The Jewish Synagogue, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
How the Jews riſing betimes out of their beds, prepare themſelves for Morning Prayer.
IT is writtten in that Tract of the Gemara called Bava baſra, that it was the aſſertion of Rabbi Eliezar haggadol, that every Jew from the fifteenth of July until the feaſt of Penticoſt, ought to forſake his bed before day, becauſe in this time the nights are long, but from that time till July he may sleep untill perfect lay, becauſe the nights are very ſhort. And the truth of this poſition the wiſe men and Rabbines endeavour to prove out of many places of the Lamentations of Jeremy, and out of the Hiſtory of Ruth, which are ſo full of ſubtilty that they cannot in this place be honoured with an explanation. The good Wife of the houſe is bound to wake her Husband. and the Parents are joyntly obliged to rouſe up their children, when they have once paſſed the thirteenth yeare of their age, and are ſubject to Jewiſh Ordinances, as wee have declared in the former chapter. Furthermore, the Chachamim have regiſtred, that every man is bound in his own proper perſon to be a Cock unto the twilight, and not to foſter ſuch a delay, that the bright ey'd morning may take advantage to call him ls;luggard,Pſal. 57▪ 1▪ to which King David condiſcends when he ſaith, I will awake right early. Surely this is very neceſſary, and that for the performance of our morning Prayers, which are to be poured out at the riſing of the Sun, aud that without delay, as David testifies in his Pſalms ſaying, They ſhall honour thee with the Sun: as though he had ſayd, ſo ſoone as the Sunne viſits our Horizon, they ſhall honour and ſing praiſe unto thee in their early Devotions.
The Cabbaliſts write, that at the dawning of the day the prayers of every particular enter into the ears of the Almighty,Lament. 219. and they have ſome certain grounds out of holy Writ for this their aſſertion. Jeremy in his Lamentations ſaith, Ariſe, cry out in the night, in the beginning of the watches: that is, when it beginneth to dawn: David alſo in a certain Pſalm: The Lord bath granted me his loving kindneſs in the day time, Pſal. 42. 9.and in the night ſeaſon alſo did I ſing of him, and made my prayer unto the God of my life. The moſt profound Chachamim ſay, they who are ſtout and induſtrious advance themſelves to well doing, and the obſervation of Gods Commandements; wherefore it ſhall carry the repute of a good work indeed, to riſe before the morning watch: and to conjoyn day and night by a continued ſinging of the choiſeſt Pſalms and Prayer. Wherefore a Jew ſhould not be ſlack in ſuch a performance, but with great alacrity take an early leave of his lovely couch, breakfaſting his ſoule with this meditation: If any Gentile or Chriſtian ſhould now come unto me, who is my debtor, or ſhould bring ſome gorgeous veſtments to pledge out of his Wardrobe, or any other thing, by the mediation of which I might inrich my ſelfe: If I ſhould be now called to ſome great Prince or Potentate, from whom I might obtain a gift, cully favour, or who in his own Perſon ſhould intreat my ſervice; how readily would my fe…t be plumed with ſwistneſs, and ſpend their forces not to be conscious of the leaſt delay: with how much more alacrity ought I to ſpeed from my bed to reſt, that I may tender my ſervice, and do homage to the King of Kings, who hath given me life and nouriſhment, and doth defend me againſt all mine enemies, of what quality ſoever?
Whoſoever hath in him any reliſh of godlineſs, ought every morning to entertain the pangs of grief and ſorrow for the Temple of Jeruſalem, praying that that Temple and City may with ſpeed be re-edified. And who before the Day ſtar appear, or the clouds of night he diſpeld by the Suns approach, ere that he forſake his pillow ſhall waſh his couch with tears, for the deſolations of the Temple of Jeruſalem, and the long captivity, ſhall gain this much, that God being mercifull unto him, ſhall not ſuffer his prayer to be deprived of audience.
In Maſeches Sanedrin the Rabbines upon thoſe words in the Lamentations of Jeremy, T…act, San. de judicibus c▪ 11. Lam. 1. 2.She weeps in the night, without any intermiſſion of weeping, diſpute and ſay, that if any hear the voice of one weeping upon the night, it is ſo intermixt with the Gall of bitternessi, that he muſt of neceſſity ſecond the mourner in his doleſull notes. The very ſame which happened to Rabbi Gamaliel, who upon the night time hearing the mournfull out cries of a certain woman for the death of her ſon, counted his life bitter unto him and bare a part with her, weeping moſt bitterly. Rabbi Jochanan ſaith, that when any one doth lament upon the night time, the fixed ſtars and Planets condole with him. Their Chachamim aWiſe-men.write, that he who weepeth ought to let his tears find a current through the narrow …h…ud gates of his eyes, becauſe then God will ariſe and gather them into his bottle. And then if there cha…ce to be a promulgation of any decree by the enemies of Iſrael, to deſtroy them, God ſhall remember theſe godly men who ſhed …ears in abundance, ſhall take theſe bo…tles full of them, pouring them upon, and blotting out the hand-writing that was againſt them, that no evil may befall the Jews. Hereupon the Prophet David; Thou telleſt my flittings, and putſt my tears into thy bottle, are not theſe things written in thy booke? By theſe words David would ſpecifie thus much, that God pours out the V…ols of tears upon the writings, or books put out againſt the Jews, and so defaceth them, that they become cance…'d and of no force. To the ſame purpoſe he ſpeaks in another place,Pſal. 56. 9 He that ſoweth in tears ſhall reap in joy.
