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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 Vsual 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
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 〈◊〉 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
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 't is 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
more reason of complaint At the time of Evening Sacrifice they repair again to the Synagogue and say their Evening-prayers and then eat the third and last time on the Sabbath when it begins to depart they take leave of it with a Blessing They look upon the observance of these three Banquets to be of much concern for they think that he who thus observes the Sabbath shall escape Hell and be preserved from the dreadful War of Gog and Magog and also be free from the perplexities that shall attend the coming of the Messia and therefore one of the Rabbies pray'd that his Portion might be with those who celebrate the Sabbath with three Banquets At Evening they are again prohibited to draw water out of the River or Well by reason of the Souls of the wicked deceased which again refresh themselves as they are returning to Hell At the very departure of the Sabbath after supper one very nimbly draws the Cloth from off the Table for they say that he who doth it shall in a short time be set at libertie Aere Alieno About the Evening they again go to prayers in which they make mention of the Prophet Elias for they say that his coming was promised in the evening of the Sabbath or some Feast-day and when the Sabbath is gone they ask him if he will come the next Sabbath and acquaint them with the coming of the Messia Some of them also write that the Prophet sate under the Tree of Life in Paradise and registred the good Works the Jews did on the Sabbath They continue these Prayers till late in the night out of love to the Souls of the wicked that they may have the more respit from torments for as it is in the Evening on Friday proclaimed in Hell by Dumah an Angel that is Ruler among the Spirits that the wicked may go to their rest as the Jews do and all Israel on the Sabbath So when the Prayers are ended the Spirit cries again Return ye wicked into Hell for the Jews have done Prayers As soon as the Hymn Benedicite is ended the women go with haste to the wells and draw water for they write that the well Mara whereof they drink in the Desart runs into the Sea of Tyberias and thence in the end of the Sabbath did mixt it self with the water of all their wells and if a woman should chance to draw in that instant she would have an Antidote for all Diseases A certain woman gave testimony to this most precious Panacea who immediately after prayers going to draw water came in that instant in which the Well had mixt it self with hers but being somewhat slow in drawing her Husband was verie angrie The woman for fear let the Pitcher fall out of her hands and it happened that some drops fell upon her Husband and those parts which the water touched were immediately healed See the effect of this his anger for he was only healed in part whereas if he had drank he had been totally cured and clean as a new-born Child Hence is that notable Saying of the Rabbies Iracundus nihil aliud quam iram suam reportabit Lastly they separate the Sabbath from the Week following and give God thanks that he hath enabled them so to hallow the Sabbath They do it after this manner A great Taper like a Torch is kindled which they call the Candle of Separation they have also a little Box full of sweet Spices provided Then the Master of the Family takes the cup of Wine in his right hand and sings with a loud voice Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid I will receive the cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord c. Which done he consecrates the Wine and spilling a little on the ground saith Blessed art thou O Lord who hast created the Fruit of the Vine Then he smells to the sweet Spice and delivers it to all present to smell to afterwards he takes the Cup in his right hand and going to the great Taper looks diligently on the nails of his left hand bowing his fingers inwards towards the palm of his hand that they may cause a shadow after that he opens them again and looks on the outside so diligently that he may discern the nails to be whiter than the flesh and saith Blessed art thou O Lord who hast ordained a clear light then taking the Cup in his left hand he vieweth the nails of his right hand which done he removeth the Cup into his right hand and saith Blessed art thou who hast made difference betwixt things holy and prophane betwixt Israel and other Nations betwixt the seventh day and the other six days of the week and while he saith this he spills a little of the Wine on the ground and then drinks and giveth to all present to drink And so the Sabbath is ended and the Week begun They prove the difference between the Sabbath and the Week-daies by these words And that ye may put difference between things holy and unholy and God divided the light from the darkness They smell to the sweet Spice to avoid dotage because they are deprived of a Soul at the end of the Sabbath which Soul they again receive at the beginning of it and enjoy more than on week-daies Antonius Margarita in his Book de side Judaica has something to this purpose The Jews write in the Talmud that every man hath three Souls and prove it from Esay 42.5 Thus saith the Lord God he that created the heavens and stretched them out he that spread forth the earth and that which cometh out of it he that giveth breath to the people upon it and spirit to them that walk therein From this Text they attribute to man two Souls which with the true Natural Soul always inherent make three moreover they say that when a man sleeps these two adventitious Souls steal from him one ascends to Heaven and there hears all future Events the other roves about the Earth and there beholds nought but folly and vanity and this they call the Irrational or Brutish Soul but that Soul wherewith every man is first inspired hath its immoveable residence in the heart and sees all that those two Souls that have forsaken the body do or see Hence all dreams arise and therefore not always to be lightly esteemed But on the Sabbath a fourth Soul cometh as a fresh supply which elevates their minds that so they may the better honour the Sabbath and when the Sabbath is ended this Soul leaveth them again Hence it is that they are dull and smell to the sweet Spices to refresh their Spirits So much of Margarita but whence he collected this cannot as yet be understood by the Jews writings Some more wise than the rest smell to the sweet Spices because on the Sabbath the fire of Hell doth not stink but as soon as the Sabbath is ended and the Gates of Hell opened that
