Modern Judaism : or a brief account of the opinions, traditions, rites, and ceremonies of the Jews in modern times

Front matter

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Preface

The Jewish history has judiciously been divided into two grand periods ; the former period reaching from Abraham to Christ, the latter including all the time that has passed since : and the Jews living in these two periods have respectively been distinguished as ancient and modern. ^

Judaism requires the same distinction. Ancient Judaism may be defined as the system of doctrines and rites taught and prescribed in the Old Testament ; which were retained, though amidst much general corruption, till the time of Christ. Modern Judaism comprehends the Opinions, Traditions, Rites, and Ceremonies, which began to be received and practised before the destruction of the second temple, were afterwards enlarged and embodied in the CabbaUstic and Talmudic writings, and have been professed and followed by the great body of the Jewish people, without any material alteration, down to the present day. To collect information

Introduct. in Theol. Jud. c. ii. s. 3.

Vlll PREFACE.

respecting this system, and to exhibit it to the public in a compendious form, has been the design of the Author in the following work. He is not acquainted with any other work on this subject, uniting the comprehension of plan and conciseness of detail which he proposed to himself. How far his attempt has succeeded, others must determine.

In procuring materials from every source within his reach, in separating the correct from the erroneous, and in selecting and arranging the most interesting and important particulars, he has spared neither time nor labour. . For most of his statements he has referred to written authorities : in the few accounts communicated from oral information, he has been careful to satisfy himself of their authenticity : and of some of the circumstances which he has described, he has, in more instances than he has thought necessary to mention, been an eye and ear witness.

Most of the works cited in the notes, are referred to as authorities for the statements contained in the text : some of them furnish details which the limits of the present volume would not allow to be included : and others give accounts and representations which the Author thought he had reason to reject, or maintain opinions from which he felt himself obliged to dissent. These references are inserted for the sake of those readers who may have inclination and opportunity for further inquiries into these subjects.

PREFACE. IX

The Author is not uninformed that within the last few years infidelity has gained some converts among the Jews, especially in Prussia ; and that some members of the synagogue evince as little veneration for Moses as for Christ. But these are inconsiderable exceptions to the great body of their nation. He is also aware that the Israelites convened at Paris in the year 1806, commonly called the Parisian Sanhedrim, in their answers to the questions proposed by the French Government, professed principles at variance, in a few points, with the statements of Jewish opinions given in the following pages. But he regards the transactions connected with that assembly as the mere effects of state policy on the one hand and of temporizing servility on the other, and therefore unworthy of being taken into the account.

The plan of this work not being polemical, the Author has refrained, as far as possible, from discussions of theological doctrines, or questions at issue between Jews and Christians : but he has not been able to avoid some disquisitions which may be considered as controversial. These however will be found to relate, chiefly if not entirely, to matters of historical credibility or incredibility ; such as, the pretensions of the Jews respecting their oral law. Impartiality appeared to require that their own account of it should be submitted to the reader ; and truth- called for an examination of its claims and an exposure of their futility. In the notes, he has sometimes indulged a latitude

X PREFACE.

of remark, which, if not allowed to be strictly within the limits of his plan, he hopes will at least be excused as pardonable digression.

A firm believer in Christianity himself, the Author cannot but contemplate Modern Judaism as an awful delusion. The predictions of the prophets appear to him to be strikingly fulfilled, not only in the dispersion, sufferings, and preservation of the Jews, but also in the moral darkness which has enveloped their minds, the errors which have infatuated their hearts, ever since they shut their eyes to the day-spring from on high, and rejected the wisdom of God.

