The Jewish Synagogue, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
How the Jewes prepare themſelves to celebrate the Paſſeover, and of the celebration of it.
HOW the Jewes carry themſelves all the weeke long, daily practiſing the duties of modeſty and godlineſſe, hath been hitherto declared. Now it followes that wee ſhould ſpeake ſome things of thoſe ſolemnities and rites, wherewith they are wont to celebrate their Feſtivals. Their feaſts are of two ſorts, ſome great and famous,Deut. 16. 16. ſuch as thoſe were which their Anceſtours kept, and held once every year, comming from all quarters, to the celebration of it, even to Jeruſalem,Exod. 23. 14. and their appearing before the Lord: Of this ſort was the Feaſt of the Paſſeover,foreign the Feaſt of weekes or Pentecost, the Feaſt of Tabernacles; which three were commonly called Schelaſch Regalim, The three times, or three courses.out of the booke of Exodus. Other Feaſts they uſe, which they keep in those Cities wherein they dwell and inhabite, which they call Jomim to…im, that is to say, good dayes. The chiefe Feaſt among them of the firſt ſort, is the Paſſeover, which they call by the name of Peſach aPeſach foreign from foreign paſach tranſ…t, to goe over, or paſſe over a Feaſt of the Iewes, in remembrance, that God did passe over the houses of the Iſraelites, and ſmote not their firſt born, when he ſmote the Egyptiansand is alſo the firſt in order; for from the monethmonth in which it is celebrated, they begin to reckon their annuall Feſtivals, and that according to the commandement of God in the Law of Moſes, saying, This month ſhall bee unto you the beginning of months; it ſhall be the firſt month in the yeare to you. Lo the firſt day of the month Niſan bThe Hebrews at firſt, meaſured their moneths by the courſe of the S…n…e, but after their departure out of Egypt, by the courſe of the Moon, they either contained thirty daies, and were called menſes pleni, or twenty nine, and were called menſes cavi. After the captivity of Babylon they gave them names. The firſt they called Niſan, containing part of Aprill, part of March, it is derived from foreign fugere, becauſe in the beginning of this monethmonth, the Iſraelites fled out of Egypt. It is alſo called Abi…, becauſe all things begin then to flouriſh; the word ſignifying a green care. The ſecond they call Aijar, which ſignifies beauty, becauſe the trees then begin to be beautified with buds and bloſſomes. The third they call Sivan, from foreign Sevan in the Chalde, ſignifying duſt, becauſe by the heat of the Sun, much duſt firſt begins to be in this monethmonth. The fourth Thamuz, tooke the name from the Idol of Tamuz, who was according to Rabbi Moſes an Idolatrous Prophet, a…d killed by the King. The fifth Ab, from foreign in the Chaldee, to bring … fruit, for in this monethmonth the corne begins to ripen. The sixt, Elul, August, from foreign Chald▪ explor avi…, becauſe they begin then to hunt and ſeek hares and wild beaſts. The ſeventh, …, September, from foreign poſſidere, to poſſeſſe, becauſe then the harveſt is got in, and in the poſſeſſion of the owners; or, as Schendler foreign to preſs out, becauſe in this month was their vintage, and the wine preſsed out of the grapes. This was alſo called Ethanim, from foreign Ethan, ſignifying ſtrong, becauſe in this monethmonth all things come to their ripeneſs, ſtrength and maturity. The eight, Bul, October, from foreign to ſprout out, becauſe then begins a new ſpring, and the …rees bud and bloſsome, or from foreign Bul, ſignifying to fall away, becauſe the leaves then begin to fall from the trees. It is alſo called Marcheſ…, from foreign rachaſch eructare, ebull…e, becauſe the waters then begin to breake out and increaſe. The ninth, ciſ…eu, November, it takes the name from a ſtarre ſo called, and ariſing in this month, Schem…ler, or from foreign ſignifying inconſtant, becauſe the weather begins now to be inconſtant; frost▪ ſnow, wind, &c. The tenth Tebeth, Decemb from foreign in the Sy…iack, inſame commercium, becauſe winter begins, and ſtripping the earth of all her garments, doth expoſe her to diſgrace. The eleventh S…h…beth, lanuary, ſignifying a rod, a ſeep…er, or tribe, but in this place a rod or tree, becauſe in this month, they began to plant. The …ast, Adar, February, from Adar to wax ſtrong, becauſe now the earth begins to recover her former ſtrength, by the S…ns approach.is wherein the New Moone begins her courſe, is the beginning of the yeare, from which they begin to reckon, and order aright their ſolemnities. Their common yeare takes its beginning from the first of September, by them called Tiſri, in the time of the new moon. Hence we read of a foure-fold new yeare in the Talmud. The first begins upon the firſt day of Niſan, or March; it is the new yeare, wherein begins the computation of the reigns of their Kings, and celebration of their Feaſts. The ſecond begins upon the firſt day of the month, Elul or Auguſt, and is called the new yeare of the bringing up of cattell. The third takes its beginning from the firſt day of Schebeth or January, and it is called the new yeare for trees.
