To receive the sabbath, which they compare to a royal bride, they put on their best and gayest

'the end of the wick into it, so that it may attract the oil: but • Rabbi Jehudah permits it. He who extinguisheth the lamp, because 'he is afraid of Gentiles, of robbers, of an evil spirit, or that the 'sick may sleep, is free: but if his intention is to save his lamp, oil, or wick, he is guilty. Rabbi Josea allows it in either case, except 'the wick, because he thereby forms a coal.' Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Prayer Book, p. 92, 93. German and Polish Jews' Prayer Book, p. 74, 75. Hebrew and English Prayer Book, London, 1770.

p. 98, 99.

* The following hymn is part of the evening service for the sabbath.

'Come, my beloved, to meet the bride; the presence of the sabbath let us receive. Come my beloved, &c.

Keep and remember it; both words did the one peculiar God cause us to hear, with one expression: the Eternal is an Unity, and ‹ his name is Unity: to him appertaineth renown, glory, and praise. 'Come, my beloved, &c.

'Come, let us go to meet the sabbath; for it is the fountain of blessing in the beginning of old was it appointed; for though 'last in creation, yet it was first in the design of God. Come my beloved, &c.

'O thou sanctuary of the King! O royal city! arise, and come forth from thy subversion; thou hast dwelt long enough in the ' abode of calamity, for he will now pity thee with kindness. Come, my beloved, &c.

'Shake off the dust; arise, O my people! and adorn thyself with thy beautiful attire; for by the hand of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, 'redemption draweth nigh to my soul. Come, my beloved, &c.

Rouse thyself, rouse thyself: arise, shine, for thy light is come. ' Awake, awake, utter a song; for the glory of the Lord is revealed upon thee. Come, my beloved, &c.

O be not ashamed, neither be thou confounded. Why art thou 'cast down? why art thou disquieted? In thee the poor of my people 'shall take refuge, and the city shall be built on her own heap. Come, my beloved, &c.

They who spoil thee, shall become a spoil; and they that swallow thee up,-shall be removed far away: thy God will rejoice in thee, as the bridegroom rejoiceth in his bride. Come, my beloved, &c. 'On the right hand and on the left shalt thou be extended, and the

apparel, and hasten to the synagogue; where they commence their service a little before night. This anticipation of the prescribed hour is professedly dictated by the benevolent hope of enlarging the respite enjoyed on the sabbath by the wicked in hell;* whose punishments the rabbies have declared to be suspended immediately on the chanting of a certain prayer in the service of that evening.†

When they come from the synagogue in the evening, and also in the morning of the sabbath, parents bless their children, saying to each of their sons, God make thee as Ephraim and Ma'nasseh;' and to each daughter, God make thee 'as Sarah and Rebekah, Rachel and Leah.'

'Lord shalt thou fear: through the means of a man, the descendant ' of Pharez, will we rejoice and be glad. Come, my beloved, &c.

O come in peace, thou crown of thy husband; also with joy and 'mirth in the midst of the faithful of the beloved people. Enter, 'O bride! Enter, O bride! Come, my beloved, &c.'

German and Polish Jews' Prayer Book, p. 66. Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Prayer Book, p. 93, 94.

* See page 185.

+ Buxtorf. ibid. p. 305, 306. This potent prayer is as follows: < Bless ye the Lord, who is ever blessed. Blessed be the Lord, who is blessed for evermore. Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King ' of the universe! Who with his word causeth the evening to advance gradually; openeth the gates with wisdom; with understanding changeth times and varieth seasons; and disposeth the stars in their 'stations in the heavens according to his will. He createth day and 'night, causing the light to recede from before darkness, and darkness before light; who causeth the day to pass away, and bringeth on night; and maketh a division between day and night: the Lord of hosts is his name. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who causest the ' evening to advance gradually.' Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Prayer Book, p. 96. Hebrew and English Prayer Book, London, 1770. p. 87, 88.

+ David Levi, ibid. p. 9, 10.

