The Jewish Synagogue, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Of their Feaſt of Tabernacles.
THE third great Feſtivall of the Jewes, which they are to celebrate every yeare once, appearing before the Lord in Jeruſalem, is the Feaſt of Tabernacles, concerning which, as alſo the two former, it is writ in the fifth book of Moſes; Deut. 16. 16.Three times a yeare ſhall all thy males appeare before the Lord thy God, in the place which he ſhall chuſe, in the Feaſt of unleavened bread, in the Feaſt of weeks; and in the Feaſt of Tabernacles; and they ſhall not appeare before the Lord empty. The time of the celebration of this Feaſt, was according to Gods owne commandement to bee the fifteenth day of the ſeventh month, according to the vulgar account, beginning to reckon from the firſt day of the new yeare of Feſtivals, of which we have ſpoken formerly, that it begins in March, and ſo conſequently inferre, that this ſeventh month muſt be our September: The etymologie whereof as alſo the reaſon why this month in their common annuall account, is called the firſt, ſhall hereafter be more at large declared.
The end of their keeping of this Feaſt, was as a ſigne or token, whereby the Iſraelites might recall to mind, the fatherly providence of Almighty God, by which hee had ſuſtained the children of Iſrael, after a wonderfull manner, for the ſpace of forty yeares in the deſert, having neither houſe nor harbor.
The manner of celebration is thus preſcribed by Moſes; You ſhall dwell in boothes ſeven daies, Lev. 23all that are Iſraelites born ſhall dwell in boothes, that your generations may know that I made the children of Iſrael to dwell in boothes, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. These boothes were wont to be made of the boughes of goodly trees; as, the mirtle, olive, firre, which by reaſon of their fatneſſe, would for a long time retaine their green attire; branches of palm trees, boughes of thicke trees, willowes of the brook, as it is in the ſame place. This they put in practise in the daies of Nehemiah, after their returne from Babylon; for it is recorded, that then they publiſhed and proclaimed in all their Cities,Neh. 8. 15, 16. and in Jeruſalem, ſaying, Goe forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, pine branches, myrtle branches, and palme branches, and branches of thicke trees to make boothes: And they did ſo. From that which hath been ſaid, we may gather, 1. That the Jewes in ancient times, made Tabercles of theſe kinds of boughes, in which they dwelt for the ſpace of eight daies. 2. That there were in uſe for the fabrick, more then foure ſeverall kinds of boughes or branches; yea the willowes of the brook are not mentioned in the forecited place of Nehemiah, which were uſed for the knitting together of the other branches, being plyable, and fit for that purpoſe; Therefore the Jewes of theſe preſent times; commit a groſſe error, that they in a moſt ſuperſtitious manner in the celebration of this Feſtivall, tie and confine themſelves to thoſe foure kinds of branches only mentioned by Moſes, and not building them Tabernacles therewithall, but transferring them to another uſe, of which more hereafter.
Concerning this Feaſt, there is extant a large tract in the Talmud, wherein the genuine obſervation and celebration thereof is ſet downe; the plat‐forme of the boothes or Tabernacles exquisitely drawne; the uſe of the foure ſeverall ſorts of branches deſcribed, with much diſputation, and great ſubtilty, as their manner is, not omitting to handle all the ceremonies belonging there unto; yet never ſeeking after the true way and meanes, whereby they may rightly lift up their hearts unto the God of their fathers: For though in the time of this Feaſt they ſay many prayers, yet they offer them up unto the Lord, only upon the censure of their tongue, not upon the altar of their hearts, for in theſe they are far from him; an evident demonſtration hereof, is the winged hudling over of theſe their petitions, uſing ſuch a precipitancy of ſpeech, as though they were able to pronounce a thouſand words with one breath, and accounting it a work of art and skill ſo to do. This Feaſt endures for the ſpace of eight daies; the two firſt, and the two laſt whereof, are to be kept holy altogether; thoſe which are of the middle rank, only for halfe the day. Upon the fourteenth day of the month, about eventide, they meet in the Synagogue, according to their eccleſiaſtical Ordinances and inſtitutions, where they ſing and pray untill it bee night. At which time they returne to their houſes, and retire themſelves into their Tabernacles, where the Maſter of the family ſaith a certaine prayer, which ſerves for the initiation of the Feaſt, and conſecration of the Tabernacles, giving thanks unto God, that he hath choſen them before all other people, exalted, ſanctified, and commanded them to dwell in Tabernacles. The thanks giving being ended, they fall to ſupper, where they are very jocund and merry. In ancient daies they were wont alſo to lodge in their boothes, which the Jewes at this day uſe not; the coldneſſe, moiſtneſſe, and other maladies and incumbrances which might accrew unto them thereby, being as ſo many potent arguments to diſſwade from this, and to invite them to their owne bed‐chambers, which experience hath taught them to be the ſweeter reſting place. Upon the morrow of the fifteenth day, they returne into the Synagogue ſinging and praying and honouring the Lord with a little lip-ſervice, their hearts roving quite another way.
