The Jewish Synagogue, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Of the form of the Morning Prayer of the Jews, and how they behave themſelves in their Schoole or Synagogue.
IT was formerly declared that the Sun-riſing was the moſt fit time for Prayer; yet leſt the exerciſe hereof ſhould be omitted,Orach Chaijm num. 8, 9. by the too too earlines of the time appointed, the Rabbines have ſtretch it upon the tenter-hooks of a diſpenſation, even to the the third hour of the day, which is the ninth with us, if my Arithmetick fail me not.Rutheni are a people of France dwelling neare Xantoigne, and Avergne, but in this place rather a people of Livonia, from whence the Countrey is called Ruſſia. Whereſoever then there are many Jews inhabiting in the ſame place, as at Worms, Mentz, Frankeford upon the Moene. Fridberg in Moravia, Bohemia, Poland, and the territories of the Rutheni, and other places where they have Schools and Synagogues, for ſo they call their Temples, they always are accuſtomed to meet together for to pray at the ordinary time appointed, and to perform this holy exerciſe according to the inſtitution thereof ſet down in their own books, which we will ſhew with the greater brevity, ſeeeing we have been ſomewhat more prolix in the former Chapter.
When the Jews are dressed Capa Pee, Orach chajim nu. 46.and have waſhed and cleanſed themſelves within and without, put on their fringed Garments, and all this betimes in the morning,Brundſ. cap 41. then arè they not ſluggiſh and ſlothfull, but without delay depart with great ſpeed and alaerity, and haſten unto the Synagogue, as though they were about to enter ſome Conflict; as the Prophet David hath recorded:Pſal. 55. 15. We will go unto the houſe of the Lord, as though we were to beſiege a City: for in this manner they interpret the words of the Prophet; that is to ſay, we will run into the houſe of the Lord, as though our enemies were following us in flight.Tract T…l…ud de benedictionibus. Rabbi Jona ſaith in Maſſeches Berachos, that whoſoever hath a deſire to go into the Synagogue muſt foot it with expedition: Hereupon the Prophet Hoſee ſaith, We ſhall know him and hunt after him (for ſo the Jews render the words of the Prophet) that we may follow on to know the Lord: that is to ſay, we ought to be preſſed and ready, as theſe who follow the chaſe. When any earthly King doth injoyn his Councel and others of his Court, that they ſhould appeare before him very early in ſome place which it ſhall pleaſe His Majeſty to deſigne for the Conventicle, then he of purpoſe riſing betimes out of his bed, to ſee whether his Counſellors be diligent and watchfull in the performance of his Command; whomſoever he finds firſt in the place appointed, he converſes with him in a friendly familiarity, yea, and vouchſafeth that he ſhall from thenceforth be his Favourite.
God is like to ſuch a King; for his will and pleaſure is, that the whole Congregation of Iſrael, ſhould timely appear in the Synagogue, and preſenting them selves before his face, ſhould certifie him in their prayers of all their wants and neceſſities. Now if God, who early vouchſafeth his more eſpecial preſence in their Synagogue, find not any man preventing his expectation, then is he angry with his children, ſaying,…ſa. 50. 2. Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called was there none to anſwer? Bleſſed is he who comming early in the morning, entertains diſcourſe with his God. How greatly will the Lord love that Servant, who imploys all his care, that by his negligence his Lord ſhould not abide ſolitary and deſtitute of a companion?
In Maſſeches Berachos, Tract Berachos de benedictionibusp. 6Rabbi, Abhiu, the ſon of Rabbi Ada, in the name of Rabbi Iſaac, ſaith, that if he who uſeth to frequent the Synagogue be but once abſent, then God inſtantly upon it, propoſeth the queſtion: Who is among you that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the voyce of his Servant, that walketh in darkneſſe and hath no light, and truſteth upon the name of his God? Eſay 50. 10. The meaning is this, that whoſoever keeps his bed, and comes not into the Synagogue, abideth ſtill in darkneſs.
In the Porch of their Schoole or Synagogue, they have a certaine piece of Iron faſtened into the wall, againſt which every one is bound to wipe his ſhooes, if they be unclean and dirty,Eccl. 4. 17. and they urge the authority of Salomon for it, ſaying, Keep thy foot when thou goeſt into the h…uſe of God, whoſoever uſeth to wear any pantoffles, he ought to put them off at the door of the Synagogue, lſst he pollute the ſame, as it is written, Looſe thy ſhoes from oſf thy foot; Exod. 3. 5.for the place whereon thon ſtandeſt is holy ground. They ought to enter into the Synagogue with great fear and trembling, even as he who is ready to approach the preſence of ſome great King, is accuſtomed to unbare his head, and enter the Palace in a baſhfull fearfulneſſe, according to that of the Prophet David, Pſal 29. 2. Yet the o…iginall is foreignGive the Lord the honour due unto his name, worſhip the Lord with holy worſhip: thou doſt not read here Behadrath, but Bechardath, ſay the Rabbines, that ſignifying comlineſſe and ornament, this fear and aſtonishment.
