Hebrew Literature Part 15

2. A myrtle bough stolen, or withered, is disallowed. One from an idolatrous grove, or from a city withdrawn to idolatry, is disallowed. If the point be broken off, or the leaves torn off, or if it have more berries than leaves, it is disallowed. But if the berries be lessened it is allowed; but they must not diminish them on the festival.

3. A willow of the brook stolen, or withered, is disallowed. One from an idolatrous grove, or from a town withdrawn to idolatry, is disallowed. If the point be broken off, or the leaves torn off, or if it be a mountain willow, it is disallowed. One faded, or from which some leaves have dropped off, or which has grown on dry ground, is allowed.

4. R. Ishmael says, "three myrtle boughs, two willows, one palm branch, and one citron, even if two out of the three myrtle boughs have their points broken off." R. Tarphon says, "even if three have their points broken off." R. Akivah says, "even as there is one citron and one palm branch, so there is one myrtle bough and one willow."

5. A citron stolen or withered is disallowed. One from an idolatrous grove, or from a city withdrawn to idolatry, is disallowed. One off an uncirc.u.mcised tree(252) is disallowed. One from an unclean heave-offering(253) is disallowed. From the clean heave-offering one is not to take a citron, but if it be taken, it is allowed. "One from what is doubtful as to payment of t.i.the?" The school of Shammai "disallow it," but the school of Hillel "allow it." One is not to take a citron from the second t.i.the in Jerusalem, but if it be taken it is allowed.

6. If a stain spread over the greater part (of the citron), if it have lost its crown, or its rind be peeled off, or if it be split, or bored, or if ever so little be wanting, it is disallowed. If a stain be spread over the smaller part of it, if it have lost its stalk, or if it be bored so that no part however small be wanting, it is allowed. A dusky citron is disallowed. A leek green one R. Meier "allows," but R. Judah "disallows it."

7. "What is the (legal) size of a small citron?" R. Meier says "like a nut." R. Judah says "like an egg." "And of a large citron?" "That one can hold two in his hand," the words of R. Judah. But R. Jose says, "One if (it must be held) in two hands."

8. "They must only tie the palm-branch with its own kind," the words of R.

Judah. But R. Meier says, "even with twine." R. Meier said, "it happened that the men of Jerusalem tied their palm-branches with gold thread." The Sages said to him, "underneath they tied them with their own kind."

9. "When did they shake the palm-branch?" At the beginning and ending of "Oh, give thanks unto the Lord,"(254) and at "Save now, I beseech Thee, O Lord,"(255) the words of the school of Hillel. But the school of Shammai say, "also at 'O Lord, I beseech Thee,' send now prosperity."(256) R.

Akivah said, "I watched Rabban Gamaliel and R. Joshua; and when all the people shook their palm-branches, they only shook theirs at 'Save now, I beseech Thee.' " If one be on the road, and have no palm-branch with him, he must, when he gets home, shake it at his table. If he have not done it in the morning, he must do it toward evening, as the whole day is allowed for the palm-branch.

10. If the hymns(257) be read to a man by a slave, or a woman, or a child,(258) he must repeat after them what they read, but it is a disgrace(259) to him. If a grown-up man read it to him, he must repeat after him, Hallelujah.

11. In a place where it is the custom to repeat,(260) a man must repeat; to simply read, a man must simply read; to bless after the palm-branch, a man must bless. In every case according to the custom of the country. If a person buy a palm-branch from his neighbor during the Sabbatical year, he must give him a citron as a gift, for it is not permitted to buy a citron during the Sabbatical year.

12. At first the palm-branch was used in the Sanctuary seven days, and in the country one day. But after the Sanctuary was destroyed, R. Jochanan, the son of Zachai, decreed, "that in the country the palm-branch should be used seven days, in memory of the Sanctuary." He at the same time also decreed, "that on the day of the wave-sheaf(261) it should be unlawful to eat new grain."

13. If the first day of the feast fall on a Sabbath, all the people are to bring their palm-branches (beforehand) to the Synagogue. In the morning they come early, and each man must distinguish his own palm-branch, and take it, for the Sages say, "that a man cannot discharge his duty on the first day of the feast by means of his neighbor's palm-branch, but on the other days of the feast he may discharge his duty by means of his neighbor's palm-branch."