But while he would disclaim the idea of neutrality, he has studied to be impartial ; neither to extenuate nor to exaggerate, but to describe things as they are. The cause of Christianity neither needs nor sanctions the least misrepresentation of its bitterest opponents. If the censures occasionally expressed or implied in the course of the work, seem to any readers at all inconsistent with a profession of impartiality, they are requested to consider how difficult it is to speak of things frivolous and odious, absurd and profane, without employing any terms expressive of ridicule or disgust, contempt or abhorrence. Whatever may have been introduced like personal reflection, whether general or individual, is directed exclusively against the rabhies ; many of whom the Author cannot but regard as corrupt

PREFACE. XI

seducers, of their brethren, as contrivers and promoters, rather than victims, of the popular deception.

But whatever contempt or abhorrence the Author feels for errors or frauds which appear to him contemptible or detestable, he neither feels, nor has ever felt, such sentiments towards the Jewish people. He has the satisfaction of remembering that he has always disapproved and condemned the insults and injuries committed against them by multitudes bearing the christian name. Blest with a Father whose good sense and piety raised him above this vulgar error, the Author's earliest impressions respecting this people were those of benevolence, pity, and veneration : benevolence, due to all the descendants of our common father ; pity, excited by the moral degradation of their present condition ; veneration, inspired by the miracles of their ancient history and the prophetic visions of their future glory.

Soon may the dawn of that glory break forth upon the world. Soon may they acknowledge the true Messiah whom their fathers crucified. Then will the accounts of reveries and superstitions of which so much of this volume consists, be changed from descriptions of living error to memorials of a delusion for ever past away.

London, August 29, 1816.

Preface To The Second Edition

The acceptance of this portraiture of Modern Judaism by the public, has proved that the Author was correct in regarding it as a desideratum in our Hterature. And the concurrent testimonies of the Critical Journals and other high literary authorities, in approbation of its execution, have afforded him much satisfaction, and constituted no small reward for his labour. The work has been out of print for several years : and the numerous and increasing inquiries for it, with the great and growing interest of the British public in the extraordinary people to whom it relates, have called forth another edition. No material alterations have been introduced, but the Author has taken the opportunity of making all the corrections which on a careful revision he found to be necessary.

Chapter I. Page

Old Testament received by the Jews : — Threefold Division : — Order of the Books : — Jews unjustly accused of corrupting the Hebrew Text: — Have counted the Words and Letters of the Pentateuch, — and the Letters in the Bible. Table of Sections of the Law and Prophets as read in the Synagogues . . . . , 1

Chapter II

Targums or Chaldee Paraphrases : — Their Origin, — Authors, — Jonathan, — Onkelos, — Some by unknown Authors and of uncertain Age. Uses of the Targums 13

Chapter III

The Talmud. Rabbinical Account of the Oral Law. Compilation of the Mishna: — of the Jerusalem Gemara: — of the Babylonian Geraara. Remark on want of Evidence in favour of the Oral Law. Alleged Necessity of an Oral Law. — Reason why it was not committed to writing. Praises of the Talmud. The thirteen Ways of reasoning employed by the Rabbies in expounding the Law , 22

Chapter IV

Reasons for believing the Story of an Oral Law to be a Fiction. — The Mishna at variance with the Pentateuch, and favourable to Chicanery and Prevarication. The Contents of the Gemara frivolous and superstitious, impious and blasphemous, absurd and fabulous. Apologies for the Talmud answered. Difference of earlier and later Editions of the Talmud 46

Chapter V

The Cabbala :— the Term explained :— Two Kinds, Theoretical and Practical: — The latter a mere System of magical Superstition.— ^The Theoretical Cabbala subdivided into two Species, — Symbolical and Literal. — Some account of each. Different Opinions of the Value and Use of the Cabbala 07

XIV CONTENTS.

