The Jewish Synagogue, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
Of the manner how the Jewes celebrate the ſeven daies of the paſsover, and put a concluſion to the Feſtivall.
VVHile the Feaſt of the Paſsover laſts,Minhag. p. 17. Orach. cha…sm … 484, &c. every morning betimes they repaire to the Synagogue, they ſing Pſalms, as they are wont to doe upon the Sabbath, ſay many prayers, make ſale diverſly of the book of the law; they take two several bookes of the Law out of the Arke, calling forth five men to reade ſome ſections out of the ſame. If the paſſeover fall upon the Sabbath, then they call out ſeven men. When the Prieſt bleſſeth the people, the prayers being ended, then he ſpreads abroad his hand, becauſe it is the assertion of their Doctors, that the majeſty of the Lord reſts upon them; who hereupon have given a ſtrict inhibition, that none in the meane while ſhould preſume to looke upon his own hands, unleſſe he will incurre the danger of blindneſſe.
Praiers being ended, every man returns unto his own houſe, where he fals to his dinner with a merry hea…t: When a ſpeciall caution is to be had, that he eate no more then neceſſity requires, that they may the night following, with greater alacrity, ſatiate their ſtomacks with thoſe three cakes mentioned in the former Chapter. Great di…putes ariſe, what labors it is lawfull to undertake, what meats may be boiled and eaten upon this day; for it is not lawfull to boile more then they can eate; yet notwithſtanding it is allowed to ſet on the great pot, and to fill it with fleſh: For by this action no danger can accrew unto them, though the whole be not that day conſumed. Much fleſh is the cauſe of much good, and the more is put in the pot, it will taſt the better in it ſelfe, and make the fatter pottage; yet though this be tollerated, yet it is not permitted to roſte more then they may with eaſe devoure, for one joint upon the ſpit is never the better taſted for the neighbourhood of his fellow. And againe meate is farre more delightſome to the palate, when it is piping hot, then when it is cold. That which may be boiled upon the eve of the Sabbath, or any Feſtivall, and not loſe its taſte before the nextday, they may then boile it, if not, it is lawfull ſor them to boil it upon the Sabbath day or Feſtival, the great Sabbath only accepted; as alſo the beating of pepper, and other ſpi…es, which once beaten do quickly loſe their proper re…iſh; yet a ceremony is to be uſed, for they muſt bray with the ſmal end of the peſtle, and alſo make the mortar to leane more to the one ſide then the other, that a certain differe…e may be obſerved between the labors of the week, and thoſe of the holy day. It is no offence for the mother to waſh her infant with hot water in the time of this Feſtivall, although a Chriſtian did make it hot. It is not lawfull to take the match out of one lampe, and put it unto her. If any deſire, that a wax light ſhould not be altogether conſumed, he may ſet it in the water, that when the flame comes to the water, it may be extinguiſhed; for it is a hainous wickedneſſe to cut off that part of the candle with a knife, which he would have ſaved.
A Jew is not permitted to invite any Chriſtian upon any Feſtivall, by reaſon he might be neceſſitated to boile and ſeeth more then ordinary, or to undertake ſome other labour, which may diſhonour the day, by a profanation. If a Chriſtian come by chance then it is good manners, and alſo reliſheth of hoſpitality for the Jew to invite him.
It is not lawfull to faſt upon a Feaſting day, both to avoid evill dreams, as alſo by reaſon of the command, Thou ſhalt be merry in thy Feaſts; Deut. 16. 14.and it is very meet it ſhould be ſo, which cannot bee done with an empty ſtomack, for muſick in the guts makes the heart merry; contrariwiſe, and for the foreſaid reaſon, a man may faſt upon the Sabbath; for the Sabbath is ſtiled by the name of Oneg, which ſignifies a delight, and if he faſt thereupon, it is delightfull unto him, ſeeing hereby, he ſhall not bee cumbered with fearfull dreames, but his heart ſhall overflow with joy and gladneſſe.
It is alſo lawfull to weep upon the Sabbath, even to the ſatiating of the appetite, which is prohibited upon any Feſtivall, for then his ſpleen ought to overflow with laughter, which will not admit of teares for a joint companion. If any ſtuffe a hen or capon, and ſew up the place with a needle, he may burne off, but not cut the thread; alſo provided that hee thread the needle the day before. The platters which are uſed for breakfaſt, may not be waſhed for to ſerve at ſupper, but clean ones are to be taken. It is not permitted to hunt, hauke, or fish; yea although a Chriſtian have caught them, and offer them in ſale unto a Jew, he may not lawfully eate thereof, so long as the Feaſt endures; but as for hens and geeſe, and others which are fatted at home, they may lawfully kill and eat them. There is alſo no ſmall controverſie amongſt them, whether a man may eate a new laid egge, as alſo fruites plucked from the tree▪ and herbes rooted out of the earth upon the day of Feaſt. Furthermore, concerning the killing of beaſts, cleaving of wood, making a fire, tinding of the ſame, boiling, baking, mi…king of kine, and ſuch like, of which there is a peculiar tract extant in the Talmud, called Betza, or a diſputation about the eating of eggs: There are divers opinions concerning the queſtion. The Schoole or Sect of Schammai affirmeth, that it is lawfull to eat an egg laid upon the day of the Feſtivall. Hillell avouch…th the contrary, which hath cauſed many a jarring diſpute among the Rabbines. All which are decided in the book called Orach chajim.num. 495. uſque 530.
