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.
longer bound to the payment of these Gifts except those Jews only that inhabite within the Territorie of Jerusalem and other parts of Judaea and also because there are very few of them that have either Lands or Flocks it is hence come to passe that notwithstanding there are many among them that pretend to have it delivered over unto them by Infallible Tradition that they are descended of the Stock of the Ancient Priests and Levites yet since the Transmigration hath been so long and so Universal these men have no Priviledge at all above the rest save onely that the Price of Redeeming the First-born of their Sons belongs to Them and besides they have the Priviledge of being the First in Reading in the Pentateuch when they are invited up to it among others as was declared in the Precedent Chapter Part 12. They also Blesse the People upon solemn Feastival daies saying those words out of Numb chap. 6. vers 24. Benedicat tibi Dominus custodiatte c. The Lord blesse thee and keep thee c. 4. They may not touch not stand under any Roof or Covered place where any Dead Person is The First-born of their Males are also redeemed from Them as we shall shew Part. 4. Chap. 9. 5. A Priest may not take to wife any woman that hath been put away by a former Husband nor any Kinswoman that hath had the Caliza or been refused by her Husbands Brother as shall be declared Part. 4. cap. 7. 6. Lastly in some few Cases the Levites follow in their order next after thâ—â— Priests CHAP. XIII Of their Flocks and Tillage of the Ground THey may by no means sow two sorts of seed together as Wheat and Barley and the like much lesse may they sow them together with the stones of Grapes as it is written Levit chap. 19. ver 19. Agrum tuum non sereâ— diverso semine c. Thou shalt not sow thy field with Mingled Seed c. Neither may they Graffe any Tree or Plant as a Nut-tree upon a Peach-tree or an Apple-tree upon an Orenge-tree and the like neither may they plant young Graffes among their Ploughed Lands notwithstanding it is lawful for them to eat of the fruit that growes upon the said Graffes or Trees 2. If a Man plant any Tree that beareth fruit he may not eat of the fruit of it till after the Third year that it had been planted notwithstanding that Anciently it was the Fourth year also to be brought unto the Temple and Now it is redeemed with some little Ceremonie And this they observe out of the said Levit. 19. 23. 3. They may not put together any Beast with another that is not of the same kind as an Asse and a Cow or the like that they may engender one upon the other as it is said Levit. chap. 19. ver 19. Jumentum tuum non facies coire cum alterius generis animantibus c. Thou shalt not let thy cattel gender with a diverse kind Neither may they yoak them together either in plowing their Land or drawing a Cart as it is enjoyned Deuter. cap. 22. ver 10. Non arabis in Bove simul asino c. Thou shalt not plow with an Oxe and an Asse together 4. In reaping their Corn they were to leave a part of their field uncut and so likewise in gathering in their Vintage they were commanded to leave some Grapes behind them 5. Every Seventh year their land was left Untilied and whatsoever sprung up of it self that year went to the Poor as we find Levit. cap. 25. 6. The Firstlings of the Males of every Clean Beast as of Cow Sheep and the like if they be without blemish they may neither eat nor keep for their own use because Anciently they were to be given to the Priest or else they were to be redeemed of him And so at this time they may not make any use of them neither for food nor any other service except they should chance to be some way Defective An Asse must be redeemed with a Lamb given to the Priest as it is written Exod. 13. 13. 7. If any one find a Nest in the field of Clean Birds that is to say such as it is lawful for them to eat and the Damme sitting either upon the Egges or the young ones he may not take the Damme with the young but if he will take away the Egs or the young ones he must let the Dam flie And this is commanded in the Chap. 22. ver 6. Deuteron Si nidum avis inveneris c. If a Birds nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree or on the ground whether they be young ones or Egs and the Dam sitting upon the Young or upon the Egs thou shalt not take the Dam with the Young CHAP. XIV Of their Charity to the Poor and their Tendernesse shewed to their very Beasts IT cannot be denied but that this Nation is very full of Pitie and Compassion toward all people in want whatsoever seeing that notwithstanding there must necessarily a very great number of them be such the greatest part of them being Poor and the whole Nation exposed to more Misfortunes then any other People in the world and besides those few Rich men that are found amongst them having neither any Revenues or Possessions which are onely properly to be called Riches yet notwithstanding do they relieve all their Own Poor principally and besides these what other Person soever they find to be in want and that upon all occasions 2. In great Cities the Poor go every Friday and on the Eves of every solemn Feastival to the houses of the Richer sort and of others also that are but of Indifferent Fortunes collecting their Benevolence and to all of them is given something according to each man's Abilitie besides that there are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parnassin or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Memunim men that are deputed to be Overseers of the Poor and which send their Allowances home