Chapter VI. Page

Thirteen Articles of Jewish Faith. — Remarks on their general Design : — Slight Notice of a Messiah : — Silence on Pardon of Sin. Various Opinions concerning the Resurrection. Precepts of the Jewish Religion, six hundred and thirteen : — Divided into affirmative and negative. What Obedience sufficient. — Duties of Jewish Females. Seven Precepts said to have been given to the Sons of Noah, — binding on the Gentiles 97

Chapter VII

Jewish Opinions on the present moral Condition of Human Nature : — Sin : — Remedies for Sin : — Repentance : — Punishment : — Salvation : — Case of Apostates — and Christians 110

Chapter VIII

Rabbinical Traditions concerning God. Remarks on tiieir Profaneness. Some Traditions filthy, and some obscene 143

Chapter IX

Traditions concerning Angels : — When created ; — Their different Natures, — Durations, — Classes, — Orders, — Magnitudes, — and Statures. Residences, — Seventy Angels set over Seventy Nations. A presiding Angel over every Thing, animate and inanimate. Guardian Angels, — one for every Man: — Their Functions. Various Accounts of a Personage called Metatron.

Traditions concerning Demons: — When Created: — In what Condition : — Their different Natures : — Classes : — Some the Offspring of Others ; and some of Human Beings. — Account of Lilith. — Sammael and others, Angels of Death. Demons troublesome, — mischievous, — learned in the Law, — accustomed to frequent the Synagogues 149

Chapter X

Traditions concerning Paradise. Paradise twofold, Upper and Lower. Lower, when created, — where situated. Both called by seven Names. Communication between them. J^ower, the first Abode of the disembodied Righteous: — its Light, — and Sustenance. Residents in the Upper revisit the Lower. — Both divided into seven Districts. Occupied by seven Orders of righteous Spirits : — Their Stations, — Clothing. Stratagem of a cunning Rabbi to force himself into Paradise. Traditions concerning Hell. Hell twofold : — Creation, — Names, — Extent, — Divisions, — Punishments; — Their Duration, — Intermissions .. 173

Chapter XI

Traditions concerning Human Souls. Souls described as triple ; — as quintuple. Every Jew inspired with a supernumerary Soul on the Sabbath. DifTerent Origin of the Souls of Jews and Gentiles. All Souls created on the first Day :— consulted

CONTENTS. XV

about the formation of Bodies : — sent into Embryos respectively prepared for them. Information and Instruction previous to the Birth. Number of Israel itish Souls. Souls originally created in Pairs. Reception of a disembodied Soul entering into Paradise. Transmigration of Souls : — Whether the whole Soul, or only a Part, transmigrates, — and how many Times. Souls migrating into Human Bodies, Male and Female : — Into Brutes, Quadrupeds, Insects, Reptiles, Fishes : — Into Vegetables — and other inanimate Things. Another knid of Transmigration called Ibbur . « 191

Chapter XII

Traditions concerning Persons mentioned in the Old Testament. Adam and Eve : — Abraham and Sarah : — Joseph : — Serah : — Moses : — Og, King of Bashan : — David : — Solomon : — Elijah : — Esau's Descendants 218

Chapter XIII

Traditions concerning Behemoth, a huge Quadruped : — Leviathan, an immense Fish : — Bar Juchne, an enormous Bird ; — Powerful Kingdoms of Israelites : — Sambation, a wonderful River 233

Chapter XIV

Traditions concerning Jesus of Nazareth : — Toldoth Yeshu : — Two Books with this Title. The Miracles of Jesus said by the Jews to have been performed by the Power of the Shem-hamphorash .-—Absurdity of this Pretence 1 242

Chapter XV

Traditions concerning Messiah :— Expected about the Year of the World 4000. After the rejection of Jesus, Jews deluded by numerous Impostors. The Talmud pretends Messiah's coming to be delayed : — Gives various Descriptions of the Period of his Appearance : — Denounces Vengeance on all who compute the exact Time: — Yet many Calculations made by Rabbies in different Ages. Recent Prognostications. Benefits expected by Jews from their Messiah. Ten Signs to precede and attend his coming : — Ten Consolations. All Israel to be restored to Palestine : — To be entertained by Messiah with a grand Festival : — Spectacles and Games, — Sumptuous Banquet, — Music and Dancing. Messiah to possess universal Empire : — To live long and be succeeded by his Posterity. — The Earth to bring forth spontaneously. All Work and Labour to be performed by Gentiles. Israelites to enjoy perpetual Ease, Luxury, and Joy. All these Representations expected to be literally realized .... 253

Chapter XVI

Birth. Circumcision. Purification. Redemption of First-born. Nursing. Education. Age of Majority 290

Xvi CONTENTS.

