The present state of the Jews (more particularly relating to those in Barbary)

The present state of the Jews (more particularly relating to those in Barbary) wherein is contained an exact account of their customs, secular and religious : to which is annexed a summary discourse of the Misna, Talmud, and Gemara / by L. Addison ...
Addison, Lancelot, 1632-1703.
1675
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The present state of the Jews (more particularly relating to those in Barbary) wherein is contained an exact account of their customs, secular and religious : to which is annexed a summary discourse of the Misna, Talmud, and Gemara / by L. Addison ...
Addison, Lancelot, 1632-1703.
[8], 249, [7] p.
Printed by J.C. for William Crooke ... and to be sold by John Courtney ...,
London :
1675.
Reproduction of original in British Library.
Imperfect: frontispiece is lacking.
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Jews -- Africa, North.
Judaism -- Customs and practices.
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THE Preſent State OF THE JEWS: (More particularly relating to thoſe in BARBARY.) Wherein is contained an exact Account of their CUSTOMS, Secular and Religious. To which is annexed a Summary Diſcourſe of the Miſna, Talmud, and Gemara.
By L. Addiſon, one of his Majeſties Chaplains in Ordinary; and the Author of the late Revolutions and preſent Cuſtoms of the Kingdoms of Fez and Morocco.
Alius alio plura invenire poteſt, nemo Omnia.
LONDON: Printed by J.C. for William Crooke, at the Green Dragon without Temple-Bar; and to be ſold by John Courtney Bookſeller in Sarum. 1675.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR JOSEPH WILLIAMSON, Principal Secretary of STATE, and one of his Majeſties moſt Honourable Privy Council.
Right Honourable,
THat Generouſneſs which pardoned my firſt Addreſs (of this Nature) to your Honour, has onely ſerved to Embolden a Second. It faring with Scriblers, as with thoſe Votaries who never forſake the Saint they once finde Propitious.
If the enſuing Diſcourſe treated of Maxims of Rule, there would need no Apology for its Dedication to a Perſon whoſe Prudence and Vertue have given Him the bleſſing of his Prince's Favour, and the Reputation as well in Forrain Countries as his own, of an excellent and profound States-man.
But what is here devoted to your Honour, is of a different, and (perhaps) of a much inferiour Character. The following Papers containing only a plain Account of the preſent Cuſtoms and Religion of the Hebrew People, Collected in ſome of thoſe Hours the Employment would ſpare me, which for ſeveral years I underwent, abroad in the publick Service of our Religion, and in a Latitude that yielded no few opportunities of making theſe Obſervations.
That I have hereunto prefixed your Name, it was not for Shelter againſt the Common Enemy, Rudeneſs and Cenſure; nor onely to take this occaſion of telling
the World how much I am obliged by your Favours▪ For though I am thereof truly ſenſible; yet this way of acknowledgement was never greatly welcome to thoſe Generous Perſons, who are no leſs obliged by the benefits they beſtow; than by thoſe they receive.
But beſides all this, pardon me, Sir, that I take this opportunity to make Publick Recognizance of your Honours Eminent Bounty to (our Common Mother) Queens Colledge in Oxon. To which Antient Nurſery of Loyalty and Good Letters, though your pious Liberality be already magnificent; yet they who know your Temper, believe that what you there have done, is but an Earneſt of what you intend to do. For which a Thankful Poſterity will for ever Celebrate and Bleſs your Name. But I dare not give my ſelf the Liberty of expreſſing ſo much as a ſhort Elogie, upon a Subject that is able to juſtify the largeſt Panegyrick. For
when I conſider that you are one of thoſe Publique Spirits, who under our Gratious Soveraign aſſert the Individual Intereſt of Church and State, I cannot hope the Grand Affairs of your Eminent Place ſhould ſpare Minutes enough to peruſe a longer Dedication.
That your Honour may long Live Exalted in your Prince's Favour, and Proſperous in your Negotiations, to the Encouragement and Promotion of true Learning, Piety and Vertue, ſhall be his inceſſant Requeſts to Heaven, and at all thoſe Devotions cannot forget to be
Your Honours moſt humble, and moſt obliged Servant, LANCELOT ADDISON.
From Milſton, neer Ambrosbury in Wilts,
Jan. 28. 1674/5.
TO THE READER.
I Shall not offer at any thing of Apologetick in behalf of the enſuing Diſcourſe, but freely leave it to the Tribunal of the Reader, whom I acknowledge to have an unqueſtionable Authority to Acquit or Condemn it.
As to the Account it gives of the Jews, I conceive there is not any ſo modern, nor in many things ſo particular and true; this being the Reſult of Converſation, and not of Report. And as to its Compoſure, it is neither ſo exact as to deſerve Commendation; nor yet ſo faulty as to need much excuſe. If it may do good to ſome, and no hurt to any, the Author has got his ends of its Publication.
BOOKS Newly Printed by W. Crooke.
THe Primitive Inſtitution; or, a ſeaſonable Diſcourſe of Catechizing; wherein is ſhewn the Antiquity; Benefits and Neceſſity thereof; together with its ſuitableneſs to heal the preſent Diſtempers of the Church of England. By L. Addiſon, one of his Majeſties Chaplains in Ordinary, and the Author of this Book.
Homer's Odyſſes tranſlated into Engliſh by Tho. Hobbes of Malmsbury, with a large Preface concerning the Vertues of an Heroique Poem. By the Tranſlator.
A Diſcourſe of the Dukedom of Modena, ſhewing the Manner and Qualities of that People.
Brevis Demonſtratio: The truth of Chriſtian Religion Demonſtrated by Reaſons the beſt that have yet been out in Engliſh.
The Court Leet and Court Baron. By Kitchin. The 5th Impreſſion.
The Flower-Garden: Being an exact way to Plant, Set, and Sow all ſorts of Flowers. By W. Hughes.
THE INTRODUCTION.
THough the Jews inveterate obſtinacy againſt the Truth, hath juſtly render'd them the object of the Divine Diſpleaſure; yet their Primitive Anceſtry, Religion and Privileges, ought ſtill to ſecure them a great meaſure of Regard. For this people, if any under heaven, may boldly glory of the Antiquity and Nobleſs of their Deſcent. There being no Nation can prove its Pedegree by ſuch clear and Authentique Heraldry as the Jews. For though a ridiculous Vanity hath tempted ſome to date their Original before that of the world, and others with great aſſurance have made themſelves ſprung from their own Soil; yet the Jews, by an unqueſtionable Diſplay through all periods ſince the Creation, can prove their Deſcent from the firſt man. So that all other
Nations muſt have recourſe to the Jewiſh Records, to clear their Genealogies, and atteſt their Linage.
And indeed their Progeny would be ſufficiently renowned if it were derived no higher than whither their preſent Appellation doth entitle them. For the Jews have their Name from Judah (Jacob's fourth ſon by his wife Leah) who notwithſtanding the degeneracy of his Deſcendents, was a Prince of a brave Nature and great Eloquence. An Eſſay of the former we finde in his endeavour to have ſaved his brother Joſeph; and it was a fair intimation of the later, that he was choſen Orator to his Brethren. Over whom he obtain'd a Soveraignty, and from whoſe Loins many Princes, Generals, States-men and Prophets have deſcended. And what is yet more remarkable, to Judah was made the famous Promiſe, That the Scepter ſhould not depart from his Tribe, nor a Law-giver from between his feet, until Shiloh came. Though I am not ignorant how it is the Opinion of ſome learned men, that the continuance of the Scepter, or Soveraign Power, was not ſo fixed in Judah's family, as to exclude all the reſt. For at leaſt after the Captivity, there were ſeveral of the other Tribes who attain'd to Kingly Honour among the Jews. And therefore they underſtand Jacob's prediction of the whole Hebrew Nation, which he foreſaw in
proceſs of time would derive their Name from Judah; and that they ſhould never totally looſe the viſible Being of a Kingdom or Common-Wealth, or all form of Government among themſelves, until the coming of Shiloh, or the Manifeſtation of Meſſiah in the fleſh. And we find the truth hereof abundantly atteſted by the event. For notwithſtanding that the form and ſtate of the Jewiſh Government was often changed, its luſtre obſcured, and its puiſſance and Grandeur leſſen'd and impaired; yet they were never totally without a Scepter till they were intirely brought under the Roman yoke; which hapned about the time of our Saviour's Nativity, and a little after his Crucifixion. When the unbelieving Jews were ſo altogether inſlaved by the Romans, that they retain'd not the leaſt footſtep of a free State, but the Kingdom was utterly taken from them. And though this ought to be reckon'd for a Miſery in their Fortune, yet it was no debaſement in their Genealogy. For Affliction (according to the Jews own ſaying) may be a very great inconvenience, but no diſrepute.
But if from the Jews Anceſtry we look into their Primitive Religion, they will be found to be no leſs happy in this, than honourable in the other. For it immediately (as all true Religion) had God for its Author, and was atteſted by ſuch numerous and apparent Miracles,
as made its truth unqueſtionable, and the people (to whom it was firſt revealed) formidable, among all to whom the knowledge thereof did arrive. And though for many years the Jews have been moſt vile adulterers of that Religion which was delivered them in greateſt purity, yet it muſt needs be reckon'd for no ordinary priviledge of the Hebrew Nation, to have received the firſt Religion of the World, and that too immediately from the Almighty, and compriſed in a Breviary of Ten Words, containing an exact Model of Holineſs and Vertue, and more true Wiſdom than all the Volumes that ever ſince have been Compiled by meer humane induſtry and invention.
And together with this excellent Religion (which they have ſo foully depraved) they received other Priviledges of no inferiour concernment: for not only the Adoption, Covenants and Promiſes did firſt belong unto the Jews, but alſo from their Fathers, as concerning the fleſh, Meſſiah came. And when we have cloth'd their preſent infidelity with the moſt aggravating Circumſtances, yet we muſt confeſs our ſelves beholden to them for the preſervation of that ineſtimable Jewel, The knowledge of the one true God, when the reſt of mankind was involved in the belief and adoration of many falſe Deities.
To the Jews likewiſe we ſtand obliged for
the Original Hiſtory of the Creation, and that with indubitable integrity they have delivered to us the infallible Memoires of all thoſe paſſages which hapned before and after the Deluge. Of which the faint glimpſes, retain'd by other Nations, were wrapt up in Stories ſo notoriouſly fabulous, that they were fitter to evidence the vanity of the Pagan Rhapſodies, than to confirm a Truth of ſo great an importance. Now ſeeing that they have been the chanel of ſo many benefits to the reſt of Mankind, they ought to be the matter of our thankful Reflection, and not of our obloquy and reproach.
Nor have we been leſs benefited by their deplorable miſeries, than matchleſs priviledges: ſeeing that their fall was our riſe, and their diminution our riches. But if the cutting off of the Jews (the natural branches in St. Paul) was the occaſion that the Gentiles, like Ciens were grafted in their place; and becauſe of their pride, contumacy and unbelief God hath dealt thus ſeverely with them, we ought not therefore to inſult over their Infidelity, but haſten their Converſion; not to triumph in their down-fall, but to labour their reſtauration. Being aſcertain'd, that if they abandon their obſtinacy and unbelief, God will revoke their Rejection, and receive them again into favour. And if we may relie upon St. Paul's Eleventh to the Romans, the fall of the Jews
ought to make us careful of our own ſtanding, and alſo to endeavor their recovery; which later Chriſtians pretend both to hope and deſire. And to this end I ever labour'd to manage that converſation, which for ſeveral years I held with the Jews in Barbary, who are the ſubject of the enſuing Remarks. In which I have taken care for nothing, but to prove my ſelf a faithful Reporter of matter of Fact, without uſing any other Art to pleaſe either the Severe or Curious, but plainneſs and Truth.
CHAP. I.
The preſent Condition of the Jews in Barbary; their Places of Reſidence, Profeſſion, Apparel, Stature and Complexion, &c.
WHen I looked into the great number of Jews in Barbary, and ſaw how they were lorded over by the imperious and haughty Moor, I could not but reſent their Condition, and wiſh their Deliverance from that direful imprecation, His blood be upon us and our Children. One effect whereof may be ſeen in their preſent Condition under the Moreſco Government; which is no other then a better ſort of ſlavery. For even in thoſe places where they have permiſſion to inhabit, they are not only Tributary, but upon every ſmall diſguſt, in danger of Ejectment. Inſomuch that they cannot promiſe to themſelves either any durable Settlement or Security. Indeed their calmeſt ſtate is ſufficiently ſtormy; and when they ſeem to enjoy the greateſt peace, they are vilely Hector'd by the Moors, againſt whom they dare not move a finger, or wag a tongue in their own defence
and vindication; but with a Stoical patience ſupport all the Injuries and Contumelies to which they are dayly expoſed. For in the midſt of the greateſt abuſes, you ſhall never ſee a Jew with an angry countenance, or appearing concern'd; which cannot be imputed to any Heroick Temper in this People, but rather to their cuſtomary ſuffering, being born and Educated in this kind of ſlavery. By reaſon whereof, they were never acquainted with the ſentiments of an ingenuous and manly Uſage. It is very common with the Moreſco-Boys to rally together, and by way of paſtime and divertiſement, to beat the Jewiſh Children: which later, though they ſhould far exceed the former in numbers and age, yet dare not give them the leaſt reſiſtance or oppoſition.
The Moors permit not the Jews the poſſeſſion of any warlike Weapons, unleſs in point of Trade. And herein they do not ſo much reſtrain, as gratifie their diſpoſition; for they ſeem generally inclined to a great averſeneſs to every thing that is Military: being as deſtitute of true Courage, as good Nature. Nor doth this their cowardly humour at all render them unfit for the Muſters of their expected Meſſiah: for though they believe that his appearance ſhall be Warlike, and that he ſhall lead all their Enemies Captive, and triumph in the Spoils of Eſau; yet they imagine there
ſhall be ſuch a general ſurrender of the Edomites, that there will need no Valour by dint of Sword to ſubdue them: and that this ſubmitting themſelves to his rod, ſhall be an infallible Teſtimony of the truth of his coming.
The Jews in Barbary generally decline living in the Country, not out of any diſlike of a rural Converſation, but becauſe it doth not yield ſufficient opportunities and ſafety for Traffique. For this being their general Profeſſion, they can with more convenience and advantage manage it (as we ſay) in good Towns: And in theſe they live in a heap, ſeldom (or not at all, if it be in their power to avoid it) mingling with the Moors. And the Apartment of the Town where they have permiſſion to inhabit, is from them Called the Juderia, or Jury; which in ſome places in Barbary is ſo contrived, that the Moors can lock it up at night.
Merchandize is their common Profeſſion, wherein they are notoriouſly dextrous and thriving. And as their Dexterity may be imputed to their continual practice in Trade, ſo their Thriving therein to their Frugality in living. For both in Diet and Clothes, they ſeem to deſign nothing but Suſtenance and Covering. And in this plain and frugal way of living, they greatly ſymbolize with the Moors, who (as I have obſerved in another Diſcourſe) take no care for ſumptuouſneſs or delicacy.
When 'tis ſaid that Merchandize is the Jews general Profeſſion in Barbary, it is not to exclude their darling Brokage and
Ʋſury, in which they are very ſerviceable both to Chriſtians and Moors. And indeed the latter do ſeldome uſe them for any other purpoſes, unleſs in ſending them upon hazardous Meſſages, or to Collect their Maritime Impoſts, in which they know them to be more exacting than any elſe they can imploy.
'Tis true, the Moors entertain but a very mean eſteem of this people, being taught by Tradition, which age hath made Authentique, that they are an anomalous iſſue, and not like other men deſcended from Adam; and that the end of their Being was to ſerve the Muſulmin: which Opinion the Jews ſufficiently deride, and give it no other confutation, but the citing of Obadiah, which Propheſie they wholly apply to their Condition, upon the coming of their Meſſiah: when all Edom, that is, all Mankind who are not of their Religion, ſhall become their Hewers of Wood, and Drawers of Water.
The next thing which I promiſed to remark concerning the Jews, is their Apparel, in which thoſe who have been born and bred up in Barbary, differ little from the Moors. For firſt, they wear little black brimleſs Caps, as the Moors red; which they ſeldom move in greeting one another. They likewiſe, as the Moors,
go ſlipſhod, and wear linnen Drawers and Veſt, over which they put a looſe Garment, called a Ganephe, which differs only in colour from the Mandilion, or Albornoz, which the Moors beſtow upon the Chriſtians when they are redeemed from ſlavery. This Ganephe is a black ſquare piece of courſe Hair-ſtuff, cloſed at the croſs corners, and all round it is a large Thrum, which at firſt ſight looks like their Religious Fringes, whereof we ſhall have occaſion in due time and place to diſcourſe.
The Jews in this Continent much reſemble the Spaniard and Portuguez in their Stature and Complexion, but are much different in their nature and diſpoſition, as being more flexible and ſequacious, eſpecially in things whereby they may reap advantage. In point of Civil Government, they indifferently ſubmit to any that is able to ſecure their Intereſt; and boggle at no ſervile obeyſance that may be conducive to their worldly ends. They are not peremptory in intitling themſelves to any peculiar Tribes, yet they generally believe that they are the remains of Judah and Benjamin, together with a few among them of the Family of Levi: whom they conceive to be wonderfully preſerved, that they might not be deſtitute of competent perſons to officiate in the Synagogues.
There are not any to be found among them who publickly own the Samaritan Schiſm, in
rejecting all books of Scripture, but the Pentateuch of Moſes. Of which Sect there were ſome not long ſince (ſaith a great Traveller) who worſhipt a Calf at Sichem, or Neapolis. Nor are there any to be met with who adhere to the Old Bible, without Talmud-Traditions. There are likewiſe none among them who are known by the peculiar Denomination of any Sect, ſuch as were the Aſſideans, Phariſees, Sadduces, Eſſenes, or Gaulonitae of old. For however their private judgments may diſpoſe them, yet they are careful to preſerve an outward Unanimity in their Religion; and are ſignally vigilant to avoid Diviſions, as looking upon thoſe among Chriſtian Profeſſors, to be an Argument againſt the truth of the things they profeſs. And that the differences in matters of Religion, which are ſo offenſively viſible among Chriſtians, may be reckon'd for one impediment of the Jews Converſion, we may in another place have occaſion to demonſtrate.
CHAP. II.
The Moral Converſation of the Barbary-Jews: the ingredients of their Religion; their backwardneſs to Diſputes: their Creed, occaſion, Author; with a ſhort Paraphraſe thereof, &c.
REſearching in the Converſation of the Jews here treated of, it ſeem'd to be very regular, and agreeable to the Laws of a well-civilized conduct: For ſetting aſide the Artifices of Commerce, and Colluſions of Trade, they cannot be charged with any of thoſe Debauches which are grown into reputation with whole Nations of Chriſtians, to the ſcandal and contradiction of their Name and Profeſſion. Fornication, Adultry, Drunkenneſs, Gluttony, Pride of Apparel, &c. are ſo far from being in requeſt with them, that they are ſcandalized at their frequent practice in Chriſtians: And out of a malitious inſinuation, are ſorry to hear that any of their Nation ſhould give a Name to, and die for a people of ſuch Vices.
But how commendable ſoever they may be for their Sobriety and Temperance, and
other domeſtique obſervances, yet that wherein they ought to be chiefly Orthodox, they are the moſt erroneous, namely their Religion. For however they may pretend the preſent Judaiſm, or that ſort of Religion and Worſhip which they now profeſs, to be contain'd in the Law and Prophets; Yet to thoſe who duely conſider the ingredients thereof, it will appear to be patcht up of the Traditions of the Maſters, and the Opinions of old Philoſophers; which are indeed ſo artificially interwoven with Scripture, that this laſt to an unwary Surveyor may ſtill ſeem to be predominant. The truth of which aſſertion will be manifeſted when we report the particulars of their Religion. But whatever it be compoſed of, there is but ſmall hope, as things now ſtand, to have it Reformed: for the Bible, the Rule of all Reformation, though it be not denyed the Peoples Reading, yet the giving the ſenſe thereof belongs only to the Maſters, in whoſe interpretation of the Text, the Vulgar upon pain of Excommunication are bound to acquieſce. And this was told me as an Arcanum Judaiſmi by Rabbi Aaron Ben-Netas, a perſon not unlearned in their Law, and one who wanted nothing but Chriſtianity to render him acceptable to equal Eſteemers; to whoſe free Communication I owe many of theſe Remarks.
Though theſe Jews are ſufficiently taught
to Evade all thoſe Scriptures which relate to the Truth and Eſtabliſhment of Chriſtianity, yet they are not forward to enter into Diſputes concerning them. And if it ſo happen that they are forced thereunto, they will not be confined to the Laws of Diſputation, but uſually confront Text with Text, and never directly anſwer the Objection, but ſet up another againſt it. But as to their declining of Diſputes about Religion, it ſeems very wary and prudent; for when any thing concerning Chriſtianity is the matter controverted, they are generally ſo fiery and cholerick, that they cannot refrain from an ill-bred railing; and thoſe blaſphemous contumelies, which are even deteſtable to common Ingenuity and Candour, are uſually vented by the Jews in their arguings about the Goſpel. Againſt which they are train'd up in an unmanly hoſtilitie: it being a part of their firſt Inſtitution, to imbibe a malitious prejudice againſt Chriſtianity. And the better to manage this ill ſeaſoning, there is not a paſſage of the Old Bible any way relating to the proof of the Meſſiah's being already come, but it is ſo perverted by the Gloſſes of the Rabbins, that the common people are not able to arrive its genuine intent and meaning. And what is more obſervable, and not leſs to be deplored, even the meaner ſort are ſo verſed in theſe ſpurious gloſſes, that ſcarce any can be met with who is not provided
of one evaſion or other, to elude the plaineſt Text that proves the Advent of Chriſt to be already paſt. Nor need it be matter of wonder to hear that the very common Jews are ſo well ſkilled in what we now ſpeak of; ſeeing that it is the firſt and laſt of all their Inſtruction, to underſtand and defend their Religion, in a direct oppoſition to Chriſtianity.
And the better to facilitate the peoples underſtanding of their Religion, and to prevent the dangers that may accrew by leaving them to the hazardous Toil of Collecting their Principles out of Moſes and the Maſters, they are provided with two Syſtems or Abridgments thereof; the one containing the Rule of their Actions, to wit, their book of Affirmative and Negative Precepts; the other the ſubſtance of their Faith, or the things to be believed, namely their Creed: which conſiſts of thirteen Articles, and commonly called, Sepher Ikkarim, or the Book of Fundamentals. They greatly glory in the immemorial Tradition of this Creed, and of the joynt agreement in the meaning thereof, ever ſince they were a people. 'Tis true, the committing of it to writing they grant to be but of a late date; and that Moſes Ben-Maimon (a Corduba-Jew, who died about the 1104 of Grace) foreſeeing the dangers that would hardly be prevented in the preſent Diſperſion of the Jews,
which might come upon a meer Oral Tradition of (ſo great a Depoſitum) their Creed, cauſed it to be enſured in writing; and in this condition it now remains. But Rabbi Joſeph Albo, another Spaniſh Jew, and a moſt virulent blaſphemer and indefatigable impugner of Chriſtianity, not being content with Ben-Maimon's diviſion of the Jewiſh Creed into thirteen Articles, reduced them to three, and called his Antichriſtian Expoſition thereof, by Maimon's Title, Sepher Ikkarim; which he writ 321 years after the others death.
Now becauſe this Creed is the ſum of the preſent Judaiſm, we will here inſert it, with the common and received ſenſe and meaning of every Article.
ARTICLE I.
I Believe with a true and perfect Faith, that God is the Creator (whoſe Name be bleſſed,) Governor and Maker of all Creatures, and that he hath wrought all things, worketh and ſhall work for ever.
By this Article they aſſert and believe the Divine Eſſence. That God is the cauſe of cauſes. That by him the whole Creation is preſerved and ſuſtained. That when he pleaſeth he can reduce the World to nothing,
as he raiſed it thence. That he hath an abſolute Power and Empire over all things. That his being is ſo perfect, that he needs no aid nor aſſiſtance, nor is liable to diminution or change.
ARTICLE II.
I believe with a perfect Faith that the Creator (whoſe name be bleſſed) is one, and that ſuch an Ʋnity as is in him, can be found in none other: and that he alone hath been our God, is, and for ever ſhall be.
By this they affirm the Unity of God. That he is not like a common Nature running through divers kinds and individuals. Not compounded like Bodies of integrant parts. That he is ſo one, as that he can neither be divided nor multiplyed.
But how true ſoever this Article may be in it ſelf, or plauſible in this Expoſition: yet the Jews manage it to pull down the Chriſtians faith of the Trinity; which they maintain to be an aſſertion of a triple Godhead.
ARTICLE III.
I believe with a perfect faith, that the Creator (whoſe Name be bleſſed) is not Corporeal, nor to be comprehended with any bodily properties:
And that there is no bodily Eſſence can be likened unto him.
Here they declare their faith of Gods incorporeity; and that he is ſo pure a Spirit, and ſimple a being, that none of thoſe things can be ſaid of him which are of bodies.
And by this Article they confirm their infidelity of the Incarnation of the ſecond Perſon of the Trinity: becauſe thereby they imagine, that according to the Principles of Chriſtianity, God muſt become a body, to whom all corporal proprieties are utterly incompatible.
ARTICLE IV.
I believe with a perfect faith the Creator (whoſe Name be bleſſed) to be the firſt and the laſt, and that nothing was before him, and that he ſhall abide the laſt for ever.
Though this is their faith of Gods Eternity, yet from hence they deſpiſe and deride that fulneſs of time wherein (according to the Chriſtians) God was manifeſt in the fleſh, and the Word was made man.
ARTICLE V.
I believe with a perfect faith that the Creator
(whoſe Name be bleſſed) is to be worſhipt, and none elſe.
Here they proteſt againſt Idolatry: and exclude all ſorts of Creatures from being the object of Divine Adoration. But their chief deſign is by this Article to deny and contemn the Chriſtians invocation of Chriſt, as a Mediator and Advocate.
ARTICLE VI.
I believe with a perfect faith that all the words of Prophets are true.
By this they declare how God out of his meer good pleaſure, choſe ſome out of Mankinde, whoſe underſtanding he purified and enlighten'd above others, and gave them the ſpirit of Propheſie: Cauſing their underſtandings cloſely to adhere unto his. And then God ſpoke by them, and revealed unto them that way wherein he would have men to walk.
ARTICLE VII.
I believe with a perfect faith that the Propheſies of Moſes (our Maſter, may he reſt in peace) were true. That he was the Father and chief of all wiſe men that lived
before him, or ever ſhall live after him.
In this Article they intend not ſo much to magnifie Moſes, as to leſſen Chriſt. And the blindneſs of their malice is herein ſo great, that they have here made that an Article of their Faith, which they ought to make the contrary: for while they place ſo much confidence in Deut. 18.15. it is wonder to ſee them believing ſo contrary to their hope.
ARTICLE VIII.
I believe with a perfect faith that all the Law which at this day is found in our hands, was delivered by God himſelf to our Maſter Moſes (Gods peace be with him.)
On this Article they build the Divine Authority of the Law. But much diſpute about the manner of its delivery: whether God gave it Moſes in writing, or he writ it from Gods mouth.
ARTICLE IX.
I believe with a perfect faith that the ſame Law is never to be changed, nor any other to be given us of God (whoſe Name be bleſſed.)
And it is upon the ſuppoſed immutability of the Law that they hope for the rebuilding of the Temple and Hieruſalem; their return to Canaan, and the reſtauration of all the Moſaical Ritual, which is the chief Pillar of Judaiſm. The latter part of this Article is wholly to decry the Goſpel, or the Law of Chriſt.
ARTICLE X.
I believe with a perfect heart that God (whoſe Name be bleſſed) underſtandeth all the works and thoughts of Men: As it is written in the Prophets, He faſhioneth their hearts alike: he underſtandeth all their works.
ARTICLE XI.
I believe with a perfect faith that God will recempence good to thoſe who keep his Commandments, and will puniſh thoſe who tranſgreſs them.
In this they believe a final retribution of good and evil works: That every one ſhall have as he deſerves.
ARTICLE XII.
I believe with a perfect faith that Meſſiah
is yet to come: and although he retard his coming, yet I will wait for him till he come.
In this Article the Jews declare their aſſurance of the coming of the Meſſiah. That there is no ſet time for his coming. And upon this account they forbid all curious inquiring concerning the hour of his Appearance. And they ſtill uſe that old Rabbinical Execration— Let their Spirit burſt who count the times.
ARTICLE XIII.
I believe with a perfect faith, that the dead ſhall be reſtored to life, when it ſhall ſeem fit unto God the Creator; whoſe Name be bleſſed, and Memory celebrated world without end. Amen.
I do not find that they ſtrive much to crook this Article to any evil purpoſe againſt Chriſtianity: but that it is a bare affirmation of the Reſurrection. Of which the Jews retain very extravagant Opinions, as will ſhortly be diſcourſed.
In theſe thirteen Articles are compriſed the Jews Credenda, wherein they exhort and oblige all of their Communion to live and die, as they hope for any comfort in the future
State. And notwithſtanding that many of theſe Articles may be capable of a good conſtruction, yet according to the preſent received interpretation thereof among the Jews, they are not ſo much a ſyſtem of Judaiſm, as a cuning and malitious contradiction of Chriſtianity. And the ſuttle Rambam (who is ſaid to have firſt committed them to writing) ſeems rather to have deſigned the Jews confirmation in an ill opinion of the Chriſtian, than any inſtruction in their own Religion. And that they might imbibe a more implacable hatred againſt the Chriſtian Faith, the crafty Rabbi ſo compoſed (for he is thought to have been the Author thereof) the Jews Creed, that it might one way or other wholly confront the Chriſtians. Not doubting but that they would hardly be induced to embrace a Religion, which they ſaw was ſo greatly oppoſite to that of their firſt Catechiſm, and wherein from their infancy they had been taught to expect an happy immortality.
Now this which we may ſuppoſe was but the Deſign of Maimonides, is become the general practice of the Jews in Barbary. For I have heard from one (whoſe underſtanding in their Religion had got him the Title of a Maſter,) That there was not an Article of their Faith which they did not underſtand in a ſenſe wholly oppoſite to Chriſtianity.
And taking a freedom to rail at our Religion (in which they are all well gifted) he inſtanced in the Eleventh Article, as ſeeming to bear the leaſt ill-will to Chriſtianity, and from thence warmly beat down all thoughts of Redemption; with great aſſurance proteſting, That he would have none to pay his debts, nor any but himſelf to ſatisfy divine juſtice for his ſins: That he did not expect the felicity of the next world upon the account of any Merits but his own: That he was certain whoſoever lived piouſly and kept the Law, could not miſs of being happy: or arriving the bliſs to come upon his own leggs. With a deal more of the like ſtuff, even too hainous to be inſerted.
But wiſhing this poor obſtinate people an happy reſcue from ſuch impious thoughts, I ſhall cloſe up this Chapter with obſerving, that the Jews give their Creed a double note of Reſpect above any other part of their Religion. For though I do not find this Creed ſet down in their Common Service-book, yet in honour thereof they begin their Mattins with it, and utter it in a hollow tone differing from that wherein the reſt of the Office is chanted.
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CHAP. III.
The Barbary-Jews Opinion of the Trinity, Angels, ſeveral States of the Soul, the Law, Merit, Purgatory, Reſurrection, laſt Judgment, end of the World, &c.
NOtwithſtanding that the Jews are very unanimous in the literal Profeſſion of the ſame Fundamentals, yet they are not ſo well agreed in any Expoſition thereof, as that which moſt oppoſeth Chriſtianity. That the Jews in Barbary are in many things differing from the ſentiments of the Jews in other parts of the world, and that too in points of no inferiour concernment, may be ſeen in the following particulars.
And in the firſt place, both the Jews and Moors accord in exploding the Trinity, which they look upon as an Hypochondriacal imagination of the Chriſtians, whom they accuſe of Polytheiſm, out of an ignorant conceit that we make every Perſon of the bleſſed Trinity a diſtinct Deity. Nor are they more malitious and blind in the utter denyal of the bleſſed Trinity, than extravagant in
their opinions concerning the Angels. 'Tis true, they all accord in dividing them according to their Natures and Imployments, into good and bad. The good Angels (they ſay) are imployed in Meſſages of Comfort, as were thoſe who brought Abraham the glad Tydings of his Wives Conception and time of Childbirth. Other Angels (they hold) are ſent upon Errands of Deſtruction; and they commonly place the inſtance in thoſe who came to Sodom. They likewiſe opine that there is another rank of Angels, to whom is committed the protection and ſafeguard of particular perſons; and they give an example in the Angel which appeared with the three Children in the Babylonian Furnace.
But beſide theſe more general Objects of the Angels Imployment, the Jews allot two of them to every individual perſon of their own Nation. Whereof one is a good Angel, and ſtands at the right hand of every Jew, to regiſter his good Actions, and to ſet down the particulars wherein he doth well. And at the left hand of the ſame Jew ſtands a bad Angel, and keeps an account of whatſoever he doth amiſs. And when the Jew dies, theſe Angels bring in accounts of all that he hath done when alive. And the good Angel pleads in behalf of the deceaſed the good deeds, as the bad Angel doth the contrary.
And according to the accounts theſe two Angels give in of his behaviour, the departed Jew is puniſht or rewarded by another ſort of Angels appointed for that purpoſe.
But not only two Angels are thus allowed to every one of the Jewiſh Religion, but alſo (according to the Doctrine of the Barbary Jews) there is a diſtinct Order of Angels which is intruſted with the Care and Patronage of the whole Hebrew Nation, and who are always ready to prevent thoſe who would hurt them; like that Angel who would not let Balaam curſe their Fore-fathers, when Balak had ſent for him to that end.
They hold likewiſe that every Governor has an Angel to aſſiſt him in Governing the people, and another to ſuggeſt to him what will be happy or otherwiſe. For they think it to exceed the power of one and the ſame Angel to aſſiſt the publick Magiſtrate both in the Counſel and Execution of what is fit. And the reaſon of this Opinion is chiefly drawn from the difficulty of right Governing the various humours of the many. Indeed they are ſo liberal of the Angels ſervice, that they proſtitute it to meaner Offices than can well be mention'd. For there is ſcarce any thing done among them in which they do not intereſs the Miniſtry of thoſe excellent Spirits.
Next to Angels they place rational Souls, to which they aſſign a fourfold State. The firſt is that in which they were created. For they are ſtrongly of opinion that all Rational Souls were created at once, and placed in a certain Region, whence, as out of a common Store-houſe, the ſeveral bodies in their proper times are furniſhed, as they are ready to receive them. And if the Souls offend in this State, their puniſhment is to be ſent into infirm and unhealthy Bodies. And this pre-exiſtence of Souls they chiefly found in Eccleſ. 4.3.
The ſecond State of the Soul is that of its Conjunction with the Body, which they eſteem no better than an Impriſonment, wherein it lives as a Bird in a Cage, and where it contracts that pollution which is afterward to be cleanſed in Purgatory.
The third State of the Soul is that of its Separation from the Body, wherein it continues until the final Sentence, and is happy or otherwiſe according to what it has done in the body. And when at the Reſurrection the Souls are again united to their Bodies, then they enter into their fourth and laſt State, which is as durable as Eternity.
Their next ſingularity of Opinion reſpects the Law of Nature, which alone they affirm to be obligatory of all Mankind. And to thoſe who obſerve this Law, they promiſe
the World to come, which (in the phraſe of the preſent Jews) is all one with Eternal life. But when the Jews grant this hope to all Mankind, yet they reſerve a peculiar priviledge to themſelves, to whom alone God gave the Law of Moſes; to whoſe due obſervers there belongs a greater Glory & Happineſs than to any other.
There are ſome who have imagined that this Opinion of the Jews concerning the univerſal poſſibility of being ſaved by the Law, doth favour their fancy, who maintain an indifferency in the external profeſſion of Religion, and that a man without ſcandal may joyn himſelf to the Worſhip of the place he reſides in. And this Opinion was by ſome Beaux Eſprits of France zealouſly promoted, till it received a Learned Confutation by Sieur Moſes Amyraldus, a late Profeſſor in Saumur.
But the practice of the Jews in Barbary ſets them far diſtant to any ſuch conceit, there being no people under Heaven more averſe to communicate in the Rites of other Nations than they. And if they could have been reconciled to the opinion of Indifferency, and accommodated themſelves to the Religion of the Places and Countries where they came to reſide, the Jews might have obviated many exiles and penalties to which a contrary extream hath ſo long and often expoſed them.
And yet it cannot be denyed but that there are ſeveral Jews who make uſe of a ſcandalous
complyance in this particular. Of which ſort are many of thoſe who coming within the cognizance and power of the Papal Inquiſition can joyn themſelves to a Crucifix and Roſary, as well as to the Zizith and Tephillim. And I am aſſured that ſome Jews have have gone herein ſo far as to enter into Holy Orders, and the profeſſion of a Religious life, who yet coming to places where the Jews have publick Toleration have joyned themſelves to the Synagogue.
