it to Embrace and Kiss it to Weep over it and after all perhaps to cast it to the Ground to let the people see they meant not there to terminate their Worship the very sight hereof doth as much induce the Jews to hate Christianity as any reason can be alledged to perswade them to love and Embrace it These are the Terms in which the Jews with whom I have conversed do stand who above all that has been said derive the greatest obstruction of their Conversion from their own obstinacy being not more scandalized than stifneckt nor less untractable within than offended without And as proud of their opinions as they are despised for them Glorying in their Ancestors and Founders in Gods Temple and Oracles peculiar promises and Prerogatives long continuance in Honour and Prosperity and indefatigable in their Expectation of being Triumphantly recollected and Victoriously to Reign over the Edomites when the promise of their Messias shall be perform'd which has as they say so long beyond the appointed time been protracted by reason of their own Vnworthiness A SUMMARY DISCOURSE Concerning the Jewish TALMUD MISNA GEMARA HAving in the former part of the Antecedent Discourse observed That there are no Jews to be met with who adhere to the Old Bible without Talmud-Traditions I thought it would be disagreeable neither to the Reader nor the Subject to give a succinct account of the Talmud Misna and Gemara in order to facilitate the meaning of the Traditions above-mentioned And waving all Critical reserches into the word Talmud which makes so great a Noise in the World it may suffice to observe that by a sort of Metonymy it signifies the Book containing the main Doctrines of the Jews which by way of Eminence is called the Talmud or Doctrinal So that the word Talmud may as well be used for a System of Christian as Jewish Doctrines for any thing therein to the contrary The two Talmuds of which hereafter are according to Mr. Selden the Pandects of the Jews Sacred and Civil Laws and they are generally received of the present Hebrews for the Great Body of their Learning and Standard by which the whole Israelitick Nation is to regulate both their Conversation and Doctrine And there needs no other Testimonie of their great esteem hereof than the RR's frequent using it in the proof and Confirmation of their Tenets For it is very observable that the Talmud is oftener brought in Vindication of their Religion than Moses the Prophets and Holy Writings Insomuch that they make it and not the Old Bible the Touchstone of their Doctrine and that into which they resolve the Decision of all their Cases Nor are they herein greatly blameable seeing they esteem the Talmud of equal Authority with the Canonical Scriptures and no more inferiour thereunto than a Law given by word of mouth is to one in Writing For the Jews hold there is a twofold Law which they are bound to observe the one written which is contained in the five Books of Moses the other Oral which they call the Misna or Traditional Law which God gave to Moses at the same time he did the other but did not commit it to Writing but left it to be preserved and propagated Orally Some of the Masters gifted with a wonderful Sagacity with great assurance maintain that Moses during his abode in the Mount could not discern the time of Night from the Day but by the delivery of these two Laws That when God gave the Written Law he knew it was Day and that it was Night when he gave the Oral And R. Eliesar as a late Author writes affirms that Moses read the Scripture by Day and the Misna by Night But this will scarce sound congruously if it be considered that the Misna was not written and therefore could not be Read till some thousand years after Moses received it in the Mount And as to the reason why God would not suffer it to be written it was the profound Mysteriousness of its Nature say the Masters which to have communicated by writing to the Vulgar People would have been no better than to give Holy things unto Dogs and to cast Pearls before Swine Others are of opinion that God foreseeing how the Nations would Transcribe the Books of the Law Prophets and Holy Writings and pervert them to Heretical and Impious Doctrines lest they should to the like to the Misna or the Second Law for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies he would not suffer it to be committed to Letters And here it may be pardonable to take notice of two things first that by the Holy Writings which the Jews call Cetaphim they understand the Books of Daniel Psalms Proverbs Job Canticles Ruth Lamentations Ecclesiastes Ezra Nehemiah Chronicles and that they were Compiled or Collected by Esdras and the Seniors of the Synagogue after the Jews returned from Babylon Next that the Jews were of old so cautious of preserving their Law secret to themselves that they would not suffer it to be Translated into any other Language out of their own Insomuch that in the daies of Ptolemy when the Penteteuch was put in Greek by the Jews of Alexandria they say that as if God had been therewith displeased there happened three daies of darkness over the whole Earth And to testifie their own abhorrence of so execrable a fact the Jews appointed a solemn Fast to be kept upon the eighth of Tebeth as the immortal Joseph Scaliger hath observed But to return That Moses in the Mount did receive from God not onely the Written Law but also a secret Explanation thereof seems to have been the opinion of Origen of the third and Hillary of the fourth Age. And this Explanation is supposed to have been none other but the Misna or the Oral and Second Law we now speak of which was preserved as the Cabala of the Creation and of the things happening before the Flood by Tradition from minde to minde to use Mirandula without Letters by word of mouth For Moses thus delivered it to Aaron and he to his Sons they to Joshua Joshua to the Elders the Elders to the Prophets the Prophets to the Great Synagogue and so it was drawn down by the Rabbins of successive Ages of whom the Famous Ramban has given an account And in this state the Misna continued till many years after the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour even till Rabbi Jehuda who for his Piety was called the Saint and for his singular love to his Nation and knowledge in their Law the Prince perceiving that this Oral Tradition grew difficult and that thereby the Misna was in no small hazard to be utterly lost or grievously corrupted by reason of the extreme dispersion of his Nation collected all the Notes taken by the Jews to assist their Memories which contain'd any thing of the Misna and digested them into one Volume which he called the Sepher Misnaioth or the Book of Traditions And this was no sooner compiled than
