The Jewish Synagogue, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
How the Jewes doe ceaſe from their labours every Munday and Thurſday.
IT is regiſtred in the Talmud,Tract. Rabhae Kama. cap. 7. as alſo in the writings of Rabbi Alphes, that Ezra the Prophet did command the Jewes in that time when they were in captivity at Babylon, to obſerve theſe ten things.
Firſt, that upon the Sabbath day;
Secondly, that upon every Munday and Thurſday in every week they ſhould repaire to the Synagogue, and read ſome certaine Chapters or Sections out of the booke of the law, and that publikely, ſome peculiar Ceremonies, and a more then vulgar holineſſe being conjoyned with the practiſe of the ſame.
Thirdly, that upon every Munday and Tueſday they ſhould ſit in judgment, deciding the cauſes betwixt man and man, that according to the rule of juſtice, every one may have his owne.
Fourthly, that upon Thurſday they ſhould waſh all uncleane clothes and veſſels, ſweepe the houſe, and make every corner thereof very handſome, in honour of the holy Sabbath.
Fifthly, that every Thurſday the men ſhould eat leekes.
Sixthly that the women riſing early in the morning, ſhould bake their bread, to the end that they may have in readineſſe a morſell to relieve the poor when he commeth to their doore.
Seventhly, that the women ſhould weare a vaile or maske for modeſties ſake.
Eighthly, that the women entring into the bath, ought to combe their haire in an accurate manner, even ſo that one hair may be parted from another.
Ninthly, that it ſhall bee lawfull for all Chapmen and Merchants travelling from Faire to Faire to ſell their wares; that by this meanes the women may furniſh themſelves with all things of fragrant ſmell, and gay attire, both for the better celebration of the Sabbath, and for the pleaſing of their husbands.
Laſtly, that thoſe who were troubled in the night time with the efflux of ſeed out of their genitals, and ſo became uncleane, ſhould purge themſelves by waſhing.
Hence it appeares, that although the Prophets who were before Ezra's time, did inſtitute and ordaine, that the people ſhould every Sabbath day, be taught out of the Law of Moſes; yet was it meet that Ezra (to in…ite and prick Iſrael forwards to a higher degree of godlineſſe) ſhould enact it for a perpetuall decree, that three daies, in any weeke, ſhould not paſſe but in one of them ſome thing ſhould be rehearſed out of the Law of Moſes, by which the people being auditors, might receive inſtruction. This Edict of Ezra, his learned ſuccessors did teach and expound, and alſo ratifie and confirme out of thoſe words in Exodus, Exod. 15. 22.They went out into the wilderneſſe of Sur, and they went three daies and found no water. By water in this place, underſtanding the Law, becauſe it is called by the name of water by the Prophet,Iſaiah 55. 1. Hoe every one that thirſteth, come yee to the waters, and he that hath no money, come yee, buy and eate, yea, come, buy wine and milke without money and without price; that is to ſay, Come ye unto the Law and word of God. Without which when they had walked three dayes in the deſart, they divided the weeke in such a manner, that once in three dayes they ought alwaies to heare and learne ſomewhat out of the law. This cuſtome is alſo practiſed upon Mundayes and Thurſdayes in remembrance of Moſes, who upon Thurſdaies went up into Mount Sinai, brought from thence the two Tables of the Law made of Cedar; intreated a pardon for the ſinne of the Jewes in making the golden calfe; and upon Munday came downe from the Mount againe. Hereupon alſo thoſe which are moſt puritanically ſtraight-laced among the Jewes at this day uſe to fast upon Mundayes and Fridayes; as that Phariſee did in the time of our Saviour, boaſting thereof in this ſupercilious manner, I give thee thanks O God, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjuſt, adulterers, nor as this Publican; I faſt twice a weeke, and pay tithes of all that I have.
Thirdly, it is neceſſary that upon theſe daies a ſingular care be had of hearing and meditating the word of God, in reſpect that they are dayes appointed for judicature. Hence alſo it is, that the halfe of them to this very day are feſtivall among the Jewes: For in the mornings of them, they repaire very timely unto the Synagogue, where beſides their ordinary prayers, they ſing or ſay many other which are extant in their Minhagin, and their manuals of prayer. Moreover, they are wont to boaſt in a very ſwaggering ſtile of their taking out and putting in the booke of the Law into the Arke; of which more anon.
