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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47706	The history of the rites, customes, and manner of life, of the present Jews, throughout the world. VVritten in Italian, by Leo Modena, a rabbine of Venice. Translated into English, by Edmund Chilmead, Mr. of Arts, and chaplain of Christ-Church Oxon; Historia de' riti hebraici, vita ed osservanze de gl'Hebrei di questi tempi. English	Modena, Leone, 1571-1648.; Chilmead, Edmund, 1610-1654.	1650 (1650)	Wing L1099A; ESTC R216660	90,789	288

have committed some sin or other during that space of time And so they likewise Fast the Eve before the Feast of the Beginning of the Year and some there are among them that keep a Fast the Day before the Beginning of every Moneth 13. And if any man have a mind out of particular Devotion or Penance to Indict himself a Fast besides all these he then on the Evening before the day he intends to Fast before the going down of the Sun except it be in Case of Fasting upon any Dream as hath been formerly declared Part. 1. cap. 4. saith thus I take upon my self to fast to morrow And having so said he continues without eating or drinking till the Evening following as the Usual manner of Fasting is and in his Devotions he adds a Prayer to God that he would be pleased to accept This Fast of his instead of Sacrifice CHAP. IX Of the Feast of Lights called also Chanucha VPon the 25. day of the Moneth Kislein which is our November by an Ancient Ordinance of the Wise-man is kept the Feast of the Dedication of the Altar which is celebrated for the space of eight daies together and at Evening upon each of these eight daies they set up Lights One upon the First day Two upon the Second Three upon the Third and so forward till the Eighth And this Feast is observed in Commemoration of a Great Victorie obtained by the Maccabees against the Greeks who had possessed themselves of the Citie of Jerusalem and had entred into the Temple and profaned it but were afterwards overcome by Judas and his Brethren and driven out again Now there being no Pure Oyl which had not been defiled by the Heathen to be found for the lighting of the Lamps that were to be set up of Course in the Temple they at last found by chance a smal Vessel sealed up wherein was Oyl hid but onely as much as was sufficient for Lights one Night onely which Oyl notwithstanding miraculously lasted for Eight whole Nights and therefore for this reason it was decreed that the said Feast of Lights should ever afterward be observed They have a Tradition also that in Ordaining this Feast to be kept they had an Eye also upon that famous Exploit performed by Judith upon Holofernes although many are of opinion that this happened not at this time of the Year and that they make a Commemoration of that piece of Gallantrie of Hers Now because she was of the stock of the Maccabees 2. During the time of these eight daies it is lawfull for them to do any manner Businesse or Work neither is there any kind of solemnitie observed at this time save onely of the said Lights and that at their Prayers there is added a Panegyrick or Laudatorie Oration in memorie of that Great Victorie obtained by Them against the Heathen and besides every morning they say the six Psalms called Hallel beginning at the 113. Psalm and likewise the 30. Psal Exaltabo te Domine c. I will extol thee O Lord for thou hast lifted me up and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me c. and they also use some certain Ceremonies more then Ordinarie at their Meat 3. This Feast is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chanucah which is as much as to say The Feast of Dedication or Initiation and their being restored to the Exercise of their Religion again having now purified the Temple again anew which had been defiled by the Heathen CHAP. X. Of the Feast of Purim or Lots VPon the 14. day of the Moneth Adar or March they celebrate Yearly the feast of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purim in memorie of what we read in the book of Esther concerning the children of Israels escaping the danger of a Totall Extirpation by the Machination and subtle Devices of Haman who was afterwards hanged together with his ten Sons This feast is called the feast of Purim or Lots for the reason set down cap. 9. of the said book of Esther Dies isti appellati sunt Purim c. Because Haman the Son of Hammadetha the Agagite c. had devised against the Jewes to destroy them and had cast Pur that is the Lot to consume them c. Therefore they called These daies Purim after the name of Pur. 2. This Feast continueth two daies although they keep the first onely solemnly fasting the day before it as hath been formerly said And notwithstanding that