.ליהוה ליהוה crying

This occupies from two to three hours, when they cover themselves with dust and ashes, and return to the place of convocation, continuing their lamentations during the whole day. At sunset they proceed to the well or cistern, again draw water, and pour it on their heads three times, crying,, forgiven! forgiven! This finished, they dress in their best apparel, instruments of music strike up cheerful sounds, and running into each other's arms, embracing and kissing, they cry out forgiven ! forgiven! They return to their families from whom they have been separated, and the feast terminates in mirth and gladness.

What they understand by the the water, I was not able to learn.

outpouring of

That it is an

ancient and scriptural custom, may be seen from the first book of Samuel (vii. 6, 7,) where, on the occasion of a humiliation, something similar is practised. "And they gathered together in Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord." No doubt it is a symbol, which, as it is twice repeated, signifies in the one the overflowing of grief for sin, and of

gratitude in the heart for the pardon of it, to the Lord.

They have no other ceremonies on that or on the previous day. They do not observe the religious custom of atoning sacrifices, considered of so much importance by their Jewish brethren throughout the world: nor do they pay the redemption of the atoning sacrifice. They have no tribunal before which the Jews elsewhere express their sorrow for offences against their neighbours. The custom of eating before the fast is unknown; as also the making of two wax candles, one called now candle for the soul, the other candle for the day of atonement; and they have no traditions whatever generally connected with this great fast.*

* Reference regarding the observances of the Jews of Europe, see Order of the Day of Atonement :-Orach Chaim ; Shulchan Aruck. Prayer for the day of Atonement.

FEAST OF TABERNACLES.

חג הסכות

.October תשרי

The last and great feast is that of tabernacles, which they begin on the fifteenth day of This is a feast of great rejoicing with them. During seven days they remove from their abodes and live in huts. The first day is kept holy like the sabbath. They assemble in the mountains and proceed in procession with various fruits, branches of trees, &c. During the feast they follow their several employments. On the eve of the seventh day of the festival, they resort again to their booths and consecrate a new feast, constituting the eighth day of the feast of Tabernacles. This is called by them on the feast of the gathering of harvest (See Exodus xxiii. 16; xxxiv. 22.) Early in the morning of this day, every one strong enough to carry a pitcher of water from the cistern in the village used for sacred purposes, follow the elders, with the people, to the mountains. The former collect from the latter stalks of corn,

an

which they bind and constitute into a sheaf. They go in procession with great solemnity, and deposit the sheaf in a building used for sacred purposes. Music, allegories, and the reading of the law succeed each other, the people then gather round the elders and unite in a loud chant. The latter proceed to take the water from the people, pouring it out, first in the direction of their dwelling places, saying, "Do thou pour out thy blessing upon us!" then, turning towards those places where their enemies or oppressors are supposed to exist, they pour out again, crying to the Lord, "Pour out thine indignation upon all the heathen, that they may know that thou art the God of Israel.”

What the ceremony of pouring out water may here signify is to be ascertained from the Talmud. It is a symbol of rain, for the Jews throughout the world use this day a prayer called Dwan non

תפלת הגשם

prayer for rain, which is a part of the liturgy, and is repeated in the second section of the eighteen The eighth day, called by the Jews pan, is strictly kept according to the divine command in Numbers xxix. 35.

.שמיני עצרת prayers until Easter

They do not keep now the feast of the law, nor do they observe the sixth day of the feast

called, the great Hosanna, see 2nd Maccabees x. 7. They have not the procession. with citron, and 5 palm-leaves, nor the ceremony of the Dyas which our great master Aben Esri says are symbols of the relation between the Deity and the universe. They observe only one day at the beginning, and one day at the end, whilst the Jews throughout the world observe two days at the beginning and two at the end. They have no processions of the law, nor the ceremonies of bridegrooms, to close and to commence the reading of the law.

See Avadah Zarah-Gemarrah Berachoth; Hilchath Yam Tov; Orach Chaim; The Mishna.

הנוכה

THE FESTIVAL OF INAUGURATION.

This festival, which commemorates the rebuilding of the temple, is celebrated by the Jews throughout the world, and commences on the 25th day of the month Chisle, D, and is kept for eight days. The remnant in Daghistan, however,