Concerning their uſuall prayers upon theſe dayes, they add one more then ordinary to thoſe in the morning, beginning, Vehu racham, to which they attribute great vertue and ſtrange operations; hidden ones ſurely, for they have not made their appearance for one thouſand ſix hundred and odd yeares. This they uſe to ſay ſtanding, and that with great devotion. There is a certaine ſtory very pat to this purpoſe. When the Jewes were baniſhed out of Jeruſalem by Titus Veſpaſian the Roman Emperour: The Emperour commanded that three ſhips filled with Jewes, ſhould be ſet to float upon the ſea, having neither maſt nor ſailes. This his command being put in execution▪ the ſhips being toſt with a moſt violent tempeſt, were parted aſunder, and caſt upon the ſhore of three divers countries; the names whereof, were Lovanda, Arlado, and Burdeli, which are now worne out of remembrance. All the Jewes in one of thoſe ſhips, were very courteouſly entertained by the Lord of that country in which they landed, who in a moſt bountifull manner gave them land to till, and Vineyards. After his death, there aroſe another King, who handled and vexed the Jewes moſt inhumanely, even as Pharaoh did their Anceſtours, ſaying unto them, that he would try whether they were true Jewes or not after the ſame manner that Nebuchadnezzar tryed Hananias, Miſael, and Azarias, and if you can walke without hurt in the middle of the fiery furnace, as they did, then will I confeſſe that you are true Jewes indeed. To whom the Jewes made anſwer, entreating him that he would doe unto them, as Nebuchadnezzar did to the three former; which was, to grant them three dayes reſpite, that they might pray unto God to deliver them. Which when he had granted, two brothers called Joſeph and Benjamin, and their Couzen Samuel, came together to conſult what was beſt to be done, who determined neither to eat or drinke for three dayes together. Which while they put in practiſe, every one having a ſeverall prayer, which they joined in one, and repeated it without intermiſſion night and day, untill their allotted time was ended. In the morning of the third day, one of them ſaid he had dreamed that he heard one read a verſe out of the Bible, in which Kt was twice, and Lo three times reiterated; but what it meant, or where it was, he was altogether ignorant. Then anſwered one of the other two, and ſaid, this verſe will be a helpe and comfort unto thee; for hereby is ſignified, that God will ſend thee help from heaven; and it is written in the forty third chapter of Iſaiah, and the ſecond verſe, the words wherof are theſe; K…, when thou paſſeſt through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they ſhall Lo, not overflow thee. Ki, when thou walkeſt through the fire, thou ſhalt Lo, not bee burnt, Lo neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. Upon the third day a huge fire was provided earely in the morning, an immenſe number of people flocking to the execution, who were very deſirous to be preſent at the burning. The congregation being compleate, theſe three men did commend their bodies to the mercy of the fire ſinging and praying untill all the wood being conſumed, they came out of the fire without the leaſt touch thereof.
This miracle the foreſaid men divulged in what place ſoever they came; whereupon it was ordained and commanded that this prayer ſhould bee said every Munday and Thursday morning in every Synagogue, and place of publike prayer; which the Jewes obſerve and keepe unto this very day, hoping, that by the power of this prayer, they ſhall be delivered from their long continued captivity, and tedious exile. But alas, their hopes will be fruſtrate, ſo long as they deſpiſe and ſet at nought the Saviour of their ſoules. Chriſt Jeſus, and perſevere in their horrible ſuperſtition. This Fable is here related more at large, then it is by Antonius Margarita out of the booke Colbo.
The prayer beginning Vehu racham, ſo much eſteemed of them, is written in the forme following, He is mercifull, forgiving iniquity, and not deſtroying the ſinner. He oftentimes turns his anger from us, and ſuffers not his fury to ariſe. O God I beſeech thee take not thy mercy from me, let thy meekneſſe and truth alwaies preſerve me. Help us O God, our God, and gather us from among the Gentiles, &c. In briefe, the ſum of this prayer is this: They beg of God that hee would vouchſafe to pardon their ſinnes, take pity upon the deſolations of their City and Temple, to gather them from the foure corners of the earth, and never ſuffer his inheritance to bee aſhamed. In this prayer they are alſo mindefull of us Chriſtians, againſt whom they thus petition, O God, how long ſhall thy ſtrength remaine in captivity; and thy beauty in thy enemies hand? O Lord God, ſtirre up thy ſtrength, and revenge us upon all our enemies, ſo ſhall their might be turned into weakneſſe, and they ſhall be aſhamed and periſh. Theſe laſt words are in many Copies left out, by reaſon of an injunction laide upon the Printers by the Chriſtian Magiſtrate, an empty ſpace being left, that they may either write them, or e…ſe inquire what is wanting. Theſe things thus finiſhed, they fall the ſecond time upon their faces, and ſaying many other prayers (as was declared in the former Chapter;) they beſeech God that hee would remove his anger farre from them, and not deliver them into the hands of their enemies, but being mindefull of the Covenant that hee made with their fathers, would make their ſeed like unto the ſtarres of Heaven for multitude.