They being about to enter the Synagogue by the poreh thereof uſe to repeat ſome certain ſayings hudled up together out of Davids Pſalms, the cuſtome in it ſelf being very good and laudable, if it were ſeaſoned with a judicious attention, and ſervent devotion. They may not begin their prayers inſtantly upon their entrance into the Synagogue, but for a ſpace ought to ſuſpend the action in a pious meditation of him with whom they are to converſe; as alſo who he is that can ſee the very ſecrets of their hearts, and hear their prayers; for by this means they are poſſeſſed with the ſpirit of reverence, and are pricked forward to a ſerious obſervation of what is ſpoken. It is written in Maſſeches Berachos, and that upon the Rabbines record, that Rabbi Eliezer lying in his bed, his Schollers viſited him, deſiring him to ſhow them the way to Eternall Life; he willing to ſatisfie them in their requeſt, ſaid unto them, whenſoever you make your prayers, conſider before whom you ſtand; for by ſo doing you ſhall become heirs of life everlaſting. Every one of the Jews is bound to caſ… …omething into the treaſury, though it be but a mite as it is written, I will ſee thy face sin …uſtice, where by Juſtice is underſtood Alms deeds, which beareth witneſſe thereunto.
In this the… fixt devotion of mind they are wont to bow themſelves towards the … in which the bo…k of the Law is ke…t ſaying,Numb. 2…. 5. How goodly are thy …, O Jac…b, and thy Tabernacle, O Iſrael,Pſal. 26. 8. In the multitude of thy … I will enter into thine holy Temple▪ Lord, … have loved the habitation of thy houſe, and the place where thine honour dwelleth, and many moe ſuch like ſayings out of the Pſalms of David. Theſe things premiſed in way of a proeme, at laſt they begin their devotions accordingly as they are appointed in their book of Common-prayer, and becauſe the Petitions are very many, they run them over by a curſory reading of them in their books, although ſome be ignorant of Letters, and cannot read at all, yet it is his duty to be frequent in the Synagogue without any intermiſſion, diligently attending what is ſaid by others, and ſaying Amen at the cloſure of every prayer.
That we may the better underſtand what manner of prayers they uſe, I will tranſlate ſome of their prayers out of the Hebrew into Latine, and withall explain them.
The firſt prayer they uſe begins thus, Adon Olam, aſcher melech, &c. running all in rythme, as all others of theirs do, and is ſung or read by them in a bouncing tone; the form of which prayer followeth.
O Lord of the world, who had rule and dominion before any thing now created, was created; who was called a King at the inſtant of their Creation, according to his good pleaſure, and ſhall ſo remain after their return into their prime nothing, to whom be given all honour and fear. He was from everlaſting, and ſhall alwayes abide in his glory: he is one alone, and beſides him there is no other, who may be compared or be likened unto him (by this reason they deny the Deity of the Son, and repute him as a common ſimple man) He, as he is without beginning, ſo he is without end. In his hand is ſtrength and power, he is my God, my protectour, and redeemer (by this ſaying they deride the belief of us Chriſtians, who do place our Confidence in a Mediatour, who himſelf was ſubject to the ſtroke of death) He is a ſtony rock unto me in my neceſſity, and in the time of my ſorrow; he is my banner and my refuge, he is the portion of mine inh…ritance, even in that day wberein I implore his aid and aſſiſtance, into his hands I commend my ſpirit, whether I ſleep or wake he is preſent with me, ſo that I need not be afraid of any thing.
This prayer being ended then follow in their order an hundred more, which are commonly ſhort and pithy, and are therefore twice repeated every day, the reaſon whereof ſhall be given hereafter.
The firſt bleſſing prayer, or thankſgiving is about the waſhing of their hands, as was formerly declared, and that, becauſe if any forget to ſay it in the morning when he is waſhing his hands, he is injoyned to ſay it before the whole Congregation.
In the next place they have a thankſgiving, though ſhore and ſuccinct, for the wonderfull Creation of man, and eſpecially that God created him full of holes and pores, one whereof being ſtopped, ſudden death neceſſarily follows thereupon.
Then they make their Confeſſion concerning the Reſurrection of the dead, giving thanks for the gracious ſupply of all their wants, ſaying, Bleſſed be thou O Lord, King of the World, who haſt given underſtanding to the Cock, ſo that he knows how to diſtinguiſh day from night, and night from day, ſo that he never fails to rouſe up the Jew before day, at what time they ought to leave their beds and go to prayers.
Bleſſed …e God, &c. That he created me an Iſraelite or a Jew, or as others render it, that he did not make me one of the Gentiles (By Gentile they underſtand Chriſtian, which they eſteem as Infidels, Idolaters, and a cursed Nation) The woman ſaith, bleſſed be God, &c. that he created me a Jeweſs.
Bleſſed be God, &c. that he hath not created me a ſervant; this alſo thwarts the profeſſion of Chriſtians, whom they account their vaſſalls, who ſhall ſow and plow their ground, and ſhall do all manner of ſervile imployments for them, while in the mean time they ſhall ſit behind a hot fornace roſting apples, toſſing up whole bowls of wine. What kind of Captivity is this? They anſwer, if any man rest himſelf in any place, having a huge Bowl of rich wine in his hand, then he is free from bondage, when on the contrary, the Chriſtians are forced to labour and till the Earth, in the ſweat of their browes and noſtrils.