And of this we have a very late inſtance of two Jews who in Spain having for ſeveral years profeſſed the Religion of Saint Dominique, coming to Legorn in their Fryar Habits they inſtantly changed their Cowle for a Ganephe, and of idle Fryers became progging Jews. Another Jew (of my acquaintance, who for about five years had Studied Phyſick at Saragoza in Spain) being aſked how he could comply with the Religion, he merrily made this reply, That his complyance was only the work of his Nerves and Muſcles, and that his Anatomy told him nothing of the heart was therein concerned. Another Jew who in Malaga counterfeited Chriſtianity ſo well as to be intruſted with the Sale of Indulgences, having made a good Market thereof in Spain, came with what he had left to a Chriſtian City in Barbary, where his Indulgences being all bought up by the Iriſh and
others of the Papal perſwaſion, he declared his Religion. The Papiſts who had bought his Indulgences impeach him to the Governor for a Cheat, and clamour to have him puniſht according to demerit. The Jew pleaded the Laws of the free Port, that he had neither imported nor ſold any thing but his profeſſed Merchandiſe, and therefore deſired (and obtained) the Liberty and Priviledges of ſuch as traffick'd to that Port. I report nothing but matter of perſonal knowledge.
That there are many ſuch Temporizing Jews, eſpecially in Spain and Portugal, I have been aſſured from their own mouths: and what is more obſervable, ſome have ventured to affirm that there want not Jews among the very Judges of the Inquiſition; which may be one reaſon why of late ſo few are convict of Judaiſm by that dreadful Tribunal. But what kindneſs ſoever theſe Temporizers may bear to the Doctrine of Indifferency, I am ſure the Barbary-Jews bear it an irreconcileable enmity: for they are ſo far from complying with other Religions, that they will not ſo much as eat of the meat which is dreſs'd by one of a differing perſwaſion; nor drink in the ſame Cup after a Chriſtian or Moor, till it be waſht.
The Jews (now ſpoken of) conſidering the many irregularities to which through temptations and humane Frailties they are hourly
liable, conclude that the moſt vigilant and wary among them cannot live without contracting ſome ſtain and pollution, which muſt be cleanſed ere they can enter that place of reſt, whereof they eſteem the Holy of Holies to have been a figure. But leſt the doing away of this pollution ſhould by any means be thought a work of the Holy Ghoſt, whom by way of Deriſion they call the Chriſtians Sanctifier, they have reſolved upon a Purgatory for this purpoſe. Wherein all the Relicks of Uncleanneſs, which Repentance had left uncleanſed, are to be done away.
How the Jews Purgatory differs from that of Virgil, Cicero, and Plato, it will not be worth our travail to ſet down. Yet I cannot but obſerve that they ſpeak herein much after the manner of thoſe Platoniſts, who aſſigned a puniſhment to every ſin, yet held that all ſuch puniſhments, whether now or hereafter, did only tend to purge the Soul from her Enormities. S. Aug. Civitat. Dei, lib. 21. cap. 13. Neither would it more avail our preſent purpoſe to compare the Jewiſh with the Papal Purgatory; which how much ſoever they may differ in other Circumſtances, do ſufficiently harmonize in vain and groundleſs extravagancies. The Papiſts, 'tis true, have much diſputed the place of their Purgatory, and were not reſolved therein till Saint Patrick obtain'd the Key and open'd the Receptacle. But the Jews without controverting
the ſcituation thereof, unanimouſly agree, except a few that place it in tranſmigration of Souls, that it is in Hell. From whence they can never be deliver'd but by the power of the Kaddiſch: which is a Prayer that being for the ſpace of a year repeated once a day, by ſome ſurviving Relation of the party in Purgatory, is able thence to deliver him. And therefore if the dying perſon leave any behind who will be ſo courteous as to repeat the Kaddiſch, he need not fear that the pains of Purgatory ſhall endure above a year. And indeed the Jews generally hold that there ſhall none of them ſtay above twelve months under this purgation, though they have dyed never ſo impenitent or devoid of Remorſe: and that they ſhall not tarry there above ſeven dayes, if at their Deceaſe they were penitent and ſorrowful for what they had done.
Now if any ones Sins are ſo great and many, that a years Purgatory will not atone them, then the Soul is to return into a Body to finiſh the Penance. And to ſupport this Opinion, theſe Jews hold a tranſmigration of the Soul from one body to another, but without changing of the Species or the Jewiſh Nation. And by this tranſmigration (they hold) that the Soul ſhall ſatisfie in the ſecond body what it had done amiſs in the firſt, and ſo ſucceſſively till it come to the ſeventh: where
it is ſure of a Sabbath, and reſts from its penance and ſatisfaction. And if the Soul in all the ſeven bodies has ſin'd more than it has ſatisfied for; yet having ſuffer'd what was appointed, God (they ſay) in mercy gives it a releaſe. But the portion of bliſs allotted to this incompleat penance, is far leſs than that of the Soul which has made entire ſatisfaction. And they ſo greatly magnify the penitent, that they think him of greater value than one who never ſin'd: and that one day ſpent therein is more worth than Eternity. But a man would think the Jews needed not load Repentance with ſuch great Encomiums, ſeeing that the future bliſs may be attain'd for thirteen Moons durance in Purgatory.
To the expiation of thoſe faults whereby the neighbour is injured, the repentance of the offender and compaſſion of the offended is ſtrictly required by the Jewiſh Caſuiſts.
The Jews in Barbary entertain no thoughts of Merit in a Papal ſenſe, but ſmile to hear any ſhould be ſo vain as to imagine they can do more than the Law requires. They hold that all reward proceeds from Divine Bounty, and that obedience is the only thing looked upon in mans ſervice; and that every one ſhall receive according to their obſequiouſneſs to the Law. But that we may not imagine the Jews to deſign the Chriſtian any
kindneſs by this Doctrine, we muſt obſerve that all hope and promiſe of future Reward is confined to themſelves, and that to thoſe who are not of their Religion they allow nothing but a total perdition of their Being.
Both the Jews and Moors are of Opinion that the infernal Torments ſhall have an End: and that the faln Angels after many years of puniſhment ſhall be received to mercy. Which (ſaith St. Aug. Civit. Dei, lib. 21. cap. 17.) was the judgment of ſome tender hearts among the Old Chriſtians: and gives the Example in Origen, whom for his Circumvolution and Rotation of bliſs and miſery the Church did Excommunicate. And to carry this remark a little further, ſome of the Maſters are of opinion, that when God, after the Reſurrection, ſhall take accounts of mens actions, he will not to magnifie his power and juſtice condemn any one to endleſs tortures, but that it is more agreable to Gods nature and the dayly expreſſes of his Providence to ſave all. And notwithſtanding they place the puniſhment of the Chriſtians in a ſort of Annihilation, yet to any of their own Nation they hold no other miſery ſhall remain after the laſt Judgment, but a leſſer meaſure of Happineſs.
As to what relates to the Conſummation of the World, the Jews do not place it in a
confuſed Deſtruction of its preſent order and beauty, but in its reſtauration to that purity and perfection, which (ſay they) it poſſeſſed at the Creation. And that every part of this lower World ſhall attain that perfection, whereunto it was at firſt deſigned: and that ſeeing he is the inexhauſtible Fountain of all Goodneſs, that God will at laſt inveſt the Creatures with happineſs according to their Capacities.
And though in leſſer matters, opinions of no ordinary extravagancie may be better indured, yet it is hainous to ſee them ſo looſe in their judgment concerning that Univerſal Article, The Reſurrection of the Body; which they will not permit to go beyond their own Tribes; for they plainly affirm that none ſhall be capable of the Reſurrection, who do not die in the Communion of the Synagogue. And that this may not be thought the ſentiment only of the leſs cultivated Jews in Barbary, we find it to be the general poſition of their Maſters: Who affirm that there are four priviledges ſo peculiar to the Hebrews, that no other Nation can thereof communicate. And theſe are the Land of Canaan, the Law of Moſes, the Gift of Propheſie, and the Reſurrection. And that this laſt might not be looked upon as a meer Talmud-fancy, they deny the Reſurrection to all but themſelves, upon the account of Eſay 26.14. They are dead,
they ſhall not live: they are deceaſed, they ſhall not riſe.
But while they utterly expunge out of their Creed the Reſurrection of other Nations, it were well if they agreed concerning their own Riſing. For ſome of their Maſters have expreſly held that both the bodies and ſouls of wicked Jews ſhall be totally annihilate, and that the Reſurrection ſhall only be of ſuch Jews as have lived godly. Some again hold that all the Jews ſhall riſe again, but to different Conditions; for the perfectly juſt upon their Reſurrection ſhall be inſtated in an undefeiſible happineſs: next, thoſe that have died in utter impenitence ſhall according to ſome of their Rabbins, riſe to be cruciated in Gehenna: and a middle ſort between both theſe ſhall at the Reſurrection for twelve months ſpace be puniſhed in Hell. But to ſpeak truly, theſe are the private opinions only of their Maſters; for the Common people plainly acquieſce in the literal ſenſe of the thirteenth Article of their Creed.
Before we diſmiſs this Chapter, it may not be incongruous to obſerve that the Jews in Barbary much dote upon the judgment of Rabbi Solomon Jarchi, who held that Iſrael's Command to Joſeph to carry his bones into Canaan was not only becauſe he foreſaw that the duſt of Egypt ſhould be turned to Lice; or for fear that the Egyptians ſhould idolize
his Carkas: but becauſe that thoſe who are buried out of Canaan ſhould have a very troubleſom Reſurrection. For the Jews believe that the Reſurrection ſhall be in the Holy Land, whither all of them that are buried in other Countries, muſt inceſſantly rowle through the dark caverns of the Earth, that they may riſe there and be poſſeſſed of their final reſt.
And however this may ſeem an Opinion too vain and abſurd for men even of ordinary parts to maintain, yet it is at this day a prevailing Doctrine among theſe Jews: who greatly deſire to be buried in Canaan, to the end they may eſcape that toilſom rowling through the Earth, which thoſe muſt undergo, whoſe hard lot it is to be buried out of the Holy Land. But to avoid this inconvenience, as many of them as are able, endeavour to return to Paleſtine when they grow old, that they may have an eaſie and compendious Reſurrection. And upon this account the Jews in Barbary imagine their condition to be much happier than thoſe in Northern Countries, becauſe they are nearer to Canaan, and therefore have a leſs way to tumble under ground for the Reſurrection.
We have already taken notice that ſome Jews place their Purgatory in a Tranſmigration of the Soul to ſeven bodies; and diſcourſing
one of them who was of this opinion, and ſhewing him that by this Doctrine at the Reſurrection either ſeven Bodies muſt have but one Soul, or ſix Bodies muſt have none: he made light of the objection, ſaying, That at the Reſurrection all the ſeven Bodies ſhould be ſet together, and the ſix that had it firſt ſhall come to the ſeventh Body, wherein the Soul is then placed as a Candle in a Candleſtick, and that all the Bodies like ſo many Tapers ſhall be lighted thereat: for the Soul ſhall communicate it ſelf juſt as a Lamp its flames, &c.
But I have been too tedious in theſe miſcelaneous extravagancies already, which I hope to make ſome amends for in the ſucceeding Accounts; wherein I ſhall endeavour to be as ſuccinct and orderly as the ſubject will give leave.
CHAP. IV.
Their Opinion of Matrimony and Coelibate, their Eſpouſals, Dowry-Bill, &c.
NOtwithſtanding that all civilized Nations in the World agree and conſent
that Marriage is a State of Honour and Sanctity, and one of the ancienteſt Inſtitutions which any Tradition doth report: yet none are ſo warm Aſſertors thereof as the Jews in this Clime. Who do not only contract Marriage early, but infinitely extol it above Single-life, and hold it a Condition more ſutable to Nature, more advantageous to Mankind, and more acceptable to God. Inſomuch that they admit not any unmarried Sect among them, but on the contrary look very jealouſly upon ſuch of their Nation as either Marry not at all, or long defer it.
And on this account their Eſpouſals are very early, their Daughters being uſually betroth'd at ten years of age; and if rich, are Married when very young. And when they have once enter'd this Solemn State, they are religiouſly careful to expreſs all faithfulneſs to their huſbands. And indeed the whole Nation of the Jews are ſuch great Enemies to a treacherous Bed, that if they had liberty they would certainly puniſh Adultery according to the letter of Levit. 20.20.
And in further teſtimony of the great eſteem the Jews have of Wedlock, they reckon it among the affirmative Precepts, which they make obligatory of their whole Nation. Beſides they are generally taught by the Maſters, that every Male coming to years of maturity is bound to take a Wife
of his own Family or Tribe, for to preſerve and encreaſe it. There are ſome among them who allow of no other end of Matrimony but Propagation, and account them, naughty perſons who therein do project any other ſatisfaction. And the Rabbies tell them, that augmenting and preſerving of their Families include all other purpoſes of Marriage whatſoever.
Their manner of taking of a Wife, which is next to be conſider'd, is ſufficiently orderly and decent. For when any Male is diſpoſed to Marry, he enquires among his kindred for a Virgin to whom he may be joined in this Sacred Bond, for the maintenance of his Name and Family in Iſrael. And being informed that there is ſuch an one, he acquaints himſelf with her Age, Complexion, ſtate of Body, &c. and after this begins to drive the bargain with the Virgins Relations, who if they like his Condition and Propoſals, admit him to viſit her. But the Virgins Relations are very cautious that the Viſit be ſhort; for ſhould the Match not ſucceed, the familiarity of ſuch an interview will much tend to the Damſels diſparagement. But if the parties like one another, and the friends agree about the Dowry, then the man has liberty to make her preſents, in imitation of Gen. 24.53. (which was alſo a Cuſtom among the Grecians, as Suidas in
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
.)
And theſe he ſends by the hand of ſome diſcreet Female, who aſcertains the Virgin of the reality of his intention and good will.
After the parties have given all proper aſſurance of one anothers good liking, and thereof certified their Relations; theſe preſently call for a Maſter, who at the Damſels houſe draws up the Articles of Marriage and Covenant of Dowry. In which is ſet down all that belongs to the intended Bride, the particulars of her Night-dreſs not being omitted. And a Bill of particulars being deliver'd to the Bridegroom, by vertue thereof he has power at the day of Marriage to call for and recover whatſoever is therein ſpecified. I enquired, but could meet with no Form hereof, nor could I perceive that it was any thing but a bare Envois of the goods belonging to the Bride, Signed and Witneſſed.
But beſides this on the womans part, there is alſo a Dowry made by the man; which varies in quantity according to the plenty or nearneſs of his fortunes. David we find being but poor, gave for his Wife ſo many ſkins of the Philiſtins: but Sechem being a man of wealth, was willing to give as much for Dinah as ever they would demand. Of old (they ſay) that the Dowry of a Virgin was fifty Shekels, which ſum is conſtantly
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ſet down in the preſent form of their Matrimonial Letters, or Dowry-bill. And this they collect from Exod. 22.17. compared with Deut. 22.29. In the Dowry-bills made to Widows, but half the ſum is given in Barbary, which they give to Virgins.
The Dowries being ſettled, they paſs to the affiancing; wherein the Woman is given to the Man, by ſome of her near kindred in this form of words;— Behold, take her after the Law of Moſes: And the Man replies, Be thou unto me a Wife according to the Law of Moſes and Iſrael.
There is but one form of Dowry-bill, or Matrimonial Letters in preſent uſe among all the Jews, whereof we have a Copy tranſlated by Cornelius Bertram out of the Babylon-Talmud, and another in Buxtorfs Gram. Chald. p. 389. betwixt which there is ſome ſmall variance; but the ſum of both amounts to the enſuing Copy.
A Copy of the Dowry-bill now in uſe among the Jews in Barbary.
UPon the ſixth of the Week, the fourth of the Month
_____
in the year
_____
of the Creation of the World, according to the Computation which▪ We uſe here at Arzila, a Town ſituate on the Sea-ſhore of Barbary, the
Bridegroom Rabbi
_____
the Son of Rabbi
_____
ſaid unto the Bridewife
_____
the Daughter of Rabbi
_____
Merchant in Alcazar; Be unto me a Wife according to the Law of Moſes and Iſrael; and I according to the word of God, will worſhip, honour, maintain and govern thee, according to the manner of Husbands among the Jews, who do faithfully worſhip, honour, maintain and govern their Wives. I alſo beſtow upon thee the Dowry of thy Virginity amounting to fifty Shekels, which belong unto thee by the Law. And moreover thy food, thy rayment, and ſufficient neceſſaries, as likewiſe the knowledge of thee, according to the Cuſtom of all the Earth.
And theſe words being thus pronounced, the Virgin from that time forward becomes the mans Wife. To this form of [honouring and worſhiping the Wife] ſome think the Scripture alludeth, 1 St. Pet. 3.7. And that due Benevolence ſpoken of 1. Cor. 7.3. is that is here called —knowing of the Wife according to the Cuſtom of all the Earth. Though 'tis true, the Jews by the ſame phraſe expreſs both Death and Marriage. But to return, this Dowry-bill at the day of wedding is delivered into the cuſtody of the Bride, who thereby is impower'd to challenge from her Huſband Food, Apparel, and the Right of the Bed. And according to the Law, Exod. 21.10.
If the Huſband take him another Wife, he cannot withhold or diminiſh from the former the Food, Rayment and Duty of Marriage.
CHAP. V.
Of other Ceremonies relating to their Marriages.
AMong the Ancient Jews there was ever a competent time intervening betwixt their Betrothing and Marriage; which Cuſtom they deduced from the anſwer given by Rabecca's friends to Abraham's ſervant, when they deſired that the Maid might not depart preſently, but remain after the Eſpouſals ten daies, Gen. 24.55. which yet ſeems rather to imply the Mothers unwillingneſs ſo ſoon to part with her Daughter, than any legal intervention of time between the affiancing and confirmation of Marriage. But however the old Jews were perſwaded in this particular, the modern of whom we now treat of, think it very diſagreeable to the nature of Amours to uſe any protraction of their Accompliſhment. And therefore they ſtay no longer for Marriage after the betrothing,
than is ſufficient to make preparation for ſo great a Solemnity. For after the Dowry-bill is finiſhed, the day of Marriage is appointed: and in the interim the Bride prepares her ſelf for the Celebration: And for eight daies uſeth bathing. Upon the Marriage-Eve at the going down of the Sun, ſhe has her Tabila or Ciſtern filled full of pure water, whereinto ſhe is put by two diſcreet Matrons, who are very diligent that not an hair of her head appear above water: for if any part about her remain uncover'd with water, ſhe the ſecond time muſt be put into her Tabila. For this Bath (they ſay) ought to be very exact, becauſe it is to ſupply whatever was defective in the other circumſtances of the Brides preparations. When ſhe comes out of this cold Waſh, her hair with great curioſity is tied up, and her perſon ſecluded from the eyes of all men, it being not allowed for her Father or Brothers to look upon her, till ſhe be delivered to her Huſband.
In ſome places, as I have been told, the Bride goes to this Bath through the Streets, accompanied with ſeveral women who dance and ſing as they paſs, and name the party that is ſhortly to be married. But this is a freedom would be very ſcandalous to the Jews neighbourhood in Barbary; beſides, the modeſty to which from their infancy the women
here are inured, will not in the leaſt admit of this liberty.
The dreſſing of the Brides hair when ſhe comes out of the Bath, (which was but now intimated) though the common people may look upon it as a meer act of handſomneſs and adorning; yet their Maſters teach it for an inſtance of Religion, and as a thing very acceptable to God. And thoſe words— And brought her unto the Man, Gen. 2.22. they thus expound: And God brought Eve to Adam, after the ſame manner that a Bride is brought to her husband, that is, elegantly dreſſed, with her hair curiouſly curl'd and plated; and with joy and dancing.
Upon the day of Marriage the Bride puts on her wedding-Garment, and adorns her ſelf as ſumptuouſly as her fortunes will allow, and in an apartment by her ſelf, ſpends the time until the uſual hour of Marriage, in Faſting and Devotion. And though they have no Canonical hours for this Solemnity, yet it is moſt uſually kept toward night; which ſome gather (from St. Matt. 25.1.) was the cuſtom of the Jews in our Saviours time. Though the Parable (think others) relates rather to the Marriage-feaſt than the Marriage it ſelf.
The Bridegroom likewiſe ſpends ſeveral hours in private Devotion before the Marriage. And recommends his Condition unto
God, begging happineſs upon his wedlock. After theſe private Devotions are ended, he goes to the Service of the Synagogue, whence he uſually returns accompanied with ſome choice friends, who ſtraightway conduct him to the chamber, where the Bride ſits in a chair on purpoſe to receive him, having a Virgin on each hand, as her attendants. And ſhe changes not this poſture, till ſome Rabbi (or other aged Jew, ſkilful in the Law) reads the Dowry-bill with an audible and diſtinct voice; and the Bridegroom hath put the Keduſim or wedding-Ring (of pure Gold, and without a Stone) on the Brides thumb, or third or any finger of her right hand, and called all that are preſent to atteſt it; upon which the Rabbi ſaith unto the Bride, Thou art Married or Sanctified to this Man with this Ring, according to the Law of Iſrael. And theſe Ceremonies being finiſhed, the Rabbi ſaith a Prayer, which is called the Nuptial-Bleſſing (the form follows preſently) and then takes a glaſs crowned with Wine, which having bleſſed and taſted of, he gives to the Bridegroom, who with a ſuddain violence breaks it, in memory of the Deſtruction of the Temple. And this being done, he takes off the Brides Vail, and giving her the right hand ſits down by her; and having entertained her with a ſhort diſcourſe, ſerious or otherwiſe as he beſt affects,
they have a Collation, and retire to their lodging room.
And theſe are the antecedent and concomitant Rites of Marriage in preſent practice with the Jews I now diſcourſe of, to which I will annex two Forms of Bleſſing uſed by the Rabbi at this Solemnity.
The forms of Bleſſing uſed by the Rabbi at the Conſummation of Marriage.
BLeſſed art thou O Lord our God, who haſt created Mirth and Gladneſs, the Bridegroom and the Bride; Charity and Brotherly Love, Rejoycing and Pleaſure, Peace and Society. I beſeech thee, O Lord, let there ſuddenly be heard in the Cities of Judah and Streets of Hieruſalem the voice of joy and gladneſs; the voice of the Bride and the Bridegroom. The voice of Rejoycing in the Bride-chamber is ſweeter than any Feaſt, and Children ſweeter than the ſweetneſs of a Song.
Another.
BLeſſed be the Lord our God, King of the World, who hath created Man after his own Image, according to the Image of his own likeneſs, and thereby prepared unto himſelf an everlaſting building; bleſſed be thou O Lord who haſt created him.
In the apartment whither 'twas ſaid that the new Married retire after Collation, there are two Beds made upon the floor (according to the Eaſtern Cuſtom) to one of which the Bridegroom betakes himſelf, after he has received thoſe tokens mention'd Deut. 22. But firſt of all he uſeth this Myſtick Oraiſon.
BLeſſed art thou Adonai, our God, King of the World, who planted the Walnut-tree in the Garden of Eden, the Book of the Valleys: ſuffer not a ſtranger to enter into the ſealed Fountain, that the ſervant of our loves may keep the ſeed of Holineſs and Purity, and may not be barren. Bleſſed be thou Adonai, who haſt choſen us in Abraham, and in his ſeed after him.
The Marriage-Feaſt begins next morning after the Marriage, and laſts preciſely eight daies. During which time the Bridegroom ſtirs not abroad, but the Neighbours come and pray with him at his own houſe: nor doth he for the ſame ſpace any further accompany with his Bride than at meal-time. Eight daies by a New Leviticus being allowed her for Purification after Marriage. And the Sabbath which happens in this time they keep with more than ordinary feſtivity and mirth, becauſe ſomewhere in Scripture (they ſay) that the Sabbath is called a Bride.
In ſome places, we are told, that the young Men who wait upon the Bridegroom at the hearing of the Huſband giving the Miſſal Tob, or wiſhing happineſs to his Wife, break certain ſmall Earthen pots which for that purpoſe they hold in their hands. And thereby ſignifie their good wiſhes of proſperity and health to the new-married couple. As for the Cuſtom of the young Mens keeping the Bridegroom Company for the eight daies that he keeps within-doors, they found it upon the Story of Sampſon's Wedding, Judges 14.2. They alſo have an odd Cuſtom, whereby the New-Married during their eight daies ſeparation, are obliged to ſend girdles (a very myſterious utenſil among all the Jews) one to the other. That which the Wife ſends has a Silver-buckle, but that which he returns has a buckle of Gold.
The Jews in Barbary uſually keep their Summer-Marriages in Bowers and Arbors, which reſemble, and perhaps are in ſtead of the Chuppa Canopy or Covering ſaid to be in uſe among the Jews of other Countries. And the Gueſts at the firſt entrance of theſe Bowers ſay, Baruch Habba, bleſſed is he that cometh; which they apply to the Bridegroom coming thither to his Bride. And to his coming out of the ſame Chuppa they allude the 4 and 5 verſes of the Nineteenth Pſalme. At the Wives firſt meeting of her Huſband
ſhe walks thrice about him, becauſe the Scripture ſaith, A woman ſhall compaſs a man, Jer. 31.22. And the Man walks once round the Woman; but no Text is offer'd at to ratifie this Cuſtom. In ſome Countries the Gueſts bring with them handfuls of Corn, which they caſt at the New-Married, ſaying, Increaſe and Multiply. By which they alſo wiſh them Peace and Abundance. If the Bride be a Virgin, they give her Wine in a narrow Cup; if a Widow, in a wide one: for excellent reaſons, no doubt. While the Banquet which immediately follows the Marriage is preparing, the Company have ſtore of Hens ſet before them, ready dreſſed, which when The Couple have taſted, they tear in pieces, and devour with ſtrange ſcuffling and diſorder: But without any other Myſtery than to make the New-Married paſtime.
This Counter-ſcuffle being over, the Bridegroom takes a raw Egg, which he caſts at the Bride; intimating thereby his deſire that ſhe may have both an eaſie and joyful Child-birth. The Marriage-day is taken up with theſe Ceremonies, which they conclude with a Supper and a Dance.
In Barbary the Jews admit no Chriſtians to be preſent at their Marriages, unleſs ſuch as are their Slaves. And for this they quote Prov. 14.20. For they are of opinion, that
to invite a Chriſtian, or any who are not of their Faith, to theſe Solemnities, is ſo diſpleaſing to the good Angels, that they force them to leave the Company. And thereupon thoſe bad Angels enter, which cauſe quarrelling and diſorders, to the troubleſom and dangerous interruption of their Mirth and Diſports.
Now theſe are the chief of the Matrimonial Rites in preſent uſe with the Jews in Barbary; beſides which, there are ſeveral others of a Miſcellaneous Nature, which for their ſeldom practice with theſe Jews are here omitted.
CHAP. VI.
Their Opinion of Sterility: their Lilis: their Rites of Child-birth.
HAving taken this ſhort view of their Marriages, the method will not be unnatural, if in the next place we look into the fruits thereof. For we may conclude that Children are eſteemed by the Jews no ſmall bleſſing of Wedlock, ſeeing that in all Ages they have thought the barren Womb not only to be a reproach but a Curſe; and that to want Children is to be civilly dead, according to the old Jewſh Proverb,— A Man childleſs is liveleſs.
And indeed the Jews now, as of old, have ſuch an high value for procreation of Children, that they place it among thoſe keys which God keeps in his own hand: and who therefore is ſaid to remember Rachel and open her womb, Gen. 30. And if having Children be a token of Gods remembrance, the Jewiſh women are ſeldom forgotten. For they are ſo generally fruitful, that ſhe who proves otherwiſe is ſaid to have no Mazal in the Firmament, or to have been married under no good Planet.
And as the Jewiſh Women in this Country are fruitful in Children, ſo they are laudably decent in their Travails: obſerving therein ſuch orderly deportment as is agreeable to all well civilized humanity. 'Tis true, the Rabbins (who too much play the Poets with all their Rites) have not forborn even thoſe of Child-birth: but have deviſed ſeveral fabulous Stories and impertinent Rites concerning it. A taſte whereof we ſhall here inſert, for the ſatisfaction of the Inquiſitive.
And in the firſt place the Rabbins have appointed that the Father of the Family, or any other religious Jew in his ſtead, upon the approach of Child-birth, ſhall draw ſeveral Circles in the Chamber of the impregnate, as alſo upon the doors both within and without, on the walls, and about the bed,
Inſcribing every Circle with theſe words, Adam, Chava, chutz Lilis: that is, Adam, Eve, be gon Lilis. The meaning of which Conjuration depends upon the right underſtanding of what is meant by Lilis. Now the Jews are not unanimous in their account hereof; yet the beſt we could collect take as foloweth.
When God had made Adam, and ſaw that it was not good for him to be alone, he created a Woman, and gave him her for a Wife; and ſhe was called Lilis. But being no ſooner brought unto Adam, than ſhe began to brawle and contend, and would not acknowledge that power over her wherewith Adam was inveſted. And when he adviſed her of her ſubjection, and that ſhe ought to obey his commands; ſhe inſultingly replyed, That ſubjection aroſe from inequality, and therefore could have no place between them who were equal by Creation. And in this pelting and quarrelſom humour they lived ſo long, that Lilis foreſeeing little likelyhood either of its ending or amendment, ſhe named The moſt Holy Name, and thereupon was immediately rapt out of Adam's ſight into the Air. Adam ſeeing this ſuddain departure of his Wife, is ſaid thus to have addreſſed himſelf unto God.
O King of the World, the Wife which thou gaveſt me has forſaken me. Hereupon three
Angels (Senoi, Sanfenoi, and Saumangeloph) were commanded to purſue and bring her back, and to threaten her with ſevere puniſhments in caſe ſhe refuſed. The Angels purſuing overtook her at the Sea (wherein afterwards the Egyptians were drowned) which then was ſtormy and tempeſtuous. But Lilis refuſed to return, and pleaded that ſhe was not made to be ſubject to any Man, but that the deſign of her Creation was to moleſt and deſtroy the Male-Children for eight daies, and the Female for twenty after their Birth.
But the Angels not approving her reaſoning, they endeavoured to force her to return; but perceiving in her a ſhreud reſiſtance, they agreed to diſmiſs her, upon this Condition, That ſhe ſhould never hurt any Infants wherever ſhe ſaw their Names written. And to this end, the Jews uſe to write the Angels Names in a Table or Parchment, and to hang them for Amulets about their Childrens Necks.
As to the inſcribing of the foremention'd Circles with Adam, Eve, chutz Lilis, they imply that if the Mother bring forth a boy, God would not give him ſuch a brawling Wife as Lilis, but one like Eve, who would be mild and peaceable, loving and obſequious, and ſuch an one as may build his houſe in Peace. But enough of this ſtory. But
the chief intent of theſe Circles is to fortifie the Chamber appointed for the Teeming woman againſt all Haggs and Goblins.
When the great Belly finds her pangs to be near, ſhe calls ſome diſcreet Matron to aſſiſt her delivery; but ſhe muſt be one of their own Religion. For nothing but inſuperable neceſſity can induce them to admit either Chriſtian or Mooriſh Women to be at their Travails, out of a jealouſie that ſome miſchief may befal the Child. Nor is this the fancy only of the ſuſpicious Mother, but a ſtrict preſcription of their Maſters, who in no caſe but that wherein neceſſity gives a Diſpenſation, will give leave that a ſtrange Woman ſhould be Midwife to a daughter of Iſrael.
When the Woman is brought to Bed, the joy and feſtivity is according to the ſex that is born. At the birth of a daughter they uſe but little exultation, becauſe ſhe cannot ſupport the family, which is extinct without Males. Whence they have a ſaying, The Family of the Mother is not called a Family. And the Hebrew word for Woman is fetcht from a root ſignifying forgetfulneſs: becauſe the Fathers Family is forgotten in marriage of a daughter.
But if the Woman be delivered of a Boy, there is great joy in the Family, and the Father in teſtimony thereof preſently begins
the Feaſt for his Sons Circumciſion, which is never deferr'd beyond the eighth day, unleſs want of health in the Child prevent it. The firſt ſeven daies after the Childs Nativity are wholly ſpent in feſtival Entertainments, at which none can be a Gueſt who has not paſt his thirteenth year. Neither muſt there be fewer than ten at this Feaſt. Upon the Eve of the Circumciſion, the Women viſit their Goſſip, with whom they uſually paſs the whole night in mirth and freedom; On purpoſe to conſole and recreate the Mother, that ſhe may not be over-troubled for the pains of her Sons Circumciſion, as alſo to prevent thoſe miſchiefs to which they imagine Childbed-women are very liable the ſeventh night after their Delivery.
CHAP. VII.
Of the Rites of Circumciſion and Purification.
CIrcumciſion has ſo peculiar a veneration among the preſent Jews, that if all other parts of their Religion were to be changed, this like Mount Sion, would ſtand immoveable. And though many other Nations (of old)
and at this day the whole profeſſion of Mahumediſm, uſe Circumciſion; yet none but the Hebrews embrace it as a Sacrament. Concerning the figurative Circumciſion of the Heart, Lips and Ears (whereof the Scripture makes mention) there is no conſiderable diſagreement among Chriſtians or Jews; nor is their harmony leſs about the literal Circumciſion: for both grant it to be of Divine Inſtitution, and appointed both for a ſigne and ſeal of the Covenant God made with the Jews, as St. Paul (Rom. 4.11.) interprets Moſes (Gen. 17.11.) But the diſcourſing of this point belongs not to this place, whereby the Method we have propoſed in this Treatiſe, the modern Rites of Circumciſion are plainly to be recounted.
And in the firſt place, the Jews of whom I now write, are very conformable in their obſervation of the time appointed for the celebration of Circumciſion. For where they enjoy the free exerciſe of their Religion, they never defer it longer than the eighth day. But they Circumciſe indifferently at home or the Synagogue. Though for the greater parade, the wealthier Jews ſeldom neglect to carry their children to the Synagogue.
The chief Officer at Circumciſion is the Mohel, or he that Circumciſeth, who is not bound to be of the Prieſthood; for any
has liberty to Circumciſe who has ſkill therein. The Rich admit none to perform this office upon their children, who have not been bred thereunto, and long make it their Profeſſion. And it is uſual to ſerve a ſort of Apprenticeſhip to gain the Art and Credit of a ſkilful Mohel. To this end, thoſe who herein intend to be Artiſts, deal with the indigent Jews to Circumciſe their Sons, giving their Fathers money for ſo doing: and having gain'd a competent ſkill and experience, they ſet up for Circumciſers. Who are eaſily diſcerned to be of that Profeſſion by their Thumb-nails, which they keep ſharp and long, as a badge of their Calling. And from one of theſe Mohels I received this following account of Circumciſion, according to the Uſe of the Synagogue in Fez, the place of his Practice and Abode.
The time intervening between the Childs Birth and Circumciſion is ſpent in frequent bathing it; which with more than ordinary Circumſpection is waſht at the time it is preſented to this Sacrament. Of which it is altogether incapable, if the leaſt filth be left about it. So that if any natural Evacuation happen as it is brought to the Mohel, or before the Prepuce be taken away, he cannot proceed in his Office till the Child be new waſhed.
The morning is the uſual time of Circumciſing; out of this ſuppoſal, that the flux of blood is then leaſt, and the child will be moſt patient: but this they do not by the advice of the Rabbi, but Phyſician; it being no rite of their Religion, but a rule in their Diſpenſatory.
Upon the day when Circumciſion is celebrated, there are two ſeats ſet cloſe by the Ark in the Synagogue; the one for Elias, whoſe preſence they ſtill expect at this Solemnity; and another for the Baal-Berith, or Godfather. By theſe two Seats ſtand the Mohel, and the Jews that are invited. Then the child is brought in Parade, with ſeveral boys, whereof one carries a Torch of twelve lights, denoting the twelve Tribes of Iſrael: another brings a diſh of Sand; another the Circumciſing Inſtrument (which is of Wood, Stone, Iron, &c.) Oyl, ſoft Linnen Rags. In ſome places they have a Cordial ready, in caſe the Child ſhould faint. And when the Men in the Synagogue have ſung the Song of Moſes as it is extant Exod. 15. and have Notice that the Women have brought the Child to the Door of the Synagogue, the whole Company ſtands up, and the Baal-Berith goes to receive and bring in the Child to the Congregation, who receive him with this Acclamation, Bleſſed is he that cometh: which they underſtand either of the Child,
who is ſo happy as to come to Circumciſion; or, of Elias, whom they believe to come along with the Child, and to take his place by the Godfather, to obſerve and teſtifie that all things concerning Circumciſion were duly adminiſter'd.
When the Congregation are ſetled in good order, the Godfather holds the Child to the Mohel, who gives God thanks that in Abraham he gave them this Sacrament, and thereby ſigned and ſealed them for his peculiar people. Then he takes away the Foreſkin, and in the interim the Father praiſeth the Lord that he gave Abraham a heart to fulfil the Law of Circumciſion, and preſerved him to ſee this his Son Circumciſed. The Foreſkin being cut off, the Mohel caſts it into the diſh of Sand, with no leſs myſtical intimation, than that the Seed of the Child ſhould be numerous as the grains of that Sand; and that the Nation of the Jews to whom God gave this Sacrament, might ſtill verifie what was obſerved of them Numb. 23.10. But I rather think it to reflect upon Abraham's bleſſing, Gen. 22.17.