After that they have for ſuch a ſpace, either kneeling or ſtanding poured out their ſouls in prayer unto God; then followes the narration of that pompe and ſtate which they exhibite to the booke of the Law; they reade weekly Lectures out of it, according as they were enjoyned by Ezra the ſcribe: The manner followeth. In every Synagogue they have the booke of the Law, to wit, the Pentateuch, written in long ſchroles of parchment ſewed together; at the ends thereof are faſtned certaine pieces of wood, for the ſafer keeping, and more eaſie carriage of the booke of the Law.
This book is kept in a certaine Arke or Cheſt, ſtanding continually againſt ſome wall of the Synagogue. Before the Ark is a little doore, and before it a hanging made by the Art of the embroiderer. This is of divers ſorts, and the more ſolemnn the feſtivall is, the richer are the hangings: Thoſe are had in greateſt eſteeme with them, whoſe outſide is adorned and wrought with the ſhapes of divers birds; for ſuch were alwaies an ornament upon the old Arke of the Covenant.
The booke is alwaies wrapt up in a linnen cloth; in which are characteriſed ſome Hebrew words, and divers names. That which is the moſt outward of all, is oftentimes a linnen cloth much like unto a little coat or cloake made of ſilke, but ſometimes of puregold, upon which they hang ſome ſilver plates faſtned to a golden chaine, in which is written▪ Kether thorah, that is to ſay, the crowne of the Law; or Kodeſch adonai, holineſſe to the Lord. Then the ſexton goes about and cries, who will buy Gelilah etz chajim? which is a certaine kinde of office, which any ſupplying, is licenced to toſſe over the booke of the Law by a ſerious reviſall: Which office is granted unto him who will give the moſt money for it, which is put into the poore mans box, and cheſted up for their reliefe.
Thoſe pieces of wood, by the helpe whereof the booke of the Law is carryed up and downe, are called by them etz chaijm the wood of life;Pro. 3. 18. to which that ſentence of Solomon was Godfather; Wiſdome is the tree of life to them th…t lay hold on it. Gelilah ſignifies a folding, intimating what things may be obſerved in the folding and unfolding of the book.Orach. chajim num 135.
When the Chanter takes this holy booke out of the Arke, then he goes into the pulpit, where he reads out of the ſame, theſe words following.Num. 10. …5: It came to paſſe, when the A…ke was ſet forth, that Moſes ſaid, Riſe up, O Lord, and let thine enemies be ſcattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee. Againe, Many people ſhall goe and ſay, Iſaiah 2. 3.come yee and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord, to the houſe of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his waies, and we will walke in his pathes, for out of Sion ſhall goe forth the Law, and the word of the Lord from Jeruſalem. The Chanter when he begins to ſing, laying the book upon his arme,Pſal. 34. 3. ſaith, O praiſe the Lord with me, and let us magnifie his name together, To which the whole congregation makes this anſwer;Pſal. 99. 5,9. O magnifie the Lord our God, and fall down before his foot ſtool, for he is holy. O magnifie the Lord our God, and worſhip him upon his holy hil; for the Lord our God is holy. Directly above that four ſquare ſtructure, is placed a certain table covered with a ſilken Carpet, upon which the Chaſan or Chanter laies down the book of the Law: Then comes he who is to purchaſe the Office of Gelilah with his money, taking away and deveſting the booke, of its formerly in wrapping garments; which finiſhed, the Chaſan, and the other who was to buy his place, calling one out of the whole congregation, and commanding his perſonall appearance in his fathers name, and his own; he approaching the preſence, ſeats himſelfe in the middle, kiſſes the book, not upon the bare leaves of the ſame, for this were an hainous offence, but through the ſwadling cloutes thereof; and graſping the cover thereof, ſaies with a loud voice; praiſe the Lord &c. Bleſſed be thou O God, who haſt choſen us unto thy ſelfe before all other nations of the earth, and haſt given us thy Law. Bleſſed be thou O God the Law giver. Now the Jew perſwades himſelfe that his lot is fallen unto him in a fair ground, ſeeing he hath ſeen and handled the tree of life, and therefore becomes bleſſed above all other people.
