iPßank of Banks^f
FIRST NATIONAL BANK,
EMPORIUM, PA.,
For the People of
Cameron County
FOUNDATION.
Capital - SIOO,OOO
Surplus - 81,116
$181,116
Strength
DIRECTORS.
J. P. Felt, T. B. Lloyd,
Hon. B. W* Green, W. L. Sykes,
Hon. Josiah Howard, N. Seger,
Joseph Kaye, J. E. Smith. W. S. Walker,
There are 42 shareholders and no one of them owns 10 per cent
of the capital stock, and they are double liable on their stock.
# Durability. 112
22 years of successful banking is the record of this institution,
during which time its doors has been opened every business day.
$ $ s■——■—a—i iii m ■mi—ii—MM^
Piling Up Dollars
Stacking up dollars is a facinating game. Once you I:
get interested in it you will wonder why you never
engaged in it before. If every person knew what a i
satisfaction there was in having a growing bank ac
count, this would be a happier world. Why not start
a bank account with the new year? We receive de
posit SI.OO and upwards.
<t» 111 -nil nmraw— — Ill'l l iini ( t > 4*mMUIUJLI—MM—d?
I NEW CURRENCY
I We keep on hand at all times an ample supply of bright new currency, fresh
from U. S. Treasury. Christmas week we pay over the counter nothing but new
money from 1 cent to S2O bills.
MERRY CH
—— an
HAPPY NEW
CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY,DECEMBER 13, 1906
&he ===©
New Yea.r of
The Jews
•By HOnEHT%SS LOVE
[Copyright, lßOfi, by ltobcrt U8 I-ove.)
WHAT Is the significance ofi
Kosh ha-Shanah? Most of,
ns know that that Is thej
name of the Jewish New;
Tear's day. but comparatively few out
side the ancient faith of Israel under
stand its deep and solemn meaning toj
every Hebrew. It is by no means a
mere holiday, to be observed wlth|
feasting and merriment, as we ob
serve the first day of January. In one
sense it Is a festival, but In a deeper
sense it is the beginning of n ten day
period of repentance for the sins of the
past year and prayer for guidance dur
ing the year that is opening. Kosh ha
Shauah is observed the world over by
orthodox Jews as a stern religious
duty. Its profound spiritual and re
ligious significance dates from the time
of Mo»es, (lie lawgiver.
It is a common thing for one to re
mark upon observing that a store or
other place of business conducted by
Jews Is closed, "Oh, this Is the Jews'
New Year." Ooubtless the majority of
BLOWING THE SHOFAR.
gentiles imagine that the Jews close
their places of business simply that
they may have a good time for the
day, spend the hours in recreation, vis
iting. eating elaborate dinners and the
like. The truth is far different from
this conception. No day in the entire
Jewish calendar, with the single excep
tion of Yoni Kippur, the day of atone
ment. which follows ten days later, is
observe:! more solemnly than liosh
ha-Shunah.
In 1900 Uosh ha-Shanah fell on
Thursday, Sept. 20. In the Jewish cal
endar it Is the tirst day of the seventh
month, Tishri, and also the day of the
new moon. As the Jews divide time a
day begins at sunset. Accordingly, the
observance of Bosh ha-Shanah began
at that time. Just as the slender cres
cent of the new moon became visible
above the fading light of the setting
sun. In very ancient times it was call
ed New Moon day.
At sunset all over the world wherev
er Jews dwell the faithful repaired to
the synagogues for the prescribed serv
ice in observance of the new year.
All the next day the observance was
continued, and by the strictly orthodox
Jews two whole days were occupied in
the solemn observance of the birth of
a new year, which, according to the
Hebraic calendar, is the year 5007
from the creation of the world. To
those who understand the significance
of these services in the synagogues
there Is nothing more impressive in re
ligious ceremonials. Several times dur
ing the day the congregations gather
and worship after the most ancient of
religious rituals.
Rosli ha-Shauali Is called also the
(Bay of judgment. The Jews believe
(that 011 that day all the inhabitants
of the world pass for judgment before
the Creator, or Cod, as sheep pass for
examination before the shepherd. Ac
cording to the ancient tradition, three
books of account are opened on that
day, wherein is recorded the fate of the
wicked, of the righteous and of an in
termediate class not utterly wicked.
The names of the righteous are Imme
diately inscribed and sealed "to live,"
those of the Intermediate class are giv
,cn a respite of ten days—until Yoni
Kippur—to repent ami become right
eous, while the are "blotted out
of the book of the living."
The many prayers said during the
observance, usually in the Hebrew
tongue, relate to this belief and to cer
tain other ideas which are held in con
nection Willi this annual da> of judg
ment. There are prayers for the uni
versal recognition of Cod's power upon
earth, for the restoration of the Jewish
state, for the reward of the righteous
and the punishment of the wicked.
One brief prayer is in these words:
"Our Father, our King, help us to lead
a good and pure life," or, in another
form, ••Inscribe us in the book of life."
I'erbaps the most impressive part of
the ceremonies during Kosh ha-Shuuah
is the blowing of the shofar, or ram's
horn, which occurs at frequent inter
vals throughout the services. This has,
deep and mysterious significance,
which is fully understood only by the
most learned of the rabbis. Even the
most ignorant Jew, however, is sol
emnly impressed by the ceremony.
The sliofnr is usually a ram's horn,
though at times the horn of a wild
goat Is used. This horn is straight.
The ram's born is curved and some
times almost spiral. Various shapes of
the horn are used. Some shofars used
every year at Kosh ha-Shanah services!
have been preserved for centuries.