When the Mohel has thus diſpoſed of the Prepuce, he prays that the Child may live and ſee his Sons thus initiated into the Covenant; may keep the Law, and do good works. Then he takes a cup of Wine, and bleſſeth God that he hath created the Vine,
and given it a power to exhilarate and nouriſh: then he dips the little finger of his left hand thrice in the Wine, and lets it drop into the Childs mouth; and having taſted of it himſelf, reaches it to the Congregation. This done, the Mohel again gives thanks, that God ſanctified the child in the Womb, and has brought it to the Foederal Sacrament. He prayes likewiſe that the children of this child may obey the Law. Then he takes the Infant from the Baal-Berith, and delivering it to the Father, giveth it a Name; praying for him, that by that Name there given him, he may quickly be healed, live proſperouſly, be a joy to his Parents, and beget children who may be zealous Aſſertors of the Law.
And thus far I have tranſcribed my old Mohel, who aſſured me that the whole Ritual of Circumciſion was ſummarily contain'd in what is now ſet down.
They have ſuch a great eſteem for this Sacrament, that they ſtill enjoyn it under its old penalty, That Soul ſhall be cut off from his people, Gen. 17. Which ſome interpret of Excommunication, or the bodily death of the Parents who out of contempt or neglect of the Inſtitution, omit the Circumciſion of their Males: and others underſtand it of thoſe who at years of Maturity took not care to perform that themſelves, which through their Parents negligence was omitted in their infancy.
And though the party delinquent herein incur this penalty, yet theſe Jews do not ſo expound the precept of Circumciſing the eighth day, as if it admitted of no relaxation. For in caſe of the childs ſickneſs, they generally hold that its Circumciſion may be put off till ſeven daies after its recovery. And thoſe likewiſe who are born where there is no Toleration of their Rites, do not incur this cenſure, if they take care to be Circumciſied when they come where their Religion is Tolerated. And they prove from the firſt Inſtitution of Circumciſion, that Age can priviledge none from undergoing it: Abraham being ninety years old and nine, when he was Circumciſed in the fleſh of his Foreſkin, Gen. 17.24. And I knew one Jacob Iſrael Belgara, who being born in Spain, and a long time Student
〈◊〉
Phyſick at Saragoſa, coming to Barbary, Anno Dom. 1667. was Circumciſed in the fortieth year of his Age. And they are careful not to delay the firſt occaſion of being Circumciſed, becauſe every moment of ſuch delay is a diſtinct breach of the Commandment. 'Tis true, inſtances of the Parents negligence in this particular is very unuſual; they being ſo far from omitting this Sacrament, that they are but too rigorous in exacting it. But if any omiſſion happen herein through the Parents default, then the Maſters of the
Synagogue have power to convene and Excommunicate▪ (or to cut off from the Communion of the Synagogue) the offending party, and to take and Circumciſe the child.
If a child die ere the eighth day, it is Circumciſed at the place of burial, but without any furder Ceremonies than giving a Name, and praying that God would be mindful of it in the day of the Reſurrection, and to give it life among thoſe who are Circumciſed. Now they Circumciſe the child, to make it capable of Jewiſh Sepulchre, and to prevent all miſchief that might otherwiſe befal the uncircumciſed in the future State. For they are not yet argeed whether or no Circumciſion be of abſolute neceſſity to the life to come. Thoſe who adhere to the very letter of its Inſtitution, make Circumciſion ſo requiſite to the obtaining of future happineſs, that they deny thoſe who want it, any portion in the Reſurrection; miſunderſtanding Ezek. 28.10. But others think there is nothing dangerous in the want thereof, but its contempt. And in the Chriſtian Church the Council of Braccara ordain'd that thoſe who deſpiſed their Baptiſm, and died in that opinion, ſhould, as guilty of their own eternal death, be buried with Self-Murtherers.
But all we have hitherto mentioned concerning
Circumciſion, is to be reſtrained to thoſe who are born in the Jews Religion. For as to the admiſſion of Proſelytes unto Judaiſm, Circumciſion, Baptiſm and Sacrafice were in ordinary courſe required. But theſe old Articles of Proſelytiſm are not exacted by the mordern Jews. For Sacrifice has been utterly out of uſe ever ſince the Deſtruction of the Temple. And leſt the ſhame or pain of Circumciſion might deter any from proſelytizing, they are taught not rigorouſly to exact it. And there Moſes Egyptius tells them, that many Proſelytes were admitted into the Jewiſh Communion without Circumciſion. Moſes's Father in Law they hold to have been the firſt Proſelyte of Juſtice, who upon his turning Jew had his Name Jether changed to Jethro. But after him there were many made Proſelytes of the Gate, without Circumciſion, of which Mr. Selden gives ſeveral inſtances. But however they diſpenſe with Sacrifice, and ſpeak warily of Circumciſion, yet Baptiſm is a conſtant initiatory of the Proſelyte, which has nothing common but the water with thoſe dayly Baptiſms of the Jews, reflected upon by Tertullian, lib. 6. de Baptiſmo, cap. 15.
I confeſs Barbary affords but few of theſe Proſelytes: for though there are frequent examples both of Jews and Chriſtians turning
Moors, yet very ſeldom are any met with who turn Jews; which made me leſs inquiſitive after the preſent manner of receiving Proſelytes. And as to what relates to the antient Form of Proſelytiſm, enough is to be ſeen in Mr. Selden, lib. 2. cap. 2, 3, 4, &c. de jure Naturali & Gentium juxta Diſciplinam Hebraeorum. If any Proſelytes happen among them, we may preſume they conform to the Rites herein uſed by the Jews of other Nations. Of which we have this ſummary Account in Leo. Modena, a Venetian Rabbi: Hiſtoria de gli riti Hebraici, Part 5. lib. 2. Si alcune voleſſe farſi Hebraeo, primo ſono tenuti tre Rabbini, o perſone di Autoritá interrogarto ſettilmente, che coſa lo move a far queſta Riſſotione, &c. that is: If there be any that hath a mind to turn Jew, there are three Maſters, or perſons of Authority appointed warily to examine him what cauſe moved him to this reſolution, and whether any worldly intereſt had a hand therein; to the end they may admit him as they ought. Next, they denounce and make known unto him the great ſtrictneſs of the Law of Moſes, and that the Jews are at preſent an abject, vile, and deſpicable people, and that upon this account it is better for him to continue as he is. And if after all this he continues his purpoſe, then he is to Circumciſe himſelf; and as ſoon as he is whole,
he bathes himſelf all over in water in the preſence of the three foreſaid Maſters: and after this, he is accounted as good an Hebrew as the reſt. At the Circumciſion of the Proſelyte they uſe this Form of Prayer.
Bleſſed be thou O God and King of the World, who haſt ſanctified us with thy Precepts, and commanded us to Circumciſe Proſelytes, and to take from them the Blood of the Covenant. Becauſe according to thy Prophet (Jer. 33.25.) unleſs by the Blood of the Covenant neither Heaven nor Earth ſhould remain.
Then the by-ſtanders ſay, As thou haſt brought him into thy Covenant, ſo guide us in thy Law and good Works, and bleſs us with protection and ſafety.
Now becauſe ſome other Nations have gotten a Traditionary Cuſtom of Circumciſing, without turning Jews, or undertaking any degree of Proſelytiſm (as all the Mahumedans:) It is therefore reſolved among the Jews, that if any ſuch become a Proſelyte, though he cannot be Circumciſed again, yet on the eighth of his Proſelytiſm, ſome blood muſt be fetcht of that part, which they call the Breaking of the Skin. But they are ſo ingenuous as to confeſs that this is none of
the Laws of Moſes, but an Inſtitution of their own.
And having thus briefly viewed the Ritual of Circumciſion, that which remains of this Chapter ſhall be filled up with this ſhort Account of their Purification after Child-birth. And the Law of this Ceremony is, Levit. 12. from which they in no wiſe decline, unleſs in the number of dayes; for notwithſtanding that but ſixty ſix dayes are appointed by the Law for the Purification after the birth of a Daughter, yet in Barbary the Jews obſerve ſeventy ſix: but for a Son they keep cloſe to what the Law has herein appointed. During the time appointed for Purification, the Child-bed woman abſtains from all intimate communion with her Huſband: who is not permitted ſo much as to touch her finger, or clothes, or to eat and drink with her out of the ſame diſh or cup. And at the end of theſe dayes allotted to her Purification, ſhe returns not to the free converſation of her Huſband, till ſhe has been wholly waſht, and put on all ſuch accoutrements as are uſed in token of purity. And that there might be no colluſion herein, ſhe muſt prove by the Teſtimony of two credible Matrons that all things concerning her Purification were duly obſerved. In the Bibliotheca Rabbinica there is Mentioned the Sepher Naſchim, where the whole
Ceremony of Purification is ſet down. The reaſons why a different number of dayes are obſerved herein for a Boy and a Girl, are to be ſeen in Eſtius's Notes upon Levit. 12. whither I refer the Reader.
CHAP. VIII.
Of the Jews Polygamy: Divorce: A Copy of their Bill of Diſmiſſion, &c.
POlygamy reſpects both Sexes, and is of two ſorts; whereof the one is a having of many Wives or Huſbands at once, the other an having many ſucceſſively. Concerning which the Jews at no time have raiſed any conſiderable controverſie, ſaving that they have always refuſed the woman to have a plurality of huſbands at once. Though they denyed her not a liberty of a ſecond Marriage, when by Death or Divorce they were freed from the firſt.
Among Chriſtian Authors this Point has been deeply controverted; and Tertullian was equally againſt both theſe ſorts of Polygamy; putting but little difference between having many wives at once, or by ſucceſſion▪
lib. de Monogam. But others granting the lawfulneſs of ſucceſſive Marriages, have yet wholly exploded the licence of many wives at one time, unleſs where Divine Revelation gave toleration. Mr. Grotius ſaith there was no reſtraint herein until the Coming of Chriſt. l. 2. c. 5. §. 8, 9. de jure Belli & Pacis.
But as to what herein relates to the Jews Polygamy, has ever been ſo far from an ill name among them, that it has been reckon'd for one of the chief Priviledges confer'd upon them by Divine Preſcription. So that if we be herefrom abſtemious, it is not out of Conſcience, but worldly Intereſt. The Gemara Babylonia (as Mr. Selden writes) makes it lawful for any Jew to take as many wives as he can maintain: that is, according to the Barbary-Jews, Any one may take as many wives as he can find with meat and cloth, and the right of the Bed. For to all theſe he obligeth himſelf in his Marriage-Letters. And what the Jews herein pretend unto by Divine Law, other Nations practice through evil Cuſtom. For Tacitus (de moribus German.) ſaith, That they uſed Polygamy as a mark of Nobleſs and Gallantry.
But the Jews of whom I now write, though they greatly magnifie and extol the conceſſion of Polygamy, yet they are not very
fond of its practice. For they are generally abſtinent herein, not out of Religion but policy, as finding one wife at a time enough for their maintenance and government. Beſides, if they find any grievance in being always confined to one Female, they have a preſent remedie in Divorce or Concubinage. Of which we muſt now ſpeak a little.
Now as touching Divorce, there are ſeveral things thereunto required, which being all contain'd in the Sepher Kerithuth, need not any particular enumeration. And in this Sepher Kerithuth, or Book of Cutting off, (ſo called, becauſe the wife thereby was cut off from her huſbands Family) I have met with three ſeveral Copies hereof, one taken out of Moſes Kotſenſis, where, ſaith the citation▪ there is another. A ſecond Copy hereof is collected out of Maimonides, and extant in the end of Burtorf's Caldee and Syrian Grammar: and a third uſed in Barbary; among which there is little difference but in circumſtances.
A Copy of the Bill of Divorce.
UPon the
_____
day of the Week and
_____
of the Month
_____
and Year of the Creation of the World, according to the account
which we Hebrews uſe at Tituan in the Kingdom of Fez, governed by the puiſſant Muley I Joſeph—Ben Rabbi have deſired of mine own accord, without any Compulſion, to cut off, divorce, diſmiſs, and caſt thee out; thee I ſay, thee my Wife Fatima, the Daughter of Rabbi Ben which has been my Wife heretofore. But now I cut thee off, divorce, diſmiſs, and caſt thee out. And be thou cut off, divorc'd, diſmiſs'd, and caſt out from me. And be at liberty, free, and Miſtriſs of thine own ſelf, to go to Marry whom thou haſt a mind to; and let none be refuſed for my name, from this day forward for ever. And this ſhall be to thee from me a Bill of Divorce, and the Epiſtle of putting away according to the Law of the twelve Tribes.
This is done before two or more Witneſſes, who atteſt it by ſubſcribing thereunto their Names.
CHAP. IX.
Of the Jews Concubinage: of their Marrying the Brothers Wife.
THoſe ſecondary Wives which were of old among the Jews, our Engliſh Tranſlation
renders Concubines, Gen. 25.6. And Tertullian (ſpeaking hereof in the firſt Chapter of his Book De unis Nuptiis ad Ʋxorem) affirms that not the Patriarchs alone, but alſo our Anceſtors had a right not only to Marry, but alſo to uſe Matrimony variouſly: and that there were Concubines, before the Law we read of the Concubines of Abaham, Nahor, Jacob, &c. And out of Philo we are told by Mr. Selden, that the primary wives were called the juſt, and the ſecondary Concubines.
A Learned man of our own Nation (in his Annotations upon the New Teſtament) ſeems to incline to another Opinion: for he ſaith that the Matrimonial Laws of the Jews forbad a ſervant, or Gentile woman to become wife to a Jew, but that ſhe was called a Concubine. Whether or no this might be ſo by ſome new Inſtitute of the Maſters, I have no juſt occaſion here to enquire: But I am ſure the Egyptian Agar, who was Abraham's Concubine, is called his wife, Gen. 16.3. And that both ſhe and Kethurah were called both his Wives and Concubines; but Sarah bore only the name of his wife. Auguſt. Civitat. Dei, lib. 17. cap. 34. But grant that the Concubine by (ſome late Rabbinick) Matrimonial Laws of the Jews, was not called a wife, yet ſhe was far from the ill character of an Harlot, nor was conjugal
aſſociation with her any more unlawful than Polygamy, which was practiſed among the Patriarchs, and is ſtill allowed of by the Modern Jews. And yet if we grant Concubines the Title of Wives (and Concubinate to be Marriage) yet betwixt them and the primary wives there was and is ſtill no ſmall difference and diſparity. For the firſt ſort of wives were taken by Matrimonial Patent, or Dotal Covenant, with ſolemn Eſpouſals, and had a power to receive all ſuch preſents as might teſtifie both the huſbands Affection and the Contract: but Concubines were taken without any of theſe Ceremonies or Aſſurances. Next, the primary wives were the Governeſſes of their huſbands Families, but the Concubines live therein as Servants, and equal to the former in nothing but in the right of the Bed. In the third place, the children of the firſt wives had a right to ſucceed to the hereditary Eſtates and Titles of their Fathers, but thoſe of the Concubines were ſecluded all ſucceſſion therein, and inſtead thereof receive portions, Gen. 25.6. And ſome think that it was upon this account, that Jephte being the Son of a Concubine, was denyed to co-inherit with his brethren. Agreeable unto this Cuſtom is the Matrimonium Morgengabicum in ſome Countries, where the ſecond wife and her children are not taken in to a right
of the huſbands Eſtate, whereby the woman can have no part thereof for a Joynture, nor the children for their inheritance, but only certain portions are aſſigned them by Compact; which are called Morgengab, or Marriage-Gifts.
But not to purſue the Laws of the old Jewiſh Concubinage (whereof enough is to be met with in Mr. Selden;) Our preſent taſk is to ſtate the preſent uſe thereof among the Jews in Barbary. Who are generally herein very abſtemious: but when they make uſe of it, 'tis with ſuch Rites as have been already mention'd. And we may eaſily imagine the unſettledneſs of their Condition to be the main reaſon why they are ſo reſerved in the uſe of this priviledge. People of an Ambulatory ſtate being uſually very careful not to multiply their lumber.
The next thing to be accounted for, is the Marrying or refuſing of the Brothers wife who is dead without Iſſue. A cuſtom which is at this day in requeſt and practice among theſe Jews, according to its firſt Inſtitution, Deut. 25. But if the ſurviving Brother refuſe (as he may) to raiſe up ſeed to the deceaſed, then they proceed to a very ſolemn ſeparation, which is after this manner.
The man who refuſeth to pay this debt unto the dead, is bound to take two well-reported Jews of the Neighbourhood, and
with them to go to his Brothers widow; to whom he declares his reſolution of not receiving her in Marriage, or of not performing unto her the Duty of a huſbands Brother. This being done before the two credible perſons whom we juſt now mention'd, the widow accompanied with the ſame witneſſes, and three more, makes her addreſs unto the chief of the Synagogue, who upon the receiving of her Petition, appoints a day of hearing; and both the parties according to Summons being preſent, the chief of the Synagogue propounds ſeveral queſtions. And firſt he demands of the widow, How long her huſband hath been dead? whether three months be fully paſſed ſince his death? for ſo much time is required to clear her from being with child by her late huſband. Next he demands, Whether her huſband left ever a brother behind him? whether the man who is there preſent be his full brother, and whether he be a ſingle man? After this the Maſter demands their Age, and whether ſhe thinks they are compotent for generation? and whether the ſurviving Brother and the Defunct had both one Father?
Theſe Propoſals being directly anſwer'd unto by the woman, the Maſter turns to the man, and aſks him, whether the woman there preſent was his dead brothers wife? and, whether he will Marry her, or ſuffer his
ſhooe to be pulled off? If he there declare again his refuſal to Marry her, they preſently execute the Law: and having firſt put and tyed a ſhooe on his right foot being bare, the ſlighted widow looſeth it with her right hand, and ſaith, calling the Synagogue or Congregation to witneſs it, This my huſbands brother refuſeth to raiſe up ſeed unto his brother. And then pulling off his ſhooe, ſhe contemptuouſly ſpits in his face, ſaying, So ſhall it be done to the Man, that will not build up his brothers houſe. Then the Rulers of the Synagogue, with all that are preſent, pronounce theſe words: The ſhooe is taken off. And from that time forward ſhe is at liberty to Marry to whom ſhe pleaſeth. It is required that all this be tranſacted when the woman is faſting; and though not in Barbary, yet in ſome other Nations, ſhe looſeth the ſhooe with her teeth. I have been informed that they have a Ritual of the whole proceſs, and a preſcript Form which they call, The pulling off of the ſhooe: And that a Copy hereof is given to the woman, which ſerves her for a Teſtimonial that her Separation was legal, and that ſhe may joyn her ſelf in Wedlock to whom ſhe has a mind.
But if poſſible, the parties ſo accommodate the matter betwixt themſelves, that it ſeldome comes to this extremity. For this mode of Separation is generally looked upon
as reproachful and contumelious. An Example of the Libellus eductionis Caleei, I could by no endeavour yet obtain; which I impute to the great cautiouſneſs of the Jews in communicating any thing of this Nature to ſtrangers, leſt it ſhould reflect upon their Religion, or be miſconſtrued to their Reproach.
CHAP. X.
Of the Inſtitution of their Children: the time and manner thereof.
HAving already treated of the Jews Marriage, with its ſeveral appendages, and viewed their Childbirth and Circumciſion: the Method cannot be unnatural if we next enquire into the Education of thoſe children, by whom they hope to preſerve Their Name in Iſrael. And indeed the care of the Jews is very laudable in this particular, there being not many people in the World more watchful to have their children early tinctured with Religion than the preſent Hebrews. And there needs not many other reaſons to be given of their unſhaken adherence to their preſent Faith, than that
they are therein ſo timely and deeply grounded
Nor is their diligence herein more commendable than their orderly Method; for as ſoon as their children are able to pronounce, they are taught ſuch Sentences of Holy Writ, as ſeem to favour their Religion, and to infuſe into them the feeds of Piety and Vertue. And to this purpoſe they frequently make uſe of Solomon's Exhortatory: Catechize a Child in the way that he ſhould walk when he is young, and his old age will not depart from it.
Now becauſe the Jews in Barbary uſually ſpeak Moreſco, the Language of their Nativity, and a ſort of Spaniſh which inables them for Traffick; leſt they ſhould fall into an utter oblivion of the Hebrew Tongue, they are careful that the Rudiments be in that Speech. And to facilitate their Childrens Learning thereof, they uſually teach them Hebrew for the Utenſils of the Houſe, Terms of Traffick and Negotiation, &c. And by this Order they furniſh the Children with a Nomenclature of Hebrew Words; and all this before they admit them to Syntax and Conſtruction. Hence it is that in ſpeaking Moreſco and Spaniſh, they ſo intermingle their firſt Vocabulary, that thereby it is not eaſie to be underſtood. But ſtill the main Deſign of their early Inſtruction is eſpecially ſpent in imprinting Religion
upon the tender minds of their Children. And becauſe the Sabbath is appointed for the more Solemn Celebration and Inſtruction in Religious Rites, and ordained to be one Character, whereby the Hebrew people is diſtinguiſhed from all other; for theſe Reaſons the Jews are ſignally diligent to implant into their Children a ſingular reverence thereof. And to this end they employ the Morn and Even of this Queen of Feaſts (as the Maſters call the Sabbath) in teaching their Children ſeveral pious Forms of Saluting their Parents and others. In which Greetings they permit not their Children to uſe the Name of God, till they are ſeven years old, that they may retain the greater veneration for that Name which is Holy and Reverend. And therefore the firſt Salutations of the Children are plainly, I wiſh you a good Sabbath: May you have a good day, &c.
When their Children are grown up to be fit for ſuch Converſation as Talk and Play, they permit them not the leaſt Society with the Mahumedan Children, but ſtrictly forbid them their company; that hereby they may timely poſſeſs them with an averſeneſs towards all Mahumediſm. And this they practice out of a conſideration that there is ſo great likeneſs between many of their own and the Moreſco Cuſtoms, that a Child may be eaſily induced to a promiſcuous imbibing
of either. And as for the Divine Myſteries of Chriſtianity, the Jews repreſent them to their Children in ſuch monſtrous ſhapes, that they are fitter for their affrightment than embraceing. Beſides, they teach their Children that Chriſtian Religion is ſo utterly deſtructive of their Ceremonies, that they ought to avoid all fellowſhip with thoſe who profeſs them.
When the Jews have taught their Children ſome decent Modes of Salutation, and imprinted them with an awful Reverence of Gods Name, and the Eſſays of hating all Religions but their own; Their next endeavour is to inſtruct them in the Elements of Book-learning. Where the firſt Leſſons are about the Name and Figure of the Hebrew Letters: in which they uſe this Method: Firſt, upon a ſmooth ſtone or board they caſt two or more Letters of the Alphabet, and acquaint the Child with the Name and Figure thereof. And when the Child is able to pronounce theſe Letters, they proceed to more, according to the capacity and towardlineſs of the Scholar. And ſo forward, till the whole Alphabet be run over. When this taſk is finiſhed, the children are taught to joyn the Letters into ſhort and eaſie Sillables; and having attained to read a little, they are put into the firſt Book of Moſes, and ſo paſs through the whole Pentateuch. In teaching their Children
to write they uſe as the Spaniards, a Plana, which is a draught of very large Letters upon a fair Paper, which they imitate upon a thin Paper laid thereon.
When the Parents have at home pretty-well grounded their Children in theſe preluſory Rudiments, they ſend them to School; and every Morning before they go thither, it is the Mothers Office to provide them ſomething to eat, which is ſweetned with Sugar or Honey; which ſerves them both for Beakfaſt and an Inſtruction. For at giving the Child the ſweet Morſel ſhe uſeth theſe words; As this is ſweet to thy Palate, ſo let Learning be ſweet to thy mind. And ſhe gives directions how to behave himſelf at School, as that he is to uſe no filthy words, but ſuch as he reads in the Law: becauſe God loves clean Lips, pure, wholſom diſcourſe, and that all communication ought to be agreeable to the Divine Word. Next, that the Child muſt not ſpend his time in idle talk to his own hindrance, or his fellows. With other ſuch directions as a Mothers Care and Affection ſhall ſuggeſt.
They have a ſaying very common among them, That there is no fruit at Autumn, where there is no budding in the Spring; which they apply to the Education of their Children, whoſe riper years they hope to have pious and well-governed, when their tender minds
are duly inſtructed in Religion and Vertue. And much to this purpoſe may be met with in their Homilies.
At five year old the Children go to School, where they ſpend five years in Learning the Pentateuch; and at ten year old they are put (if they prove towardly) to read the Miſchua and ſome choice parcels of the Talmud; which contain the Body of their Inſtitutes. During the time that boy is learning the five books of Moſes, he is called Ben Mickra, the Son of the Law; and when he is thirteen year old he is Ben Mitzva, the Son of the Precept: for now the youth receives the Paſsover and is purified. For until he comes to be a Son of the Commandment, the Father ſtands charged with his Miſcarriages. But at thirteen year old the Lad being ſuppoſed to be able to diſcern Vertue from Vice, and Good from Evil, he is bound to anſwer for his faults. Therefore the Father having before a Synagogue of ten antient Jews declared that his Son whom he there produces has been well Catechized in the Law, and underſtands the general Deciſions of the Miſchua and Talmud, and that he can repeat the dayly Prayers, he lets them know that he no longer chargeth himſelf with his Crimes, but that he leaves him to anſwer therein for himſelf, and to be puniſhed if he ſhall be delinquent againſt the Commandments. Where note by
the way, that by Commandments here muſt not be underſtood either the Decalogue or the Ritual of Moſes, but thoſe 313 Precepts into which they have reſolved their Religion and the Bible. Druſius (in Exod. 26.) obſerves, that the Jews old manner of Inſtructing was by Interrogations and Queſtions, or Catechiſm. By which preſent Method there is no youth under Heaven can at thirteen years old give ſo exact account of the Rites of their Religion as the Jewiſh.
I meddle not here with the ſpecial places which were of old appointed for the Education of youth, becauſe thoſe ancient Gebaoth or Colledges, Houſes of Doctrine, and Hills of the Teachers, which the Divine writings often mention, are now faln under a fatal Devaſtation. Neither doth it concern the preſent Subject to reflect upon the Miſhne, or Colledge in Hieruſalem, where the Repeating of the Law was Studied: this being alſo extinct. Only I obſerve at this day the Jews in Barbary, like their neighbour Moors, are wholly deſtitute of Places for liberal Education; and therefore when any of them intend to Studie Phyſick or the like, they repair incognito to the European Univerſities, and more eſpecially to thoſe of Portugal and Spain.
But to return: The Jewiſh Fathers are not more careful in the Catechiſm of their Children,
than the Mothers in their Nurſerie. In which they do not follow their own delicacie, but the preſcriptions of their Maſters: who appoint that the Nurſe (who is always the Mother, unleſs ſome unavoidable neceſſity interpoſe) eat ſuch Viands as yield good nutriment, to the end that the child may the ſooner grow up, and come to the publick Worſhip, and take the impreſſions of their Religion. And the Mother who is diligent herein, is ſaid To walk in the wayes of the Lord: (for ſo they are taught to underſtand Deut. 28.9.) who feeds his Creatures with a
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aſonable and liberal hand. They have very odd conceits about the Situation of the Mothers Breaſts, which they uſe as natural motives of affection and tenderneſs toward their Infants. And to imprint in the woman a greater averſeneſs to nurſe their children at anothers Boſome, their Maſters tell them ſtrange Stories of ſeveral men who have been miraculouſly enabled to give their children ſuck upon the death of their wives.
During the time of Nurſing, the women are not permitted to go with open Breſts, nor to keep Faſts, nor to expoſe their tender Sucklings to the Sun or Moon. Neither when the Child is able, do they permit it to go bare-headed out of doors, becauſe on a time one of their Maſters ſeeing a child in this poſture, pronounced it unlawfully begotten, and that his
Mother was either menſtruous or unchaſte in her Embraces.
The Jews uſually Girdle their children as ſoon as their bodies will endure it; and when they are grown up none of them go ungirt to the Synagogues: for if they ſhould do ſo, they think that not only thereby the benefit of the Prayers is forfeited, but alſo the Divine diſpleaſure is provoked. Hence is that ſaying,
Ʋngirt, unbleſs'd. Albeit I know the Jews uſe to Girdle their children, leſt from the intuition of their own nakedneſs, they ſhould imbibe an immodeſt Confidence.
CHAP. XI.
Of their Synagogues: the Officers thereof: time of their Election: Hours of Prayer.
THe Synagogue in the N. T. is often taken for any place of publick concourſe: But its uſual acception is either Civil or Eccleſiaſtick. In the former acception it denotes the place of their Conſiſtories and Judicatures; in the later the Houſe or Room where the Law and Prophets are read and expounded, and the whole Syſtem of publick worſhip performed.
The Rulers or Chief of the Synagogue, or ſuch as negotiated their Myſteries, were different from the Rulers of the Conſiſtory or Judicature. But we are here to ſpeak of the Synagogue as a place wherein they tolerated the publick Exerciſe of Religious Solemnities. Which Toleration the Jews in Barbary purchaſe with their Coin. For it is uſual with the Moreſco Governours, when faln into any Exigence of Moneys, to ſhut up the Jews Synagogue, out of certain experience that its Redemption is the readieſt Subſidie.
In this part of the World, the ſenſe of their Ambulatory condition will not permit the Jews to be at the pains and charges of Erecting new Synagogues. But they hire Houſes or ſingle Apartments proportionable to their Number, to aſſemble in. In whoſe Furniture they ſeem to neglect all other Ornament and Sumptuouſneſs but cleanlineſs and decency. But as if they vyed the ſtore of Moreſco Moſchs, they ſtrive much to have their Synagogues numerous. And in this they do not recede from the practice of their Anceſtors, who had four hundred and eighty Synagogues at once in Hieruſalem. So Sigonius, de Rep. Hebr. lib. 2. c. 8. And in other Provinces and Cities (as we read in the Acts) there was the like plenty. And the numerouſneſs of theſe Holy Houſes may eaſily be granted, ſeeing
that a very few make up a Jewiſh Congregation. For they have a Tradition, that whereſoever ten men of Iſrael are, there ought to be a Synagogue.
Of old, the Jews wrote the Entrances of their Synagogues with devout and cautionary Sentences, as Buxtorf hath obſerved in ſeveral Pages of his Abbreviatures; which Cuſtom is wholly out of faſhion with the Jews here diſcourſed of: which ſeems chiefly to be imputed to the uncertain tenure of the Houſes which they hire for Synagogues, and not to any diſlike of the practice. For doubtleſs the Inſcriptions now ſpoken of were very laudable, as directing thoſe who enter'd in their deportment in the Divine Worſhip. Of old, the Walls within as well as Entrances of the Synagogues were written with Sentences tending to the ſame purpoſe: As, Enter the Houſe of the Lord thy God with humility: Be attentive in time of Prayer; Think upon thy Creator, &c.
To every Synagogue there belongs ſix Officers; firſt the Summas, or Sacriſtan, anſwerable to our Sexton: whoſe Office is to ſweep & keep clean the Synagogue, and to trim the Lamps. The Second is the Pernas, to whom belongs the care of providing the Holy Wine, which is given to the Youth at the entrance and end of their Sabbaths and Feſtivals. The Third Officer is the Mari-Acatab, who folds up and
unfolds the Law, and ſhows it to the people. The fourth (whoſe title I remember not) is he to whom belongs the Elevation of the Law, and the bearing it in proceſſion through the Synagogue; which is an honourable Imployment, and his who gives moſt. The fifth Office belongs to the Elhaim, or thoſe who touch the two ſtaves (which they call the trees of life) whereon the Law is rolled up, when it is carryed in proceſſion. The ſixth is the Cheſau (or Praecentor.) All theſe Offices are bought and ſold upon the day when the laſt Section of the Law is read, and without a new Election are not held above a year by the ſame perſons. To expreſs their Zeal to the Service of God, they canvas for theſe Offices, and give Monies to obtain them, which goes to the Poor-ſtock. The folding up and unfolding of the Law, being an Office of the greateſt eſteem, none carry it but he who is able to give liberally to the Corban; by which they raiſe a comfortable ſubſiſtance for thoſe are grown indigent: as in another Chapter we ſhall have occaſion to diſcourſe.
Their times of repairing to the Synagogue, or hours of Prayer, are next to be conſidered. To the Holy Exerciſe of Prayer, the Jews thrice every day aſſemble at their Oratories; firſt at Sun-riſing, which they call Tephilla Sabarit, or Morning-Prayer. Their
ſecond time of going to the Synagogue is about three in the Afternoon, which is their Tephilla Mincha, or Evening-Prayer. The laſt is after Sun-ſet, and this they call the Tephilla Arvit, or Night-Prayer. To every one of which times there are proper Offices appointed, as is to be ſeen in the Sepher Tephilot. But the Office for the Morning far exceeds the other two in length. For they are above two hours in the Synagogue at Morning-Prayer, and not above half ſo much at both the other.
They have no perfect difference between Proſeuchae, Synagogues, Schools and Houſes of Prayer, as was of old. For if there be or ever was herein
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ny diſtinction, it is ſwallowed up into the one Title of Synagogue, by which is barely to be underſtood the place where the Jews gather together for Religious purpoſes; and may well be called an Oratory, or Houſe of Prayer, becauſe that is the main Duty for which they repair thither.
CHAP. XII.
Of the Jews Preparation to the Synagogue.
THe apprehenſion of the Divine Greatneſs and Majeſty of God, which by all Civilized Religions is acknowledged for the ſole and proper object of their Worſhip, hath moved men of all Faiths to ordain ſome Rites of preparation to ſo ſolemn an Addreſs. This I have already obſerved in Mahumediſm, the moſt conſiderable Religion for ſecular Grandeur in the World. And the preſent Judaiſm is no way thereunto inferiour in this particular. For before the Jews go to the Synagogue to celebrate the Publick Service of God, they carefully obſerve all ſuch preparations as they have learned from Cuſtom, Superſtition, or their Maſters. In whoſe obſervation they are rather too punctual and preciſe, than any way negligent or remiſs. And firſt of all, the Jews are vigilant to Pray betimes in the morning, out of an Opinion that the more early the Oraiſon, the more acceptable it is to God. And this they found on the third Verſe of the fifth Pſalm: My voice ſhalt thou hear betimes, O Lord; early in the
Morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee, and will look up. When at any time they find themſelves backward to theſe Morning-Devotions, they upbraid it with their forwardneſs to purſue their Secular intereſt, and ſhew how far the concerns of Religion doth exceed all worldly buſineſs: and that their care to ſeek God ought at leaſt to equal that in ſeeking Mammon. There is a ſaying common to all Jews; That in Winter they raiſe the day, and in Summer the day them. The meaning whereof depends upon their riſing before day to Prayers from the fifteenth of June till Pentecoſt, and after from Pentecoſt till the fifteenth of June. Let the Reader underſtand it.
There are ſome Jews who to be eſteemed Devout, riſe very early every morning to lament the ruines of Hieruſalem and the Temple: and they hope by the merit of ſo doing to move God to haſten their reparation, and the reſtoring of the Kingdom to Iſrael. And there are thoſe who believe that the Planets and Stars weep with thoſe who in the night ſhed tears for the City: and that when they run down their cheeks, God puts the tears in a bottle, and keeps them to blot out all the Edicts which at any time ſhall be made by their Enemies for their Deſtruction.
But to return to their Mattens. There is a general Tradition among the Jews, That at
night the Gates of Heaven are ſhut up, and that the good Angels ſit ſilent by them, and that the Evil Spirits are then at liberty to wander up and down to effect their projects: And that a little after Midnight the Gates of Heaven are opened with ſo great a noiſe, that the Cocks here below are therewith awaken'd, and Crow to awaken them to their Prayers: And that this might not be thought to be the melancholy of ſome few imagining Jews, they have put it into their general Lyturgie, wherein for this good Office of the Cock they thus give thanks: Bendito tu Adonai, nueſtro Dio Rey del Mundo d
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n al Gallo diſtinto para entender entre dia y noche: Bleſſed be thou Adonai, our God, King of the World, who haſt given underſtanding to the Cock to diſtinguiſh the night from the day.
But the Oraiſons we have now been ſpeaking of relate to their private Devotions, which are preparative to the publick. To which later they are not ſuffer'd to repair till they have dreſſed their bodies according to preſcription. And to a ſtranger they ſeem herein very antick and humourſom. For beginning with their Shirt, that muſt not be put on but after ſuch a ſecret manner, that the very beams of the houſe muſt not be privy to their Nakedneſs; and therefore they creep under the Counterpane or Coverlet while they put
on their Mutands. And for this they cite and praiſe the Example of one Maſter Joſe, who upon his Death-bed gave God thanks that through the whole courſe of his life the timber of his Bed never diſcovered his Natural retirements. Much of this ſtuff might be ſet down relating to their preſent manner of dreſſing themſelves, as how that the left-foot-ſhooe muſt be put on before the right, &c. But the love of brevity has prevailed with me to omit them.
