The Jewish Synagogue, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
Of the Feaſt of the New Moone.
HItherto we have treated of the chiefe Feſtivals uſual…y ſolemnized by the Jewes at Jeruſalem in ancient daies; and of the manner of their celebration, by the Jewes of theſe our times. We come now to ſpeake of thoſe Feaſts which their Anceſtors were wont to keep in the Cities and places where they had their dwelling and ſetled habitation. We will begin with the Feaſt of the New Moon, which they ſolemnize once every month.
The firſt day of every New Moon, was in old time accounted holy; becauſe God commanded, that in the beginning of their months, they ſhould offer unto him a burnt offering, as we may reade in the fourth book of Moſes. Numb. 28. 11.Yet is this day to the Jewes now living, onelyonly halfe holiday, ſo that they may worke or not worke at their owne pleaſure.
It is alſo recorded,Orach. chaj…m num▪ 419. that the command for the celebration of this Feaſt, is rather given to the women then men ſo that they ought upon this day, to abſtaine from all manner of labour, becauſe in times paſt they would not give their golden ear‐rings, and other ornaments, to the making of the molten calfe; when on the contrary, they offered them with a willing and ready minde, yea alſo their rings and bracelets towards the building of the Temple, whoſe firſt ſtone was laid the firſt of March. Upon the e…e of this Feſtivall, all they that are of a pious and honeſt carriage among the Jewes, faſt untill e…en‐tide praying unto God that hee would vouchſafe to ſend them a joifull and happy New Moon. The next morning, being that of the Feſtivall, they goe into the Synagogue where they make many prayers, yea▪ more then they are wont to do upon other Feſtivals. At mid‐day they goe to dinner at which they become very jocund, cocking their beavers, and ſitting very long; for which they urge Moſes, Num▪ …. 10.ſaying; In the day of your gladneſſe, and in your ſolemn dayes, and in the beginning of your months yee ſhall blow with the trumpets over the burnt offerings, and over the ſacrifices of your peace‐offerings, that they may bee to you a memoriall before your G O D. And to the end that they may ſit the longer at the Table, they play at Cards almoſt all the day long, paſſe away the time in jeſting and merry-making.aBeſide this kinde of divination by the Moon, there were certain other uſed by their fathers, and forbidden in holy w…it. The first was foreign an obſerver of times, ſaying, This day is good, that evil, like to ſome of our Engliſh Aſtrologers. And hee was derived …ither from foreign gnayn, an eye, becauſe he did…d I…de the eyes of men, or from foreign gno…ah, time, or from foreign a cloud p…ne…ins, one that beholding the heavens did foretell the weather. Or from foreign to afflict, becauſe he afflicted mens conſciences by theſe his predictions. Aben Ezra, Levit. 19. 26. The ſecond foreign Menaceſh A…gur, a Soothſayer, who out of his own experience could ſpeak of the ſtate of the time following, Gen. 44. 5. Such an one are ſome of our foolish vulgars, who if he ſee a C…o… or a Hare croſs his way, or meet a red-headed man in the morning, will not take his journey. From foreign nicheſh anguratus, &c. The third foreign Mecaſheph a Witch, Exod. 7. 11. from foreign ciſheph auſpiciis us who by bewitching the ſences makes things appear otherwiſe then they are. The fourth foreign Chober, one who hath made a covenant with the Devil, a Charmer, who cures diſeaſes by …pels and ſentences repeated out of holy writ, ſo called, from foreign to joyn in fellowſhip The fifth Shoel Ob, he that asks counſel at Ob, or of a familiar ſpirit▪ ſuch was the Pythoniſt, Acts 16. The word ſignifies a Bottle, becauſe the poſſeſſed herewith, ſpoke with a hollow voice. The ſixt Jedeoni, ſo called according to the Rabbines, from a beaſt called Jaduah; a bone of which they held in their teeth in time of prophecy. The ſeventh Doreſh El hammethim; one who asked counſel of the dead, a Necromancer; ſuch was the witch of Endor. The eighth, Shoel mak…o, one who took counſel by his ſtaff; what way it fell, that way he would go, Hoſ. 4. 12. Or meaſuring his ſtaff by inches, I will go, I will not go: did according to the event. The laſt; Roel Baccober, Ezek. 21. 21. A diviner by the intrals of Beaſts. the eclipſe of the Moon they hold as a ſigne very ominous to them that trouble them Wherefore they commonly faſt upon the day of the eclipſe, entreating God to ſave and defend them from all their enemies, and them that hate them. When the Moon is three dayes old or more, they gather themſelves together upon the night into ſome one of their Gardens, or elſe into their ſtreet where they may clearly ſee the Moon, lifting up their eyes to Heaven, the poſture of their body being exactly upright, they bleſſe the Moon, one of their chief Rabbines repeating a certain prayer, and the reſt ſaying after him as followeth. Bleſſed be thou, O Lord God, our God, King of the World, who haſt ſanctified us by thy word, and by the ſpirit of