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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	creation_n	day_n	sabbath_n	8,102	5	9.9122	5	false

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

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

Three Precepts which the Women are enjoyned to observe because They commonly make the Bread CHAP. X. Of their Manner of sitting at Meat BEfore they sit-down to Meat they are bound to Wash their Hands very carefully wherein the Rabbines have delivered very many Subtilties and nice Circumstances to be observed as they have likewise done about the Washing of Hands every Morning as hath been before touched Part. 1. cap. 7. 2. After they are sate down they use to say for the most part the 23. Psalm Dominus regit me c. The Lord is my Shepherd therefore can I lack nothing c. and afterwards the Master of the House takes a Loaf of Bread and faies a Benediction over it which having done he breaks it and gives to each person at the Table a piece of it about the bignesse of a great Olive and afterwards every one eats as much as he pleaseth And so the first time that any one drinketh he sayeth the Benediction before set down Part. 1. cap. 9. 3. The Rabbines have delivered many particular Circumstances relating to Civilitie and Modestie which are to be observed during the time of sitting at Meat and in particular that they must not cast upon the ground nor trample under feet any Bread or other Meat that they seem not to despise Gods gifts 4. When they have done Eating they Wash their Hands and take up their Knives from off the Table because say They the Table represents the Altar upon which no Iron Tool was to come and many use to say the Psalm that was used to be said by the Devites in the Temple on that day of the Week and likewise the 67. Psalm Deus misereatur nostri c. God be mercifull unto us and blesse us and cause his face to shine upon us c. And if they be Three or More that eat together then doth one of them command a Glasse to be Washed and filling it with Wine he taketh it up from off the Table saying with a Loud voice Sirs let us Blesse his Name of whose good things we have been filled and they answer him and say Blessed be his Name who hath filled us with his good things and by whose goodnesse we live And thus they proceed in giving Thanks to God who giveth Food to everything who gave the Land of Promise to the Ancient Fathers beseeching him that He would again build up Jerusalem After this the Master of the House blesseth them and prayeth for Peace and having so done he giveth to each of them a little of that wine which he hath in his Glass and he himself also drinks of it and so they rise from Table PART III. CHAP. I. Of the Feast of the Sabbath THe Jewes have the Sabbath in very great Veneration and far above all the Other Feastivals as being in so many several places of the Scripture made mention of and commanded to be kept even from the very Creation of the World as namely in Gen. cap. 2. and Twice in the Decalogue besides very many other places where the doing of any manner of Work is forbidden and a Rest upon that day enjoyned to All. 2. The several Works forbidden upon that day are reduced by the Rabbines to Thirtie Nine Heads under which are comprehended all kinds of Work whatsoever And the Heads are these to Plough to Sow to Mow to bind up in Sheaves to Thresh the Corn to Winnow it to Try it to Grind it to sift the Meal to Knead dough to Boile to Lop or Shread to Whiten any thing to Card to Spain to Wind in Scaines to Warp to Weave to Die to Tie to Untie to Sewe to Tear asunder to Build to Break down to Use a Hammer to Chase any Beast to Kill it to Flea it to Dresse it to Fetch off the Hair of the Skin of it to Cut it out into Joynts to Write to Cancel to Rule Paper or the like to Kindle a Fire to Quench it and to Carry any thing from a Private place to a Publick These are the General Heads under which are comprised all the particular Kinds that are Reducible to these Generals as for Example To Use a File upon any thing is comprehended under the Title of Grinding of Corn because that in Both these One Body is reduced into Many So likewise to make any thing to Coagulate or to gather into a Curd is comprised under the. Title of Building because that in both these One Body is made up of Many and so in all the rest And all these things that are herein to be observed are with very great Subtiltie and Punctualitie delivered by the Rabbines who have declared at large how and in what manner these Particulars are to be observed 3. They may not either Kindle or Put out a Fire according to that which is commanded Exod. cap. 35. ver 3. Non succendetis ignem in omnibus habitaculis vestris die Sabbati Ye shall kindle no Fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day and therefore neither do they meddle with any Fire nor touch any Wood that is on fire nor Kindle any nor put it out nor do they so much as Light a Candle upon the Sabbath day And if the place be Cold where they dwell except they have any Stowes or Hot-houses or else have some one that is no Jew to kindle a Fire for them or had so ordered the matter aforehand that the Fire should kindle of it self at such a time they must even be content to sit in the cold all that day 4. And therefore they Dresse not any Meat upon the Sabbath day themselves neither do they cause any others to do it for them neither may they eat any thing that is either Dressed brought forth into the World or any Fruit gathered in upon that day 5. They may not carry any Burthen upon that day and therefore no man is to have upon his back anything that is not of his Necessarie Apparel and tied on for otherwise they say it is to be accounted as a Burthen or Load And the same is observed by the Women in their Dressings and in that of their Children and Servants and even of their Beasts also seeing it is so commanded Exod. cap. 20. and likewise Deuter. cap. 5. ver 14. Non facies in eiquicquam operis c. In it thou shalt not do any work Thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter nor thy Man-servant nor nor thy Maid servant thine Oxe nor thine Asse nor any of thy Cattel c. 6. It is not lawfull to treat upon any Publick Affairs or to make any Bargain or to make any Order touching Buying Selling Giving or Taking into Possession as it is written Isaiah cap. 58. ver 13. Si averteris a Sabbato c. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my Holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the Holy of the Lord Honourable and shall honour Him not doing Thine Own ways nor