Bleſſed, &c. That he hath not made me a woman: the women inſtead thereof, say Bleſſed, &c. that he hath created me according to his own good will and pleaſure. This is done in contempt of the womans ſex, becauſe they are not comprehended in the Covenant of Circumciſion, by which God …eals unto himſelf his own peculiar people; and therefore this Scripture muſt perforce be hatched in the womans brains, that is to ſay, whether they be in the Catalogue of Iſraelites, as their husbands are.
Bleſſed, &c. who exalteſt the humble.
Bleſſed, &c. who gives ſight unto the blind.
This Thankſgiving is uſuall when they firſt wake out of their ſleep, and unſhut their eye-lids.
Bleſſed, &c. who makes the crooked ſtraight; this they ſay, when lifting themſelves up in their bed, they go about to attire themſelves.
Bleſſed, &c. who clothes the naked; this they ſay when they put on their cloaths.
Bleſſed. &c. who raiſeth them that fall.
Bleſſed, &c. who bringeth the priſoners out of Captivity.
Theſe two ſeverall Thankſgivings are aſſigned for this reaſon, becauſe God in the time of ſleep doth in that manner ſuſtaine and multiply mans ſpirits, that they may again exerciſe their proper functions, the time of their being aſleep being like unto priſoners in the pit.
Bleſſed, &c. who ſtretcheth out the earth above the waters; this they say, when riſing out of their beds, they begin to tread upon the ground.
Bleſſed, &c. who directs, prepares and governs the wayes of man; this he ſaith, ſo ſoon as he comes out of his bed-chamber.
Bleſſed, &c. who hath created all things neceſſary for this life; this he utters when he ties his ſhooes.
Bleſſed, &c. who girdest Iſrael with the girdle of ſtrength; this he ſaith, when he puts on his girdle, which every Jew is bound to do, as hath been formerly declared.
Bleſſed, &c. who crowns Iſrael with comelineſſe; this he ſaith, when he puts his hat upon his head, for it is an hainous offence to go out of his Chamber uncovered.
Bleſſed, &c. who refreſheth the weary.
Bleſſed be thou O God, our Lord, King of the whole world, who removeſt ſleep from mine eyes, and ſlumber from mine eyelids.
Theſe prayers ended, being ſo many in number, they adde two more, wherein they petition God, that he would vouchſafe to keep and defend them againſt ſin, reprobate angels, & wicked men, and all kind of evil. Then humbling themſelves before God, they confeſs themſelves guilty, and relying only upon the mercy of God, they comfort themſelves again with a certain Prayer, beginning, Ribbon Col haolamim; and with much boaſting and many brags in that oath which the Lord ſware unto Abraham, being about to ſacrifice his Son Iſaac, ſay, yet we are thy people, and the children of thy Covenant: and, O bleſſed men that we are! how goodly is our portion? how pleaſant our lot? how beautifull our Inheritance? O bleſſed men that we are, who every morning pronounce this ſentence, Heare O Iſrael, the Lord our God is one God! Gather us that truſt in thee from the four corners of the earth: by which action all the Inhabitants of the world ſhal know that thou art God alone. O our Father which art in heaven, run after us with thy mercy even for thy names ſake, becauſe thy name is named upon us, and confirm and eſtabliſh in us that which is written,Soph. 3. 20. At that time will I bring you back, at that time will I gather you, and give you a name and renown amongst all the people of the earth, when I have turned againyour captivity, ſaith the Lord God. After theſe be ended, there follow 2 other ſhort Prayers, in which they give thanks for the Law delivered to them from heaven. From the Law they proceed to their ſacrifices, wch becauſe they may not offer in theſe dayes, they are baniſht out of their own Land, & their Temple is laid deſolate, as their Anceſtors were accuſtomed, the ſacrifice of the lip ſucceeds in the place thereof, and reading only the precepts cōcerning ſacrifices, as they ought in their appointed times to have been offered. they solace themſelvs with that ſaying of the Prophet,Hoſ. 14. 3. though in a ſenſe perverted, We will ſacrifice the calves of our lips. After this they ruminate the hiſtorical narration about ſacrifices, as alſo a certain prayer beginning Rabbi Iſmahel concerning the uſe of the Law, and the manifold expoſition thereof: which being grounded upon the Talmud, is so barbarous and difficult, that not one Jew amongſt an hundred is able to underſtand it. This they read in ſuch a manner, as the Veſtal Virgins do the Pſalter. This done, they ſay a Prayer, in which they Petition for the re-edification of Jeruſalem, and the Temple, which they daily, even unto this day expect and hope for; yet this they ſay with ſuch a fainting voice that none can hear it. The words are theſe: Let it be thy good pleaſure before thy face, O Lord and God, the God of our Fathers, that the holy houſe, thy Temple may be built again in theſe our dayes, and give unto us a will to abide in thy Law. Hereupon riſing up with great joy and ſhouting, they chant out another laudatory Prayer or thankſgiving, hoping that God will ſhortly begin to lay the foundation of their new Temple, and bring them back again into their own Land. Then ſitting down, they repeat a long Prayer collected out of the Pſalms of David, reading withall ſome whole Pſalmes, and a part of the thirtieth Chapter of the firſt book of Chronicles: and laſtly, ſinging the laſt words of the Prophet Obadiah, which are theſe: Saviours ſhall come up on mount Zion to judge the Mount of Eſau, Obad. 2. 1.and the Kingdome ſhall be the Lords. With attent minds and much rejoycing, their hope is that theſe Saviours of whom the Prophet makes mention, ſhall come quickly, and ſhall go up to Mount Sion: that is, they ſhall undertake the quarrel for the Jews, and help them to judge, deStroy, and utterly to extirpate from the face of the earth the Mountain of Eſau; that is to ſay, the Chriſtians, together with their Kingdome: they ſtiling the Chriſtians Edomites, and the Roman Monarchy the Kingdome of Edom, and ſo shall bring them back into their own Land flowing with milk and honey: what the reaſon is, that they call u… Chriſtians Eſauites, or Edomites, I will at large inform the Reader in another place, I will only inſert thus much in this preſent Chipter, which they write and teach in their ſecret and hidden books, which they will not ſuffer to come into the hands of Chriſtians; that the ſoul of Eſau paſſed from his body into that of Chriſts: and that Chriſt was no leſſe wicked then Eſau was; and that we are no better, whence ever we are not without great cauſe called Edomites, who put our truſt and confidence in him.