When they have accoutred themſelves for the Synagogue, at the leaving of their Apartments they are commanded moderately to bow down their Heads, to expreſs thereby their great ſadneſs for the deſolation of the Temple. Before they go to publick Prayers they uſe all manner of needful Evacuations of the Body; and when for this purpoſe they enter their Retraits, the Devouter beſeech the Angels to ſtay at door till they come out: whom they thus accoſt.
Moſt Holy and moſt Glorious Miniſters of the moſt High, I beſeech you keep, preſerve and help me: wait till I go in and come out: for this is the cuſtom and way of all men.
They account it a hainous Sin to retard the Natural Purgations of the Body, becauſe thereby they may incur Diſtempers. And to
this unſavoury purpoſe they alledge Levit. 20.25. but for what reaſon, is not ſo eaſily to be comprehended.
But their chiefeſt bodily preparation conſiſts in waſhing, which is a Ceremony beſtowed on all thoſe parts of the body that are more notoriouſly liable to be unclean. And the hands, which (according to their Maſters) after ſleep are venemous and impure (by reaſon of the noxious ſpirits lodged as they opine in the palms thereof when they are aſleep) are firſt of all to be punctually waſht. For they hold, that if a Jew ſhould touch his eyes, noſe, ears or mouth with unwaſht hands, he ſhould be troubled with dimneſs of Sight, Catarrhs, Deafneſs, and a ſtinking Breath. In waſhing their hands they hold them up, that the water may run down to their Elbows. Which elevation of their hands, Ceremony of waſhings, help to explain the
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
, St. Mark 7.3. which has made ſo much ſtir among Criticks.
At the time of this preparative waſhing the Jews ſay this Hymn; Bendito tu Adonai, Nueſtro Dio, Rey del Mundo, que nos Santificò en ſus en comendancas, y en comendò ſobre limpieza de Manos. Bleſſed be thou O Lord our God King of the World, who haſt ſanctified us with thy Commandments, and enjoyned us cleanneſs of hands. Where by Commandments muſt not be underſtood any
ſtrict Law of Moſes in this particular, but of the Tradition of their Elders, or injunctions of their Antient Sanhedrim, by which they are bound to waſh not only when they go to the Synagogue, but alſo whenſoever they eat. To which Cuſtom that paſſage of Saint John 11.6. has an unqueſtionable reference. For the water-pots which were ſet ready at the Feaſt,
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, were for the Jews to waſh in before they did eat. But we ſpeak not here of their every-dayes waſhing, but of that which they now uſe in order of preparation to their publick Devotion, which is the laſt thing they do before they go to the Synagogue. And if any occaſional defilement happen as they go, as the touching of a dead Carkaſs, the killing of a Flea, (for a ſmall thing will defile a Jew) they preſently waſh their hands before they appear in the ſolemn Worſhip.
There were other ſorts of waſhing of old among the Jews, as that of the Prieſts when they went to the Temple to officiate: in imitation whereof aroſe the waſhings and luſtrations among the Gentiles. There was alſo another ſort of waſhing belonged to their Proſelytes at their reception into the Church of the Jews: of which we have already ſpoken ſomething in their Proſelytiſm.
CHAP. XIII.
Of the Jews Zizith and Tephillim, or Phylactery or Prayer-Ornaments.
WHen the Jews prepare for Morning-Service they with ſingular circumſpection put on their Zizith and Tephillim, which are properly their Prayer-Ornaments, and ſo neceſſary an accoutrement for the Synagogue, that they are the chief Cognizances and badges of Religion, without which they cannot hope that their Church-Services ſhould be accepted. The wearing of the Zizith or Fringe, they collect from Exodus 15.37. And they very confidently aſſert, that a careful obſervation of the Commandment concerning the Zizith, is a fulfilling of the whole Law. And they ground this peremptory poſition upon a Myſtery which their Gemalria has found in the word and manner of its making. For (ſay they) the Zizith hath five knots repreſenting the five Books of Moſes, and the eight threds added thereunto make thirteen, which together with the Numeral Letters in the word it ſelf amount to ſix hundred and thirteen, which is the number of all the Commandments contained in the Law.
And therefore they conclude that the right wearing of the Zizith is an obſervation of the whole Law. Credat Judaeus!
Now as to the form and matter of the Zizith, it is a quadrangular piece of Linnen-cloth (or Silk, &c.) with Fringes, worn next the Shirt, hanging down upon the Breaſt and Shoulders. At the putting of it on, they uſe theſe words:— Bendito tu A. N. B. Rey del mundo, &c. Bleſſed be thou, O Lord our God, King of the World, who haſt ſanctified us with thy Precepts, and commanded us to wear the Zizith.
To this Religious Utenſil no fewer Miracles are aſcribed then to the Cowle of St. Francis: for the Jews ſay it can deliver from ſin, and make Proſelytes to their Faith: And that it is an Amulet againſt Sorceries, and preſerves thoſe from receiving any hurt from evil Angels who conſtantly put it on. But all are not admitted to the honour of wearing this Holy Ornament: for it being a part of the habit to be worn at the Synagogue, the women are totally forbid it, as being excluded the publick Service.
Their next Prayer-Ornament is the Tephillim, which are Scrowles of Parchment written with ſeveral Sentences of the Law; and tyed upon their Fore-heads and left-Arms. And this they obſerve upon the account of the ſixth of Deut. the ſixth and eighth
Verſes. The Sentences wherewith the Phylacteries were antiently inſcribed, are conjectured to have been Exod. 13. from verſe the 11th to the 17th, Exod. 13.2. to the 11th, Deut. 6. from verſe 4. to the 10th, and Deut. 11. from the 13th to the 22. Others are of Opinion that the Phylacteries were written with the Decalogue. But for mine own part, I believe the Inſcription to be concealed: for the Jews with whom I have practiſed in this particular, would not be moved either to ſhow or explain their Phylacteries. At the putting them on, they ſay this Euchariſt: Bendito tu, &c. Bleſſed be thou O God our Lord, Governour of the Univerſe, who haſt hallowed us with thy Law, and commanded us to wear the Tephillim. i. e. Phylacteries.
The Phylactery worn upon the Fore-head is folded up, and hangs between the brows, ſo as they may ſee it, and thereby be minded of walking according to Gods Statutes. There has been no ſmall diſpute among the Criticks and Interpreters concerning the Name and Office of the Tephillim: but if they will acquieſce in the meaning which the Modern Jews give thereof, they ſignifie no more than Ornaments to be worn at publick Prayer, in which ſuch Sentences of Scripture are written as they deem moſt proper to remember them of their Duties, according to the firſt appointment hereof, Exod. 13.16. Deut. 6.8.
'Tis true, the firſt, plain, and wholeſome intent thereof has in courſe of time been much corrupted chiefly by the Schiſmatical Phariſees, who in ſtead of binding them for a ſign upon their hands, and as Frontlets between their Eyes, hung them as Charms about their Necks, ſuppoſing in them a ſecret Power to defend them from Dangers. Out of which corruption 'tis probable did ariſe that ſuperſtitious Cuſtom of ſome women in St. Hierom's time, of wearing their Parvula Evangelia, or ſhort Sentences of the Goſpel, to keep them from Inchantments and other Miſchiefs. And at this day the Papiſts permit the wearing about their Necks the beginning of St. John's Goſpel, as a Defenſative from Evil. That the wearing hereof was not unlawful, ſome produce Chriſts wearing them for a convincing Argument, St. Luke 8.44. but the Fringe or Border of the Garment there mention'd may belong to the Zizith, but no way to the Tephillim. However, the Jews were not condemn'd by our Saviour for the uſe, but ſuperſtition of this Ornament: and becauſe they made their Phylacteries larger and broader than commanded, and this too to the end that they might appear more holy than others. And we may conceive the whole matter to be briefly thus: Tephillim or Phylacteries are with the later Jews become a great part of their Religion, which they
ground upon the laſt mention'd Texts, taking them in a literal, which were intended in a figurative ſenſe, according to their explication, Deut. 6.7. But this carnal people, which have ever been apt to turn all inward Piety into outward form, and to make that matter of Ambition and Oſtentation, which was deſigned for humility and holineſs, underſtand the Precept concerning the Phylacteries meerly according to the Letter. And therefore make them Scrowles of Parchment, in which they write the four Sections of the Pentateuch, which were named before; and wear them on their Arms and Foreheads. As we have ſaid already.
In preparing theſe Scrowles, theſe Ceremonies are ſtill in uſe: firſt, the ſkins whereof they are made muſt be of Beaſts which the Law has pronounced clean. Secondly, none but a Jew muſt kill the Beaſt and dreſs the ſkin for this purpoſe: for if a Chriſtian, or in their Language, any other Edomite have a hand therein, it is wolly polluted and unſerviceable. Thirdly, the Ink wherewith the Sections of the Law are writ, muſt not be black, nor of the ordinary confection. Fourthly, they muſt be writ with the right hand, without interlining. Theſe, with other niceties concerning columning and cutting the Parchments, are uſed about the Phylacteries. And being thus Canonically made, they
ſit and apply them to their Foreheads and Hand-wriſts, and call them Tephillim, becauſe they are eſpecially uſed in Praying. The Greek Phylacteria relates to the end hereof, namely to keep the Law in memory. Though there is a preſent ſuperſtition which layes claim to the Phylacteries, becauſe they keep thoſe that wear them from Sorceries and Diſeaſes, and the Malus Genius. Now what is principally blameable herein, is their affixing on God their own carnal obſervation and frivolous Ceremonies of theſe Tephillim, as if they were his own Inſtitution and Appointment. And it was the peculiar fault of the Phariſees, to wear the Tephillim of a greater breadth than any other Jews, that they might be looked upon as perſons of a greater Sanctity than the reſt.
CHAP. XIV.
Of the Jews haſtening to Morning-Prayer. Their Manner of Entrance into, and Deportment in the Synagogue, &c.
THrice every day (as we have ſaid) the Jews repair to the Synagogue▪ and
herein they expreſs a great chearfulneſs and delight. For they leave their houſes in a haſty poſture, and with great willingneſs; and ſeem to ſtrive who ſhall be firſt at the Synagogue. But they return thence in a far different manner. For when they leave the Synagogue they go backward, and uſe a very ſlow pace therein. By which they teſtifie their delight in Gods publick Worſhip, and their unwillingneſs to go from it. And they interpret Hoſea 6.3. of that diſpatch, readyneſs and alacrity wherewith they ought to come unto Gods Houſe. And to thoſe who are backward and come late to the Synagogue, they apply that of Eſay 50.2. Wherefore when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there no man to anſwer? And of him who comes not to Prayers at all, they underſtand Eſay 50.10, 11.
At the Entrance of the Synagogue they either make clean or put off their ſhooes, in obedience to Eccleſ. 4.17. and Exod. 3.5. Put off thy ſhooes, &c. And this ſaves them the uncovering of their Heads: for their little black brimleſs Caps are never moved all the time they ſtay in the Synagogue.
At their ſtepping into the Synagogue, they firſt ſpend a few minutes in the meditation of his Attributes whom they come to invoke; which is to beget in them a Deportment humble and reverend. And when they have
duly poſſeſſed their minds with an awful reverence of Gods Majeſty, they repeat to themſelves Numb. 24.5. How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob, and thy Tabernacles, O Iſrael! And Pſalm 26.8. O Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy houſe, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. And the 6th Verſe of Pſalm 95. O come let us worſhip, and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. This Meditation being ended, they lay the right hand upon the heart, and bowing their bodies toward the Cheſt where the Law is laid up, they begin the publick Service with the 7th of the fifth Pſalm: I will come into thy houſe in the multitude of thy mercies, and humble my ſelf with fear in the Temple of thy Holineſs: So it is Verbatim in an old Spaniſh Tranſlation of the Jewiſh Lyturgie.
They Pray ſtanding, girt, with their faces toward Canaan, their heads moderately bowed down, and hands upon their heart. They utter their Prayers in a ſort of Plain-Song, ſometimes ſtraining their Voices to a very harſh and unpleaſant Note, and then on a ſudden letting it fall into a kind of whiſper. Their bodies are always in a wagging unſteddy poſture: which they ſay expreſſes joy and ſatisfaction in Devotion. But to him that knows not the intent hereof, this wavering and (ſometime) exulting of the body, will
ſeem very careleſs and negligent, and that they Pray with none, or very little intention and devotion of mind.
Thoſe which cannot read the Service in Hebrew (who are but few) are bound to learn when to ſay Amen. A thing the more eaſily attain'd unto, becauſe they have a preſcript Form. And how heedleſs ſoever they may appear in other parts of Prayer, yet they uſe a ſignal diligence in the right timing and pronouncing of the [Amen.] Becauſe whoſoever ſaith it with all his might, the Gate of the Garden of Eden is open'd to him.
In time of Prayers none are permitted openly to ſpit, belch, yawn, or blow the Noſe. All which they do with great Secrecy in the Synagogue, when they have occaſion. Neither may they ſpit, or any ſuch thing, to the right hand or before them; becauſe of the Angels, which have made thoſe places their Situation in the Synagogue.
And from this ſhort Account of the Jews entering, and behaviour in the Synagogue; we come to take a general view of the Prayers made therein. And here we ſhall follow the Breviary in preſent uſe with the Jews in Barbary, which was Printed at Venice in the 1622 Year of Grace.
And firſt of all, they begin the Morning-Service with the eighteen Benedictions, of which, ſaith Moſes Maimon, Ezra was the Author.
For when the Iſraelites returned from the Captivity, their Native Language was ſo corrupted with that of their Bondage, that they were not able to praiſe or ſerve God in a continued Speech: And upon this occaſion Ezra is thought to have compoſed eighteen ſhort Benedictions, wherein they might praiſe God, and beg at his hands the ſupply of his dayly bleſſings. But others are of opinion that theſe eighteen Benedictions were compoſed as a Directory whereby they might guide themſelves both in the private and publick Service of God: to which purpoſe they are imployed at this day.
After the Benedictions, follows a large Office for Sacrifice and Oblations: which begins with the Hiſtory of Abraham's going to Offer up his Son. To this ſucceeds a long courſe of Pſalms: then a tedious Thanksgiving. Then a Confeſſion of Sins; at the ſaying whereof they throw themſelves proſtrate, and expreſs a great ſenſe of their own vileneſs and miſery, and that they have no ſtrength but in the Almighty. Then all on the ſudden they ſtart up, and comfort themſelves with the Oath God made unto Ahraham, when he went to Sacrifice his only Son. And now with great chearfulneſs they bleſs their Lot, that God has choſen them for his Heritage and the people of his Covenant.
But beſides all this, they have in this Office a peculiar Thanksgiving for the Delivery of the Law; and a Prayer (which they ſay with a low voice) for the reſtauration of the Temple; That in their dayes God would rebuild the Houſe of his Sanctuary, which they hourly hope for. And they ſhut all with praying that God would lead them in his righteouſneſs, and make plain his way before them.
And this is the ſum of their dayly Morning-Service; for whoſe more regular Celebration, there are Rubricks intermingled with it, directing them to the Reſponſes, Praiſes, and how every part muſt come in courſe. This Morning-Office (as was ſaid) is very long; for which they make ſufficient amends in the brevity of the other two. In ſome places they have a Cuſtom for thoſe to ſhut the Prayer-Book who are at Variance with their Neighbours: thereby ſignifying that they will not Pray at all, becauſe they cannot pray aright, till the difference be reconciled. At the ſaying of [Give Ear O Iſrael, the Lord our God is one God,] they turn themſelves Eaſt and North: at the pronouncing of [Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Sabbath,] they jump up three times. They dare not turn their Backs on the Cheſt where the Law is depoſit; and leſt they ſhould do otherwiſe, they go backward out of the Synagogue, having their
eyes always fixed thereon. They are very careful that nothing may interrupt them in their Devotions, at which if they ſneeze, they account it a lucky token of being therein accepted, but to break wind prepoſterouſly is a very unhappy abodement.
I have omitted in the former Paragraph to obſerve that after the appointed courſe of Pſalms they have two Leſſons; the firſt out of the Law, which is always read by the Chaſán, or ſome eminent Jew. The ſecond Leſſon is taken out of the Prophets, and is read by any ordinary Jew who is able to read diſtinctly. And in the difference of the perſons imployed in theſe Leſſons, they ſhow the great value and eſteem which they have for the Law above the Prophets.
There is an univerſal Agreement among the Jews of all Countries, that they ought every day to repeat a hundred Benedictions; which they thus compute: At w
•
ſhing in the Morning twenty three: At their Entrance into the Synagogue ſix: At putting on of the Zizith or Fringes one: At putting on the Tephillim one: At every one of the three Offices in the Synagogue, eighteen: Three after dinner, and two before night: At going to ſleep two: and as many at dinner and ſupper. Which if they reckon right make up the ſum.
At the ſaying of the Benediction for Gods giving them the Law, they ſtand up with
their heels joyn'd together, and their toes opened, bowing their heads toward Hieruſalem. They have alſo a Prayer which is ſaid by the Prieſt alone, wherein he deſires God that he would be pleaſed to pardon all thoſe who have been negligent and unattentive at the time of Prayer. But I could not finde this Prayer in their Breviary, though with ſome curioſity I peruſed it to that purpoſe.
Beſides the Sabbath, they keep Monday and Thurſday as weekly Holy days. On each of which they read three Sections of the Law: the firſt by a Koên, whom they ſuppoſe to be deſcended of Aaron; the ſecond by a Reputed Levite; and the third Section by a Common Jew.
As concerning the keeping of Monday and Thurſday Holy, and reading the Law thereon as well as on the Sabbath, after a more Solemn manner: the Vulgar Jews give no other account thereof but Cuſtom and the Pleaſure of the Maſters. But thoſe who pretend to give a Rationale of their Rites, refer it to an Inſtitution of Ezdras, grounded upon the peoples wandring three dayes without water in the Deſart of Sur, in memory whereof he appointed the Law to be thrice ſolemnly read every week. Now to be without water, ſay they, is to be without the Law: for which interpretation they bring Eſay 55.1.
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Others think that Thurſday and Monday are ſet apart for the ſolemn Leſſon of the Law, in memory of Moſes's going the ſecond time into the Mountain to renew the Tables of the Law, which hapned (ſay the favourers of this Opinion) upon a Thurſday, and to have returned thence upon a Monday. Upon which dayes ſome of the preciſer ſort keep a ſtrict Faſt, like thoſe in St. Luke 18. and in all probability for the ſame end. On theſe two dayes they have beſides the uſual Office, a proper Prayer, which from the firſt words thereof bears the title of Vehu-rachum, which is ſaid with ſingular attention. Of old this Prayer uſed to work Miracles; but by reaſon of ſome great delinquency in the preſent Jews, it has loſt this Efficacy.
CHAP. XV.
Their Ceremonies about the Book of the Law: Their Manner of Celebrating the Sabbath: The Offices which thereon are Solemniz'd, &c.
IT is a Canon ſtrictly obſerved by the Jews, That a Book of the Law is neceſſary to the Conſtitution of a Synagogue: And therefore
the firſt thing they provide in order to ſet up a Synagogue, is a Copy of the Law, and a Cheſt or Ark wherein to lay it up. Now that which is called the Book of the Law is, The Pentateuch written in a large Character on Parchment, which is dreſſed according to the manner of the Phylacteries. The Parchment is rolled up upon two ſtaves, to make it the more convenient to be carried in Proceſſion. It is alſo uſually wrapt up in a covering of Linnen, Silk, Tiſſue, &c. As for the piece of Tapiſtry pictured with divers Birds, which was the old-faſhion'd Covering of the Ark, the Jews in Barbary uſe no ſuch thing, for they abhor all manner of Imagery in their Service, as minding them of the Idolatry of their Fathers, for which they conceive themſelves to be ſtill puniſhed; and alſo out of an averſeneſs to be thought to imitate thoſe Chriſtians, who have offenſively introduced Pictures into their Oratories, not only for Ornament but Veneration.
But to return to the Law: The Jews pay the five Books of Moſes ſo great a Reverence, that they never ſuffer them to be taken out of the Cheſt, or looked upon, but on three dayes (namely Monday, Thurſday and Sunday) when they are read: and this too in the Morning, becauſe it is eſteemed the pureſt part of the day. 'Tis true, they uſe alſo to
ſhow the Law to the people on the Sabbath-night, but it is becauſe the whole day is hallowed. The taking out of the Law belongs to a Noted Rabbi, or in his abſence to one of the more ancient and Devouter Jews. But to carry it in Proceſſion within the Synagogue, is ſold to him who is able to give moſt for the Place. As we have obſerved in the Officers of the Synagogue. At the taking out of the Law, the Officer turns himſelf to the people, and repeats this Verſicle: Come and extol God with me, and let us praiſe his Name together. And at the Elevation of the Law, the people bow their Faces toward it, and make a long Reſpond, wherein they declare their own vileneſs, and magnifie the Majeſty of God. And when the Rabbi holds up the Law and opens it, he ſpeaks theſe words: This is the Law which Moſes laid before the Children of Iſrael, and which proceeded from God, whoſe ways are all juſt: The word of the Lord is pure, and a defence to all thoſe who believe it. When the Law is carried from the Ark to the place where it is appointed to be read, all the people there preſent ſing the Hymn of Moſes, Numb. 10.35. Riſe up Lord, and let thine Enemies be ſcatter'd, and let them that hate thee flee before thee. By which they wiſh and pray for the Deſtruction of all thoſe who are not of their Religion. When they carry the Law either to the
Reading-place or in Proceſſion, there is always one who ſteps up to him that carries it, and kiſſeth the Covering thereof; for it were to defile the Law, to kiſs either the Letters thereof, or the Parchment whereon they are written. And he who doth this, with a Voice moderately elevated bleſſeth God for having made the Jews his peculiar people, and that he hath given them his Law. When the Book returns from Proceſſion, and has put on its Coverings, all the Males in the Synagogue kiſs it in Order, as the Papiſts do their Pax: and when they have done, the Officer gives the Book an Elevation, and ſo lays it up in the Cheſt. And as it returns thither they ſay the words of Moſes at the reſting of the Ark, Numb. 10.36. Return, O Lord, unto the ten thouſand thouſands of Iſrael.
The Pentateuch is divided into fifty two Sections, to the end that it may be read over upon the fifty two Sundaies in the Year. And in reading it they are bound to be very plain, audible, and articulate. Becauſe every tittle thereof is of ſingular weight and moment. The laſt Leſſon conſtantly falls upon September the twenty fifth, which immediately follows the Feaſt of Tabernacles. And when this Section is read over, the Chaſans, or thoſe who read the Law, declare a great joy and ſatisfaction, that they lived to make an end of the Annual Leſſon. They alſo praiſe God
that notwithſtanding the many Miſeries befaln them, they are ſtill in poſſeſſion of the Law, in which all other Bleſſings are abridg'd.
On the day when this laſt Section is read, all the Copies of the Law are brought forth of the Ark, about which the people dance in imitation and remembrance of David, 2 Sam. 6.16. During the time that the Law is out of the Ark, they place burning Torches therein, in token that the Law performs all the duties of a light to thoſe that obey it. On this day alſo the Elder Jews make themſelves merry in ſeeing the Youth ſcramble for the fruits they caſt among them. On this day alſo are ſold the Offices of the Synagogue to them that will give moſt. And all being orderly conſummate, every one leaves the Synagogue with this Prayer: The Lord preſerve my going out, and my coming in, from henceforth and for ever.
The next thing that we are to account for in this Chapter, is the Manner of their keeping the Sabbath, and the Offices thereon celebrated. A Theme large enough for a whole Volume, if we were to give an exact deſcription of all Rites and Caſes thereunto belonging. But I ſhall confine the diſcourſe at preſent, to the Cuſtoms of the Jews in Barbary, among whom and the reſt of the Jewiſh Nation there is but ſmall diſagreement in the Sabbatarian
Ritual. Though it muſt be confeſſed that the Barbary-Jews are neither ſo ſtrict nor Ceremonious in this matter, as the Jews of other Countries, if we may believe the account which good Authours have given of the later.
The whole Nation of the Jews ſufficiently accord in the notice of the word Sabbath, and grant that it barely ſignifies no more than Reſt; and that ſometimes too it is uſed both for working-dayes and Feſtivals, and that it puts on a more peculiar and reſtrained ſenſe, when it is conciſely taken for that ſeventh day which God ſet apart for his Worſhip. And in the Obſervation of this Sabbath or Reſt, the Jews practice numerous Ceremonies: ſome antecedent, and relating to their preparation; and others concomitant, or waiting upon the day. Their antecedent Ceremonies are ſeen in dreſſing and preparing on the Eve of the Sabbath the Victuals that are thereon to be eaten: According to the Commandment Exod. 16.23. To Morrow is the reſt of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord; bake that which ye will bake to day, and ſeeth that ye will ſeeth, &c. From which they conclude, That all things neceſſary to the Sabbath, and for the Honor thereof, ought to be provided over night, that there may be nothing to interrupt this Reſt. If it falls out that the Servants are not able to make all things ready, the Maſters aſſiſt
them, to the end that the Sabbath by no bodily labour may be tranſgreſſed. And they are able to cite many great Rabbins who have help'd their Servants in preparing for this Reſt.
But this ſtrict Cuſtom of dreſſing no Victuals upon the Sabbath, is not univerſal with the Jews we now ſpeak off. With whom I have been entertain'd with good cheer on the Sabbath that was thereon prepared. And aſking them how they durſt or would act ſo contrary to their own pretences; the Reply was, That they thought the Crime of a low nature, if it was done without giving ſcandal to others, that is, ſecretly. Which was then the Caſe.
Every Sabbath is obſerved with three Feaſts, and four Offices. The firſt Feaſt is upon the Friday-night, or rather at the very entrance and begining of the Sabbath: The ſecond is their Sabbath-dinner; and the third Feaſt concludes the Sabbath. Now the Cuſtom of this triple Feaſt they deduce from the triple repetition which Moſes uſed of the word [To day] when he gave out Orders concerning gathering of the Manna, Exod. 16.25. Some of the more hoſpitable and wealthier Jews keep their Tables ſpread during the whole time of the Sabbath. And in this as other things they generally tread in their Fore-fathers ſteps, who were excellent at
turning the power and intention of the Law into Carnal Form and Superſtition.
But beſides their greater apparatus in Diet for the Sabbath, they uſe other preparative Rites in order to the Solemnity of This Great Day: All which are bodily and external, and not worth our recital, if it were not to let us ſee into what follies a people may fall in Religion, when they have once renounced the Truth. All the Friday-afternoon is uſually taken up in Sabbatical preparations, as waſhing of the head and hands, the trimming of their beards (whoſe corners the Graver ſort ſuffer not to be cut, according to Law) and in a peculiar Superſtition of paring their nails; on which parings they are forbid to tread; in prevention whereof they uſually burn or bury them. In like manner, they ſpend no ſmall time in whetting the Knives, and preparing other Utenſils of the Table. The women on the Friday comb and dreſs their heads, and make ready all accoutrements of the body. For they eſteem a neglect in any of theſe particulars, a down-right violation of the Reſt. And becauſe their Maſters uſe a word for Sabbath ſignifying Queen, they think it reaſonable that they as duly prepare themſelves thereunto, as they would for the reception of ſo great a Perſonage. And he (ſaith the Jewiſh Canon) is greatly to be praiſed, who honoureth the Sabbath
with his Body, Clothes and Dyet: with his body, by duely dreſſing it: with his clothes, by having a Sabbath-days Suit: and with his dyet, which on the Sabbath ſhould be both more and better than on other dayes.
In Barbary they have their Sabbath-Lamps, which are lighted by the women, to which being lighted they hold up their hands and ſay this Benediction:— Bleſſed be thou, O Lord our God, King of the World, who haſt ſanctified us with thy Precepts, and commanded us to light the Sabbatine-Lamps.
If any mans curioſity lead him to enquire into the reaſon why the Office of lighting theſe Lamps belongs to the women: I ſhall only tell him, that among many other reaſons pretended to be given hereof, the chief is the keeping the women in minde of the tranſgreſſion of Eve, who ſeducing Adam to diſobedience, thereby put out, ſay they, and extinguiſhed his Light and Glory. But the women do it upon the account of a received Opinion among them, that thereby they facilitate their Child-birth. There being theſe three Precepts recommended to them for that end, viz. To keep the Sabbath-bread, light the Lamps, and carefully to attend their Months.
The Sabbath-lights we now ſpeak of are ſo contrived, that they may laſt the whole Sabbath, on which they are not allowed ſo
much as to ſnuff them, for fear of tranſgreſſing the fourth Precept. But notwithſtanding that the Jews in this part of the World are ſufficiently rigorous in the obſervation of the Sabbath, yet I neither could finde nor hear of any of them, who would if ſurpriſed with the Sabbath, expoſe themſelves to the danger of abiding in Woods and Deſarts, rather than on the Sabbath to travel a few furlongs to gain a ſafer reſidence. For they are willing to let things neceſſary to ſave mans life thereon to be provided for. And ſome will not doubt to ſay, that if ever they be Maſters again of Hieruſalem, they will not looſe it for fear of tranſgreſſing the Sabbath. And they have an uſual ſaying, Paligro del alma quaebra el Sabbato: That the hazard of looſing a mans life diſpenſeth with the Sabbath.
They have a Cuſtom in ſome places on the Friday to put water into little pits, and to draw no place dry, to the end that the Souls in Purgatory may therein cool and refreſh them. For on the time that is over and above added to the Sabbath, they ſuppoſe the Souls in Purgatory have liberty to recreate. There are many other Rites belonging hereunto, the moſt whereof will fall in with the Offices: which are now to be accounted for.
Upon the Arvit or Eve of the Sabbath,
they have a peculiar Office, which begins with the twenty ninth Pſalm: Give unto the Lord, ye ſons of the mighty, give unto the Lord honour and ſtrength. Give unto the Lord the honour of his Name, and bow your ſelves to the Lord with the beauty of Holineſs. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. The God of honour hath made it thunder. The Lord is upon much waters. The voice of the Lord is with ſtrength, the voice of the Lord is with beauty. The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars, and hath broken the Cedars of Libanus. And he hath made them leap as a Calf; Libanus and Sirion like the ſons of Elephants. The voice of the Lord cutteth the flames of fire; the voice of the Lord vexeth the Wilderneſs, he vexeth the Wilderneſs of Cades. The voice of the Lord maketh the Hinds to be in pain, and diſcovereth the Foreſts, and in his Palace every thing ſpeaketh honour. The Lord hath been upon the water, and the Lord hath ſate King for ever. The Lord will give ſtrength unto his people, the Lord will bleſs his people with peace.
The Tranſlation I have here given of this Pſalm, which begins the Office of the Sabbaths Arvit, is Verbatim out of the old Spaniſh wherein the Jewiſh Liturgy is extant. And it is here inſerted for no other purpoſe, but to ſhow how it differs from our preſent Tranſlation. Where the Reader may obſerve,
that the word Adonai is here and through all their Liturgy uſed for Lord; it being altogether unlawful for them to mention even in their Devotions the word Jehovah.
After this Pſalm immediately follows in their Liturgy a very large Expoſtulation concerning the oyl and weke, and whole confection of the Sabbath-Lamps. Where the Opinions of ſeveral antient Maſters are recited concerning this matter: as the Opinions of Rabbi Iſmael, Rabbi Tarphon, Rabbi Elihezer, Rabbi Aquiba, Rabbi Jehudah. Which
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Maſter gives them leave to put out their Lamps on the Sabbath-night, for fear the Nations (thoſe that are not Jews) and evil Spirits ſhould do hurt therewith.
On the Arvit they make confeſſion of the three ſins, for which, as hath been ſaid, women die in Child-bed. And among theſe three deadly ſins▪ the want of due lighting the Sabbath-Lamps is none of the leaſt.
On the Arvit likewiſe when it grows dark they are bound to propound and anſwer theſe three Queſtions: Haſt thou paid Tythes? Haſt thou made the Hirub? Haſt thou lighted a Candle? After this they repeat ſuch Hymns and Pſalms out of Holy Writ, as commemorate Gods gracious Promiſes to Iſrael, of which they make a comfortable application to themſelves. There are likewiſe repeated ſome ſhort periods of Scripture relating to
the Seaſon of the year: as in the Spring— He ſhall make his dew to fall: and in Autumn— Thou makeſt the winde to blow and the rain to deſcend, &c. Having done this, they uſe a Thanksgiving unto God, for that he refreſheth the dead with his mercies, and confirms his Truth to thoſe that ſleep in the duſt: that he puniſheth Apoſtates, looſeth the impriſon'd, redeemeth the captive, provideth Medicines for, and healeth the ſick. And at the end of this long Thanksgiving follows this Benediction for the Inſtitution of the Sabbath.
Bleſſed be the Lord our God the Holy, Thou haſt Sanctified the ſeventh day for thy Glory (having firſt finiſhed the Heavens and the Earth) and haſt bleſſed it above all dayes, and ſanctified it above all times, as it is written in the Law. And here the Inſtitution of the Sabbath out of Geneſis is diſtinctly repeated.
Theſe things with the reſt of the Office of the Sabbath-Arvit, which is very long, is concluded with a thankful recapitulation of Gods favours toward them, eſpecially in that he has made them his peculiar people, given them his Law, and promiſed that it ſhall never be changed, nor they deprived of it. Then they moſt humbly implore the Almighty, that at laſt he would fulfil his promiſe, retarded ſo long by reaſon of their ſins, and ſend them their deſired Meſſias.
The next Office is that of the Sabbath-Morning, where the Rubrick directs them to riſe before the Sun, and to read the ordinary courſe of Pſalms till they come to the nineteenth: And then to begin their Mattins. Which for the moſt part are collected out of the Scriptures; ſome portions wherof are ſaid by the Cazan alone, and others by the Kahal and Kohen, as the Rubrick all along directs them. This day the Law has always a ſolemn Proceſſion, and is openly ſhown to the people. When it is brought to be laid up in the Hehal or Cheſt, he that bears it ſaith theſe words: Turn again to thy reſting place, and to the houſe of thy deſire, that every Mouth and Tongue may give praiſe and glory to thy Kingdom. And turn unto the million of the thouſands of Iſrael: and, O Lord, turn us unto thee, and we ſhall be turned; renew our dayes as in former time. And with this Prayer they conclude the Morning-Office for the Sabbath.
The third Office is the Muſaf or Afternoon-Service, which begins thus— O Lord, thou ſhalt open our lips, and our mouth ſhall ſhew forth thy praiſe. After they have ſaid this, they bleſs and laud God for the continuance of his favours both to quick and dead. Next, they recount how God gave their Great Maſter Moſes the Commandment for the Sabbath. After this they make a gratulatory Oration unto God for that he has been pleaſed
to aſſiſt and accept their Services. And the whole Office is ſhut up with a diſtinct enumeration of the Divine attributes: and recommending themſelves unto the Divine Protection, beſeeching God to take the ſafeguard of them both when they ſleep and watch.
Their fourth Office is that of the Minha, or Sabbath-night: which being of the ſame tenor with the laſt we but now mention'd, there needs no more but to name it. At the determination of the Sabbath, they have an additional Service, at which though none are bound to be, yet all are preſent, to ſhow their Devotion to the Sabbath, and how loath they are to part therewith. But others hold that they ought to protract this Reſt as long as they can poſſible, for the ſake of the Souls in Purgatory, eſpecially for ſuch as were condemn'd thither for the violation of the Sabbath.
Through all their Offices there is ſtill ſomething peculiarly relating to the haſtening of Elias, to the end that he may not only looſe their knots, or reſolve their ſcruples, but give them timely notice of the advent of the Meſſias. But notwithſtanding that their Offices for the Sabbath contain excellent things, according to their way of Worſhip, yet they have therein many things apparently trivial and ridiculous. Of which we may give example
in their praying over the Lamps, Wine and Spices which are brought unto the Synagogue. Where the Wine being conſecrated, it is carried home, that therewith they may ſprinkle their houſes, to preſerve them from Witchcraft and Sorcerous Incantations. Some likewiſe waſh therewith the parts of the Body that are infirm, and conceive that the conſecrate Wine yields preſent cure. The Spices alſo being hallowed, are made uſe of to refreſh the Soul that is left alone in the Body when the Sabbath is ended; for on that day only they hold that every Male-Jew has two Souls. But the conſecrate Wine and Spices have yet an higher purpoſe and vertue. For with the Spices they refreſh the Souls below on the week-dayes, becauſe the fire of Purgatory thereon is believed to ſend forth a very grievous ſtench. And by pouring ſome of the conſecrate Wine upon the ground, they imagine Corah and his fellow-Mutineers to be aſſiſted. For they are of Opinion that that factious crew are ſtill living in flames under ground.
