Pilgrimage, Book 2 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
Of the Moderne Iewes Creed, or the Articles of their Faith, with their interpretation of the same.
STay aEs. 29.9.your selues and wonder (sayth the LORD, of this people) they are blind, and make blind: they are drunken, but not with Wine: they stagger, but not by strong drinke &c. And after, because of their Hypocrisies, And their feare toward me is taught by the Precept of bVers.14.Men: Therefore behold, I will againe doe a maruellous worke in this People; euen a maruellous worke and a wonder: for the wisedome of their wise men shall perish, and the vnderstanding of their prudent men shall be hid. This day is this Scripture (as it hath beene many Ages heretofore) fulfilled in our eyes: as it hath appeared by our former declaration of their Talmud, and further followeth, in rehearsing the thirteene Articles of their Creed, thus briefely expressed in their daily Prayer-bookes.
1. I Beleeue with a true and perfect faith, that GOD is the Creator, Gouernor, and Preseruer of all Creatures, and that he hath wrought all thinges, worketh hitherto, and shall worke for euer.
2. I beleeue with a perfect faith, that GOD the Creator is one, and that such an Vnitie as is in him can be found in none other, who alone hath beene OVR GOD, is yet, and for euer shall continue OVR GOD.
3. I beleeue with a perfect faith, that GOD the Creator is not bodily, nor indued with bodily proprieties, and that no bodily essence can be compared to him.
4. I beleeue that GOD the Creator is the first and last, and that nothing was before him, that he shall abide the last for euer.
5. I beleeue that he alone is to be adored, and that none else may be worshipped.
6. I beleeue that all, what soeuer the Prophets hauehave taught and spoken, is sincere truth.
7. I beleeue that the Doctrine and Prophecie of MOSES was true; that he was the Father and chiefe of wise men, that liued then, or before his time; or should be in times to come after.
8. I beleeue that all the Law, as it is this day in our handes, was so deliuered by GOD himselfe to MOSES.
9. I beleeue that the same Law is neuer to be changed, nor any other to bee giuen vsus of GOD.
10. I beleeue that he knoweth and understandeth all the workes and thoughts of men, as it is written in the Prophet, Hee hath fashioned their hearts together Ps.33.15.considering all their workes.
11. I beleeue that GOD will recompence to all men their workes: to all, I say, which keepe his Commandements, and will punish all transgressers whomsoeuer.
12. I beleeue that the MESSI AS is yet to come, and although he doe long differre his comming, yet will I hope, that he will come, waiting for him eueryevery day, till he doth come.
13. I beleeue with a perfect faith, that there shall be an awakening of the dead, at that time which shall seeme fit to GOD the Creator: the name of which GOD the Creator be much blessed and celebrated for euer-more. AMEN.
This is the Iewish Faith, in which with much vexation, doubting, and lamentation, they die; vponupon which, their Religion hath beene alway founded: but it was first put in writing, and brought into this order by R. Mosche bar Maimon, who died in the yeare after their reckoning 4964, Anno Dom. 1104. and strait charge was giuen, That the Iewes thenceforth for euer confessing it in this order, should, according to the same, liue and die. This their Creed, howsoeuer Charitie may construe much of it to a better sense, yet according to their vnderstanding doth it principally aime at the subuersion of Christian Religion; as appeareth in a more strait examination, after their sense of the 2,3,4, and 5, the 7,8,9,10,11,12. Articles: all which make against the person or the office of the sonne of GOD, as they vnderstand them; denying his Godhead, and disannulling his office, affirming, as a Iew shamed not to professe and vtter vntounto M. Buxdorfius, That it needed not that any should satisfie for them, for euerie Foxe must yeeld his owne skinne and haires to the flayer. And the Iewish Faith, sayth R. Ioseph Albu, is founded vponupon three foundations: vponupon the vnitie of the diuine essence; vponupon the Law of Moses, and vponupon the eternall reward of good works, and punishment of euill, contemning the Passion of CHRIST, dEs.53.5.6by whose stripes we are healed, and on whom GOD hath layed the iniquities of vsus all. It is written also in their eTract. Sanhedrin, c. 11.Talmud, that all the Israelites hauehave their portion in the world to come, not all alike, but he shall hauehave a greater part that hath done more good workes, and the wicked and impenitent shall be punished twelue moneths in Hell