Then they begin to ſing, God ſhall be King over the whole earth. In that day there ſhall be one God, and his Name ſhall be one, as it is written in thy Law O God, Hear O Iſrael the Lord our God is one God. This they …abble out as a thing clear contrary to our Chriſtian profeſſion, as though we worſhipped more Gods then one, and were wont to give him more names then one, as the nam… of Chriſt.
Next in order follows a ſhort Prayer cal…ed Krias ſchmah, Orach chajim nu. 58. foreigntaken out of the fift Book of Moſes▪ and when they read that verſe in the Hebrew language, Hear O Iſraol, the Lord our God is one God: and come unto the laſt word thereof which is Echad, ſignifying One, they toſs up and down, and bandied from mouth to mouth, with eyes caſt up to Heaven for the ſpace of halfe an hour▪ yea, ſometimes for an whole hour together, and comming to the laſt letter thereof, which is Daleth, the whole Congregation doth bend and turn their heads ſucceſſively towards the four corners and winds of the earth, hereby ſignifying that God is King in every place, yea, throughout the whole world: for the letter Daleth, by reaſon of its place in the Hebrew Alphabet▪ ſtands for the number of four. Furthermore the word Ecthad comprehends in it two hundred forty five other words, to which they ſuperadding theſe three,foreign Hael elohechem Emeth, your God is truth, the number amounts to two hundred forty eight, the very number of the members in mans body, ſo that if theſe ſeveral Prayers be ſaid for every member in particular, then the whole man is ſtrongly guarded againſt all manner of evil. Whoſoever repeats the foreſaid verſe three times, ſhall be ſafe from the Divel; for that verſe begins with the Letter Schin, and ends in Daleth in this manner, Schema Iſrael, Adonai Eloheim, Adonai Echad, which two letters conjoyned make up the word Sched, which ſignifies a Divel. They repute alſo this Prayer as a Prayer of ſingular worth and ſanctity, by which may be wrought many miracles: whence it comes to paſs that they are extreamly ſuperſtitious in a repetition of the ſame every morning and evening.
It is regiſtred in the Talmud, T…act. de bebenedictionibus cap. 9.that upon a certain time, when it was commanded by open Proclamation, that the Jews any where having a Synagogue, ſhould not publickly teach and make profeſſion of their faith; Rabbi Akibha not regarding the command, ceaſed not to read and preach it openly in the Synagogue; upon which he was apprehended, and for the fact caſt into Priſon▪ When the Tormentors were about to bring him to the ſtake to be burnt, they firſt of all curried his corps with an iron horſecombe, wounding and tormenting him after a lamentable manner. Yet notwithſtanding Rabbi Akibha remained conſtant, praying without intermiſſion. And when the time of the day came wherein he was to ſay that Prayer, Krias Schema, he begun it with great boldneſs. At the laſt his Scholers beſpoke him and ſaid, Moſt dearly beloved Maſter, thou haſt prayed ſufficiently, now yield thy ſelfe and take thy death patiently. To whom he made this anſwer, I have had this ſaying in great eſteem all my life long: Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy body: and thus I have underſtood it, that though any one ſhould pluck out my heart and rent my body in pieces, yet I ought ever to determine this with my ſelfe, never to ceaſe to love him. Therefore when God hath confirmed this in me, ſhould I ceaſe to worſhip him, and to bring this Prayer to an end which is directed unto him? Therefore holding on in this his prayer, he never left repeating the word Echad, until his ſoul forſook his body. Then was there a voice heard in the air ſaying, Bleſſed art thou, O Rabbi Akibhah, becauſe thy ſoul departed breathing the word Echad, now ſhalt thou have an entrance into life eternal, and ſhalt come into that light of the Garden of Paradiſe. Amen. Selah.