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 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 't is 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
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
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 Vniverse who hast created the fruit of the Vine Blessed art thou O Lord God Creator of the Vniverse 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
the Law Sacred or Introduced The Form of Cherem or Anathema BY the Decree of Cities Command of the Holy we Anathematize Adjure Exterminate Excommunicate Curse and Execrate God being willing his Church by the Book of this Law by the 600 Precepts therein written by the Anathema with which Josua Anathematized Hiericho by the Curse wherewith Elisha cursed the young men by the Curse wherewith Gehezi cursed his Boy and by the Excommunication with which Barach Excommunicated Meroz and by the Excommunication which Rab. Jehuda Son of Rabbi Jehezkiel used in this matter and by all the Anathemata Imprecations Curses Excommunications and Exterminations which have been made from the time of our Master Moses and since by the name of Acetheriel Jah the Lord of Hosts by the name of Michael the Great Prince by the name of Mittatron whose name is as the name of his Master by the name of Sandalipon who tieth the hands of his Lord by the name of forty two Letters by his name who appeared to Moses in the Bush by the name with which Moses divided the Sea by the name I am what I am by the Mystery of the name Tetragrammaton by the Scripture that was written upon the Tables by the name of the Lord of Armies the God of Israel sitting upon the Cherubin by the name of the Sphears and Circles and living Creatures Saints and ministring Angels by the name of all the Angels which wait upon the most High God every Israelite and every Israelitess who willingly and knowingly violates any of those which are now denounced to be observed let him be Cursed of the God of Israel who sitteth upon the Cherubin Let him be cursed by the bright and glorious name which the High-Priest in the day of Expiations expresseth with his mouth Let him be cursed by Heaven and Earth Let him be cursed from God Almighty Let him be cursed of Michael that Great Prince Let him be cursed of Mittatron whose name is as the name of his Master Let him be cursed of Acetheriel Jah the Lord of Hosts Cursed be he of the Seraphin and the Orbs of the holy Animals and Angels who wait before the most High God of Israel in holiness and purity If he was born in the month Nisan which the Angel Vriel as the Prince of the Classes under which it is governeth Let him be cursed of him and of all his Order And if he was born in the month Ijar which the Angel Tzephaniel governeth Let him be cursed of him and his whole Order And if he was born in the month Sivan c. The like imprecation is made in the same words by the Angel of this month and so forward by the Angel of every month Let him be cursed of the seven Angels set over the seven Weeks and of all their Order and helping Power Let him be cursed of the four Angels which govern the four Seasons of the Year and of their Order and helping Power Let him be cursed of the seven Palaces Let him be cursed of the Princes of the Law by the Name of the Crown and the Name of the Seal Let him be cursed of the Great God Strong and Bright Let him receive confusion from his Embraces Let him fall with swift Ruine Let the God the God of Spirits destroy him to all Flesh Let the God the God of Spirits put him under all Flesh Let God the God of Spirits lay him prostrate to all Flesh Let God the God of Spirits cut him off from all Flesh Let the Wrath of the Lord and violent Whirlwinde fall upon the Head of the Wicked Let the destroying Angels run upon him Let him be cursed in every thing he puts his Hand unto Let his Soul depart in terrour Let him die of the Quinsie Let not his Breath come or go Let him be smitten with a Feaver Driness the Sword Rottenness the Jaundise Neither let him be delivered from them before Destruction Let his Sword enter his own heart and let his Bows be broken Let him be as the dust before the wind and let the Angel of the Lord drive him away Let his ways be darknesses and slipperiness and let the Angel of the Lord persecute him Let sudden desolation come upon him and his net which he hath laid let it catch himself They shall drive him from light to darkness and exterminate him from the habitable World Tribulation and anguish shall make him afraid and his eyes shall see his destruction and he shall drink the fury of the Lord. He shall cloth himself with cursing as with a garment Let him eat the strength of his skin God shall scatter him for ever and pull him out of his Tabernacle The Lord will not rest that he may be propitious to him but the Wrath of the Lord and his Zeal shall smoak against him and upon him shall rest all the Maledictions written in the Book of this Law and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven Also the Lord shall separate him to mischief out of all the tribes of Israel according to all the Curses of the Covenant which are written in the Book of this Law But you who adhere to the Lord your God are all alive this day He that blessed Abraham Isaac Jacob and Moses and Aaron David and Solomon and the Prophets of Israel and those who were pious among the Nations let him bless all this Holy Congregation with all Holy Congregations except the man onely who hath violated this Anathema God of his mercie keep them make them safe and deliver them from all evil misery and affliction and prolong their daies and years and send his blessing and happie success to every work of their hands and avenge them quickly with all other Israelites And so let it be his will and decree Amen CHAP. XXIV Concerning the present Judicature among the Jews COncerning the Ecclesiastical and Civil Consistories among the present Jews little of moment is now observable And though the Synedrion of old related to Civil Matters as the Synagogue to Ecclesiastical Yet the affairs of Religion and the World now do both fall under the cognizance of one and the same Court But that which is the subject of the present remark is the manner of legal proceeding in the case of Meum and Tuum which is plainly and compendiously thus When any contest ariseth among them concerning Debts Bargains Contracts c. a Juncto of Sabios Chachams or Masters are appointed to hear and determine in the Cause This Court of Chachams consists of 11 9 7 5. and can never be of fewer than three To these the party promovent makes his address in a short and plain Allegation of the Case which the Judges examine by Witnesses who must be persons well reported of and very sober For so much is required by their 212 Precept In case of want of Witnesses the bare Oath of the party producent is sufficient if he be a man of