or Purgatorie, after which time they also (and some sooner, if they hauehave beene lesse sinners) shall hauehave their part, but a lesse then the former: but to them which denie GOD (which become Christians) their fore-skinne groweth againe, and as vncircumcised eternally are punished in Hell. And the sonne of a deceased Iew is bound to say, for the space of one yeare, fSee Cap.19.a prayer called Kaddisch, thereby to redeeme him from Purgatorie; in which respect the father dieth with ioy. A good woman may doe the like for her husband. But R. Bechai (who excludeth all other Nations from their part in the Resurrection, preferring the Iewes in a foure-fold priuiledge, viz. the Land of Canaan, the Law, the Prophets, and the Resurrection) reciteth out of the great gTract.de nouo anno, c.1.Talmud, That three forts of men shall rise againe at the day of Iudgement: one, of the best Israelites; a second sort of the wicked and worst; the third of a meane, who hauehave done as much good as euill. The good shall presently goe into life eternall; the wicked shall be cast into Hell, as in the twelfth of Daniel, and shall be for euer in torments of bodie and soule. The third and meaner sort of sinners shall be tormented for twelue moneths space for their sinnes in Hell; at the end of which time their bodies shall be consumed, and the wind shall scatter their ashes vnderunder the soles of the feet of the iust, &c. And as worthily doe they proue it out of the hZach.13.8.Prophet: And in that day two parts shall be cut off, and die, and the third shall be left therein: and I will bring that third part through the fire, and will fine them as Siluer is fined, and will trie them as Gold is tried. And in another place, i1.Sam.2.6.The LORD killeth and maketh aliue, bringeth downe to Hell, and raiseth vp; Iust as fitly applied, as 1. Cor.3. and such like places by our Purgatorie-Spirits. R. Dauid Kimchi vponupon the first Psalme, and Es. 26. commenteth, That the wicked shall not rise, but in the day of death their soule shall die together with their bodie. And Aben Ezra in his exposition of Dan. 12. writeth out of Rabbi Higgaon, That many shall rise, and many not rise, but suffer euerlasting reproach; and expoundeth it thus, That the good Iewes which die in exile, shall rise againe when the Messias shall come, and shall liue as long as the Patriarchs before the floud: and then they shall make merrie with the great fish Leuiathan, and the great bird Ziz, and the great Oxe Behemos kSee cap. 20.; of which we shall speake after. When this is done, they shall die, and at the last day shall be raysed vp againe, and shall possesse eternall life, where shall be no eating nor drinking, but glorie &c. Iacob lGen 47.30.desired to be buried in Canaan, not in Aegypt, for three causes (sayth R. Salomon Iarchi) because hee foresaw, That of the mExo. 8.17.dust of Aegypt should be made Lice: Secondly, because the Israelites which die out of Canaan shall not rise againe without much paine of their rolling through the deepe and hidden vaults of the earth: Thirdly, least the Aegyptians should make an Idoll of him. For the better vnderstanding hereof, let vsus heare what is said out of the booke Tanchum (an Exposition of the Pentateuch) concerning this subiect. The Patriarchs (sayth hee) desired to be buried in Canaan, because they which are there buried shall first rise in the time of the Messias. And R. Hananiah sayth, That they which die out of Canaan, must endure two deaths: and the same appeareth Ier. 20. where it is said, Pashur should goe into Babel, and should there die, and there be buried. What (quoth R. Simon) shall them all the iust perish, which die out of Canaan? No, but GOD will make them Mechillos, that is, deepe Clifts and Caues vnderunder the earth, by which they may passe into the Land of Promise; whither when they are come, GOD, shall inspire into them the breath of life, that they may rise againe, as it is written nEzec.37.12., I will open your Graues, and cause yon to come out of your Sepulchres, &c. The like is written in their Targum, or Chaldaean interpretation of the Canticles: When they dead shall rise, Mount Oluiet shall eleaue asunder, and the Israelites which hauehave beene dead shall come out of the same, and they which hauehave died in strange Lands, comming thither by holes vnderunder the earth, shall come forth. And for his cause I my self (sayth our Author) hauehave heard the Iewes say. That sometimes some of the wealthiest and deuoutest amongst them goe into the Land of Canaan, that their bodies may there sleepe, and so be freed from this miserable passage vnderunder so many deepe Seas and rough Mountaines.