us to carry a bundle of Palm At this time also the Law is brought to the Reading-place about which they walk with great state and nothing but threatning and victory appear in their looks This they do seven times in memory of their Fathers compassing the walls of Hiericho But others say That this compassing of the Reading-place seven times is in prediction of the certain ruine of their Enemies And this notice of the Ceremonie is very agreeable to the Execratory which is now used by them Wherein they profoundly curse the Christians desiring that God would smite them as he did the First-born of Egypt And though this Direful Prayer is not found in that Liturgie printed at Venice as I above-mentioned yet I am assured by a good Author that it is extant in the Machsor of the Cracovian Impression Upon the last day of this Festival the last Section of the Law is constantly read and the first Section begun For they begin and end the Lesson of the Law on the same day to declare their joy therein This last day of the Feast of Tents is called the Great day of the Feast S. John 7.37 where Tremelius observes that on the last of Tabernacles the antient Jews used to incompass the Altar as the modern Jews now the Reading-place with Palms in their hands crying Hosanna that is Preserve us we beseech thee Whence it was called Hasanna Rabba or the Great Hosanna or the Chief of the Feast And that on the same day they drew water from the Well of Shiloah at the foot of Mount Sion and brought it to the Temple where the Priests mingled it with the best Wine and poured it on the Altar and that the people sang these words of Esay With joy shall they draw water out of the Wells of Salvation To which our Saviour is thought to have alluded in that speech which on this day he made use of S. John 7.38 Every one that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow living waters When they have built their Tabernacles they may not use them till the Father of the Family hath consecrated both them and all the Utensils of the Feast wherein he gives God thanks that he hath chosen and sanctified the Jews above all other Nations and that to them only belongs the habitation in Tents At the expiration of the Feast when they come out of their Tabernacles the Chief of the Family saith these words God grant that the following year we may dwell in the Tent of the Leviathan The mystery of which Prayer depends upon the Opinion that the Jews have of eating with their Messias of the great Fish called a Leviathan which they imagine to be of a Poetical Magnitude and preserved on purpose for that great Entertainment to which they shall all be invited by Messias at his coming And the Prayer above-named has respect to this Opinion and designes no more than their desires that their King may have a speedy advent And having now taken this short view of the present Rites wherewith the Jews celebrate their three Cardinal Feasts their Minor Festivals come next to be considered Among which their Purim or Feast of Lots merits the first remembrance For to it is allotted a proper Office which honour is not granted to any of the rest CHAP. XXI Of the Jews Purim or Feast of Lots THe word Purim is Persick and signifies Lots and the Feast bears this name from the occasion of its Institution which without the trouble of transcribing is to be seen at large in the Book of Esther The Mischiefs plotted against the Jews falling upon their Enemies and those being killed by them who designed their destruction and all this happening upon the 13 of the Month Adar answering to our February and ending upon the 14 of the same Month in memory of their own deliverance and the destruction of their Enemies the Jews keep those two daies Festival whereon they both happened In the Celebration of this Feast they at present use these Ceremonies First they light up great store of Lamps that thereby they may testifie their joy and read over the Book of Esther At which both the women and children are bound to be present Who at the naming of Haman make an hideous noise beating with their hands and stamping with their feet and at the same time pronounce these words Let his name be blotted out Let the name of the ungodly come to naught Cursed be Haman blessed be Mordachee Cursed be Zeresch but blessed be Esther Cursed be all Idolaters and blessed be all Israelites Which Maledictions are now applied to the Christians And when they come to that passage concerning the death of Haman's Sons they huddle it over without pause or distinction intimating that they were all killed in a moment and that they hate to be long mentioning them When they come out of the Synagogue they fall to eating and drinking and are therein much more liberal at this than any other time And they have a Rule that at the Feast of Purim they should drink till they cannot distinguish between Cursed be Haman and blessed be Mordachee At this Feast the Rich supply the Poor with Wine and Viands and for two daies none undertake any Servile work The women especially are to keep Holy-day in honour of her who was the occasion of their Deliverance At this Feast also they salute one another with presents and bestow large Alms upon the Needy in compliance with what their Great Patriot commanded Esther 9 20 21 22. Where he established the Institution of the Feast of Lots The Mattins of this Feast begin with extolling Gods mercie and power in their Deliverance After which follow the Proper Lessons out of Esther When those are finished the Chasan leaves the Pulpit and saith part of the Dayly Service Their Vespers they begin with this Psalm My God my God why hast thou forsaken me c. and then again a Lesson is read out of Esther and after that the ordinary Evening-Service Then follow four Benedictions and all is concluded with select Psalms Purim is the last of their Anniversary Festivals for happening in Adar there is none between it and Easter which alwaies falls in Nisan the Month that began the Year when the Hebrews came out of Egypt and which still keeps that place in the Computation of their Greater Feasts Besides their Purim and the three Capital Feasts which we have already considered the Jews have other Minor Festivals as that of Reconciliation Dedication Church-Officers New year and Lunar Mutations of which take this short account in their Order And beginning with their Feast of Reconcilement or Expiation we finde the ground thereof in Lev. 16. and an express Statute for its Celebration v. 29. In the seventh month on the tenth day of the month ye shall afflict your souls and do no work at all whether he be one of your own Country or a stranger ihat sojourneth among you v. 30.