The Author of the Book Reſchith Chochmah bThe beginning of wiſdom a book writ by o…e of the Scholers of R. Moses it containes the common places of divinity, amongst which much Philoſophy, morolity, and cabbaliſtical nici…ies are intermix…. Ez…k. 9. 4.in the 111 pag. ſaith, that he received it by tradition from his Elders, that it is very ſoveraign for a man to ſprinkle tears upon his brow, and to rub them in, becauſe there are ſome ſins written in his brow which by this means may be blotted out, according to the words of the Prophet, ſaying▪ Thou ſhalt ſet the letter Thau upon the foreheads of the men, &c.
The Cabbaliſts write, that if any have a deſire to liſt up his prayer unto that holy and bleſſed God, that he would vouchſafe to deliver the Jews out of their long continued bondage, he ought to do it when it begins to dawn, that he ought to weep heartily, and ſend forth ſtrong cries, so ſhall his words enter into the ears of the Lord of Hoſts, and then chiefly becauſe there is nothing which may diſturb him in his prayers, none alſo found who ſhall move his tongue againſt the children of Iſrael. J…r. 25. 30.We find it recorded by Jeremy: The Lord ſhall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation. The Lord roars in the morning upon his beauty. The beauty of the Lord is the Temple of Jeruſalem, and that is holy; which as he hath permitted to be deſtroyed, ſo is it his pleasure that it ſhall be built again; and that he may be warned unto the enterpriſe, he will be early intreated. Hence David ſaith, My voice thou ſhalt hear betimes, O Lord, early in the morning I wil direct my prayer unto thee, Pſa▪ …and will look up. In the morning, that is, when it begins to be day, I will go into thy houſe: he will not do the ſame upon the night; becauſe in the beginning of the night God cauſeth all the Gates of Heaven to be ſhut up, and the Angels ſit as Porters, and are ſilent; God ſends away the evil ſpirits into the world who hurt every one they meet. The middle of the night being paſt, a great cry is heard in Heaven, and it is commanded that they ſhould ſet open the Gates, the day now approaching, to this end that none might wait too long. This cry is heard by the houſhold Cocks here upon earth, who clapping their wings with a ſhril voice awake us mortals. Then theſe evil ſpirits loſe all their power, ſo that they cannot do any more annoyance: for which cauſe the Rabbines have ordained a certain thanksgiving which they whould have repeated in them morning by them that hear the Cock crow; ſaying, Bleſſed be thou, O God, who art Lord of the whole world, that thou haſt given underſtanding to the Cock. To be briefe, whoſoever fears the Lord, whereſoever he live, needs not the Cock to awake him.
He that alwayes in aw the Lord doth keep,
Needs not to be awaked of his sleep.
Moreover it is the will of the Chachamim, Orach Chaym num 2.that non preſume to raise himſelf up in his bed, or ſitting up therin to put on his ſhirt being naked: but lying ſtill ſhould ſtrive to wind himſelfe into it with his hands and head, leſt the wals and beams of the houſe might behold the ſecret parts of his naked body. Rabbi Joſe boaſts in Maſſeches Schabbas, Thus long have I lived, and yet the beams of the houſe did never ſee the hem of my ſhirt: thereby ſignifying that he never inveſted himselfe therewith being naked, but lying hid in his bed. Hereupon it is a poſition of their grand Sophies, that none ought to put on his coat being naked; much leſs is it permitted that he ſhould walk or ſtand naked in his bedchamber.Brandſpiel. c 16. For ſuppoſe any ſudden fire or ſome great tumult might ariſe, whoſe rarity might ſo affright him that he ſhould run naked out of his bedchamber, with what a countenance can ſuch a one ſhew himſelf? It is not alſo lawfull for any one being naked to make water by his bed ſide; for of ſuch men the Prophet Amos ſpeaketh, ſaying,Amos 6. 4. They ſleep in beds of Ivory, and ſtretch themſelves upon their Couches. The Hebrew word Seruchim, which ſignifies to ſtretch out, the Rabbines tranſlate,foreign to be reſolved into ſtinking matter, as they expound the ſame, Jer. 49. 7. upon which place R. Joſe the ſon of Chanin… ſaith, theſe are they who ſtand naked before their beds. No man ought thus to think with himſelfe, It is dark, I am in my Cloſet▪ no eye ſees me: I ſay every one ought with all diligence to abſtain from ſuch cogitations; for Gods holy Majeſty is above all, and preſent in every place: The whole earth is full of his glory, Iſa. 6. 3.as ſaith the Prophet Eſay.