Now to come from their Faith to their workes: Their wise Rabbines persuade the fillie people, That they are the onelyonly elect people of GOD, who easily can keepe, not the Decalogue, or tenne Commaundements alone, but the whole Law of Moses. They diuide the whole Law into sixe hundred and thirteene Commaundements, and them againe into Precepts and Prohibitions: Of the commaunding Precepts they number two hundred fortie and eight; iust so many as (according to the Rabbines Anatomie) a man hath members in his bodie. Of the prohibiting Commandements they reckon three hundred threescore and fiue, as many as are dayes in the yeare, oBrandspor (as in the booke Brandspiegel) veines in a mans bodie. Therefore if eueryevery member of a man doe cuerie day performe one of the Precepts and omit one of the things prohibited, the whole Law of Moses shall be euerie yeare, and so for euer, fulfilled. Their wise Rabbines say further, That the men onelyonly are to obserue those sixe hundred and thirteene Commaundements, the women are onelyonly subiect to the Prohibitions; yea, of those prohibitorie Mandates, onelyonly to threescore and foure are they obliged by some, and to sixe and thirtie of the former; and this because of their other householdbusinesse, and subiection to their imperious husbands. Some of their deepely-wise Rabbines adde to those sixe hundred and thirteene, seuen other Commaundements, making vp the number of sixe hundred and twentie; iust so many as are words in the Décalogue, and as arise of the word Keter signifying a Crowne: for were it not for the Law, GOD would not hauehave created the World; and for the obseruation thereof it yet subsisteth. And they which keepe all the Commaundements, doe set a Crowne on the head of GOD, and he vponupon the head of those which crowne him, shall set seuen Crownes, and make them to inherite seuen Chambers in Paradise, and will keepe them from the seuen infernall dungeons, because they hauehave obtained the seuen Heauens and the seuen Earths.
Their Wise-men affirme, that euerie veine of the bodie of a man doth prouoke him to omit that which is forbidden, and he which doth omit such their vaine veinewarning, hath no good veine in him: euerie of his members also doe prouoke him to performe those inssorie inuentions. But as vaine should I be as they, if I should not make some end, where they can finde none. Wee would now from these generalities proceed to the particulars of their superstitions, tracing them herein from their birth to their graues, Religion being, in the pretence of their Law, the square of all their (otherwise ciuill) actions; at least to speake of their Superstitions in the same. But first, seeing Sebestian Munster hath written a whole booke, both in Hebrew and Latine, of those sixe hundred and thirteene Precepts, taken out of Moses, with the Expositions of their Rabbines, I thought good to cull out some, which seeme most remarkable and strange, to entertaine our Reader.
Out of Negatiue Precepts expounded by the Rabbines in P MVNSTER.pPraec.Mos. cum exp. Rab.
THou shalt hauehave ne strange Gods in my sight. Exod. 20. The Name of GOD is forbidden to be communicated to any creature.
Thou shalt not violate qLeuit.22.32.mine holy name. The Rabbines say, If any doe against an affirmatiue Precept, and repent, his sinne is forgiuen him: But he which transgresseth a Negatiue Precept, is not cleansed by repentance, but it remaineth to the day of Expiation (which is the day of their solemne Fast and Reconciliation.) But hee which committeth a sinne, whereby he deserueth Death, or Excommunication, is not then purged, but must abide thereunto the diuine chastisements: and hee which violateth the Name of GOD, cannot be absolued from that sinne but by death.
Thou shalt not rLeuit 19.17.hate thr brother in thy heart. He which is wronged by another, should not hate him, and hold his peace, but reproue him openly; and if he repent, he ought not to be cruell to him: But if any be often reproued, and will not amend, it is lawfull to hate him. This CHRIST sMa….5.43.consuteth.
No tExcd.34.14.Idoll is to be adored. If a man hauehave a thorne in his foot, hee may not bow before an Image to pull it out: and if money fall out of his hand, hee may not there, before an Image, stoope to take it vp, least he might seeme to adore it, but hee must sit downe on the ground to doe it. And if the water of a Fountaine be caused to passe through the mouth of an Image, he may not drinke thereat, least hee should seeme to kisie the Image.