It cannot be denyed, that albeit the Sabbath-Offices of the Jews are taken for the greater part out of Scripture, but that they entertain a very Carnal ſenſe thereof, and that the whole Reſt tends more to gratifie the Body than to ſerve God. And to engroſs this Eaſe unto themſelves, and to ſhow that the
Sabbath was purpoſely appointed for their ſakes, and that none other have thereunto any right or title, as alſo to declare their juſt Dominion over all other people in the world, the Jews in Barbary imploy their Slaves in all manner of ſervile Offices upon this day. And on it too give ſolemn thanks unto God, That he has put no leſs difference between Iſrael and the Gentiles, than between light and darkneſs, the ſix days and the ſeventh.
Mr. Selden obſerves out of their Rabbins that there were three things peculiarly commanded the Iſraelites; namely Circumciſion, the Tephillim, and the Sabbath. The firſt was expreſly commanded Gen. 17. the ſecond in Exod. 13. and the third, Exod. 31. Now this laſt was ſo particularly commanded to the Iſraelites, that the Jews think no Gentile has any ſhare therein; that they are not bound to its obſervation, and therefore cannot be puniſhed for the breach thereof. And upon this account, as we but now intimated, they imploy their ſervants and ſlaves who are not of their Religion, in every ſort of drudgery upon the Sabbath: that their Doctrine may be illuſtrated by their Practice.
And for a further Argument of the appropriation of the Sabbath to the Jews, they wear thereon no Phylacteries, becauſe without thoſe, the Celebration of the Sabbath is thought ſufficient to diſtinguiſh them
from all other Religions in the World.
The Jewiſh Maſters have raiſed no few diſputes concerning the cauſe and reaſon of the Inſtitution of the Sabbath: with the perſons to whom it belongs: the time when its obſervation began: together with its obligation both upon the Originarie and Proſelyte Jews. All which are induſtriouſly collected and learnedly diſcourſed by Mr. Selden, lib. 3. cap. 10, 11, 12, 13, &c. de jure Nat. & Gentium juxta Diſciplinam Hebraeorum.
What we have already ſet down concerning theſe Sabbatine Rites, hath reſpect unto the Jews in Barbary, whom I find to harmonize herein with the Jews of other Countries. Now becauſe the Sabbath and its Rites make up a great part of their preſent Religion, I thought it not improper to inſert the Rules of the Sabbath which are practiſed by the European Hebrews, as they are ſet down by Mr. Buxtorf in the tenth and eleventh Chapters of his Synagogue. I have been enforced to make uſe of a young Pen in the Tranſlation thereof, and to deliver them to the Preſs without either Peruſal or Tranſcribing, and therefore deſire the Reader to correct and pardon what faults may therein occur.
CHAP. XVI.
How the Jews Prepare themſelves for the Sabbath, and how they begin it.
WE read how the Jews prepared themſelves on the ſixth day, according to that of Exodus 16.5, 23. To morrow is the reſt of the Holy Sabbath unto the Lord; bake that which ye will bake to day, and ſeeth that which ye will ſeeth. Which they interpret of providing all neceſſary things againſt the Sabbath, that they may the better honour it; but eſpecially all Dyet is to be prepared and dreſs'd, that they may have the better leaſure to hallow the Day. And to this end, whatſoever they intend to eat on the Sabbath, they make ready on Friday before night: the women chiefly are employed in making ſweet-meats of divers ſorts; and when they make ready their dough, they make it in a great lump undivided; but if the lump be ſo great, as it is in large families, that it muſt be divided, the remaining part is kept covered, leſt a neighbour ſeeing it may be aſhamed that others have provided for the next Sabbath, and he not for the preſent.
Every one according to his Ability hallows the Day with three ſplendid Banquets. They begin the firſt on Friday-night before the Sabbath: the ſecond on Saturday at noon: the laſt in the evening of the Sabbath. And they juſtifie the performance of this Ceremony from Moſes his writings, where concerning Manna it is thus expreſſed: Exod. 16.25. Eat that to day, for to day is a Sabbath unto the Lord, to day ye ſhall not find it in the fields. Here the Rabbies ſay that Moſes meant (by repeating the word Day three times) that they ſhould in their Banquets on the Sabbath thrice eat of the Manna. But the repetition of thoſe Banquets hath ſome other meaning, as is evident by their Book of Ceremonies written in the German Dialect. For unleſs they had been commanded to eat at three ſet-times, they would have ſo indulged themſelves, that the whole Sabbath would have been a time only to eat and drink: but becauſe all knew when they were preſent at one Banquet, that they muſt attend on two more, every one obſerved that moderation agreeable to their particular appetites, and befitting ſuch a Solemnity, thinking on the dainties which they ſhould again ſhortly taſte. What is moreover meant by this Banquet, and how much they reckon of it, ſhall a little after be declared
Moreover, none, whether noble, rich or wiſe, ought to think it beneath him to do ſomething in the honour of the Day. For though a man have an hundred maids, yea though he have the command of a thouſand ſervants, yet he himſelf ought with his own hands to do ſomething in the honour of the Sabbath: And ſo we read in the Talmud that Rabbi Chaſdam cut the Pot-herbs, Rabbi Joſeph clave the Wood, Rabbi Sira kindled the Fire, Rabbi Nachman ſwept the Houſe and covered the Table.
Their Meat whether roaſt or boyled is kept hot in a Cauldron, as being then moſt delightful.
The Table is night and day, whileſt the Sabbath laſts, kept covered: for which they have a particular reaſon (as ſhall be afterwards ſhewed.)
They waſh their heads: the men, if it be the Cuſtom, are ſhaved; the women comb their hair, plaiting it decently, and binding it with Fillets; they either waſh their hands and feet, or elſe bathe themſelves in hot Baths.
They every Fryday (ſuperſtitiouſly) pare their nails, beginning with the left hand; they firſt pare the nail of the fourth finger, then of the ſecond, then of the fifth, then of the third, and end with the thumb: ſo doing, they never cut the nails of two fingers together, but ſtill leave one betwixt. When
they pare the nails of the right hand, they begin with the ſecond finger, and ſo paſs to the fourth, and ſo on to the reſt.
'Tis impious to caſt the excreſcencies under foot, for ſo the Devil gets power over them; but he who burieth them is reputed juſt, and he who burns them is righteous, and obtains a full pardon. And all this is grounded upon the place before mentioned, Exod. 16. And the ſixth day they made ready, &c.
Furthermore, every one polliſheth and whets his Knife; and that is juſtified from Job, And thou ſhalt viſit thy Habitation, and know that thy Tabernacle ſhall be in peace, &c. Hence the Jewiſh Doctors obſerve, that if the Knife be dull that it will not cut, there is no peace to the Houſe or Table.
They have Garments deſigned only for the honour of the day, and every one is according to his ability decently clad, becauſe Eſaiah ſayes, Eſay 58.13. Thou ſhalt honour him. And how canſt thou do it in thy every
•
ays vile habit? as the Talmud has it; and
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herefore the Jews have coſtly Garments pecu
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iar for thoſe days.
The Rabbies call the Sabbath Malkah, i. e. Queen; and therefore the Royal Apparel muſt be put on, or otherwiſe the Queen is diſgraced.
They cover the Table with clean white
•
innen; provide Cups, Napkins, Seats, and
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other things convenient, that the Queen, viz. the Sabbath coming, may find all things decently placed; and he that honours the day with his Body, his Rayment, Meat and Drink, is very commendable.
'Twas antiently a Cuſtom to winde a Horn, or ſound a Trumpet ſix times, that every one might prepare for the Sabbath; but now in well-order'd Aſſemblies, 'tis proclaimed by a Cryer. That they may ceaſe from work, and provide honourably to entertain the Bride, viz. the Sabbath.
And therefore when the Evening draws nigh, they do no buſineſs abroad, but early begin the Sabbath, ſolemnizing ſome part of the remaining week: they repair to the Synagogue, and hallow the time with Hymns and Prayer.
Now when the Sun begins to leave their Hemiſphere, the Candles appointed only for the Sabbath are ſet up: as ſoon as they are kindled, a Jewiſh woman lifts up both hands towards them, and ſayes; Bleſſed art thou, O Lord God, King of the World, that thou haſt devoted us to thy Service, and haſt commanded us to light Candles on the Sabbath. And the like Cuſtom is obſerved by them on Holy-day-Eves. If it be troubleſome weather, ſo that the ſkie be cloudy, the hens teach them their duty; for when they ſee them going to rooſt, then the time of providing
Candles is approaching: but if any live without the City, where they want ſuch information, they are inſtructed by Ravens and Daws; for thoſe Birds provide themſelves a Lodging in the evening. But the reaſons that women light up the Candles, and not men, are by tradition chiefly two: The firſt is, when Eve after eating the forbidden fruit perceived by certain tokens that ſhe ſhould dye, ſhe perſwaded her huſband to taſte it too, and told him, If I muſt die thou ſhalt die with me; but when her perſwaſions prevailed not over his conſtancie, ſhe brake off a branch from the tree, and beat him till he did eat; as it is expreſſed in Geneſis 3.2. The Woman which thou gaveſt to be with me, ſhe gave me of the Tree, (that is, ſhe pluck't off a bough from the Tree, and with it beat me) and I did eat; ſo it is expounded in the Book Chajim (that is, the way of Life.) And by this means poor Adam was ſubject to his wife, brake the command of God, and brought death upon himſelf, and bequeathed it to all his poſterity.
But before Eve had ſinned, the Sun ſhined bright, as it will in the World to come on the juſt; then they wanted not the inſtruction of Hens and Daws to teach them their duty: but as ſoon as ſhe had tranſgreſſed, the Sun was clouded, and the Light of Heaven was ſoon darkned.
The ſecond reaſon why the women light the Candles is, becauſe they are alwayes at home, but the men often abroad: Moreover, we read Exod. 27.20. Thou ſhalt command the Children of Iſrael, that they bring thee pure oil-olive beaten for the light, to cauſe the lamp to burn alwayes in the Tabernacle before the teſtimony. The Rabbies moreover count that if a godly woman attend on the lighting of the Candles, ſhe doth as holy a deed as if ſhe had kindled Candles for the Golden Candleſticks in the Holy Temple at Hieruſalem. Moreover, we have it in the Talmud, that a woman guilty of theſe ſins ſhall die in Childbed: firſt, if ſhe have not provided a Cake: ſecondly, if ſhe have not lighted up the Candles: thirdly, if ſhe have not taken great care of her menſtruous cloaths. But if the women diligently obſerve theſe Precepts, they ſooner conceive, and are eaſier delivered. Of theſe Candles they have commonly two, ſome times more, according to the capacity of the houſe or dining-bed.
And in thoſe Candles all the members of man and womans bodies are ſecretly contained: according to Jewiſh Anatomizing, men have 248 members, women 252, which being added together make 500, which number the Hebrew word Ner (ſignifying a Candle) doth ſignifie.
They uſe Candles of two ſorts, becauſe the light of life loſt in Eden, may be reſtored again both to man and woman. The reaſon that they lift up both hands towards the light is, to guard their faces from the rayes of the Candle, whileſt they repeat a ſhort Prayer, which is not to be ſaid till the Candles are lighted up.
The matter whereof the wekes of theſe Candles is made, and what oyl they make the Candles with, may be ſeen at large in the Talmud, to which I refer the Reader.
That they ſet apart ſome time of the week-dayes, in which they early begin the Sabbath, is in love to the dead, whoſe Souls, they ſay, come from Hell or Purgatory to keep the Sabbath: for as ſoon as they enter the Synagogue they ſing a ſhort Hymn, at the hearing of which, the Souls of the deceaſed haſten from Purgatory, and ruſh into the water they firſt meet with, to waſh off the ſtink of the ſmoak, and cool their flames; and therefore the Rabbies have ſtrictly charged that no water ſhould be drawn at that time, leſt thoſe ſad Souls ſhould be diſturbed, as we read in Ritualibus eorum.
Whilſt they are intent on their Devotion, two Angels approach, one good, another evil, and place themſelves one againſt another in the Synagogue: if they hear any one praying, or repeating his Lecture with a godly
intention, him the two Angels lead forth with their hands on his head, ſaying, Thy iniquity is taken away, and thy ſin is purged. And if at their entrance into the Synagogue they find the Candles well kindled, the Table well furniſhed, the Bed covered with clean Linnen; then the good Angel ſaith, I wiſh I may ſee all things in this poſture the next Sabbath, and the bad Angel is forced to ſay Amen. But if things are not well order'd, then the bad Angel ſayes (as the good before) I wiſh I may find all things thus the next Sabbath; to which the good Spirit, though unwilling, ſayes Amen.
When they come home, they ſit down at the chief place of the Table, where the Salt is placed with a Cup of Wine and two Loaves covered with a Napkin: Then the Maſter of the Family taking the Cup of Wine, conſecrates the Sabbath, ſaying; The ſixth day 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, and reſted the ſeventh day from all his work which he had made: and God bleſſed the ſeventh day, and ſanctified it, becauſe that in it he had reſted from all his work which God had created and made. Gen. 2.1. &c. Then adds; Bleſſed art thou O Lord our God, Creator of the Ʋniverſe, who haſt created the fruit of the Vine. Bleſſed art thou O Lord God, Creator of the
Ʋniverſe, who haſt devoted us to thy Praecepts, and haſt given us a holy Sabbath, and in thy good pleaſure haſt left us an heritage as a remembrance of the Creation: it is a token of the Communion of Saints, and a remembrance of the departure out of Egypt; for thou haſt choſen and ſanctified us among all Nations; thou out of thine abundant goodneſs haſt left to us thy holy Sabbath: Bleſſed art thou O Lord who haſt hallowed the Sabbath. When he hath ſaid this, he taſts the Wine, and delivers it to all preſent to taſte: then he removes the Napkin, and takes the two Loaves, but cuts them not before Prayers, as they do on week-dayes, but forthwith ſayes, Bleſſed art thou, O Lord our God, Lord of the World, who haſt cauſed the Earth to bring forth bread. After this, he cuts and eats a piece of bread, and gives to all that are preſent, in larger ſhares than on week-dayes; and all to honour the Sabbath, wherein all niggardlineſs is contemned.
Whil'ſt the Wine is conſecrating, every one looks diligently on the Candle, becauſe the wiſe Rabbies write, that if they travel hard on week-dayes they looſe much of the ſtrength of their eyes; and looking on the Candles at the Conſecration of the Wine is an effectual remedy.
The Bread is covered on the Table, that its vileneſs in reſpect of the Wine may not be
ſeen; for in the Law it is mentioned before the Wine, though conſecrated after it, as it is written Deut. 8.8. A Land of Wheat and Barley, and Vines. Where the Wheat and Barley of which the Bread is made are firſt named, yet conſecrated laſt on the Sabbath; and if it were not covered, it would be much deſpiſed. The Rabbies ſay, that it is covered in remembrance of the Manna. For in the Wilderneſs the Dew fell, then the Manna, after that the Dew; ſo that the Manna lay betwixt the Dew, after the ſame manner as the Bread is laid on a Table-cloth, and covered with a Napkin: and for this reaſon, the holy women bake a ſort of Wafers which they eat inſtead of Manna. Their Fleſh-pyes are made like ours; the Meat is laid on a thin cake, and covered with another of the ſame ſort, ſo that it lyes as the Manna did betwixt the Dew. And they take two loaves, becauſe on Fridays in the Wilderneſs they gathered a double quantity of Manna, as it is written, Exod. 16.22. But on the ſixth day they gathered twice as much Bread.
What we ſhall chiefly Note, is, that on the Sabbath they much indulge their Genius, as is obſervable in the Law, Eſay 58.13. where the Sabbath is called a delight; that is, that we may enjoy all delights that day; and ſo ought all our Feaſts to be according to that: Thou ſhalt rejoyce in thy Feaſts,
that all may be done to the honour of God; wherefore thou may'ſt eat and drink, and cloath thee decently, that ſo thou may'ſt truly honour the Sabbath; but don't be exceſſive in thy charge.
All this is contained in Libello Timoris, where the Reader may ſee with what Charms they excite their Devotion, by repeating ſuch ſhort Sentences as theſe following.
Prepare to keep the Sabbath, and Reſt from all thy work.
If all things neceſſary are provided, thou art praiſe-worthy.
Yea if thou have a great retinue of Servants and Maids.
The Day requireth ſtrict obſervance.
Be content, and thou haſt plenty enough.
Wear good Habit, for the Sabbath is called a Bride.
Provide the choiceſt diet for the Day.
And obſerve all Ceremonies carefully.
Come with a good Appetite.
Prepare good Wine, Fleſh and Fiſh.
Cover the Bed decently. Let the Table be furniſhed ſplendidly.
Anoint thy Head, but be not proud.
Sharpen thy Knife, and cut thy Meat modeſtly.
Caſt the parings of thy Nails into the fire.
Do not grudge Wine at the Conſecration.
Waſh thy hands and feet, for this is no trivial Injunction. Have a good courage.
Waſh all thy Cups. Be not mindful of any injuries.
Rejoyce with thy Wife and Children.
Banquet thrice in the day. Speak nothing but what may cauſe mirth.
Beſides theſe, they have a Book of all the Bleſſings for the Feaſts of the whole year; amongſt other theſe are obſervable.
Wear ſuch Habit as may donote mirth.
Conſecrate the Candle, that it may burn well.
Finiſh all thy work on Friday, and reſt.
Eat all dainties, Fiſh, Capons and Quails.
Walk ſoftly, for the Law commands meekneſs, and morning-reſt.
Silk Garments are of much account, and they who wear them alſo.
The Sabbath is holy, and he who rightly obſerves it.
Let no care trouble you, though Spiders be in your houſes.
Be merry and jolly, though at other mens charge.
Get the beſt Wine, Fiſh and Fleſh, and Banquet thrice that day.
If thou obſerve all this, thy reward is great.
And,
Ye women ſee that the Candles be lighted, and be attentive.
Your convenience will be much when you are with Child.
And if you provide plenty of Wafers, you ſhall eaſier conceive, and bring forth with joy.
But leſt the curious Reader may think theſe to be meer fictions, I ſhall inſtance ſome pleaſant paſſages out of the Talmud relating to the ſame purpoſe.
Where we read that one Rabbi Chaja fortuned to lodge one Sabbath with a Butcher, and there was ſet before him a Golden Table, burthen enough for ſixteen men, on which there hung ſixteen ſilver Chains, and on it many veſſels of the like Metal were ſet, as Spoons, Plates, and Cups furniſhed with plenty of dainties. When all things were ſet in order, he praiſed God, thus: The Earth is the Lords, and the fulneſs thereof: and when the Banquet was ended, he gave thanks after this manner: The Heavens are the Lords, but the Earth hath he given to the ſons of men. And then the Rabbi began to enquire of the Butcher how he had gotten ſuch riches, and what good works he had done? the Butcher replyed, Hitherto have I been a Butcher, and when ever I lighted on a Beaſt fatter than uſual, I reſerved it for the Sabbath, that I might
do as I am commanded, and therefore God has given me much riches, for the honour I do to his day. And when the Rabbi heard this, he gave God thanks that he had beſtowed on him ſuch abundance. And here we leave the Butcher.
Moreover, we read in the ſame Page of a man truly Charitable, named Joſeph; if any thing extraordinary came to the Market, eſpecially Fiſh, he ſpared no charge to buy it; and he had a rich neighbour, who would often mock him, aſking him what good this ſtrict obſerving Sabbath-duties did him? thou getteſt nought by it, ſaith he; I am much richer than thou, yet do not obſerve it ſo punctually: but Joſeph took of his words but little notice, and anſwered, That God was able to recompence him. And at the ſame time, there came Aſtrologers to the rich man, ſaying: What good haſt thou of thy riches? thou dareſt not buy a good Fiſh with it: we finde that the Fates have given all thy ſtore to Joſeph the Sabbath-obſerver: he ſpares no charge to honour the day. The rich man took ſome notice of what they ſaid, and went and ſold all his poſſeſſions, and with it bought Jewels, and hung them in his hat, and reſolved to travel, to ſecure his riches from Joſeph; and taking ſhip, he was ſo toſs'd with a Tempeſt, that he loſt his Hat and Jewels in the Sea; there came a great Fiſh and ſwallowed them
up: and a little after, the ſame Fiſh was brought into the Market to be ſold; many cheapened it, but thought it too dear: at length came this Joſeph, and ſoon bought it; and dreſſing it, found the Hat and Jewels which the rich Traveller had loſt: So the Aſtrologers Predictions were verified, and Joſeph grew Rich on a ſudden. Then there came a Wiſe Old man to Joſeph, and ſaid, He who beſtows much on the Sabbath, him the day recompenſeth; but he that of a little beſtows a little, to him God gives fourfold.
We read of another Paſſage in the Talmud concerning Feaſts; how a certain Rabbi every Friday ſent his Servants into the Market to buy off all the Herbs which the Sellers could not vent, and then he caſt them into the River: and the Rabbies inquiring the cauſe why he had not diſtributed them to the poor Iſraelites, the Anſwer was this: That if he had given them to the Poor, then they in expectation of having them given ſtill, would not have provided for the Sabbath; and therefore if it ſhould happen that the Sellers had ſold all, and the Poor not provided for themſelves, then the Sabbath would not have had its due honour. But why then did he not cauſe them to be given to the Cattel? it had been better to do ſo, than to caſt them careleſly away. The Anſwer was, That he would not give thoſe things to Cattel which men might eat, and from
which they might have profit; for they might perchance take them out of the water. But why did he command them to be bought? the Reaſon is, That thoſe who ſold ſuch Commodities might willinglier come to the Market: for ſuppoſe them to come often and ſell nought, they would ſoon be weary, and not frequent the Market; and then the Poor would have had nothing to eat on the Sabbath, and thereby would have deprived it of its due honour.
Moreover, we read in a Treatiſe of the Sabbath, that if any one on the Sabbath let looſe the Reins to pleaſure, and ſo paſs the day, that God giveth him an Heritage for ever, as it is written: When thou ſhalt call the Sabbath a Delight, then ſhalt thou delight thy ſelf in the Lord: and I will cauſe thee to ride upon the high places of the Earth, and feed thee with the Heritage of thy Father Jacob: of which Heritage it is largely ſpoken; For thou ſhalt be ſpread abroad to the Eaſt, and to the West, and to the North, and to the South▪ Rabbi Mackman ſaith, He that feeds high on the Sabbath, and is joyful, ſhall be free from the Servitude of Kings, as it is, I will lift thee above the high places of the Earth, and thy Enemies ſhall be found Lyars.
Another Rabbi ſaith, That he who merrily paſſeth the Sabbath, hath whatſoever he will ask of God, as 'tis written; Delight thou in the Lord, and he will give thee thy hearts deſire.
Seeing therefore that the Jews have not conquered their Enemies, nor obtained their deſire, that they have not yet ſubdued the Chriſtians, nor are Lords of the whole Earth according to their prayers on the Sabbath and Feaſt-days, may be imputed to their want of a right Hallowing the Sabbath, or at leaſt, that they have not thereon been ſufficiently merry.
When they have thus joyfully finiſhed the firſt Banquet, they again go to Prayers; but the Table is kept covered, and the Candles burn till the evening of the Sabbath. And they diſpute much what is to be done with thoſe Candles, whether it be lawful to catch Fleas or Lice with them; but reading by them is forbidden, leſt when the light is dim he that reads ſhould ſnuff the Candle and ſo violate the Sabbath. And becauſe the Sabbath is called a Delight, they often marrie on it, and enjoy the ſociety of their Wives; they ſay thoſe who are conceived on the Sabbath live to a good age, if their Parents don't reſpect the pleaſure as the honour of the day.
Finally, when a Jew travelleth on Friday, and hath a greater Journey than the Sabbath alloweth of, he ought to take up his Lodgings in the Fields or Woods at the approaching of the Sabbath, and there to continue till it be ended, expoſing himſelf to the danger of Thieves, and want of ſuſtenance. There is
a memorable Story in their Hiſtories to this purpoſe.
Three Jews on a time took a Journey on Friday when the Evening drew nigh, and the Sabbath approached; two of them ſpake thus to each other: What ſhall we do? we are in certain danger, the way is beſet with Thieves▪ and the wood barbours wild Beaſts; we had therefore better keep on our Journy and ſave our lives, than with certain danger both of body and life hallow the Sabbath. But the third repli'd; Truly we ought not to ſtir hence but here to keep the Sabbath; God who hath commanded us ſo to do, is able to preſerve
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ſafe. The other two perſiſted, and broke the Sabbath, but the third pitched his Tent and there abode; he covered the Ground (inſtead of a Table) with a Cloth, and on it laid the Proviſion he had with him, and ſo betook himſelf to Prayers; that being ended, he ſat
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down to eat of the firſt Banquet of the Sabbath: the Attendance he had was a terrible Bear almoſt pin'd with hunger: the good Jew was almoſt afraid, and gave the Gueſt a piec
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of Bread, and had faith that God would preſerve him; the Bear took the Bread, and attended on him. The Jew after ſupper betook himſelf again to prayer, and ſo to ſleep, and the Bear lay down by him; in the morn h
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was very glad that the hungrie Bear was ſ
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kinde as to ſpare his fleſh, and for it gave God
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hanks, and ſo provided for his Morning-prayers: he then dined, and after ſup't, and did all his duty. When the Sabbath was ended he went on his Journey, the Bear ſtill following him. The ſame night it fortuned that his Companions fell among Thieves, who ſtripped them of all they had. At length this devout Jew and the Bear overtook them; and though the Beaſt was ſo kinde to him, it was not for want of natural fietceneſs, for he ſoon tore the other two in pieces. Then the Godly Jew began to be afraid; but whilſt he muſed with himſelf, the Thieves beſet him, and aſked who he was, whence he came, and whither he was going? he told them he was a Jew, and that he came from the Kings Palace; they aſked whence he had that Bear; he anſwered, The King gave it as a Companion. One of the Thieves told the other, that ſurely this Perſon was beloved of the King, that he had given him ſuch a guard. The other ſaid, Let us give him all our money, and follow him through this Wood, that the Bear hurt us not. So they gave him all their money to conceal them; and going far with him, at length departed, the Bear alſo returned to the Wood. And from this ſtorie the Jews conclude that they ought to obſerve the Sabbath in whatſoever place they are, and commit themſelves wholly to the protection of God Almighty.
CHAP. XVII.
How the Jews hallow the Sabbath, and how they end it.
IN the morning they riſe not up ſo early as on other days; but for the greater pleaſure in honouring the day, they ſleep a good part of the morning. And for this cuſtom the Rabbies have conſulted the Writings of Moſes, and finde in Numb. 28. where it is ſpoken of daily Offerings, that it is expreſſed by the word Babboker mane, that is, the morning: but when it is ſpoken of the Offering of the Seventh day, it is expreſſed by the words Die Sabbathi (that is) the Sabbath day; intending this meaning, that the daily Offerings were to be performed Antelucano tempore, that is, at break of day; and inſtead of this on the Sabbath they had Morning-prayers, and referred their Offering till later in the morn: therefore the Jews ſleep longer than on other daies, to prepare them for Prayers.
When they repair to the Synagogue, they pray as on other, but longer, and ſing more Hymns to honour the day; they put not on their Phylacteries as on other daies, becauſe they think the Sabbath it ſelf is a ſufficient ſigne of the Jewiſh Faith, and ordained only
for them to hallow; and have therefore no need of Circumciſion and Phylacteries, though both are ſignes by which Jews are diſtinguiſhed and known.
They bring the Book of the Law out of the Ark after the ſame manner as is declared in the ninth Chapter. They read a Section out of the Law, and divide each Section into ſeven Leſſons, to be read by ſeven choice men.
After the reading of the Law, they read Leſſons out of the Prophets, which are agreeable to the Writings of Moſes; of which cuſtom this is the Original: When in old time they were forbidden to read Moſes, they choſe a Section out of the Prophets, which agreed with the Writings of Moſes: of this there is mention in the Acts of the Apoſtles, Act. 13.27. They which dwell at Jeruſalem, and their Rulers knew him not, nor the Voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day. And again, Act. 15.21. Moſes of old time hath in every City them that Preach him, being read in the Synagogue every Sabbath. But though they are not forbidden the reading of Moſes, yet they keep the Old cuſtom, and read the Prophets after Moſes.
They pray alſo for the Souls of the dead who have not kept the Sabbath aright: For the Rabbies ſuppoſe that they, both before and after the Sabbath, are tortured in Hell-fire; and therefore they pray for them on the Sabbath,
that thereon they may have reſt. They continue in prayer not after the ſixth hour of the day, being forbidden to faſt or pray longer, as they plead, from the place ſo often recited, Thou ſhalt call the Sabbath a Delight. Here they ſay that the word ſignifying in Hebrew Delight, is written without the Letter ד, which ſignifies ſix; by which the Prophet meant implicitly that they ſhould pray but till the ſixth hour.
When Morning-prayer is ended, they provide for the ſecond Banquet; and to honour the day, they generally indulge their Appetites: but if it happen that any one have a ſtrange Dream, as if he ſhould ſee the Book of the Law or his houſe burn, or his teeth ſtrook out, or ſuchlike portending evil, he has liberty to abſtain from meat till the evening. He who in a dream is offended with meat, and delights in faſting, may do as he himſelf pleaſeth; and he that is ſo grieved that he cannot refrain from tears, he may weep, for by it grief is eaſed, and ſuch pleaſant weeping honours the day; but he that faſts on purpoſe on the Sabbath, is bound to faſt the next day after, that thereby he may do Penance for detracting from the honour of the day.
After Dinner the Rabbies have thought fit to ſtudie or read in Sacred Writ: for one of the chief Rabbies relates, that the Sabbath made complaint that God had given to every thing
a companion and equal, except to it; and God anſwered, Iſrael ſhall be thy companion; for on the Sabbath they ſhall learn the Law, whereas others are idle. The Law alſo came and complained, ſaying, When Iſarel returns into his own Land, one poſſeſſeth his Vine, another his Field: Who then ſhall regard me? To which God ſaid, Iſrael ſhall reſpect thee, for on the Sabbath they ſhall not labour. And conſidering this, they have thought it fit to ſpend ſome time after dinner in ſtudying the word of God, that the Sabbath or the Law might have no more reaſon of complaint.
At the time of Evening Sacrifice they repair again to the Synagogue, and ſay their Evening-prayers, and then eat the third and laſt time on the Sabbath: when it begins to depart, they take leave of it with a Bleſſing.
They look upon the obſervance of theſe three Banquets to be of much concern; for they think that he who thus obſerves the Sabbath ſhall eſcape Hell, and be preſerved from the dreadful War of Gog and Magog, and alſo be free from the perplexities that ſhall attend the coming of the Meſſia: and therefore one of the Rabbies pray'd that his Portion might be with thoſe who celebrate the Sabbath with three Banquets.
At Evening they are again prohibited to draw water out of the River or Well, by reaſon of the Souls of the wicked deceaſed, which
again refreſh themſelves as they are returning to Hell.
At the very departure of the Sabbath, after ſupper, one very nimbly draws the Cloth from off the Table; for they ſay that he who doth it, ſhall in a ſhort time be ſet at libertie. Aere Alieno.
About the Evening they again go to prayers, in which they make mention of the Prophet Elias; for they ſay that his coming was promiſed in the evening of the Sabbath or ſome Feaſt-day: and when the Sabbath is gone, they aſk him if he will come the next Sabbath and acquaint them with the coming of the Meſſia. Some of them alſo write, that the Prophet ſate under the Tree of Life in Paradiſe, and regiſtred the good Works the Jews did on the Sabbath.
They continue theſe Prayers till late in the night, out of love to the Souls of the wicked, that they may have the more reſpit from torments: for as it is in the Evening on Friday proclaimed in Hell, by Dumah an Angel that is Ruler among the Spirits, that the wicked may go to their reſt as the Jews do and all Iſrael on the Sabbath: So when the Prayers are ended, the Spirit cries again, Return ye wicked into Hell, for the Jews have done Prayers.
As ſoon as the Hymn Benedicite is ended, the women go with haſte to the wells and draw
water: for they write that the well Mara whereof they drink in the Deſart, runs into the Sea of Tyberias, and thence in the end of the Sabbath did mixt it ſelf with the water of all their wells; and if a woman ſhould chance to draw in that inſtant, ſhe would have an Antidote for all Diſeaſes.
A certain woman gave teſtimony to this moſt precious Panacea, who immediately after prayers going to draw water, came in that inſtant in which the Well had mixt it ſelf with hers; but being ſomewhat ſlow in drawing, her Huſband was verie angrie: The woman for fear let the Pitcher fall out of her hands, and it happened that ſome drops fell upon her Huſband, and thoſe parts which the water touched were immediately healed.
See the effect of this his anger! for he was only healed in part, whereas if he had drank, he had been totally cured, and clean as a newborn Child. Hence is that notable Saying of the Rabbies; Iracundus nihil aliud quam iram ſuam reportabit.
Laſtly, they ſeparate the Sabbath from the Week following, and give God thanks that he hath enabled them ſo to hallow the Sabbath. They do it after this manner.
A great Taper like a Torch is kindled, which they call the Candle of Separation; they have alſo a little Box full of ſweet Spices provided: Then the Maſter of the Family takes
the cup of Wine in his right hand, and ſings with a loud voice, Behold, God is my Salvation, I will truſt and not be afraid: I will receive the cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord, &c. Which done, he conſecrates the Wine, and (ſpilling a little on the ground) ſaith, Bleſſed art thou O Lord who haſt created the Fruit of the Vine. Then he ſmells to the ſweet Spice, and delivers it to all preſent to ſmell to: afterwards he takes the Cup in his right hand, and going to the great Taper, looks diligently on the nails of his left hand, bowing his fingers inwards towards the palm of his hand, that they may cauſe a ſhadow; after that he opens them again, and looks on the outſide ſo diligently, that he may diſcern the nails to be whiter than the fleſh, and ſaith, Bleſſed art thou O Lord who haſt ordained a clear light: then taking the Cup in his left hand, he vieweth the nails of his right hand; which done, he removeth the Cup into his right hand, and ſaith, Bleſſed art thou who haſt made difference betwixt things holy and prophane; betwixt Iſrael and other Nations; betwixt the ſeventh day and the other ſix days of the week: and while he ſaith this, he ſpills a little of the Wine on the ground, and then drinks, and giveth to all preſent to drink. And ſo the Sabbath is ended, and the Week begun.
They prove the difference between the Sabbath
and the Week-daies by theſe words: And that ye may put difference between things holy and unholy; and, God divided the light from the darkneſs.
They ſmell to the ſweet Spice to avoid dotage, becauſe they are deprived of a Soul at the end of the Sabbath, which Soul they again receive at the beginning of it, and enjoy more than on week-daies. Antonius Margarita in his Book de ſide Judaica has ſomething to this purpoſe. The Jews write in the Talmud, that every man hath three Souls; and prove it from Eſay 42.5. Thus ſaith the Lord God, he that created the heavens, and ſtretched them out; he that ſpread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath to the people upon it, and ſpirit to them that walk therein. From this Text they attribute to man two Souls, which with the true Natural Soul always inherent make three: moreover they ſay, that when a man ſleeps, theſe two adventitious Souls ſteal from him; one aſcends to Heaven, and there hears all future Events; the other roves about the Earth, and there beholds nought but folly and vanity; and this they call the Irrational or Brutiſh Soul: but that Soul wherewith every man is firſt inſpired, hath its immoveable reſidence in the heart, and ſees all that thoſe two Souls that have forſaken the body, do or ſee. Hence all dreams ariſe, and therefore not always to be
lightly eſteemed. But on the Sabbath a fourth Soul cometh as a freſh ſupply, which elevates their minds, that ſo they may the better honour the Sabbath; and when the Sabbath is ended, this Soul leaveth them again: Hence it is that they are dull, and ſmell to the ſweet Spices to refreſh their Spirits. (So much of Margarita; but whence he collected this, cannot as yet be underſtood by the Jews writings.)
Some more wiſe than the reſt ſmell to the ſweet Spices, becauſe on the Sabbath the fire of Hell doth not ſtink; but as ſoon as the Sabbath is ended, and the Gates of Hell opened, that the Souls of the wicked may again enter in, it ſends forth an ill ſent; and theſe Spices are preſervatives againſt it (as they ſay.)
They ſpill a little of the Wine in the conſecration, as a ſigne of plenty and abundance in their houſes; for they ſay where the Wine is not ſpilt, there is no bleſſing: ſome think it is done to refreſh Core and his company whom the Earth ſwallowed up; as if they were yet alive, and could perceive refreſhment from this waſte.
They take ſtrict notice of their nails, becauſe of their ſoon growing; for though they pare them every Friday, they grow up again by the next. Some ſay it is by reaſon of the great difference betwixt the nails and the fleſh, which made Adam ſo much to wonder when
he ſaw the world dark, and cried out, Ah me miſerable creature, for my fault was the world darkned: and hereupon God was ſo merciful to him, that he gave him diſcretion to knock two Flints together, from which there came fire, with which he lighted a Candle; and when he ſaw himſelf all naked ſave only the tops of his fingers, he burſt out into admiration, and praiſed God.