with those who profess them When the Jews have taught their Children some decent Modes of Salutation and imprinted them with an awful Reverence of Gods Name and the Essays of hating all Religions but their own Their next endeavour is to instruct them in the Elements of Book-learning Where the first Lessons are about the Name and Figure of the Hebrew Letters in which they use this Method First upon a smooth stone or board they cast two or more Letters of the Alphabet and acquaint the Child with the Name and Figure thereof And when the Child is able to pronounce these Letters they proceed to more according to the capacity and towardliness of the Scholar And so forward till the whole Alphabet be run over When this task is finished the children are taught to joyn the Letters into short and easie Sillables and having attained to read a little they are put into the first Book of Moses and so pass through the whole Pentateuch In teaching their Children to write they use as the Spaniards a Plana which is a draught of very large Letters upon a fair Paper which they imitate upon a thin Paper laid thereon When the Parents have at home pretty-well grounded their Children in these prelusory Rudiments they send them to School and every Morning before they go thither it is the Mothers Office to provide them something to eat which is sweetned with Sugar or Honey which serves them both for Beakfast and an Instruction For at giving the Child the sweet Morsel she useth these words As this is sweet to thy Palate so let Learning be sweet to thy mind And she gives directions how to behave himself at School as that he is to use no filthy words but such as he reads in the Law because God loves clean Lips pure wholsom discourse and that all communication ought to be agreeable to the Divine Word Next that the Child must not spend his time in idle talk to his own hindrance or his fellows With other such directions as a Mothers Care and Affection shall suggest They have a saying very common among them That there is no fruit at Autumn where there is no budding in the Spring which they apply to the Education of their Children whose riper years they hope to have pious and well-governed when their tender minds are duly instructed in Religion and Vertue And much to this purpose may be met with in their Homilies At five year old the Children go to School where they spend five years in Learning the Pentateuch and at ten year old they are put if they prove towardly to read the Mischua and some choice parcels of the Talmud which contain the Body of their Institutes During the time that boy is learning the five books of Moses he is called Ben Mickra the Son of the Law and when he is thirteen year old he is Ben Mitzva the Son of the Precept for now the youth receives the Passover and is purified For until he comes to be a Son of the Commandment the Father stands charged with his Miscarriages But at thirteen year old the Lad being supposed to be able to discern Vertue from Vice and Good from Evil he is bound to answer for his faults Therefore the Father having before a Synagogue of ten antient Jews declared that his Son whom he there produces has been well Catechized in the Law and understands the general Decisions of the Mischua and Talmud and that he can repeat the dayly Prayers he lets them know that he no longer chargeth himself with his Crimes but that he leaves him to answer therein for himself and to be punished if he shall be delinquent against the Commandments Where note by the way that by Commandments here must not be understood either the Decalogue or the Ritual of Moses but those 313 Precepts into which they have resolved their Religion and the Bible Drusius in Exod. 26. observes that the Jews old manner of Instructing was by Interrogations and Questions or Catechism By which present Method there is no youth under Heaven can at thirteen years old give so exact account of the Rites of their Religion as the Jewish I meddle not here with the special places which were of old appointed for the Education of youth because those ancient Gebaoth or Colledges Houses of Doctrine and Hills of the Teachers which the Divine writings often mention are now faln under a fatal Devastation Neither doth it concern the present Subject to reflect upon the Mishne or Colledge in Hierusalem where the Repeating of the Law was Studied this being also extinct Only I observe at this day the Jews in Barbary like their neighbour Moors are wholly destitute of Places for liberal Education and therefore when any of them intend to Studie Physick or the like they repair incognito to the European Universities and more especially to those of Portugal and Spain But to return The Jewish Fathers are not more careful in the Catechism of their Children than the Mothers in their Nurserie In which they do not follow their own delicacie but the prescriptions of their Masters who appoint that the Nurse who is always the Mother unless some unavoidable necessity interpose eat such Viands as yield good nutriment to the end that the child may the sooner grow up and come to the publick Worship and take the impressions of their Religion And the Mother who is diligent herein is said To walk in the wayes of the Lord for so they are taught to understand Deut. 28.9 who feeds his Creatures with a â—â—asonable and liberal hand They have very odd conceits about the Situation of the Mothers Breasts which they use as natural motives of affection and tenderness toward their Infants And to imprint in the woman a greater averseness to nurse their children at anothers Bosome their Masters tell them strange Stories of several men who have been miraculously enabled to give their children suck upon the death of their wives During the time of Nursing the women are not permitted to go with open Brests nor to keep Fasts nor to expose their tender Sucklings to the Sun or Moon Neither when the Child is able do they permit it to go bare-headed out of doors because on a time one of their Masters seeing a child in this posture pronounced it unlawfully begotten and that his Mother was either menstruous or unchaste in her Embraces The Jews usually Girdle their children as soon as their bodies will endure it and when they are grown up none of them go ungirt to the Synagogues for if they should do so they think that not only thereby the benefit of the Prayers is forfeited but also the Divine displeasure is provoked Hence is that saying Vngirt unbless'd Albeit I know the Jews use to Girdle their children lest from the intuition of their own nakedness they should imbibe an immodest Confidence CHAP. XI Of their Synagogues the Officers thereof time of their Election Hours of Prayer THe Synagogue in