An uExod.20.23.Image may not be made, viz. the Image of a Man in Siluer or Gold, if it be embossed or set out, but if it be stamped in mettall (in manner of a Seale) it is lawfull. But of Beasts, Birds, Trees, and Flowers, those prominent Images (which are made standing out) are lawfull. Otherwise of the Sunne, Moone, and Starres.
No xDeut.7.commoditie is to be raysed from Idols. If a Tree be planted neere an Image, one may not sit vnderunder the shadow thereof, nor passe vnderunder it, if there be any other way: and if he must passe, it must be running. Things imployed to Idolatrie may be vsed of vsus, if the Gentiles hauehave first prophaned them. It is not lawfull to fell them Waxe or Frankincense, especially at their Candlemasse Feast; nor bookes to vse in their Seruice. Our women may not performe a Midwiues office to them, nor nurse their children.
Thou shalt yExod.20.10.doe no worke on the seuenth day. Nothing that belongeth to the getting of Food or Rayment. It is vnlawfull to walke on the grasse, least thou pull it vp with thy feet; or to hang any thing on the bough of a Tree, least it breake; or to eate an Apple, plucked on the Sabbath, especially if the tayle or woodden substance, whereby it groweth, be on it; or to mount on a Horse, least he be galled; or to goe into water, least thou wipe thy clothes: which holdeth also, if they bee moistened with Wine or Oyle (but not in a woman that giueth sucke) who may wipe her clothes, for the more puritie of her prayers. The stopple of a Vessell, if it be of Hempe or Flaxe, may not be thrust in, though it runne, especially if any other Vessell be vnderunder. To mixe Mustard-seed with Wine or Water; to lay an Apple to the fire to rost; to wash the bodie, chiefely, with hote water; to sweat; to wash the hands; to doe any thing in priuate, which may not bee publikely done: (but some say, it is lawfull priuately to rubbe off the durt with his nayles from his clothes, which publikely he may not:) To reade by a Light, except two reade together: To set sayle: (but if thou enter three dayes before, it is not necessarie to goe forth on the Sabbath) to be carried in a Waggon, though a Gentile driue it: if fire happen on the Sabbath, to carrie any thing out, but thy foode, rayment, and necessaries for that day, and that wherein the holy Booke lyeth: to put to pasture Horses or Asses, coupled together: to receiue any good by the Light, or Fire, which a Gentile hath made for the Iew; (otherwise, if hee did it for himselfe:) To play on any Instrument; to make a bedde; to Number, Measure, Iudge, or Marrie, least they should write any thing: To reade at home when others are at the Synagogues: To speake of Buying and Selling (which it seemeth they obserue not:) To visite Field or Garden: To Runne, Leape, or tell Tales, &c. All these on the Sabbath day are vnlawfull. For dangerous diseases it is lawfull to violate the Sabbath: Such are the three first dayes after a womans trauell, &c. But of this, see zCap.17.also the obseruation of their Sabbath. It is not lawfull to walke out of the Citie, but their limitted space: but within the Citie, as farre as they will, though it be as bigge as Niniue.
It is forbidden aLeuit.22.to hurt the Seed-members of Man or Beast. Neither Males nor Females may bee gelded or spayed: and yet wee may vse such beasts.
It is punishable to know, kisse, or embrace one which is forbidden by the Law. Leuit. 18. Therefore our Masters hauehave forbidden to smile on such, or vse any meanes or tokens of Lust. Likewise they hauehave forbidden men to know their wiues in the day time, vnlesse it be in the darke, or vnderunder some Couering. The same is forbidden to a drunken man, and to him which hateth his wife, least they get wicked children betweene them. Also, to follow a woman in the streets, but either to goe before, or beside, her. And hee which is not married, may not put his hand beneath his Nauell, nor touch his Flesh, when hee maketh water.
The fat may not be eaten. The fat of the Heart may: but not that which is one the Inwards and Reines, and Stomacke, and Guts, and Bladder: the rest may be eaten.
If thy brother bLeuit.25.39.be poore, thou mayest not abuse him; to wit, to base Offices, as to vntie the shooe, or to carrie Vessels to the Bath.