When the Chanter hath proceeded so farte in his prayers, that he is come at laſt to thoſe words, Give peace in theſe our da…es O Lord; then every one taking a little bundle of palm, oli…e, and willow branches in his right hand, and an orenge in his leſt, ſaith, Bleſſed be thou, O Lord our God, King of the world who haſt ſanctifyed us by thy commandments and commanded us to carry a bundle of branches: Which while he is in repeating, he ſhakes the bundle, that it may make a noiſe; the words of the Prophet moving him thereunto; who ſaith, The trees of the wood ſhall clap their hands. Pſal. 69. 12.Then he ſhakes the bundle three times towards the Eaſt, three times towards the Weſt, three times towards the North, three times towards the South, heaving it alſo in the laſt place, over his head, then ſuffering it to becke unto the ground: In all theſe ſeverall poſtures, carrying himſelfe much like unto a fencer, in the toſſing, advancing, and ſhouldering of his pike. Then they pray againe, and againe begin to ſhake their bundle of boughes, thereby giving to underſtand, that they are triumphant conquerours of all ſinne and inquity, having a conceit, that by the noiſe of their branches, they have ſo laſhed, whipped away, and terrifyed the devill, that hee dare never any more presume to accuſe them before God for their ſinnes and offences.
The next thing they put in practice is concerning the Book of the Law, which ſome or other goes and takes out of the Arke and laies it upona Deske; and inſtantly thereupon every one in the Synagogue circles about the pew or desk, with the bundle of branches and orenges in his hand. This they d…efor ſeven daies together, in remembran…e that the wals of Jericho being by their fathers comp…ſſed about ſſeven daies, fell flat unto the ground, and the men thereof ſubdued unto Iſrael, hoping withall, that the wals of the Roman Empire ſhall likewiſe be demoliſhed, and the Jewes become the conquerours, Lords and Maſters of the Chriſtians;C…d h…k…kem…ch. p. 51, 52. which Rabbi Bechai affirms in expreſſe words, ſaying; This our en…ircling or compaſſing uſed by us at this day upon this Feſtivall, is a certaine ſign unto us of the ſtate of the time to come, wherein the wall of Edom, that of the Romane Monarchy, ſhall be throwne downe, and all the Edomites ſhall bee deſtroied and rooted out; according to that of Daniel, which he delivers concerning the fourth beaſt, which ſhaddowes out unto us the Roman Monarchy in theſe words,Dan. 7. 11. I beheld then becauſe of the voice of the great words which the horne ſpake: I beheld even till the beaſt was ſlaine, and his body deſtroied, and given to the burning flame. In that day ſhall the mount Sion and Jerusalem rejoice, which were formerly called Midbar, or a deſart, as it is written, Thy holy Cities are a wilderneſſe, Iſaiah▪ 64. 10.Sion is a wilderneſſe, Jeruſalem a deſolation. The ſame Prophet ſaying alſo in another place, That Sion ought to rejoice, and Jeruſalem to be glad, and clap her ha…ds, becauſe the Lord will take vengeance upon Edom, that is, upon the Roman Empire, as it it written; The deſart and wilderneſſe ſhall rejoice. So much Rabbi Bechai, out of which we may eaſily gather, how much good the Jewes wiſh unto us Chriſtians, in the time of this their Feſtivall. Yet in their books of Common Prayers it appeares, that in former times they have been more invective againſt us, then they are at this day; for there they pray, that God would ſmite us, after the manner that hee ſmote the firſt born in the land of Egypt: And that in a prayer which begins,In machzor, Cracoviae impreſ…o. Ana hoſchiana, where the expreſſe words are, Smite our enemies, as thou ſmoteſt the firſt born in Egypt, and make them subject unto us, &c. Where by their enemies they underſtand us Chriſtians, to whom they are now in bondage.