A ſingular care is alſo to be had, that no man put on his ſhirt, or any other of his garments out of order: he muſt put on his right foot ſhooe firſt, but in tying of them begin with the left. But if any man have a pair of ſhooes which are deſtitute of ſhooeties, then muſt he firſt fit the left foot, then the right: at night the left foot ſhooe ought firſt to be put off, as that worthy man Rabbi Jochanan hath taught and commanded.
When any one is altogether ready and inveſted from top to toe, then muſt he leave his bed-chamber, his head being bowed toward the ground, and his mind full of devotion, in remembrance of the Temple of Jeruſalem now waſte and deſolate, always provided his head be covered, and his feet ſhod, yea, the-whole body cloathed, ſeeing the Majeſty of the Almighty always hovereth over his head, and becauſe it is ſcandalous and an enemy to good manners, to come naked into the ſight of any one.
After this, every one drawing aſide unto ſome ſecret place, ſhall endevour to purge his belly ſo far as is needfull, and to take all pains poſſible, that he may come pure and cleanly to morning prayer, as it is written, Prepare thy ſelf to meet thy God, Amos 4. 12. Pſal. 103. 1.O Iſrael, and David ſaith, Praiſe the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me, praiſe his holy name, in which place according to the Expoſition of the Rabbines, thus much is intimated, that the very intrails ought to be clean and empty. It is not lawfull to name the holy name of God, unleſſe it be done with all cleanlineſſe, which is the reaſon that every one muſt carefully endeavour that his garments be not polluted… in his devotions he ought to be very baſhfull and modeſt, yea though he be alone in ſome dark and private place, as it is written, humble thy ſelf, to walk before thy God, Mich. 6. 8.that is, the Rabbines being Commentators, in a ſecret place. No man muſt be conſcious of ſo ſmall providence, as too long to defer the works of nature, for it is not a ſin onelyonly ſo to do, but alſo may greatly endanger his belly, and make it liable to rupture. I do not here mention, that the ſoul by theſe means procures a ſtinking breath, and other conſequent diſcommodities.
It is written in Parſcha Kedoſchim, You ſhall not make your ſouls abominable, Levit. 20. 25, 2….but ye shall be holy unto me, which the Rabbines interpret of them, who againſt nature ſtop the work of nature, ſaying, that whoſoever makes a delay to ſalute the lakes when the excrement is ripe for an egreſſe, he is unclean and a tranſgreſſour of this Commandement: in cleanſing of himſelf he muſt uſe the left hand, not the right, for with this he judiciouſly handles the holy Scripture, with this he writes the holy names of God and Angels. When any one is in a private place, he muſt be carefull with an exact diligence that the ſuffer not the word of God and his Commandements to come into his remembrance, and much leſſe to account it as a thing diſpenced withall, to name any name expreſſing a Deity; the reaſon, according to the wiſeſt of the Rabbinicall Rable,Tract. Talmud Tanais dc jejunio. being this, becauſe God will ſhorten his dayes who repeats his name in ſecret. The Schollers of Rabbi Sira upon a time demanded of him how it came to paſſe that he lived ſo long? to whom he anſwered, I had never ſince I was born, the leaſt meditation of any thing contained in the Word of God, neither did his name ever proceed out of my mouth in an impure place.
When any one is to eaſe himſelf, he may turn his face either towards the North or South, but by no means toward the Eaſt or Weſt, becauſe a due reverence ought to be had of, and tendred unto the holy Temple at Jeruſalem, to which we ought alwayes to turn the face, not out back parts. Enough of this. I omitting alſo their morals, and ſuch like traſh, I will ſhow unto you how the Iews prepare themſelves to morning prayer by the waſhing of their hands.
