which they were forced to make for the Egyptians And so the Master of the House taking a Bowl of Wine in his hand makes a certain Narration called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agadah wherein are reckoned up all the Miseries they underwent and all the Miracles with which God brought them up out of Egypt giving Thanks to God for the many Great Benefits which they had received at his hands and then do they begin the 113. and all the five following Psalmes which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hallel and so they fall to their Meat After Supper they say the rest of the forementioned Psalmes together with some certain Praises and Songs tending to the same purpose and so they go to bed doing all the same things the day following 8. The Prayers in the Morning are Here as in all the other Feastivals Onely the Ordinarie Daily Prayers adding withall some certain passages that are Pertinent to the Present Occasion and repeating the aforesaid Psalmes from the 113. to the 119. Then do they out take the Book of the Pentateuch and Five Persons read in Exodus cap. 12. and in other places where mention is made of the Sacrifices which were to be performed at the Passeover as in Num. cap. 28. and these they afterwards repeat over again in their Musaph or Additional Prayer and then do they read out of the Prophets some Passage which is suitable to the Ordinarie Lesson for the day which was taken out of the Pentateuch called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haphtarah as they use to do on the Sabbath and they likewise do the same in the Afternoon making withall a Commemoration of the Feast and they also blesse the Prince under whom they live as upon the Sabbath 9. The very same things are done the two last daies of the Feast save onely that they do not on the Last Evening do the same which they did on the First 10. At the End of the Feast they use the same Ceremonies which they do on the Sabbath which they call Habdalah of which we have formerly spoken Onely they use the Words barely without the Ceremonie of Smelling to any sweet spices and so they return to their Eating of Leavened Bread again 11. From the Second Evening of the said Passeover they begin to reckon 49. daies unto the Feast of Weeks which then followes accounting from the day whereon they Offered the Sheaf of Wheat called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omer Manipulus a Sheaf and therefore this they called Numerare Omer To reckon Omer or the Daies before Harvest as it is commanded Levit. cap. 23. ver 10 15. Numerabis Ergo ab altero die Sabbathi in quo Obtulisti Manipulum Primitiarum septem hebdomadas plenas c. And ye shall account unto you from the Morrow after the Sabbath from the day that ye brought the Sheaf of the Wave-Offering Seven Sabbaths shall be compleat c. And every Evening following after they have said a Benediction to God for giving them This Precept they say To day are so many dayes past of the Omer 12. And during the space of the first 33. daies of the Omer they make shew of a kind of sadnesse in their Countenances neither doth any of them either marry a Wife or make himself any New Clothes or cut his hair or publickly make shew of any Mirth at all because they have a Tradition that at this time that is to say betwixt the second day of the Passeover and the 33. day after there was a very great Mortalitie happened among the Disciples of a Great Person named Rabbi Hachiba wherein some Thousands of them died and that on the 33. day it ceased and therefore they call This day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chag Dies Festus a Feastivall day wherefore they make Good Chear upon it and are merry neither do they any longer shew any tokens of sorrow as they did before CHAP. IV. Of the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost WHen the Fiftieth day of the aforesaid Account is come which falls out to be upon the sixth of the Moneth of Sivan they then celebrate the Feast of Weeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schebuoth which is so called because it is kept at the End of seven full Weeks accounted from the Passeover as hath been formerly said It is also called in the Scripture Festum Primitiarum The Feast of the First Fruits because at this time they were commanded to bring an Offering to the Temple of the First of their Fruits as you may see Deut. cap. 26. It is also called Festum Messis or the Feast of Harvest because they now first began to put the Sickle into their Corn. This Feast is commanded to be observed Exod. cap. 23. Levit. 23. and in Num. cap. 28. and in divers other places where it is mentioned under several names At this time they keep it Two daies together 2. These Two daies they keep Holy in like manner as at the Passeover abstaining from all manner of Work or Businesse as they do upon the Sabbath Onely they may make Fires and dresse Meat and also carry any thing from one place to another 3. They have a Tradition that at this very time the Law was given upon Mount Sinai according as it is delivered Exod. cap. 19. And therefore they use to adorn and trim up their Schooles and places where they read the Law and their houses also with Roses Flowres Garlands and all manner of Florishing Boughes and the like 4. Their Prayers they use are the same that at other Feasts and they also take out the Book of the Law reading the Sacrifice that was to be done at this Feast then the Haphtarah out of the Prophets adding a Benediction for the Prince under whom they live and in the Afternoon there is a Sermon made in Praise of the Law 5. When the Evening of the Second Day is come they use the Ceremonie of the Habdalah as hath been said touching the End of the Passeover in token that the Feast is now ended CHAP. V. Of their Caput Anni or Beginning of the Year and of the First Moneth called Elul IT was once a Great Controversie among the Talmudists at what time of the Year the World was created some of them said it was in the Moneth Nisan or March that is to say in the Spring Others again maintained that it was rather in the Moneth Tisri or Saptember because Autumn then begins And this Opinion prevailed so that it was thenceforth concluded that the World began in the Autumn on the moneth Tisri which Moneth they also ordained to be accounted the Beginning of the Year So that notwithstanding that we find in the Holy Scripture that they were commanded by God to account Nisan the First moneth of the Year as appears plainly out of Exod. cap. 12. ver 2. Mensis iste vobis principium Mensium c. This Moneth shall be unto you the Beginning of Moneths it shall be the