The firſt ſhaking of theſe Feſtivall branches being ended, they ſhake them very often in the proceſſe of their prayers taking two bookes of the Law out of the Arke, out of which they read certaine ſections, with a baw…ing oſtentation, but very little attention, and leſſe devotion.
The ſecond day they hallow equally as the firſt, not that they are enjoined thereunto by the command and law of God, but by reaſon they are not aſſured what day of September may preciſely be accounted for the fifteenth; and hence it is that they make two holidaies, when one onelyonly is required. E…ery evening ſo long as the Feaſt endures, the Maſter of the family repeats a certaine prayer, whereby hee makes the daies of the Feaſt to be diſcerned and differenced, from thoſe which are appointed for labour and travell in our ordinary vocation, giving thanks unto God, that the Feaſt hath been celebrated in ſuch a good manner.
The foure daies following are onelyonly esteemed holy in part, but upon theſe alſo they ſing and pray very much, ſhaking their palm branches. If any one of theſe foure daies chance to be the day of the Sabbath, then among other things they read a certaine Chapter out of the Propheſie of Ezekiel, concerning the dreadfull war of Gog and Magog; beleeving and writing, that Gog ſhall be ſlaine in this month, and they delivered out of bondage,Or…h. c…ajim num. 604. ſhall be brought back into their owne land, there for ever to have a peaceable habitation.
The ſeventh day is likewiſe by them kept holy, whereon they ſay the prayer called Hoſanna Rabba, Helpe O Lord our ſtrength; because therein they intreat the Lord for to help them against all their enemies, and to ſend them a good and fruitfull yeare. For the firſt day of this month, is the firſt day of the new yeare of yeares, properly so called, according to which they frame the computation of their yeares. In the morning of every one of theſe daies, they early waſh themſelves in hot or cold water, goe into the School or Synagogue, light many candles, ſing and pray …ervently, and with a great deale of oſtentation,In Poland they take out all, though they be a thouſand. take ſeven books of the Law out of the Arke, and lay them upon the pew or deske, which, as was formerly related, they compaſſe about ſeven times, having their bundles of palme branches in their hands, which are knit together with willow: After every ſeverall encompaſſing, putting one of the ſeven books of the Law, into the Arke againe; Rambam Rakanat and Bechai, with many other of the Rabbines, Commenting upon the 14 Chapter of the 4 book of Moſes, bluſh not to affirm, that God upon the ſeventh day at night, reveales unto them by the moone, what thing ſoever ſhall befall them the yeare following; and that in this manner. Upon this night they goe out into the fields by moone-ſhine, ſome with their heads uncovered; other having onelyonly a linnen cloth tied about them, or a vaile upon them, which they ſuffering to fall upon the earth, ſtretch out their armes and hands. If any mans ſhadow in the moon-ſhine ſeem to want an head, it is a certaine ſigne and token, that ſuch a one ſhall that yeare either loſe his head, or dye ſome other death. If any ſeem to want a ſinger, it preſages the death of ſome of his friends, if his right hand, of his ſon, if his left, of his daughter. But if no ſhadow at all appeare, then that man ſhall undoubtedly dye, and therefore if he have appointed a journey, hee ſhould hereby bee warned to let it alone, leſt he ſhould not returne in ſafety. This the Rabbines prove from thoſe words of Moſes, Their ſhadow is departed from them, Num. 14. 9. The Rabbines interpreting that a ſhadow, which properly ſignifies a defence; Yet they ſay, that though a man cannot behold his ſhadow as upon this night, that for this reaſon he ſhould not ceaſe to be of the Jewiſh religion. Furthermore, they write that God at this time definitely ſets down, how much it ſhal rain all the year after; & then to decree, whether the year ſhal be fruitfull or barren, ſo that a dearth and ſcarcity of corne, often enſues thereupon. Upon this night therefore they ſay many prayers for raine and a fruitfull yeare. And this is the very cauſe (ſay they) why God ſhowes unto them by moon-ſhine▪ how many men ſhall dye that yeare, and how many ſhall ſupervive, which have need of food and nouriſhment. If many are to dye, then it is a ſigne of dearth, for famine cauſeth death.