Chapter XVII. Pagk

Dresses worn by Jews. Talleih or Tsitsith, a square Garment with Fringes or Tassels : — Small one worn constantly ; — Large one for daily Prayers and other Occasions, Great Virtues of these Vestments. Tephillin or Phylacteries, — for the Head, — and for the Arm : — Made with minute Care, and possessed of wonderful Virtues. Mezuzoth, or Schedules for door-posts. . 314

Chapter XVIII

Number required for a Congregation. Synagogues : — hired, or built. General Description of them. Copies of the Law used in them. Separate Part for Women. Officers. Privilege of performing certain Functions sold by Auction. Rabbies. Chief Rabbi. Want of Reverence in Jewish Worship 330

Chapter XIX

Forms of Prayer :— All in Hebrew. Daily Prayers. Recital of the Shema. Daily Services in Synagogue. Services on Mondays and Thursdays. Celebration of the Sabbath 338

Chapter XX

Traditions respecting the Age of the World, and the ancient Hebrew Months and Years. Present Jewish Calendar described, and illustrated by various Tables 366

Chapter XXI

Festivals and Fasts. Feast of New Moon. Feast of Passover. Thirty-third of Omer. Feast of Pentecost. Fast 1 7 Tamuz — Fast 9 Ab. Feast of New Year. Fast of Gedaliah. Fast of Atonement. Feast of Tabernacles. Hosanna Rabba. Feast of Joy of the Law. Feast of Dedication. Fast of the Tenth Month. Fast of Esther. Feast of Purim 390

Brief Notice of the Caraites :— Their Situations,— Number,^ Origin, — and distinguishing Principles 442

Chapter I

Old Testament received by the Jews : — Threefold Division : — Order of the Books : — Jews unjustly accused of corrupting the Hebrew Text : — Have counted the Words and Letters of the Pentateuch, — and the Letters in the Bible, — Table of Sections of the Law and Prophets as read in the Synagogues.

Our first inquiry respecting Modern Judaism is naturally directed to those writings, which are regarded by its professors as standards of the system.

By the great body of the Jewish people the scriptures of the Old Testament have always been received as written by divine inspiration. They divide the sacred books into three classes, — the Law, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa, or Holy Writings.

Of the reason of this division nothing certain can be determined. Some modern rabbles affirm it to have been a designed allusion to the threefold i'i division of the tabernacle and temple : the Law answering to the Most Holy Place, in which were the Ark, the Propitiatory, and the Book of the Law ; the Prophets corresponding to the Holy Place, in which were the Table of Shew -bread, the Golden Candlestick, and the Altar of Incense ; and the Hagiographa to the Court of the Temple, where stood the Altar of Burnt offering.^

But whatever may have been the reason of the division, it is doubtless of high antiquity. The son of Sirach seems to allude to it in the preface to the book of Ecclesiasticus, written and published about a hundred and thirty years before the Christian era ; ^ where he mentions ' The Law, the Prophets, and the other Books of our Fathers.' It is probable that the same was intended by our Lord, when he spoke of ^' The Law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the ** Psalms,"^ in an address to his disciples after his resurrection. Josephus, who wrote soon after the destruction of the second temple, says : * We have ^ only twenty-two books, which contain the records

* of all past times, which are justly believed to be ' divine. Of them, five belong to Moses, which ' contain his Law, and the traditions of the origin ' of mankind till his death. In the interval of time ' from the death of Moses to the reign of Artaxerxes,

* successor of Xerxes, king of Persia, the Prophets

' R. Ephod (or, more correctly, Peripoth Duran) Pracf. in Gram, cited by Simon, Crit. Hist. O. T. B. i. c. 9. R. Abarbinel, Prsefat. in Josuam, vel. Dissert, viii. Basil, 1662.