repeated in all the Prayers and at all times a short prayer called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cadisch that is to say Holinesse a Prayer of Thanksgiving to the Creatour of the Light and of the Day which they call Jozer that of Deuteron Audi Israel c. Si ergo Obedieritis c. diverse times mentioned before together with those words out of Num. cap. 15. Loquere filiis Israel ut faciant sibi fimbrias c These three Lessons are called Chiriat Scheman then followeth the Veiaziu c. the Nineteen Benedictions to God the Schemonah Asre wherein giving praise to God they crave at his hands all things that are most necessary for them as Food Health Understanding Liberty Forgivenesse of sins c. which they first say in a low voice and is afterwards repeated aloud by the Cazan adding thereto the 145. Psalm and some certain verses out of the Prophets and that of Isaiah cap. 6. Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Dominus Deus exercituum Holy Holy Holy Lord God of hosts c. with the interpretation of the said words in Chaldee and after all this is said there followes one Lesson more and in the last place they give thanks to God who hath enlightened them to do him service beseeching him that he would be pleased to bring all men unanimously to the knowledge and worship of Him And so saying the Haleno lesabeah they make an end of their Morning Prayers 8. On Mundayes and Thursdays they adde in their Prayers after the Schemonah Asre certain Confessions and Penitential Prayers And these two dayes they account the fittest of the whole week for a man to indict himself either a Fast or any manner of Abstinence calling these two days Days of Justice because that Anciently the Magistrates and Ministers of Justice were wont in their several Cities to sit on these dayes and administer justice and the Villages and places adjacent came all in as to a Market to the chief City or Town as it were in a kind of relation to the divine Justice 9. In their Afternoon Prayers they begin with the 145. Psalm then the Cadisch the Nineteen Benedictions the Schemona Asre first in a low voice and afterwards aloud and so repeating the Cadisch again they make an end 10. In the Evening they say certain Praises to God who bringeth on the Night and who loving Israel gave them his Precepts then the Three Lessons called Chiriath Scheman an acknowledgment of his mercie in bringing them up out of Egypt after that a prayer that he would vouchsafe to preserve them that Night from dangers then 18. verses out of the Prophets the Nineteen Benedictions the Schemona Asre in a plain Tone onely the Haleno Leschabeah and lastly the Cadisch with which they end their Evening Service 11. These are the principal parts of which their three daily Services do consist always and although that on their Solemn and Feastival days there are certain other pieces added suitable to the day and the present occasion as shall be declared in its proper place yet is this the Base and Ground-work of the businesse both for the Order and substance of the whole And thus farre there is no great difference betwixt the three principal Nations above specified but they do in a manner all conform to this Method in their Devotions 12. The whole Pentateuch they divide into 48. or 52. Lessons which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paraschoth that is to say Divisions and one of these is read every week in the School so that by this meanes throughout the whole Year though it should have thirteenth Moneths in it it will notwithstanding all be read On Mondaies and Thursdaies after the penitential prayers they take the Sepher Torah or Book of the Law before spoken of chap. 10. out of the Chest or Ark and saying the Third verse of the 34. Psalm O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together and some others the like they lay it upon the Table or wooden Alter and then taking it out of the Covers and opening it there are three persons invited up to read the beginning of the Parascha or Lesson for the day One one piece and another another and these say a Benediction at the beginning and another at the end Then the Cazan or Chanter giveth a blessing upon them and so each of them promiseth to give something either to the Poor or to the use of the School or else to the Chanter himself or to the Schamas or Ministring Officer After this the said Sepher Torah is lifted up on high open and the Holy Scripture contained in it is shewed to all the Congregation saying these words out of Deuter. cap. 4. ver 44. Ista est Lex quam proposuit Moses coram filiis Israel c. This is the Law which Moses set before the Children of Israel c. But the Levantines use to hold up the Book in the sight of the People before they begin to read in it After this is done they shut it up and put it into its Covers and so lay it up in the Chest again 13. This Ceremonie of Reading in This Book and of Inviting in this manner more or fewer up to the Reading in it is said to have been ordained by Esdra and it is done every Feastival and every Fast day as shall be hereafter declared in order 14. And because every one desires out of Devotion to have a hand in some or other of these Religious Acts either of taking forth or laying up the Book again or other the like Occurrences during the time of Prayers these Favours are therefore bought of the Chaunter and he that biddeth most shall have a share in them and the Money which cometh in this way goes either to the use of the School or else to the Poor mans Box. CHAP. XII Of their Priests and Levites and of their Wives and Titles IN Ancient Times while the Temple stood their Priests were onely such as were descended from the stock of Aaron as we read in Exodus chap. 29. and in other places And these served at the Altar in offering all their Sacrifices and Oblations burning Incense and whatever other Religious Duties were to be performed and to them was given not onely those Portions of the Sacrifices there set down but of every Beast also that was killed they were to have the Shoulder the Head and the Inwards and likewise the Firstlings of all their Flocks and Herds the Price of Redeeming the First-born of their Sons the First Shearing of their Sheep Two in the Hundred at the Gathering in of all their Fruits a Piece of Dough when they made their Bread and all other things set down at large in the Scriptures 2. The Levites were to sing at the times appointed in the Temple and their Portion was the Tithe of their Fruits which they gathered up going from place to place throughout the several Villages 3. But now that they are no
in the other because thus they were of old used to do in the Temple round about the Altar 5. On the Seventh day which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hosâ—anah rabbah the Great Hosanna they adde to their Former bundle of Boughes other branches of Willow and go round about the School seven times and say the 29. Psalm Afferte Domino fidei Israel c. Give unto the Lord Oye sons of the Mighty give unto the Lord glory and strength And they keep That day somewhat more solemnly then they do the Five Intermediate daies 6. The Ninth and Last day of the Feast is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shimchah Torah Laetitia propter Legem that is to say Their Joy for having finished the Law because that at this time they make an End of reading over all the Pentateuch according to the Division of it into so many Lessons or Sections as there be weeks in the year as hath been formerly said Part. 1. Cap. 11. it being so ordered that the Reading over of the whole Pentateuch should be finished at the same time that the year also ends 7. There are at this time chosen in every School Two which are called Sponsi Legis Bridegrooms of the Law One of which is to read the End of it called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kathan torah Sponsus The Bridegroom of the Law ended and the Other is presently to begin it again and He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kathâ—â— Beresâ—hith Sponsus