The Chachamim, and skilfull Rabbines write,Orach. Chaym num. 4. Brand ſpigel. c. 10. that no man ought to touch his own body, untill his hand… be waſhed, and that in reſpect of the great danger that may enſue thereupon, for the hand in the morning is a thing moſt impure and venomous, by reaſon of the unclean & evil ſpirits, which reſt upon the hands untill they be drenched in water. If any one touch his eyes with ſuch hands, they ſhall become blind; if his ears, they ſhall be ſtopped with deafneſſe; if his noſtrils, they become obnoxious to a continuall diſtillation; if his mouth, it ſhall be vexed with ſtinking; if his hands, they ſhall be clothed with ſcabs. When any one waſheth himſelf, he holds the right hand under the Ure, and pours the water thrice upon it, and after that the le…t in the like manner; for without this Ceremony it is not allowable that the one hand ſhould touch the other. No man in waſhing ought to be ſparing of water; for Rabbi Chaſda ſaith, that whoſoever uſeth plenty of water in the waſhing of his hands, ſhall be a man of great riches. They muſt lift their hands on high in time of waſhing, leſt the unclean water reſulting out of the Baſon ſhould repollute them. In the next place they ought to waſh their mouth and face, becauſe this was created according to Gods own image, as it is written, God created man in his own likeneſſe, according to the image of God created he him. The Rabbines illuſtrate the whole matter by this ſimilitude. An Artificer one who is Maſter of his trade, makes ſome goodly veſſel, and therewith gratifies one of his deareſt friends. This his friend knowing of his approach, and ſeeing the Crafts man coming to his houſe, takes the veſſel, ſcours, and makes it as clean as he can poſſible, left the workman ſhould be wroth and angry, that he kept not this his handy work from filth and pollution. In like manner, any Jew, who every day in the morning frequents the Synagogue appears in the preſence of God his Creator, and is bound to worſhip and honour him, ought alſo accurately to waſh his face, leſt the chief workman ſhould be angry to behold his creature disfigured with uncleanneſſe.
In Bereſchith Rabba, which is an Expoſition upon Genesis, the Rabbines winnowing that Sentence of Salomon, Prov. 117.A mercifull man doth good to his own ſoul, affirm it alſo to be behove…ull for him to keep himſelf cleanly for the good of his body. How can any call upon God with his mouth, when as yet it is filled with ſpittle and other filthy matter? A Jew being about to waſh, muſt do it over a baſon or ſome other veſſel, not over the earth, which done, it is not lawfull for him to pour out his water where any one treadeth, yet are there found men who practiſe the contrary, for the promotion of their art in poyſoning, and skill in Magick. The face being waſhed, great curioſity muſt be uſed in the drying of it; for he who does not take care thereof, ſhall have his face ſo bloſſomed with budding Ale pocks, ſo imbroidered with wrinkles, that the deformity thereof will become loathſome to the eye of every beholder: the face muſt be wip…d with a clean towell, not with a woollen cloath (which ſome ſlothfull perſons bluſh not a whit to do) for according to their Doctors, this deſtroys the memory and annihilates the underſtanding. After waſhing every one ought to give thanks, ſaying. Bleſſed art thou, O God our God, King of the whole world, who haſt commanded us to waſh our hands.
In generall, they ought continually to waſh their hands after theſe things following. In the morning ſo ſoon as they are up, after their return from the houſe of office, after they come out of the Bath, when they pair their nails, after that they have drawn their ſhoes from their feet, the hands being miniſters, when any hath ſcratched himſelf upon his naked skin, when he hath touched a dead Corps, or gone through the middle of dead folks, when he hath had carnall copulation with his wife, or laſtly, after the killing of alouſe, whosoever he be that doth any of the aforeſaid things, and doth not waſh his hands thereupon, if he be a learned man he ſhall forget his learning, and turn blockhead, if he be not learned he ſhall loſe the uſe of every one of his ſenſes.
Now the Jew is ſufficiently cleanſed, and mundified for his morning devotions, if two things were not yet wanting, which make him and his prayers far more holy, concerning which we will adde ſome few words for the better underſtanding of what was formerly delivered.
The Jews have a certain inſtrument of a fourſquare faſhion,De arba Cauphos & zizis. O…ach Chaym. n. 8. Brandſpiel. c. 48. Minhagim… p. 6▪ which for the moſt part they put on together with their other garments at their upriſing, but ſome when they are about to pray. The parts of this quadrangular garment are two, being for the moſt part made of linnen, but often of ſilk, bound and faſtened together in the higheſt part thereof with two little bands, yet of a great heighth, ſo that they may put their head in betwixt them, ſo that the one of theſe fourſquare parts may hang upon the breaſt, the other upon the back. The Jews, in reſpect of the four angles, call this garment Arba Cauphos: in every one of theſe four angles hang certain Ribbands, woven of white woollen threads, coupled by a certain knot, and hanging towards the ground, which are four, eight, or twelve fingers broad; theſe they call Zizim, of which they write wonderful and ſtrange matters, whereof I will relate a parcel.
They who would be accounted very ſincere and holy, are wont dayly to put on this their cloak or garment, wearing in it under their long coat, but after ſuch a manner, that the ends of the forementioned ſtringes, or hangbies may be always in their ſight: ſome wear them upon their breaſts; others not at all, but in time of Prayer. It is hehoofull that the two foreſaid parts, together with their appurtenances ſhould hang towards the ground, both at the fore and hinder part of their body, that they may always be full of the Commandements of the Lord. When they put theſe on, then they ſay ſome certain Prayers, giving thanks unto God that he hath commanded them to inveſt themſelves with theſe garments. Theſe ought to admoniſh them always to have before their eyes Gods Commandements, that hereby being ſcared from ſin, they might be prickt forward to a due performance of them: as it is written: Speak unto the children of Iſrael, Lev. 15: 37▪28.and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of their borders a ribband of blew. And it ſhall be unto you for a fringe, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandements of the Lord, and do them, and that you ſeek not after your own heart, and your own eyes, after which you are wont to go a whoring, that you may remember and do all my Commandements, and be holy unto the Lord your God. But out of theſe words their Wiſe men conclude, that the eyes and heart are the mediators for ſin.