' who were after Moses wrote down what was done in

* their times > in thirteen books. The remaining four ' books contain hymns to God, and precepts for the

* conduct of human life.' ^ According to this distribution the books may be enumerated in the following manner. I. The Law. 1. Genesis. 2. Exodus. 3. Leviticus. 4. Numbers. 5. Deuteronomy. IL The Prophets. 1. Joshua. 2. Judges and Ruth. 3. Samuel. 4. Kings. 5. Chronicles. 6. Isaiah. 7. Jeremiah, including the Lamentations. 8. Ezekiel. 9. Daniel. 10. Twelve Minor Prophets. 11. Ezra and Nehemiah. 12. Esther. 13. Job. IIL The Hagiographa. 1. The Psalms. 2. Proverbs. 3. Ecclesiastes. 4. Song of Solomon. The descriptions given by Josephus of the books of the second and third classes leave room for some doubt to which he meant to refer the book of Job : but if he included it in the third, he must have reckoned two of Solomon's books, perhaps Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, as one ; and may have made up the number he assigns to the second class by counting Ezra and Nehemiah as two books. There is much probability in the supposition of Dean Prideaux,^ that this numeration was adopted for the sake of reducing the books to the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet.

The writings comprehended in the Jewish canon have been neither increased nor diminished, and the same threefold division is still retained ; but some books included by Josephus in the second

' Contra Ap. L. i. S. 8. * Connect. P. i. B. 5.

B 2 class are now found in the third, and the separation of Ruth from Judges, and the Lamentations of Jeremiah from his Prophecies, has increased the number to twenty-four. No record enables us to ascertain either the time or the cause of this alteration : but that it was prior to the twelfth century of the Christian era, is evident from a passage of Maimonides ; ^ and an expression of Jerome ^ affords some reason to believe that the division into twenty-four books may be traced as high as the fourth century. Some Jewish copies of the scriptures differ from others,^ as to the order of the several books in the classes to which they are assigned, especially the Prophets ; but they are most generally arranged in the following manner : — I. The Law, Five Books. 1. Genesis. 2. Exodus. 3. Leviticus. 4. Numbers. 5. Deuteronomy. — IL The Prophets, Eight Books. The former prophets four, 6. Joshua. 7. Judges. 8. Samuel. 9. Kings. The Za^^er prophets /owr. 10. Isaiah. 11. Jeremiah. 12.

> Mor. Nev. P. ii. cap. 45.

2 Preef. in Esdiam, cited by Simon, Cr. Hist. O. T. B. i. c. 9.

3 Many of these variations may be found in some Tables of the number and order followed by different Jewish writers, in enumerating the sacred books, and in several Hebrew Bibles, both printed and manuscript, — compiled by Hodi/y and inserted in Wolf. Bib. Heb. vol. ii. p. 50 — 53. The seven following pages donlain similar tables of variations in the arrangement of the sacred canon, by the Councils and Fathers of the Christian Church, both Greek and Latin.

In the catalogue of the sacred books given in the Talmud, Isaiah is placed after Jeremiah and Ezekiel ; and the order of the Hagiographa is as follows : Ruth, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song cf Songs? Lamentations, Daniel, Esther, Ezra and Nehemiah, Chronicles. The same order is observed by Maimonides. Raymundi Martini Pugio Fidel, p. 115, 116. Lipsise, 1687.