Thou mayest cDeut.23.19.not lend to an Israelite on Vsurie nor borrow on Vsurie. Nor be a witnesse or suretie in cases of Vsurie; nor receiue any thing besides the principall, especially on any Couenant going before.
He that by constraint doth any thing worthie of death (although he violate the Name of GOD) ought not to be slaine.
Wicked dExod.23.1.men are not competent witnesses. He is accounted wicked which transgresseth any Precept, for which he is worthie to be beaten. A Theefe and a Robber is not sufficient to be a witnesse, after he hath made restitution: Nor an Vsurer, nor a Publican, nor he which is enriched by play, nor children, till they hauehave beards, except he be twentie yeares old.
The eDeut.17.17.King ought not to multiplie Wiues. Our Masters say, That the King may hauehave eighteene wiues.
If any of the seuen (Canaanitish) Nations shall come in the hands of a Iew, he ought to slay him.
The father or the husband may disannull the vowes of their children or wiues. And the Wise-men may release the vowes of those which repent of their vow. A sonne of thirteene yeares and a day, and a daughter of twelue and a day (if they be out of their parents tuition) hauehave power to vow.
There are fiftie defects which make a Man or Beast vncapable of sacred Functions; to be either Sacrificer, or Sacrifice: fiue in the eares, three in the eyelids, eight in the eyes, three in the nose, sixe in the mouth, twelue in the Seedvessels, sixe in the hands and feet, and in the bodie foure, &c. Besides, there are fourescore and tenne defects in a Man, which are not in a Beast. No defect, vnlesse it be outward, maketh a man vnfit.
Out of their Affirmatiue PRECEPTS.fPraec.Moscum Exp. Rab.
EVerie one gDeut.11.19.ought to teach his sonne the Law: Likewise his nephew; and Wise-men, their Disciples: and he which is not taught it of his Father, must learne it as he can. He which teacheth another the written Law, may receiue a reward; but not for teaching the Traditionall.
Rise before thine hLeu.19.32.Elder: that is (sayth R. Iosi) a Wiseman, although young in yeares. To him thou must arise, when he is foure cubits distant; and when he is passed by, thou mayest sit downe againe.
The sinner must turne from his iNum.5.7.sinne vntounto GOD. And being returned, he must say, I beseech thee, O LORD, I hauehave sinned and done wickedly before thy face: so and so hauehave I done, and behold it repenteth me of my wickednesse, I am confounded for my workes, I will doe so no more. And thus ought all to say, which offer sacrifices for sinne; and they, which are condemned to death for their crimes, if they will that death doe away their offences: But he which hath sinned against his neighbour, ought to make restitution, & aske pardon; otherwise his sinne is not remitted. And if his neighbour will not pardon him, let him bring three other to entreat for him: if he then graunt not, he is to be accounted cruell. If the offended partie be dead before, let the offendor bring tenne men to his graue, and say before them, I hauehave sinned against GOD and thus man, and let restitution be made to his heires.
Prayer kDeut.11.1.must be vsed eueryevery day. Therefore they of the great Synagogue, Ezra, Zerubabel, and the rest, ordained eighteene blessings, and other prayers, to be said with euerie Sacrifice. They ordained these Rites of Prayer; the eyes cast downe to the ground; the feet set together; the hands on the heart, in feare and trembling, as a seruant speaketh to his Master: a place where is no dung, especially of an Asse and a Henne: a window in the roome, which looketh toward Ierusalem, turning his bodie that way. He which is blind, let him direct his heart to his Father, which is in Heauen.
The Sentence, Heare Israel, &c. and another Sentence is lDeut.6.9.to be written on the posts of the House. He which hath his Phylacteries on his head and armes, and his knots on his garment, and his Schedule on his dore, is so fenced, that hee cannot easily sinne.
EueryEvery Israelite is bound to write for himselfe a Booke of the mDeut.31.12.Law.
Sanctifie the Sabbath, i. Remember those things on the Sabbath which make to the honour and holinesse of that day. And wee are persuaded, that Sathan and the Deuils, on the Sabbath, flye vntounto darke Mountaines, abhorring the holinesse of the day: and after it is past, returne to hurt the children of men.