dinner and supper Which if they reckon right make up the sum At the saying of the Benediction for Gods giving them the Law they stand up with their heels joyn'd together and their toes opened bowing their heads toward Hierusalem They have also a Prayer which is said by the Priest alone wherein he desires God that he would be pleased to pardon all those who have been negligent and unattentive at the time of Prayer But I could not finde this Prayer in their Breviary though with some curiosity I perused it to that purpose Besides the Sabbath they keep Monday and Thursday as weekly Holy days On each of which they read three Sections of the Law the first by a Koên whom they suppose to be descended of Aaron the second by a Reputed Levite and the third Section by a Common Jew As concerning the keeping of Monday and Thursday Holy and reading the Law thereon as well as on the Sabbath after a more Solemn manner the Vulgar Jews give no other account thereof but Custom and the Pleasure of the Masters But those who pretend to give a Rationale of their Rites refer it to an Institution of Ezdras grounded upon the peoples wandring three dayes without water in the Desart of Sur in memory whereof he appointed the Law to be thrice solemnly read every week Now to be without water say they is to be without the Law for which interpretation they bring Esay 55.1 Others think that Thursday and Monday are set apart for the solemn Lesson of the Law in memory of Moses's going the second time into the Mountain to renew the Tables of the Law which hapned say the favourers of this Opinion upon a Thursday and to have returned thence upon a Monday Upon which dayes some of the preciser sort keep a strict Fast like those in St. Luke 18. and in all probability for the same end On these two dayes they have besides the usual Office a proper Prayer which from the first words thereof bears the title of Vehu-rachum which is said with singular attention Of old this Prayer used to work Miracles but by reason of some great delinquency in the present Jews it has lost this Efficacy CHAP. XV. Their Ceremonies about the Book of the Law Their Manner of Celebrating the Sabbath The Offices which thereon are Solemniz'd c. IT is a Canon strictly observed by the Jews That a Book of the Law is necessary to the Constitution of a Synagogue And therefore the first thing they provide in order to set up a Synagogue is a Copy of the Law and a Chest or Ark wherein to lay it up Now that which is called the Book of the Law is The Pentateuch written in a large Character on Parchment which is dressed according to the manner of the Phylacteries The Parchment is rolled up upon two staves to make it the more convenient to be carried in Procession It is also usually wrapt up in a covering of Linnen Silk Tissue c. As for the piece of Tapistry pictured with divers Birds which was the old-fashion'd Covering of the Ark the Jews in Barbary use no such thing for they abhor all manner of Imagery in their Service as minding them of the Idolatry of their Fathers for which they conceive themselves to be still punished and also out of an averseness to be thought to imitate those Christians who have offensively introduced Pictures into their Oratories not only for Ornament but Veneration But to return to the Law The Jews pay the five Books of Moses so great a Reverence that they never suffer them to be taken out of the Chest or looked upon but on three dayes namely Monday Thursday and Sunday when they are read and this too in the Morning because it is esteemed the purest part of the day 'T is true they use also to show the Law to the people on the Sabbath-night but it is because the whole day is hallowed The taking out of the Law belongs to a Noted Rabbi or in his absence to one of the more ancient and Devouter Jews But to carry it in Procession within the Synagogue is sold to him who is able to give most for the Place As we have observed in the Officers of the Synagogue At the taking out of the Law the Officer turns himself to the people and repeats this Versicle Come and extol God with me and let us praise his Name together And at the Elevation of the Law the people bow their Faces toward it and make a long Respond wherein they declare their own vileness and magnifie the Majesty of God And when the Rabbi holds up the Law and opens it he speaks these words This is the Law which Moses laid before the Children of Israel and which proceeded from God whose ways are all just The word of the Lord is pure and a defence to all those who believe it When the Law is carried from the Ark to the place where it is appointed to be read all the people there present sing the Hymn of Moses Numb 10.35 Rise up Lord and let thine Enemies be scatter'd and let them that hate thee flee before thee By which they wish and pray for the Destruction of all those who are not of their Religion When they carry the Law either to the Reading-place or in Procession there is always one who steps up to him that carries it and kisseth the Covering thereof for it were to defile the Law to kiss either the Letters thereof or the Parchment whereon they are written And he who doth this with a Voice moderately elevated blesseth God for having made the Jews his peculiar people and that he hath given them his Law When the Book returns from Procession and has put on its Coverings all the Males in the Synagogue kiss it in Order as the Papists do their Pax and when they have done the Officer gives the Book an Elevation and so lays it up in the Chest And as it returns thither they say the words of Moses at the resting of the Ark Numb 10.36 Return O Lord unto the ten thousand thousands of Israel The Pentateuch is divided into fifty two Sections to the end that it may be read over upon the fifty two Sundaies in the Year And in reading it they are bound to be very plain audible and articulate Because every tittle thereof is of singular weight and moment The last Lesson constantly falls upon September the twenty fifth which immediately follows the Feast of Tabernacles And when this Section is read over the Chasans or those who read the Law declare a great joy and satisfaction that they lived to make an end of the Annual Lesson They also praise God that notwithstanding the many Miserie 's befaln them they are still in possession of the Law in which all other Blessings are abridg'd On the day when this last Section is read all the Copies of the Law are brought forth of the Ark about which the people dance in
Sabbath Through all their Offices there is still something peculiarly relating to the hastening of Elias to the end that he may not only loose their knots or resolve their scruples but give them timely notice of the advent of the Messias But notwithstanding that their Offices for the Sabbath contain excellent things according to their way of Worship yet they have therein many things apparently trivial and ridiculous Of which we may give example in their praying over the Lamps Wine and Spices which are brought unto the Synagogue Where the Wine being consecrated it is carried home that therewith they may sprinkle their houses to preserve them from Witchcraft and Sorcerous Incantations Some likewise wash therewith the parts of the Body that are infirm and conceive that the consecrate Wine yields present cure The Spices also being hallowed are made use of to refresh the Soul that is left alone in the Body when the Sabbath is ended for on that day only they hold that every Male Jew has two Souls But the consecrate Wine and Spices have yet an higher purpose and vertue For with the Spices they refresh the Souls below on the week-dayes because the fire of Purgatory thereon is believed to send forth a very grievous stench And by pouring some of the consecrate Wine upon the ground they imagine Corah and his fellow-Mutineers to be assisted For they are of Opinion that that factious crew are still living in flames under ground It cannot be denyed that albeit the Sabbath Offices of the Jews are taken for the greater part out of Scripture but that they entertain a very Carnal sense thereof and that the whole Rest tends more to gratifie the Body than to serve God And to engross this Ease unto themselves and to show that the Sabbath was purposely appointed for their sakes and that none other have thereunto any right or title as also to declare their just Dominion over all other people in the world the Jews in Barbary imploy their Slaves in all manner of servile Offices upon this day And on it too give solemn thanks unto God That he has put no less difference between Israel and the Gentiles than between light and darkness the six days and the seventh Mr. Selden observes out of