The mirror., 1921-09-29

mer season, and new year for kings
also in the spring. As time went on, and
the emphasis of the agricultural, farmer
life became more and more pronounced
it was that new year for crops that be
came the central new moon festival in the
lives of the people, for it meant the most
III the welfare of the nation. True, the
new year for kings continued to be the civil
new year day. as we find by comparison
of biblical accounts with Babylonian
stone documents which have been discov-
red in ancient ruin, but it was the farmers
New Year that stood out in the calendar.
Strange are the caprices of history which
lead the world today to regard the Jew as
first and last commercial people. Origi-
nally pasture folk, they are really far
mer nation, and only the stress of circum-
stances, the prosecutions and limitations
of the middle ages and early modern times
have forced them into the commercial
world.
So is was, because of its Importance in
the season of crops that this fall new year,
became the Rosh hashono, the chief head
of the entire year. In the ancient Temple,
the day was signalized by the blowing of
trumpet made out of rams horn. To-
day that custom is still retained in the
well-known Blowing of the Shofar" as 5
done during the services in the synagogues
and Temples. In its origin, this trumpet
blast was merely the signal of a holiday
at time when family almanacs were un-
known and means of communication were
limited to oxcarts. Special sacrifices were
offered in those ancient days of animal
sacrifice, and all work was given up for
the day.
Today, however, only the Shofar blast
remains as the relic of the ancient cele-
bfation, and solemn prayer and inspiring
music mark the observance of the day.
Like all Jewish holidays, it begins in the
evening and concludes the following even
ing, basing itself upon the old creation
story of genesis which places the evcnin;
first in the famous words, "And it was
evening" and it was morning, one day."
Although in its origin, the day was a
new year of the crops, in which prayers
were offered chiefly for the success of the
harvest The nature of the New Year
has undergone radical changes in the pro-
:ess of time. The chief theological signif-
,ance which it conveys at this time, and
las conveyed for the past twenty centuries,
S the note of spiritual rebirth. To the
'abbis of the Talmud, that great and mon
lmental collection of Jewish law and
egend, the day meant sort of yearly
lay of reckoning, a Judgment day. This
s told in a most striking allegorical fash
on by the ancient rabbis.
On the New Year day, they say, three
looks are opened before the Most High.
n these books the fate of all mankind for
ne year that is to come, is inscribed. In
ne book are written the names of the
ighteous. Immediately on the New Year,
hey are inscribed for life, and for
prosperous year. In the middle book are
he names of that great majority, the
either perfectly righteous nor hopelessly
wicked. Judgmeet upon them is with
eld until the great holiday of the day of
tenement which follows in ten days. If,
y their actions, they show change of
cart during those ten days. their names
re inscribed in the book with the right
ous. If they prove themselves consistent
: wicked at that most sacred time of the
ear, their names go into the third book,
mong the names of the wicked, to be
lotted out from life. AT the close of the
ay Of atonement the books are closed,
nd mans fate is decided for the year that
es ahead.
In this allegorical fashion, some strik-
g truths of Judaism are presented. Judg-
ent day is not mystical event which