14. R. Jose says, "if the first day of the feast fall on the Sabbath, and a man forget, and carry his palm-branch out on the public common, he is absolved, because he carried it out with permission."(262)

15. A woman may receive the palm-branch from the hand of her son, or of her husband, and put it back into water on the Sabbath. R. Judah says, "on the Sabbath they may put it back; on the feast they may add water; and on the middle days they may change the water." A child who knows how to shake, is bound to shake the palm-branch.

Chapter IV

1. The palm-branch and the willow (were used) for six days and for seven.

The hymn, and the rejoicings, for eight days. The booth and the pouring out of water for seven days; and the musical pipes for five and for six days.

2. The palm-branch (was used) for seven days. "How?" "When the first day of the feast fell on a Sabbath, the palm-branch (was used) for seven days.

Otherwise all the days were six."

3. The willow (was used) for seven days. "How?" "When the seventh day of the willow happened to fall on a Sabbath, the willow (was used) for seven days. Otherwise all the days were six."

4. "How was the command for the palm-branch when the first day of the feast fell on a Sabbath?" "They used to bring their palm-branches to the mountain of the House, and the inspectors received them, and arranged them on a bench. But the elders placed theirs in a chamber. And the people were taught to say, 'Whoever takes my palm-branch in his hand, be it his as a gift.' On the morrow they came early, and the inspectors spread them before them. And they used to s.n.a.t.c.h them and hurt each other. When the Sanhedrin saw that persons were endangered, it was decreed that every man should take them home."

5. "How was the command for the willow?" "There was a place below Jerusalem called Moza;(263) thither the people went down and gathered drooping willow-branches. And they came and erected them at the side of the altar, with their tops bending over the altar. They blew the trumpet, and sounded an alarm, and blew a blast. Every day they made one circuit round the altar, and said, 'Save now, I beseech Thee, O Lord! O Lord, I beseech Thee, send now prosperity.' " Rabbi Judah said, "I and HE save now, I beseech thee."(264) On the day itself(265) they made seven circuits round the altar. "As they withdrew what did they say?" "Beauty is thine, O Altar!" "Beauty is thine, O Altar!" R. Eleazar said, "To the LORD and to thee, O Altar!" "To the LORD, and to thee, O Altar!"

6. As they did on the week-days, so they did on the Sabbath, save that they gathered the willow-boughs on the Sabbath-eve, and put them into vases of gold, that they might not fade. R. Joshua, son of Beroka, says, "they brought date-branches, and thrashed them on the ground at the sides of the altar" (others say "on the altar"). And the day itself was called "the day for thrashing the branches."

7. Immediately the children threw down their palm-branches, and ate their citrons.

8. The hymn and rejoicings were for eight days. "How?" "It is taught, that a man is bound to the hymn, and the rejoicings in honor of the last day of the feast, even as on its other days." "How is the booth for seven days?"

"When a man has completed his eating, he is not to pull down his booth; but after the evening sacrifice he may remove his furniture in honor of the last day of the feast."

9. "How was the pouring out of the water?" "A golden pitcher holding three logs(266) was filled from Siloam. When they came (with it) to the water-gate they blew the trumpet, an alarm, and a blast. The priest then went up the ascent to the altar, and turned to his left. Two silver basins were there." R. Judah says, "they were of lime, but their look was dark from the wine." And they were bored with two narrow nostrils, one wider, the other narrower, that both might get empty at once. "The one to the west was for the water; the other to the east was for the wine; but if the water was poured into the wine basin, or the wine into the water basin, it was allowed." R. Judah said, "they poured out one log on each of the eight days." To him, who poured out, they said, "lift your hand;" for once it happened, that one poured over his feet,(267) and all the people pelted him to death with their citrons.

10. As they did on the week-days, so they did on the Sabbath; save that on the Sabbath eve an unconsecrated golden cask was filled from Siloam, and placed in a chamber. If it were spilt or uncovered, it was refilled from the laver, as water and wine which had been uncovered were disallowed on the altar.

Chapter V

1. The musical pipes were (played) for five and (sometimes) six days. That is to say, the pipes of the water-drawing, which supersedes neither the Sabbath day nor the feast. The (Sages) said, "he who has not seen the joy(268) of the water-drawing, has never seen joy in his life."