They have alſo another prayer like unto the former, which they call Schemon Eſre, i. e. eighteen, Orach chajim nu. 113.becauſe it contains ſo many particular thankſgivings and prayers of praiſe therein. Concerning the ſanctity and holineſſe of this and the former prayer, the Jews have written many a large Tract, which I leaving to beſpeak their own worth, will neither praiſe nor any ways diſgrace. The laſt of theſe every one repeats twice a day, and he that is their Chaplain or Reader in the Synogogue doth publickly ſing it by himſelfe two or three ſeveral times. The Jews eſteem highly of it, hoping that hereby they ſhall obtain remiſſion of all their ſins. When it is their will and pleaſure to poure out unto God, they are bound to do it ſtanding, and with ſuch a poſture, that one foot may not inſiſt more upon the ground then the other, in imitation of the Angels, of whom it is written: And their feet were ſtreight feet. This is handled more at large in Rabbi Alphes in his firſt Chapter,Ezek. 1. 7. and in their Minhagim, and in many other books. When they ſay thoſe words,Isa. 6. 3. holy, holy, holy Lord God of hoſts, the earth is full of his glory, being a parcel of the Prayer Schemon Eſre, by them named Keduſcha (a), Orach chajim nu. 125. a Sanctitas.then they caper three times together, leaping up, as though by this their geſture they did indeavour to become like unto the Angels, who were the firſt Choriſters that ſung this Song of praiſe. Others ſay, that becauſe theſe words in the Prophecy of Eſay immediatly follow, And the poſts of the doors were ſhaken at the voice of him that ſpake, it is both meet and convenient that a man ſhould touching move himſelf in the quavering of ſuch an Angelical Anthem. The Hebrew Doctors write, that whoſoever dare to mutter the leaſt ſyllable, while the Prayer Schemon Eſre is a ſaying, ſhall after his death have coals of fire given him to eat, as it is written in the fourth verſe of the thirtieth chapte… of Job aThe wards are foreign Radix juniperorum eorum panis.for ſo Rabbi Salomon expounds the words, Rabbi Tanchum ſaith in the name of Rabbi Jehoſchua, that the Doctours made theſe eighteen ſhort petitions, having reſpect unto ſo many little bones, which are in the back bone of a man, which bones they ought to bend while they repeat the prayer, whereupon the Prophet David ſaith, All my bones ſhall ſay, &c.
After theſe two prayers follows an evil prayer full of accuſations againſt thoſe Iews, which have turned Chriſtians and received baptiſme, as alſo againſt all other Chriſtians, and their Magiſtrates, which I have written out word for word, as it is ſet down in ancient Manuſcripts, and in them of Polonia, where they dare imprint what they pleaſe, and that with great audacity, all fear of the Chriſtians set aſide, it was thus.
They who are blotted out, that is to ſay, the Jews (who have embraced Baptiſme, and turned Chriſtians) ſhall never more have any hope left them, and all the unbelievers, as well as thoſe which have turned Apoſtates, and fallen from the Jewiſh belief, as in generall all other people, who adhere not to the faith of the Iews, ſhall periſh in the twinckling of an eye, and all thine enemies, O Lord our God, which bear a tyrannous hate againſt thee, ſhall be ſuddenly coufounded, and the proud and preſumptuous Kingdome ſhall ſpeedily be rooted out, break it in pieces, that it may become level with the ground, and at laſt be utterly deſtroyed (This particle, whether through fea… or the ſtrict injunction of the Magiſtracy againſt whom it was directed, in which it was ſtiled the Kingdome of pride, or ſimply Reſchak, that is to ſay, impious, is omitted in their Common prayer books of the laſt edition, as alſo in that Copy of mine printed at Venice, foreignin the year 1564) and make them without delay obedient unto us in theſe our dayes,Tract, de benedictione. ſect. 9. 4. Bleſſed be thou O God, which breakeſt in pieees, and ſubdueſt thoſe that are rebellious. This particle they entitle a prayer againſt all hereticks, becauſe in it is contained a curſe against hereticks, as Rabbi Alphes recordeth.
By theſe hereticks, they firſt and principally underſtand the baptiſed Jews, for every one that is ſuch, they call Meſchumad, aforeign One cut off from the Congregation of the faithfull, from the verb foreign extirpatus eſt, exciſ… ….a reprobate, and in the plural number, Meſchumadim are these loſt and conſumed perſons, who leaving Iewiſh ſuperſtition have given their names unto Chriſt, and so the Prayer begins Velam…eſchumadim, that is to ſay, to the loſt condemned apoſtate Iews, inſtead of which word they have now inſerted Velamaſchinin, aforeign A traytor, backbiter, from … foreign linguax fui…, detraxit falſa accuſation….that is to ſay, to theſe traytors, by them alſo underſtanding the baptiſed Iews, for theſe they call traytors, becauſe they betray and lay open their wickedneſſe and treachery to the Chriſtians. In very deed a man may eaſily conjecture by the words of Rabbi Bechai, what thing they wiſh unto the Chriſtians, who writes in this manner concerning this prayer, This prayer (ſaith he) was made againſt the hereticks, againſt that wicked Kingdome, the Romane Empire, againſt all Chriſtian Magiſtrates, that all they might be rooted out which obtain any rnle and authority over the Iews.
