writings of, described. 10th, Abarbanel's Commentary on

the Law
Page 97

SECT. III. Jewish Notions of Astronomy. Jewish notion of

the figure, motion, and dissolution of the earth. Objections

against the Copernican system examined. State of astro-

nomy in Chaldea, Egypt, and Judea. The cases of Joshua,

and the dial of Ahaz. Arcturus and Orion described: the

Pleiades the chambers of the south: Mazzaroth. Park-

hurst's different explanation of these. Lucifer, or Venus, the

only planet mentioned in Scripture. The darkness at our Sa-

viour's death considered. An interesting extract from Fer-

guson's Tracts

:

112

PART X.

LAWS OF THE JEWS, AND THEIR SANCTIONS.

137

SECT. I. The Moral Law. Clearly revealed to our first pa-

rents; became obscured through the prevalence of sin ; was

promulgated anew from Mount Sinai

SECT. II. The Ceremonial Law. 1st, Taught the Jews the

leading doctrines of religion in a sensible and impressive man-

ner. 2d, Served to preserve them from idolatry-by removing

the principles which supported it-by giving them a full

and perfect ritual of their own-by appointing certain marks

to distinguish them from idolators-by restricting most of

their rites to particular places, persons, and times-by pro-

hibiting too familiar an intercourse with the heathen nations

-and by the positive prohibition of every idolatrous rite.

Here the singular laws of the Jews are explained, such as sa-

crificing to devila, making the children pass through the fire

to Moloch, using divination, observing times, eating with, or at

the blood, seething a kid in its mother's milk, rounding the

corners of their heads, and marring the corners of their

beards, making cuttings in their flesh for the dead, confound-

ing the distinctive dresses of the sexes, sowing their fields

with divers seeds, ploughing with an ox and an ass together,

allowing cattle of different kinds to gender, using garments

of linen and woollen, condemning eunuchism, bringing the

hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, to the house of the

Lord. 3d, The ceremonial law served to prepare their minds

for a brighter dispensation. Reasons assigned for its com-

parative obscurity. The gradual abolition of the ceremonial

law

140

SECT. III. The Judicial Law. The forms of government in

the different periods of the Jewish history; patriarchal, the

theocracy, an elective monarchy, an hereditary monarchy till

the captivity governors after it; the Asmonæan family;

Herod; the Romans. The revenue of the Jewish kings

Page 185

SECT. IV. Civil Punishments among the Jews. 1st, Inferior

-as restitution, depriving them of their beards, destroying

their houses, imprisonment with various aggravations, confine-

ment in the cities of refuge, whipping, cutting off the hands

and feet, putting out the eyes, sealing them up, fighting with

wild beasts, slavery, selling children for their parent's debt,

like for like. 2d, Capital-strangling, hanging, stoning,

burning, beheading, crucifixion, dashing to pieces, drowning,

tearing to pieces, sawing asunder, murdering in the dungeon,

hewing in pieces, braying in a mortar, casting into a tower

full of ashes. An account of eastern prisons-the execution-

ers of the law-and the ceremonies used before execution 192

SECT. V. Ecclesiastical Punishments among the Jews. The

Neziphè or Admonition, its nature and duration. The Nedui

or Separation. The Herem or Cutting off. The Shemeta or

Greater Excommunication. A Copy of it

PART IX.

CUSTOMS OF THE JEWS.

204

SECT. I. Habitations of the Jews. These affected by the state

of society. Tents in pastoral districts described. Villages of

stone in rocky situations, and mud in plains. Fenced cities;

their walls, gates, locks, wooden keys, bolts and bars. Pri-

vate winter houses of the Jews; of stone, brick, or mud:

manner of defending them from the weather. Doors often

ornamented: the hole at the side for the portion of the law.

Houses in the form of a square, with a court in the middle;

their appearance plain towards the street; the windows, lat-

tices; their appearance towards the court beautiful. Their

chambers, kiosks, olee or upper rooms; door to the street

low; doors into the court large. Ground floor for the family;

principal rooms in the second story; fire-places in the family

rooms; braziers in the public apartments. Stairs sometimes

ornamented with vine; manner of finishing their principal

rooms. Way of cooling their chambers; furniture of rooms,

carpets; the divan. Chambers of the poor; their beds. The

beds of the rich; their mosquito nets. Bed-chambers always

lighted during the night; often alluded to in Scripture. The

summer houses of the Jews described; the roofs of houses flat,

with battlements; their utility. The eastern nails of houses;

keys of wood described. Dr. Shaw's account of eastern

houses. Streets of eastern cities dirty in wet, and dusty in

dry weather; narrow; the reason why. The gate of the

city the most public place. Bazars; Dr. Russell's and Mr.