In the Tract called Maſſeches Schabbas we read, that Rabh aſked Rabbi Joſeph, what was the firſt thing his Father admoniſhed him of? who anſwered, the Commandement given by God concerning the fringes, for upon a time my Father (ſaith he) going down a pair of ſtairs,Tract. de Sab. cap. 16. and by chance treading upon his fringes, and breaking one of the threads or Ribbands would not move a foot till it was made whole again. In a word, their great Doctors comparing this commandement with others, prefer it before them all: and have left in writing, that whoſoever diligently obſerves and keeps it, keeps and obſerves the whole Law; which thing they thus make manifeſt: In every one of the fringes there are five knots,foreign repreſenting the five books of Moſes, to which if we add 8 Ribbands,a foreign Floruit. together with the number contained in the letters of the word tzitzith, which ſignifies fringes, and in numeration makes ſix hundred, there ariſeth the number of ſix hundred and thirteen, the direct number of the Commandements, into which the whole Law is divided, and therefore according to this Cabbaliſtically concluding Arithmetick, he that rightly obſerves and keeps this Commandement concerning the fringes, perfectly fulfils the whole Law.
In the fore mentioned Tract, we read of a certain man hindred from commiting sin, and a ſtrange woman converted unto Judaiſm by this Commandement. Upon a time a yong man among the Jews, very learned and ſtudious, but much given to Venery▪ hearing of a famous and beautiful Whore, who living in a neighboring City, had much trading, and yet ſold ſin at ſo dear a rate, that for one ſingle laſcivious abuſe of her body, ſhe required no leſs then four hundred pounds, ſent her the money, appointed the time at which ſhe was to expect his luſtfull imbracements. The day come, the yong man, according to their Covenant, repaired unto her houſe, where he found her in a cloſet ſitting in a chair all imbroydred with gold, near unto which ſtood a bed furnished in the moſt exact and exquiſite faſhion that Art could invent, which ſerved as fewel to inflame his luſt, and haſtened him to this unlawful act: but behold as he went up into the bed, his fringes ſmote him on the face, whereat forthwith aſtonished, and put in mind of the Commandement, he fell upon the ground, repreſt his fleshy deſires, and utterly refuſing any more to touch or imbrace his formerly admired Miſtriſs: whereupon ſhe demanding of him what defect he had eſpied in her, that he thus refuſed his purchased pleaſure? he replies, that the Lord God commanded the Jews to do him ſervice, and for a more eaſie performance of the ſame, gave them a ſign, which when they beheld▪ they might remember his Commandements, which ſign put me in remembrance of the ſame, and deterred me from committing the offence. Hereupon ſhe asked him his name and whence he was? which when he had told, ſhe ſeemed to rest contented, and ſuffered him to depart: but many dayes paſt not untill ſhe sold all that ſhe had, and followed after him unto his dwelling place, and entering the Synagogue, the place of his ſtudy, inquired of the Maſter thereof where he was? to whom (demanding her buſineſs) ſhe declared the whole matter; and withall deſiring to become a Convert unto the Jewiſh Religion, and Wi…e to the aforeſaid yong Student, ſaying, I have here brought with me that bed in which he and I ſhould have, contrary to Gods Commandements, committed fornication: which now that we may uſe chaſtly, honeſtly, and piouſly, is the top of my deſires. The Maſter of the place moved with her words, acknowledged her for a Proſelite and joyned her in marriage to the yong man whom ſhe loved, by whom ſhe had many comly children, which in after times came to be great Doctors and learned Rabbines, ſhe until the moment of her death continuing conſtant in the Profeſſion of the Jewiſh Religion. In like manner it is recorded, that theſe Fringes and Ribbands upon the shirts of their garments, put Boaz in remembrance of his duty, and hindred him from committing folly with Ruth, when ſhe lay at his feet in the threſhing floor; as alſo Joſeph from harkening unto the bewitching of Potiphars Wife. This ſtory so famous among the Jews, that even Infants and women, who never read the Talmud, have it at their fingers ends, I could by no means here omit, being alſo recorded in their Germain Minhagim, or Books of Common prayer.
In the Trict of the Talmud, called Maſſeches bava baſra, it is written, that upon a time Rabbi Jochanan ſaw a casket full of pretious jewels, which one of his Schollers called Bar Emorai ſeeking to take away by, ſtealth a violent commotion ſhattered all his members, and a voice was heard ſaying, Let the casket alone, thou ſon of Emorai, for it is not thine, but belongs to the wife of Rabbi Chanina the ſon of Duſa, who ſhall treaſure up therein ſtore of blew wooll, of which the juſt and righteous ſhall cauſe to be made for them fringed garments in the world to come. By the example of this good woman all others may learn thus much, that in the ſedulous imitation of her in this world, they ſhall find a large reward in another.