to their houses especially to such as have been men of Esteem as also to those that are ashamed to ask to the sick and to poor Widows who do not so much as stirre abroad all the week long 3. In each School or Synagogue all the Offerings are put together and Part of That also which is given for the Favour of being an Assistant in any of the Religious Ceremonies before mentioned cap. 11. paragr 14. and that which is cast into the Poor man's Box and all this is distributed among the Poor 4. But in case of any extraordinary Occasion as when any Poor man either of that Citie or a Stranger is to marry a daughter or to ransome slaves or the like the aforesaid Overseers procure a Promise to be made him from each particular man in the Congregation that is to say the Chaunter upon the Sabbath day goes about the School and saies to each particular person The Blessing of God be upon the man that shall give so much to such a Charitable Work And
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
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 duntaâ—at ut quaâ—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
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
manner of Preaching or making Sermons is thus the Whole Congregation sitting quietly in the School He that hath a Mind to Preach which is easily granted to any that desire it either putting on the aforenamed Taleth or else going without it up to the Wooden Alter or Table spoken of Par. 1. cap. 8. begins his Speech there repeating some Verse or other out of the Lesson for the day and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nosè that is to say the Text or Subject whereof he intends to treat adding after it some Sentence out of the Wisemen or Rabbins and this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maamar and so making a kind of Preface and proposing some certain Subject suitable to the sense of the aforesaid Passage out of the Lesson for the Day he proceeds on to his Sermon alledging Texts of Scripture and the Authoritie of the Rabbines in his Discourse every man as he is able both for the Style and Method which is very different among the several Nations 7. And this is done every Sabbath day and at all the chief Feastivals for the most part and onely then unlesse there be some Funeral Sermon to be made at the death of any Person of Note which useth to be done upon any of the Week daies or working daies according as the Occasion requireth CHAP. II. Of their Academies and Studies and of the Originall and Continuation of the Gemara THey account it the most Pious work that may be to studie either the Holy Scripture it self or any Expositions of it having regard to that Command Deuteron cap. 6. ver 7. Et Meditaberis sedens in domo tua ambulans in itinere c. Thou shalt teach these words diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up 2. Some few among them studie the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cabalah that is to say Revealed Speculation and the Secret Theology of the Scripture Others studie Philosophie and other Sciences both Natural and Moral notwithstanding applying all of them to the Understanding of the Scripture for otherwise they would account the studie of these points of Learning a most Dangerous and Pernicious thing unlesse it were in reference to the studie of Physick which some of them professe But the most usuall and Common studie among them is that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gemara which was properly and Originally called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Talmud where the use of it is permitted them or where it is forbidden them they studie the Writings of the Wisemen or Paraphrases and Abridgments of the Talmud 3. And for this cause have they their Academies also called by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesiboth where they meet together to Dispute the Rabbines with their Schollers but talking all together confusedly and without any Order at all and this is usually done in the Mornings after prayers are ended every day of the week except Fridaies the Sabbath day and their Feastival daies and their Eves 4. And because that all the Rites Precepts and Customes of the Jewes and their Authoritie are all grounded upon This Book of the Talmud I shall here give the Reader a short Account of the Originall Order and Continuation of it 5. In the first Chapter then of this Book is declared how that the Written Law which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tora Shebichthab Lex quae in Scripto was given by Moses and the Exposition of this Written Law and Other of their Ordinances they have received from the Mouth of their Rabbines Now no Part of this Later was to be put into Writing so long as the Temple stood and it was therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Torah Schebeal peh Lex quae per os The Law delivered by word of Mouth because it was Traditional and delivered over from one to another by word of Mouth only 6. But afterwards about one Hundred and Twentie Years after our Saviour Christ when the Temple was now destroyed there was a certain Rabbine named Rabbi Juda who for his sanctitie and Holinesse of Life was honoured by the Jewes with the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbenu haccadosch Magister noster sanctus Our Holy Master who was very intimate with and greatly respected by Antoninus Pius the Emperour and was also a very Richman This Rabbi Jehuda perceiving that since the Transmigration and Dispersion of the Jewes the Traditionall Law began by degrees to be lost and to