Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-09-08
ROSH HASHANA AND
THE EAUTYOF|TS
SIGNIFICANCE
Writer in Jewish Outlook Tells
of the Meaning ofthel Jewish
New Year Which, Begins Tor.
GlaJsa ltr1f4t W. fntk ieH|
morrow, q y p '

Tomorrow Is Rosh Hashana, the
Jewish New Year. one OF the most inn
| portant days in the calendar. Eman-
uel Schneider writing in the Jewish
outlook Of Denver, thus describes the
Significance Of the days:
The Jewish New Year, so generally
| observed by the Jews of the whole
world, even by those whose allegiance
to Judaism hangs on a thin thread,
has very few special ceremonies and
customs which distinguish IL from
the other days of the year.
so far as the Thorah is concerned,
Rosh Hashana IL neither a DAY or
Judgment" dom Hadin), nor an an
niversary of the creation of the world
(Jom Rorath Obam). Even its pres
ent meaning as a DAY OF Remem-
brance" dom Hazikaron) is vastly
different from what the Thorah meant
to convey in the words: And We
shall be remembered before your
God" But all this. far from detract-
Ing from the days importance and
significance, Is only n more proof
" proof were needed, of the wonder
full power of adaptation which has al
ways been the characteristic feature
Of Judaism as a religion.
The Jewish New Year does not be-
gin with the first month OF the year,
Nissan, In the spring, when nature
awakens from its winter sleep and
flowers and trees blossom: but with
the seventh month of the year, In the
fall, when the leaves fall from the
trees. and nature goes TO sleep. This
peculiar fact distinguishes our New
| Year celebration from that of old ana
| modern religions. While the latter
celebrate the end OF the old and the
beginning OF the new year amidst
ioilincation, noise, and not seldom
scenes of widest revelry, in order to
drown in forgetfulness every serious
thought, Judaism celebrates Its New
Year In the fall to remind us OF the
perishability of human life n of the
| instability and changeableness of all
earthly things. "Nichts ish so be-
staendig ais der Wechsel." Nothing IL
80 stable as is instability is the one
! great message Of ROsh Hashana. just
| because hours, days, weeks, months.
and years are like leeting shadows.
we should make the best possible use
Of time, as the Psalmist has IT,;
Teach us. o, God, 10 number our
days, in order that We might bring
home a heart of wisdom"
Therefore the Shofar trumpet or
cornet should arouse our conscience
and stir us to be up and doing. to be-
gin not Onl va new year, but a new
and better life or as Maimonides puts
Il: "The Shofar admonishes usa
'Shappen Maassechem.' "Beautity
your life %(alludlng to the double
meaning Of the root 'shofar') by no.
| BILE deeds"
The rabbls made OF our New Year
a Judgment day" Accordingly God
sits on Rosh Hashana on his throne,
surrounded by secretaries who write
down the names of all h Jews in
the world, weigh on a scales their
good and evil action during the past
year. II the good actions outweigh
the bad. Gods judgment Is favorable.
II not, God DEGREES death or loss OF
health og fortune for the wicked. But
there Is a large class composed OF
those who are neither good nor bad
(Be nonim), the so-called average
To them God gives eight days time,
between Rosh Hashana and JON Kip
pur. II they repent and amend their
conduct. the evil decree against them
will be changed In their favor. If,
however. they stubbOrnly persist In
their sinfulness, God will show no
mercy to them. This legend Is prac-
tically embelllshed In the famous
Mussaf prayer ''U-nessam neh Tho
kef," by Rabbi Ammon, the Jewish
marytyr Of Mayence, Germany.
The rabbis of the Talmud never
meant TO convey the Idea that We
Jews must literally believe that our
omniscient God, like some %potentate
OF the Orient, holds regular court
only once a year, and that he Is in
need OF three books In which the
names OF acts of the three mentioned
classes OF people are fully written
down. Else they would never have
made the statement hat man IL
Judged by God every day, yes. every
hour Of his life. adam INDIAN be-
koi jom-be-kol shaah). But the
sublime lesson that there Is a God IN
history who ultimately judges indt-
vlduals and nations In Righteousness
the-Zedek1 underlies this old legend.
Il may take time. a long I'M before
wrongs are righted, but justice and
truth must and will triumph In the
END. The wicked may blossom and
bloom, but only like grass for a time.
The righteousness, however, blossoms
like the palm tree and like the cedar
slowly but surely. The same Is the
case in the history of nations. No ma
ton could live Ions without the foun-
dntion OF Justice and righteousness.
THE this foundation was de-
stroyed the nation, no matter how
mighty. persisted. Babylon. Rome,
SPAIN France, before the revolution
lof i7Ss: and Russia today. prove the
truth OF this statement. Frederick
IsrhHfar'a fmmortal words. "nie
Weltgeshichte ish Ia Weltge richie.
lonN reiterate the old Jewish idea Of
JONI Hadin." judgement Day" u
Is Tor this reason that Rosh Hashana
b. also a DAY OF Remembrance
! tJom Ha Zikkoronl. We should not
attempt 20 drown by pleasure and
amusement our failures, sorrows. sins
OF commission and omission, but TO a
lhe the contrary, remember them on
Z New Years day. painful as such tear
Ing open Of old wnunds might be 10 us.
We must remember them, bring them
before the judgment seat of our own
conscience. resolve TO turn a new leaf
and % herome hettgr men aud