Kinneir's account of them. Tolls erected at the gate. No

clocks; manner of knowing the hour. Police regulations;

nuisances removed; water brought by conduits, tanks, or

reservoirs. The pools of Solomon described; Gihon, Siloam,

Jacob's well. Rights of citizenship. Roads between city

and city. Dogs at large without any owner; several texts

alluding to this. Description of an eastern village Page 212

SECT. II. Marriages of the Jews. Espousing; copy of the

contract; dowry given to the bride, laid out in marriage

dresses; custom at Aleppo and in Egypt. Persons in the

East always marry young; young men to virgins; widowers

to widows. The bride elegantly dressed; virgins married on

the fourth day of the week, and widows on the fifth one

divorced, or a widow, could not marry till after ninety days.

The marriage procession of the bridegroom to the house of

the bride; the marriage ceremony; procession of both par-

ties to the house of the bridegroom; commonly in the night.

The songs and ceremonies during the procession; marriage

supper; office of architriclinus: the paranymphi; the shush-

benin. Music and dancing after supper. Signs of virginity:

consequences if they appeared not. Marriage feast lasted

seven days: that of a widow only three. The bride had

commonly a slave given her by her parents. Husbands ex-

empted from military service for a year; Alexander the Great

did this after the battle of the Granicus. A large family

accounted a blessing; sterility, a curse. Concubinage not

reckoned disgraceful; difference between a concubine and a

wife; Solomon's concubines much exceeded by some eastern

monarchs. Polygamy, its effects on population and domestic

happiness. Divorce; copy of a bill of divorce; formalities

used on delivery. Copy of a divorce at the wife's instance.

The jus leviratus, or law concerning the brother's widow; its

existence before the giving of the law; ceremonies anciently

observed; ceremonies observed in case of refusal. The

Athenian, Circassian, Druse, and Mahomedan laws, similar

to the Jewish. The frequent allusions in Scripture to the

marriages of the Jews
246

SECT. III. Children of the Jews. Reasons why so much de-

sired; ceremonies at the birth; circumcision; the persons

present; their different offices; prayers on the occasion.

Circumcision of sick children deferred for a time. Children

dying before the eighth day, how disposed of; a feast com-

monly after circumcision. The case of bastards and daugh-

ters; origin and uses of circumcision. Probable reasons for

fixing on the eighth day. Why it was omitted in the wilder-

ness. Treatment of children while minors as to food, clothing,

&c.; children much attached to their mother, and why; sin-

gular manner of carrying them. The nature of their edu-

X

cation. The degree they acquired at the age of thirteen;

could choose their tutors at fourteen; the solemn ceremony

then used; different ages at which they could marry, and

attend the passover. The birthright of the eldest; in what

it consisted. Parkhurst's reflection on it
Page 273

SECT. IV. The Dress of the Jews. 1st, Of the Men. Hair

black, worn short, except when in mourning. The weight

of Absalom's hair considered. The beard worn long; razors;

anointing with oil. The bonnet or covering for the head. The

cethneth or tunic. The telith or coat; shelmè or hyke; gir-

dle with its purse; cloak or mantle; shoes and sandals; phy-

lacteries; scrip; staff-2d, Of the Women. Lower ranks

very simple; higher very expensive. Plaiting the hair, ele-

gant head-dresses, painting the eyes with alkahol; nose

jewels; ear-rings; veil; necklaces and chains of gold; brace-

lets; nails stained with alhennah; shifts; zone round the

breast; linen vests; gown, or upper robe; girdle about the

middle; drawers; tinkling ornaments on the legs; sandals;

travelling veils; cloaks or burnooses; perfume boxes; hand-

kerchiefs; hand-mirrors; large wardrobes in families; fa-

shionable colours; remarks

286

SECT. V. Entertainments of the Jews. Furniture of an eastern

kitchen. Fire-places; fuel, either wood, grass, or dried cow-

dung. Bread, how baked, leavened, toasted. Testimony of

travellers. Public ovens, their way of sending bread to them.