The shofar is the earliest form of wind
Instrument -known to mankind, ex
cepting only the reed. The horn Is
procured, scraped, dried and cleaned
with exceeding care by a person of
ficially chosen for the duty. In the in
terior it is ingeniously carved so that
it will emit certain sounds at the
pleasure of the man who blows It.
Sometimes ih> shofar is accompanied
by two trumpet.-, one 011 each side.
The mosf impressive note blown
from the ram's horn Is called the
tekiah. This Is a plain deep bass
sound, ending abruptly. The teruab is
a trill or treble sounded between two
teklahs. These three sounds, consti
tuting a inuslciil bar, are blown three!
times, calling tlie people of the world
to judgment. But the original three
sounds are increased on New Year's
day to a hundred or more, some ol'i
which are peculiarly weird and eerie,
like the wailing of the damned or the,
anguish of tortured souls striving
against sin. Certain words during the;
ceremony are Intoned by the rabbis,
and the blower of the shofar is able
to imitate them on the rani's horn,;
thus enhancing the impressiveness of
the services. The use of the horn of
the cow is expressly prohibited in the
manufacture of the shofar.
As in ancient times, three series of
these sounds are blown, the general
term for all the sounds being tekiot.
BLESSING THE CANDLES AT HOME.
The first tekiot "alls the people to j
judgment and repentance, in obedi-'
enee to the command of the prophet j
Amos. The second and tliwd are in- j
tended to bewilder and stagger Satan, j
who at first Imagines that the Jews are:
merely complying with the law, but Is
surprised by the second blowing, think- j
ing perhaps that the Messiah is com-]
ing, and.finally, at the blowing of the
third tekiot, Satan is dumi'ounded,
•xpecting the resurrection, at which
his power will cease.
In the middle pi' the second century
tlie Komau authorities in Palestine,
hearing the blowing <>i" the shofars ear
ly on the morning of Rosh ha-Slianah.
mistook the sounds for military sig
nals and sent detachments of troops to
the synagogues. Many of the devout
Jews were put to the sword before the
ltomans understood the ceremony.
Those same notes are blown from the
rani'B horn in every modern synagogue.
In modern times it is the custom for
Jews to eat largely of grapes and
honey on New Year's day. Rabbis of'
olden times counseled their people that
as an o'nen of good luck for the com
ing year they should eat pumpkins,
leeks, beets and dates, because all such
things grow quickly and their names
signify "plentiful" and likewise "for
giveness." In Provence it is the cus
torn to eat calf's head or deer's head on
New Year's day on the theory that the
consumer will be "ahead" and not
backward in his business undertak
ings for the twelvemonth just begun.
In the intervals between the various
ceremonies at the synagogues more or
less New Year's calling is indulged in.
particularly in New York and othev
large American cities. For such ocea*
slous calling cards are specially pre
pared, bearing mottoes or inscription's
appropriate to the day. Usually they
express the wish that the host or
hostess may lie "inscribed in the book
of life" or enjoy prosperity and suc
cess in business for the year.
It Is in the ghettos of great cities, like
New York and Chicago, among the
Jews who are strictly orthodox that
the most elaborate observances of the
day are held. No matter how poor
may be t lie community or how humble
the synagogue, for that day the altar
is fichly dressed all in white; the great
scrolls, or books of the law, which are
taken out of the ark of the covenant
on the altar steps, we also swathed irj
white, with gold embroidery, instead
of their usual brilliant covering. As
tlie worshipers one by one are called to
take part in the ceremonies they wrap
about their shoulders the talith, a
long white shawl of thin silk bordered
by a rim of blue. Up in the gallery
sit the women, not being permitted in
the orthodox churches to set foot 011
the main floor of the synagogue. Fre
quently these services occupy four or
five hours. Through all these rites the
only sounds are the singing, wailing,
chanting human voices, with the blasts
of the shofar at their proper time. No
musical instruments are permitted. A
cry of desolation and melancholy runs
through all tiie prayer»—the wailing
for the restoration of Jerusalem, the
hymns for forgiveness and salvation,
with now and then a chant of thank
fulness.
The climax is reached when tho
scrolls containing tlio law, each a roll
of parchment wrapped around two
sticks, are brought forth from the ark,
with white silken coverings and tin
kling little bolls, and, after being un
rolled, arc read in Hebrew. The thir
teen arliclos of the Jewish faith drawn
up 700 years ago by the Rabbi Mal
monides are repeated. In tin- wealth
ier synagogues of the orthodox the cer
emonies are conducted with still moro
pomp, the draperies and coverings of
white being more striking. In all or
thodox synagogues the rabbis and the
men of the congregation wear hats
throughout the services.
The ten days following are days of
repentance in preparation for Yom
Kippur, the day of atonement, this be
ing observed with more impressive so
lemnity than any other day in the He
braic year.
But not all the-Jewish holy days are
of a sad solemnity. Judaism also has
its joyous occasions. One of these is
known as Channkkah, a kind of Jew
ish thanksgiving. Usually it comes in
December. An interesting ceremony
in connection with this day denotes the
meaning of its title, "the feast of
lights."
Channkkah lasts an entire week, but.
the . rineipal part of its observance oc
cure in the evenings, when the "Cha
nukkali caudles'' are lit. These are
thiu tapers, al>out six inches long, made
of yellow wax. On the llrst night oue
candle is lit and left to burn itself out.
On tlic second night two candles mark
the passing of tlio holliluy, and so 011
until seven Chanukkah candles, burn
ing out at one time, show thai the
holiday hits taken its place with it?
thousands of predecessors.