be in danger of being quite forgotten he makes a Collection in Writing of all the Decrees Opinions and Traditions of all the Rabbines that had ever been down to his own time and this Collection being made in as good a Method and as short as he could he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mishnah that is to say Lex secundaria or a Repeating of the Law and he divided it into Six Tracts or Parts The first of which treated of Seeds and of Tillage The second of the Feastivall daies The third of Marriages and things appertaining to Women The Fourth of Dammages and Suites of Law and all Civil Matters Ths Fift of Sacrifices The Sixt of Cleannesse and Uncleannesse And because this Collection of his was so very brief and therefore the harder to be understood in so much that it gave occasion of many Disputes and Controversies which were raised upon It therefore about some Three Hundred and Fifty Years after Him there were two other Rabbines dwelling in Babylon the one of them named Ravenà the other Ravascè which collected together all the Expositions Disputes and Additions that had been made upon the Mischnah down to their own time adding besides many Reports Sentences and sayings of their own which they found to make any thing to the businesse in hand and thus making as it were the Mischnah to be the Text and all the rest to serve as a Comment or Exposition upon It they made all up into a Book which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Talmud Baveli the Talmud of Babylon or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gomarah which they divided into Sixtie Sections called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Massactoth but following the Order and Method of the fore-mentioned First Six Tracts And although that one Rabbi Jochanan had not many Yeares before made the like Collection at Jerusalem which Book is therefore in like manner called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Talmud Jerusalmi the Jerusalem Talmud Yet by reason of its being too Compendious and also because of the Roughnesse and Uneavennesse of the Style That of Babylon hath onely obtained and is now in use as being both the Larger and the easier to be understood Upon this Later there is a Comment made by one Rabbi Solomon Jarchi called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raschi by way of Abbreviation and there are also extant upon it the Disputations of a certain Academie
of Rabbines which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tossaphoth and many are the Extracts that have been made out of this Book especially Three of the aforesaid Six Tracts those other Three concerning Seeds Sacrifices and of Cleannesses being at this day not to be found any where 7. This Talmud we have here described was afterwards prohibited to the Jewes by some certain Popes and then again the use of it was permitted them by some others but now it at length continues utterly prohibited and in Italy especially it is not read nor so much as any where to be found CHAP. III. Of the Manner how their Rabbines are created and of their Authority and Power of Excommunication THe Rabbines use not to make any means for the Procurement of the Title of Doctor yea they rather account it an Argument of Pride and a shameful thing to endeavour any such thing and therefore neither do they put themselves upon the Examination of any But when any one is known to be of sufficient knowledge and an Apt Person for the Dignity of a Rabbine that is to say such a one as is sufficiently well skilled in the Traditional Law or that which was delivered by Word of Mouth how little knowledge soever he hath of the other Humane Sciences he is by a Common Consent of all in the Eastern parts accounted a Rabbine and called by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cacham that is to say a Wiseman But in Germany and Italy they are to be honored by the Ancientest Rabbines and that either in Writing or by calling them so with the Title either of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caber di Rab that is to say a Master's Fellow which is a kind of a Middle Title of Dignity and is usually given to Young Men or to such persons as are not thoroughly versed in the Law or ese of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Morenu or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rab that is to say Master or Doctor and so are they from thenceforth called 2. These men that is to say the Cacham Rab or Morenu decide all Controversies concerning the Things that are either Lawful or Prohibited and all other Differences they execute the Office of Publick Notaries and give Sentence also in Civil Controversies they Marry and give Bills of Divorce they Preach also if they can and are the Chief men in the Academies before mentioned they have the uppermost Seats in their Synagogues and in all Assemblies and they punish those that are Disobedient with Excommunication and there is generally great Respect shewed unto them in all things 3. When they Excommunicate any one they Curse him and declare him Openly to be Excommunicate and in this case it is not lawful for any other Jew either to speak to him or come within Four Yards of him neither may He come within the Synagogue or School but he is to sit upon the Ground with his shoes off as if he mourned for some of his dead Kindred and this must he do till such time as he shall have been absolved by the Rabbine or Rabbines and shall have received their Benediction 4. And if it be the Solemn and Grand Excommunication then do the People all repair to the School and lighting Black Torches and sounding Hornes they Curse Him that shall do or that hath done such or such a thing And all the Children and the People answer and say Amen CHAP. IV. Of their Oathes and Vowes THey are utterly forbidden to swear in Vain or so much as to name without special occasion any one of the Many several Names of God according to that Commandment in the Decalogue Exod. Cap. 20. ver 8. and Deuteron cap. 5. ver 11. How much more unlawful then is it to swear Falsly by it and to defraud any thereby as it is written Levit. 