The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-09-23
JEWISH HOLIDAYS.
Hebrew New Year Commenced at
Sunset Monday.
Yon, Kippur Comes the Tenth Day
Thereafter.


The Jewish New Year, or Rosh Has
: Ionah, will occur next Tuesday,
though the event will really commence
the previous evening, Monday.
All Jewish holidays are observed
From sunset to sunset, as the HEBREW
calendar is reckoned according to sne
lunar count.
a full understanding of the fact OF
ghe New Year occurring in this, the
fall of the year, and a proper compre-
Sension of the nature of the celebra-
lion can be obtained by observing the
following facts concerning the lunar
calendar, by which the Jews, as IN
deed did all Semitic people, reckon
their dates: Following the phases OF
the moon, the year is divided into twelve
months, the first OF which, called
Nisan meaning the green month = J
marks the opening of the spring sea-
son. AS we of today count time, the
s New Year naturally suggests the hrst
day Of January, from which ame we
count our records. While perhaps lew
of us note the fact it will be reaoliy
recalled that the government, for ex.
ample, has placed the beginning OF
the fiscal year on July /.
For reasons Of expediency. governed
IN each case in accordance with the
necessities of the business, the larger
corporations, and indeed. many OF the
smaller industrial concerns, have each
their own time for the reckoning OF
their fiscal years. 1t is readily COM
Dgehensible, then, chat New Year.
5s relative term, having varying
signi6cations. according to what IL IS
Intended to denote.
January 1, commonly denoted as
the,' new year, is itself but the re-
suit of compromise, agreed upon !or
the sake of bringing some uniformity
into the system OF measuring Jlme;
Comparison with the Russian ana
French calendars will at once lndl-
cate that the Jews are not the only
ones adopting q different method.
One of the treaties of the Talmud,
the most stupen9ous Of Jewish liter
ary works, informs us: There are
fonr new years, one marking the day
from which dates are reckoned; an
other distinguishing the year OF the
trees e. Arbor Day. third indicat-
ing the year OF the Kings and docu-
ments' the fiscal year., and fourth
fixing the beginning OF the religious
season. The last of these so-called
new years, the Rosh Hashonah, is,
therefore, primarily and pre-eminent-
~ religious festival Semitic, and
particularly Jewish, tradition, has
alWays regarded the number seven
with special reverence.
The new year, the Rosh Hashonanl,
marks the beginning OF the seventh
month. It is the first in q great
cycle OF religious holy days. Ii such
q term could be applied from jewish
standpoint it is the opening OF the
great Jewish revival season. Affected
in great degree by the customs per-
taining in their surroundings 1T has
become the habit of making this day
the occasion Of happy celebration,
marked by the giving Of presents and
The expression of good wishes for
friends and dear ones. This, now,
ever, is merely Incidental. The real
meaning of the day is@ very dlthcult.
In its nature it is intended to be
very solemn and sacred occasion.
Coming. as it does, in the fall OF
the year, the season when the mind IN
conformity to what nature suggests,
is inclined to look more seriously upon
the meaning of things, and study the
deeper issues, it is time Intended
for serious consideration. 1t is but
She preparation for the later and
greater holy day (the Day Of Atone
ment or Yum Kippur}, which falls
L. SnII