Immediately on their return from the evening service they seat themselves at table. The master of the house takes in his hand a glass of wine or other liquor, recites what is called 'the sanctifi'cation for the eve of the sabbath,' which consists of the first three verses of the second chapter of Genesis; adds the prescribed grace over the liquor;* and concludes with another benediction.† Then he drinks some of the liquor and presents some to the rest of the family; after which he repeats the grace appointed to be said at all meals before eating bread. The supper is followed by the usual grace after meals; only to the form appointed for other days some clauses are now added in which particular mention is made of the sabbath.

On the morning of the sabbath they indulge themselves longer in bed than on any other morning

* For the grace to be said over wine, see page 335. Over any other liquor the grace is: Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe! who causest all things to exist according to thy 'word.' German and Polish Jews' Prayer Book, p. 156.

+ Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe! who ⚫ hast sanctified us with thy commandments, and delightest in us; and 'with love and favour hast made us inherit the holy sabbath, for a 'memorial of the work of the creation; for that day was the first of those called holy; a remembrance of the going forth from Egypt: 'for thou hast chosen us, and sanctified us above all people; and 'with love and favour hast made us inherit thy holy sabbath. Blessed 'art thou, O Lord, who sanctifiest the sabbath.' Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Prayer Book, p. 105. German and Polish Jews' Prayer Book, p. 77.

Buxtorf. ibid. p. 307, 310. David Levi, ibid. p. 10, 11. Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Frayer Book, p. 142-149. German and Polish Jews' Prayer Book, p. 153–156. Hebrew and English Prayer Book, London, 1770. p. 192–195.

in the week. The services of the synagogue begin later, and the offices are more numerous than on other days. The book of the law is taken out of the ark, and carried with great ceremony up to the altar or desk. There it is elevated in such a manner that the writing may be seen by the congregation; who shout- And this is the law ' which Moses set before the children of Israel. The law which Moses commanded us, is the ' inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. The way of God is perfect: the word of the Lord is 'tried he is a buckler to all those who trust in ' him.'

The Jewish years are of very unequal lengths, as will be explained in the next chapter. The whole law being divided into fifty four sections ;† when there are not so many sabbaths in a year, the portion allotted for a sabbath sometimes includes two of these sections, and this occurs as often as the case may require.

The lesson appointed for the sabbath is divided into seven parts, and read to seven persons who are called up to the altar for that purpose. The first is a Cohen, or one who is said to be a descendant of Aaron. The second is one who is supposed to be of the tribe of Levi. The third an

* See page 322.

+ See pages 10—12.

The sections joined together in these cases are xxii. and xxiii.— xxvii. and xxviii.-xxix. and xxx.-xxxii. and xxxiii.-xlii. and xliii.-li. and lii.

Sometimes also, when a particular festival falls on a sabbath, the section in regular course is postponed to the next week, and its place is supplied by the portion appointed for that festival.

Israelite of some other tribe. The same order is then repeated. The seventh may be of any tribe. Certain graces and responses are appointed to be said on this occasion by every person called to this honour, by the reader, and by the whole congregation.*

The portion read from the law is followed by a portion from the prophets. The rabbies tell us that their forefathers read only the law till the time of Antiochus Epiphanes; but that being prohibited by that tyrant from reading the law, they substituted a series of selections from the prophets; and that when the reading of the law was restored in the time of the Maccabees, the reading of the prophets was retained, and has continued ever since. But the improbability that the reading of the prophets would be permitted while the reading of the law was forbidden, renders this account of the origin of the practice very doubtful. The custom of reading the law and the prophets in the synagogues every sabbath day is very ancient. It was certainly practised before the destruction of the second temple; but there is no evidence to prove that the lessons from the prophets were the same as are read now. The omission in the present Haphtoroth, of almost all the principal

* Buxtorf. ibid. p. 327, 328. David Levi, ibid. p. 11-13. Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Prayer Book, p. 132.

+ Acts xiii. 15. 27. xv. 21.

See pages 10-12.

In the days of our Lord, it is evident, that either the sixty-first chapter of Isaiah was one of the regular lessons, or the prophetical books were laid before the person called to read, and he made his own selection. Luke iv. 16-21.