they are not forbidden to do any manner of Businesse or Work upon the aforesaid two daies of the Feast yet do they voluntarily forbear upon the first of the two daies and make it a solemn Feastival 3. Upon the first Evening they all repair to the School where saying the Ordinarie Prayers they adde also a Commemoration of the great deliverance at that time when they were now at the Jawes of Death and then do they read the whole storie of their Escape that is to say the whole book of Esther which they have in their Schools fairly written in Parchmet in a long Roll as the Pentateuch is and this they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meghillah that is to say Volumen a Volume or Roll. And while this is reading there are some that as often as they hear Haman named they beat the ground and make a great murmuring noise in token of Cursing him and execrating his memorie and they do the like at their Morning Prayers also and withall read out of the Pentateuch Exod. cap. 17. ver 8. Venit autem Amalech c. Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim c. 4. On this day they give much Alms to the Poor publickly and they likewise send Dishes of Meat one to another every friend and kinsman to each other and Scholars send Presents to their Masters or Tutors and Masters give to their Servants and generally all Superiours to their Inferiours And they use all expressions of Mirth and Joy that may be inviting and feasting one another as it is commanded Esth cap. 9. Esséntque dies isti Epularum c. That they should make them daies of Feasting and Joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the Poor 5. And this they observe chiefly upon the second Evening at which time every one makes as great a Feast as he is able eating and drinking more freely then at other times And after supper they go on visiting one another entertaining their friends with Banquets Pastimes and all manner of Jollities and Entertainments of mirth 6. They do not make so great Chear or Expressions of Joy upon the second Day nor is any thing read in the school yet do they on This Day also make shew of some kind of joy 7. When there are thirteen Moneths in the Yeer that is to say when the Moneth Adar is doubled or there are two Moneths of March as hath been touched formerly Par. 3. cap. 2. they call the 14. of the first Adar the lesser

beyond all excuse if being now about to to reprint my History of the Rights of the Jewes I should not say something in Answer to your Learned Epistle wherewith you were pleased the last year to grace the First Edition of it And indeed what Return is not due from Me to those Many Favours you have been pleased to shew Me seeing that when I sent this my Historie unto you to be examined and corrected you so courteously took this Trouble upon you as that I cannot say whither of the Two took the greater Pleasure in it You in Conferring or my self in Receiving this Favour And I must needs here confesse that it was a point of my Cunning to make choice of your self in the perusing of my Book the Fame of whose Worth and Learning had long since like the Sun-beams broken forth and appeared even in our Horizon For you are as a Second Sun in Learning and your Worth shines forth more eminently then any others For as all Waies and secret Paths lie open and are exposed to the Sun's View in like manner are the Entrances into all the Opinions and most hidden Rites of all Nations open to you who having the Keyes of all the chiefest Languages in your power do at your pleasure bring to light all the choicest Treasures not onely of the Greekes and Latines but which is more strange even of the Hebrewes too That I may not say any thing of your Abundant Goodnesse which moved you to heap so many Praises upon Me undeservedly although I confesse I dare own That of being a faithfull Relator as it was fit I should be and my Style I confesse is also very concise The Former of these owo Qualities I have been endewed with even from my Childhood and the Later I have learnt from my observation of other Historians neither could I ever endure I confesse to expresse my Conceptions in a Copious Flourishing Stile Yet I must needs professe that I see not any cause why you should accuse me in your Epistle of having omitted any thing For as I intimated in my Preface to my Historie though I set my self so narrow Bounds and affected so great Brevity yet I am confident I have not omitted any Rite or Custome now observed by the Present Jewes which was the Subject I proposed to my self but onely such things as I thought I was not bound to mention as having been now a long time out of Use and neglected by them Such as for example are that Dolefull Hymne c. Their Story of Lilith the so Superstitious Ordering of their