To prove their Opinion of the ſtench of Hell, they produce this ſtory out of the Talmud: One Turnus Ruphus a wicked fellow, aſked one of the Rabbies what the Sabbath was better than other week-daies? whom the Rabbi aſked again, Why art thou more honourable than other men? he anſwered, Becauſe it was the good pleaſure of his Lord and King: So, ſaith the Rabbi, it was the good pleaſure of the Lord of Hoſts, to command us to prefer the Sabbath before other days. But ſaith Turnus, How knoweſt thou that the ſeventh day is your true Sabbath? it may be ſome other day: perhaps the firſt, ſecond, third, &c. The Rabbi told him that this was firſt revealed to them by a certain River which flows ſo ſtrong ſix days that it hurls with it great ſtones, and is not navigable all the week; but on the Sabbath it moveth not at all. A ſecond Proof of it, ſaith the Rabbi, is from thy own Fathers Sepulchre, which all the week is infected with a loathſome vapor cauſed by the ſtench of Hell-fire, in which
he is tormented; but on the ſeventh day it hath no ill ſmell, becauſe on the Sabbath thy Father cometh from Hell, and the evil Spirits have no power over him, and therefore alſo Hell-fire has no ill ſmell on the Sabbath. When Turnus heard this, Perhaps (ſaith he) his puniſhment is ended. The Rabbi bid him go to the Sepulchre after the Sabbath, and he ſhould ſmell a ſtench. When Turnus had made trial and found it ſo, he by the help of Magick raiſed his Father's Ghoſt, and ſpake thus to him: Whilſt thou livedſt thou did'ſt not regard the Sabbath, but now thou art dead thou halloweſt it: How long haſt thou been a Jew? His Father anſwered, Dear Son, he who living obſerveth not the Sabbath willingly, in Hell ſhall be forced to do it. His Son proceeds, What is your imployment in Hell on week days? His Father anſwered, We are tortured in the fire, but on the Sabbath we enjoy our eaſe; for Friday in the evening, which is the preparation for the Sabbath, Proclamation is made in Hell, 'Tis a time of reſt, therefore reſt ye wicked; ſo are we eaſed, and do hallow the Sabbath; but at the end of the Sabbath, when the Jews have ended their cuſtomary Prayers, an evil Spirit called Dumah, who is our Ruler, calleth us back again to Hell, becauſe the people of Iſrael have ended the Sabbath, where we renew our torments, and endure them till the next Sabbath. And this is our Employment.
He who deſireth to know more of this, let him conſult Rabbi Bochai in his Expoſition of the eighteenth Chapter of Exodus, where he writes much concerning the Sabbath. And becauſe God hath commanded in the Law, that not only Man but Beaſt alſo ſhould reſt on the Sabbath; they make great inquiry how far a Horſe or an Aſs may travel on the Sabbath, and whether it may carry any thing on it? And here they ſay, that no beaſt ought to carry any thing on the Sabbath, but that with which it is led, as a Horſe or Aſs may carry a Bridle or Halter; and theſe too muſt be put on on Friday before the Sabbath begins. They ought not to let a Horſe go abroad with a Saddle on, much leſs muſt one ride upon it. If any one come home on the Sabbath with a Saddle on, they may looſe the Girts, but not take off the Saddle; if the Horſe ſhake it off, then the Jew is free.
The Cock is not to be let looſe with a piece of cloth tied to his leg or wing, but is to be looſed on Friday, that it may reſt on the Sabbath.
If a Beaſt fall into a Pit on the Sabbath, and cannot get forth of it ſelf, it is to be fed in the place till the Sabbath is ended, and then to be holpen out. If the place be ſo deep that the beaſt is in danger of being drowned, then they are to put ſtraw (and ſuch-like ſtuff) under it, to preſerve it; and if it get out of
it ſelf, then the Jew is free. But this ſeems to contradict that anſwer Chriſt made to the Jews, when they blamed him for healing on the Sabbath-day, Mat. 12.11. Which of you (ſaith he) having an Ox or an Aſs fallen into a pit, will not ſtraightway help him out on the Sabbath-day? But this is the injunction of the Talmud.
On the Sabbath, a Chriſtian may milk the Jews Cows or Goats; but the Jews muſt not eat the milk, unleſs they buy it of the Chriſtians, as they uſually do. The men or women muſt not run on the Sabbath, unleſs they be commanded of God; neither muſt they ſtep more than the length of a Cubit at once, leſt they hurt the eye-ſight. No man ought to carry any ſort of weapon, neither muſt a Taylor carry needles on his ſleeve.
If any one be lame or ſick, ſo that he cannot walk without a ſtaff, he may uſe it; but he who is blinde may not. They muſt not uſe Stilts to help them over the water; for though they ſeem to carry a man, yet are they born of him; and any burthen is forbidden on the Sabbath. They muſt carry no moneys with them on the Sabbath. They may ſhake off the dirt from their ſhoos againſt a wall, but not on the ground, leſt they may ſeem to fill the ditch. If any one have dirt on his hands, he may wipe them on his horſe-mane; but waſhing is forbidden. They are forbidden
to catch Flies or Gnats which ſtick on their Garments, or creep on the ground; but if they offend them, they may catch them, not hurting them, and throw them away. A Louſe may be killed; but one of the Rabbies ſaith, He who kills a Louſe on the Sabbath, breaks it as much as he who kills a Camel: and this raiſeth a diſpute, what was to be done with ſuch offenſive creatures; and it was agreed, that thoſe creatures which were generated by natural coition, ſhould not be hurt; (and therefore Flies were free) but thoſe which were bred of corrupt, putrified matter, were to be killed (and therefore Lice.)
They are forbidden to climb trees, leſt they ſhould break the boughs. He who feeds his Hen and Chickens in any open place where the rain may fall, with any Corn, muſt not give them more than they can eat, leſt when it rains it ſhould grow, and ſo he might be ſaid to ſow on the Sabbath; which is a ſin unpardonable. They muſt not knock at the dore with the iron hammer, leſt they may ſeem to drive a nail; and therefore Chaſſan, the Sexton, doth knock with his fiſt. They may not knock with the fingers on the table, nor write on ſand or aſhes, but they may in the Air. No Picture, either in paper or wax, is to be defaced.
The ſum of all that they are forbidden, is contained in 39 Articles, to which all leſſer matters are reducible.
The Firſt Article concerns Plowing; under which, is comprehended dreſſing of Gardens, removing Herbs, ſetting Trees, planting Vines, digging, pruning, &c. whereby the growth of any thing may be improved: and becauſe it is not lawful to fill Ditches, the Rabbies have thought fit that the Chambers ſhould be ſprinkled with water, that the duſt might not ariſe; but ſweeping is forbidden, leſt thereby any little chink in the Chamber ſhould be filled: and for this reaſon, they would not throw nutſhels towards the Ditch, leſt peradventure they might fall into it.
The Second Article concerns Reaping; under which, is contained gathering any kinde of Fruit, which they are forbidden; as alſo to take honey from the Bees, and ſuch-like. They may on the Sabbath eat any Fruit as it hangs on the ſtalk, but not break the ſtalk: they may not go over a Corn-field newly ſown, leſt the Corn ſhould ſtick to their ſhoos, which is, as if they had purpoſed to take it. And it ſeems that the Jews were offended with our Saviour, for the breach of this Article, when his Diſciples pluckt off the ears of Corn on the Sabbath, Mat. 12.
The Third Article reſpects Thraſhing; to which pertaineth beating of Hemp or Flax, to preſs any moiſt Fruits, as Grapes, and ſuch-like. Milking is alſo contained under this Article; but the Rabbies don't as yet agree about it.
You may judge of the other Articles accordingly: The difference betwixt the general ones, and thoſe contained under them, is not great. He who beareth falſe witneſs againſt another, is to be ſtoned; and he who willingly ſins, him God ſhall judge, and root out of the Land of the Living. Theſe are explained in the Talmud, in Tractatu de Sabbatho, Chapter 7. with many more, but they are too tedious to be named.
And though the Jews think that they rightly obſerve the Sabbath, yet they may be convinced of the contrary from their own Conſcience: For we read in the Talmud, that he who obſerveth all the Ceremonies of the Sabbath to do them, ſhall have free pardon of all ſins; yea though he be an Idolater, as Enoch, in whoſe time they ſay this ſin had its Original. According to Gen. 4.26. Then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord: And Eſay the 56.2. Bleſſed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it. Rabbi Juda ſaid, If the Iſraelites had kept the firſt Sabbath aright, immediately after the Law was given, no Nation would ever have overcome them. And another Rabbi ſaid, If they had kept the two firſt Sabbaths aright, they had ſoon been ſet at liberty; according to Eſay 56.4. They that keep my Sabbaths aright, them will I bring back into my holy Mountain, (that is, Jeruſalem.) But ſeeing they are not, neither
are like to be ſet at liberty, it muſt needs be becauſe they have not kept the Sabbath aright, as they confeſſed, while the Temple ſtood at Jeruſalem. As the Talmud expreſly ſpeaketh; For no other reaſon was the Temple at Jeruſalem deſtroyed, but becauſe the Jews obſerved not the Sabbath aright. As it is written, Ezek. 22.27. They have hid their eyes from my Sabbath, and I am polluted among them. The Jews celebrate the Sabbath with Wine, Fiſh, and Fleſh, and all kinde of Delights: they abſtain from work, and are not at any time deſirous to do any thing, but only command the poor Chriſtians; and therefore boaſt, that they are Lords over them.
I ſhall conclude this Chapt. with the complaint which God made to Iſrael by the Prophet Eſay, Eſay 1.13. Incenſe is an abomination unto me: the new Moons and Sabbaths, the calling of Aſſemblies, I cannot away with: it is iniquity, even the ſolemn meetings. Your new Moons, and your appointed Seaſons my Soul hateth, they are a trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them.
CHAP. XVIII.
Of the Jews Feaſts: The manner of their Celebration.
IN the Order of Prayers according to the Hebrew Uſe, the Offices for the Feſtivals immediately follow thoſe of the Sabbath, though the Service-book doth not yield Offices for every Feaſt which are in preſent obſervation with them. For beſides a peculiar Order for the Purim, there is but one general Office for all the reſt.
Now beſides what occurs in Holy Writ concerning the inſtitution and reaſon of the Jewiſh Feſtivals, there are ſome modern Cuſtoms chiefly therein to be conſidered, which we ſhall refer to the ſeveral Feaſts, and only give them a naked enumeration.
The chief both of the Antient and Modern Jewiſh Feſtivals, are the Paſſover, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, and the Feaſt of Tabernacles. The Paſſover is the firſt both in time and dignity, and the Divine Scriptures exhibit enough in teſtimony both of its Inſtitution and Deſigne: So that we ſhall only ſuccinctly ſet down the uſual Rites of its preſent obſervation.
And in the firſt place, the Jews eſteem the
Paſſover of ſo great moment, that their preparation for its ſolemnity is much more great, than to all the other Feſtivals. For the Wealthier and Devouter ſort ſpend above a Lunar Month in preparing for its coming. But their preparations conſiſt not in any Spiritual exerciſe, but in a carnal providing for the body. Where they uſe no ſmall curioſity and diligence in getting the fineſt Wheat for the unleavened bread, which by Divine appointment is thereon to be eaten. And what is very commendable, the Richer are careful to provide the Poorer with fine Wheat for the ſame purpoſe gratis, out of their own Store. For they account it a great Scandal to their Religion, that any Jew ſhould be unprovided of things requiſite to ſo ſacred a celebration. The two or three daies before the Paſſover, are ſpent in cleanſing their houſes, and waſhing their Furniture of braſs, pewter, and iron. On the Eve of the Feaſt, the Firſt-born of the Family always faſts: and the reſt of the houſhold are imployed in ſearching every corner, that not a crum of leaven'd bread may remain till the Paſſover. And becauſe they pray that not the leaſt mite may eſcape their diſcovery, it is ordinary with them to caſt ſome pieces of hard cruſts into the ſecret corners, that finding them, they may not be ſaid to have pray'd in vain. Whatſoever crums they meet with, they are carefully laid up till the next morning,
when they are burn'd; and all this to teſtifie their eſpecial diligence to obſerve the Law concerning the Paſſover.
The Sabbath immediately antecedent to this Feſtival, is for its ſingular and peculiar Sanctity, ſtiled the Great Sabbath: which name was occaſioned by a Miracle that thereon happned: of which the Rabbies give this ſhort Legend.
Our Anceſtors, when they lived in Egypt, taking their Paſchal Lambs, according to Gods appointment, upon the tenth day of the month, and tying them to their bed-poſts, that
〈◊〉
might have them ready to kill upon the fourteenth day of the month; (which interim of time (from the tenth to the fourteenth day) they were to ſpend in meditation of their deliverance, and in ſearching if the Lamb was without blemiſh.) The Egyptians demanding a reaſon of their ſo doing, the Hebrews told them, that their Lambs were kept to be killed at their Paſſover. The Egyptians murmured greatly thereat, and grew very much incenſed againſt the Hebrews for killing the Lamb, becauſe it ſo much reſembled one of their Gods. For they had placed Aries, the Ram, one of the Celeſtial ſignes, in the number of their Deities. Whereupon the Egyptians began to complot the Hebrews Ruine, but were ſuddenly ſtruck with ſo much horrour, that they durſt not open their lips, nor move a finger, againſt
them: And becauſe this happened the next Sabbath before the Paſſover, it was therefore called the Great Sabbath: On which they make long diſcourſes, relating to the Ordinance and Uſe of the Paſſover.
While they are ſearching and cleanſing their houſes, they are either to be ſilent, or to ſpeak of nothing but finding out and burning the leavened bread. And at the lighting of the Candle wherewith the Crums are ſought for, the Father of the Family ſaith this Benediction:
Bleſſed art thou, O Lord our God, the Lord of the whole earth, who haſt Sanctified with thy Precepts, and commanded us to caſt out the Leaven.
And all his Domeſticks diſtinctly anſwer, Amen. Some Jews will not ſuffer the women to cleanſe the houſe, becauſe they ſay, Talkativeneſs is ſo natural to that Sex, that they cannot perform that Office with ſo great ſilence as is required. The Father of the Family has alwaies the inſpection of purging the houſe, who leſt any leaven'd bread might be left undiſcern'd, uſeth this Execration: Let all the leaven which I have not found and taken away, vaniſh into the duſt of the Earth.
While ſome of the Family are making clean the houſe, others grinde the Wheat for the Azima, or unleavened Cakes. Where their firſt care is to ſee the Mill throughly cleanſed
from all Grain that was deſigned for leavened bread. And in Barbary this taſk is not long or difficult, becauſe the Jews uſe ſmall handmills, like the Moors. Next, the Maſter of the houſe, betwixt Sun-ſet and Star-light, draws water and puts it in ſuch conſecrate Veſſels as are purpoſely ſet apart for their Feſtivals. And when all things are in readineſs, they fall to making of the Paſcal Cakes: Which are of a round figure, and without any other ingredient, than pure water and fine flour; which muſt have been two or three daies ground before they uſe it. And this they do, leſt the heat it takes in grinding, ſhould make it ſmell, and grow leaveniſh. If in kneading or moulding the Cakes, any part of the dough happen to fall to the earth, they muſt not take it up, but leave it to be eaten by any creature that has a minde thereunto. For they are of opinion, that the leaſt crum falling to the ground, being taken and put to the reſt, will ſower the whole lump.
The woman that makes the Cakes, bakes firſt one alone, over which ſhe ſaith, Bleſſed art thou our God, who haſt commanded us to ſeparate the leavened Cake. And having ſaid theſe words, ſhe inſtantly burns it to aſhes, and then begins to bake the reſt.
Upon the Eve of the Paſſover, at the time of the Mincha, they go to the Synagogue, where they celebrate the Office of the Sabbath-Arvit.
The Prayers for the Paſſover, are for the moſt part the ſame with thoſe of the Sabbath; ſave that they intermingle therewith ſome of the Roſhodes. During the time that the men ſtay at the Synagogue, the women ſpread the Tables, and adorn their Cubbords, not for Oſtentation, but honour of the Feſtival. Againſt they return from Publick Oraiſons, there is a Cuſhion, the beſt they can provide, laid for the Head of the Houſe, at the upper end of the Room where they are to dine: For their poſture of eating, is exactly Eaſtern, or lying upon the ground. But this is no part of their Religion, but a conformity to the mode of their Reſidence. Upon the day of the Paſſover, they compoſe themſelves to a ſtately Geſture of body, and an imperious Carriage, only to ſignifie thereby their deliverance from Egyptian Bondage. And the women which at other times ſit hanging their heads, at this Feaſt look loftily, expreſſing thereby Alacrity and Triumph.
In eating the Paſchal Lamb, the Jews of all Countries uſe the ſame Ritual. Four Diſhes make up their Bill of Fare; which are theſe: The firſt Diſh contains three Paſchal Cakes; the uppermoſt whereof repreſents the High-Prieſt; the middle, the Levite; & the lowermoſt, the Common Hebrews. The ſecond Diſh, is a Leg of Lamb or Kid roſted, together with an Hen-egg: The myſtery of which laſt morſel,
I could never meet with any Jew was able to reveal. The third Diſh, is a deal of thick Stuff much like the Moors Cuſcuſſow; but of much better ingredients: For the Moors make theirs of meer water and flour, or crum'd bread; but the Jews put ſeveral ſpices in theirs: and the better to make it repreſent the colour of the bricks they made in Egypt, they tincture it with Saffron. The fourth Diſh, is a green Salad attended with Vinegre, in which they dipping the Salad, call to minde the ſower herbs wherewith their Fathers were commanded to eat the Paſſover. At this Feaſt every Jew is to drink Wine, but none to exceed four glaſſes, and none to refuſe ſo many. Before they lie down to eat, the Chief of the Family conſecrates the Viands. And when the Cakes are broken, and every one hath eaten a piece, and drank a cup of Wine, the whole Family ſing an Hymn: In which they remember the bread of Sorrow eaten by their Fathers in Egypt; concluding with their hopes of a ſpeedie Reſtauration unto Canaan.
At the breaking of the ſecond Cake, the Maſter of the houſe puts a piece thereof in his Napkin, in memory of their Anceſtors wrapping up their Dough in haſte before it was leaven'd, when they poſted out of Egypt. And then they drink a ſecond glaſs of Wine, and ſing an Hymn; wherein they commemorate
their deliverance. And having paſt the afternoon and part of the night in liberal refreſhment; they eat the third Cake, and drink a glaſs of Wine: Then the Father of the Family ſaith Grace, and with the fourth cup of Wine in his hand, repeats the 6 verſe of the 79 Pſalm, and the laſt verſe of Lamentations the 3. and utters moſt direful Execrations againſt all that are not of their Religion. And immediately upon this, they go to ſleep. On the night of the Paſſover they think themſelves ſo ſafe from danger, that they let the doors ſtand open, which at other times are bolted and locked with all imaginable ſecurity. But ſome tell us, that they leave their doors open upon the night of the Paſſover, that there may be nothing to hinder the entrance of Elias, whoſe coming on that night is expected.
As for the rationale of the four Cups of Wine, the number of the Cakes, time of Execration, and other myſterious Rites of this Feſtival, it is to be learned out of their Maſters, whither the Curious are remitted. All that I have here to take notice of, is their Cuſtom of ſhowing the Paſchal Cakes to their Children, and inſtructing them in the Inſtitution and Ceremonies of the Paſſover: Wherein they pretend to be very faithful obſervers of Exod. 12.26, 27. As for the other daies of this Feaſt, there is little to be obſerved concerning
them, except that thereon the Jews eat better, and go finer than at other times.
CHAP. XIX.
Of their Pentecoſt, or Feaſt of weeks.
THe meaning and inſtitution of this Feſtival may partly be learned from its name. For Pentecoſt denotes the time of its obſervation, which was the fiftieth day, reckoning from the ſecond of the Paſſover. It was alſo called the Feaſt of Harveſt, and of First-fruits; becauſe the Jews then began their Harveſt, and offered the firſt Fruits of the Earth, Exod. 23.16. And ſeeing they cannot keep this Feaſt according to its firſt Inſtitution, they ſpend the time allotted thereunto in praying for their Reſtauration, that God would haſten their return to Canaan, and the rebuilding of the Temple: For which they uſe this form.
Let it be thy good pleaſure, O Lord our God, and the God of our Fathers, that the houſe of thy Sanctuary may ſpeedily be rebuilt in our daies: and give us our portion in thy Law.
And indeed, this Feaſt may well bear the Title of the Feaſt of Harveſt, becauſe it contain'd the weeks uſual for that ſeaſon: which were bounded with two remarkable daies, whereof the one began, and the other ended
the Harveſt. The former was called the ſecond of the Paſſover, and the later the Pentecoſt. And from this ſecond day of the Paſſover, they number their Sabbaths, which Cuſtom explains the
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
, &c. Sabbatum, uſed in the Goſpel.
At this Feſtival, the preſent Ceremonies are but few: only they carry the Law twice in Proceſſion, and read out of it ſuch portions as concern the Oblations which were of old accuſtomed to be offered. And theſe parcels of the Law are after a moſt ſolemn manner read by five ſelect Jews. Their entertainments likewiſe are at this time very plain and frugal; uſing little fleſh-diet, though they are bound to uſe ſome, that they may not contradict their own rule: A Feaſt without fleſh, is without joy. But ſtill white meats, and confection of milks, are their prime Delicacies. And this ſort of Viand is at this time made uſe, of, out of no leſs myſtery, than that by its colour and dulcour, they might be remember'd of the purity and delightfulneſs of the Law. To which they allude the 10 verſe of the 19 Pſalm.
They have a Cuſtom at this Feaſt to ſtrow the Synagogues, their dwelling Houſes, and the Streets (if they have leave) with Greens, and to wear ſome upon their heads; out of no deeper myſtery, than to commemorate that pleaſant Verdure which was upon Mount
Sinai when the Law was there given unto their great Maſter Moſes. A Cuſtom they have likewiſe, to bake a Cake of ſeven folds, to ſignifie (ſay they) the ſeven Heavens, into which God aſcended when he went up from the Mount.
At the beginning of this Feaſt, the Jews with great Devotion make this Prayer.
Bleſſed art thou, O Lord our God, the King of the World, who haſt ſanctified us with thy Precepts, and haſt inabled us rightly to number the days, as thou haſt commanded us, this being the firſt day. Thus they proceed to number until the whole fifty daies be expired, every day uſing the ſame Benediction.
CHAP. XX.
Of the Feaſt of Tabernacles.
THis is the third Capital Feaſt of Divine appointment among the Jews, which thoſe of Barbary keep at preſent as their Fathers did antiently, in Booths, which being made of green Canes, it is now generally known among them by the Spaniſh name of Fieſta de las (writing as it is pronounced) Caunias, or the Feaſt of Reeds. And the end of this Feaſt is to preſerve the memory of their Anceſtors long Pilgrimage in the Wilderneſs;
and it laſts eight daies. The Inſtitution hereof is to be met with, Deut. 16. and Exod. 23, and 34. Now, as of old, the chief Solemnity and obſervation of this Feſtival is confined to the firſt and ſecond day thereof.
In that Liturgie of the Jews (which I have ſo often named) there is no proper Office for this Feaſt; ſo that thereon they do no more but go to the Synagogue, and there ſolemnize the
Ʋſual Service, and thence haſten home to their Booths, Bowers, Tents, or Tabernacles; which they finde furniſhed as richly as their Eſtate and Fortunes will make them. During the whole eight daies of this Feſtival, they live in their Booths, and adorn them with the Furniture of their houſes; and conſtantly lodge therein, unleſs it fall out that the rains (which in Barbary often begin in September, the time of this Feaſt) force them into more comfortable lodgings.
Paulus Fagius (on Levit. 23.) reports out of the Rabbins, that every man was bound every morning to bring a burden of Cittern, Palm, Mirtle or Willow-boughs, toward the making of theſe Booths. And this burden was called Hoſanna. And the cutting down of the Boughs, and ſtrowing them in the way, and crying Hoſanna to Chriſt as he rode to Hieruſalem, is thought to have been in alluſion to this Cuſtom. And the Jews in Barbary are wont at this Feſtival, to take any ſort of
boughs in their hands, and to ſhake them toward the four Cardinal Points of Heaven; beginning at the Eaſt. And by this action they foretel and threaten deſtruction to all the ends of the Earth that oppoſe them. With theſe Boughs alſo they make a great noiſe, in alluſion to the 12 verſe of the 69 Pſalm, and alſo to terrifie the Devil, and triumph over ſin. At the ſhaking of theſe Boughs, they uſe theſe words:
Bleſſed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the World, who haſt ſanctified us with thy Precepts, and commanded us to carry a bundle of Palm.
At this time alſo, the Law is brought to the Reading-place, about which they walk with great ſtate; and nothing but threatning and victory appear in their looks. This they do ſeven times, in memory of their Fathers compaſſing the walls of Hiericho. But others ſay, That this compaſſing of the Reading-place ſeven times, is in prediction of the certain ruine of their Enemies. And this notice of the Ceremonie, is very agreeable to the Execratory which is now uſed by them: Wherein they profoundly curſe the Chriſtians; deſiring that God would ſmite them as he did the Firſt-born of Egypt. And though this Direful Prayer is not found in that Liturgie printed at Venice, (as I above-mentioned) yet I am aſſured by a good Author, that it is extant in the
Machſor of the Cracovian Impreſſion.
Upon the laſt day of this Feſtival, the last Section of the Law is conſtantly read, and the firſt Section begun. For they begin and end the Leſſon of the Law on the ſame day, to declare their joy therein. This laſt day of the Feaſt of Tents, is called the Great day of the Feaſt, S. John 7.37. where Tremelius obſerves, that on the laſt of Tabernacles, the antient Jews uſed to incompaſs the Altar (as the modern Jews now the Reading-place) with Palms in their hands, crying Hoſanna, that is, Preſerve us we beſeech thee: Whence it was called Haſanna Rabba, or the Great Hoſanna, or the Chief of the Feaſt: And that on the ſame day they drew water from the Well of Shiloah at the foot of Mount Sion, and brought it to the Temple, where the Prieſts mingled it with the beſt Wine, and poured it on the Altar: and that the people ſang theſe words of Eſay; With joy ſhall they draw water out of the Wells of Salvation. To which our Saviour is thought to have alluded, in that ſpeech which on this day he made uſe of, S. John 7.38. Every one that believeth in me, out of his belly ſhall flow living waters.
When they have built their Tabernacles, they may not uſe them till the Father of the Family hath conſecrated both them and all the Utenſils of the Feaſt: wherein he gives God thanks that he hath choſen and ſanctified
the Jews above all other Nations, and that to them only belongs the habitation in Tents. At the expiration of the Feaſt, when they come out of their Tabernacles, the Chief of the Family ſaith theſe words: God grant that the following year we may dwell in the Tent of the Leviathan. The myſtery of which Prayer depends upon the Opinion that the Jews have of eating with their Meſſias of the great Fiſh called a Leviathan; which they imagine to be of a Poetical Magnitude, and preſerved on purpoſe for that great Entertainment to which they ſhall all be invited by Meſſias, at his coming. And the Prayer above-named, has reſpect to this Opinion, and deſignes no more than their deſires that their King may have a ſpeedy advent.
And having now taken this ſhort view of the preſent Rites wherewith the Jews celebrate their three Cardinal Feaſts, their Minor Feſtivals come next to be conſidered. Among which, their Purim or Feaſt of Lots merits the firſt remembrance: For to it is allotted a proper Office, which honour is not granted to any of the reſt.
CHAP. XXI.
Of the Jews Purim, or Feaſt of Lots.
THe word Purim is Perſick, and ſignifies Lots; and the Feaſt bears this name from the occaſion of its Inſtitution, which without the trouble of tranſcribing, is to be ſeen at large in the Book of Eſther. The Miſchiefs plotted againſt the Jews, falling upon their Enemies, and thoſe being killed by them who deſigned their deſtruction; and all this happening upon the 13 of the Month Adar, anſwering to our February, and ending upon the 14 of the ſame Month: in memory of their own deliverance, and the deſtruction of their Enemies, the Jews keep thoſe two daies Feſtival, whereon they both happened.
In the Celebration of this Feaſt, they at preſent uſe theſe Ceremonies: Firſt they light up great ſtore of Lamps, that thereby they may teſtifie their joy; and read over the Book of Eſther: At which, both the women and children are bound to be preſent. Who at the naming of Haman, make an hideous noiſe, beating with their hands, and ſtamping with their feet: and at the ſame time pronounce
theſe words; Let his name be blotted out: Let the name of the ungodly come to naught: Curſed be Haman; bleſſed be Mordachee: Curſed be Zereſch, but bleſſed be Eſther: Curſed be all Idolaters, and bleſſed be all Iſraelites. Which Maledictions are now applied to the Chriſtians. And when they come to that paſſage concerning the death of Haman's Sons, they huddle it over without pauſe or diſtinction; intimating that they were all killed in a moment, and that they hate to be long mentioning them.
When they come out of the Synagogue, they fall to eating and drinking; and are therein much more liberal at this, than any other time. And they have a Rule, that at the Feaſt of Purim they ſhould drink till they cannot diſtinguiſh between, Curſed be Haman, and bleſſed be Mordachee. At this Feaſt, the Rich ſupply the Poor with Wine and Viands; and for two daies none undertake any Servile work: The women eſpecially are to keep Holy-day, in honour of her who was the occaſion of their Deliverance. At this Feaſt alſo they ſalute one another with preſents, and beſtow large Alms upon the Needy, in compliance with what their Great Patriot commanded, Eſther 9 20, 21, 22. Where he eſtabliſhed the Inſtitution of the Feaſt of Lots.
The Mattins of this Feaſt, begin with extolling
Gods mercie and power in their Deliverance: After which follow the Proper Leſſons out of Eſther. When thoſe are finiſhed, the Chaſan leaves the Pulpit, and ſaith part of the Dayly Service. Their Veſpers they begin with this Pſalm: My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? &c. and then again a Leſſon is read out of Eſther; and after that, the ordinary Evening-Service: Then follow four Benedictions, and all is concluded with ſelect Pſalms.
Purim is the laſt of their Anniverſary Feſtivals: for happening in Adar, there is none between it and Eaſter; which alwaies falls in Niſan, the Month that began the Year when the Hebrews came out of Egypt, and which ſtill keeps that place in the Computation of their Greater Feaſts. Beſides their Purim, and the three Capital Feaſts which we have already conſidered, the Jews have other Minor Feſtivals, as that of Reconciliation, Dedication, Church-Officers, New year, and Lunar Mutations; of which take this ſhort account in their Order.
And beginning with their Feaſt of Reconcilement or Expiation, we finde the ground thereof in Lev. 16. and an expreſs Statute for its Celebration, v. 29. In the ſeventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye ſhall afflict your ſouls, and do no work at all, whether he be one of your own Country, or a ſtranger ihat ſojourneth among you: v. 30. For on that day ſhall the Prieſt make
an Atonement for you to cleanſe you, that you may be clean from all your ſins before the Lord.
In obedience unto which Law, the Jews upon the 10 of Tizri repair to their Synagogues, and in places of open Toleration, carry waxlights in their hands, which when they have lighted, they begin in a very diſmal note to lament their ſins, and continue faſting and praying for ten daies, which are called the daies of Contrition: for which their Liturgy has a proper Office.
Every morning, during this Feaſt of Expiation, they thrice repeat this Confeſſion.
O Lord, thy people, the houſe of Iſrael, they have ſin'd, they have done wickedly, they have tranſgreſſed before thee; I beſeech thee now, O Lord, pardon the ſins, iniquities, and tranſgreſſions, with which the people, the houſe of Iſrael have ſin'd, done wickedly, and tranſgreſſed before thee, as it is written in the Law of thy Servant Moſes: That in that day he ſhall make an Atonement for you, that he might cleanſe you, and that you might be clean from all your iniquities before the Lord.
This Confeſſion, ſaith P. Fagius, is of very great Antiquity, and was made by the High-Prieſt when he diſburden'd the ſins of the whole Congregation upon the Head of the Scape-goat. Since the deſtruction of their City, the Jews have no place for a proper Sacrifice; and therefore, inſtead thereof, when
they come from the Synagogue, every Father of a Family takes a Cock, (a white one if poſſible) upon the 9th day of the Feaſt, and calling his Houſehold about him, repeats ſeveral Sentences of Scripture; among which, the principal are the 17 verſ. of Pſalm 107. Fools becauſe of their tranſgreſſion, and becauſe of their iniquities are afflicted. And 23 verſ. of Job 13. How many are mine iniquities and ſins! Make me to know my tranſgreſſion and my ſin. After the repetition of theſe Scriptures, he waves the Cock three times about his head, at each of which he uſeth theſe or the like words: Let this Cock be a Commutation for me: Let it be my ſubſtitute: Let it be an Expiation for me: Let the Bird die; but let life and happineſs be to me and to all Iſrael. Amen. Then he again ſwings the Cock thrice about his head, once for himſelf, once for his Sons, and once for the Strangers that are with him. Then he kills the Cock, and ſaith, I have deſerved thus to die. The Woman takes a Hen, and doth the like for thoſe of her Sex. In Barbary where the Houſes are flat-roofed, they caſt the Garbage thereon, to be devoured by ſome ravenous Birds, in token that their ſins are removed as the Entrails they caſt out. Now the reaſon why they chuſe a Cock for the Expiatory, is drawn from the ambiguous word in the Talmud, which may ſignifie either Man or Cock. So that they repute the death of a
Cock, as much as that of a Man: and to this Domeſtick bird the 53 of Eſay, with many other Paſſages of Holy Writ, are prophanely and ridiculouſly applied. But however they may at this Feaſt greatly extol▪ the Merits of the Cock, and imagine all their ſins to be atoned by his death: yet when themſelves come to die, they acknowledge no Commutation, but ſkin for ſkin according to this ſaying of one of their Maſters when he was a dying: Let my own death be the Expiation and Satisfaction for all my ſins.
When they have done with the Cock, they repair to the Sepulchres, where they repeat, enlarge, and enforce their Prayers, and Confeſſions. They beſtow the value of their Cocks upon the Poor, to whom formerly they gave their Carkaſſes, which they now keep to furniſh out their own Tables. Beſides that form of publick Confeſſion which we mentioned before, they uſe private Confeſſion one to another: which they thus perform. About the middle of the Service they make an interruption, and two by two ſtep aſide in the Synagogue and confeſs their ſins to each other. During the time of Confeſſion, he that confeſſeth turns his face Northward, and with great ſeeming Contrition bows his body, beats his breſt, and readily ſubmits his back to ſuch ſtripes as his friend will inflict; who yet never exceeds the number of 39. And the firſt having
thus made Confeſſion, the ſecond goes upon the ſame duty.
This Feaſt as it has the name of Expiation (becauſe according to its firſt Inſtitution, the High-Prieſt did then confeſs his own ſins and the ſins of the people; and by certain Rites did expiate, and make atonement to God for them) ſo is it likewiſe called the Feaſt of Reconciliation, becauſe at this time they endeavour a general Amneſty and Pardon. For they labour that no quarrel among them remain unreconciled. He that ſeeks to be at peace with his Neighbour, though he be refuſed, is looked upon as innocent. They hold this Reconciliation ſo neceſſary, that if the offended die without it, the offender muſt go to his Gr
••
e, and in the preſence and hearing of ten Witneſſes, confeſs his treſpaſs.
Upon the Even of the 9th of this Feaſt, they repair to the Synagogue, where they trim and encreaſe the number of their Lamps. The women do the like at home. If the Lamps burn cleer, it is a good ſigne that their ſins are pardoned, and that they ſhall live chearful and happy. But if the Lamps burn dim, it is a ſad abodement their treſpaſſes are not expiated. Whereupon ſome of them renew their penances, and uſe ſeveral abſtinences, and remain reſtleſs till the Omen alter. Some are reported at this time to bribe the Devil that he may not accuſe them; and ſome again are ſo confident of their Expiation, that they bid the Devil do his worſt.
That the Expiation & Reconcilement might be extended unto all, upon the Eve of the 9th of this Feaſt, they abſolve all Offenders, reſtore the Excommunicate, and admit to the Prayers and Communion of the Synagogue, even the ſtubborn and refractary. At laſt the Chaſan bleſſeth the people, ſtretching out his hands toward them: which hands the people dare not ſtedfaſtly look upon while they are elevate, becauſe they ſuppoſe them for that time to be full of the Holy Ghoſt. After the Expiation is thus ended, they continue a ſpace faſting at the Synagogue, and then return home to feaſt: and to teſtifie their mutual Peace and Reconcilement.
Their next Feaſt is that of Dedication, whoſe Inſtitution we meet with in 1 Maccab. 4.59. Moreover Judas and his brethren, &c. And this our Saviour honour'd with his preſence, S. John 10.22. not to countenance the abuſes, but to own its appointment, and to approve the Conſecration and Dedication of times and places to Gods ſervice. This Feaſt in the N. T. is called
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
or Renovations, or a Feaſt wherein ſomething is renewed, and is in memory of ſecond Dedications. It continues 8 daies, during which time the Synagogues are full of Candles; which may be the reaſon that the Spaniſh Jews call it Fieſta de las Candelas; and ſome call it the Feaſt of Oyl: and both give this reaſon of the name.