thy mouth, who haſt created the heaven and all the hoſt thereof; given laws thereunto▪ and preſcribed certain ſeaſons, in which they obey thy commandments, meaſuring out aright the times and ſeaſons, and herein with great joy and gladneſs fulfil the will of thee their God and Creator, who art the true worker, and whoſe works are truth. Thou haſt ſpoken to the Moon to renew her ſelf by her often change, which renewing is as a beautiful Crown, and a great ornament unto the head of every one that is in his mothers womb, even to all the Iſraelites (as ſaith the Prophet Eſay) who ought to renew themſelves even as the Moon doth: that they may praiſe and honour their Creator, for the name of his Kingdom, a name highly to be reverenced. Bleſſed be thou O Creator. Bleſſed be thou O Moon. Bleſſed be he who made thee. Bleſſed be thy Lord, bleſſed be thy Maker. At theſe words they leap three times upwards towards heaven; the higher the Caper is, the better it is in eſteem: Then they go on, ſaying, Even as we, O God, leaping towards thee cannot come near unto thee: even ſo all our enemies bending their forces againſt us, cannot approach to hurt us. Here again they make a ſtay, ſaying that of Moſes three times;Exod. 15▪ 16. Fear and dread ſhall fall upon them by the greatneſs of thine arm, they ſhall be as ſtill as … ſtone, till thy people paſſe over, O Lord, till thy people paſſe over which thou haſt purchaſed; hereby praying againſt us Chriſtians. For a concluſion of this prayer, one par ſaith peace be unto you: and the other anſwer, Peace be unto you, peace be unto you, and to the Iſrael of God.
This benediction or bleſſing they for the moſt part beſtow upon the new Moon, upon the Sabbath thereof, which Sabbath they ſanctifie with a due ſolemnity, putting on their new apparel in honour to the new Moon, which they bleſſe, and give it a court-like welcome with great joy and rejoycing. I cannot but here inſert a certain Dialogue ſet down in the Talmud,Cholm. cap. 3▪ p. 16. between God and the Moon, which Rabbi Sim…on, Gen. 12. 6.the ſon of Pazzai thus relates. It is written, God made two great lights, the greater to rule the day, the leſſe to rule the night. Then ſaid the Moon unto God; O Lord of the whole world, tell me, I pray thee, Can two Kings reign together, and wear one and the ſame Crown? To whom God made anſwer, and ſaid, Go hence and leſſen thy ſelf: She replies; O my Creator, ſhall I therefore be leſſened, becauſe I have ſpoken before thee that which is true and right? Then ſaid God, Go and bear rule and dominion both by day and night. But quoth the Moon, What great honour ſhall I reap from hence? or what dignity ſhall accrew thereby? A burning Candle at noontide, what doth it profit? Then the Lord bids her be gone, ſaying, that the people of Iſrael ſhould number their dayes, times, and ſeaſons, according to her courſe and motion, which ſhe denies as impoſſible; for to this end they ought to have an exact knowledge of the two Tekuphoth or Tropicks, as alſo of the two Solſtices, as it is written, They ſhall be for ſignes, and times, and dayes, and years. Then God makes her this anſwer, Go thy way, for many great and learned men ſhall take unto them this thy title, as James the leſs, Samuel the leſs, David the leſs. But all this cannot appeaſe her: which when he perceived, he ſaid, offer a propitiatory ſacrifice for me, becauſe that I have leſſened the Moon.Rab. Bechoci. And hereupon Rabbi Simeon the ſon of Sakis ſaith, How much doth that Goat differ from others, which is offered in the time of the new Moon, of which the Lord ſaid, this ſhall be a propitiatory ſacrifice for me, who have offended in leſſening the Moon. So far the Talmudiſt. The Rabbines diverſly diſpute what is the true ſence and meaning hereof. They who are of ancient dayes are of opinion, that at the beginning the Sun and Moon were equal in light, which they prove out of the words of Moſes, ſaying,Gen. 1. God made two great lights. But ſo ſoon as the Moon murmured againſt God, and would ſit as Queen, and ſuffer none to ſhare in dominion with her, but be ſole Monarch in the celeſtial Orbs, God debaſed her for her pride, takes away her own light, and ca…ſed her to borrow of the Sun: and hence are, ſay they, thoſe immediately following words of Moſes, The greater light for the government of the day: and the leſſer light for the government of the night: whereas he formerly made no ſuch difference, but ſimply ca…ling them two great lights. And furthermore, that God hearing the Moon complain of this her hard uſage and miſ-hap, repented of that he had done, and cauſed a propitiatory ſacrifice to be offered for this his offence at every new Moon. This opinion the modern Rabbines reject as a blaſphemy againſt God, conſidering that he is juſt and cannot commit iniquity, neither is any wickedneſs found with him. Wherefore they have very much tortured and rackt their inventions to finde out the true ſence of theſe words,Num. 18. 15. diverſly interpreting the word Alai written with Gnayn, as Rabbi Bechai teſtifieth.