Dead the Paring of their Nailes their Sabbatarian Fasts and the like all which Customes are now quite out of Use among them But as concerning their Zizit and their Tephilim I have discoursed of them Par. 1. cap. 11. Of their Dreams Par. 1. cap. 4. Of their Modesty in their Evacuations Par. 1. cap. 6. Of the Cock given for Caparah Par. 3. cap. 6. Of the kindling of their Sabbath Lights Par. 3. cap. 1. and Par. 5. cap. 5. Of their Placing their Beds North and South Par. 1. cap. 4. Of Malcuth Par. 3. cap. 5. Of their observing of Monday and Thursday Par. 1. cap. 1● Of the Purging of Souls by Fire Par. 5. cap. 10. All which things since they have undergone your Learned Censure and have also by your Care and Goodnesse been committed to the Presse I cannot possibly doubt but that you have very diligently read over and considered But perhaps Learned Sir you expected from me an Account of the Reasons and Grounds of these Rites and Customes of Theirs But this was wholly besides my purpose who never intended any thing at all save onely to give my Reader a Bare Historical Narration of them and to shew only their Quòd sunt and not the Propter Quod sunt as the Philosophers use to speak That these Customes Are but not Why they are least while I pretend to be a meer Relater onely I should appear to be a Perswader If there be any thing you find wanting here you need not go abroad for it hoving so rich a Magazine of Learning at home within your own Breast whence I am confident you are able to bring forth whatsoever the vast body of the Hidden Learning of the Hebrews can afford It remaineth Sir that I commit you to the protection of God the Great Creator and Former of All things beseeching Him that he would preserve you in Health and blesse you with Long Life for the Common Benefit of the Learned and the more full Increase of Learning for your own Expectation of the deserved Rewards due to your Worth and lastly for my own Particular Interest in your Noble Patronage The AVTHOR'S Preface Courteous Reader IF the Curiosity of the Wisest Men hath sometime raised a Desire in them of having knowledge of the Laws and Customs even of the very Gentiles themselves who were Worshippers of False Gods that so they might draw thence That Benefit which a wise man knows how to gather from a Fool what marvel is it if some very learned Christians have also long since had a desire to have some Account given them of the Rites and Customes of the present Jews the Ground whereof cannot be denied to have been once derived from the true Fountain of all Wisdom and that they were disposed by means proportionable to that end I having therefore had my continual Conversation with and been brought up in the Service of Christian Prelats and Persons of Honour it hath been often moved unto Me that I would write a short and true account of the Manner of life Customes and Rites observed by the Jews at this day throughout the World Which I having performed some years since and shewed to some of my Friends I have bin since sollicited by some others to enlarge it and publish it to the world for a more publick satisfaction to All that desire information herein But I refusing so to do gave in these Reasons for my denial First that it was needlesse and secondly that the Thing must needs be suspected from Me. It might be thought needlesse because the Business hath bin already done by many Christians and it would be suspected because it came from a Jew of whom it might be very well doubted that he would either cōceal or change such things as he should conceive not so fit to be published when he should cōsider better of them But to the first of these my Objections it was answered that they were not so very well satisfied in what ever they had yet seen written of this Subject their discourses being either lame and imperfect or else too copious in things of least concernment and written rather in derision of this Nation and to make the Reader merry then to inform him wherin they have often lashed out so much as that they have wander'd very far out of the way and left their Reader very much unsatisfied in what they ought to