19. ver 12. Non perjurabis in nomine meo c. Thou shalt not swear by my Name falsly neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God 2. Neither are Vowes very Commendable in their Esteem yet when they are made they ought to be kept Neverthelesse the Husband may dispence with or break any Vow of Abstinence that his Wife shall have made and that without her Consent too provided he do it within the space of 24. houres after he heard of it And the Father may in like Manner break or dispence with a Vow made by his Daughter that is a Virgin according to that of Num. 30. where these things are spoken of at large 3. They have a Tradition also that if a Man or a Woman make a Vow or take any Oath whatsoever if it be not to the Prejudice of of any Third Person that it should be broken and if it may upon any tolerable pretence or reason be wisht unmade again in this Case any one of the Principal Rabbines or any other Three men though they have not any Title of Dignity may absolve and discharge them from it So that He that would be absolved from any Vow by him made goeth either to a Rabbine or to any Three other Men and they hearing his reasons why he repents himself of having made such or such a Vow if the thing seem but Reasonable they say unto him thrice Be thou absolved from this Vow c. and so he is discharged CHAP. V. Of their dealing in Worldly Affaires and of their Usury THey are commanded both by the Law of Moses as also by that of the Rabbines or the Traditionall Law to carry themselves most Uprightly in their Dealings and to defraud or cozen no man neither Jew nor other observing alwaies and with all sorts of men those Just Waies of Dealing which are commanded them in many places of the Scripture and particularly in Levit. cap. 19. ver 11 13 15 33. to the end of the Chapter 2. And those men that have given out of Them some in Speeches and others in Writing that they swear every day and account it a godly work to endeavour to defraud and cheat the Christians is a most Grosse Untruth and scattered abroad by these men onely to render them more Odious among the Nations then they are Whereas in truth many of the Rabbines have commanded them the clean contrary in their Writings out of which Rabbi Bechai hath made a full Collection of the passages that concern this particular in his Book Intituled Cad hachemah under the Letter Ghimel Ghezelah where he saith that it is a far greater sin to defraud one that is not a Jew then to defraud a Jew in respect of the scandal which by this means is given besides the wickednesse of the Act it self and this they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chillul haschem To profane the Name of God which is one of the Greatest sins that can be So that if there chance to be found any among them who is a Fraudulent Cheating person it must be imputed to the Dishonestie and Basenesse of that Particular mans Disposition and not
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
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
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
39. Stripes called Malchuth And there are some among them so conscionable as that if they have wronged any one in any thing they make Restitution and ask Pardon of all that they have offended and also pardon all persons whatsoever that have injured Them at all They also give Alms to the Poor in a word they do all things whatsoever that can be required to True and Hearty Repentance 4. Two or three hours before Night they go to their Afternoon Prayers and after this to Supper and they make an End of Eating before Sun-set Afterwards many of them put on white Garments or else the Habit they intend to be buried in as hath been said before and so they go Bare-footed to the School which on this day is all hung about with several Lights as Lamps of Oyl and Wax Tapers and now do they say many Penitentia Prayers and make Confession of their sins Every Nation according to their own Custome and Usage but these Devotions last for the space of three hours at the least and thus having finished here they go home to bed Yet some there are that stir not out of the School all night long but continue saying their Prayers and now and then Psalms sleeping very little nor not at all 5. In the morning following as soon as it is day-light they all repair to the School again in the aforesaid habits and there they stay till night continually praving and saying of Psalms and making their Confessions and craving pardon of God of the sins they have committed The Devotions of this day consists of Four Parts the first is that of the morning which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shackrith the second the Additional Prayers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Musaph the third the Afternoon Service called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mincha and the fourth and last the Evening Prayers which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nehilah At the Schakrith and Mincha they take out the Book of the Law and in the morning six persons are invited to read in it but in the Afternoon they call but Three to it and after this they read the Haphtarah or Lesson out of the Prophets 6. At the Musaph or Additional Prayers they read the Sacrifice of that day then do they make a Commemoration of the Great Solemnitie that was wont to be celebrated by the High Priest on that day at which time onely throughout the whole Yeer it was lawfull for him to enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum or Holy Place to burn Incense and to cast Lots upon the Two Goats one Lot for the Lord and the other Lot for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Azazel the Scape-goat as it is commanded Levit. cap. 16. 