The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-10-09
TABERNACLE
FEAST Is ON
JEWISH PEOPLE CELEBRATING
THANKSGIVING AND FALL FEs-
TIvAL - INTERESTING FEA-
TuREs CONNECTED WITH This
FESTIVAL.

Saturday marked the opening OF
the Feast OF the Tabernaclea, the
annual fall festival Of the Jewish
people commemorating the escape OF
their ancestors from the land OF
Egypt. The Feast OF the Tabernacle
combines the features Of Thanksgiv-
ing day and the fall festival and lasts
for seven days. Saturday and Sunday
were the opening days OF the feast and
the way in which two days came
to be set apart is of particular interest.
Scattered as they are over the whole
world, 1t is quite necessary according
to the Hebrew faith that all observe
the proper days for the Feast OF the
Tabernacles and for this reason the
period was extended by the old rabbis
over two days.
The law commands the Israelite to
dwell in booths for seven days, COM
mencing on the fifteenth day OF the
seventh month (Tisbri) to remind him
that God caused the children of Israel
TO dwell In booths when He led them
out OF the land Of Egypt. The eighth
day was ordained to be kept as a
solemn assembly" This win be OBJ
served on the Friday evening and
Saturday following Oct. 13 and IL.
Special services were held yesterday
in the local synagogue and there will
be further ceremonies during the week.
The feature of the ceremonial in con-
nection with the Feast of the Taber-
nacles is laid down In the law which
ordains that the Iraelite shall take on
the first day of the festival 'the fruit
of the goodly tree. the branches OF
palm trees. the boughs of thick leaved
trees and willows of the brook, and to
rejoice before the Lord" This Is OBJ
served by bringing citron fruit, palm
branch. myrtle and willow into the
house of God. In the book of Nehe-
miah viii. 10, Is detailed description
Of the celebration of this festival in
Biblical days.
The lulaw, tree similar to the
palm and the esrig, a fruit similar to
the lemon. are held in the hand while
the Psalms 112 to 11S are read by the
rabbi.
The festival Is in intent and cere-
mcnial thanksgiving festival, inter-
twining gratitude for Gods mercy
unto the people of Israel amidst the
nations of the world, with thankful
ness for his bounty and grace to each
Individual 1t Is the harvest festival
and the earliest thanksgiving feast,
the type after which the American
Thanksgiving day was fashioned.
The custom Of dwelling in tenn
porary huts or booths is not only to
remind the Israelite of the wanderings
OF his ancestors in the wilderness, but
also TO recall to his mind that God
has kept him throughout the year
amidst all life's uncertainties.
The festival has Of late been used
to encourage charity. The fruits of
the field are brought into Gods house
as sign of thankfulness and after
the service are sent to the hospitals
or the poor of the city. The attempt
has Of late been made to have the
children take a central part in the
observance OF this festival.
1t is the custom of the synagogue to
signalize the close OF the holy days
of the early autumn season by fes-
tivity thoroughly characteristic Of the
known as Simcath Torah,
"the rejoicing Of the law" The last
section Of the Pentateuchal weekly
lessons is read on this day and is fol-
lowed Immediately by the reading Of
the first part of Genesis.