Principi the Bridegroom of the Beginning of the Law Which Two persons are to expresse some tokens of Joy and thus they do in all the several Schools and so this Whole day is a Day of Rejoycing CHAP. VIII Of their Fasts Commanded and Voluntary Upon the 17. day of the Moneth Tamuz or June they observe a Fast in Memorie of certain Disasters that have befallen the Citie Jerusalem upon That Day and particularly because they have a Tradition that it was upon This Day that the First Tables were broken in pieces by Moses upon the Children of Israel's making to themselves the Golden Calf 2. All their Ordinarie Commanded Fasts begin upon One Evening and end upon the Evening following during which space of time they neither Eat nor Drink any thing little or much till such time as the Stars begin to appear 3. In the Morning at their Prayers in the School they adde to the Usual Prayers of the day certain Confessions of sins and withal make a sad Rehearsal of the Disasters that had befallen them upon This Day then do they take out the Book of the Law and read in Exod. cap. 32. ver 12. c. Et Oravit Moses c. And Moses besought the Lord his God and said Lord why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy People c. In the Afternoon at the Mincha or Afternoon Service they read the same things again and for the Haphtarah or Lesson out of the Prophets they read that Place in Isaiah cap. 55. ver 6. Quaerite Dominum dum inveniri potest c. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near 4. There are some that will neither eat Flesh nor drink Wine from the said 17. day of Tamuz or June till the 9. of the Moneth Ab or July that is to say for three full weeks together but this is more then they are bound to do and they do it because that All These Daies have been Unfortunate to the House of Israel 5. Upon the 9. of the said moneth Ab or July they observe a more severe Fast then Ordinarie and they call it by the name of the Day of the moneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tischah beab Nona Mensis Julii The Ninth of July because that upon This Day the Temple was twice burnt down at the Taking of Jerusalem the First time by Nabuchadonozar and the second time by Titus Son to the Emperour Vespasian They begin This Fast an hour before Sun-set or thereabout and neither eat nor drink any thing but go Barefooted and forbear also to Wash themselves till the Evening following when the Stars now begin to appear 6. At Night they repair to the School at the Ordinarie time of Evening Prayers and there they all sitting upon the ground the Lamentations of Jeremy are read and the Morning following they do the like adding withal many other Passages tending all to Sorrow and Lamentation And thus they continue all that day neither may they any way refresh or recreate themselves nor so much as studie or read the Law nor any other book except it be the Book of Job or Jeremy or the like Melancholy Sorrowful Discourses 7. The Next Sabbath after This Fast is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nachamu that is to say a Day of Consolation and therefore reading the 40. Chapter of Isaiah for the Haphtarah Consolamini consolamini Popule meus c. Comfort ye comfort ye my People saith your God Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem c. they go on comforting one another with the Hopes that they shall yet see Jerusalem and the Temple built up again 7. On the Third day of the Moneth Tisri or September which is the next day after the Feast of the Beginning of the year they have another Fast keeping it after the Usual manner from Evening to Evening And the Reason of their observing this Fast is because that this is the day on which Gedaliah the son of Ahikam who was onely left remaining for the Defence of the Residue of the House of Israel and was a Just man was slain And because it is one of the Daies of Penance which happen at this time of the Year therefore do they take occasion in their Prayers to make a solemn Commemoration of this Just Person and keep a Fast calling the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tzom Gadaliah Jejunium Gadaliae The Fast of Gedaliah 9. After this followeth the Fast of Chipur or Day of Expiation spoken of formerly Chap. 6. where it is described at large 10. Upon the 10. of Tebeth or December there is another Yearly Fast because that upon that day Nebuchadnezzar began to lay siege to Jerusalem and afterwards took it 11. On the 13. of Adar or March which is the day before the Feast of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purim which is kept in Memorie of the Things which Queen Esther did for the Jewish Nation they observe also a Yearly Fast because that Esther her self Fasted also at that time as you find it written in the book of Esther 12. And these are all the Fasts that are Commanded them in the Law but they have besides Other which the severall Nations use to observe as the Dutch for example after the Feast of the Passeover and that of Tabernacles make Three Fasting-daies one Monday one Thursday and another Monday again and the reason they give for so doing is because the Precedent Feast being Eight daies long they might haply
flesh or to pull their hair off in their mourning or lamenting for the Dead as well while the Corps is present as after it is buried observing the Text of Scripture Deut. cap. 14. ver 2. Ye shall not cut your selves nor make any baldnesse between your eyes for the Dead 6. As they return from the Grave every one of them plucks up grasse from off the ground twice or thrice and casts it over his head behind him saying withall those words of the Psalmist Psal 92. ver 16. Et Florebunt de civitate sicut foenum terrae c. And they of the city shall flourish like grasse of the earth and this they do to signifie their hopes of the Resurrection of the Dead After this they wash their hands and sit down and rise up from their places again nine times saying withall the 91. Psal Qui habitat in adjutorio Altissimi c. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty And having done all this they return home to their houses And this is the most usuall manner of Burying the Dead in most places although there may be here and there some little diversity found as the Customes of the several countries and places are CHAP. IX Of their Mourning Praying for and Commemorating of the Dead THe nearest Kindred of the Party deceased that is to say the Father Mother Sons Husband Wife Brothers and Sisters when they are returned to their house sit down all together upon the ground without shoes upon their feet any then is there sent them in from their Friends Wine and Bread and Hard Eggs and so they eat and drink according to that which is written Prov. cap. 31. Date Sichera morientibus c. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more one of them first saying the Ordinary Benediction which is used to be said at meat adding withall certain consolatory speeches and comfortable Sentences In the Eastern parts and many other places their kindred and friends use to send in to the Mourners every Evenin and Morning during the whole seven daies of Mourning Dishes of Meat and good chear and go in and feast with them and comfort them up 2. The Bed whereon the sick person died as soon as ever he is carried out of the house they take and rowl up together doubling up the coverlet also and laying it all in a heap together upon the same Bedstead and close by the Beds head they set up a Lamp of Oyl which is to burn continually during the whole seven daies following They also set a Bason of Water and a clean Towel near the Bed's head 3. Those that are nearest of Kin to the deceased as hath formerly been said are to continue in the house seven daies together sitting upon the ground all the day long and eating their meat in the same posture Onely upon the Sabbath they go to the School being accompanied by other of their friends upon which day also they are more visited and comforted by them then upon any other During the time of these seven daies of Mourning they may not do any manner of work or businesse neither may the husband lie with his wife And every Evening and Morning during the said seven daies there are to meet Ten persons together at the house of Mourning to say the usual Prayers by the Mourners who are not during this time to go out of the house save only on the Sabbath and some use to adde after the ordinary Prayers the 49. Psalm Audite haec omnes gentes c. Hear this all ye people give ear all ye inhabitanns of the world c. and they also pray for the Soul of the party deceased 4. All Mourners apparel themselves in black but they do this following the use of the Countries where they inhabit and not from any Precept 5. When the seven daies of Mourning are now ended they go abroad and many use to set up Lights in the School and have Speeches made and promise to give Alms for the Soul of their Dead Friend And this they also do at the Moneth's and at the years end and if he were a Rabbine that is dead or a person of quality they then have Sermons and Funeral Orations which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesped made for him 6. They have a Custome that the Son useth alwaies to say in the School for his Father and Mother that Prayer which they call the Cadisch every Evening and Morning for the space of eleven Moneths together and this he does for the Soul of his Deceased Father or Mother And some use to Fast every Year upon that day that their Father or Mother died 7. In many places they lay a Marble stone upon their graves writing Epitaphs upon them of divers kinds some in Prose and some in Verse expressing the name of the person that lies buried there and recounting withall his Praises together with the Day Moneth and Year of his Decease CHAP. X. Of their Paradice Hell and Purgatory THere are some that have written that for the space of Three daies together after a Dead body is buried it is tormented by a certain Angel or Spirit the Soul returning again to the body that so it may become sensible of these Torments and this they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chibut hakeber Percussio Sepulchri and this is believed too by the simpler sort of people 2. They hold that there is a place which they call Paradise for the Souls of Good men and this they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gan Heden where the Soules of the Blessed enjoy the Beatifical Vision and also a Hell which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gehinam for the Wicked where their Soules are Tormented with Fire and other sorts of Punishments But they are of opinion that some are condemned to Perpetual Torments in this place and shall never be released from hence but that some are to continue here only till a certain time prefixed And this is that they call Purgatory being not distinguished in respect of Place but of continuance of Time 3. They believe also that no Jew that is not guilty of Heresie or of some certain other of the like Crimes specified by the Rabbines doth stay in Purgatory above a Twelve-moneth and they conceive that the greatest part of those that die are of this Rank and Number and that there are very few of them that for those aforementioned sins are condemned to everlasting Torments in Hell CHAP. XI Of their Belief of the Transmigration of Soules the Resurrection and day of Judgment THere are many among the Jews that are of that Pythagorical Opinion of the Transmigration of souls and its passing from one Body into Another believing that after a man is departed his soul returns again
the Rabbines that they observe for everie New thing and every Strange thing that happens and for each of these particulars they have a Proper Benediction and which is fitted and appropriated to such or such a thing But seeing these several Benedictions are so many as that it would be too tedious a businesse here to rehearse them I shall onely touch at some of them referring you to the Writings of the Rabbines for fuller satisfaction herein 2. In the Morning then as soon as they are up they say this Blessed be thou O Lord our God who raisest the Dead to life who givest sight to the blind who stretchest forth the earth upon the waters and many other the like If they Wash according to the Precept they use this Benediction Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the World who hast sanctified it in thy Precepts and commanded us to wash our hands if it be for the Study of the Law they say Blessed c. who hast given us the Law If in rejoycing when they Eat Bread Blessed c. who bringest bread out of the Earth if in Drinking Blessed c. that hast created the fruit of the Vine for the Fruit of other Trees Blessed c. that hast created the Fruit of the Trees for the Fruits of the Earth Blessed c. that hast created the Fruits of the Earth for any pleasant Smell Blessed c. who hast created such an odoriferous thing when they behold the high Mountains or the Vast Sea Blessed c. who hast created all things from the begining when they see eat or put on any New thing and likewise at the begining of every Solemn Feast Blessed c. who hast given me life preserved me and brought me up to see this day if any one die Blessed c. thou Judge of Truth In a word both in all Things and Actions whatsoever either before or after and in some both before and after they say some Benediction to God accounting it a high point of Ingratitude if they should enjoy and make use of any thing in the world without having first made a Thankful Acknowledgment of it to God the Creator of all Things 3. And they are bound to say at least a Hundred Benedictions every day and because they use to say the most of them in the morning when they go to their Devotions in the School these first morning Benedictions are therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meah Beracoth that is to say The Hundred Benedictions CHAP. X. Of the Form of their Synagogues or Schooles THey make their Synagogues which are called by them Schooles either little or great on the ground or above staires standing by themselves or in part of another house according as their best opportunities will give them leave it being Impossible for them now to erect any starelie or sumptuous Fabricks 2. The Walls within are onely whited or else wainscoted or lined with boards and round about them are written certain Verses or Sentences exhorting to Attention in Prayer And round about the School are Benches made to sit on and in some there are also certain Chests to lay books cloaks and other things in Over head are many Lamps Candles and Lights both of Waxe and of Oyl to enlighten the place At the doors are Boxes or little Chests