The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-09-25
Day of AtOnement.

The Jewish Day Of Atonement be-
gan at shutdown Tuesday and ended at
shutdown Wednesday.
This is the most sacredly observed
day in the whole Jewish year. The
twenty-four hours are characterized by
an entire abstinence of food, of both
eatables and drinkables, by all of the
Jewish faith over thirteen years of age.
Exceptions are only made in case OF
sickness or extreme old age.
AS many of our readers outside OF
those of the Jewish race, may be in
terested to the extent of desiring to
know more of this occasion, we print
the following:
The Jerish Messenger, published at
New York, thus speaks Of the day:
When the New Year arrives, all
other thoughts are banished by the
| vast ma ority of our brethren, and poor
and rich, old and young, prepare to
celebrate the season. 1t continues to
be the grand rallying day of Israel
wherever scattered, and forms still
mighty nerve centre of our faith. The
crowded assemblies at temple and syn
agogue. often on the busiest day of the
week. when every other influence
would seem to overt the Hebrew from
any formal observance, indicate that
the Jewish heart is faithful and re-
spends Loyalty to the Shophar's call.
And no less significant is the festal
atmosphere in the poorest tenement,
where the voice of devotion and the
hymns Of gratitude resound sweetest to
the Almighty.
1t might appear strange that the
new year commences with the seventh
month. But it must be remembered
that the Jewish year IA lunar Year, is
divided into two parts, a summer half
year commencing with Nissan, the
first month of the year and winter
half year commencing with Tishri.
According to the express injunction of
scripture Exodus xii. q the national
year commenced with Nissan, when
Israel's national life began with the
deliverance from Egypt. But in re-
ligious respect and in regard to the
counting of years the month of Tishri
is considered as the beginning Of the
ysar, in accordance with the course of
nature, which in fall, after the ccm-
pleted harvest, concludes the circuit of
the annual activity for man, as we'll as
for the earth, while, therefore, in
counting the months, Nissan is always
mentioned as the first. New Year is
celebrated in Tishri, the seventh
month. In the Mosaic law this festival
is not termed Rosh Hashanah, but
Yom Teruah, day of founding the cor
net. The biblical passages referring
to this festival, read: ''In the seventh
month, On the first day of the month,
shall We have rest, day of memo
rial of sounding the cornet, holy con-
VOCATION Just as the seventh day OF
every week is set aside in the divine
law as our Sabbath, SO the seventh
month Of the year is consecrated more
than any other to devotional and spir-
itual exercises. 1t is the sabatical
month comprising a large proportion
of our holy days, the first of the month,
New Year; the tenth, the day of atone
ment; the fifteenth, the feast of booths.
The first day of the month was, there
fore. to be distinguished by the sounds
of the cornet in addition to those of the
silver trumpets which were blown in
the temples at all festivals. Hence its
name ebay of Cornet,' or ebay Of
Alarm Sounding.'' The alarm-sound-
ing should awaken the Israelite from
his spiritual lethargy and invite him to
serious reflections and self-examina-
ton and in this way prepare for the
coming great day of atonement, the
Sabbath of Sabbaths, the hottest day
of the year. Gradually, in the later
: prophetical times, the day of cornet
was invested with the character of the
beginning of the new year, Rosh Ha-
shanah, which name is already used
by the prophet Ezekiel, xxi. ~ By
this new character the original signif.
canoe of the day was greatly increased
The principal idea connected with Rosh
Hashanah is that God, the Almighty
Creator of the world, is at the same
time our Ruler and Judge. His prov.
idence decides the fate Of the individual
as we'll as of mankind. Life and death
happiness and misfortune, are destined
by Him. To Him man is accountable
for his acts and deeds, commissions
and omissions. Before His judgment
t throne all human beings are cited ant
they are Judged according to the RECORD
of their lives. Their names are en-
. tered either on the Book of Life an(
. . eternal happiness or on the book O
! death and perdition. But we may
D Change the DEGREES Of God by repent
n ing. Repentance, prayer and charity
= are our means for atonement. In oul
: time New Year and the Day of Atone
: ment are observed more generally thar
: any of the other festivals. On these
+ days the temples are filled with devou
! worshipers, the prayers are recitet
v with fervency and the words of admo
milton from the lips of the spiritua
guides find open ears and willing minds
2 The time-honored cornet sounds at thu
: morning service re-echo in the heart o
5 the devoted Israelite, awakening il
conscience and reminding him to com
mence with the new year uew, ;
better conduct of life. The ten day
+ between New Year and the Day o
t Atonement are called ''the ten days o
t repentance If during those days w
i. sincerely and earnestly repented of on
$ sins then we will find the willing ear 0
2 God who gladly forgives His erin,
: children.