Ezekiel. 13. Twelve minor prophets, reckoned as one book, — Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. — III. The Hagiographa, Eleven Books. 14. Psalms. 15. Proverbs. 16. Job. 17. Song of Songs. 18. Ruth. 19. Lamentations. 20. Ecclesiastes. 21. Esther. 22. Daniel. 23. Ezra and Nehemiah. 24. Chronicles.^

Some learned Christians have charged the Jews with altering the distribution of their scriptures for the sake of degrading the authority of Daniel ; whose writings the universal reception of them by their forefathers forbad them to reject, but whom they were desirous of expunging from the list of prophets, because they found it impossible to make his predictions consist with their notions of a Messiah yet to come. But to sustain so serious a charge appears to me to require stronger and more direct evidence than any that has been adduced. Maimonides, indeed, in a passage just referred to, says : ' Our nation has

* unanimously agreed in ranking the book of Daniel ' among the books called Hagiographa, and not

* among the Prophets.' It would be easy to shew, that some of the reasons alleged for this denial of Daniel's prophetical character are destitute of any foundation in truth, and that others furnish nothing more than frivolous distinctions without any real difference. But it will be sufficient to cite a confession of Maimonides himself, in the same work, —

» Bib. Heb. a Vander Hooght. Raym. Mart. Pug. Fid. ibid. Wolf. Bib. Heb. vol. ii. p. 47 — 49. Frey's Narrative, p. 9.

that Daniel wrote by the Holy Spirit. The testimonies of some of the most learned Jews are highly in his favoiir. Abarbinel maintains, that his spirit of comprehension was that of true prophecy ; Jacchiades states, that he attained to the highest pitch of prophecy ; and the Talmud ranks him with Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The reader who is desirous of further information on this point may consult the works referred to below.*

The Jews have been accused, or at least suspected, of wilfully corrupting various parts of the Hebrew text. This suspicion seems to have originated in the difference between many passages in the Septuagint version, and the correspondent passages in the version of Aquila, a Jewish proselyte, who, in the second century of the Christian era, undertook to furnish an improved translation for those Jews who used the Greek language. Assuming that the Septuagint was invariably correct, the early Fathers of the Christian church were very severe in their censures of every variation from it ; which they imputed to a desire of evading the real force of those parts which were favourable to Christianity. But whatever truth there may have been in this imputation, no evidence has been adduced of their wilful alteration of any part of the Hebrew text. Many differences exist between diFerent copies ; but this circumstance can excite

' llaym. Mart. Pug. Fid. p. 121, 122. Bartoloc. Bib. Rab. torn. ii. p. 295—298. Wolf. Rib. Heb. vol. ii. p. 46. Simon Crit. Hist. O. T. B. i. c. 9. Jewish Repository, vol. ii. p. 441 — 448.

no surprise. From the last of the prophets under the Old Testament, to the invention of printing, were more than eighteen hundred years. During this long period numerous transcripts were made, both for public and for private use. Nothing but an immediate divine inspiration of each transcriber of the whole or any part of the scriptures could have secured the perfect accuracy of every copy. When errors had crept into one copy, they were likely to be retained in other copies made from it ; and future transcribers were liable to new errors. In the last century, all the manuscripts that could be obtained were collated with the greatest care ; and collections of the various readings have been published to the world. Similar varieties are detected in the copies of all ancient writings, especially of the New Testament. But among all the various readings, none have been found to affect any point of doctrine or moral practice : so that the sacred volume has been handed down to our times in sach a state as to demand from all its friends a grateful acknowledgment of the divine providence in its preservation.^

There are not wanting proofs of the most scrupulous care of the Hebrew text on the part of the Jews : they have counted the large and small sections, the verses, the words, and even the letters, in some of the books. Father Simon says he had seen a

' llaym. Mart. Pug. Fid. p. 147 — 149. Augustin. De Civ. Dei, c, 13. ibidem. Walton. Prol. v. vi. vii. Simon Crit. Hist. B. i. c. 1. 18. 23. Kennicott, Dissert. 1.

manuscript of Perpignan, which contained the following computation.^

GREAT SBCTIONS.

SMALL SECTIONS.

VERSES.

WORDS.

LETTERS.