The Women are not tied to put on or wear this cloak or coat of remembrance, yet if they do, it is no ſcandal to them; for it is ſaid, that Michall the daughter of Saul did the like: yet according to Rabbi Jehuda in the book Siphra, the Doctors and learned crew free women from the performance of this Commandement about the Fringes, and eſteem her for a proud novice and worthy to be laught at, who will undertake it, ſeeing it is proper to men alone. To conclude all, whoſoever ſhall every day without intermission put on this ſhirt, coat or cloak, is ſufficiently armed againſt the Divel and all evil ſpirits. Proved.
So much concerning the firſt thing formerly proposed: now follows the ſecond,Of their Phyla…teries. for as the Jews have their fringes for…a signe to put them in remembrance to do well,Orach Chajim num. 25. ſo have they alſo a knot upon the forehead near unto their noſe, to put them in mind to pray ſeriouſly; this knot they weave and knit out of the words of Moſes, ſaying: And theſe words which I command thee this day ſhall be in thine heart, and thou ſhalt rehearſe them continually unto thy children, Deut. 6. 6, 7, 8.and ſhalt talk of them when thou tarrieſt in thine houſe, and as thou walkeſt by the way, and when thou lieſt down, and when thou riſeſt up: and thou ſhalt bind them for a ſign upon thine hand, and they ſhall be as frontlets between thine eyes: which binding the Jews at this day perform in this manner.
In the firſt place they chooſe out a four ſquare piece of black leather, in quantity but ſmall, of an Oxe or Cows hide, which they fold eight times; so making four distinct houſes, or receptacles, unto which they do put four diſtinct pieces of parchment, in which are written the ten Commandements, and other parcels of Scripture which are thought to be the four Sections of the Law. The firſt beginning, Sanctifie unto me all the firſt born, Exod, 13. 2. to the end of the 10. verſe. The ſecond at the 11. verſe, continuing unto the end of the 16. The third beginning at the 4. verſe of the 6. chapter of Deuteronomy, and ending at the tenth verſe. The fourth Deut. 11. 13. ending at the 22. verſe. Then they take ſome few hairs pulled out of the taile of an Oxe or Cow, which they waſh very clean, and therewithall binde together the foreſaid parchments, yet in ſuch a manner that the ends thereof may appeare out of the skin, to this end, that every man may take notice that they are good and not ſophisticate. The skin into whoſe folds they put theſe parchment writings, they ſow together with ſmall ſtrings taken out of the bodies of Oxen or Kine, or made of Buls ſinnews, which if they cannot have, then inſtead thereof they uſe ſmall thongs cut out of the skin it ſelfe. Finally, to the foreſaid fourſquare piece of leather, or skin thus folded and ſowed, they faſten another long black thong, which they knot about it: the whole piece thus framed and faſhioned, they call their Tephillin or prayer ornaments, ſerving to put them in remembrance of the ſerious and often execution of ſuch an exerciſe; theſe they bind about their head in that manner, that the great knot, in which are contained the parcells of holy Writ, may be faſtened directly upon the forehead, between the eyes, over againſt the brain, that hereby the memory of Gods Commandements may be therein imprinted, their prayers ſanctified, and laſtly the Precept of Moſes put in execution, who ſaith, It ſhall be for a memoriall between thine eyes.
The ſecond ſort of Philacteries, which are for the hands are made in this manner,Phylacteries for the hands▪ they take a fourſquare piece of leather, and fold it as the former, then they take a piece of parchment, in which they write ſome certain Sentences out of Exodus, putting them into a little hollow skin, having but one receptacle, the hollowneſſe thereof being ſuch, that ones finger may go into it, this little skin they ſow unto the foreſaid piece of leather so often folded, unto which they likewiſe fasten a long thong, and this they call their Tephillin Schel iadon, their Philacteries for the hands, which they faſten upon the left arm above the elbow, on the inſide, over againſt the heart, that the heart may behold them, and hereby become more zealous and …ent in its devotion: the long thong they l…p about their left arm in that manner, that the end t…reof may reach to the palms of the hand, and ſo the Commandement may be fulfilled, ſaying, Theſe words which I command thee this day, ſhall be upon thy heart, and thou ſhalt bind them for a ſign upon thine hands.
