New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-01
FEAST OF TABERNACLES.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HEBREW cERE-
MONIALS is EXPLAINED BY
RABBI MENDES

'Somr called ripened grapes concer-
trated sunshine" said Rabbi Pereira Mendes to a
Tribune reporter yesterday. The Festival OF Tab
ernacles be called concentrated religion and
poetry. For the duties OF the festival teach faith.
hope, charity, purity Of lfe-,hat is to say. in
word. religion. And the beautiful way In which
these teachings are enwreathed around the cere
monias of the day poetic indeed
THE striking feature Is the erection OF the booth
This is 10 remind the congregation of the booths
provided for the Hebrews in their sojourn In the
desert They must have faith always In the same
Providence. the Love and the same Protec-
ton which helped their fathers in those distant
days The roof Of the booth Is so constructed that
the stars can be perceived The stars are regarded
as the lamps that light the way to the grea; be-
yond. the realm OF hopes. the sweetest and
blest. for do not the Hebrews teach that life in
futurity higher life. with higher duties
and. at the same time. reunion with d, ones
Then, again. at this season the hand Of charity
must be opened. as. in the happy days In
Palestine the stranger. the Levite. the widow and
the orphan were taken to the homes of the festive
Hebrews. TO participate in the good gifts which a
bountful Prov. lence had bestowed.
Besides the booth. the orthodox Hebrews take
the palm branch which the symbol OF the
righteous man; the citron, which is the symbol OF
fragrant life fragrant with the practice OF love.
the essential OF Judaism. while in the other hand
they hold the myrtle the symbol OF modesty. and
that willow draws its nourshment from
the water. lie must draw his spiritual nourish-
ment from the waters Of fe-a term used 10 des-
ignate the Law.
The Jewish nation by keeping these and such
ceremonas alive year after year and century after
century. gives proof of wonderful loyalty and
patience. which must day be rewarded by the
realiza ton OF all their national hopes
orthodox Judaism is often misrepresented
that * Is well that vhe non-Jewsh world should
know how. In all the real duties of orthodoxy there
Is not ceremony which is not soul-inspiring. In.
deed. ceremonialism Is regarded the music and
poetry of religion. Either Of these arts may he
degraded into mere noise or jingle by some who
have had opp prtunity OF learning its soul-mO
ing power. So ceremonalism may be degraded
Roman Catholics use holy water without knowing
the full signf canoe Of all that II implies.
Most synat CUES, among them the Zlchror
Ephraim. in e Sixty-seventh-st.; the West End
in West Eight! iecond-st.: the Spanish and Portu
/ guese. at West Sevcntieth-st and Central Park
Will have booths. to which ALL Jew or Gentle, vii
! be welcome The reform Jews are recognizing
their mistake In discardng the poetry Of religion
and this year the Harlem congregation will have
booth. Many private families have their owr
booths I'm which they receive their friends whc
sogue booths v be opened at about In the even
| ing and at noon today and Tomorrow.
"A peculiar feature Of the services In the ortno
| dox synagogueS such as the Zichron Ephrain anc
| the Spanish ana Portuguese. Will be the waving o
the palms, amid The hosannas Of the congregation
These services. which usually include sermon IT
J English. begin hout II o'clock