have informed him To the second Objection it was answer'd that very many persons of great Learning and Quality were after long experience confirmed in so good an Opinion of Me and of my Integrity as that it would not be questioned by Any but that I would deal ingeniously and sincerely in my Narration So that they could not see any just reason that should hinder me from complying with their desires Now I that have bin alwaies naturally easie to be intreated by my friends and obedient to the Commands of my Superiours could not deny them any longer but have endeavoured to satisfie their desires Take here therefore Courteous Reader a Short Abridgment of the Rites and Customes of the Jews wherein notwithstanding there is not any the least circumstance omitted unlesse it be such as are not at all observed now or regarded by them I have divided this History into Five Parts according to the Number of the Books of the Law written by Moses And in my Writing I have kept my self exactly to the Truth remembring my self to be a Jew and have therefore taken upon Mee the Person of a Plain Neutral Relater onely I do not deny but that I have endeavoured to avoid the giving occasion to the Reader of deriding the Jews for their so many Ceremonies neither yet have I at all taken upon me to defend or maintain them for as much as my whole Purpose is to give a bare Relation of them onely and no way to perswade any to the observing of them However very observable is the saying of That Great Person though not by many rightly understood which yet is Agreeable to that of the Prophet Hosea cap. 11. Lex Judaeorum Lex Puerorum that is the Law of the Jews is a Law of Children A Table of the Chapters contained in this Book PART I. CHAP. I. OF the Division and Originall of all the Jewish Rites and wherein they differ among themselves Page 1. II. Of their Houses and Places of dwelling page 4. III. Of their Utensils and Vessels in their Houses p. 7. IV. Of their Manner of Preparing to Bed and their Esteem of Dreams p. 9. V. Of their Habits and Vestments and of their Fringes and Frontlets p. 12. VI. Of their Modesty in Evacuation p. 18. VII Of the Manner of their Washing in the Morning p. 21. VIII Of Uncleannesse p. 22. IX Of their Benedictions of Laudatory Prayers p. 23. X. Of the Form of their Synagogues or Schools p. 26. XI Of their Prayers Square Vestment called Taleth their Frontlets and Book of the Pentateuch p. 32. XII Of their Priests and Levites and of their Wives and Tithes p. 43. XIII Of their Flocks and Tillage of the Ground p. 46. XIV Of their Charity to the poor and their tendernesse shewed to their very Beasts p. 50. PART II. CHAP. I. VVHat Language they use in their Ordinary Speech Writings and Preaching p. 56. III. Of their Academies and Studies and of the Original and Continuation of the Gemara p. 62. III. Of the manner how their Rabbines are created and of their Authority and power of Excommunication p. 68. IV. Of their Oathes and Vowes p. 71 V. Of their Dealing in Worldly Affairs and of their Usury p. 73. VI. Of their Contracts Evidences Witnesses Judges and Judgments p. 77. VII Of Meats that are Forbidden them and how they eat their Flesh p. 80. VIII Of their Drink p. 98. IX Of their making their Bread p. 100. X. Of their manner of sitting at Meat p. 101. PART III. CHAP. I. OF the Feast of the Sabbath p. 104. II. Of the Beginning of their Moneths and of their Order and Names and of the Thirteenth Moneth p 119. III. Of the Feast of the Passeover p. 124. IV. Of the Feast of Weekes or Pentecost p. 134. V. Of their Caput Anni or Beginning of the year and of the first Moneth called Elul p. 137. VI. Of the Day of pardon of Sins or expiation called Chipur p. 143. VII Of the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles p. 148. VIII Of their Fasts Commanded and Voluntary p. 154. IX Of the Feast of Lights called also Chanucha p. 161. X. Of the Feast of Purim or Lots p. 164. PART IV. CHAP. I. OF the several kinds and degrees of Adultery and Fornication pag. 167. II. Of their Marriages p. 171. III. Of their Contracts and manner of marrying p. 174. IV. Of the Liberty a Woman that was married Young hath to refuse her Husband and of the Penalty of Forcing or Deflowring a Virgin p. 181. V. How their Women behave themselves during the Time of their Courses and after Child-birth p. 183. VI. Of the manner of Putting away their wives and of Jealousie p. 186. VII Of their Ibum and Calitzah that is to say of the Next Kinsman 's Taking or Refusing the Relict of his Deceased Kinsman p. 193. VIII Of their Circumcision p. 201. IX Of the Redemption of their First-born p. 209. X. Of the Manner of their Education of their Children and bringing them up in Learning p. 212. XI Of the Honour they account due to their Parents Tutors Rabbines and Ancient Persons pag. 215. PART V. CHAP. I. OF the Jewish Hereticks and particularly of the Karraim pag. 218. II. Of the Manner of being made a Jew p. 222. III. Of their Opinion concerning all Magick Divination and Augury p. 223. IV. Of their Slaves p. 225. V. What Precepts the Jewish Women are bound to observe p. 236. VI. Of their manner of Confessing their Sins and Doing Penance p. 228. VII Of their Sick and Dead p. 230. VIII Of their Manner of Ordering their Dead and Burying them p. 233. IX Of their Mourning Praying for and Commemorating of the Dead p. 239. X. Of their Paradise Hell and Purgatory