In the attiring of themſelves, they firſt put on the Phylacteries of the hands, then thoſe of the head, bleſſing them, and ſaying, Praiſed be thou, O God, who haſt ſanctified us by thy Commandements, and commanded us to put on theſe Phylacteries, in the repetion whereof they caſt up their eyes to heaven, diligently looking upon the great knot on their forehead; before they put them on, they kiſſe them, touch their eyes with them, that hereby they may be defended from the breach of any Commandement, and the Phylacteries themſelves may be so handſomly ordered, that they may eſcape the flouting cenſure of any deriſive eye. To be brief, in ſowing, folding, knotting, bindding, they uſe ſo great art & induſtry, that by a ſingular kind of ſubtilty, they form the name Schaddai, Rabbi Alphes tract. de Sab… c 6. p. 77.according to the three Letters, Schin, Daleth and Iod, and that ſo exactly, that every Letter is placed in the right order, which is accounted as a moſt holy thing, producing hidden effects and comprehending myſticall ſignifications.
Concerning theſe Phylacteries, the Rabbines have written divers and ſundry volumes, great and large, out of which it will not be a miſſe to recite a few things: And firſt, for the writing of them, It is holden behovefull and neceſſary, that they be written with ink made of galles, and not with that pitchy ſort which is commonly uſed of Printers and ſilk Dyers, or with any other liquor of a red or any other colour. Secondly, every Letter muſt be written, one not adhering or cleaving unto another. 3. They muſt be written with the right hand, not with the left, nothing muſt be blotted out or corrected from the beginning to the end; ſo often as the Scribe ſhall write the name of God, he muſt not forget to ſay, and that in expreſſe words, that he writes theſe Phylacteries for Gods glory; for hereby he ſhall perform what he is about with far greater diligence, which is very neceſſary, seeing that if any Letter do either ſuperabound or be deficient, the Phylacteries become unholy and polluted, and whoſoever ſhal use them in time of prayers, prates in vain, and keeps not the commandement as they ought: the due puniſhment for which offence ſhall onelyonly reſt upon the head of the Scribe, of whom an eſpeciall care is to be had, that he be a Jew, honeſt, holy, pious, diligent, and expert.
Secondly, for the skin and parchment, they ought to be of a heifer, or ſome other clean beaſt, and by Gods Law allowed to be eaten: the beaſt muſt be killed by a Jew, not by a Chriſtian, as alſo tanned and dreſſed by a Tanner of their own Nation; yet if there be no ſuch man to be had, the Jew may take a Chriſtian Tanner to help him, and it is ſufficient that this skin ought to be the skin of a clean beaſt, and permitted to be eaten, they prove out of thoſe words of Moſes, That the Law of the Lord may be in thy mouth; for thoſe parcels of Scripture being written upon the skin, it is all one as if they were written upon every part of the whole beaſt, and so in meal-time were received in at the mouth, which they ſhould not, if they were written upon the skin of the unclean, and forbidden to be eaten. Much more might be ſaid concerning this matter, but I ſurceaſe.
Thirdly, the ſanctity and holineſſe of these Phylacteries is exceeding great; for firſt, the body of him that wears them muſt be free from all pollution, both inwardly and outwardly, which ſeeing it cannot be at all ſeaſons, it is thought expedient that a man ſhould put them on in time of prayer, becauſe prayer ought to procceed from a pure and clean heart. Again, whoſoever ſhall ſuffer them by negligence to fall upon the ground, makes not only himself liable to faſt for the whole day, but alſo all thoſe that ſhall behold them lying thereupon. It is not lawfull to hang them up by their ſtrings againſt any wall uncovered, but it is required they be put in bag or ſachell: they may not be left in the chamber where a man and his wife lyes together, unleſſe they be put in a bag three double, and locked up in a cheſt. It is not permitted for any man to ſleep, eſpecially on ſet purpoſe while he hath theſe Phylacteries about him, yet if ſleep chance to creep on him unawares, he becomes not hereby guilty of any crime; yet if in the time hereof, any uncleanneſſe happen unto him, he cannot lawfully touch the knot wherein the parcells of Scripture are written and contained, yet he may unlooſe the thong, and lay the Phylacteries aſide, untill he hath purified himſelf, and waſhed his hands, and then put them on again.
Furthermore, it is not lawfull for any one to let a ſcape, or eaſe himſelf, having theſe Phylacteries about him, if he be neceſſitated to do either, he muſt firſt lay them aſide in a place four ells distant from that wherein he ſhall eaſe himſelf, or put them into a bag, and hide them in his boſome next unto his heart.
Fourthly, women, ſervants, and others alſo not well in body, are not tied to the wearing of theſe Phylacteries, either becauſe ſuch perſons are not all times clean, or becauſe they cannot alwayes attend the time of prayer, by reaſon of that ſervice which they are enjoyned by their Maſters and Miſtreſſes; for according to the Rabbines, the women are onelyonly bound to obſerve theſe Commandements which may be performed at certain times, not them whoſe execution is daily required▪ for ſeeing it is ſaid, Exod. 13. 19. That the Law of the Lord may be in thy mouth: where the inſtitution of this order is mentioned, it neceſſarily followeth, that they onelyonly are tied to the obſervation of this Commandement, whoſe office it is to have the Law of the Lord in their mouths, and to teach it to others, which is not required of the female ſex, and conſequently they are not liable to the wearing of theſe Phylacteries, notwithſtanding that of the Doctors, who ſay, that they were worn by the wife of Jonas the Prophet; for it is ſuſſicient that they ſay amen to every Petition, ſeeing hereby they confeſs that they believe and hope for whatſoever their Husbands ſhall require at the hands of God in theſe their prayers. Of this their ſaying amen spoke Iſa, the Prophet, ſaying, Open your gates that the righteous Nation may enter in, Iſa. 26. 2.Schomer emunim, who keeps the truth, which is all one (ſay they) as if he had ſaid, Schomer Amenim, who ſaith amen at the end of every Petition, believing all which is required of God in prayer, and ſaying Amen. Selah.