into which who so pleaseth putteth in Money which is afterward distributed to the Poor 3. In the East part is placed an Ark or Chest which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aron in Imitation of the Ark of the Covenant that was in the Temple and herein is laid up the Pentateuch that is to say the Five first books of Moses written most exactly in Parchment and with Ink prepared for the same purpose in a large square letter which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Merubaath Majuscula in imitation of one of those Books which was written by the hand of Esdra whereof such a one is said to be at Cairo who copied out that which was written by Moses his own hand as we read in the Cap. 8. of Esdra And there must be so much exactnesse used in the Writing of this book as that if there should chance to be but one of the least letters as a Vau or a Jod more or lesse then the just number it must be thrown aside as uselesse and not fit to be read at all and many other Particulars there be wherein the Transcriber may thus dangerouslie erre which are all set down at large by the Rabbines Now this Book is not made up in the form of other books now in use but in manner of a Rowl as all books were anciently used to be made that is to say Large pieces of Parchment are sewed together at length with Thongs made of the skin of some Clean Beast and not with Thread which they rowl up and unrowl at pleasure upon two staves of Wood. For the better preserving of this Book it is alwaies covered with a Case of Linnen or of Silk which the Women use to beautifie with Needle-work and Imbroyderie with all the art they can and so present it and also with another Silken cover about it by way of Ornament And he that is of abilitie will cover the Ends of the Two Staves whereon his book is rowled up which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etz chaijim Ligna vitae with something of silver either in the form of Pomegranats which they yet for this reason call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rimonim Pomegranats or of Bells or some other the like or else they encompasse them about at the top with a Coronet of silver either that goes round about them or else hanges as it were in the midst before them and this they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chatarath or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheder torah Corona legis The Crown of the Law according to the Use and manner of the place and the Fancie of the Owner of the Book And there are in this Ark or Chest sometimes Two sometimes Four Ten Twentie or more of these Books and they are called all of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sepher torah The Book of the Law and out of These they read on every Festival day and other set Times as we shall shew hereafter in its proper place 4. In the Midst or else at the Upper End there is a kind of Woodden Table raised up something high on which they lay the said Book when they read in it and on which they lean when they either preach or otherwise speak to the Congregation upon any Occasion 5. There is also a place either above the rest of the Congregation or on one side of it separated from the rest by Lattises of wood for the Women who there stand at their Devotions and see whatever is done in the School though they are themselves unseen of any man neither do they at all mix with them that by this Means their Minds may not
finding thine Own pleasure nor speaking thine Own words c. 7. They may not touch or handle any thing of Weight or burthen nor any Tool or Instrument of any Act or Work that may not be done upon the Sabbath 8. They may not walk above a mile from the Citie or place where they dwel that is to say Two Thousand Yards 9. There are besides these things many other Particulars Forbidden by the Rabbines for the more certain avoiding of all manner of Businesse or Work of Handicrafts to be done that day as for example The handling of any Money which is the Cause and Occasion of all manner of Trading as likewise Riding on Horseback Going by Water Playing upon any Musical Instrument or Bathing 10. In case of any Persons being Ill or Diseased if the Grief require onely the Chirurgeons hand there are many and severe Restraints laid upon them by the Rabbines But if the Physicians help be necessarie if he esteem it a sicknesse of any danger although it be not great and so likewise in Case of any Woman being newly brought to bed the Physician hath Libertie to do any thing 11. On Friday then every one provides himself of whatsoever he shall need the day following as the Children of Israel did of old in gathering their Manna as it is written Exod. cap. 16. ver 5. Die autem sexto parent quod inferant c. And it shall come to passe that on the sixt day they shall prepare that which they bring in and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily And they account it a Good Work to spend Liberallie that day in honour of the Feast as it is written in Isaiah cap. 58. ver 13. Et glorificaveris eum c. and shalt honour Him c. and they willinglie employ themselves even in the Meanest Offices that are any whit tending to the Honour of the Sabbath 12. They do not begin any kind of businesse or work upon the Friday unlesse they are very well able to finish it fully some while before the Evening comes on and when it is now within an hour of Sun-set they set their Meat on the Fire in the best manner they can that so it may be readie to eat against the next day and having done this they make an end of working any more till the Sabbath be over In many Cities there is one that is appointed to go about and proclaim the Approaching of the Sabbath about some half an hour before the time that it is to begin that so they may dispatch and quit their hands of all manner of businesse whatsoever before the beginning of the Feast 13. When the 23. hour then of Friday is now come about half an hour before Sun-set the Feast is understood to be begun and then also the Forbearing from all Works that are Forbidden begins to take place And now the Women are bound to set up a Lamp in the house lighted which used to carry Four or Six Lights at least and this Lamp burneth the greatest part of the Night They also spread the Table with a Clean Table-cloath and set bread upon it and over the Bread they spread a long narrow Towel which covers it all over and this is done say They in Memorie of the Manna in the Wildernesse which in like manner descended upon the Earth being covered beneath and having a Dew on the top of it and on the Sabbath it fell not at all 14. There are many that shift themselves at that time putting on clean shirts and washing their Hands and Face and so go to the School where they say the 92. Psalm Bonum est confiteri Domino c. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy name O Thou most High c. together with the accustomed Prayers withall naming the Sabbath in their Prayers and rehearsing those Verses of Genesis cap. 2. Igitur perfecti sunt Coeli Terra c. Thus the Heavens and the Earth were finished and all the Host of them And on the seventh day God ended his Work which he had made c. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it c. 15. Then do they return each man to his home and if they salute any one that night they do dot say unto him Good Even Nor the next day Good Morrow but alwaies their salutation is A good Sabbath to you and so the Fathers blesse their Children and the Masters their Scholars and some use to say certain Verses in Praise of the Sabbath either before or after Meat according as the Custome of the place is 16. When they are set down to Meat the Master of the Familie takes a Bowl of wine in his hand and saying the afore-cited Verses of Gen. cap. 2. Igitur perfecti sunt Coeli terra c. he giveth thanks to God who hath given them the Commandment of keeping the Sabbath and so he blesseth the Wine and drinketh of it and afterwards gives a little of it to each person at the Table with him Then doth he rehearse the 23. Psalm Dominus regit me c. The Lord is my Shepherd therefore can I lack nothing c. and so blesseth the Bread and giveth of it to all and after this they eat every one as much as sufficeth him as they likewise do each Meal the day following When they have done then do they wash their hands and so perform all those other ceremonies that we have before set down Par. 2. cap. 9. speaking of their Manner of sitting at Meat Some use to say after Meat the 104. Psal Benedic anima mea domino c. Blesse the Lord O my Soul c. 17. The next Morning they rise later then they usuallie do on the Week daies and go to the School where after the singing of many Psalms and the Accustomed Prayers together with certain Laudatory Prayers in honour of the Sabbath they take out the Book of the Law before spoken of and read the Lessons or Portion of it appointed for that day and this is done by seven persons after this they read some place or other out of the Prophets which they find to be most suitable to the Ordinarie Lesson for the day and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haphtarah Lectio Dimissoria a Dimissory Lesson and this is read by some Child for the most part to exercise him in Reading the Scripture 18. After this they take the said Book and holding it up on high that it may be seen by all they blesse all the Assistants 19. Then is there a solemn Benediction said for the Prince of that State under which they live wherein they pray to God that he would preserve Him in Peace and Quietnesse and that he would prosper Him and make Him Great and Powerful and that he would also make Him Favourable and Kind to their Nation observing to do thus from that Passage in Jerem. cap. 29.
ver 7. Et quaerite pacem Civitatis c. And seek the peace of the City whither I have caused you to be carryed away Captives and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace After this they say another Prayer called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Musaph Additamentum an Additional Prayer wherein is read the sacrifice that was wont to be offered in the Temple and thus is their Morning Prayer ended 20. They have their Sermons also or Preaching which is performed either in the the Morning or in the Afternoon in the School or some other place designed for that purpose wherein they treat of Good Manners and reprove Vices fitting their Discourse to the Ordinarie Lesson for the day that was taken out of the Pentateuch and citing many Sentences out of the Rabbines as hath been formerly declared Par. 2. cap. 1. 21. In the Evening they repair to the School again where after the Ordinarie Prayers are said there is added a Commemoration of the Sabbath and the Beginning of the Lesson for the Week following is read out of the Pentateuch by three persons 22. They use to make three Meals that is to say they sit down to meat three times during the time that the Sabbath lasteth namely once on Friday night and twice the day following doing this in Honour of the Feast And the Table-cloth continues laid all the day long 23. In the Evening when the time is come that they can now see three stars of the middle Magnitude they account the Sabbath to be at an end and it is now lawfull to do any manner of work so soon as ever the Evening Prayer is begun to which they make the lesse haste that they may not seem to Anticipate or end the Sabbath before the due time 24. They adde to the Ordinarie Evening Prayers a certain Commemoration or Acknowledgment of the Sabbaths being a day distinguished and set apart from the Week-daies saying also the 91. Psalm Qui habitat in Adjutorio Altissimi c. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty c. and many other Verses out of the Scripture treating of Blessings and Prosperitie and the like 25. Then returning each man to his own home they light a Torch or Lamp with two wicks in it at least and taking a Bowl of Wine in one hand and sweet spices in the other they say certain verses out of the Prophets touching Prosperitie and Blessings and also out of the 116. Psalm Calicem salutis accipiam c. I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the name of the Lord and likewise out of Esther cap. 8. ver 16. Judaeis autem nova lux c. The Jewes had Light and gladness and joy and honour and the like praying withall that the week following may be prosperous unto them After this they blesse the wine and the sweet spices withall smelling to them that so they may seem to begin the week with delight and pleasure then do they also blesse the Light of the Fire which as yet hath not been made any use of withall looking upon their own heads because now they may fall to their work again And all these things are with them of very mysterious signification Now the meaning of all this is to signifie that the Sabbath is now ended and that that Instant of time divides it from the Working-daies and having so said it is quite finished Now all this Ceremonie is for the same Reason called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habdalah which is as much as to say Distinction which being now ended they cast a little of the wine upon the ground in token of joy and gladnesse and some use to sing certain songs and verses Ominating Prosperitie and good Fortune the week following And from henceforth it is lawfull for them to do any work 26. When they salute one another that night they do not say God give you a good Night but God send you a good week CHAP. II. Of the Beginning of their Moneths and of their Order and Names and of the Thirteenth Moneth THe Jewes reckon their Moneths according to the Revolution of the Moon so that every Moneth contains 29 daies and the third part of a day and every New-Moon is the Beginning of a moneth 2. Heretofore in Ancient times they were used to send forth two out of the Sanhedrim that is to say the Judges of Jerusalem to be Witnesses of the New Moon 's Appearance which as soon as they had discovered they presently returned and gave notice thereof to the rest of the Judges who immediatly appointed and published that day to be Caput Mensis the Head or Beginning of the Moneth and in this manner did they Order the businesse for the finding out the Times that all their Feastivals were to be kept at But now since the destruction of the Temple it is done by Computation and there is Yearly a Kalendar or Monethly Almanack made and Printed by which they may find out the Age of the Moon together with the time of its Change and the four Quarters with all the Feastival daies throughout the Yeer and all other the like things And they Now set down in their Kalendars the Feastival daies of the Christians also for the better Ordering