p. 243. XI Of their Belief of the Transmigration of Soules the Resurrection and Day of Judgment p. 245. XII Of the Thirteen Articles of their Faith pag. 246. Faults escaped THe last Page of the first sheet l. 16. read Power B. p. 2. line 1. r. Concubitu B. 4. l. 22. r. have assisted B. p. 8. l. 24. r. the Moon B. p. 11. l. 7. r. to be Primus Page 43. l. 11. r. Tithes p. 48. l. 12. r. Untilled p. 53. l. 7. r. called p. 92. l. 10. r. within it p. 97. l. 16. r. it is unwholesome p. 111. l. 16. r. useth p. 112. l. 22. r. not say p. 117. l. 9. r. Sabbath's being p. 118. l. 14. r. hands p. 122. l. 19. r. commemorate p. 130. l. 21. r. take out p. 146. l. 7. r. or not Ib. l. 16. r. consist p. 149. l. 4. r. Wattelling p. 153. l. 9. r. Sponsus Legis p. 161. l. 7. r. Wise-men p. 162. l. 24. r. of Businesse p. 178. l. 3. r. is done lb. l. 22. r. before they p. 180. l. 13. r. brought her p. 188. l. 18. read this means p. 198. l. 15. r. Planke p. 202. l. 4. r. no Precept p. 214. l. 2. r. to p. 220. l. 7.

upon the man that shall give so much to such a Charitable Work And because it is unlawful so much as to touch any money upon the Sabbath day therefore every man in particular makes a Promise to give what he pleaseth and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nedabah Oblatio Voluntaria a Voluntary Offering or Free Gift which each man very willingly payeth the week following according to the sum which he had formerly made Promise of And so all the Particular Sums being put together are delivered to the Poor man for whom they were collected 5. There are moreover in every Great Citie several Fraternities or Companies of select Officers who have the charge of many Works of Charitie as for example some that take care of the sick and for the Burial of the Dead and this is commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ghemiluth hassadim Others for Simple Alms cailed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zedacah Others for the Redeeming of Slaves called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pidion Shebim and some that have the Charge of marrying Poor Virgins called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hassi betuloth and many others either more or lesse according to the number of the Jews that inhabite in the said Citie 6. If any Poor man have any Extraordinary Necessitie greater then the Inhabitants of the Citie where he lives are able to supply he then goes to the Principal Rabbines of the Citie and they give him a Testimonial under their hands that he is an Honest man and one that deserves their Charitie and withal intreat that every one would lend him his assistance Then goeth He with this Testimonial to all places where any Jewes dwell and whether it be a Castle Village or other small place he is there entertained a day or two with Meat Drink and Lodging and money at his departing And if he come to any great Citie he there procures a Confirmation of his Testimoniall by the Subscriptions of the Rabbines of that place and so is sent to the School from the Parnassim or the Publick Officers that have the charge for the Relief of the Poor in that place and thus in some one of the forementioned Manners of Collection he is Relieved and receives their Assistance 7. The Jews send their Almes yearly from all parts wheresoever they inhabite to Jerusalem for the Maintenance of the Poor that live there and spend their time Praying for the Well-fare of the Whole Nation as they also do to other Parts of Judea as namely to Saffet Tiberias and to Hebron where the Sepulchres are of the Patriarks Abraham Isaac and Jacob and of their Wives 8. Each man in particular may besides all this give Alms when and how much he pleaseth according as he shall think fit 9. They account it also a Work of Pietie to relieve any one whatsoever that is in Misery although he be no Jew and especially those of the City or place where they inhabite esteeming it an Act of Charitie due to all Mankind Indifferently the Rabbines having also expresly enjoyned them so to do 10. And the Greatnesse of their Charitie and Pity appears in this that they are very careful not to torment or abuse or put to any cruel death any Brute Beast for as much as they are all of them created of God according to the Psalmist Psal 145. ver 9. Et Miserationes ejus super omnia Opera ejus And his mercy is over all his Works PART II. CHAP. I. What Language they use in their Ordinary Speech Writings and Preaching THere are at this time very few among them that are able to discourse Perfectly in the Hebrew or Holy Tongue which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laschion hacodesch wherein the Twentie four Books of the Old Testament are written nor yet in Chaldee which is the Language