The eighth day is by them alſo kept holy, and that according to the Law, being by them called Schemini azeres, or the day of retention, becauſe the ſeven foregoing Feſtivall daies keep the eighth day, and is unwilling to let him depart. Much like a man who hath entertained his deareſt friend for a week, at the end thereof is ſorrowfull, and loth to loſe his company. About mid…day they fall to dinner in their Tabernacles, yet not ſaying their ordinary graces before or after meat, which are uſed upon other daies. Into theſe their booths they bring unclean pots and veſſels and un…llow them, that hereby they may find an occaſion to return to their own houſes; which thing they doe ſo ſoon as the night is come. When they goe out of the Tabernacles the moſt of them are wont to ſay, O would to God he would vouchſafe that we might dwell in this manner in the Tabernacles of the Leviathan in time to come, thereby wiſhing (as I conjecture) that they may bee admitted to eate of that great fiſh Leviathan, in the daies of the Meſſias.
It is recorded in their Minhagin, that the cauſe why they are bound for the ſpace of ſeven daies to dwell in Tabernacles, is to put them in remembrance of the pillar of the cloud under the ſhadow whereof they went out of the land of Egypt; which cloud was like unto a Tabernacle, which received the darts and arrowes, that they ſhould not hurt the Iſraelites. 2. They ſay that God would have them to dwell in Tabernacles, that by their ſhelter, they may be defended and ſhrouded from the vehemency of the Sunnes heate, and violence of weather. And although they went out of Egypt the fifteenth day of March, yet God commanded them to build Tabernacles and booths, and to dwell in them in September, not in March, otherwiſe it had not been eſteemed for a Feſtival ordained by Gods eſpeciall command, becauſe in the month of March, they might build them, onelyonly to avoid the heate; but in September no ſuch cauſe can be pretended, being a very cold ſeaſon. Hence wee may conclude, that the Jewes do at this time dwell in booths by Gods injunction.
The place where they are to pitch theſe Tabernacles, it ought to be pleaſant, and fragrant in ſmell. Whence it comes to paſſe, that Jewes ſtreet in Frankeford upon the Maene, is the pleaſanteſt, comelieſt, and neateſt in all the City. Moreover, they are to be built in ſome open place, not in a cloiſter or under ſome cover. When they ſit therein, they muſt not ſhut their doores, though both wind and raine moleſt them. The materials of their booths are to be green boughs, not tiles or boards, ſo cloſely compacted together, that it is not poſſible for them to ſee the ſtars through them. They of the richer ſort are wont to ſpread the floors with coverings of the beſt, adorning their tops with divers fruits, as orenges, apples, and the like; which if they ſeem to be too deare they commonly uſe cucumbers in their place. Maids, women, and ſervants, are not tyed to remaine in the Tabernacles, being not lyable to the obſervance of any command, which binds a man to a certaine place. Froſt, raine or ſnow, ought not to ſorce them out of theſe manſions; yet if it chance to raine out of meaſure, then they depart them with great ſorrow and expreſſion of griefe, thinking that God is angry with them, and not willing that they ſhould at that time obſerve and put his commandements in execution; much like to ſome great Lord or Peer, who bidding his ſervant fill him a bowle of wine, takes it from him, and throwes it into his fa…e. Now, when it is written Levit. 23. 40. that the Iſraelites in the time of this Feaſt, ought to take pri etz hadar, fruits of goodly trees as they need, as it is without all doubt, that the word pri in this place ſignifies not fruits, but boughes in generall, whether they beare any fruit or not, of which they ought to make their Tabernacles, as will eaſily appeare, if we compare this place with thoſe fo…ementioned words of Ezra: But the Jewes thinking Moſes in this place to put this word for orenges, which they call Eſrogim, in a moſt ſuperſtitious manner, they uſe onelyonly thoſe foure ſeverall kinds of fruits mentioned by Moſes. Concerning which, they fill the peoples eares with many frivolous and ſtrange wonders, uſing them not for the building, but the ornament of the Tabernacle. The Jewes in Germany fetch their orenges▪ palme, olive, and myrtle branches out of Spaine. And hen…e it comes to paſſe, that ſixteen men of the Jewiſh Nation, do every yeare goe thither, and buy great abundance of them, tranſporting them into all places where any of the Jewes doe ſo journe making them pay ſowrely for them; for I have seen an orenge ſold in September for four Florens.