At eventide they returne into the Synagogue for to pray, which they doe with ſo great haſt, as though they were following their enemies in flight; the reaſon is becauſe they are to boile their meat after evening prayer, which they are to eat at ſupper. The day following they celebrate with the ſame pompe and ſolemnity, that they did the former, becauſe then they are uncertaine which is the firſt day of the new moon in March, and conſequently which is the fourteenth thereof. The celebration therefore of the Feaſt of the Paſſeover, holds for the ſpace of two daies together, that they may not commit an error in the keeping thereof. If any one chance in theſe two daies to finde any leaven in his houſe, he muſt cover it with a diſh or platter, and the day following to burn it. If any have ducks, hens geeſe, or doves about his houſe, he muſt caſt the corne wherewith hee feeds them in a wet place, for if ſome ſhould be left, and it ſhould chance to encreaſe, hee is held guilty of sowing graine upon the Sabbath day.
Next after theſe in order follow four other daies, which are only halfe holy daies, and are called by the name of common-Feſtivals, upon which they may do ſome workes but not all; which is alſo much diſputed, and the queſtion ſtated in Orach chajim; as for inſtance: It is lawfull to do thoſe things upon this day which being undone are ſubject to periſh and alſo ſome dammage may follow thereupon; as the milking of kine, and ſuch like, It is permitted to cut the haire of a young man, which is denied to an old one. He that hath but one ſhirt may waſh it ſo that he doe it in private; and the mother may alſo waſh the childrens clouts; to ſmooth their linnen and collars; …o make cleane their ſhooes; to ſharp their knives; to write a letter, ſo that he write the lines crooked; and many other works he may lawfully undergoe, ſo that the manner of doing may be ſomewhat ſingular, that a difference may bee put between the labours of the weeke and the Feſtivall. Amongſt other things, many have allowed the paring of nailes as upon theſe daies; but the moſt religious among them, ſeeing it to be a matter of great difficulty, have onelyonly permitted women, which are to purge themſelves by waſhing from their uncleanneſſe, to practiſe it; for they are bound upon the day of their purification, to cut the nailes of their hands and feet, leſt ſome impure thing might lurke under them.
The ſeventh day of the Feſtivall is holy, according to the Law of Moſes, wherein it is written, The firſt day ſhall bee holy unto you, in it you ſhall doe no manner of worke, except that which every man muſt eate, that onelyonly may be done of you. Upon this day they repaire to the Synagogue, to offer up their morning and evening ſacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving: Taking the booke of the Law in a pompous manner, and putting the ſame into the Arke againe, boaſting thereof in a wonderfull manner; and becauſe they are uncertaine which is the ſeventh day, therefore they hallow with an equall celebration, the ſeventh and eighth; which time expired, they bring againe leavened bread into their houſes, that God may ſee that they obey his commandements, and ſtretch out the Feaſt no longer then he hath enjoned. After this, the men muſt faſt for three daies, two Mundaies, and one Thurſday. That if any one have drunke too much in the time of the Feaſt, or have any other way profaned it, he may doe pennance for the fact. For thirty daies after the paſſeover, the Jewes carry foule weather in their face, are very ſorrowfull, make no marriages, neither cutting their haire, nor going into any bath: And that for the ſake of Akibha, an excellent and learned Rabbine who had 24 thouſand ſchollars, who all dyed beeween Eaſter and Pentecoſt, becauſe one emulated and envied, deſpiſed, backbited, detracted another, not any way exhibiting those debts of love and honour, to the paiment of which they are lyable. All the foreſaid perſons dyed in the night time, and were buried by the women; for which cauſe they ceaſe from labour at Sunne ſet, and hallow the night following. Upon the thirty third day after the paſſeover, the Jewes have a great ſolemnity; cut their beards, bath themſelves, feaſt and make merry, becauſe the daies of mourning for Akibha's ſchollers are now ended. So much concerning the Feaſt of the paſsover. I conclude all with the ſaying of Iſaiah, They have not known nor understood,Iſaiah 44. 18. for he hath ſhut their eles that they cannot ſee, and their hearts, that they cannot underſtand. Therefore with my Saviour, I ſay, Mat. 15. 14.let them alone: They be blind leaders of the blind; and if the blinde lead the blinde, both ſhall fall into the ditch.