their Rabbins that there were three things peculiarly commanded the Israelites namely Circumcision the Tephillim and the Sabbath The first was expresly commanded Gen. 17. the second in Exod. 13. and the third Exod. 31. Now this last was so particularly commanded to the Israelites that the Jews think no Gentile has any share therein that they are not bound to its observation and therefore cannot be punished for the breach thereof And upon this account as we but now intimated they imploy their servants and slaves who are not of their Religion in every sort of drudgery upon the Sabbath that their Doctrine may be illustrated by their Practice And for a further Argument of the appropriation of the Sabbath to the Jews they wear thereon no Phylacteries because without those the Celebration of the Sabbath is thought sufficient to distinguish them from all other Religions in the World The Jewish Masters have raised no few disputes concerning the cause and reason of the Institution of the Sabbath with the persons to whom it belongs the time when its observation began together with its obligation both upon the Originarie and Proselyte Jews All which are industriously collected and learnedly discoursed by Mr. Selden lib. 3. cap. 10 11 12 13 c. de jure Nat. Gentium juxta Disciplinam Hebraeorum What we have already set down concerning these Sabbatine Rites hath respect unto the Jews in Barbary whom I find to harmonize herein with the Jews of other Countries Now because the Sabbath and its Rites make up a great part of their present Religion I thought it not improper to insert the Rules of the Sabbath which are practised by the European Hebrews as they are set down by Mr. Buxtorf in the tenth and eleventh Chapters of his Synagogue I have been enforced to make use of a young Pen in the Translation thereof and to deliver them to the Press without either Perusal or Transcribing and therefore desire the Reader to correct and pardon what faults may therein occur CHAP. XVI How the Jews Prepare themselves for the Sabbath and how they begin it WE read how the Jews prepared themselves on the sixth day according to that of Exodus 16.5 23. To morrow is the rest of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which ye will bake to day and seeth that which ye will seeth Which they interpret of providing all necessary things against the Sabbath that they may the better honour it but especially all Dyet is to be prepared and dress'd that they may have the better leasure to hallow the Day And to this end whatsoever they intend to eat on the Sabbath they make ready on Friday before night the women chiefly are employed in making sweet-meats of divers sorts and when they make ready their dough they make it in a great lump undivided but if the lump be so great as it is in large families that it must be divided the remaining part is kept covered lest a neighbour seeing it may be ashamed that others have provided for the next Sabbath and he not for the present Every one according to his Ability hallows the Day with three splendid Banquets They begin the first on Friday-night before the Sabbath the second on Saturday at noon the last in the evening of the Sabbath And they justifie the performance of this Ceremony from Moses his writings where concerning Manna it is thus expressed Exod. 16.25 Eat that to day for to day is a Sabbath unto the Lord to day ye shall not find it in the fields Here the Rabbies say that Moses meant by repeating the word Day three times that they should in their Banquets on the Sabbath thrice eat of the Manna But the repetition of those Banquets hath some other meaning as is evident by their Book of Ceremonies written in the German Dialect For unless they had been commanded to eat at three set-times they would have so indulged themselves that the whole Sabbath would have been a time only to eat and drink but because all knew when they were present at one Banquet that they must attend on two more every one observed that moderation agreeable to their particular appetites and befitting such a Solemnity thinking on the dainties which they should again shortly taste What is moreover meant by this Banquet and how much they reckon of it shall a little after be declared Moreover none whether noble rich or wise ought to think it beneath him to do something in the honour of the Day For though a man have an hundred maids yea though he have the command of a thousand servants yet he himself ought with his own hands to do something in the honour of the Sabbath And so we read
therefore better keep on our Journy and save our lives than with certain danger both of body and life hallow the Sabbath But the third repli'd Truly we ought not to stir hence but here to keep the Sabbath God who hath commanded us so to do is able to preserve 〈◊〉 safe The other two persisted and broke the Sabbath but the third pitched his Tent and there abode he covered the Ground instead of a Table with a Cloth and on it laid the Provision he had with him and so betook himself to Prayers that being ended he satâ— down to eat of the first Banquet of the Sabbath the Attendance he had was a terrible Bear almost pin'd with hunger the good Jew was almost afraid and gave the Guest a piecâ— of Bread and had faith that God would preserve him the Bear took the Bread and attended on him The Jew after supper betook himself again to prayer and so to sleep and the Bear lay down by him in the morn hâ— was very glad that the hungrie Bear was sâ— kinde as to spare his flesh and for it gave God â—hanks and so provided for his Morning-prayers he then dined and after sup't and did all his duty When the Sabbath was ended he went on his Journey the Bear still following him The same night it fortuned that his Companions fell among Thieves who stripped them of all they had At length this devout Jew and the Bear overtook them and though the Beast was so kinde to him it was not for want of natural fietceness for he soon tore the other two in pieces Then the Godly Jew began to be afraid but whilst he mused with himself the Thieves beset him and asked who he was whence he came and whither he was going he told them he was a Jew and that he came from the Kings Palace they asked whence he had that Bear he answered The King gave it as a Companion One of the Thieves told the other that surely this Person was beloved of the King that he had given him such a guard The other said Let us give him all our money and follow him through this Wood that the Bear hurt us not So they gave him all their money to conceal them and going far with him at length departed the Bear also returned to the Wood. And from this storie the Jews conclude that they ought to observe the Sabbath in whatsoever place they are and commit themselves wholly to the protection of God Almighty CHAP. XVII How the Jews hallow the Sabbath and how they end it IN the morning they rise not up so early as on other days but for the greater pleasure in honouring the day they sleep a good part of the morning And for this custom the Rabbies have consulted the Writings of Moses and finde in Numb 28. where it is spoken of daily Offerings that it is expressed by the word Babboker mane that is the morning but when it is spoken of the Offering of the Seventh day it is expressed by the words Die Sabbathi that is the Sabbath day intending this meaning that the daily Offerings were to be performed Antelucano tempore that is at break of day and instead of this on the Sabbath they had Morning-prayers and referred their Offering till later in the morn therefore the Jews sleep longer than on other daies to prepare them for Prayers When they repair to the Synagogue they pray as on other but longer and sing