In the Dedication of the Temple, and Reſtauration of the Divine Worſhip, there wanted Oyl for the Holy Lamps; whereupon Judas Maccabaeus diligently ſeeking every corner of the Temple for Oyl, at length found a Jar full, which was ſealed with the High-Prieſts Seal, and had never fallen into the deſecrating hands of the Enemy. But the Oyl was of ſo ſmall a quantity, that it was but enough for one night. Whereupon, he and the people became very ſorrowful, not being able to procure Oyl for the preſent neceſſity. For the place where it was to be bought, ſtood three daies journey from Hieruſalem. But God (ſaith the ſtory) by a bountiful Miracle made the ſmall Jar of Oyl to laſt the whole eight daies of the Feaſt. In memory of which miraculous ſupply, ſome, as I ſaid, have called it the Feaſt of Candles, and others, the Feaſt of Oyl. They ſpend the eight daies in junketing and Games; little of Religion appearing through the whole Solemnity.
They have another Feaſt in remembrance of giving the Law, at which time they ſell thoſe Eccleſiaſtick Offices we ſpoke of before: and which always falls out upon the ſame day that the laſt Section of the Law is finiſhed, and the firſt begun. And they begin the Law the ſame day they end it, that the Devil may not tell God, that Iſrael is weary of his Law. On this Feaſt all the Copies of Law are taken
out of the Ark, and in very ſolemn Proceſſion is carri'd through the Synagogue with all manner of Exultation and rejoycing. And after this, they make the beſt proviſion they can poſſible, which they call the Supper upon the finiſhing the Law. And it is founded upon the Act of Solomon, who coming to Hieruſalem, and there offering Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings before the Ark of the Covenant of the Law, made a Feaſt to all his Servants, 1 Kings 3.15.
The next Feaſt, is that of the New year, which is kept in Tizri; for that is the firſt Month according to their Secular, though but the ſeventh according to their Eccleſiaſtical Computation. On the day of this Feſtival, they repair to the Synagogue; and the Uſual Service being ended, with a ſhort Prayer they conſecrate the Feaſt, and drink, if they can poſſible procure it, ſome Muſtum, becauſe it is Wine of a good abodement of an happy Year, which they then wiſh one to another.
The Younger ſort do now receive the Chief Prieſts Benediction, which he gives them by laying his hands upon their heads, and praying they may have a Good Year. In ſome places Rams horns are ſounded at this Feaſt, in memory (think ſome) of the Ram which was ſacrificed in ſtead of Iſaac; ſome, in memory of the giving of the Law with ſound of Cornets; and ſome, to minde them of the day
of Judgement, to which they ſhall be ſummoned by the ſound of Trumpets. Now the deliverance of Iſaac, and the giving of the Law did, and the laſt Judgement (ſay they) ſhall happen upon the firſt day of Tizri, anſwering to our September.
The Jews have had a Cuſtome on this day to run into the Rivers, and there to ſhake off their Sins, that according to Micah 7.19. they may be carried into the depths of the Sea. If at this Luſtration they have the good Fortune to ſee a Fiſh, they ſhake themſelves luſtily on purpoſe to load it with their Sins, that it may ſwim away with them, and be as the Scape-goat of old, which carried the peoples Sins into the Deſart. Some among them would have this repairing to the running-Water, to be in memory of Abraham's being led by an Evil Spirit into a River, (when he went to Sacrifice his Son) where being in great danger of Drowning, he prai'd unto God, and the River upon the ſudden became dry Land. But he that ſhall converſe with the Jews, ſhall be furniſhed with plenty of Stories of this nature; and if upon every occaſion I ſhould have ſet down the Miracles wherewith their moſt ridiculous and improbable Rites are atteſted, I might have made this Diſcourſe Voluminous to no purpoſe.
Their laſt Feaſt I ſhall take notice of, is that of their New-Moons, which are a ſort of Half
Holy-days; the Morning, as on other daies, being ſpent in the Synagogues, and the Afternoon in Good Company. At the firſt ſight of the New-moon, they have a Benediction, wherein they bleſs God, that with the breath of his Mouth he hath created the Heavens and all the Hoſt thereof, and appointed them Laws which they obſerve: That he reneweth the Moon, and makes it aſſiſt the pregnant Hebrews. And then they leap as 'twere to catch her, and wiſh their Enemies may come no nearer them, than they to the Moon. Then they extol her good qualities; for which they have but little reaſon, ſeeing that they are told how in the beginning God deprived the Moon of Light for Murmuring againſt Him; to expiate which Crime of the Moon, the Jews were appointed to keep this Feaſt.
At the Feaſt of Tabernacles, they Divine from the rays of the Moon, of the accidents of the whole Year. If the Shadows of their Bodies appear defective, they accordingly foretel their own or Friends Deaths. As if a man ſee his Shadow without a Head, then he is to fall into danger of Death, or die, the following year. If it wants a Finger, he ſhall looſe a good Friend. If the Right hand, a Son: If the Left, a Daughter. If no Shadow at all appear, then the man's death is unavoidable.
CHAP. XXII.
Of the Jewiſh Faſts.
THe Jewiſh Faſts, except that upon the Expiation, are eſteem'd to be all of Humane Inſtitution. Their firſt Faſt, is in memory of Nebuchadnezzar's Siege of Hieruſalem, which happened upon the tenth of Tebeth, anſwering to our December; for which their Liturgy hath a ſmall Office.
Their ſecond, is in memory of Moſes's breaking the two Tables of the Law; for the loſs of their daily Sacrifice; for ſetting Idolatry in the Temple; for the ſecond Siege of the City, and breaking down the Walls thereof. And this conſtantly falls upon the 17th of Thamuz, correſponding to our June, and laſts till the ninth of Ab. All the daies of this Faſt are accounted ominous and unlucky; ſo that thereon they avoid all buſineſs of moment, and if poſſible to begin Journeys, or attempt ought that is conſiderable: And ſo careful are they hereon to be idle, that Schoolboys are not thereon to be Corrected. Upon the fifth of Ab, or July, they ſit on the Ground, read Jeremiah's Lamentations, bewail the Dead, and the loſs of Hieruſalem; and for ten daies live ſo ſeverely, that they abſtain
from every thing wherein is ſuppoſed to be delight.
Their third Faſt is for the death of Gedaliah, whom we read was Treacherouſly Murthered, Jer. 41.2. and it falls out in Tizri, or September. Beſides theſe Faſts which are of publick Inſtitution, they have ſeveral that are private, as thoſe of Munday and Thurſday: one for the death of Miriam and Eli; and another for the turning of the Bible out of holy Hebrew into profane Greek, by the Seventy Tranſlators. But theſe Faſts being the private Exerciſes but of ſome Jews, their Rites fall under no certain annotation.
The general Rule in all their Faſting, is to abſtain from all manner of Meat and Drink till the Stars appear: and if the Jews were Orthodox in the circumſtances of this Afflictive, no people would therein exceed them. But in this, as all other things, they are palpably Carnal, relying upon the very doing of the work, and eſteeming a meer Corporal abſtinence highly Meritorious. Beſides, there are not a few Miracles aſcribed to the bare act of Faſting.
The Prayer uſed upon Faſting-daies; tranſlated out of the Jews Liturgy.
HEar our voice, O Lord our God, and have Compaſſion upon us; and with Mercie hear our Prayers: and impart thy pity, and
ſubdue us to thy Holineſs. Deliver us from death and the ſword, and hunger and captivity, from the prey and an evil deſire; and bad infirmities, and hard chances. Pronounce a good ſentence upon me and all the males of my houſe: And let thy Compaſſions return with thy Conditions; and O Lord our God, deal with us in mercie and favour, and enter with us before the Rule of Juſtice, and harken unto our Prayer, our Supplication and Cry: for thou heareſt the Prayer of every mouth.
Anſwer me O my Father, anſwer me in this day of Faſting and Affliction. Becauſe I am in a great ſtrait by reaſon I have offended, and rebelled againſt thee ſince the day that I was upon the Earth until this hour. I bluſh and am aſhamed of my Rebellion, I repent me of my ſins and tranſgreſſions. Notwithſtanding I have put thy Mercies before mine eyes, with which thou art wont to keep off thy fury, and to be appeaſed with thy Creatures: Thou art good to pardon▪ and hast great pity upon all that call upon thee. For thy manifold Mercies now anſwer me, and let a little of my Fat and Bloud be mingled with my faſting, and be received of thee, as the fat put upon the top of thy Altar to pardon every one that hath ſin'd, and that hath ſtriven and rebelled againſt thee. I beſeech thee for the ſake of thy Power, Soveraignty and Knowledge, bear good will unto me for thy Great Mercies, and look not upon my wickedneſs,
nor ſtop thine ears at my prayers; be nigh unto my calling, and to the calling of the men of my houſe. It is ſaid, Before we cry unto thee, thou wilt anſwer; before we ſpeak, thou wilt hear: It ſhall be that before they cry, I will anſwer; and before they ſpeak, I will hear. That thou, O Lord, wilt deliver, and anſwer, and be appeaſed in the hour of adverſity, and hear the Petition of every mouth. Bleſſed be thou Adonai: Lord hear our Prayer.
The Prayer uſed by the Jews after they have done faſting; tranſlated out of their Liturgy.
O Lord of the Worlds, I have afflicted my ſelf this day with faſting before thee. I have made known and manifeſt before the Seat of thy Honour, that in the time that the houſe of thy Sanctuary ſtood, the man that ſin'd brought before thee an Offering, and offer'd nothing but the fat and bloud, and was forgiven. And at preſent we have neither Sanctuary (that is, Temple) nor Altar for our many ſins, nor Prieſt to pardon.
Let it be thy will, Lord our God, and the God of our Fathers, that the little of my fat and bloud which is this day ſpent before thee, may be reckon'd with my fast, and accepted before the Seat of thy Honour, even as if I had done it upon the ſides of thy Altar; and receive me of thy great mercies.
CHAP. XXIII.
Of the Jewiſh Excommunication.
THe Mahumedans (as I have obſerved in another Diſcourſe) are not acquainted with Church-cenſures; the contriver of that Religion having left all ſorts of Delinquents to the Civil Sword. And though for greater Decorum and Solemnity, the Grand Segnor keeps his Muſti, whom he makes his Pope, and pretended Oracle in Religion; yet he has no power to chaſtize any by Spiritual Cenſures, be their Enormities never ſo hainous. And upon this account the Jews upbraid Mahumediſm with great deficiency, becauſe it has no power to terrifie Evil doers, to preſerve the broken from the whole, and to prevent and divert Gods Judgements; to bring Offenders to amendment, and to maintain the credit and power of their Religion. To all which ends the Jews manage and hold Excommunication neceſſary. Concerning which, this enſuing Chapter ſhall give the Reader a ſhort account of the cauſes of Excommunication, its kindes and form.
Some have thought that the Jews of old uſed Excommunications onely in caſe of Pollutions: of which they held chiefly theſe three
ſorts, viz. by Leproſie, touching of the Dead, and an Iſſue. And that to theſe three ſorts of Pollutions, were adapted as many kindes of Excommunication, namely, the Niddui, Herem, and Shammatha.
But beſides theſe three cauſes of Excommunication among the Primitive Jews, the Modern aſſigne twenty four more; for all, or any of which, they at preſent Excommunicate, that is, forbid thoſe of their Religion the free enjoyment of all Civil and Religious Society.
The cauſes of Excommunication among the Jews, are chiefly theſe.
1. He that doth Scandalize a Maſter, though he be dead.
2. He that doth revile a publique Miniſter of Juſtice.
3. He that calls a Free-man, a Slave or Servant.
4. He that doth not appear at the Conſiſtory upon the day prefixt.
5. He that doth undervalue a ſingle Precept, or one head of Doctrine, which is contained in the Preſcripts of the Scribes, or the Law.
6. He that doth not what he is appointed, ſtands Excommunicated till he doth it.
7. He that keeps in his Houſe what may do miſchief to another, as a biting Dog, or broken Scales, is Excommunicated until the fault
be corrected: that is, till the Dog be Hanged, and the Scales be mended.
8. He that ſells his Land to a Gentile, is Excommunicate, till the Damage be repaired that thereby ſhall accrew unto an Iſraelite.
9. He that in the Courts of the Gentiles ſhall be a Witneſs againſt an Hebrew, ſo that he ſhall be forced to pay Money contrary to the cuſtom of his Nation; ſhall be Excommunicate until he refund it.
10. The Prieſt that Sacrificing doth not give the Dues to the reſt of the Prieſts, is to ſtand Excommunicate until he doth.
11. He that ſhall do any Work in the forenoon of the day before the Paſſover.
12. He that ſhall careleſsly, or with an Oath, or in lofty and Hyperbolical terms pronounce the Name of God.
13. They that ſhall cauſe the Vulgar to profane the Name of God.
14. He that ſhall cauſe the Vulgar to eat holy things out of holy places.
15. He that doth reckon the Years, and prefix the Months out of the Holy Land. That is, ſhall otherwiſe obſerve the Months and Years than of old their Fathers appointed them in the Holy Land.
16. He that putteth a Stumbling-block before the Blinde, or cauſeth him to ſlip.
17. He that hindereth the Common people in keeping any Commandment.
18. The Prieſt that ſuffereth a torn Beaſt to be Sacrificed.
19. He that killeth a Beaſt for the Sacrifice, and doth not firſt try his Knife before a Maſter, Rabbi, or Wiſe man.
20. He that is moroſe and backward to Learn.
21. He that keeps company with the Wife whom he has Divorced.
22. The Wiſe man that is ill-reported, or of a bad fame.
23. He that doth undeſervedly Excommunicate another.
24. He that profaneth the Feſtivals.
Theſe were the old primarie Cauſes of Excommunication, moſt of which are now in preſent uſe with the Jews. Thoſe indeed relating to the Sacrifices, (becauſe they now have none) are quite out of uſe: As alſo that which reſpects their ſelling of Land or Houſe; for in Barbary they have none but what they hire.
The kindes, or rather the Degrees of Excommunication in antient uſe with the Jews, were the three above-named, whereof the Niddui is by ſome Chriſtian Authors reckoned the loweſt ſort; and by which they underſtand a Separation from, or a caſting out of the Synagogue; which uſually laſted 30 days; but might be of a ſhorter or longer continuance, as the Offended gave ſignes of Repentance. During the time of this Excommunication,
the party was not to come within four Cubits either of a man or Woman, nor to dreſs or trim himſelf as at other times: yet they ſay he was admitted to Inſtruction, to hear Divine Service, to hire others, & to let out himſelf to work; on condition of obſerving the four Cubits diſtance but now mentioned. But if the Conſiſtory pleaſed, upon the contumacie of the Excommunicate, they might retrench theſe Priviledges, and aggravate the Penance, even to the denial of his Son Circumciſion, and the Burial of his Dead. Alſo if himſelf died, he was denied all uſual Rites of Burial, and a great Stone laid upon his Grave, in token that he deſerved to have been Stoned to death.
The denouncing of this Excommunication was not always confined to the Court or Conſiſtory: (which at this day cannot conſiſt of fewer than three Maſters) for it was in the power of any private perſon to Excommunicate thoſe whom they found guilty of the thirteenth cauſe of Excommunication; and he that was herein negligent incurr'd the like penalty: But they were preſently abſolved, leſt it ſhould become a Snare and an offence unto others. And to reſtrain them to Sobriety herein, the Court had power to puniſh him, that did it raſhly. From theſe private Excommunications their Superiours, Rabbins, and chief Lawyers, were Exempt: for theſe had a priviledge to Excommunicate and Abſolve themſelves. The
form both of Extrajudicial and legal Excommunication, was one and the ſame, which is this: N. Let him be Excommunicate. And the Excommunicate upon Repentance, was abſolved in this form: N. Thou haſt Abſolution, or thy offence is forgiven thee. But at the time of Abſolution, the Court had power to correct the Treſpaſſer with Stripes.
The ſecond kinde of Excommunication was called Shammatha, the ſame with the Maran-Atha think the moſt. And it ſounds (ſaith Mr. Selden, according to the opinion of ſome) The Lord cometh. He would not have his Shammatha at all to differ from Niddui; which opinion he grounds upon ſome ſayings in the Talmudick Commentaries. But J. Druſius intimates otherwiſe, when he ſaith, the Jews were wont to Excommunicate per maledictionem, that was their Cherem, or Anathema; per Separationem, that was their Niddui; and by Maranatha, the ſame with Shammatha; and by others of that kinde. By this laſt intimation, I conceive, may be meant the Anathema Maranatha. Their Shammatha was a total Excluſion from the Church, a blotting them out of the Book of Life, and not permitting them the leaſt communion in things of publick Religion. And by the word Shammatha, they ſignifie the coming of the Lord, to take Vengeance upon thoſe who are thus Excommunicate. And it was never pronounced upon the offender,
till he became deſperately irreclaimable.
A third kind of Excommunication was the Cherem, which enforced the Niddui when the offender within 30 daies gave no ſignes of Amendment, nor ſought to be reconciled. A new form of Excommunication was now uſed, containing dreadful Execrations, Imprecations and Curſings of it.
As to the Maranatha, an old Spaniſh Author tells us, it got the ſignification of Anathema upon this occaſion: The Jews glorying of their Meſſias to come, commonly uſed the word Maran
▪ Our Lord: in oppoſition whereunto, the Chriſtians uſed to ſay Maran Atha; Our Lord or Meſſias is come already. Whereupon no ſmall ſtrife aroſe betwixt them. The Jews frequently out of contempt ſaying Maran, and contumeliouſly called the Chriſtians Maranites. On the contrary, the Chriſtians replied Maran Atha, affirming that their Lord was come already. And hence it grew that the Spaniards call thoſe Maranos, who being diſcended of Jewiſh Parents, and being Chriſtians, turn Apoſtates, and yet expect the coming of Meſſias.
But the Maranatha is certainly of far greater antiquity, than in this ſtory it can pretend to. For it was uſed in S. Paul's time, as 1 Cor. 16.22. doth cleerly teſtifie. Where an old Engliſh Tranſlation (cited by Mr. Selden) of an hundred twenty and five years ſtanding, renders Anathema Maranatha, Let him be had in Execration to death: Meaning (perhaps) that the Excommunicate ſhould die under this ſevere Cenſure. For Anathema being added to Maranatha, by a general agreement,
was the higheſt degree of Excommunication. There were indeed two ſorts of Cherem in the Old Teſtament: the one a Conſecration of things to Gods Service, by ſeparating them from Common and Ordinary uſe: Of which we read, Lev. 27.28. And as in the caſe of Hierio
••
, where pilfering or ſtealth of ſuch things as were devoted, was puniſhable by death. Joſ. 7. The other ſort of Cherem, was a devoting of perſons unto death. But the Cherem we now ſpeak of, was in our Saviours time a very fearful kinde of Excommunication among the Jews. In which, with Solemnity and Authority, and a heap of direful Execrations and Curſings, a man was turned out of the Synagogue. And this ſort of Excommunication was ſo dreadful, that for fear of it, many principal Jews who believed on Chriſt, durſt not confeſs him, S. John 9.22. & 12.42. and 16.2. Of the manifold uſe of this Cherem among the antient Jews, Mr. Selden has made ſo plentiful a Collection, that the Reader may there beſt be ſatisfied, De jure naturali & gentium, &c. lib. 4. c. 7, &c. That which upon this ſubject I have here to take further notice of, is the Antient Form of their General Cherem or Anathema, as it denotes the ſevereſt Cenſure of the Jewiſh Church. The Form I ſhall here inſert, is taken out of that Ritual, which they call Sepher Colbo, or Pandects; and which was uſed againſt all thoſe Iſraelites who wilfully and knowingly
tranſgreſſed any chapter of the Law Sacred or Introduced.
The Form of Cherem or Anathema.
BY the Decree of Cities, & Command of the Holy, we Anathematize, Adjure, Exterminate, Excommunicate, Curſe and Execrate, God being willing, & his Church, by the Book of this Law, by the 600 Precepts therein written, by the Anathema with which Joſua Anathematized Hiericho, by the Curſe wherewith Eliſha curſed the young men, by the Curſe wherewith Gehezi curſed his Boy, and by the Excommunication with which Barach Excommunicated Meroz, and by the Excommunication which Rab. Jehuda Son of Rabbi Jehezkiel uſed in this matter, and by all the Anathemata, Imprecations, Curſes, Excommunications and Exterminations which have been made from the time of our Maſter Moſes, and ſince, by the name of Acetheriel, Jah, the Lord of Hoſts▪ by the name of Michael the Great Prince, by the name of Mittatron, whoſe name is as the name of his Maſter; by the name of Sandalipon, who tieth the hands of his Lord; by the name of forty two Letters; by his name who appeared to Moſes in the Buſh; by the name with which Moſes divided the Sea; by the name I am what I am; by the Myſtery of the name Tetragrammaton; by the Scripture that
was written upon the Tables; by the name of the Lord of Armies, the God of Iſrael ſitting upon the Cherubin; by the name of the Sphears and Circles, and living Creatures, Saints and miniſtring Angels; by the name of all the Angels which wait upon the moſt High God: every Iſraelite, and every Iſraeliteſs, who willingly and knowingly violates any of thoſe which are now denounced to be obſerved, let him be Curſed of the God of Iſrael who ſitteth upon the Cherubin.
Let him be curſed by the bright and glorious name, which the High-Prieſt in the day of Expiations expreſſeth with his mouth. Let him be curſed by Heaven and Earth. Let him be curſed from God Almighty. Let him be curſed of Michael that Great Prince. Let him be curſed of Mittatron, whoſe name is as the name of his Maſter. Let him be curſed of Acetheriel, Jah, the Lord of Hoſts. Curſed be he of the Seraphin, and the Orbs, of the holy Animals and Angels, who wait before the moſt High God of Iſrael in holineſs and purity.
If he was born in the month Niſan, which the Angel
Ʋriel, as the Prince of the Claſſes under which it is, governeth▪ Let him be curſed of him, and of all his Order. And if he was born in the month Ijar, which the Angel Tzephaniel governeth, Let him be curſed of him and his whole Order. And if he was born in the month Sivan, &c.
(The like imprecation is made in the ſame words by the Angel of this month, and ſo forward by the Angel of every month.)
Let him be curſed of the ſeven Angels ſet over the ſeven Weeks, and of all their Order, and helping Power. Let him be curſed of the four Angels which govern the four Seaſons of the Year, and of their Order and helping Power. Let him be curſed of the ſeven Palaces. Let him be curſed of the Princes of the Law; by the Name of the Crown, and the Name of the Seal. Let him be curſed of the Great God, Strong and Bright. Let him receive confuſion from his Embraces. Let him fall with ſwift Ruine. Let the God, the God of Spirits, deſtroy him to all Fleſh. Let the God, the God of Spirits, put him under all Fleſh. Let God, the God of Spirits, lay him proſtrate to all Fleſh. Let God, the God of Spirits, cut him off from all Fleſh. Let the Wrath of the Lord and violent▪ Whirlwinde fall upon the Head of the Wicked. Let the deſtroying Angels run upon him. Let him be curſed in every thing he puts his Hand unto. Let his Soul depart in terrour. Let him die of the Quinſie. Let not his Breath come or go. Let him be ſmitten with a Feaver, Drineſs, the Sword, Rottenneſs, the Jaundiſe.
Neither let him be delivered from them before Deſtruction. Let his Sword enter his own heart, and let his Bows be broken. Let
him be as the duſt before the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord drive him away. Let his ways be darkneſſes and ſlipperineſs, and let the Angel of the Lord perſecute him. Let ſudden deſolation come upon him, and his net which he hath laid let it catch himſelf. They ſhall drive him from light to darkneſs, and exterminate him from the habitable World. Tribulation and anguiſh ſhall make him afraid, and his eyes ſhall ſee his deſtruction, and he ſhall drink the fury of the Lord. He ſhall cloth himſelf with curſing as with a garment. Let him eat the ſtrength of his ſkin. God ſhall ſcatter him for ever, and pull him out of his Tabernacle. The Lord will not reſt that he may be propitious to him, but the Wrath of the Lord, and his Zeal ſhall ſmoak againſt him, and upon him ſhall reſt all the Maledictions written in the Book of this Law, and the Lord ſhall blot out his name from under Heaven. Alſo the Lord ſhall ſeparate him to miſchief out of all the tribes of Iſrael, according to all the Curſes of the Covenant which are written in the Book of this Law. But you who adhere to the Lord your God, are all alive this day. He that bleſſed Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, and Moſes and Aaron, David and Solomon, and the Prophets of Iſrael, and thoſe who were pious among the Nations, let him bleſs all this Holy Congregation, with all Holy Congregations, except the man onely,
who hath violated this Anathema. God of his mercie keep them, make them ſafe, and deliver them from all evil, miſery, and affliction; and prolong their daies and years, and ſend his bleſſing and happie ſucceſs to every work of their hands, and avenge them quickly, with all other Iſraelites. And ſo let it be his will and decree. Amen.
CHAP. XXIV.
Concerning the preſent Judicature among the Jews.
COncerning the Eccleſiaſtical and Civil Conſiſtories among the preſent Jews, little of moment is now obſervable. And though the Synedrion of old related to Civil Matters, as the Synagogue to Eccleſiaſtical: Yet the affairs of Religion and the World now do both fall under the cognizance of one and the ſame Court. But that which is the ſubject of the preſent remark, is the manner of legal proceeding in the caſe of Meum and Tuum; which is plainly and compendiouſly thus: When any conteſt ariſeth among them concerning Debts, Bargains, Contracts, &c. a Juncto of Sabios, Chachams or Maſters, are appointed to hear and determine in the Cauſe. This Court of Chachams conſiſts of 11, 9, 7, 5.
and can never be of fewer than three. To theſe the party promovent makes his addreſs, in a ſhort and plain Allegation of the Caſe: which the Judges examine by Witneſſes; who muſt be perſons well reported of, and very ſober: For ſo much is required by their 212 Precept. In caſe of want of Witneſſes, the bare Oath of the party producent is ſufficient: if he be a man of known integrity and good fame. If the Creditor have any thing under the Debtor's hand, he has the priviledge of atteſting the truth thereof by his own Oath. But if he demands a debt for which he can produce no Writing, the Debtor has leave to ſwear the Negative. If the Witneſſes whoſe names are at the Bill be dead, and there be none to atteſt their Hands, the Bill is invalid, & caſt out of Court. That which much renowns their Judicial Procedures, is cheapneſs and expedition; the whole matter being tried and determined in a few hours. Yet if either party finde himſelf agrieved, he has the liberty of appealing to another Court, and may carry the Appeal as far as Hieruſalem: beyond which, there lies none. But though they may diſlike, yet they dare not revile the Sentence of any Court. For to ſpeak evil of any Miniſter of Juſtice, is ipſo facto Excommunication. And he incurs the like puniſhment, who ventures to appeal to a ſecond Court, before he has obtain'd leave from the firſt: which laies
ſo great a reſtraint upon Appeals, that few now happen, unleſs in ſome ſuch important Caſe, as Marriage and Divorce.
It is very obſervable, that the Jews have made very cautious Proviſion to conſerve the Eſteem and Reverence of their Maſters. Inſomuch that none in word or carriage can offer them the leaſt diſreſpect, but he is Excommunicate, and his Teſtimony render'd invalid. And if within three daies he make not his Peace with the offended Rabbi, the Excommunication is aggravated, and pronounced before witneſs in open Court by a Rabbi, who ſuperaddes thereunto a Solemn Malediction. If the Excommunicate flie to another Country, the Curſe follows him, and he is ſent before to beg pardon and be abſolved in the ſame place where the Crime was committed; or in caſe of contumacie, the Execration is aggravated. Sometimes the delinquent Jew frees himſelf from the whole Cenſure by turning Renegate.
The Maſters, of which the Court conſiſts, are choſen upon their Reputation for their Learnedneſs in the Law, and Integrity of their Manners: and for a clearer teſtimony of the former, they ſometime are tried by Diſputation. But beſides
Ʋnderſtanding and Good life, there is a competent Age required to make a Maſter. Who upon Election, is inveſted with Authority in this form:
Behold, Hands are laid upon thee, and Power is given thee to exerciſe Authority in things Criminal.
That which moſt tends to the Commendation of the Jewiſh Courts, are (as I ſaid) Brevity and Cheapneſs: For they uſe no Delatory Artifices, nor Covetous Exactions; but in a very ſmall time, and at a very eaſie rate, the Litigants know their Doom.
CHAP. XXV.
The manner of the Jews Alms, and of their making proviſion for the Poor.
THoſe who have obſerved that the Jews have no Beggers, ſeem not well informed of the manner of their Alms, and their way of providing for the Poor. Whom 'tis true we may not reckon among Beggers, as that word uſually implies a ſeeking Relief from houſe to houſe. For though among the Jews in Barbary there is great ſtore of needy perſons, yet they are ſupplied after a manner which much conceals (as to men of other Religions) their Poverty. For the Wealthier take care to provide for them, and very
much magnifie their Religion upon this very ſcore, that they live under its profeſſion in a more mutual Charity of Alms than either the Moore or Chriſtian; both which (with great inſulting) I have heard them upbraiding with their common Beggers.
And it cannot be denied, but that the Jews manner of Relieving their Poor is Regular and Commendable. For firſt they ſuffer them not to take Alms of any man who is of a different Religion from their own: and this inſpection of them and their wants, is conſigned to no meaner perſons than their chief Maſters, who once or oftener every Year (as occaſion requires) are very ſolemn in this Inſpection. In every Synagogue they have in ſtore ſeveral Copies of the Law, which they ſell for great ſums of Money: But the Buyers are not permitted to carrie theſe Copies out of the Synagogue, or any further to impropriate them to their own uſe, than that (if any of them fall into Neceſſity) they may be ſold again to relieve them. And therefore the Name of the Buyer is upon a Label annexed to the Copie of the Law, that they may know to whom it belongs, and for whoſe uſe it may be ſold, if any of the Buyer's Relations be reduced to Want. Inſomuch that the buying of one of theſe Copies of the Law, is a certain proviſion againſt Poverty, if it ſhall happen. But that which is here chiefly to be remarked,
is their raiſing of Maintenance for the Poor with the prizes of theſe Copies. And to make more ready Chapmen, the buying of them is accounted very Honourable, and Meritorious, & of no ſmall Intereſt to the Buyer's Familie.
Another way of raiſing Proviſions for the Poor, are the Legacies and Bequeathments of dying perſons: For the Jews have a Rule, that none die ſafely, who bequeath not ſome part of their Eſtates to the Corban of the Poor. Next they have their Contributions; and out of all theſe together they raiſe Portions, and make proviſions for Orphans and indigent Females, and the Neceſſitous in general. And to prevent all Sophiſtication and partiality herein, the poorer Females are provided for by Lot; and without reſpect of Circumſtances, thoſe on whom the Lot falls, are firſt placed in Marriage. They moreover permit the Poor upon every Friday and Holy-day-eve to receive private Alms, to honour (that is, to keep) the Sabbath and the Feſtival with. They have alſo their Kibbuz, or Letters of Collection, by which the Indigent has liberty to go from Synagogue to Synagogue, to receive the Benevolence of their Country-men. And theſe Kibbuz much reſemble our Briefs. In them the Poverty, Religion and Honeſty of the Bearers are certified, who are firſt to produce them to the Chief Maſter of the Synagogue; and he having given his approbation thereof, appoints
a day for the Collection, which is uſually made at the door of the Synagogue. By theſe Letters alſo the neceſſitous Father raiſeth Portions for his Daughters. When any poor Jew is upon a Journey, it is the cuſtom for him to repair for relief to thoſe of his own Religion, who are oblidgd to treat him civilly; but his company quickly becomes troubleſom, according to the old ſaying among them: The firſt day a Gueſt; the ſecond a Burden; the third day a Vagamond.
CHAP. XXVI.
Their Viſitation of the Sick; Teſtaments: Burial of the Dead, &c.
WHen a Jew falling ſick apprehends his Diſeaſe to be mortal, he ſends for a Sabio, or Maſter, and ſome of his more intimate Friends, with whoſe advice and aſſiſtance he ſets his houſe in order. The Rabbi firſt draws up an Envois of his Eſtate: then he takes account of his Debts, and making firſt proviſion for their payment out of the Eſtate, the reſt is diſpoſed of in Legacies and Alms. The object of the later, are Orphans, Widows, Synagogues, and the Holy houſe; for ſo they call the Temple, which they expect ſhall be rebuilt at the coming of their Meſſiah. And
therefore toward the ſtructure thereof, every dying Jew that is able, contributes ſomething. For they have erected a Treaſury to this purpoſe; which is managed by the Maſters, and carefully improved by them. The reſt of the Eſtate is divided among the Wives and Children: The Wives firſt taking out their Dowries doubled. If the Children of the dying perſon be very young, the Maſter is to be their Guardian; who with a ſignal care labours to improve their Fortunes. The Alms likewiſe are depoſite in the Rabbies hands, who out of them diſpoſeth of ſome Females every year in Marriage.
When the ſick man has ſet his houſe in order, and is under evident indications of Death, He makes confeſſion of his Faith, and in a ſhort Oraiſon is recommended to Mercie. And the breath is no ſooner out of his Noſtrils, but they prepare for his Funeral, which is always within the natural day of his Departure. And firſt the Corps is waſhed in clean water; or if he be rich, in water of Roſes, Orange-flowers, or any thing that is Aromatick. While the Corps is thus making clean, they pray that God would cleanſe the Soul from all the defilements that it had contracted in the body. This ceremony of waſhing being finiſhed, they put the Corps in a clean Shirt and Drawers, and then a Strip of linnen reſembling the Zizith; and after all, they ſow him in a
very white Sheet, and put him into a Coffin.
The relations of the Deceaſed, for ſeven daies after the Interment, ſtir not abroad; or if by ſome extraordinary occaſion they are forced to go out of doors, it is without Shoos; which is a token with them, that they have loſt a dear Friend. For the ſeven daies that they ſtay within, the Neighbours come to the houſe to pray with them; and their Mourning habit is either a black Ganiphe, or the ſame clothes they wore when the party died.
The Corps is born by four to the place of Burial, in this proceſſion: In the firſt rank march the Chachams or Prieſts, next to them the kindred of the Deceaſed, after whom come thoſe that are Invited to the Funeral; and all ſinging in a ſort of plain-ſong the 49th Pſalm. And if it laſt not till they come to the Grave, they begin it again. At the Grave, ten Rabbies, or ſo many old Jews in their room, ſay over ſome certain Pſalms, compoſed by the Rabbins for that purpoſe. And when they are ended, the Corps is laid in the Grave and covered with Earth; and the Rabbies compaſſing the Grave ſeven times, ſay, From the Earth thou cameſt, and to the Earth thou art returned. After this is done, they return from the Grave to the houſe of the Deceaſed, where one, who as chief Mourner receives them, with his Jaws tied up with a linnen Cloth, after the ſame
manner that they binde up the Dead. And by this the Mourner is ſaid to teſtifie that he was ready to die with his Friend. And thus muffled the Mourner goes for ſeven daies; during which time the reſt of his Friends come twice every twenty four hours to pray with him. At the end of theſe ſeven daies, the Friends of the Deceaſed repair to his Grave, which they cover with a black Cloth, and ſay this Prayer, Vide Syracides 22.23.
Judge of the Truth, who Judgeſt truly, be Judge of the Truth; for all thy Judgements are Juſtice and Truth.
And then the Kindred of the Dead wiſh one another good health and Comfort. And the ſame Ceremonie is repeated preciſely that day twelvemonth; till which time the Obſequies are incompleat.
If the Friends of the Deceaſed be devout, they often every Week repair to his Grave, where they make great Lamentation and bitter Weeping over him; they pray at the ſame time, That God would pardon his Sins, and receive him into the Garden. Meaning the Garden out of which Adam was caſt, when he became diſobedient.
In the Funeral-Rites of the Jews, the ſame order is obſerved for both Sexes: only with this Decorum, that the Women meddle not with
the Men, nor the Men with the Women: but each Waſh and Shrowd thoſe of their own Sex. They never bury their Dead promiſcuouſly with thoſe of another Faith; but have purchaſed diſtinct Burying-places where they reſide, which they very much reſpect, and to which they often reſort, both in contemplation of their own Mortality, and to lament and pray for thoſe who are dead already.
It may not be unfit to obſerve, that though the Modern Ceremonies of Burial are neither ſo numerous nor coſtly as thoſe of old among the Jews; yet they do not much varie from them: For the waſhing of the Body was in uſe at the time of Tabitha's death; and the Chief Mourner, ſpoken of before, as alſo the Weekly Lamenting of the Dead, refers to the Women hired to lament at Burials: And which the Scripture calls Mourning-Women, Jerem. 9.17. the ſame with the Praeficae among the Romans. They likewiſe agree in the places of Burial, which are now as formerly without the Towns or Cities where they live, except that in Fez they have a Burying-place within the City, adjoyning to the Juderia, or the part where they live; as was ſaid in the entrance of this Diſcourſe. Enquiring after Inſcriptions or Epitaphs, and though often in the Burying-place for that end, I could ſee none, nor any other State about the Graves than Green Turf and Boughs. But this remark reſpects the
Jews in Barbary, whom I conceive to come far ſhort of thoſe of other Countries, in this ſort of Funeral Pomp. But we are told that they were not without Inſcriptions upon their Sepulchers, as Hic jacet N. Memoria ejus ſit in Benedictione. Though this I confeſs be now uſed, rather as an honourable Commemoration, when any Author of worth being dead, is cited by the Maſters, than as a common Epitaph. But when they uſe Sepulchral Inſcriptions, they are uſually a Prayer for the Dead, ſuch as, Let his Soul be received into the Garden of Eden. Or, Let his Soul be bound in the bundle of Life with the reſt of the Juſt.