of their businesse and Affairs wherein they have to deal with Them 3. Their Caput Mensis which sometimes is two daies together that is to say the End of One Moneth and the Begining of the Next is a Feastival Time with them as it is commanded Num. 10. ver 10. Also in the day of your gladnesse and in your solemn daies and in the Beginnings of your Moneths ye shall blow with the Trumpets over your Burnt-Offerings c. and also because there was then a New Sacrifice to be Offered as is enjoyned in the 28. Chap. ver 11. And in the beginnings of your Moneths ye shall offer a Burnt-Offering unto the Lord Two Young Bullocks and One Ram c. But yet it is Lawful on these Daies to do any manner of Work or Businesse Onely the Women use to abstain from working on these daies The Solemnitie of these Feasts is shewed chiefly in Feeding more Plentifully and being more Frolick at their Meat 4. At the time of Prayers there is notice given to all that That day is the Beginning of the Moneth and so they say certain Psalmes from the 113. unto the 118. Then do they take Out the Book of the Law and the Lesson is read by Four persons After this they adde the Musaph wherein they make mention of the Sacrifice that was wont to be offered upon that day 5. The next Sabbath Eve after the Change of the Moon or else the next Evening after the New Moon hath first appeared they all meet together and say a Laudatorie Prayer to God who hath created the Planers and that reneweth the Light of the Moon
Purim Notwithstanding they at this time observe nothing at all that is essentiall to the said Feast neither have these Daies any thing in Common betwixt them save onely the bare Name PART IV. CHAP. I. Of the several Kinds and Degrees of Adulterie and Fornication THe Severall Degrees of Adultery and Fornication are these that follow The First is to Lie with Another Man's Wife or with any Woman that is but onely Betroathed to Another man And This is among the Jews accounted for one of the Greatest and most Hainous Crimes that can be committed The Next to this is to Lie with any of ones Kindred that is to say with any of those specified Levit. cap. 20. and the Children that are begotten by any such Unlawful Copulation are to be esteemed Bastards whom they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mamzer Spurious neither may they acknowledge or make Alliances with them according to that which is written Deuter. 23. ver 2. Non ingredietur Mamzer hoc est Spurium in Ecclesiam Domini c. A Bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord even unto his tenth generation shall he not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. Next to the aforesaid Degrees of Adulterie followes the Having Carnall Knowledge of a Woman that is not a Jew because they say this was Forbidden by Esdra or to Lie with any Strumpet that is a Jew the Publick Toleration of which kind of People is not in reason to be thought of amongst the Jewes seeing it is against the Expresse Text of the Scripture in the aforesaid Deut. 23. ver 17. Non erit Meretrix de filiabus Israel c. There shall be no Whore of the Daughters of Israel c. 2. It is also a Sin to have to do with any Woman whatsoever although she be free from all the aforesaid Particulars unlesse she be a Man 's own Wife or to deflowr any Virgin unlesse he afterwards marry her because all these things are accounted Fornication 3. They may not lie with any Menstruous Woman as you may find written Levit. cap. 18. ver 19. Ad mulierem quae patitur menstrua non accedes c. Also thou shalt not approach unto a Woman to uncover her Nakednesse as long she is put apart for her Uncleannesse neither may they have knowledge so much as of their own Wives so long as they are in this Condition as we shall shew hereafter CHAP. II. Of their Marriages Every Jew is bound by the Law to Marry and the most Convenient time to do this is determined by the Rabbines to be at Eighteen Years of Age But they must by no means live Unmarried after Twentie and what man soever is not Married after he is of This Age he is accounted as One that lives in Sin The reasons of this are First because all men are bound to Endeavour the Procreation of Children according as God Commanded Adam Gen. cap. 1. ver 28. Crescite Multiplicamini et replete terram c. And God said unto them Be fruitful and Multiply replenish the Earth c. and they conceive themselves not to have fulfilled this Precept here given till they have begotten One Son and One Daughter at least And besides they say they are bound to marrie that by having Wives of their own they may by this means the easier avoid all Occasions of falling into the sins of Adulterie or Fornication which if they should live Unmarried they would be apt to fall into 2. They may marrie as many Wives as they please as we find practised by the Ancient Hebrewes Examples whereof we frequently meet withall in the Scriptures and this Custome is in Use still among the Levantines or Eastern Jewes But the Having of Many Wives is not at all either permitted or practised among the Dutch and among the Italians also it is very Rare and seldome or never used save onely in case that a man hath lived many Years with his Wife and hath not been able to have any Children by Her 3. A man may marrie his Niece that is to say the Daughter of his Brother or Sister and yet a man may not Marry his Aunt to whom he is Nephew In like manner may Cousen-Germans marrie that is to say Brothers and Sister's Children both by Father and Mother All the Other Degrees of Alliances specified Levit cap. 20. are Prohibited from marrying with each other 4. There are many among them that will not Marrie a Woman that hath had Two or More Husbands before calling Her a Husband-killer but however This is not any where Forbidden And the like is to be understood of a man that hath had more then Two Wives 5. A Widow or a Woman that hath been put away by a Former Husband cannot marrie within the space of Ninety daies after the Death of her Husband or of her Divorce to the end that it may be known whether or no she be with Child by her Former Husband and that there may not be any Controversie whose the Child is 6. If a man die and leave behind him a Young Child sucking at the Mothers breast his Widow may not marrie again till the Child be full Two years old And this is so Ordered by the Rabbines that the Infant might be sure not to be neglected till it should come to be of some strength CHAP. III. Of their Contracts and Manner of Marrying THe Manner of their making of Contracts or Espousalls is thus There is a Writing drawn betwixt the Man and the Kindred of the Woman and then doth the Man take the Woman by the Hand and acknowledgeth Her for his Spouse and the business is done as to the Matter of Contract In some places they use at this time to put a Ring upon her finger and so betroath her but in Italy and in Germany they do not use this Ceremony for the most part when they are Contracted onely Afterwards they continue thus Promised some a Year others Two Four Sixe Moneths more or lesse as they please themselves and according as they conceive it to be most Convenient for them during which time the Man hath libertie to visit and to sport and toy with his betroathed Mistresse but he must not know her Carnally 2. When the time of their Marriage approacheth and the Day is now set which useth to be in the Increase of the Moon and for Virgins on Wednesday or Friday and for Widowes on Thursday if the Bride hath passed the time of her Monethly Courses she then goeth to a Bath and washeth her self as we shall shew more fully hereafter Chap. 5. Otherwise she may not lie with her Bridegroom although the Marriage may however be solemnized betwixt them till such time as she shall be in case to go and wash her self 3. It is a Custome with many that the Bridegroom and his Bride should both fast upon their Wedding day till such time as the Ceremonie of the Benediction is finished 4. Upon the