more Hymns to honour the day they put not on their Phylacteries as on other daies because they think the Sabbath it self is a sufficient signe of the Jewish Faith and ordained only for them to hallow and have therefore no need of Circumcision and Phylacteries though both are signes by which Jews are distinguished and known They bring the Book of the Law out of the Ark after the same manner as is declared in the ninth Chapter They read a Section out of the Law and divide each Section into seven Lessons to be read by seven choice men After the reading of the Law they read Lessons out of the Prophets which are agreeable to the Writings of Moses of which custom this is the Original When in old time they were forbidden to read Moses they chose a Section out of the Prophets which agreed with the Writings of Moses of this there is mention in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 13.27 They which dwell at Jerusalem and their Rulers knew him not nor the Voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day And again Act. 15.21 Moses of old time hath in every City them that Preach him being read in the Synagogue every Sabbath But though they are not forbidden the reading of Moses yet they keep the Old custom and read the Prophets after Moses They pray also for the Souls of the dead who have not kept the Sabbath aright For the Rabbies suppose that they both before and after the Sabbath are tortured in Hell-fire and therefore they pray for them on the Sabbath that thereon they may have rest They continue in prayer not after the sixth hour of the day being forbidden to fast or pray longer as they plead from the place so often recited Thou shalt call the Sabbath a Delight Here they say that the word signifying in Hebrew Delight is written without the Letter ד which signifies six by which the Prophet meant implicitly that they should pray but till the sixth hour When Morning-prayer is ended they provide for the second Banquet and to honour the day they generally indulge their Appetites but if it happen that any one have a strange Dream as if he should see the Book of the Law or his house burn or his teeth strook out or suchlike portending evil he has liberty to abstain from meat till the evening He who in a dream is offended with meat and delights in fasting may do as he himself pleaseth and he that is so grieved that he cannot refrain from tears he may weep for by it grief is eased and such pleasant weeping honours the day but he that fasts on purpose on the Sabbath is bound to fast the next day after that thereby he may do Penance for detracting from the honour of the day After Dinner the Rabbies have thought fit to studie or read in Sacred Writ for one of the chief Rabbies relates that the Sabbath made complaint that God had given to every thing a companion and equal except to it and God answered Israel shall be thy companion for on the Sabbath they shall learn the Law whereas others are idle The Law also came and complained saying When Isarel returns into his own Land one possesseth his Vine another his Field Who then shall regard me To which God said Israel shall respect thee for on the Sabbath they shall not labour And considering this they have thought it fit to spend some time after dinner in studying the word of God that the Sabbath or the Law might have no
more reason of complaint At the time of Evening Sacrifice they repair again to the Synagogue and say their Evening-prayers and then eat the third and last time on the Sabbath when it begins to depart they take leave of it with a Blessing They look upon the observance of these three Banquets to be of much concern for they think that he who thus observes the Sabbath shall escape Hell and be preserved from the dreadful War of Gog and Magog and also be free from the perplexities that shall attend the coming of the Messia and therefore one of the Rabbies pray'd that his Portion might be with those who celebrate the Sabbath with three Banquets At Evening they are again prohibited to draw water out of the River or Well by reason of the Souls of the wicked deceased which again refresh themselves as they are returning to Hell At the very departure of the Sabbath after supper one very nimbly draws the Cloth from off the Table for they say that he who doth it shall in a short time be set at libertie Aere Alieno About the Evening they again go to prayers in which they make mention of the Prophet Elias for they say that his coming was promised in the evening of the Sabbath or some Feast-day and when the Sabbath is gone they ask him if he will come the next Sabbath and acquaint them with the coming of the Messia Some of them also write that the Prophet sate under the Tree of Life in Paradise and registred the good Works the Jews did on the Sabbath They continue these Prayers till late in the night out of love to the Souls of the wicked that they may have the more respit from torments for as it is in the Evening on Friday proclaimed in Hell by Dumah an Angel that is Ruler among the Spirits that the wicked may go to their rest as the Jews do and all Israel on the Sabbath So when the Prayers are ended the Spirit cries again Return ye wicked into Hell for the Jews have done Prayers As soon as the Hymn Benedicite is ended the women go with haste to the wells and draw water for they write that the well Mara whereof they drink in the Desart runs into the Sea of Tyberias and thence in the end of the Sabbath did mixt it self with the water of all their wells and if a woman should chance to draw in that instant she would have an Antidote for all Diseases A certain woman gave testimony to this most precious Panacea who immediately after prayers going to draw water came in that instant in which the Well had mixt it self with hers but being somewhat slow in drawing her Husband was verie angrie The woman for fear let the Pitcher fall out of her hands and it happened that some drops fell upon her Husband and those parts which the water touched were immediately healed See the effect of this his anger for he was only healed in part whereas if he had drank he had been totally cured and clean as a new-born Child Hence is that notable Saying of the Rabbies Iracundus nihil aliud quam iram suam reportabit Lastly they separate the Sabbath from the Week following and give God thanks that he hath enabled them so to hallow the Sabbath They do it after this manner A great Taper like a Torch is kindled which they call the Candle of Separation they have also a little Box full of sweet Spices provided Then the Master of the Family takes the cup of Wine in his right hand and sings with a loud voice Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid I will receive the cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord c. Which done he consecrates the Wine and spilling a little on the ground saith Blessed art thou O Lord who hast created the Fruit of the Vine Then he smells to the sweet Spice and delivers it to all present to smell to afterwards he takes the Cup in his right hand and going to the great Taper looks diligently on the nails of his left hand bowing his fingers inwards towards the palm of his hand that they may cause a shadow after that he opens them again and looks on the outside so diligently that he may discern the nails to be whiter than the flesh and saith Blessed art thou O Lord who hast ordained a clear light then taking the Cup in his left hand he vieweth the nails of his right hand which done he removeth the Cup into his right hand and saith Blessed art thou who hast made difference betwixt things holy and prophane betwixt Israel and other Nations betwixt the seventh day and the other six days of the week