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Article CURIOUS PARTICULARS RELATIVE TO THE JEWS. ← Page 2 of 7 →
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Curious Particulars Relative To The Jews.
it successivety to their posterity . These traditions have , from time to time , been collected into volumes , or select treatises , witR various readings and expositions , b 3 their rabbins and doctors . These books are called talmuds , and contain all those institutions , customs , ancl ceremonies , now ' practised . by the Jews , though not directed by the law of Moses , 3-et , as the ' rabbins affirm , were given hy God to Moses , and by him to the eldersandtherefore , are held in equal estimation .
, , I shall not pretend to determine , whether these reli gious ceremonies are consonant to reason , or that solemn wo / ship which ought to be paid to the Supreme Being . Christians have veiy different sentiments of this matter ; and even Christ often reproved the Pharisees for their numerous observances , and erroneous interpretations , of the Scriptures . But the Jews are not to be confuted by any arguments
drawn from the New Testament ; nor is it uy intention here to enter into a discussion on the rationality of their divine service . I shall only give some extracts from the writings of their-most celebrated rabbins , of the . most curious and remarkable ceremonies that should be observed by the Jews . Those , who are anxious for a fuller account , may consult Rabbi Lion de Modena ' s " Ceremonies of the Jews , " and also the industrious David Levi's book of the same name . In the morning , when- the 3 ' awake , they should say , " I acknowledge praise unto thee , for that thou hast restored nry soul unto me . "
The word Lord is not mentioned in this prayer , because they may not utter it before they have washedjheir hands . As soon as they are out of bed , they must endeavour to ease themselves at the temple of Cloacina , in order to cleanse themselves , if possible , before the 3 ' read their pntyers . This done , the 3 wash their hands and face , thus : they take a . Vessel with water , and pour it first over the riht handholding the fingers downwardsand extended ;*
g , , then over the left hand , with'the same ceremony ; and the ) 'wash each hand three times , alternately : they then wash the face , and join the palms of the hands together , with the fingers and thumbs extended , saying , " Lift up your hands to the sanctuary , and praise the Lord . " These words said , they wipe their hands and face , and go to prayerseither at homeor at synagogue .
, , ' In putting on their clothes , they observe to put on their right shoe and stocking first , and also to put the right arm and leg into the waistcoat and breeches first , from a _ belief that dressing otherwise would prejudice the memory : for the same reason , they have a certain mode of getting in and out of bed ; nor is conjugal enjoyment exempt from certain rules of performance . They supposethat
, , while their garments are off , the evil spirits get into them at ni ght , and are apt . to injure persons who put on their clothes left-handed ; for which reason , they never pull off or put on a coat and waistcoat both at once , but each separately .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Curious Particulars Relative To The Jews.
it successivety to their posterity . These traditions have , from time to time , been collected into volumes , or select treatises , witR various readings and expositions , b 3 their rabbins and doctors . These books are called talmuds , and contain all those institutions , customs , ancl ceremonies , now ' practised . by the Jews , though not directed by the law of Moses , 3-et , as the ' rabbins affirm , were given hy God to Moses , and by him to the eldersandtherefore , are held in equal estimation .
, , I shall not pretend to determine , whether these reli gious ceremonies are consonant to reason , or that solemn wo / ship which ought to be paid to the Supreme Being . Christians have veiy different sentiments of this matter ; and even Christ often reproved the Pharisees for their numerous observances , and erroneous interpretations , of the Scriptures . But the Jews are not to be confuted by any arguments
drawn from the New Testament ; nor is it uy intention here to enter into a discussion on the rationality of their divine service . I shall only give some extracts from the writings of their-most celebrated rabbins , of the . most curious and remarkable ceremonies that should be observed by the Jews . Those , who are anxious for a fuller account , may consult Rabbi Lion de Modena ' s " Ceremonies of the Jews , " and also the industrious David Levi's book of the same name . In the morning , when- the 3 ' awake , they should say , " I acknowledge praise unto thee , for that thou hast restored nry soul unto me . "
The word Lord is not mentioned in this prayer , because they may not utter it before they have washedjheir hands . As soon as they are out of bed , they must endeavour to ease themselves at the temple of Cloacina , in order to cleanse themselves , if possible , before the 3 ' read their pntyers . This done , the 3 wash their hands and face , thus : they take a . Vessel with water , and pour it first over the riht handholding the fingers downwardsand extended ;*
g , , then over the left hand , with'the same ceremony ; and the ) 'wash each hand three times , alternately : they then wash the face , and join the palms of the hands together , with the fingers and thumbs extended , saying , " Lift up your hands to the sanctuary , and praise the Lord . " These words said , they wipe their hands and face , and go to prayerseither at homeor at synagogue .
, , ' In putting on their clothes , they observe to put on their right shoe and stocking first , and also to put the right arm and leg into the waistcoat and breeches first , from a _ belief that dressing otherwise would prejudice the memory : for the same reason , they have a certain mode of getting in and out of bed ; nor is conjugal enjoyment exempt from certain rules of performance . They supposethat
, , while their garments are off , the evil spirits get into them at ni ght , and are apt . to injure persons who put on their clothes left-handed ; for which reason , they never pull off or put on a coat and waistcoat both at once , but each separately .