The Kingdome of the Turks they alwayes call the Kingdome of Iſmael, becauſe they draw their originall from the loinſ of Iſmael, They call the Romane Empire, The King dome of Edom; the Kingdome of Rome, the Kingdome of Eſau, the Kingdome of iniquity, the Kingdome of pride, a preſumptuous alſo and reproachfull Kingdome, yea, this is every where imprinted as manifeſtly in fair Characters in their books, as the bright lamp of heaven ſends out his light upon the earth, concerning which with Gods help more ſhall be ſpoken hereafter, and to ſay the very truth, this is the more likely, becauſe that this prayer was made a long time after Schemane Eſre, their prayer containing eighteen thankſgivings, placed in this order, and foiſted into their book of Common prayer by Rabbi Samuel hakkaton, Rabbi Samuel the little, or S…ort, who died before the deſtruction of the ſecond Temple. This was done with a ſingular ſleight of hand, a little after Chriſts time, the impulſive cauſe being very baſe, the Doctrine of Chriſt and his followers the Chriſtians being more hated of the Iewes, then they in words were ab…e To expreſſe; but if I be not deceived, this diminutive Samuel compoſed this prayer in the City Jaſna againſt all the Iewſ that ſhould cleave unto Chriſt, and against the Romanes, who then had Dominion over the Iews, ſome forty years after the deſtruction of the ſecond Temple, at that time when the great Court of the Sanhedrim was removed and baniſhed to Jaſna, If any reader be skilfull in the holy tongue, let him read that book called Sepher Juchaſin, which is a certain Iewiſh Chronicle, pag. 21. the Talmud printed at Venice in the Tract de benedictionibus, the fourth chapter, and in the Tract Sanhedrim, the firſt chapter, where ſufficient is ſpoken concerning this matter.
After this execratory prayer followes a benediction, and a very ſe…ious prayer in the behalf of all godly and honeſt livers among the people, and all them who out of other Nations have turned to the Jewiſh Religion, as alſo that God would vouchſafe with all ſpeed to build again the City and Temple in their dayes, to make the branch of the root of David to flouriſh, to exalt his horn, that is, to ſend the Meſſias without delay, and to reſtore the Kingdome unto Iſrael.
In the concluſion of theſe their morning prayers, they beſeech God to keep them in peace, and when they pronounce theſe words, He that maketh peace in high places, make alſo peace among all the people of Iſrael, Orach. Chajim.Amen: then they go three ſteps backward, and if any ſitting upon an horſe or an aſſe be travelling upon the way, it is neceſſary alſo that his horſe or aſſe ſhould likewiſe go backward ſo many paces: If it chanee they cannot retire backward by reaſon of the thronging mul. titude of people in the place, then skipping up, they leap three times into the air, bowing themſelves, and bending their heads, now to the right hand, then to the left, ſignifying thereby, that they beſeech God to give them peace in what place ſoever they are reſident: if a Chriſtian chance to be in their preſence with a Crucifix or any other image repreſentative of a Deity, then ought not the Jew to bow himſelf, but to lift his heart unto the Lord. The three ſteps which they go backward, are done in honour to God himſelf, for when any one departs from ſome great Potentate, he commonly for ſome ſpace goes backward in his congees, bleſſing his worſhip, honours him by kiſſing his hand, and the complementall bowing of his whole body: after the ſame manner, when the Jews depart the preſence of the Almighty, they go backward and ſalute him face to face, leſt he ſhould ſay, My people who have made long prayers unto me, are ſo wearied with the practice, that they ſhew me their back parts. The learned Rabbines ſay, that this retrogradation or going back is uſed in remembrance of a certain miracle which happened in Mount Sinai at that time when God gave them the Law;Tract. Tal. de benedict. c. 1. Exod. 20. 18. for the Rabbines in their Maſſeches Berachos upon thoſe words: When all the people ſaw the thunders and the lightnings, and the ſound of the trumpet, and the mountain burning, the people ſaw and were afraid, and ſtood afar off; diſpute and ſay, that the people through great fear and amazement, was in a moment of time, three miles backward from the mountain Sinai The chief Gloſſe-monger Rabbi Salomon Jarchi writes in his gloſſe upon this Text, that the people kept back twelve miLes, of which David ſpoke ſaying.Pſal. 68. 13. The Kings of the Armies did flie, and ſhe… that tarried at home divided the ſpoil, and then came the good Angels and miniſtring Spirits, and brought the people back unto the Mountain.