without Pricks which are instead of Vowels and the Phrase of these books also being very different from that of the Scripture of the Bible and therefore not to be learnt without much pains and practise it rendreth the reading of these Books the much more difficult 3. Notwithstanding some among them that are more quick-witted and of better Parts then ordinary go on from these books to the Misnah and to study the Talmud which they account for the Ground-work of all Knowledge and the best study they can betake themselves too for very few of them apply themselves to the study of any other Sciences as hath been said before Part. 2. Cap. 2. 4. When a Son is now come to be Thirteen years and a day old he is then accounted a Man and becomes bound to the Observation of All the Precepts of the Law and therefore he is now called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bar mitzvah that is to say Filius Mandati a Son of the Commandement although some call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bar de minian that is to say one that is of age to do any businesse and may make One in the number of the Ten that are required to be present at any of their Publick Acts of Devotion And whatever Contracts he makes they are of force and if he were formerly under Tutors he is now Freed from their Jurisdiction over him and in a word both in Spirituall and Temporal Affaires he is Absolute Lord and Master of Himself 5. A Girle when she is come to the age of 12. yeares and a half is called a Woman CHAP. XI Of the Honour they account due to their Parents Tutors Rabbines and Ancient persons THe Obligation is great that they hold a Son hath to honour his Father and Mother observing the Command given Exod. cap. 20. Honora patrem tuum Matrem tuam Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. And the Particulars of this Duty are at large set down by the Rabbines who affirme that we must honour them not onely while they are Living but when they are Dead also 2. They also instruct Fathers how they ought to carry themselves towards their Sons and especially when they now begin to be of years that so they give them not Occasion to despise them 3. They conclude also from the aforesaid passage in Exodus That every man is bound to honour his Elder Brother and his Step-mother also and for his Master or Tutor who hath instructed him in the Principles of Religion they account him worthy of more respect and observance then his Father that begot him for they say that He hath given him onely his Being but the other his well-being After these they have respect to all Religious and Learned Persons doing them all honour both in their words and actions They also reverence all ancient persons as they are commanded to do Levit. cap. 19. And the Rabbines say that Honour is likewise due to any Ancient person whatsoever or of what Nation or Religion so ever as being one that hath a long while been a Citizen of the World and hath seen many Occurrences and consequently must have much Knowledge and Experience in things of this World as it is written Job cap. 12. In antiquis est sapientia in multo tempore prudentia With the Ancient is Wisedome and in Length of Daies Understanding PART V. CHAP. I. Of the Jewish Hereticks and particularly of the Karraim THere were toward the later end of the second Temple standing divers Sects of Hereticks among the Jewes of which we shall not here discourse it being besides our purpose in hand to give an Account in this place of any thing save the present condition of things amongst them And therefore the Reader is to take notice that of all the ancient Kinds of Hereticks there is at this time onely one Sect remaining who though they are Jewes and observe the Law of Moses are yet accounted amongst the rest of that Nation as Hereticks and are commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Karraim which Name is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Karah Legere to Read whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mikrah Lectura Scil. Sacra that is to say the Holy Scripture or Writings because these men keep themselves so strictly to the bare Text of the Bible as that they hold that we ought onely to observe the Pentateuch as it lies in the bare Letter neither do they admit or will they hear of any Interpretation Glosse or Exposition of the Rabbines whatsoever 2. These are questionlesse some of the old stock of the Sadduces though somewhat Reformed because they follow their Doctrine in rejecting all things save onely the Literall sense of the Scripture Onely whereas the Sadduces denied the Immortality of the Soul and so consequently both Hell and Paradice and Purgatory and the Resurrection of the Dead and the like these men therefore considering that in holding these Opinions they should stand at a distance with all the Religions in the World besides seeing that not onely the Jewes but also all other Religions generally acknowledge This Truth they have taken it into their Belief as they have also admitted of some of the most Ancient Traditions that so by this their compliance they might render themselves not so odious even to their own Nation of the Jewes under which Name they also passe although it is most certain that they are in truth descended from and really are Sadduces 3. There are many of them in Constantinople in Cairo and in other Parts of the East as likewise in Russia where they live according to their own Rules having Synagogues and certain Rites of their own but under the name of Hebrews or Jews and which is more they pretend themselves to be the onely True Observers of the Mosaicall Law 4. In all places wheresoever they live they are beyond measure hated by the rest of the Jews whom these men by way of Reproach call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbanim that is to say Observers of the Rabbins And the Hatred they bear to those men is so great as that they will not contract any alliance with them nor willingly have any manner of conversation with them at all as conceiving them to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maâ—â—zerim that is to say Bastards because that in the businesse of their Marriages and Divorces and in the Purification of their Menstruous women they do not observe the Ordinances of the Rabbins And which is more then all this if any one of These men should be converted and desire to be admitted into the number of the Rabbanim that is to say of the Other Jews they would not by any means accept of him CHAP. II. Of the manner of being made a Jew IF any have a mind to be made a Jew he must first be examined strictly by Three Rabbins or other Persons in Authority what it is that hath moved him to take up this Resolution and particularly