Rabbi Hillel ſaith, that this year begins on the fifteenth day of the foreſaid monethmonth. The laſt is called the New yeare of yeares, to wit of the yeare of remiſſion of Jubilee, of the planting of trees and herbes, and it begin upon the firſt of Tiſri, or September. So much the Talmud: Which is thus to bee underſtood.
The yeare of Kings, is that yeare according to which they reckon the yeares of their reigne in all Contracts, Indentures, Bils and Bonds, made in the yeare of ſuch or ſuch a King; ſo that though any King do begin his reigne a month onelyonly, or a weeke,Note that their firſt of March is about the middle of our February. yea but a day before the firſt of March, yet is time reckoned unto him for a whole yeare, and the firſt of March next enſuing, they begin to write the ſecond year of his reign. In the ſame manner the firſt day of March is the time from whence they begin to number their annuall Feaſts, and holidaies. So the Feaſt of the Paſſeover is kept in the firſt monethmonth; the Feaſt of Tabernacles in the ſeventh monethmonth, and so forth.
2. The beginning of Auguſt, begins the yeare of the bringing up of their cattell, from whence they begin to reckon the yeare and monethmonth, in which ſuch and ſuch a beaſt was brought forth, ſo that by this meanes they more eaſily pay tithe unto the Lord.
3. The firſt day of the new Moon in September, is the beginning of yeares, becauſe from this day they have alwaies begun the computation of years from the Creation of the world, to this preſent time. The yeare of reſt or remiſſion, which was the ſeventh yeare or Sabbaticall yeare, when their fields and vines were ſuffered to keepe holiday, took its beginning from the firſt day of this month; as alſo the yeare of JubileeaThe word Jubilee as Marbachus ſaith, comes from Iubal, the firſt inventer of muſicall inſtruments. But rather from Iobel, which ſignifies a Ram, or Rams horn, becauſe the Prieſts did in this year, ſound on ram… horns, or becauſe it was a year of rejoicing. which was every fiftieth yeare celebrated, of which you may read in the twenty fifth Chapter of the third book of Moſes. From this alſo they began to account the times wherein they planted or grafted trees or herbes. So when any tree was planted in the monethmonth of June, then the first yeare of its planting ended in Auguſt, and the ſecond began in September, &c. the tree being accounted as uncleane and uncir…um…iſed, untill three yeares were paſt and gone.