When they are about to depart the Temple or Synagogue, then they ſpeaking within themſelves, quietly and without the leaſt noiſe, they ſay a certain Prayer beginning Alenuleſh abeach: It is meet that we ſhould praiſe the Lord, who is above all, and in an excellent degree to celebrate him, becauſe he hath created all things, and not made us like unto the reſt of the Nations; likewiſe that he hath not made us as other generations of the World, and hath not appointed us an inheritance like unto theirs, neither is our lot as their lot, neither as the lot of their whole multititude. Here are ſome words omitted in their Books of Common-prayer, and that by the Commandement of the Magiſtrates of Italy, where their Books are wont to be, and for the moſt part are at this day imprinted. The things omitted were ſome blaſphemous ſayings againſt our Saviour, which are found expreſſed in the ancient copies, of which I have one which was imprinted at Auguſta by a Jewiſh Printer called Chajim, in the year of Chriſt 1534. In other copies, inſtead of the words omitted, there is left an empty ſpace about the length of one line, to this end, that the children of the Jews, and others who are ignorant, may be warned to enquire, what ſaying it is that is there omitted, which when they do, ſome relate the words unto them, or otherwiſe write them in the margent of the Book, as I have obſerved them to have practiſed in many of their Prayer books; the words left out are theſe: Who bend their knee and crouch to that which is vanity and fooliſhneſs, and adore another God who cannot help: (theſe words they utter againſt Chriſt, wherefore they ſpit upon the earth in the mouthing of them) But we bend and bow our knees, yea, our whole man to that King, who is King of Kings, to God holy and bleſſed for ever, who ſtretcheth out the heavens, eſtabliſheth the earth, whoſe glory and chair of eſtate is in heaven and the ſeat of whoſe power is in the higheſt heavens: he only is our God, and there is no other beſides him, Theſe things thus finiſhed, the Jew, now going out Of the Synagogue, ſaith, O Lord God, lead me by thy juſtice, by reaſon of thoſe that lay wait for me in ſecret, make plain thy way before my face. Preſerve me in my going out and my comming in, from this time forth for evermore.
They muſt go out of the Synagogue in the poſture of a Crab ſiſh, creeping backward through the Gate thereof, and that their back part ſhould not be towards the holy Ark, in which the book of the Law is laid up, to which they ought to exhibit a certain kind of reverence by turning their face thereunto. The Rabbines upon thoſe words of the Prophet Ezekiel, Who have turned their back unto the Temple of the Lord, Ezek 8.14.have delivered thus much in the Talmud, that a grievous and heavy puniſhment was inflcted upon the Prieſts, becauſe in going out of the Temple of the Lord,In Tract. Joma they turned their back parts towards the ark of the Covenant, wherefore the case ſtanding thus, we ought to depart out of the Temple with all fear and reverence, even as a ſervant being about to take his leave of his Maiſter, doth it with a retrograde crowching ſubmiſſion, and ſubmiſs lowlineſs. They muſt not run out of the Synagogue, leſt ſome might think him that runneth to be weary with praying, and to rejoyce that it is now lawfull for him to depart. They muſt go out with decurtate ſteps; for if any one doth this, God numbreth his ſteps, and gives him a great reward,Job. 14. 16. as it is written: Thou haſt numbred my ſteps &c.
If any in his going forth chance to meet a woman, or a damſel, whether ſhe be one of the Jews or Chriſtians, he ought to ſhut his eye…, and turn away his face from beholding her, he muſt not afford her the common curteſie of a Complement, leſt thereby taking occaſion of longer diſcourſe, he ſhould be woed to the entertainment of luſtfull notions and evil cogitations.
Concerning the ſerious manner of praying, they write,Orach chajim nu. 91. & ſeq that whoſoever wil pray attentively ought to have his head and heart covered, & to incompaſs his body with a girdle in the middle, leſt his heart by the ſight of the ſecret part ſhould be inveigled with wicked thoughts. He muſt turn his face towards Canaan and the City Jeruſalem, his feet equally placed upon the Earth, as aboveſaid. He ought to put his hand upon his heart in that manner, that his right hand may reſt upon his left, withall bowing his head with great humility: as it is written, Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto the Lord in the heavens▪ and again,Sam. 3. 41. My life is alwayes in my hand, yet do I not forget thy Law. Pſal. 119. 109.In time of prayer none muſt yawn, belch, or ſpit; yet if he muſt ſpit on neceſſity, then ought he privately to receive it in his Handkerchiff, and modeſtly to caſt it behind him, or upon his left hand, but not before him, or upon his right, for there ſtand the Angels inviſible, whom if any ſhould beray with this excrement, he ſhould be guilty of an heynous offence. It is not lawfull for any to let a ſcape in time of Prayer, if he do it againſt his will, then ought he to ſuſpend the act of praying, until the ill ſavour thereof be gone. If the wind urge him ſo much and ſo vehemently that he muſt of neceſſity let fly, then ſhall he go ſome four paces aſide, ſet a packing, and inſtantly thereupon ſaying, O Lord of all the earth, thou haſt created me full of holes, Whi…h I cannot ſhut up, all our modeſty is open, and known unto thee: our life is full of ſhame, we are nothing but worms and Maggots.