Theſe foure ſeverall kinds of materials uſed by them for the fabrick of their Tabernacles, are full of great and hidden myſteries. By the palme branch are repreſented the hypocriticall and deceitfull Jewes. For as the palme is a goodly and comely tree to look upon, and brings forth eye‐pleaſing fruit yet ſuch as hath no ta…te at all: Even ſo theſe hypocrites have the Law of God in their keeping, yet doe not bring forth good workes enjoined thereby and have not in them any reliſh of godlineſs. The orenge figures out unto us the juſt men in Iſrael: For as it is faire to looke upon, and the odour thereof affects the ſmel with a raviſhing de…ight: So the juſt are as a ſweet ſavour in the noſtrils of the Lord, who not onelyonly poſſeſſe the Law of God, but bring forth fruits putting his commands in execution. Thirdly, the myrtles have a pleaſant ſme…l yet never be…r any …ruit: So there are many who have not the Law, yet do the things of the Law, bring forth fruit, and live according thereunto. Laſtly, the willowes of the brooke doe ſignifie the wicked and reprobate, who neither have the law, nor bring forth any good workes, aptly reſembled to ſuch barren twigs, which deſtitute of any fruit, are not pleaſing either to taſte or ſmell: And by theſe they underſtand us Chriſtians, whom they account as wicked livers and aliens from the Law of God, appropriating this onelyonly to themſelves. And hence it is that Rabbi Bechai in his booke called Cad Hakkemach, Cap lulabh. p. 42.or a Barrell of Meale; ſaith, that theſe foure things ſhaddow out unto us foure Kingdomes, to wit, That of the Aſſyrians, that of the Perſians, that of the Grecians, and the now extant Monarchy of the Romans, which laſt is typified unto us by the willowes. To put a period to theſe ſubti…ties, I will relate a ſtory out of the Talmud, concerning the adorning of theſe their Tabernacles, and it is a certain conference or dialogue which God ſhal have with al people at the day of doom. It is found in the Tract entituled Abhodahzarah, or of Idolatry: In theſe words. At the laſt day God ſhall ſay, that onelyonly the Jewes are juſt and holy, as they who have fulfilled the Law of God, in every part and degree; but all other people of the earth are ungodly and unjuſt, as neither having the Law, nor doing the workes preſribed to bee done in the ſame. Then ſhall the people of the earth anſwer and ſay, O Lord God of the whole world, give unto us that law, and wee will in every point and parcell obſerve and keep it. Then God will reply, O fooliſh Chriſtians, doe you not know the old Proverbe, that hee who labours upon the eve of the Sabbath, ſhall have whereon to feed upon the Sabbath; but hee that is idle and ſits ſtill ſhall want. Goe yee therefore, and firſt of all fulfill that little commandement of mine, called Sukkah aFrom foreign a ſumme or brief Rabbine.concerning the celebration of the Feaſt of Tabernacles. Then every one of them ſhall run in all haſt, and make unto himſelfe a booth or Tabernacle; ſome upon their houſe tops, as the Jewes were wont to doe in ancient daies in their owne land, where the roofe was flat and plaine, others in their gardens, and they ſhall dwell in them. Then ſhall God ſo mightily encreaſe the heat of the Sun at Midſomer, and ſo forward, that they ſhall be ſcor…hed and burnt, and being not able to endure the heat, ſhall trample theſe their booths under their feete, and being mightily enflamed with anger, ſhall cry out, Let us break their bonds in ſunder, Pſal. 2. 3, 4.and cſaſt away their cords from us. Then God ſhall flout, jeer and deride them; as it is written in the ſame place, Hee that dwelleth in heaven ſhall laugh them to ſcorne, the moſt high ſhall have them in deriſion. And hence Rabbi Iſaac affirmes, that it is never found, that God is ſaid to laugh but upon that day onelyonly. So farre the Talmud.
By which relation we may plainly perceive, how these apiſh Jewes hug and pleaſe themſelves in their own folly; and how they would even in a manner force God to beleeve, that they onelyonly are his choſen and elect people, who keep the whole law, obſerving and fulfilling all his commandements; when on the contrary the Chriſtians and other people are men appointed to deſtruction and damnation, reputed as a laughing ſtocke and abomination in the eyes of the Lord. But O ſilly Jew, what ſaith Ezekiel of thee and thy obſervance of the Law, hearken what the Lord ſaith by the mouth of his Prophet.Ezek. 20. 10, 11, 12, 13. I cauſed them ſaith he to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderneſſe; and I gave them my ſtatutes, and ſhewed them my judgements, which if a man doe, hee ſhall live in them. Moreover alſo I gave them my Sabbaths to bee a a ſigne between mee and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that ſanctifieth them. But the houſe of Iſrael rebelled againſt mee in the wilderneſſe; they walked not in my judgements, which if a man doe, he ſhall even live in them, and my Sabbaths they greatly polluted: Then I ſaid I would poure out my fury upon them in the wilderneſſe.