and while he saith this he spills a little of the Wine on the ground and then drinks and giveth to all present to drink And so the Sabbath is ended and the Week begun They prove the difference between the Sabbath and the Week-daies by these words And that ye may put difference between things holy and unholy and God divided the light from the darkness They smell to the sweet Spice to avoid dotage because they are deprived of a Soul at the end of the Sabbath which Soul they again receive at the beginning of it and enjoy more than on week-daies Antonius Margarita in his Book de side Judaica has something to this purpose The Jews write in the Talmud that every man hath three Souls and prove it from Esay 42.5 Thus saith the Lord God he that created the heavens and stretched them out he that spread forth the earth and that which cometh out of it he that giveth breath to the people upon it and spirit to them that walk therein From this Text they attribute to man two Souls which with the true Natural Soul always inherent make three moreover they say that when a man sleeps these two adventitious Souls steal from him one ascends to Heaven and there hears all future Events the other roves about the Earth and there beholds nought but folly and vanity and this they call the Irrational or Brutish Soul but that Soul wherewith every man is first inspired hath its immoveable residence in the heart and sees all that those two Souls that have forsaken the body do or see Hence all dreams arise and therefore not always to be lightly esteemed But on the Sabbath a fourth Soul cometh as a fresh supply which elevates their minds that so they may the better honour the Sabbath and when the Sabbath is ended this Soul leaveth them again Hence it is that they are dull and smell to the sweet Spices to refresh their Spirits So much of Margarita but whence he collected this cannot as yet be understood by the Jews writings Some more wise than the rest smell to the sweet Spices because on the Sabbath the fire of Hell doth not stink but as soon as the Sabbath is ended and the Gates of Hell opened that
the Law Sacred or Introduced The Form of Cherem or Anathema BY the Decree of Cities Command of the Holy we Anathematize Adjure Exterminate Excommunicate Curse and Execrate God being willing his Church by the Book of this Law by the 600 Precepts therein written by the Anathema with which Josua Anathematized Hiericho by the Curse wherewith Elisha cursed the young men by the Curse wherewith Gehezi cursed his Boy and by the Excommunication with which Barach Excommunicated Meroz and by the Excommunication which Rab. Jehuda Son of Rabbi Jehezkiel used in this matter and by all the Anathemata Imprecations Curses Excommunications and Exterminations which have been made from the time of our Master Moses and since by the name of Acetheriel Jah the Lord of Hosts by the name of Michael the Great Prince by the name of Mittatron whose name is as the name of his Master by the name of Sandalipon who tieth the hands of his Lord by the name of forty two Letters by his name who appeared to Moses in the Bush by the name with which Moses divided the Sea by the name I am what I am by the Mystery of the name Tetragrammaton by the Scripture that was written upon the Tables by the name of the Lord of Armies the God of Israel sitting upon the Cherubin by the name of the Sphears and Circles and living Creatures Saints and ministring Angels by the name of all the Angels which wait upon the most High God every Israelite and every Israelitess who willingly and knowingly violates any of those which are now denounced to be observed let him be Cursed of the God of Israel who sitteth upon the Cherubin Let him be cursed by the bright and glorious name which the High-Priest in the day of Expiations expresseth with his mouth Let him be cursed by Heaven and Earth Let him be cursed from God Almighty Let him be cursed of Michael that Great Prince Let him be cursed of Mittatron whose name is as the name of his Master Let him be cursed of Acetheriel Jah the Lord of Hosts Cursed be he of the Seraphin and the Orbs of the holy Animals and Angels who wait before the most High God of Israel in holiness and purity If he was born in the month Nisan which the Angel Vriel as the Prince of the Classes under which it is governeth Let him be cursed of him and of all his Order And if he was born in the month Ijar which the Angel Tzephaniel governeth Let him be cursed of him and his whole Order And if he was born in the month Sivan c. The like imprecation is made in the same words by the Angel of this month and so forward by the Angel of every month Let him be cursed of the seven Angels set over the seven Weeks and of all their Order and helping Power Let him be cursed of the four Angels which govern the four Seasons of the Year and of their Order and helping Power Let him be cursed of the seven Palaces Let him be cursed of the Princes of the Law by the Name of the Crown and the Name of the Seal Let him be cursed of the Great God Strong and Bright Let him receive confusion from his Embraces Let him fall with swift Ruine Let the God the God of Spirits destroy him to all Flesh Let the God the God of Spirits put him under all Flesh Let God the God of Spirits lay him prostrate to all Flesh Let God the God of Spirits cut him off from all Flesh Let the Wrath of the Lord and violent Whirlwinde fall upon the Head of the Wicked Let the destroying Angels run upon him Let him be cursed in every thing he puts his Hand unto Let his Soul depart in terrour Let him die of the Quinsie Let not his Breath come or go Let him be smitten with a Feaver Driness the Sword Rottenness the Jaundise Neither let him be delivered from them before Destruction Let his Sword enter his own heart and let his Bows be broken Let him be as the dust before the wind and let the Angel of the Lord drive him away Let his ways be darknesses and slipperiness and let the Angel of the Lord persecute him Let sudden desolation come upon him and his net which he hath laid let it catch himself They shall drive him from light to darkness and exterminate him from the habitable World Tribulation and anguish shall make him afraid and his eyes shall see his destruction and he shall drink the fury of the Lord. He shall cloth himself with cursing as with a garment Let him eat the strength of his skin God shall scatter him for ever and pull him out of his Tabernacle The Lord will not rest that he may be propitious to him but the Wrath of the Lord and his Zeal shall smoak against him and upon him shall rest all the Maledictions written in the Book of this Law and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven Also the Lord shall separate him to mischief out of all the tribes of Israel according to all the Curses of the Covenant which are written in the Book of this Law But you who adhere to the Lord your God are all alive this day He that blessed Abraham Isaac Jacob and Moses and Aaron David and Solomon and the Prophets of Israel and those who were pious among the Nations let him bless all this Holy Congregation with all Holy Congregations except the man onely who hath violated this Anathema God of his mercie keep them make them safe and deliver them from all evil misery and affliction and prolong their daies and years and send his blessing and happie success to every work of their hands and avenge them quickly with all other Israelites And so let it be his will and decree Amen CHAP. XXIV Concerning the present Judicature among the Jews COncerning the Ecclesiastical and Civil Consistories among the present Jews little of moment is now observable And though the Synedrion of old related to Civil Matters as the Synagogue to Ecclesiastical Yet the affairs of Religion and the World now do both fall under the cognizance of one and the same Court But that which is the subject of the present remark is the manner of legal proceeding in the case of Meum and Tuum which is plainly and compendiously thus When any contest ariseth among them concerning Debts Bargains Contracts c. a Juncto of Sabios Chachams or Masters are appointed to hear and determine in the Cause This Court of Chachams consists of 11 9 7 5. and can never be of fewer than three To these the party promovent makes his address in a short and plain Allegation of the Case which the Judges examine by Witnesses who must be persons well reported of and very sober For so much is required by their 212 Precept In case of want of Witnesses the bare Oath of the party producent is sufficient if he be a man of
