed during
the year, sincere repentance and honest
resolutions. 1t is thus made in truth
day of soul trumpeting, day of remem-
brance and day of self Judgment. while
from lJS very character III Is worthy De-
ginning of the religious New Year.
The Day of AtOnement is but the con-
clusion and the ntenSiticatiOn
of these thoughts and Senti-
mentS, made so profound that the man
becomes, or rather should become, so alb
sorbed in them that he has no time or in
clinatiOn for his physical wants, remains
in the synagogue all day, observes a COM
plete fast, not tasting any food, nor
taking even the slightest swallow of
water. From the character of these two
days, which are totally different from
all the other Jewish holidays which are
prominently days Of rejoicing. with
Cod they are called the "YOmim
NorOim," the awful or sublime days.
The services for the Day of Atonement
which takes place on the eve of the 23rd
and the day of the oath of this month,
will be announced later. The Sabbath
that intervenes between these two days
has a special sanctity and is called
Shabbes Teshubah, the Sabbath of Re-
pentance.