7. When it is now Night and that they can see the stars appear they then blow the Horn as they did at the Feast of the Beginning of the Yeer to signifie that the Fast is ended and so going out of the School they salute one another wishing each other that they may live many Yeers and then do they blesse the New Moon as hath been touched before Par. 3. cap. 3. and so going home to their houses they say the Habdalah and so go to their meat CHAP. VII Of the Feast of Boothes or Tabernacles VPon the Fifteenth day of the said moneth Tisri is the Feast of Boothes Tabernacles or Tents called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Succoth Tuguria in memorie that the Children of Israel at their coming up out of Egypt made use of such in the Wildernesse as you may find Levit. cap. 23. ver 42 43. Habitabit is in Umbraculis Septem diebus c. Ye shall dwell in Boothes seven daies all that are Israelites born shal dwell in Boothes that your Generations may know that I made the Children of Israel to dwell in Booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt And therefore every man maketh him one of those Boothes in some place about his house in the Open Air covering it at the top with Green Boughes and walling it about and trimming it up as handsomely as he can There are many nice Circumstances set down by the Rabbines to be observed concerning the Height Bignesse and Form or Manner how they are to bee made which we shall here omit In these Boothes they Eat and Drink and some there are that sleep in them and keep altogether in them during the eight daies of the Feast as at other times they do in their houses 2. This Feast continueth Nine daies that is to say seven daies which are commanded in the Law and One more which they adde out of an Ancient Custome as hath been formerly said in the Feast of the Passeover Par. 3. cap. 1. and One more commanded Num. 29. to be a more Solemn Assemblie then any of the seven Dies quoque Octavus erit celeberrimus c. On the eighth day ye shall have a Solemn Assemble ye shall do no servil work The two first and the two last daies are solemn Feastivals but the five Intermediate are not so like as hath been formerlie said in the Feast of the Passeover 3. The Form of Prayers is the same that upon Other Daies onely there is some Commemoration made of the Reason of the Feast and Its Original they also say the six Psalmes from the 113. to the 119. called Hallel then do they take forth the Book of the Pentateuch and read in it afterwards they say the Haphtarah and say a Benediction for the Prince under whom they live then the Additionall Prayer called Musaph wherein they Commemorate the Sacrifice that was wont to be Offered that day described Numb cap. 29. namely on the First day 13. Bullocks on the Second 12. on the Third 11. c. till it came to 70. in number throughout the whole Seven daies and on the Eighth they sacrificed One Bullock onely 4. They also take a Branch of Palme-tree and three Boughes of Mirtle and two of Willow and a Citron which must be a fair one and every way Perfect and binding all these Boughes together when in their Prayers at the School they come to the aforesaid Psalms called Hallel holding the Boughes in their Right hand and the Citron in their Left clapping them together they shake them about holding them forth toward the four Quarters of the World and moving them Upwards and Downwards this they do observing the Command given Levit. cap. 23. Sâ—metisque vobis die primo fructus arboris pulcherrimae c. And ye shall take you on the First day the Boughes of Goodly Trees Branches of Palm-trees Boughes of Thick Trees and Willowes of the brook and ye shall rejoyce before the Lord your God seven daies Then do they all go round about the Table or Woodden Altar whereon they use to lay the book of the Law when they read in it every day Once singing withal certain Hymnes and swinging their Boughet about in one hand and the Citron
have committed some sin or other during that space of time And so they likewise Fast the Eve before the Feast of the Beginning of the Year and some there are among them that keep a Fast the Day before the Beginning of every Moneth 13. And if any man have a mind out of particular Devotion or Penance to Indict himself a Fast besides all these he then on the Evening before the day he intends to Fast before the going down of the Sun except it be in Case of Fasting upon any Dream as hath been formerly declared Part. 1. cap. 4. saith thus I take upon my self to fast to morrow And having so said he continues without eating or drinking till the Evening following as the Usual manner of Fasting is and in his Devotions he adds a Prayer to God that he would be pleased to accept This Fast of his instead of Sacrifice CHAP. IX Of the Feast of Lights called also Chanucha VPon the 25. day of the Moneth Kislein which is our November by an Ancient Ordinance of the