Laſtly, The firſt day (or according to Rabbi Hillel) the fifteenth of January did begin the new yeare of trees and fruits. for according to the time that the trees before or after this day, did bring forth their fruits, so were they permitted, or not permitted, to be eaten; and according to this ſupputation, they payed their ti…hes alſo. The fruits ripening before the beginning of this month, are dates and orenges, and ſuch like, which were lawfull to bee eaten the yeare not run out. But they which brought forth fruit, which was not come to its full growth, the yeare not yet ended, it was not permitted unto any, to eat thereof, before the fifteenth day of January. They payed tithes in like manner of the former ſort, but not of theſe. This is at large handled in the fore-cited place of the Talmud, Antonius Margarita in his booke of the faith of the Jewes, ſaith, that the Jewes write, that the trees firſt become ſappy upon the fifteenth of January,Page 70▪ and that the pippins in peares or apples, then doe turne themſelves therein, which experience teacheth for a truth. In the Germane Minhagin, it is recorded, that none ought to kill a Gooſe in January, becauſe there is one fatall houre in this monethmonth, in which if any man chance to kill this kind of creature▪ hee shall ſurely dye a ſudden death. Yet if any doe it out of ignorance, let him take the liver of the Gooſe and eat it, and no danger wil enſue upon the act which Rabbi Juda Chaſid confirms for a truth. So much by way of digreſſion ſhal ſuffice to be ſpoken of the yeares in use among the Jewes: Wee now return to treat of that which was firſt proposed. How the Jews prepare themſelves to the celebration of the paſſeover.
They of the ri…her sort among the Jewes ſitting themſelves for the celebration of this Feaſt,…spand num. 429. by a thirty dayes preparation, buy wheat to make unleavened bread whereof they may eat in the time of the Feſtivall. They beſtow alſo ſomewhat upon the poorer ſort, who cannot buy where withall to make unleavened cakes.
The Sabbath immediately foregoing the Feaſt of the passeover, is among the Jewes an high and great day. In this the Rabbines make an Oration to the people, in which they give a tedious inſtruction unto the people, concerning the paſchall lamb, and the use thereof. This Sabbath they call the great Sabbath, a great miracle, hapning upon the ſame, being godfather thereunto.
It is written in the ſecond book of Moſes, the tenth day of this month, Exod. 12 3, 6.they ſhall take to them every man a lambe, according to the houſe of their fathers, a lambe for an houſe. And yee ſhall keep it up untill the fourteenth day of the ſame month; and the whole congregation of Iſrael ſhall kill it in the evening. Upon which words the Rabbines write as followeth. Our fathers (say they) taking up their lambes upon the tenth day, bound them in their foulds, that they might keepe them unto the foureteenth. Which the Egyptians ſeeing, made enquiry what they meant to doe with them; to whom the Iſraelites anſwered, that they would kill them againſt the Feaſt of the paſſeover. The Egyptians perceiving that they were about to ſlaughter and ſacrifice that creature which they worſhipped as a creating god (for the Ram is a ſigne of the Zodiacke) were greatly perplexed, and began to imagine evill againſt Iſrael. Then God wrought a miracle, ſmiting the minds of the Egyptians with feare and amazement, yea with ſuch an agony, that they were not able to wag their tongue againſt the children of Iſrael, nor to afflict them with the ſmalleſt annoyance of a miſchiefe. Hence was (say they) that anſwer of Moses to Pharaoh, Exod. 8. 26.It is not meet to doe ſo, for then wee ſhould offer unto the Lord our God, that which is an abomination unto the Egyptians. Loe can we ſacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and they not ſtone us? Abomination, that is, that Lambe, the killing whereof, will be in the eies of the Egyptians, an abominable and hainous offence, ſeeing they adore him as a God.
Inſomuch alſo, as it pleaſed the Lord so to worke with the Egyptians, that they had neither ſtrength nor power to doe any harme unto the children of Israel, and that in ſuch a miraculous manner; therefore they ſtile this Sabbath, which is the harbinger to the paſſeover, and uſhereth in the celebration by the name of the great Sabbath.