learned Treatises have been compiled upon this Theme yet they have either been pen'd in Languages unknown to most of this antient people or in a Method exceeding the generality of their capacities or no means have been used to bring such Books to their perusal And what is herein not the least considerable Tracts against Judaism or rather for Christianity have been composed by Bookish and Retired persons who undertook the confutation of such Jewish Tenets as the course of their Studies best inabled them to encounter And others have spent much oyl and time in demolishing a fortress which most of the Modern Jews never undertook to defend An instance whereof I found in a learned Discourse concerning Christ's Resurrection in which the Author excellently confuting that Calumny of the Disciples stealing away their Master while the Guard slept The Jews with whom I discoursed this Article professed a deep silence therein and that they medled no further with our Messias than to bring him to the Cross not being at all concern'd for what hapned afterward So that all the Arguments brought to vindicate Christs Resurrection from the Jews belying the Disciples in conveying away secretly the Body of their Blessed Master was answered by denying the supposition Several Volumes as I have seen are written both in Spanish and Portuguez upon the same subject but so far from any likelihood to confute the obstinacie of the Jews that there is a greater probability they may add to its confirmation For the Books I speak of are stuffed with such ridiculous and irrational Miracles that in reading of them the Jews take no small contentment as being so subservient to their purposes of speaking evil of the Christian Faith which they hope cannot long stand while they imagine it is supported by such frail and chimerical buttresses And besides all this the Jews have ever been as diligent to detect as the Fryars to contrive their fictitious Miracles And what is herein truely deplorable Christianity has the hard fate to be weighed in these Scales and all its Sacred Truths to be rejected for a few Monkish trumperies For I have heard some maligning Jews urging the brainless conceits of the Spanish Fryars who of all others seem herein the most Hypocondricaal for the principles of Christianity which they are the more ready to believe as finding it advantageous to their designe and that the Books wherein they occur are of no surreptitious Edition but Permissu Superiorum and allowed of by that Church which calls her self the Catholick What I now speak of respects the Obstacles of the conversion of those Jews who converse with the Romanists and live even in Rome it self Where more Monks turn Jews than Jews Monks as all Ages have observed And indeed through all the Papal Countries there is but little probability to make the Jews have any good will for Christianity if we consider the manifold offences apparently arising from the whole Oeconomy of their Publick Worship and Doctrine of which I shall for brevity sake give instances onely in the Vows and Prayers made to Saints and Angels which the Jews in all Ages have esteem'd a duty peculiar unto God And they observe too that more Devotions are made to the Virgin whom all Christians acknowledge to be but a Creature than to Christ who by all Orthodox Christians is believed to be God But that which of all other yields greatest matter of Scandal to the Jews is the worshiping of Images for which both the Hebrew and Mahumedan lay Idolatrie to their charge from which nought is left to defend them but an unintelligible distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of a final and Instrumental intention in Worship At which the Jew has no small occasion to be Scandalized when they consider that yet the Sun never rose upon a Nation that was so blockish as to make a Stock or a Stone the Final Object of their Worship but looked upon their Simulachra as the representations of some absent Divinity or things wherein the Divine Power did sometimes inhabit and by his vertue work Miracles even as the Papists opine the B. Lady in infinite places of Christendom doth in her Images And whatever apprehensions and distinctions these venturous Votaries of the Roman Church may be furnished with to save them from Idolatry when they fall down before their Images yet seeing they use therein all the circumstances appointed and fitting to wait upon the immediate Addresses which are made unto God the Jews can perceive nothing visibly fit to vindicate the Service from being thought Idolatrous For as to the mental affection so much spoken of it lies altogether hid to the Beholder and no less perhaps to the blunt and undistinguishing Wits of the Vulgar who therein are concern'd It would be a matter of no great difficulty to enlarge the instance to many particulars of the Roman Doctrine whereat the Jews in no mean degree are daily Scandalized as may be exemplified in their Transubstantiation where the Jews are told Messias to be comprehended under the appearances of a Wafer which is a thing to them so egregiously offensive that they spit at its mentioning Those that have met with the Roman Catechism observe the second Commandment to be wanting and the tenth to be cloven into two to keep up the Decalogue Now all these things and many more are of so much the greater Scandal and indignity as being believed by the Jews to be the Universal Tenets of Christians and that Christs pretended Vicar doth herein follow the Footsteps of his Master Discoursing once with an Italian Jew concerning the Conditions of Rome where he had long dwelt he began with great assurance to tell me That at Rome great wonders were to be seen as a Man that could make his God make and unmake Sins at his pleasure and so run inveighing against the filthy and unhallowed Conversations of the principal Roman Clergy closing up his Discourse with a deep protestation That if he were a Christian the vices and Doctrines of Italy would strongly tempt him to disown that Name And what in the last place is not the least considerable even at those Sermons in Italy to which the Jews are bound to resort little or nothing is to be heard directly tending to the subversion of those points wherein they place their strongest Sanctuary But obiter and by the by the Preacher Sallies out into a numerous invective against their obstinate infidelity without laying down such plain Arguments as may rationally move them to forsake it And if herein there were no fault yet as long as the Jews coming to the Christian Sermons shall see the Preacher begin his Discourse with an Ave Maria which is a general custom with the Papists and frequently to direct his Speech and Prayer to the B. Virgin and the little Wooden Crucifix which stands on the Pulpit by him to call that Image his Lord and Saviour to Kneel down to