Wise-man is kept the Feast of the Dedication of the Altar which is celebrated for the space of eight daies together and at Evening upon each of these eight daies they set up Lights One upon the First day Two upon the Second Three upon the Third and so forward till the Eighth And this Feast is observed in Commemoration of a Great Victorie obtained by the Maccabees against the Greeks who had possessed themselves of the Citie of Jerusalem and had entred into the Temple and profaned it but were afterwards overcome by Judas and his Brethren and driven out again Now there being no Pure Oyl which had not been defiled by the Heathen to be found for the lighting of the Lamps that were to be set up of Course in the Temple they at last found by chance a smal Vessel sealed up wherein was Oyl hid but onely as much as was sufficient for Lights one Night onely which Oyl notwithstanding miraculously lasted for Eight whole Nights and therefore for this reason it was decreed that the said Feast of Lights should ever afterward be observed They have a Tradition also that in Ordaining this Feast to be kept they had an Eye also upon that famous Exploit performed by Judith upon Holofernes although many are of opinion that this happened not at this time of the Year and that they make a Commemoration of that piece of Gallantrie of Hers Now because she was of the stock of the Maccabees 2. During the time of these eight daies it is lawfull for them to do any manner Businesse or Work neither is there any kind of solemnitie observed at this time save onely of the said Lights and that at their Prayers there is added a Panegyrick or Laudatorie Oration in memorie of that Great Victorie obtained by Them against the Heathen and besides every morning they say the six Psalms called Hallel beginning at the 113. Psalm and likewise the 30. Psal Exaltabo te Domine c. I will extol thee O Lord for thou hast lifted me up and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me c. and they also use some certain Ceremonies more then Ordinarie at their Meat 3. This Feast is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chanucah which is as much as to say The Feast of Dedication or Initiation and their being restored to the Exercise of their Religion again having now purified the Temple again anew which had been defiled by the Heathen CHAP. X. Of the Feast of Purim or Lots VPon the 14. day of the Moneth Adar or March they celebrate Yearly the feast of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Purim in memorie of what we read in the book of Esther concerning the children of Israels escaping the danger of a Totall Extirpation by the Machination and subtle Devices of Haman who was afterwards hanged together with his ten Sons This feast is called the feast of Purim or Lots for the reason set down cap. 9. of the said book of Esther Dies isti appellati sunt Purim c. Because Haman the Son of Hammadetha the Agagite c. had devised against the Jewes to destroy them and had cast Pur that is the Lot to consume them c. Therefore they called These daies Purim after the name of Pur. 2. This Feast continueth two daies although they keep the first onely solemnly fasting the day before it as hath been formerly said And notwithstanding that they are not forbidden to do any manner of Businesse or Work upon the aforesaid two daies of the Feast yet do they voluntarily forbear upon the first of the two daies and make it a solemn Feastival 3. Upon the first Evening they all repair to the School where saying the Ordinarie Prayers they adde also a Commemoration of the great deliverance at that time when they were now at the Jawes of Death and then do they read the whole storie of their Escape that is to say the whole book of Esther which they have in their Schools fairly written in Parchmet in a long Roll as the Pentateuch is and this they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meghillah that is to say Volumen a Volume or Roll. And while this is reading there are some that as often as they hear Haman named they beat the ground and make a great murmuring noise in token of Cursing him and execrating his memorie and they do the like at their Morning Prayers also and withall read out of the Pentateuch Exod. cap. 17. ver 8. Venit autem Amalech c. Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim c. 4. On this day they give much Alms to the Poor publickly and they likewise send Dishes of Meat one to another every friend and kinsman to each other and Scholars send Presents to their Masters or Tutors and Masters give to their Servants and generally all Superiours to their Inferiours And they use all expressions of Mirth and Joy that may be inviting and feasting one another as it is commanded Esth cap. 9. Esséntque dies isti Epularum c. That they should make them daies of Feasting and Joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the Poor 5. And this they observe chiefly upon the second Evening at which time every one makes as great a Feast as he is able eating and drinking more freely then at other times And after supper they go on visiting one another entertaining their friends with Banquets Pastimes and all manner of Jollities and Entertainments of mirth 6. They do not make so great Chear or Expressions of Joy upon the second Day nor is any thing read in the school yet do they on This Day also make shew of some kind of joy 7. When there are thirteen Moneths in the Yeer that is to say when the Moneth Adar is doubled or there are two Moneths of March as hath been touched formerly Par. 3. cap. 2. they call the 14. of the first Adar the lesser