The herald., 1893-09-10
TEMAH-SHEWOR|M-T -TERUOH
The Sounds of the Shofer on
R0sh- -Hashanah.
The Hebrew Festival Which Will
Commence This Evening.
The Jewish New Year Celebration
Begin Today-The Legends of
the Occasion and Its
Significance.
LEY RABBI A. W. EpELMAN.l

Inc hebrew year 000o GLOBES ltd eXiht'
ence this evening after sunset, and the
same time begins the year 1854. from
the so-supposed creation OF Adam &C.
cording to Biblical, rabbinicsl and
ancient Jewish calendar.
''Sound ye the shofsr on the new
moon, and on the day of our appointed
solemn feast day. For it is statute
unto Israel, an ordinance of the God OF
Jacob" psalm lxxxi. 4, 81
In obedience to this command, the
shofer is still blown on Rosh- Hashanah
in every synagogue throughout the
world.
The shofer ia made of rams horn, in
sllusion to the ram caught and sacrificed
by the patriarch Abraham on Mt. Mo-
riah in place of his son Isaac.
Three different sounds of the shofer
are given on Roeh- -Hsshanah, namely.
Tekiah, alarm, convoking the congreea-
tion and srousing the sinner from his
wicked and evil ways; Sheworim,
broken tones, symbol that we shall
break off our passions and omissions
and return to God; Teruoh. shout of
jubilee and Joy, sign that God is mer-
ciful and ready to receive us in his
divine paternal grace and mercy.
Rosh- Hashanah is known by three
different names, viz, Yom- -Hazikoron, q
day of memorial; Yom-Teruoh, q day Of
sounding the shofer, and Yom-Haddin,
a day of judgment, which we express in
English as New Year. A new year, q
new life.
Several legends are given by the an
cient rabbis of the Tslmud in connect
ion with Rosh- Hashanah.
The angels in heaven asked the Al
mighty, when is Rosh- Hashanah 2"
and God answered: '"There is no new
year in heaven. here all is eternity. If
you want to know when Rosh-H -Hashanah
is, go and ask man; he can and will tell
you on what day this sacred festival
occurs. For whenever man resolves
upon beginning new and better life,
then is his new year."
And the angels Frustrated themselves
in prayer and devotion before the throne
of the Most High, and sang in one grand
chorus: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
of Hosts; the whole universe is full of
His glory"
Another legend tells us, "that on the
morning Of this glorious holiday the cor
nets and trumpets resound through the
vaults Of heaven. 1t is the alarm, the
sign Of convocation.
"Fhe angels then assemble before the
throne of the Almighty in devote adora-
ton. They proclaim His kindness, His
providence and His might; they sing
psalms and hymns to Him as Judge and
Merciful Father OF the Universe. The
Book of Memorial is then opened, and
an invisible voice reads the deeds of
every created being done during the
past year. Then the Book of Life is
opened, and the same voice proclaims,
Who during the coming year will live
and who will die; who will be rich and
who will be poor" Thus the destiny Of
every creature is foretold.
But then appearasthe angel of divine
love and paternal mercy and says: "Re-
pentance. prayer, charity and benevo-
lence will avert the threatening calam-
ity." And the choir of angels shouts
with Joy and exultation: "Amen.
Amen"
OF course these legends are not liter
ally true, they are all poetical. God
does not need a sacred day OF judg-
ment. He judges man every day but
as we mortals are apt to forget the un-
certainty of life and the certainty of
death, Rosh- -Hashanah had been insti-
tuted to remind us of the shortness of
human life and the sacredness of our
duties to God and to all mankind.
We therefore assemble in our sacred
shrines, and during the divine service
add special prayers called Malchious,
Sichronos and Shoferos. In Malchious,
we proclaim God as our king and ruler !;
in Sichronos, we pray that God shall re-
member us with his divine love, and
inecribe us in the book of life, health,
peace and happiness; and in Shoferos,
which is the sign of victory, we also
pray that our sins may be forgiven if we
repent truly and make the proper
amends; and hope that the time will
soon come in which will be recognized
the common fatherhocd of God and the
common brotherhood OF man. This ie
the true meaning OF Rosh- Hashanah.
And in this manner did our ancient
rabbis desire to convey to us the true
idea that God does not wish to infiict
punishment upon US to blot out our sins.
ALI he wants Of us is, if we have sinned
and now repent 1t, to stop SHINING, to
return to God and he will return to US.
"Seek ye the Lord while he may be
found, calf upon him while he is near"
"Let the wicked forsake his way, and
the man of iniquity his evil thoughts !;
and let him return unto the Lord, for he
will have compassion on him, let him
return to God, for he will abundantly
pardon" Qsaiah iv. 6, ~ "As live,
saith the Lord God, have no pleasure
in the death of the wicked; but that
the wicked turn from his way and live /;
turn ye, turn yer from your evil ways
for why will ye die, o house of Israel ?"
ezekiel xxxiii, H.
Be just to your fellow man, render to
every one his due, opprcss none, perse-
cute none, and deprive none of his
rights. Justice must govern nations
and individuals alike. Before we are
generous, pious and religious, we must
be just to others and to ourselves.
Justice is the mother OF peace and the
well-being of all nations and individuals.
"Walk humbly with thy God" Appeal
to him in all questions OF Justice, abide
at his decision and submit your judg-
ment to bis. Be humble before God,
murmur not against his decrees, abuse
not his bountifuI gifts. "Walk humbly
before God." Welcome the new year
with a new heart, and strive to make
this new year far different from the
past years. Enter the house OF God
with prayer and duplication. Pray
that God may send you all year Of
health and happiness. Pray for peace
and prosperity to this our beloved
country. And finally. let us all pray
that Ha w hO rulaa ovar TINA and atar-