Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-09-30
JEWISH HOLY DAY
BEING OBSERVED
Special Services in Synagogues,
Fasting and Praying Mark
Day of Atonement.

The Day Of Atonement, Yom Kippur,
the hottest day in the Jewish year. is
being celebrated today with special
services IN the synagogue. Beginning
with sundowR yesterday services 10
mark the day were observed, continu-
ing through today till shutdown. At
Temple Emmanuel, Davenport, Rabbi
A l. Weinstein last evening delivered
a sermon on the theme. Building the
House OF Humanity" his theme this
morning was Seeing God" and this
afternoon at 3 o'clock a special me-
mortal service was held. the Rabbi
taking as the subject of his discourse,
In the Sacred Halls of Memory"
The business houses of the Jewish
people are closed for the day and the
people fast and pray. The meaning
and Importance of the festival are
explained in the following notice sent
out by the Central Conference of
American Rabbits:
The Day Of Atonement, Yom Kippur,
the hottest day in the Jewish calendar
falls this year on the Both day of Sep
TENDER. The Hebrew date is the 10th
of Tishri- The festival is ordained in
Leviticus XVI 1884 and XXIII 1882. /
II both passages it is styled "A Sab /
bath of Solemn Rest"
The purpose of the Day of Atone !
ment is clearly indicated by its name. |
1t is intended to complete and crown 1
the work of the penitential season, be-
gun on the first of Tishri New Year,, !
by finally reconciling the soul with the /
Almighty. Implicitly trusting in the
Divine forgiveness. the Israelite be-
lieves that his contrition, If il be really
sincere, will atone for him, will make
him "at one" once more with his
Heavenly Father. The day, then. is
devoted to a mighty endeavor after
with the Almighty. 1t is
spent in prayer and meditation.
II is kept, too. as a fast, in obedi-
ance to the command given in each of
the two passages above cited where
The expression "afflict his soul" must ,
De understood, in accordance with the
traditional Interpretation, as synOny- !
nous with fasting.
The chief, the real aim of the Day of ,
Atonement is the return from evil to
rood, or in other words, the reconcile I
ltion Of the individual soul with the /
he external elements of the days OBJ I
worship and austerities q
are intended 10 promote this :u- l
rene purpose. They cannot do duty 7
or it. The act of fasting is partly to S
erve as a self-imposed chastisement, 6
nd partly it has a reflex Influence. f
or hunger and weakness tell upon r
he conscience; they mortify pride, r
reak down obstinacy, cast men down a
efOre God in humility and contrition. q
ut fasting does even more than that. q
aking the worshipper away from e
Ich carnal occupations as eating and
ii helps 10 fix his thoughts
pom the needs of the soul. II makes l
le day one of physical abstinence and
.lf-denial, but also of correspondingly ,
creased spirituality.
The sublime of Neilah prayers con-
itute the closing services of the day.
ere the triumphant note of reconcile
ion with God sounds clear. The +
ayers advance in the scale of ecstacy
Id the worship Of the day eliminates
the glorious outburst by the assem-
ed multitude of Israel's great watch
ord. Hear o Israel. the Lord is our
ID, the Lord is One" and its accom-
nying phrases, Praised be the gIor- =,
Us name OF His Kingdom forever and :.
err" the whole closing with the stir :,
~ confession, spoken seven times. I,
.donoy hu hoelOhim." the Lord is =
ID. the Lord is Cod =,