Eastern bread not good above a day. Their better kind of

cakes; their cracknels. Bread their principal food, eaten

with oil, &c.; wheat, parched corn, barley, beans, summer

fruits, roots; milk. Butter, how made by them; butter-milk

a luxury; leban, how prepared; cheeses of the East, how

made, not good. The general diet at Aleppo, and of the

Arabs. An eastern breakfast, dinner, and supper. They use

no spoons; are careful how they drink water; have wine at

table; their wine often muddy; the cup-bearer's office; ban-

queting cups. Manner of sitting at meat. Public feasts:

portions sent to those who could not attend; men and women

sat often at different tables: the fragments given to the poor.

People in the East visit after supper, as well as through the

day. The earliest accounts of a grace at meat. Modern Jews

very particular as to their food; have butchers with certificates

that they kill according to law; two kinds of dishes; their

way of eating; their bread, and manner of baking . . 318

SECT. VI. Rank and Employments of the Jewish Women. The

state of women before Christianity very degrading. Condition

of Jewish women in pastoral, agricultural, and commercial

situations. Grinding corn every morning; managing the con-

cerns of the family; feeding cattle; carrying water; work-

ing with the needle; spinning; weaving; tapestry

345

SECT. VII. Jewish Manner of Travelling. Disposition of their

dress; never travelled in the heat of the day but from neces-

sity; saluted no person when in haste; feet washed when

they entered a house. Rode on asses, horses, mules, camels,

and dromedaries; had no stirrups; used hirans and counes;

provender for their animals; provisions for themselves; arti-

cles of convenience and commerce. Skins for water; every

article carried in skins. Distance measured by hours; wells

the common resting-places; these often infested by robbers;

no inns; khanes, or caravansarays. Caravans; manner of

travelling; sometimes very numerous. Kings travelled in

state; had the dust allayed with water; harbingers sent be-

fore them, and pioneers to level the roads. Customs observed

by the modern Jews on a journey
Page 356

SECT. VIII. Jewish Marks of Honour and Disgrace. 1. Marks

of honour which servants paid to their masters. Slaves,

their price; their submissive attitude; washed the hands of

their master; served him before they ate themselves; servants

of different ranks; eunuchs; singing men and singing women.

2. Marks of respect paid by inferiors in general to superiors.

Bowing the head; bowing the knee; bowing to the ground;

kissing the hand, or what came from it; giving them the chief

seat; making yearly presents; allaying the dust before them

when travelling: spreading their garments. A spear, or

lamps, indicated the tent of a chief. 3. Marks of respect

among equals. The salam, or salutation; eastern salutations

took up
much time; their way of saluting when at a distance,

and when at hand; kissing; falling on the neck; taking hold

of the beard. Manner of conducting visits; these held in

the court in summer, and house in winter. The entertain-

ment at an eastern visit; sprinkling with rose water; per-

fuming the guests; their signs of mirth. 4. Marks of honour

paid to inferiors; those to principal officers; Joseph; Mor-

decai; changes of raiment; purple robe; gold buckle and

clasp; a key on the shoulder a mark of office; explanation of

a horn as an emblem of dignity and power; breaking a chain

a mark of freedom. 5. Marks of disgrace. Cutting off the

beard; plucking off the hair; spitting in the face; clapping

the hands, hissing, and wagging the head; gnashing the

teeth; speaking evil of one's mother

SECT. IX. Jewish Measures. 1. Of length.

370

A finger; a

handbreadth; a span; a foot; a cubit; a fathom; a reed;

the measuring line; a furlong; a sabbath day's journey; a

mile; a Berè; a Parsa; a common day's journey; an Egyp-

tian aroura; the Levitical cities. 2. Liquid measure. Their

quadrans; log or sextarius; firkin; hin; measure; bath;

cor. 3. Dry measure. Their cab; omer, or tenth deal;

seah; ephah; lethec; humer. 4. Weights. The shekel;

manè, or minah; talent. 5. Money. The shekel; bekah

;