The Denver Jewish news., 1922-09-20
Tashlich
I'1vn
BY Morris Saremsky.

My father used to take me along
whenever he went to Shool. Chossini.
to briss. to Bal Mizva. to Il ridion
Hoben. and everywhere, where there
was any connection with judaism or
Jewish religion. Father used to say to
me. if you want to be jew you have
TO he acquainted with every little thing
on Judaism. because judaism hasn't
got big mitzes or small mitzcs. big
nevarros nor small nevarros. Every
little thing in Judaism is law-and
to be a right living jew you have to
observe all things, little or big.
found every thing interesting that
my father took a delight in showing
me. One thing impressed me more
than anything else especially. On
Rosh Hashono you go to the lake and
that you have no sins-you feel that
you are n clean man. OF course, my
father told me these things, but he
never saw the Importance of making
me observe them, and up to the time
was thirteen years old | was not re-
sponsible because not yet being jew.
Father waiting patiently for me to be-
come thirteen, he felt then that l had
become a man in the sense as regards
the age limit of responsibility set forth
according to the Jewish Law. l my
self during all the years looked for
ward with eagerness to that day when
would assume the responsibility of
my conduct and behavior in judaism.
The time came-at last-after the
custim of celebrating the occasion of
my thirteenth anniversary, and my
father bought me the Tffillin. 1t was
then he told me "Now you are accord
understanding of yourself and of
Judaism, and from now on whatever
deed you perform, whatever words
you utter, shall be recorded against
you for good or bad.
Many years have passed since, but
there still remains vividly before me
the picture of that day. The thrills
that ever remain. The day felt the
Importance of the great responsible
ties which were placed upon me thru
becoming a man. Well do l remem-
ber as my father gave me the TfhlEn
and my mother embroidered beauti-
full silk velvet Tffillin bag, how proud
I was of my possession and again how
my father warned me not to drop my
Tffillin under pain of punishment from
the Great one above-that it was un-
forgivable.
l was so overcome with enthusiasm
new change in life, from boy to
real man, that l ran out of the house.
Unfortunately, the Tffillin bag and its
precious contents fell out of my hands.
You can now imagine my great grief
on realizing that according to Judia-
ism a sin such as l had just COM
mitted should befall me when the
warning had not yet died from my
hearing. Being somewhat scared and
very much afraid to confde my terri
bic SIN TO any one yet. InlS time
happened few days before Rosh
Hashona. In this 1 found immediate
solace. for I knew that Tashlich could
relieve me. | would make my way to
the lake and L would empty my great
sin, then come away clear. Great was
my sorrow and fear when learned of
announcement in shool, warning the
Jewish people not to go to the Tash-
Itch because of threatened pogrom
which was imminent in that town.
You can readily see how greatly
alarmed | became because this great
burden prevented me from going to
this lake to cast out my sins. In fact,
my conscience is still tormenting me.