Againe it is written,Exod. 13. 7. Unleavened bread ſhall bee eaten ſeven daies, and there ſhall no leavened bread be ſeen with thee, nor yet leaven be ſeen with thee in all thy quarters. Out of which words, they gather thus much, that when the time of the Feaſt approacheth, they ought with all diligence, to ſeek out all the leavened bread in their houſes, and every parcell of leaven that may be found; to wash with water all their kneading troughes, and other veſſels; and in the ſecond place, to have in a readineſſe new dough for to make unleavened bread againſt the Paſſeover. Therefore two or three daies at least before the Feaſt, they begin to bruſh up and make handſome all their houshold ſtuffe in that forme and manner, which decency perſwades, and neceſſity requires.
In the firſt place they take a great Caldron uſed for the celebration of Feſtivals, which they fill full of water, and hanging it over the fire, cauſe it to boile. Into this they caſt all their woodden and pewter veſſels; and after the ſcalding water hath ſufficiently looſed the adherent filth, they take them out and waſh them in cold water, which done, every veſſell is held for pure and undefiled. If any thing or other by reaſon of the bigneſſe thereof, cannot be put into the foreſaid Caldron, as a chaire, ſtoole, table, or ſuch like, then they take a red hot iron or ſtone, holding it in a paire of tongs over the table, pouring water in great abundance thereupon, whereby the table, chaire or ſtoole, may be waſhed. They make no ſpare of water, for if any part of the foreſaid things be untouched therewith, they remaine undefiled. They daube with clay the kneading trough, after it bee throughly waſhed, and ſet it aſide in ſome corner of the houſe. They fill their great Caldrons being formerly cleansed, with hot water; which done, they caſt three live coales thereinto ſo fierce, that they make the water to hiſſe againe, and then waſh them in cold water.
For the more eaſie cleanſing of pewter and leaden veſſels, they uſe two paire of tongs, with the one putting them into the Caldron, and with the other, taking them out; to this end; that by this mutuall change, the veſſels may bee made cleane. They caſt their veſſels of iron; as little pots, dripping pans, broiling irons, and ſuch like, into the fire, where they let them remaine untill they ſparkle with heat, and then they are clean in eſtimation. They fill their braſſe and iron mortars with coales, binding a thread about them, which by the vehemency of the heat being burnt aſunder, ſhowes the purification to be perfect. A mortar of ſtone ought to be new cut or engraven: Briefly, it is neceſſarily required, that all veſſels of what ſort ſoever, be in every part ſo exactly cleanſed and purified, that not the ſmallest signe or token of that un…leannesse, ſignified by the leaven, may be really extant or obvious to the ſenſe; for whoſoever eates meat out of any diſh or platter in the time of the paſſeover, that diſh or platter being unclean, he commits as hainous a ſin, as if hee had ſlept with a menſtruous woman. Juſt then was that reprehenſion given by our Saviour unto the Phariſees,Mar. 7. 8. Ye lay the commandement of God apart, and obſerve the traditions of men; as the waſhing of pots and of cups, and many other ſuch like things you doe. And he ſaid unto them, well, you reject the commandements of God, that you may obſerve your ownae traditions. …at. 23. 25, 27.And againe, Woe be unto you Scribes and Phariſees hypocrites; for you make cleane the out-ſide of the cup, and of the platter; but within they are full of bribery and exceſſe. Woe be unto you Scribes, Phariſees and hypocrites; for yee are like unto whited tombes, which appeare beautifull outwards, but are within f…ll of dead mens bones, and all filthineſſe doe yee alſo; for outward ye appeare righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocriſie and iniquity. So much concerning their cleanſing of veſſels.
In the next place wee muſt enquire into the manner,Orach. chajim num. 434. Tract. P…ſa…. cap. 1. how they purge and cleanſe the old leavened bread, which they formerly ſought for with ſo much diligence.