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-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

and leaping uptowards Heaven they pray that they may be defended from their Enemies repeating that Verse out of Exod. cap. 15. Fear and Dread shall fall upon them c. and they commemorated the Prophet David and so saluting each other they depart each man to his several home 6. The Names of the Moneths are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tisri Hassuan Kisleu Tebeth Schebath Adar Nisan Jiar Sivan Tamuz Ab Elul answering to our Moneths September October November December January February March Aprill May June July August beginning to reckon them from Tisri that is September as we shall shew hereafter more fully Chap. 5. when we come to speak of their Caput Anni or Beginning of the Year 7. Now that they may make the Solar and Lunar Year Equal every Revolution of Nineteen Years they make seven to consist of thirteen Moneths that is to say every second or third Year one and this they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meubar or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schanah Meubereth Annus Intercalaris or a Leap-Year and they make the moneth Adar which falls betwixt our February and March to be Double the First Adar and the Second Adar and this Later they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veadar CHAP. III. Of the Feast of the Passeover UPon the 15. of the Moneth Nisan which is for the most part of our Aprill the Feast of the Passeover called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pesach begins which was instituted in memory of their Comeing forth our of Egypt and was commanded to be kept Seven daies together But they keep it Eight daies all those Jews that inhabite not in Jerusalem and the Country thereabout following the Ancient Custome of Keeping it which was in Use before they had any Kalender or Way of Computation to be directed by but were informed by the Sanhedrim when the Beginning of each moneth was to be kept as we have shewed in the Precedent Chapter This Feast is commanded to be kept Exod. cap. 12. ver 14. which Command is also repeated in many other places where they are continually put in mind of it and urged to the Keeping thereof 2. The two First daies and the two Last are Solemn Feastivals insomuch that upon these daies it is Unlawfull to do any manner of Work or Businesse in like manner as it is on the Sabbath Onely they are permitted to kindle Fires and to Dresse Meat and likewise to carry any thing from one place to another and as for the Four middlemost daies they are onely in them forbidden to Labour but they may handle money and there are onely some few other things wherein they are different from the rest 3. In all the time of these Eight daies they may not either eat or have in their House or in their Power any Leavened Bread or Leaven but they are to eat Unleavened Bread onely as they are commanded Exod cap. 12. ver 15 16 17 18 19. Septem diebus fermentatum non invenietur in domibus vestris c. Seven daies ye shall eat Unleavened Bread even the first day you shall put away Leaven out of your houses c. For whosoever eateth that which is Leavened even that Soul shall be cut off from the Congregation of Israel c. 4. And therefore they begin before the Passeover with all the diligence and care they can to put away all Leaven or any thing that hath had Leaven in it out of their Houses and out of their Power searching all their Cupboards and Bins and cleansing the whole house and whiteing it all over and they provide themselves also of New Utensils for their Kitchin and Table or else they New-make the Old again and scowr them well or else they have a select number of Vessels set apart for the Use of the Passeover onely that so they may be certainly assured that they use not any thing during those Eight daies that hath had Leaven in it And for this cause also the evening before the Vigil or Eve of the Passeover do they use to lay up and down in certain places of the house little pieces of Bread which the Master of the Familie having a Wax Light in his hand is to go about searching after to see if by this means he may chance to light upon any other Morsels or Scraps of Bread lost in some Hole or other which pieces of bread they take about the Fift hour of the day following and cast into the Fire and burn it in token that the Prohibition of eating Leavened Bread now begins to be in force saying withal some certain words Intimating the putting away of all Leaven out of their houses and out of their Power if not Effectually yet at least Intentionally and to the utmost of their Power 5. And now do they begin to make such a Quantitie of Unleavened Bread which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matzoth as may serve for their whole Houshold to eat during those Eight daies having an especial care of their Meal so soon as ever it comes from the Mill that it neither take VVet nor be over-heated least by this means it should chance to rise or prove Leavened But when they make their Unleavened Bread they mixe Water and Meal together and so Kneading it into Dough they make it up into Flat Cakes of divers forms and shapes and immediately put them into the Oven to be baked and these Cakes they keep as neat and clean as they can eating them instead of bread so long as the Feast of the Passeover lasteth They also make for those that are Daintie and of Tender Stomacks and such as are sick a Richer sort of Cakes with Egs and Sugar mixed amongst it but these Cakes are to be Unleavened also and these are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matzah aschirah Rich Unleavened Bread 6. Upon the Vigil or Eve of the Passever which is on the 14. day of the Moneth Nisan all their First-born use to fast in Memorie that the Night following God smote all the First-born of Egypt 7. In the Evening they all repair to the School to Prayers which being ended they return home to their houses and sit down to Meat the Table having been laid before in the day time and furnished with the greatest Varietie and Pomp that possibly they can And instead of those Ceremonies that were Anciently to be used at the eating of the Pascall Lamb expresly set down Exod. cap. 12. where they are commanded to eat it with Bitter Herbs Et edent c. et Azymos panes cum lactucis agrestibus c. And they shall eat the flesh in that night rost with fire and Unleavened Bread and with Bitter Herbs shall they eat it c. they have now onely some part of a Lamb or a Kid brought in in a Dish with certain Bitter Herbs about it as Smallage Endive Lettice and the like together with another little Vessel with a certain Sauce in it in memorie of the Brick

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

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