Genesis

20713

78100

Exodus

63467

Leviticus

11902

44989

Numbers

16707

62529

Deuteronon

ay 11

16394

54892

They have likewise reckoned, which is the middle letter of the Pentateuch, which is the middle clause of each book, and how many times each letter of the alphabet occurs in all the Hebrew Scriptures. The curiosity of some readers may be gratified by this statement.^

^* Aleph

42377

b Lamed

41517

1 Beth

38218

D Mem

77778

:i Gimel

29537

3 Nun

41696

•7 Daleth

32530

D Samech

13580

n He

47554

y Ain

20175

) Vau

76922

2 Pe

22725

? Zain

22867

:i Tzaddi

21882

n Cheth

23447

p Koph

22972

D Teth

11052

-) Resh

22147

- Yod

66420

\i; Shin

32148

D Caph

48253

n Tau

59343

' Simon Crit. Hist. B. i. c. 26. Having had no opportunity of seeing the original of this book, I quote from the English Translation, in which the number of words in Exodus is not stated.

» Walton. Proleg. viii. s. 8. For a statement generally the same, but differing in a few numbers, Vid. Wolf. Bib. Heb. vol. ii. p. 475.

Little or no advantage, indeed, can result from these enumerations : for admitting their accuracy as to the contents of any particular copy, which is a case by no means probable, we cannot suppose any other copy to be exactly the same in every letter ; and there is reason to believe the autographs had been lost long before any such computations were attempted. But, as a learned writer justly remarks,

* How trifling soever this scrupulous exactness may

* appear, yet it suggests to us one observation, — that ' the Jews were religiously careful to preserve the ' literal sense of scripture ; and consequently, not-

* withstanding their enmity and obstinate aversion to

* Christianity, they are not to be charged with this ' additional crime of having corrupted the Bible.' ^

I shall conclude this chapter with a Table of the Sections of the Law and of the Prophets, as read in succession in the synagogues on sabbath-days.^ The Jews in different countries have not, in all instances, chosen the same portions of the prophets. In the annexed Table, — ^where a section of the law is followed by two sections of the prophets, that in the first line is according to the Spanish and Portuguese, and that in the second line according to the German and Polish Jews. In one instance, it will be observed, there is a still greater variety. — ^The numbers are all

» Chappelow cited by Gill, Dissertation on the Hebrew Language, &c. Pref.

' Bib. Heb. a Vander Hooght, passim. Raym. Mart. Pug. Fid. p. 97, 98, 133, 134. Bartoloc. Bib. Rab. torn. ii. p. 593—598. 655—664. Hebrew and English Prayer Book, p. 203—209. London A.M. 5530.

inclusive. The chapters and verses are given according to Vander Hooght's Hebrew Bible, with which those in our English Bible do not always correspond. In the Parashioth, as the whole of the Pentateuch is read, I have thought it unnecessary to specify these variations. But whenever a difference occurs in the Haphtorothj the chapter and verse according to our English Bible are given in a note : that every reader may have a correct view of these selections from the prophets. These readings will require to be further noticed when we come to speak of the services of the synagogue.

PARASHIOTH, OR SECTIONS OF THE LAW.

HaPHTOROTH

OR SECTIONS OF THE PROPHETS.

SECT.

GENESIS.

xliv. 18. to xlvii. 27.

tEzek. xxxvii. 16—28.

XII. 1 Kings ii. 1 — 12

* xi. 7. to xii. 11. f xii. 12. to xiii. 16.

THE SCRIPTURES.

PARASHIOTH,

OR SECTIONS OF THE LAW.

SECT. EXODUS.

XIII. i. l.tovi. 1.

XIV. vi. 2. to ix. 35.

XV. X. 1. toxiii. 16.

XVI.' xiii. 17. to xvii. 16.

XVII. xviii- 1. toxx. 26.

XVIII. xxi. 1. toxxiv. 18.

XIX. XXV. 1. to xxvii. 19.

XX. xxvii. 20. to xxx. 10.