The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-02
IN CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR.

rre Jewish Festival Rosh Hashanah
to Begin Tonight.
The .Je wish New Year, 1852 A. NJ, will
hsgin at sunset to-day. The new year will
tegiu exactly at 6 O'Clock, at which hour
soryices will be held in the synagogues and
,yirl he continued tomorrow morning at 9
#o'clock.
#,o-morrow and the day will be given up to
the holiday. The orthodox Israelites OBJ
serve two days on account of the doubt as
10 the certainty of the proper day. This il
the custom Of thousands of years ago,
FOR which, since calendars have been pub
Iished there is really no necessity, but it is
Eent up as an old custom with great sacred
few words concerning Rosh Hashanah,
it's origin and manner of celebration will
prove interesting;
The feasts and holy days observed by the
Hebrews and the days 50 distinguished in
n the Jewish calendar are all reckoued &C
cording to the lunar system, contrary to all
her religious denominations who observe
their holidays according to the solar reckon
The rule thus adopted distinguishes, in
& the first place, every first day of the month
g.. every new moon day as a semi-holi-
day, and, in fact, the day denominated
III "H0sh Chodesh" was always observed, while
al tbe TEMPLE in Jerusalem was in existence
and the high priest oficiated as q day on
which additional sacrifices were offered on
n the altar beside those which were sacrificed
every day.
Thus, for instance, the passover, which
occurs in the first month of the Jewish cal.
endar and which commentaries the exodus
from Egypt, is distinguished by the histori-
cal fact, and the preparation for the feast
begins with the appearance OF the new
moon.
OF course the regular order Of Jewish
ritualism does not begin until after the
Mosaic legislation and from that period all
feasts and holy days properly date. and the
DAYS thus observed by the Hebrews OF the
present day are Communicated according
to the ordinances of the Pentateucn.
As to the New Year Rosh II ashauah it
may seem to many peculiar characteristic
that it should be observed on the first day
in the first month Of the Jewish calendar,
but as all Jewish feasts without any excep-
ton are distinguished by more or less of
religious character, even such as bear his
torical stamp, therefore the popularity is
more discernible. Especially is this so with
the Hebrew new year, which is dstin-
gushed by the most important religious
feature. except the day of atonement, which
comes ten days afterward.
The Pentateuoh defines the first dav of
the seventh month with three different
characteristics. In the first place it COM
mands that the day shall be holy convo-
cation on which no manner Of work shall
be done.
Second, it shall be day of memorial,
aud, thirdly a day of blowing or sounding
the cornet. From the fact that the Mosaic
law ordains tnat it should be observed oy
distinction of threefold character, it be-
becomes evident that Moses must have had
it additionally that the first day of the
seventh month was observed in a solemn
manner before his time and even before the
last of the patriarchs emigrated into the
land OF the Nile
The maiE reason, however, why the
Rosh Heshonah is observed on the first day
Of Tishri is because it is supposed that on
that day the creator called the world into
existence.
Tradition abounds in many a legend
VIII, h have become so firmly rooted in the
religious character that many of these
have been perpetuated by some religious or
ceremonial expression. Thus, for instance,
It'll additionally related that on this day
Abraham went on Mount Moriah to offer
bis son, Isaac. in which commemoration
the cornet is blown, Or, rather. the rams
horn.
In ancient times the day has been kept
with the greatest rigidity as religious con-
vocation and strictly abs.ained from all
labor
The liturgy of the synagogal service for
the new year and day Of atonement ex-
presses the deepest sentiments and is the
most touching by It's sublime composition.
1t is safe to assert that there is no other
denomination which possesses a liturgy to
equal it,
The liturgy is mostly composed in
Hebrew and is of two different characters,
one purely penitentlal the other highly
poetcal but only of such character as is
found in the subiimest psalmistc express
sons. The prayers picture in glowing col
orS the relations of man to his maker, the
purity and impurity of man, and leads hun
through the hills and deep valleys Of life