Upon the night before the paſſeover, every one, who is Maſter of a family, takes a platter and a wing, and lighting a wax candle before he begins his ſearch, ſaith, Bleſſed be thou O Lord our God, King of the whole world, who haſt sanctified us by thy commandements, and haſt commanded us to purge out the old leaven. Then if his houſe be large and ſpacious, containing many rooms and ſtories, he cals unto him ſome boies or others of riper yeares, to help him for to ſearch; but no women, becauſe they are idle and talkative, and unfit for ſuch emploiments; these serve as Clerks to say Amen to the former prayer, and then become fellow-ſeekers to finde out the leavened bread, every one of theſe carrying a wax light in his hand, holding the ſame to every …hinke and mouſe-hole, that hee may ſee whether any rat or mouſe have left any crumbs of bread uneaten. He is to lift the light no higher then his arms will ſtretch; especially in that place where his owne wall joines to the wall of the houſe of ſome Chriſtian, for in ſuch a place he is not permitted to ſeek at all; for if the light ſhould chance to ſhine through the creviſes into the Chriſtians houſe, hee might thinke the Jew were about to set the ſame on fire. Whereſoever the houſe of one Jew adheres unto another, there the ſcrutator for rats and mice, muſt ſearch in every place, as much as he can poſſible. They muſt uſe no tallow candles in this their ſcrutinie, for theſe will ſuddenly melt, and it is to be feared, that the chamber ſhould not become cleane, but rather defiled by the leaven hereof. Sometimes they willingly, and of set purpoſe, caſt oſme cruſts of bread upon the pavement, eſpecially upon that which they conceive to bee purified, to the end, that their laborious ſearch and prayer, may not be in vaine. These cruſts muſt be of great antiquity, and of an hoary hardneſſe, otherwiſe all the fat is in the fire. The bread which is appointed for them to eat at ſupper, they hide before they begin to ſearch, leſt they ſhould find this alſo, and ſo be forced to burn it, and by this meanes it ſhould come to paſſe that they might go ſupperleſſe to bed. It is not lawfull for any man to ſpeak a word between the ending of prayer and the finiſhing of the foreſaid inquiſition unleſſe it be neceſſarily required for the execution of the ſame, as, open that chàmber doore, bring hither that candle that I may ſee.
So much leaven as they finde, they gather together, and lay it aſide untill the next day, in ſome ſafe place, leſt a mouſe ſhould carry ſome parcell there of into her hole, and they cauſed to renew their ſearch; and this is the reaſon why they alwaies …up in a corner, taking great care that nothing fall out of their hands upon the floor, and ſo the whole houſe ſhould be repolluted. When the Maſter of the family hath made an end of ſearching, then he ſaith, what leaven ſoever is in my hand, what is not ſeen by me, that which I have not found out, let it all upward and downeward, bee like unto the duſt of the earth.
Upon the morrow of the eve of the paſſeover, they begin to bake their ſpiced and unleavened cakes. The meale whereof they are made, ought to be ground at the mill, at leaſt three daies before, that it may be cold enough, to the end, that the lumpe may not leaven up. The millſtone muſt be new picked, and new linnen is alſo to be uſed, which if it cannot be got, it is neceſſary the old be throughly ſhaken; for it is ordinary for them to be moist, by reaſon wherof the meal may cleave unto them, which in grinding, may int…rmixe it ſelfe with that which is new and ſweet, appointed for the celebration of the Feſtivall. The cheſt alſo wherein this paſehall meale is put, ought alſo to be lined with linnen, leſt ſome corns of a divers ſort, ſhould be mingled there withall. The water which they uſe in kneading their dough, they call Mitzuah, or the water of the commandement, which they draw out of the wels, poure it into the veſſels of celebration, and carry it home about the ſetting of the Sunne, the ſtars not yet appearing. They carry it home covered, for it is not permitted that the Sunne ſhould ſhine upon this water, for the ſpace of 24 hours together. For as the Sun ſends out its beames upon the earth for the ſpace of twelve houres in the day, and cannot with his raies pierce into the fountaine: So muſt it be covered for the twelve houres in the night, by which meanes the Sun comes not at it by the ſpace of a whole naturall day. The Maſter of the family is bound to draw the water out of the well or pit, with his owne hands, and never think himſelfe to worthy to undertake ſuch a busineſs; for it is recorded that in ancient daies, a certaine King of Iſrael upon a certaine time, tooke the firſt fruits of the trees, and in his owne perſon carried them upon his ſhoulders into the garners.