Briefly, how the Phylacteries ſhould be written upon the fleſhy, not hoary ſide of the skin or parchment; how the letter Schin ſhould be wrought upon the great boſs or knot; the letter Daleth with the knot of the long thong for the Phylacteries for the head; the letter Jod upon the knot of the Phylacteries for the hands; that the name of God Schaddai might be artificially expreſſed; How that four- ſquare piece of leather may be ſo framed and faſhioned, that in forme it ſhall repreſent a Bridge, and ſuch like, they affirm to have had the original & plat-form from Moſes, who learned it upon Mount Sinai, Tract. Berachos cap. 1. p. 7.and taught it to the people of Iſrael after his deſcent from thence, for ſo much is teſtified by the Talmudiſt upon thoſe words of Moſes, After that I will remove my hand, and thou ſhalt ſee my back parts, Exod. 33… 23but my face ſhall not be ſeen: and Rabbi Chamma the son of Bitzna affirms it to be the poſition of Rabbi Chaſda, that Moſes was taught by God himſelfe how to make and bind on the Phylacteries.
Laſtly, leaſt we ſhould omit the time of their morning Prayer, I will only relate one ſtory, and that worthy credit out of the Talmud, conducible to the matter now in hand, and that by reaſon of a certain miracle, of which kind one was formerly regiſtred concerning the Fringes.
It is written in Maſſeches Schabbas that theſe were the words of Rabbi Janna, Tract de Sab. cap. 18.that whoſoever had a deſire to put on the Phylacteries, ought to have as clean a body as Eliſha Baal Cappajim, or Eliſha with wings, had, And why I pray you is he named Eliſha with wings? the anſwer in the Gemara is ſhaped according to this faſhion: Upon a certain time the Roman Emperor publiſhed a moſt ſevere Edict, that any Jew ſhould not wear any Phylacteries, and that upon pain of loſing his head: now in ancient times the Jews were accuſtomed to bind their Phylacterie… upon their foreheads all the day long. To proceed, this Eliſha being a man of undanted courage and little eſteeming the Roman Edict, never ceaſed to tie theſe parchments about his head. But upon a certain time, being conſcious that the Apparitor ſaw him, he tooke him to his heels, and without any delay ſnatching the Phylacteries from his head, hid them in his hand: The Apparitor apprehendding him, would needs know what he carried in his hand? He anſwered, I carry Doves wings; then ſaid the Apparitor, either let me ſee them, or elſe thou dieſt for it; whereupon Eliſha opened his hands, and it was even ſo as he had ſpoken, and from this very action was he called Eliſha with the wings.
But what reaſon may be pretended that Eliſha ſhould say, that he carried Doves wings, rather then the wings of a Stork or a Crow, or some other bird? The Gemara gives this anſwer, ſaying; that the Iſraelites are like nnto a Dove, for as the Dove hath all her ſtrength in her wings, with which ſhe doth fortifie and defend her ſelfe againſt all other birds, of what kind ſoever, being not accuſtomed to uſe bill, feet, or any other member in maintenance of the quarrell: ſo the Israelites alſo are wont to do, for their wings are the Commandements of God, which do manage and ſupport them againſt all evil, that there is no poſſibility of ſuffering any harme from other Nations.
This Query is also anſwered in this maner: that as the wings of Doves are more auxiliatory unto them then thoſe of any other bird nnto it; for the Dove wearied in flight, reſting on the one wing, flies with the other, but other birds in the ſame caſe are forced to light upon ſome tree, or rock, or upon the earth; ſo the Iſraelites ſuffring great perſecution for ſome one of the Commandements, by reaſon where of they cannot fulfill it, they fulfill the reſt, by the merit where of they have help, and a ſtrong tower of defence againſt all their enemies; therefore it ſhal come to paſs, that if any one do with all diligence obſerve and keep the Commandements, he ſhall not come within the liſts of any evil project, but ſhall in a wonderfull manner be delivered from all his enemies, as this winged and penfeatherd Eliſha was delivered from the Apparitor who threatned him with cruel death, as many of the Rabbines have avouthed, being certified of the truth thereof by their toothleſs Grandames and hereupon have not feared to inſert it into the Talmud.