On Friday next, at sundown, the Jewish New Year, 5632 commences. It is the beginning of the civil year as distinguished from the ecclesiastical, which commences at the coming in of the Passover holidays. "Tishri," which is the name of the new month just about entering, is a Persian word, signifying "beginning" or "first." The festival is in Hebrew called "Rosh Hashana," meaning literally "Head of the Year," and its celebration is instituted by special Biblical injunction (Lev. 23,24) to commemorate a period, traditionally said to be the time of the creation of the world.
In Jewish prayer books the day is also called "Yom Hazikaron," "Day of Memorial," and Yom Sikaron," "Day of Remembrance." The season being that of the autumnal equinox, when the sun enters the first point in Libra, the festival is celebrated by the Jews as the Day of Judgment to all flesh, when all actions are weighed and fates decided, for the ensuing year.
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