When they begin to knead the dough, then the Maſter of the family, ſaith, All the crums that fall from this lump, ſhall be accurſed; ſignifying by these words, that whatſoever falling upon the earth, becomes leavened, ought to be given unto, or left for the mice, as alſo that he utterly diſclaimes all challenge thereof. They worke their dough in a cold place, whither the Sunne hath ſmall or no accesse, which is likewiſe farre distant from the oven, leſt the lump might wax hot, and be in danger to be leavened.
The Miſtriſſe of the houſe uſually takes a certaine portion of the foreſaid lump, which in the Law is called Chall…h achallah Some foreign think it to be so called, from the lightneſs, as though it were written foreign, but without reaſon. Others more probably, from the ſhortneſs and frugality of it, deriving it from foreign aegrotare, in…rmari, but moſt properly from foreign vulnerare, becauſe being thruſt often through with an iron, it hath as it were ſo many wounds given it.and making a cake thereof, saith, B…eſſed bee thou O God our God, who haſt commanded us to ſet aſide an unleavened cake; as it is written: He tooke of the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord, one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, one wafer, and put them upon the fat, and upon the right ſhoulder, Lev. 8. 26. Upon the uttering of theſe words, ſhee caſts the cake into the fire or furnace, that it may be burnt to aſhes, before any of the other be put into the oven: Which done, ſhee raiſed the unleavened loaves, which are to be eaten in the time of the Paſſeover. Theſe are commonly made round, full of little holes, pierced through with an iron, much like to a horſe-combe, that the aire poſting along through the portals of the cake, may preſerve it from leavening. They uſe great haſt in ſetting them into the oven, not ſuffering them to ſtand any time in the bake houſe; which taken out againe, wanting both ſalt and fatneſſe, and kneaded onelyonly with water, have neither taſte nor reliſh. Hence it comes to paſſe, that ſome honeſt huſwifes put eggs into them, that they may be more gratefull to the taſt.
It hath been related unto me, that ſome of the richer ſort of the Jewes, make theſe their paſchall cakes of almonds, not onelyonly in honour of the Feaſt, but for the pleaſing of the palate.
Before the fifth houre of the day bee fully come to paſſe,Ora…. chajim num. 471. which is the eleventh with us, they goe unto dinner, eating little, and ſuch mea…es as are eaſie of digeſtion, from that time forward. untill the ſtarres appeare in the firmament that they may with a more greedy appetite, eate up at ſupper their un…ea…ened cakes. If any one in the time bee oppreſſed with thirſt, he may not drink water, but it is lawfull for him to carouſe a full bowle of wine, becauſe it is very good to helpe the ſtoma…k. Supper being ended, they caſt all the leavened bread which they found the night afore, into the fire, and burn it. The Maſter of the houſhold ſaying these words, Let all the leaven, and every thing leavened which is under my hand, ſeen or unſeen, purged or not purged, being utterly diſſipated or deſtroied, be accounted like unto the duſt of the earth.
The firſt born in the evening of the paſſeover, are injoined to faſt from morning untill night, becauſe God in times paſt, did preſerve the firſt born of the children of Iſrael, and ſuffered not the deſtroier to come in unto them.Peſach. cap. 4. At mid-day they ceaſe to labour, yet it is no offence for them in the afternoon to waſh their clothes, to fet…h…home new ones from the Taylor, to put them on in honour of the feaſt. I conclude with the words of our Saviour, Take heed of the …aven of the Phariſees and Sadduces, that is to ſay, of their falſe doctrine and hypocriſie.