of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Targum or Chaldee Paraphrase of the Bible and which they commonly spake before their Dispersion because they all generally learn and are brought up in the Language of the Countries where they are born So that in Italy they speak Italian in Germany Dutch in the Eastern Parts and in Barbary they speak the Language of the Turks and Moors and so of the rest And they have made these Strange Languages so much their Own as that Many of them that have gone out of Germany into Poland Hungary and Russia to inhabit have notwithstanding preserved the Dutch Tongue in their Families and made it their Mother Tongue to all their Posterities as likewise those that have gone out of Spain into the Eastern parts for the most part speak the Spanish Language But in Italy they use both the one and the other according to the place from whence the Fathers are descended So that the Common people every where conform themselves to the Language of the Nations where they inhabit onely mixing now and then a broken Hebrew word or two in their discourse one with another although the Learneder sort among them are somewhat more Perfect in the Language of the Scripture and have it as it were by heart Notwithstanding it is a very rare thing to meet with any among them except they be their Rabbines who are able to maintain a Continued Discourse in Hebrew Elegantly and according to the Proprietie of the Language 2. And besides in the Pronunciation of the Hebrew they are so different among themselves that a Dutch Jew can hardly be understood by an Italian or an Eastern Jew neither is there any among them that speak more clearly and exactly according to the Rules of Grammer which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dikduk then the Italian doth 3. And indeed the Pure Hebrew Tongue being of little extent and very barren of words there being no other Bookes anciently written to be found now save onely the aforenamed Twentie four Books of the Old Testament whence the whole Language was to be fetched the Rabbines have since thought good to enlarge it by borrowing many words from the Chaldee and some few from the Greek and other Languages and inventing also severall words for the names of things in like manner as Writers in all Ages have done fitting Terms of Art for the better Understanding of their Philosophy and other Sciences 4. This Language is still in use among them in writing of Books in all kinds of Contracts in Bills either Private or Publick and the like But their Ordinarie Letters of Complement or Businesse are written for the most part in the Vulgar Language of the place where they are although sometimes they use the Hebrew Character Onely those of Morea still retain the Hebrew Tongue also and use it in their Familiar Letters 5. In their Preaching they likewise use the Language of the Countrie that they may be understood by All that is to say they cite the Texts of Scripture and sayings of the Rabbins in Hebrew and afterwards interpret the same in the Vulgar Tongue 6. Their

First Moneth of the Year to you c. and so following this Order of reckoning Nisan the First they would end with Adar which would be the Twelfth and Last Moneth of the Year Yet notwithstanding it was afterwards decreed that Tisri or September should be the First moneth and the Beginning of the Year 2. The First and Second daies then of the moneth Tisri are a Feastival to them which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rosch haschanah Caput Anni the Head or Beginning of the Year as it is enjoyned Livit cap. 23. ver 24. Mense septimo prima die Mensis erit Vobis Sabbatum c. Speak unto the Children of Israel saying In the Seventh Moneth in the First day of the Moneth shall ye have a Sabbath c. and all manner of Work or Businesse is prohibited in like manner as at the Passeover and the Feast of Weeks as hath been declared in the Precedent Chapters 3. And for as much as they have a kind of Ancient Tradition that God at this time especially judgeth all the Works of Men that they have done the Year passed and also disposeth of and Ordereth all that is to happen the year following as if This Day being as it were the Natalitium or Birth-day of the World He at this time Examined and considered more strictly of all the Accidents that had come to passe Therefore do they begin on the first day of Elul which is the moneth immediately going before to think of Acts of Penance and in some places they rise before day and say Prayers make Confession of their Sins and rehearse the Penitentiall Psalms And there are many among them that Indict themselves Fasts do Penance and give Alms to the Poor continuing on this Course till the Day of Pardon comes which we shall speak of in the