He which is twentie yeares old, and marrieth not, breaketh the Precept of Increasing and Multiplying: except it be for contemplation and studie of the Law. But if he feele in himselfe Iezer, Lust, to preuaile, he must marrie, least he fall into transgression.
If a man refuse to marrie the wife of his brother deceased without issue, he must, by the sentence of the Iudges, pull off his shooe, which must not bee made of Linnen, but of the Hide of a cleane Beast; and the woman, whiles she is yet fasting, (for then it is most truly spittle) shall spit in his face, saying, So let it be done to him which will not build his brothers house.
He which will eate the flesh of Beast or Birds, must kill them after the due manner. Nor may any be allowed to be a Butcher, except he know our Rites.
When the Iudges dissent in any case, nExod.13.the greater part is to be followed. When Sentence is past, Execution must follow the same day: and the Crier must goe before, proclaiming the Crime and Penaltie, with circumstances of Time, Place, and Witnesses. If any can say any thing for his innocencie, he may cause him to be carried backe to the Iudges: if he be led againe to death, he must hauehave two Wise-men by to heare his words, that if they see cause, he may be carried backe to the Iudges. If he yet be found guiltie, he must be led to the place of execution, and there slaine by two Witnesses. But before his death, let them exhort him to say, Let my death be vntounto me for the remission of all my sinnes. After this Confession let them giuegive him a cup of Wine, with a graine of Frankincense, to drinke, that he may be depriued of the vse of reason, and made drunke, and so slaine.
Honour thy Father and Mother. R. Simeon sayth, That the Scripture more esteemeth the honour of Parents then of GOD: for wee are bidden honour GOD with our substance; but for thy Parents, if thou hast nothing, thou oughtest to labour in the Mill to succour them.
At this time we can sanctifie nothing, because we hauehave no Temple.
I might adde diuers other things of like moment, which (to auoid prolixitie) I omit: and for the same cause I let passe many things which I might hither bring out of the same Author oS. Munster. Euang. Matth. cum Annotat.in his notes vponupon Matthew, by him set forth in Hebrew and Latine; where he both relateth and refuteth diuers of the Iewish vanities; especially their blasphemous cauils against CHRIST.
Such is that their foolerie (by him pAnnotat. in Matth. 15.recited) in Matth. 15. Annotat. about their scrupulous niceties in their Festiuals: They may not then take Fish; Geese and Hennes they may: When one maketh fire, and setteth on the Pot, he must order the stickes so vnderunder it, that it may not resemble a Building. No more then shall bee spent that day, may then be made readie. No Cheese may then be made, nor hearbes cut. Heat water to wash thy feet; not so for thy whole bodie. Touch not (much lesse mayest thou eat) an egge layd on a festiuall day: yea, if it be doubtfull whether it were then layd, and if it be mixt with others, all are prohibited. But hee which killeth a Henne, and findes Egges in the bellie, may eate them. According to the number of the three Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, they expect a third Temple, after those two alreadie perished; qIn Matth. 22.interpreting the Scriptures: Of the first, Hee heard mee from his holy Hill: Of the second, ISAAC went to meditate in the Field: Of the third, The glorie of this last House shall be greater then of the first, &c. Fit Iewish handling of the Scriptures. But I hauehave beene so plentifull of their barrennesse, that I feare to ouer-lade, or ouer-loath, the Reader.
Munster rMunsteri, tractatus Heb. & Lat. contrae Iudaeos.hath likewise written seuerall small Treatises of the Faith of the Christians, and of the Faith of the Iewes, and of the Iewish Cauils against our Religion, and of diuers fabulous fictions which they hauehave deuised in disgrace thereof: they, that will, may in them further see their blindnesse. For what greater blindnesse then to thinke, that their Messias was borne that day the Temple was destroyed, and to remaine at Rome till that time, when he shall say to the Pope, Let my People goe, as Moses, borne so long before, at last said to Pharaoh? That hee shall be annointed by Elias? That he shall destroy Rome? That Elias shall re-vnite the Soule to the Bodie in the Resurrection, which shall be of all the iust, but not of all the wicked; not in the same bodie, but another created like to the former? which Resurrection shall be effected by Messiahs prayer: That the Temple at Ierusalem shall be the very middle of the world? That in the Messiahs daies Wheat shall grow without renewing by Seed, as the Vine? But of these and the like more then enough in this Booke following.