I HOLIDAYS I

day of Rosh Hashanah,
especially if the first day falls
on the Sabbath (except in
Jerusalem where it must
always be performed on the
first day, even if it is Shabbat
or raining). Elsewhere it is
usual to go to a sea or a river,
if that is possible. In Safed,
the observant go to the roofs
of their houses from where
they can see Lake Kinneret
(the Sea of Galilee), and recite
their prayers.
There are no rivers or
streams in Jerusalem, so
Tashlich is said near cisterns
which still hold water. In my
neighborhood, Kiryat Moshe,
we go to a lovely old house
that has a well, normally
covered with a heavy stone. In
the late afternoon (for the
prayers must be said before
sunset) scores of people
stream through the gate
dressed in their best New
Year clotles. Before the
visitors leave, a child from the
family passes out sweets to
everyone — a delightful way
for members of the family,
who consider themselves the
guardians of the well, to show
neighborly hospitality.
Israeli author Shai Agnon,
a recipient of the Nobel Prize
for Literature, devoted several
pages to the Tashlich
ceremony in his book Days of
Awe. He relates that the
custom of going to seas or
rivers stems from a story in
the Midrash; when Abraham
went to bind his son Isaac,
satan went before him and
turned into a great river with
waters reaching up to
Abraham's neck. Abraham
raised his eyes to heaven and
declared: "Master of the
Universe, You have chosen me
and said to me 'Through you
shall My name be known in
the world' and now the waters
have come even to my soul. If
I, or Isaac my son, should
drown, through whom would
Your name be declared One?"
At once the Holy One rebuk-
ed the river and Abraham
was saved.
The Tashlich ritual was in-
troduced into Judaism in the
15th century. There are
several interpretations — one
being that the sight of water
on Rosh Hashananh recalls
the fact that the world was
created out .of watery chaos.
Yet another explanation is
that mankind is "as the fishes
that are caught in the evil
net." (Eccles.9:12)
Whatever the reason for its
institution, Tashlich is a
dramatic casting off of sins
that gives one great comfort
in God's compassion: "He re-
taineth not His anger forever,
because He delighteth in
mercy!" ❑

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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

151