In the next place the miniſter reades a chapter or ſection out of the Bible which ended, he who was formerly ſummoned to appeare, takes the book the ſecond time and kiſſeth it, ſaying, Bleſſed be thou O God who haſt given us the very law, and implanted unto us eternall life. Bleſſed be thou the Law-giver. After this, two more are ſucceſſively called, whoſe behaviour is ſquared according to the platforme of the formers carriage. He that came firſt in, goes out by another doore then that which afforded him entrance. After theſe another is cited, who ought to have a well brawned arme; for hee muſt lift up the book at armes end, and turning round, muſt expoſe it to the view of every ſpectator, the whole congregation in the mean ſeaſon, bellowing ou…, This is the law which Moſes gave to the Iſraelites. This Office is named Hagbahah, and is ſold to him for money, who bids moſt. While the match is in making, thoſe brawling ſcolds, the women, preſſe into the Synagogue with a great deale of quarrelling and much oppoſition, every one ſtriving to gain a place in ſome window or other, where they may be bleſſed with the ſight of ſuch an holy booke, thinking to reape ſome pleaſure by the ſole beholding of it, ſeeing their lips cannot bee allowed to ſecond their husbands in billing of it.
The women have a peculiar Synagogue of their owne, differenced from that of their husbands, with latticed and croſs-barred windowes: Concerning which, much is ſpoken in the Talmud,Tract. Sucha. de Sab. conſtru. cap. ult. Zach. 12. 12, 13 and an evident demonſtration there of is given by the Prophet Zachary, in theſe words; The land ſhall mourne, every family apart, the family of the houſe of David apart, and their wives apart, the family of the houſe of Nathan apart, and their wives apart: The family of the houſe of Levi apart, and their wives apart: The family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart: All the families that remaine, every family apart, and their wives apart. Whence they conclude, that the men and women are not to come into the ſame Sinagogue in the time of divine ſervice; and that for modeſty and honeſties ſake, ſeeing not only women, but men likewiſe, are apt and inclineable to fall into divers luſtfull cogitations, when they are in the ſame place together. If the Jew who reades the Law, chance to ſtumble and let the booke fall out of his hand, he is bound to faſt, and all the reſt alſo for a long time together, ſeeing this accident preſageth ſome great calamity to come upon them.
At length come they who have purchaſed the Gelilah, and etz chajim, the one of them touching the wooden cover of the booke, folding it up, (great experience is required in this caſe) the other adminiſters the linnen clothes, in which it ought to be inwrapped, and its ſilver-twiſted coat involving all the reſt.
Then comes every one in the Synagogue, both young and old, and kiſſes the booke, touching it only with two fingers, with which they afterwards handle their face; which action reliſhing of a ſupreme ſanctity, is held for a ſoveraigne medicine againſt blindneſſe, and all diſeaſes incident to the eie.
While the booke is carryed to the Arke, the Chanter ſings, praiſe the name of the Lord; for the name of this our God, is of great power and ſtrength. The congregation anſwereth and ſaith; His praiſe is above heaven and earth; he hath exalted the horne of his peculiar people, to the praiſe of all his ſaints: Yea, the Iſraelites being a folke moſt neare unto him, praiſe yee the Lord. When the book is laid in the Arke, the people ſay or ſing thoſe words of Moſes, uſed by him when the Arke reſted. Returne O Lord unto the many thouſands of Iſrael. Then they conclude all, ſaying (as was formerly noted) at their going out of the Synagogue, O Lord, lead me in thy juſtice, becauſe of mine enemies, make my way plaine before thy face. The Lord ſhall keep my going out, and comming in, from this time forth for evermore. Theſe words they repeate alſo when they goe out of doores, either to take a journey, or to doe any other buſineſſe.