Sneeſing in time of Prayer, if it come from the parts below, is an ill ſign, if from above, a good one. He that beginneth once to pray, muſt not break off in the middle of his Prayer, yea although the King of Iſrael ſhould come and ſalute him, yet he may not anſwer him; though a Serpent took him by the heel and bit him, yet ought he to continue in his devotions; yet there is a certain diſpenſation which licenſeth a man to give way unto a churliſh Oxe, and for fear of him to ceaſe praying til he be gone and paſt. It is not lawfull for him that prayeth to touch his naked body with his hands, yet may be touch his hands and neck: If in this time he be ſo neceſſitated as to ſcratch his body, he muſt do it upon the garments. He that prays muſt move his whole body hither and thither, as it is written: All my bones ſhall ſay, O Lord, Pſal. 35. 10.who is like unto thee? The Chanter alſo of the Synagogue in the time of divine Service ought to pray, ſtanding in ſome hollow, low, deep place, and to read the Prayer diſtinctly, and with as loud a voice as he can poſſible: I have ſeen with mine eys the Reader fall down upon his knees before the Pulpit, becauſe in that place the earth was level, and not one place lower then another, and to have ſaid Prayers with as ſhill a voice as he could have done from an higher ſeat. Theſe Prayers they pour out of a collected narrow heart, chiefly to this end, that they may obtain the remiſſion of their ſins, and that according to the example of David, ſaying: Out of the depth have I called unto thee, Pſal. 130.O Lord; and finally, which is the perfection of all, every one ought to labour with all his ſtrength to anſwer Amen, at the end of every prayer. Hence it is written in the Booke Tanchuma, that it was the ſaying of Rabbi Jehuda, Brundſ. cap 41.that whoſoever ſaith Amen in this world, ſhall bee accounted worthy to ſay Amen in the world to come: hence is that of King David: Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, Alas poor Jew, thou haſt never uttered one Amen attentively for the ſpace of 1631 years.Amen, Amen: By which double Amen, he notes unto us, that one Amen is to be ſaid in this world, another in that which is to come, The wiſeſt among the Jews ſay, that whoſoever ſhall ſay Amen with great attention, ſhall bring to paſs that thereby their redemption ſhall appoach with all ſpeed, and ſuddenly be accompliſhed. How I pray you? when Amen is pronounced after the manner that it ought to be, then God ſhakes his head and ſaith, Wo unto thoſe children, who are baniſed from their Fathers Table. And how much comfort is it to a Father thus to be praiſed of his children? thereupon God begins to think of the deliverance of his people out of their captivity and that he ought not to do otherwiſe; for though he hath put and exiled them out of his ſight for their ſins, yet he ſuffers with them, and the grief of his children, vexeth him at the heart: Upon which Rabbi Juda hath this ſimily. Even as a Mother having a Daughter who is immodeſt and diſobedient, who alſo hath been got with child by ſome or other, caſts her out of her doors for her unchaſt life, and uſeth much unmerciful carriage towards her; yet in the hour of child-birth ſhe ſuffers and laments with her after a wonderful manner: even ſo God hath ſent us into baniſhment for our ſins, yet having compaſſion he will redeem us when we ſeriouſly pray unto him.
It was formerly noted, that they ought every day to run over a whole century of prayers and thankſgivings, and this they very magiſterially demonſtrate, and that with great ſubtilty, and after the Cabaliſtical manner: and firſt of all out of thoſe words of Moſes: Now therefore, O Iſrael, hear what the Lord God requireth of thee. Here the Rabbines read not the words according to the original, Ma… ſchoel, which is, what the Lord requires; but, Meah ſchoel, that is to ſay, The Lord requires an hundred: ſo that Moſes intent in this place was no other then if he had ſaid,The words in the original are foreign quid requirit? th… Rabbins read foreign centum requirit, ſo perverting the text. God every day requires of thee an hundred Prayers. But out of what puddle did theſe ſkilfull Fiſhers, the Cabaliſts, angle out this expoſition? the anſwer is: Firſt, Moſes inſinuated ſo much unto us by putting an hundred letters in this very verſe. Secondly, it is demonſtrate by a secret of the Kabala, by which is made a certain tranſpoſition of the Letters, to wit, when the firſt letter of the Alphabet is put in the place of the laſt, and that which is immediatly before the laſt is put in the place of the ſecond, which kind of change the Cabaliſts cal Athbaſch, that is, when Thau, Aleph, Beth and Schin are mutually changed one for another. So by the benefit of this ſecret there come… two letters in the place of Mem and He, which make the word Mah above mentioned, which are Tzad… and Jod, which in computation make an hundred. Thirdly, it is read in the Talmud, that David appointed theſe hundred prayers at that time, when there dayly died in Iſrael an hundred men, for which cauſe theſe hundred petitions are dayly to be repeated.
This is alſo evidently proved out of thoſe words, which we find thus written in the ſecond Book of Samuel. David the ſon of Iſhai ſaith, 2 Sam. 25. 1.even the man who was ſ…t up on high, the annointed of the God of Jacob, and the ſweet ſinger of Iſrael; The man Hukam al der hocherhoben iſt, for ſo the Vulgar German …enders it; for Hukam properly ſignifies one that is exalted, Al hight, according then to the Cabaliſtical myſterious Art, the letters of the word Al being Lamed and Ajin make in number an hundred, and the meaning muſt be this; the man ſaith, by whom these hundred laudatory Petitions were erected and inſtituted. This Interpretation was taken out of the artificial archives of the Jewiſh Theology, into which no Chriſtian may enter. Many more ſuch ſhal hereafter be produced, which is the reaſon that I will trouble the Reader with no more in this place, but proceed to declare the carriage of the Jews at home after their return from the Synagogue. I will conclude all with the ſaying of the Prophet Eſay: When you ſhall ſtretch out your hands, Eſay 1. 15.I will hide mine eyes from you, and though you make many Prayers I will not hear, for your hands are full of blood. Again in another place: Your iniquities hav… ſeperated betwixt you and your God, Cap. 59. 2punc; 3.and your ſins have hid his face from you, that he wil not hear, for your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your li… have ſpoken lies, and your tongue hath murmured iniquity.