following Chapter that is to say for the space of Forty daies And on the first day of the moneth Elul they sound a horn for the reasons which shall be hereafter specified 4. But these things are generally done by All of them at least a Week before the Feast and especially upon the Vigil or Day before the said Feast begins at which time many among them wash themselves and cause themselves to be beaten and whipt observing not to exceed the Number of Scripes set down Deuter cap. 25. ver 3. Et plagarum Modus ita dunta●at ut qua●r agenarium numerum non excedat c. Fourty stripes he may give him and not exceed c. and therefore in whipping one another they give but 39. Stripes and this they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malcuth Regnum The Kingdomè of severity 5. The Eve before the first day of this Feast they go to the School where saluting each other they say one to another Be thou written into a Good year and the other answereth And thou also And they use at this Feast to have alwaies upon the Table Honey Leaven and diverse other things to signifie Increasing and growth and to ominate a sweet and a happie yeer to follow and many the like Ceremonies do they use all to the same end 6. The morning of the first of these Two daies they go to the School and many of them apparel themselves all in white in token of Cleannesse and as a sign of Penitence and many also especially of the Dutch Jewes apparel themselves in the same habit now that they have provided for their Funerals and intend to be buried in and they do this in sign of the Greater Contrition When they are met together in the School they say a greater number of Prayers then ordinarily they use to do praying that the succeeding Yeer may be prosperous unto them and begging pardon of all their sins Then is the Book of the Pentateuch taken out and the Lesson for the Day is read by five persons then the Sacrifice that was wont to be performed on that day described Num. cap. 28. after this the Haphtarah out of the Prophets is read and so they say a Benediction for the Prince 7. After this they blow a horn which is to be a Goats Horn giving with it Thirty Blasts in all of which some are to be held out in length and others to be short Broken ones This they observe from that passage in Levit. cap. 23. ver 23. repeated also Num. cap. 29. ver 1. And in the seventh Moneth on the First day of the Moneth ye shall have an holy Convocation ye shall do no servil work it is a day of Blowing the Trumpets unto you And this is done They say to strike a Terrour into themselves and to put themselves in mind of the Judgment of God and to induce them to repent them of their sins After this they say the Musaph or Additionall Prayer and many other things they add which are proper to the day and the businesse in hand and then lastly they sound the Horn again in the same manner as before Then returning home each man to his house they sit down to meat and so spend the rest of the day in hearing Sermons and other Religious Exercises And all these things are in the same manner done over again the day following And upon the second day in the Evening when the Feast is now ended they say the Habdalah as in all the Other Feasts before-mentioned CHAP. VI. Of the day of Pardon of sins or Expiation called Chipur IMmediately after the Two daies of the Feast of the Beginning of the Year they fall to doing of Penance rising to Prayers before day-light and this they continue doing untill the Tenth day of the said Moneth Tisri Which Tenth day is a Fast for the obtaining Pardon of their Sins and is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jom hachipur Dies Expiationis The Day of Expiation or Pardon of Sins as we find written Levit. cap. 23. ver 27. Decimo die mensis hujus septimi dies Expiationum erit c. Also on the Tenth day of this seventh Moneth there shall be a day of Atonement it shall be an Holy Convocation unto you and ye shall afflict your souls and offer an Offering made by fire unto the Lord c. And they are prohibited from doing any manner of Work or Businesse as upon the Sabbath and they Fast all day without Eating or Drinking any thing 2. The Vigil or Evening before this Fast they were wont heretofore to use a certain Ceremonie with a Cock swinging it about their Head and giving it up in Exchange of Themselves and this they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caparah or Reconciliation But this Custome is now left off both in the East and in Italy as being a thing both Superstitious and Groundlesse 3. On this day they feed very plentifully considering that they are to Fast all the next and many go into Bathes and wash themselves and they cause themselves to be whipt also undergoing the aforementioned Discipline of the