Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-10-11

tivities-The Significance Of the
Festival Ably Explained Last
Evening by Rabbi Levy joy as
Much a Religion Duty as Sorrow.
Judaism is Distinctively an OPP
timistic Religion.
Succoth, known as the Feast OF Tab
ernacles, which is the last of the au-
tumn festivals observed by members
of the Hebrew faith, commenced last
evening at sunset and will be continued
until next Monday. On that day the
Rejoicing in the Law and the Eighth
Day will be celebrated together. This
festival following the Day of Atone
ment, a time of deep meditation and
ADMINISTRATION, is almost opposite in
its character.
The significance of the festival was
fully brought out in an able sermon by
Rabbi Levy last evening, delivered to
large sized congregation at the Syna-
gogue. He said that the Feast of Tab
ernacles has always occupied a distinc-
tive position in the history of Israel.
Down through the course of the CEN
turtles from it's very inception this fes-
tival was characterized by joyous fes-
tivities, by happy celebrations of all
sorts and kinds. Plays equalling in de-
gree of hilarity and mirth, those usual
ly introduced on Purim, and entertain
ments, tending to draw from the audi
ences bursts of laughter rather than
tears of sorrow, were features of the
which might form a source of joy or of
laughter, intellectual pastimes, inno-
cent diversements, all were INDUCED in
with such enthusiasm as to bespeak
on the part of the people determine
ton to realize on this occasion the
highest possibility of happiness. Nor
did such means of celebrating the day
cease at any time throughout the course
of the centuries even when ghetto
light as to render all things obscure
and tended to cast an atmosphere of
gloom over the actions of the people.
Even then such festivities were con-
tinued and the day was observed with
joy and happiness, all the more remark
able because of the surroundings and
all the more noticeable and effective
because of the contrast which their
home life presented to their political
existence At first sight such methods
of celebrating a festival, holiday may
not be considered the acme of religious
worship But l am convinced that
little study of the matter will bring TO
us indisputable evidence of the fact that
our first conclusion is wrong and that
a festival of mirth and JOY must oc-
cupy as important position in the CAL
endar of any religious faith as does
day of sorrow and meditation. 1t is
rather distinctive of Judaism that it
recognized this fact, that despite the
seriousness of life as whole it had Of
necessity to have it's bright features,
that without joy and happiness of
legitimate nature, life itself was not
worth living 1t is thus significant
that following Immediately upon the
close of the penetential season comes
the season of joy that solemnity gives
way to happiness and that the two
spheres of life are presented to the view
of human kind.
We fail even to this day to realize
that it is as much religious injunc-
ton to be happy and make others
happy as it is to be solemn, sad and
Sorrowful that it is as much our duty
to look at the sunshine as at the dark
ness, at the dawn as at the fall of
night l say with intense emphasis
that religion may hold itself in great
part responsible for the division of the
world into the extremes of pessimists
and optimists. The former gives its
u6NUt0oS 1O uODe III HE, doho VI tliCll
but to grieve, urges upon them the
necessity for looking at things through
tlackened glasses. Into a different
realm the optimist leads us. We seem.
to leave a world of darkness to enter
a world of light, We turn from realm
of foreboding to realm of purpose
and confidence, from sphere of sor
row to one of joy, from veritable death
to life itself Things are not invented
here. They are looked at in their
right light All the world takes on an
easy color CHEEKY atmosphere. We
behold the beauties in tree and flower,
we see the grandeur in river and
mountain, we realize that life has
something worth living for, we realize
that we can, Il we so desire, have our
earthly sojourn characterized by hap
piness and joy, and to this end do we
strive whole-hearted and whole
souled. Such has been the aim of
Judaism from its earliest days, to make