2. With the departure of the first day of the feast, they went down into the women's court, and made great preparations.(269) Four golden candlesticks were there, and four golden basins on their tops, and four ladders to each candlestick, and four lads from the young priests, and in their hands were jars of oil containing 120 logs, with which they replenished each basin.

3. The cast-off breeches and belts of the priests were torn to wicks, which they lighted. And there was not a court in Jerusalem that was not lit up by the lights of the water-drawing.

4. Pious and experienced men danced with lighted torches in their hands, singing hymns and lauds before them. And the Levites accompanied them with harps, psalteries, cymbals, trumpets, and numberless musical instruments.

On the fifteen steps which went down from the court of Israel into the women's court, corresponding with the fifteen songs of degrees,(270) stood the Levites with their musical instruments, and sang. And at the upper gate, which went down from the court of Israel to the court of the women, stood two priests with trumpets in their hands. When the c.o.c.k crew, they blew a blast, an alarm, and a blast.(271) When they reached the tenth step, they blew a blast, an alarm, and a blast. And when they got into the court, they blew a blast, an alarm, and a blast. They went on blowing as they went, until they reached the gate, that leads out to the east. When they reached the gate, that leads out to the east, they turned their faces westward,(272) and said,

"Our fathers, who were in this place, Turned their backs upon the Temple; And their faces toward the east, And worshipped the sun eastward."(273)

R. Judah says, they repeated again and again,

"But we unto the LORD; To the LORD are our eyes."(274)

5. In the sanctuary they did not blow the trumpet less than twenty-one times, nor oftener than forty-eight times. Every day they blew the trumpet twenty-one times, thrice at opening the gates, nine times at the daily offering of the morning, and nine times at the daily offering of the evening. When there were additional offerings they blew nine times more.

On the eve of the Sabbath they again blew six times; thrice to interdict the people from work, and thrice to separate the holy from the ordinary day. But on the eve of the Sabbath during the feast they blew forty-eight times: thrice at the opening of the gates, thrice at the upper gate, thrice at the lower gate, thrice at the water-drawing, thrice over the altar, nine times at the daily offering of the morning, nine times at the daily offering of the evening, nine times at the additional offerings, thrice to interdict the people from work, and thrice to separate the holy from the ordinary day.

6. On the first day of the feast there were thirteen bullocks, two rams, and one goat. There then remained fourteen lambs for eight courses of priests.(275) On the first day six courses offered two lambs each, and the other (two) courses one lamb each. On the second day five courses offered two lambs each, and the remaining (four) courses one lamb each. On the third day four courses offered two lambs each, and the remaining six one lamb each. On the fourth day three courses offered two lambs each, and the remaining eight one lamb each. On the fifth day two courses offered two lambs each, and the remaining ten one lamb each. On the sixth day one course offered two lambs, and the remaining twelve one lamb each. On the seventh day they were all equal. On the eighth day they cast lots, as on other feasts. They said, "that the order which offered bullocks to-day, was not permitted to offer bullocks to-morrow." But they changed in rotation.

7. Three times in the year all the courses shared alike in the offerings of the great feasts, and in the distribution of the s...o...b..ead. In the Solemn a.s.sembly(276) they say to each priest, "Here is unleavened bread for thee, and here is leavened for thee." The course in regular succession offered the daily sacrifices, vows, and free-will offerings, and all the other sacrifices and services of the congregation. If a feast be next to the Sabbath, either before or after it, all the courses shared alike in the distribution of the s...o...b..ead.

8. "But if a day intervene between the two?" "The course in regular succession took ten loaves, and the loiterers(277) took two." At other times of the year, the course entering on duty took six loaves, and the course going off duty took six. R. Judah says, "the course entering took seven, and that going off took five." Those entering shared them on the north side (of the temple court), and those going out on the south side.

The course Bilgah always shared theirs on the south side. But their slaughter-ring was fastened down, and the window of their closet was shut up.(278)

The New Year

Four New Years-Judgments-New Moon-Witnesses-Evidence-Samaritans-Spreading the News-Beth Yangzek-Examining Witnesses-Rabban Gamaliel's Plan of the Phases of the Moon-Rabbi Joshua-Sanhedrin-Cornets and Trumpets-Intention-The Serpent of Bra.s.s-Jerusalem and Jamnia-Blessings-Texts of Scripture-How the Trumpets are to be Blown.