Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-09-19
.ROSH HAsHANAH
TO BE OBSERVED
JEWISH NEW YEAR FESTIVAL
~ ,
OPENS SUNDAY WITH APPRo-
PIRATE SERVICES.

The ROsh Hashanah, or Jewish New
Year will be celebrated at the UT
building, Green and Second streets,
starting Sunday evening at 6 o'clock
and will continue until Tuesday even
ing at 6 o'clock. The following We'd
nesday, Sept. co. will be an all day
fast and is known as the day OF
atonement.
The significance Of the feast is ex.
planned in a circular issued for that
purpose by the Central conference OF
American Rabbits. 1t is as follows:
The feast of Rosh Hashanah or New
Years day, which inaugurates the
most solemn season of the Jewish re-
ligious year, begins this year on sun
day evening, September 20, and lasts
till shutdown Monday, the 81. Among
orthodox Jews who celebrate two days,
the following day, Tuesday, is also OBJ
served This day opens the Jewish
calendar year, five thousand six hun
dred seventy-five (5675)
The observance of this day as holy
season is commanded in two passages
of the five books of Moses, namely
Leviticus XXIII, "a and Is and Num-
bers xxx, 1. In neither passage Is
there any specific command as to how
the day is to be observed beyond the
|injunctions to blow the trumpet, to
hold holy convocation and to en-
gage in no servile occupation.
It is to be noted that this day is the
first day of the seventh month or the
day of the new moon of that month.
The new moon was observed as holy
season by the Jews of old; the seventh
month was particularly holy month,
as the seventh day was the holy day
of the week; hence the new moon OF
the seventh month was invested with
significance of far holier import than
the other new moon days of the year.
AS in all holy seasons no servile work.
no gainful occupation was to be fol-
lowed. !.
The Injunction to blow the trumpet
on this day was to call the people to
remembrance before the Lord. In the
course of time, this ceremony OF blow
ing the shofar became the central Tea
ture of the elaborate religious service
conducted on the day. Just as the
shofar called the people to remem-
brance before the Lord, SO also were
it's sounds to arouse the people to
their shortcomings and to their duties
in which they may have failed. The
day is called on this account Yom
hazikkaron-"The day of memorial"
Another idea which in time came to
be associated with the day was that
on this day God weighed mems actions
in the scale of justice. For this rea-
son another designation of the day is
Yom haddin THE day of judgment.
The days intervening between New
Years day and the day Of atonement
are called "The ten days of peni-
tence," during which the opportunity
is had to reflect finally on and repair
the wrongs done during the year; II
the repentance is sincere forgiveness
is gained on the eliminating day of
the holy season "the day of atone
ment."
The New Years day in the passing
of the centuries has thus come to en-
body the great religious ideas OF di-
vine justice and human responsibility.
AS the beginning of the Jewish re-
Hgious year it emphasizes the religious
uniqueness of the Jewish people, the
servant Of the one God. the priest peo-
| pie Of humanity.
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