The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-09-18
Observed by People of Race
as Religious Festival.
Origin Of Observance When Israel
Occupied Palestine ana Season
Of Work Commenced.
WHAT CELEBRATION MEANS

The Jewish. New Year, which be-
gins Wednesday eve and whose OBJ
servance Is continued until sunset
Thursday. is, next TO the Day of
Atonement. the most solemn day in
lsraels calendar OF holidays. Its OBJ
servance dates hack several centuries
prior to the present era. When Is
rael dwelt In Palestine, and was en-
gagged in filling the soil. and all OF
It's principal festivals were deter
mined and characterized by some par
ticular phase in agricultural life. as
blowing. seeding, growth and reaping
OF the grain and harvesting.
The New Year marked the begin
ming OF agricultural activities in Pal
estlne, and hence the opening OF the
economic year After the Jews were
deprived OF their fatherland and
we're scattered throughout the world.
the observance of this day was. new
ertheless. continued. though Its char
acter and Significance were some
what changed. Since the Jews were
usually governed in civil and eco
monte matters by the laws and Gus
toms that prevailed In the lad where
In they dwelt. this day came to be
regarded by the Jews as the New
Year less In civil, and more in a
religious sense, as II marks the be
ginning OF lsrael's season.
Based upon the pas age Lev. xii.
"a: Speak unto the children OF
Israel, saying. In the seventh month.
IN the first day Of the month, shall
be a solemn rest unto you, a mem
orial OF blowing of trumpets a holy
convention" II came to be regarded
primarily az \ "day OF memorial"
aud as the Judgment day when all
the Inhabitants OF the world. accord
ing 10 an old rabbinical interpreta-
lions. pass before the Creator for
judgment. Hence the day became
one of most solemn significance, and
was largely given over to reflection
and determination, and the days
Intervening between its commence
ment and the close OF the day of
atonement.' were designated as the
days Of penitence. or the season OF
repentance. Not that man could not.
or would not repent on any other
day. for il was common saying,
repent one day before thy death
q. e. every day. for no man knoweth
the day OF his DEATH. by the rabbi
OF old, understanding well that there
Is a time for everything. and know
Ing that In the strain and stress of
every day life. most men find but
little time for reflection and self
scrutiny and repentance, thought II
desirable that man should have a
special season OF self-eommunlon and
repentance, during which he might
live on a higher and loftier spiritual
and moral plane.
II is the beginning OF this season,
that the holiday. which falls on
Thursday next marks, and so deeply
has II entered into the consciousness
OF the Jewish people. and so great is
the tradition and the age and the
convent a attached to 1t. that al
most every one who calls himself a
Jew will observe this day and the
Day of Atonement, even though he
observes nothing else that is Jewish.
Nearly every Jewish house through
out the country is closed on the day.
and all work and labor suspended.
The New Year day has Its own
joyful and Joyous aspect. too, even
as the civil New Year has. New
Year cards are sent from one to the
other and New Years greetings and
visits are commonly exchanged. Thus
x becomes day OF serious con-
temptation and self-communion on
the one hand, and a day OF hope and
cheer and good fellowship on the
other. which sunny day Is character
istIc OF most Jewish festivals.