The Confeſſion of Sins made by the Sick upon his Death-bed.
I Acknowledge and confeſs before thee, O Lord my God, and the God of my Fathers, the Mighty God of the Spirits of all fleſh, that both my Health and Death are in thy hands. Reſtore me I beſeech thee to my former health; be mindful of me, and hear my Prayers, as in the time of King Ezechias, when he alſo was grievouſly ſick: But if the time of my Viſitation be come that I must die, let my death be an Expiation for all my ſins, iniquities, and tranſgreſſions; whether I have committed them ignorantly, or knowingly, from the day that I first drew in the light. Grant I beſeech thee,
that I may have my Portion in Paradiſe, and the future World appointed for the Just. Make known unto me the ways of Eternal Life; ſatisfie me with the joy of thy glorious Countenance at thy right hand for ever. Bleſſed art thou, O Lord God, who hearest Prayers.
This Confeſſion is uſually made by the ſick perſon in the preſence of ten more invited thither for that purpoſe.
After this Confeſſion, follows the Abſolution, which is pronounced by ſome chief Rabbi; wherein the ſick perſon is abſolved from all the Execrations and Curſes which are fallen or may fall upon the ſick and his Family. Here are alſo read the 20, 38, and 91 Pſalms: then follows this Prayer, utter'd by the Rabbi.
Let God be merciful unto N. and reſtore him to life and former health, and let his name be hereafter called B. Let him rejoyce in this name, and let it be confirmed in him. Let it be thy good pleaſure, O God, that the change of his name may help to aboliſh all hard and evil decrees, and to tear in pieces the Sentence that is brought against him. If death be decreed upon the former name N. it is not decreed upon the later name B. If evil be deſigned againſt N. it is not ſo againſt the name B. Behold, at this hour he is as it were another man, as a new Creature, as a new-born Babe; bring him to a good life, and length of daies, &c.
In dangerous Diſeaſes, they change the Name of the ſick, and impoſe a new one (as the Prayer ſhows) on purpoſe thereby to move God to have compaſſion upon the ſick, on the account that he deſires to become a New man.
Another Prayer uſed at the Grave.
BLeſſed be God, who hath formed, created, fed, brought up, preſerved, and doth kill us all in Juſtice and Judgement; who knows the number of you all, and will reſtore you all to life in his good time. Bleſſed be God, who kills and makes alive. Amen.
In ſome places, the Jews are ſaid, upon the Departure of a Friend, firſt of all to caſt all the Water out of the houſe; and then preſently to cover his Face, without permitting any one to look upon him. They likewiſe bow down the dead man's Thumb into the hollow of the Hand, and by that incurvation they fancie to expreſs the Holy Name of God; which is an Amulet againſt Satan. But all the reſt of the Fingers of the Dead are ſtretched out at length, to ſhew that they have utterly forſaken the things of the World, and hold nothing of its Goods.
Returning from the Grave, they pluck up Graſs and caſt it behinde their backs, to ſignifie
their hope of the Reſurrection of the Dead, Who ſhall flouriſh again as the Graſs, according to Eſ. 66.14. The Mourners uſe to eat Eggs, out of no leſs Emblem, than that Death is voluble like an Egg, and to day takes one, and another to morrow, and ſo will come round upon all. The Children yearly Faſt upon the day their Parents died, and for the eleven Mouths ſay the Prayer for deliverance out of Purgatory. Where the Children out of a Reverend eſteem of their Father's Piety, ſuppoſe that he ſtays but eleven months, though all the other Jews tarry twelve there. As we have ſaid in our Chapter of Purgatory.
They are very wary that none of the Earth taken out of the Grave remain uncaſt upon the Corps; for they imagine this were to upbraid the Dead, as if the Earth ſhould diſdain to cover him. There are many other minute Ceremonies relating to the Jewiſh Interment, omitted chiefly upon the account of their ſmall importance.
THE CONCLUSION:
Wherein is conſidered The preſent OBSTRUCTIONS OF THE JEWS CONVERSION.
HAving (through the Divine aſſiſtance) finiſhed this Succinct Account of the preſent State of the Jews, I deem'd it would not be unwelcome to the Reader, by way of Epilogue to recollect ſome of the viſible Impediments of their Converſion. Of which, ſome reſpect the Jewiſh Nation in general, and others relate to the Jews of a particular Reſidence.
Among the fatal Impediments reſpecting the Jews Converſion in general, their own ingrafted Perverſneſs, and obſtinate adherence to the Doctrines of their Fore-Fathers, may be reckoned for the chief; and indeed, the root of all the reſt. As to the former, the Jews are Notorious therein above all other people; though the latter be a thing common to the Hebrew with other Nations. For not onely
Cotta in Cicero, but moſt men of any parts or Education, have thought themſelves under no ſmall obligation to keep cloſe to the Traditions of their Fathers; although no rational Evidence could be produced for the matter of the Tradition.
Ʋnum mihi ſatis eſt Majores noſtros ita Tradidiſſe (which was Cotta's) is the ultimate Reſolution of the Jews Religion. And not to ſpeak of the obſtinacie of Education in this particular, we finde even the renowned Propagators of Chriſtianity complaining of a Prioribus Credere, as the moſt knotty and ſtubborn objection they met with. And when the Jews (ſuch I mean as are conſiderate and ingenious) do freely acknowledge the Religion of Chriſtians to be very conformable to the Law of Nature, which they account the Principal; yet leſt they ſhould ſeem to think themſelves Wiſer than their Anceſtors, and ſo incur the imputation of being Proud, or upon the change of their Faith to be branded for Inconſtancy; they reſolutely retain the Religion in which their Forefathers lived and died, and thought themſelves happy and ſecure. And this is ſpoken not upon Truſt, but Experience: For upon a fair occaſion preſſing a Spaniſh Jew with the evident danger he was in, if after means of Conviction he ſhould obſtinately die in his Judaiſm; he made no other Reply, but that he deſired to be in no better State, nor to be accounted
wiſer than the Sabies or Wiſe men of his Nation. And that if he was Damn'd, ſo would Rabbi Ben Maimon, Rabbi Salomon Jarchi (and ſo run over a large Catalogue of their Rabbins) placing great conſolation to have ſuch good company in Perdition.
But beſide all this, they eſteem it ſo ſcandalous a thing for any man to forſake his Native Religion, that even thoſe who turn Jews are ſtill under a very jealous aſpect, according to their own old Proverb: Beware of Proſelytes to the tenth Generation. Which is alſo the Genius of the Moors: for albeit that with a ſeeming Triumph they receive a Renegado for a Muſulman; yet they never repoſe in him any conſiderable Truſt, nor look upon him as a perſon of any worth or Gallantry.
As to the
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
, which ſome reckon among the Internal Obſtacles of the Jews Converſion, if thereby be meant their ignorance, either in their own Rites, or in evading the Arguments brought againſt them; thoſe that ſhall practiſe them herein, will finde they have arrived to no contemptible knowledge in both; there being no Rite of their Religion whereof they have not been taught (according to their Principles) a probable Rationale; nor any objection brought by Chriſtians againſt the preſent Judaiſm, for which they are not furniſhed with an Evaſion. For the Jewiſh Maſters take an eſpecial care, and uſe an utmoſt diligence, to
ſee the Youth be ſo profoundly inſtructed in the Elements of their Religion, that it may be no eaſie task to efface the Characters of their firſt Catechiſm, or to pull down the Fortreſs of Education. And above all, it is in this point highly conſiderable, that the common ſort of Jews are bound to acquieſce in the Judgement of their Rabbins, to whom they make their laſt appeal, when preſſed with Arguments too difficult for their own Solution. Of which I could produce a numerous Citation; but I ſhall content my ſelf with the ſingle inſtance of one Jacob Iſrael Belgara, who from Hag. 2.7. being clearly confuted that the time of Meſſias's Advent was already paſt, eluded the whole Argument, by referring himſelf to the Sentiments of their Maſters.
The next thing which may be reckon'd among the grand impediments of the Jews Converſion, are the Chriſtians uncharitable Diſſentions and Diviſions, which they ſuppoſe proceedeth from a want of the
Ʋnity of Truth in the Foundation: And which they can no way make agreeable to that mutual peace and affection foretold to flouriſh among the Profeſſors of the true Meſſias, and to be the ſignals of his Kingdom, Iſaiah 11.6, 7, &c. This I alwaies found a ſtring continually harp'd upon by the Jews; & one ſcoffingly told me, that if he ſhould turn Chriſtian, he knew not what Sect to be of: reflecting upon the manifold diviſions
that are wofully hapned under the general denomination of Chriſtian. In the body, a wound is worſe than corruption; the former being a Solution of Continuity, the later but a diſorder of ſome Humour. In Chriſtians, evil manners are wholly contradictions of the Purity of their Religion, but Schiſm brings its Truth into queſtion; and is of that wretched conſequence, that it keeps thoſe out that are without, and drives thoſe out that are within. For our ſpeaking with different tongues, will make the Atheiſt, as well as Infidel, ſay that we are mad.
But were the ſcandal of our Diviſions removed, yet the Naughtineſs of our lives would become a new hinderance of the Jews converſion; who are very greatly ſcandalized with the open, and even profeſſed, tranſgreſſion of the third Commandment, ſo apparent in thoſe Blaſphemies which helliſh mouthes dart up againſt God, and thoſe horrid Oaths which are become, with ſome, meer Interjections of Speech, and with others, Phraſes of Gallantry. And that thoſe ſins which the Jews ſeverely puniſh, ſhould become the Chriſtians Phyſick and Recreations: and that we ſhould live in ſo palpable a contradiction to our Vow and Promiſe of a cleer contrary Carriage. And it was this Licentiouſneſs of Converſation that made a leud Jew (in Spain turn'd to Popery) magnifie the happineſs of his change, becauſe
he had light on a Religion, wherein at once he could enjoy Both his Beads and his Whore. Reflecting upon that old Spaniſh Proverb, Las quentas en la Máno, y el Diáblo en el Capillo: Good words, and wicked works.
And if this obſtacle were alſo taken away, and Chriſtians would take care to be as regular as their Religion doth oblige them; yet there wants proper means for the Jews Converſion, as being vouchſafed neither competent converſation, nor Books for that purpoſe. As to the firſt, none I think will deny it highly requiſite in this affair, unleſs ſuch as would make the Goſpel (like weapon-Salve) to work at a diſtance. Now we know that in our own Nation there is no ſuch competent familiarity or civil Society held with the Jews, as in any degree of probability may in ordinary courſe be ſufficient for their Converſion. For ſince their Expulſion out of England by King Edward the Firſt, about the year 1290, the greateſt converſation with them has been managed by Tradeſmen upon the account of Trafick, and ſecular purpoſes: as is evident at this day. And we have been ſo far from endeavouring their converſion to Chriſtianity, that that which might greatly have encouraged it, is quite taken away. I mean, the Houſe of Converts erected by our Henry the Third, (which he piouſly indowed for the maintenance of poor Jews converted to Chriſtianity,
where every one during their lives was allowed two pence a day) and appointed by Edward the Third for Records to be kept therein, now called the Rowles.
Nor hath it fared any better with the Jews in other Nations than in our own: for ſince from France they were baniſhed by Philippus Pulcher, Anno 1307: From Spain by Ferdinand, Anno 1492: From Portugal by Emanuel, Anno 1497: Out of the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily by Charles the Fifth, Anno 1539. they have in theſe Kingdoms been ſo far from any enjoyment of that Society requiſite to make them converts, that they dare not ſet a foot within their Borders without running very great adventures: as is known to all, acquainted with the Regiment of thoſe Countries. 'Tis true, in the Juriſdiction of Avignon, (the Popes State) the Jews are admitted: And they are very numerous in Rome, Venice, Legorn, &c. (not to ſpeak of their Toleration in Germany, Bohemia, Polonia, Lituania, Ruſſia,) yet they are ſo little invited to Chriſtianity, that they meet with no ſmall motives to the contrary. For in the Papal Dominions no Jew can be admitted to Baptiſm till he has renounced the World; that is, till he confeſs all the Eſtate gotten in Judaiſm was ill gotten, and that he doth and ought to renounce it, and leave it to the Church. And it is but cold comfort to a Jew, ſo notoriouſly
devoted to the world, to take a final farewel of his beloved Mammon, and to deveſt himſelf and Family of all maintenance, at his initiation into Chriſtianity; without any convenient proviſion for his future ſubſiſtence, unleſs he will betake himſelf to a Cloyſter; a kinde of life very unpleaſing to the Jews, as contrary to the deſigne of Nature, which intended man for Society, and each to be helpful to other in civil duties. Beſides that Monkery is a trade which they never finde commended or injoyn'd by God; never practiſed or counſelled by their renowned Anceſtors, who received continual inſtruction and inſpiration from above; which none of their Patriarchs or Prophets have given Example of; only in three or four thouſand years, Elias and ſome one or other have been found upon very extraordinary cauſe to have taken alſo an extraordinary courſe of life, though of other nature, and to other purpoſe, then the Votaries of the Roman Church. 'Tis true, the Pope has power to diſpenſe in this particular, and to grant the Jew Baptiſm without confiſcation of his Eſtate; yet this is ſo ſeldom and uncertain, that few Jews are found ſo hardy as to trie the Experiment.
In the next place, as to Books tending to further the Jews converſion, it muſt be granted that there is no ſmall impediment ariſing from this particular. For notwithſtanding
that many learned Treatiſes have been compiled upon this Theme; yet they have either been pen'd in Languages unknown to moſt of this antient people, or in a Method exceeding the generality of their capacities, or, no means have been uſed to bring ſuch Books to their peruſal. And what is herein not the leaſt conſiderable, Tracts againſt Judaiſm, or rather for Chriſtianity, have been compoſed by Bookiſh and Retired perſons, who undertook the confutation of ſuch Jewiſh Tenets, as the courſe of their Studies beſt inabled them to encounter. And others have ſpent much oyl and time in demoliſhing a fortreſs which moſt of the Modern Jews never undertook to defend. An inſtance whereof, I found in a learned Diſcourſe concerning Chriſt's Reſurrection, in which the Author excellently confuting that Calumny of the Diſciples ſtealing away their Maſter while the Guard ſlept: The Jews, with whom I diſcourſed this Article, profeſſed a deep ſilence therein, and that they medled no further with our Meſſias, than to bring him to the Croſs; not being at all concern'd for what hapned afterward. So that all the Arguments brought to vindicate Chriſts Reſurrection from the Jews belying the Diſciples in conveying away ſecretly the Body of their Bleſſed Maſter, was anſwered by denying the ſuppoſition.
Several Volumes (as I have ſeen) are written both in Spaniſh and Portuguez upon the
ſame ſubject; but ſo far from any likelihood to confute the obſtinacie of the Jews, that there is a greater probability they may add to its confirmation. For the Books (I ſpeak of) are ſtuffed with ſuch ridiculous and irrational Miracles, that in reading of them the Jews take no ſmall contentment, as being ſo ſubſervient to their purpoſes of ſpeaking evil of the Chriſtian Faith, which they hope cannot long ſtand, while they imagine it is ſupported by ſuch frail and chimerical buttreſſes. And beſides all this, the Jews have ever been as diligent to detect, as the Fryars to contrive their fictitious Miracles. And what is herein truely deplorable, Chriſtianity has the hard fate to be weighed in theſe Scales, and all its Sacred Truths to be rejected for a few Monkiſh trumperies. For I have heard ſome maligning Jews urging the brainleſs conceits of the Spaniſh Fryars (who of all others ſeem herein the moſt Hypocondricaal) for the principles of Chriſtianity; which they are the more ready to believe, as finding it advantageous to their deſigne; and that the Books wherein they occur are of no ſurreptitious Edition, but Permiſſu Superiorum, and allowed of by that Church, which calls her ſelf the Catholick.
What I now ſpeak of, reſpects the Obſtacles of the converſion of thoſe Jews who converſe with the Romaniſts, and live even in Rome it ſelf: Where more Monks turn Jews, than Jews
Monks; as all Ages have obſerved. And indeed, through all the Papal Countries there is but little probability to make the Jews have any good will for Chriſtianity, if we conſider the manifold offences apparently ariſing from the whole Oeconomy of their Publick Worſhip and Doctrine, of which I ſhall for brevity ſake give inſtances onely in the Vows and Prayers made to Saints and Angels, which the Jews in all Ages have eſteem'd a duty peculiar unto God. And they obſerve too, that more Devotions are made to the Virgin, whom all Chriſtians acknowledge to be but a Creature, than to Chriſt, who by all Orthodox Chriſtians is believed to be God. But that which of all other yields greateſt matter of Scandal to the Jews, is the worſhiping of Images, for which both the Hebrew and Mahumedan lay Idolatrie to their charge; from which nought is left to defend, them but an unintelligible diſtinction of
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
and
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
, and of a final and Inſtrumental intention in Worſhip. At which the Jew has no ſmall occaſion to be Scandalized, when they conſider that yet the Sun never roſe upon a Nation that was ſo blockiſh, as to make a Stock or a Stone the Final Object of their Worſhip; but looked upon their Simulachra as the repreſentations of ſome abſent Divinity, or things wherein the Divine Power did ſometimes inhabit, and by his vertue work Miracles, even as the Papiſts opine the B. Lady in infinite
places of Chriſtendom, doth in her Images. And whatever apprehenſions and diſtinctions theſe venturous Votaries of the Roman Church may be furniſhed with, to ſave them from Idolatry, when they fall down before their Images; yet ſeeing they uſe therein all the circumſtances appointed and fitting to wait upon the immediate Addreſſes which are made unto God, the Jews can perceive nothing viſibly fit to vindicate the Service from being thought Idolatrous. For, as to the mental affection, ſo much ſpoken of, it lies altogether hid to the Beholder, and no leſs perhaps to the blunt and undiſtinguiſhing Wits of the Vulgar, who therein are concern'd. It would be a matter of no great difficulty to enlarge the inſtance to many particulars of the Roman Doctrine, whereat the Jews (in no mean degree) are daily Scandalized, as may be exemplified in their Tranſubſtantiation, where the Jews are told Meſſias to be comprehended under the appearances of a Wafer; which is a thing to them ſo egregiouſly offenſive, that they ſpit at its mentioning. Thoſe that have met with the Roman Catechiſm, obſerve the ſecond Commandment to be wanting, and the tenth to be cloven into two, to keep up the Decalogue. Now all theſe things, and many more, are of ſo much the greater Scandal and indignity, as being believed by the Jews to be the Univerſal Tenets of Chriſtians; and that Chriſts (pretended)
Vicar doth herein follow the Footſteps of his Maſter.
Diſcourſing once with an Italian Jew concerning the Conditions of Rome, (where he had long dwelt) he began with great aſſurance to tell me, That at Rome great wonders were to be ſeen, as, a Man that could make his God, make and unmake Sins at his pleaſure: and ſo run inveighing againſt the filthy and unhallowed Converſations of the principal Roman Clergy; cloſing up his Diſcourſe with a deep proteſtation, That if he were a Chriſtian, the vices and Doctrines of Italy would ſtrongly tempt him to diſown that Name.
And what in the laſt place is not the leaſt conſiderable, even at thoſe Sermons in Italy, to which the Jews are bound to reſort, little or nothing is to be heard directly tending to the ſubverſion of thoſe points, wherein they place their ſtrongeſt Sanctuary: But obiter, and by the by, the Preacher Sallies out into a numerous invective againſt their obſtinate infidelity, without laying down ſuch plain Arguments as may rationally move them to forſake it. And if herein there were no fault, yet as long as the Jews (coming to the Chriſtian Sermons) ſhall ſee the Preacher begin his Diſcourſe with an Ave Maria, (which is a general cuſtom with the Papiſts) and frequently to direct his Speech and Prayer to the B. Virgin, and the little (Wooden) Crucifix which
ſtands on the Pulpit by him; to call that Image his Lord and Saviour, to Kneel down to it, to Embrace and Kiſs it, to Weep over it, and after all perhaps to caſt it to the Ground, (to let the people ſee they meant not there to terminate their Worſhip) the very ſight hereof doth as much induce the Jews to hate Chriſtianity, as any reaſon can be alledged to perſwade them to love and Embrace it.
Theſe are the Terms, in which the Jews (with whom I have converſed) do ſtand, who above all that has been ſaid, derive the greateſt obſtruction of their Converſion from their own obſtinacy; being not more ſcandalized, than ſtifneckt; nor leſs untractable within, than offended without: And as proud of their opinions, as they are deſpiſed for them. Glorying in their Anceſtors and Founders; in Gods Temple, and Oracles, peculiar promiſes, and Prerogatives, long continuance in Honour and Proſperity; and indefatigable in their Expectation of being Triumphantly recollected, and Victoriouſly to Reign over the Edomites, when the promiſe of their Meſſias ſhall be perform'd, which has (as they ſay) ſo long beyond the appointed time been protracted, by reaſon of their own
Ʋnworthineſs.
A SUMMARY DISCOURSE Concerning the Jewiſh TALMUD, MISNA & GEMARA.
HAving in the former part of the Antecedent Diſcourſe obſerved, That there are no Jews to be met with who adhere to the Old Bible without Talmud-Traditions; I thought it would be diſagreeable neither to the Reader, nor the Subject, to give a ſuccinct account of the Talmud, Miſna, and Gemara, in order to facilitate the meaning of the Traditions above-mentioned.
And waving all Critical reſerches into the word Talmud (which makes ſo great a Noiſe in the World) it may ſuffice to obſerve, that by a ſort of Metonymy, it ſignifies the Book containing the main Doctrines of the Jews, which by way of Eminence is called the Talmud or Doctrinal. So that the word Talmud may as well be uſed for a Syſtem of Chriſtian, as Jewiſh Doctrines, for any thing therein to the contrary.
The two Talmuds (of which hereafter)
are according to Mr. Selden, the Pandects of the Jews Sacred and Civil Laws; and they are generally received of the preſent Hebrews for the Great Body of their Learning, and Standard by which the whole Iſraelitick Nation is to regulate both their Converſation and Doctrine. And there needs no other Teſtimonie of their great eſteem hereof, than the RR's frequent uſing it in the proof and Confirmation of their Tenets. For it is very obſervable, that the Talmud is oftener brought in Vindication of their Religion, than Moſes, the Prophets, and Holy Writings: Inſomuch that they make it, and not the Old Bible, the Touchſtone of their Doctrine, and that into which they reſolve the Deciſion of all their Caſes. Nor are they herein greatly blameable, ſeeing they eſteem the Talmud of equal Authority with the Canonical Scriptures, and no more inferiour thereunto, than a Law given by word of mouth is to one in Writing. For the Jews hold there is a twofold Law, which they are bound to obſerve: the one written, which is contained in the five Books of Moſes; the other Oral, which they call the Miſna, or Traditional Law which God gave to Moſes at the ſame time he did the other; but did not commit it to Writing, but left it to be preſerved and propagated Orally.
Some of the Maſters gifted with a wonderful Sagacity, with great aſſurance maintain
that Moſes, during his abode in the Mount, could not diſcern the time of Night from the Day, but by the delivery of theſe two Laws: That when God gave the Written Law, he knew it was Day; and that it was Night when he gave the Oral. And R. Elieſar (as a late Author writes) affirms that Moſes read the Scripture by Day, and the Miſna by Night. But this will ſcarce ſound congruouſly, if it be conſidered that the Miſna was not written, and therefore could not be Read, till ſome thouſand years after Moſes received it in the Mount.
And as to the reaſon why God would not ſuffer it to be written, it was the profound Myſteriouſneſs of its Nature (ſay the Maſters) which to have communicated by writing to the Vulgar People, would have been no better than to give Holy things unto Dogs, and to caſt Pearls before Swine.
Others are of opinion, that God foreſeeing how the Nations would Tranſcribe the Books of the Law, Prophets, and Holy Writings, and pervert them to Heretical and Impious Doctrines; leſt they ſhould to the like to the Miſna or the Second Law (for ſo
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
ſignifies) he would not ſuffer it to be committed to Letters.
And here it may be pardonable to take notice of two things; firſt, that by the Holy Writings, which the Jews call Cetaphim, they underſtand
the Books of Daniel, Pſalms, Proverbs, Job, Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Eccleſiaſtes, Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles; and that they were Compiled or Collected by Eſdras, and the Seniors of the Synagogue, after the Jews returned from Babylon. Next, that the Jews were of old ſo cautious of preſerving their Law ſecret to themſelves, that they would not ſuffer it to be Tranſlated into any other Language out of their own. Inſomuch that in the daies of Ptolemy when the Penteteuch was put in Greek by the Jews of Alexandria, they ſay that as if God had been therewith diſpleaſed, there happened three daies of darkneſs over the whole Earth. And to teſtifie their own abhorrence of ſo execrable a fact, the Jews appointed a ſolemn Faſt to be kept upon the eighth of Tebeth, as the immortal Joſeph Scaliger hath obſerved. But to return.
That Moſes in the Mount did receive from God not onely the Written Law, but alſo a ſecret Explanation thereof, ſeems to have been the opinion of Origen (of the third) and Hillary (of the fourth Age.) And this Explanation is ſuppoſed to have been none other but the Miſna, or the Oral and Second Law we now ſpeak of, which was preſerved as the Cabala of the Creation, and of the things happening before the Flood, by Tradition from minde to minde (to uſe Mirandula) without Letters,
by word of mouth. For Moſes thus delivered it to Aaron; and he to his Sons; they to Joſhua; Joſhua to the Elders; the Elders to the Prophets; the Prophets to the Great Synagogue; and ſo it was drawn down by the Rabbins of ſucceſſive Ages, of whom the Famous Ramban has given an account.
And in this ſtate the Miſna continued till many years after the Nativity of our Bleſſed Saviour; even till Rabbi Jehuda (who for his Piety was called the Saint, and for his ſingular love to his Nation, and knowledge in their Law, the Prince) perceiving that this Oral Tradition grew difficult, and that thereby the Miſna was in no ſmall hazard to be utterly loſt or grievouſly corrupted, by reaſon of the extreme diſperſion of his Nation, collected all the Notes (taken by the Jews to aſſiſt their Memories) which contain'd any thing of the Miſna, and digeſted them into one Volume, which he called the Sepher Miſnaioth, or the Book of Traditions. And this was no ſooner compiled, than it gain'd ſuch credit with the Hebrews, as to be publickly taught in their Colledges, and to be made the Catechiſm of their Youth; as in another Diſcourſe I have obſerved. The time when this Syntagm was finiſhed by Rabbi Jehuda is not certain; but moſt conjecture it was about an hundred and twenty years after the Deſtruction of the Temple, and near upon the 190th year of the Crucifixion.
About an hundred and eighty years after that Rabbi Jehuda had thus compoſed the Miſna, one R. Jochanan (who for many years had been the Head of a Colledge in Paleſtine) added to the Miſna of Jehuda, his Gemara; which together with the Miſna made up the Hieruſalem-Talmud, or the Doctrinal of the Jews who dwelt in the Citie and Judea. But this was looked upon as not ſufficient for all the Conſtitutions and Deciſions of the Hebrews (in Captivity and Diſperſion) eſpecially after they were paſſed from under the Roman to the Perſick Empire. And therefore one Rabbi Aſhi, or Aſe, compoſed a Second Gemara, about an hundred years after the Firſt; which being effected by him when he lived in Babylon, and for the uſe of the Jews there, it with the Miſna was called the Babylonian Talmud. And notwithſtanding that the Talmud of Hieruſalem is confeſſed by the Jews to have fewer Myſterious (that is Fabulous) Stories than the Talmud of Babylon; yet this later hath obtain'd publick Honour and Belief among them: and at this day is univerſally received as the Authentick Body of their Law. In this Compilement the Miſna is as the Text, and the Gemara as the Comment; in which the different Opinions of the Ancient Maſters are reported and diſcuſs'd, and a final and abſolute Deciſion thereunto annexed.
And thus we have ſeen (in brief) the Original
of the Talmud, which by way of eminence is often ſtiled the Law; and indifferently uſed for the Miſna or the Secundary Law, which contains the Traditions of Moſes; and the Gemara, containing the Diſputations and Deciſions that have been made upon thoſe Traditions; though properly ſpeaking, theſe two are conſtituent parts of the Talmud. In which many paſſages are inſerted, which if taken literally, the Jews confeſs, would look like the moſt idle and Romantick Tales that ever filled a Legend. And therefore they aſſigne them a ſecret and reſerved interpretation, which, ſay they, fall not under the comprehenſion of Vulgar and Ordinary Capacities.
But after all this, it muſt be granted, that ſome Chriſtian Writers underſtand the Talmud to be nothing elſe but a Syſtem of the
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
or Traditions of the Jewiſh Fathers; which if granted, can at moſt reſpect but one part thereof, namely the Miſna. It is true, that theſe
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
were highly valued by the Phariſaical Jews, and as meanly looked upon by the Sadduces; who pleaded as eagerly for their Non-obſervance, as the other did to the contrarie. And the fierce and impetuous contention which hapned about theſe Traditions in the School of Antigonus Sochaeus, gave name and birth to the Phariſees and Sadduces, the firſt factious Sectaries notorious among the Jews. Joſephus ſpeaks much of their Emulation
and Strife; and how the Sadduces were abetted by the Wealthy, and the Phariſees by the Multitude: And that in the end the later ſo prevailed with the Populacie as to have the
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
to be taught for Doctrine, and to be made an Authentick Inſtitution of their Schools. Of which numerous are ſaid to have been erected purpoſely to advance the Phariſaical Diſcipline.
Yet it muſt here be remarked, that the teaching of theſe Traditions did not totally exclude, though greatly diminiſh the inſtruction of the written Law. For in every Colledge of the Univerſity of Hieruſalem, there were two Schools, the one called the Bibliotheca, becauſe therein they uſed Books, and taught the Scriptural Law; the other was called the Miſna, or Beth Talmud, or Houſe of Doctrine, by reaſon of the Traditions that therein were inſtilled. Both theſe Schools flouriſhed till they were laid deſolate by Titus; whoſe deſolation occaſioned (in great part) the writing of the Sepher Miſnaioth by R. Juda, who is ſaid to have lived under the three Antonines; Pius, Marcus, and Commodus.
But what in this affair is not the leaſt obſervable, there is no expreſs notice taken of the Talmud, by thoſe Fathers who lived in the four firſt Ages of Chriſtianity; notwithſtanding they ſpoke many things of the Jewiſh Traditions. And Tertullian ex profeſſo writing
againſt the Jews, though he ſpeaks diſtinctly of the Primordial Law given to Adam, and of the Law of the two Tables delivered to Moſes, yet he makes not the leaſt mention of the Miſna, or Oral Law. S. Auſtin (of the fifth Age) doth expreſly name this
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
, or Second Law, as containing certain Traditions of the Jews, which they wrote not, but got by heart, and transfuſed them from one to another by word of mouth. But the great darkneſs that befel the Jews Records at the beginning of Chriſtianity, might be one reaſon why the knowledge of the Talmud came ſo late to the Chriſtian world. And indeed, for almoſt two Ages after the Talmud was finiſhed, but little light or certainty is to be met with in the Hiſtory of the Jews. And as to our part of the world, it was not much acquainted with the Doctrines and Records of the Hebrews, till they were expell'd Babylon. At which time a great part of them came into Europe, and eſpecially ſettled in Spain; where applying themſelves unto Studie, the Rabbins began to multiply, and grow Learned; and to illuſtrate the Talmud with Commentaries, Expoſitions, and Homilies: As is to be ſeen in the Writings of Zacuth, Abarbinel, Gautz, Ben Nachman, &c. (all Spaniſh Jews) but eſpecially R. Moſes Ben Maimon (born at Corduba, and a Student in Egypt, whence he was called Moſes Egyptius) who in the 23d year of his Age began to comment
upon the Miſnaioth, or the Text of the Talmud; which he finiſhed at thirty. He lived ſeventy years, and during his whole life was ſo ſtudious in writing upon, and inſtructing Religion, that to this day it is ſaid of him: From Moſes (the Prophet) to Moſes (the Egyptian) there was never ſuch another Moſes.
The firſt among Chriſtians who took more ſolemn Cognizance of the Talmud, was Juſtinian the Emperour, who about the 551 year of Chriſt gave Toleration to the Jews to read the Sacred Bible in their Synagogues in the Greek Tongue; but utterly prohibited them the Reading of the Miſna, as being neither adjoyned to the Sacred Books, nor delivered from above to the Prophets; but a meer invention of Earthly Men, who had nothing of Heaven in them. As is to be ſeen Novella 146. where the Notes upon that Conſtitution ſay, that the Miſna Torah was Compoſed out of the Caballiſticks and Anagogicks of the Jews, or ſome allegorical interpretations, pretended to be derived from Moſes.
When the Jews were ſetled in Italy and France, the Biſhops of Rome began to take ſevere cognizance of the Talmud. For Pope Innocent IV. commanded all the Copies thereof that could be found in France to be burned, becauſe it contained manifeſt Blaſphemies againſt God, Chriſt, and the Virgin Mary, inextricable abuſes▪ erronious and unheard-of
Fooleries. And in Italy the Talmud fell under the ſame Condemnation: for Pope Julius the third by ſolemn Bull ſentenc'd it to the Flames, as containing many things offending the Divine Law, and the Orthodox Faith. Upon which the Inquiſition ſeiſed upon all the Gemara's that could be met with in the Regions of Italy, and made them an Holocauſt to the Holy Chair, &c.
FINIS.
THE CONTENTS.
CHAP. I.
THe preſent Condition of the Jews in Barbary; their places of Reſidence, Profeſſion, Apparel, Stature and Complexion, &c. page 7.
CHAP. II.
The Moral Converſation of the Barbary-Jews: the ingredients of their Religion▪ their backwardneſs to Diſputes: their Creed▪ occaſion, Author; with a ſhort Paraphraſe thereof, &c. 13.
CHAP. III
The Barbary-Jews Opinion of the Trinity,
Angels, ſeveral States of the Soul, the Law, Merit, Purgatory, Reſurrection, laſt Judgment, end of the World, &c. 26.
CHAP. IV.
Their Opinion of Matrimony and Coelibate, their Eſpouſals, Dowry-Bill, &c. 40.
CHAP. V.
Of other Ceremonies relating to their Marriages. 46.
CHAP. VI.
Their Opinion of Sterility: their Lilis: their Rites of Child-birth. 54.
CHAP. VII.
Of the Rites of Circumciſion and Purirification. 59.
CHAP. VIII.
Of the Jews Polygamy: Divorce: A
Copy of their Bill of Diſmiſſion, &c. 71.
CHAP. IX.
Of the Jews Concubinage: Of their Marrying the Brothers Wife. 74.
CHAP. X.
Of the Inſtitution of their Children: the time and manner thereof. 80.
CHAP. XI.
Of their Synagogues: the Officers thereof: time of their Election: Hours of Prayer. 88.
CHAP. XII.
Of the Jews Preparation to the Synagogue. 93.
CHAP. XIII.
Of the Jews Zizith and Tephillim, or Phylactery or Prayer-Ornaments. 99.
CHAP. XIV.
Of the Jews haſtening to Morning Prayer. Their manner of Entranc
•
into, and Deportment in the Syn
•
gogue, &c. 104.
CHAP. XV.
Their Ceremonies about the Book of the Law: Their Manner of Celebrating the Sabbath: The Offices which thereon are Solemniz'd, &c. 112.
CHAP. XVI.
How the Jews prepare themſelves for the Sabbath, and how they begin it. 130.
CHAP XVII.
How the Jews hallow the Sabbath, and how they end it. 150.
CHAP. XVIII.
Of the Jews Feaſts: The manner of
their Celebration. 167.
CHAP. XIX.
Of their Pentecoſt, or Feaſt of weeks. 175.
CHAP. XX.
Of the Feaſt of Tabernacles. 177.
CHAP. XXI.
Of the Jews Purim, or Feaſt of Lots. 182.
CHAP. XXII.
Of the Jewiſh Faſts. 194.
CHAP. XXIII.
Of the Jewiſh Excommunication. 198.
CHAP. XXIV.
Concerning the preſent Judicature among the Jews. 210.
CHAP. XXV.
The manner of the Jews Alms, and
of their making proviſion for Poor. 213.
CHAP. XXVI.
Their Viſitation of the Sick; Teſtaments: Burial of the Dead, &c. 216.
The Concluſion:
Wherein is conſidered the preſent Obſtructions of the Jews Converſion. 225.
A Summary Diſcourſe
concerning the Jewiſh Talmud, Miſna and Gemara 239.
FINIS.