"The pouring of the water (in the Temple) was performed thus: Golden cups, containing three logs, were filled with the water of Shiloah, and when the bearers of them reached the water gate (of the Temple) they blew with trumpets and shouted, proceeding in that manner until they ascended the altar, from whence they turned to the left, where were placed two silver dishes, each having a fine outlet. Into that of the west water was poured, and into that of the east, wine; and they were left leaking. Rabbi Yehoodah, the son of Bethairo, saith, in the offering of the second day, (of the Tabernacles,) the paragraph ends in a (2) "and their drink offerings," Num. 29: 19. And the paragraph belonging to the offering of the sixth day ends in a () (the Rabbi dislikes the final for it suits not his fancy). "This drink offering," v. 31. And the paragraph of the seventh day ends with a () "after the manner," v. 33. And by putting together the three final letters is formed the word which means water; from hence we may infer that the law indicates the duty of pouring water at this feast. In the same volume we find the joy of that occasion summed up in the following words:

The * תנו רבנן מי שלאראה שמחת בית השואבה לא ראה שימחה מימיו

Rabbies have taught, that whosoever has not witnessed the joy of the celebration of N, Baith Hashowavah, cannot form any opinion of what joy is or ought to be." As the Rabbinical Jews try to imitate every thing which is Talmudical, they of course try to imitate this joy also through the aid of brandy and spirits. The memorial of that ceremony is celebrated by the Jews everywhere without distinction. It begins at the close of the second day of the feast of Tabernacles, and all the respectable people of each congregation are invited to come together at the synagogues, while the poorer classes assemble of their own accord. The synagogues are provided with an abundance of intoxicating drinks, of which all partake as freely as they please, and those who cannot bear strong drink are compelled to take it. Select pieces of poetry, which were used on the day of atonement, are read; the honor of reading them is sold by auction, and a part of the money thus raised is employed in the purchase of the brandy and spirits. When the purchaser of this honor commences his task of reading or chanting, he is joined by the whole assembly, and those who are

already inebriated continue their boisterous sounds, until laughter and confusion pervade the whole assembly. This scene is protracted for several hours, when voluntary and forced drinking assumes new earnestness and continues till near morning. I have seldom seen any one return sober from one of these occasions. This revelry is repeated for four successive nights, and many continue their attendance during the whole of the time day and night. The consequences of intemperance like this, needs no comment. As intoxication is rarely known to exist among the Jews on other occasions than festivals, they are rendered quite mad by this indulgence, destroying every thing without regard to whom it may belong.

The fifth evening of 2, i. e. the profane days of the feast, and the following day, are called in, Hoosynno Rabbo. The Zohar asserts that the destinies which were assigned and recorded at the feasts of the New Year and sealed on the day of atonement, are on this evening distributed, and all therefore must again assemble at the synagogue and remain there until they have read through

-It con תיקון ליל הושענה רבה a volume of some size called

tains the whole of Deuteronomy, and much of the Zohar, after which they go through with the Psalms. The encouragements held out to them to finish this heavy task are the same as on the night of the day of Pentecost, and the consequences are the same. After this they must repair to their baths, and dip their bodies three times in a pond of water which is under ground, and which every Jewish bath should be furnished with, and he must descend without a light, for the Zohar, or another Rabbinical book, asserts that those whose fate it is to die during that year will see their shadow having no head. The morning prayer begins very early, which is the common form, adapted to the music which is used on the day of atonement. They rehearse a good deal of poetry which is called me from which the day takes its name. On the following evening commence the two last days of the feast, called , and mentioned in Lev. 23:36. The first day is kept in a sober manner, though quarrels take place on that day, especially among the Polish and Russian Jews. The reason of this is the following. A certain society called the holy society, which has the management of the burial grounds, and whose business it is to visit the sick and bury the dead, has in the

person of their president the management of the synagogue for this single day, and those who are not of that society, dare not interfere with them, or give a disrespectful word in return for any insults which they may receive from them, lest fighting should ensue. These disorders are not always confined to the lower classes, and the congregations are obliged to apply to the mayor of the town for guards. On the following evening and the next morning, a procession is formed for the purpose of carrying the parchment rolls of the law seven times around the pulpit, which is called p compassing about. The managers call the names of the party who carry the first rolls, and when they have finished, the second, and so on to the seventh. The managers use all their efforts to include every one present in these honorable processions, but the parchment rolls not being numerous, many are omitted, who, feeling themselves injured, and becoming indignant towards the managers, break forth in the most violent language, and thus is laid the foundation of future animosity and hatred. The second day is called

which means the joy of שמחת תורה and שמיני עצרת both

the law, for the reading of it is finished and begun again at the same time. After the above processions, which occur in the morning, all the rolls except two are placed again in the ark. These two are taken to the pulpit for the purpose of finishing and beginning the law. Every individual must be called up to pronounce a blessing; the portion for this occasion is from the 33d Deut. to the end of the roll, and the first chap. Gen., a portion of which is read by the chanter for each one who is called up to read. The former part of the law is read over again and again, two or three verses for each person, and none must be omitted. Even children of four or five years of age are called up, whose fathers carry them, and pronounce the blessing for them. In Poland and Russia it is the custom to serve every one called up with a picce of cake and a glass of brandy, but in the Holy Land the cake only is given and the brandy reserved until after the prayer, and great numbers become intoxicated in the synagogue.

Last year, on my way from Damascus to Jerusalem, I spent two days of the above feast at Safed. Indisposition of body prevented my attending the synagogue on the first day, but on the morning of the second day I attended the synagogue of the Parusim. Order and devo

tion prevailed during the whole of the service. I was also called up to pronounce a blessing and read some portion of the law. I saw no brandy, but cake was distributed, and as soon as I had done reading, a large piece of cake was presented to me, as well as to all the others. As soon as the service was closed the brandy appeared, of which I wholly declined partaking. As the drinking assumed a serious aspect, I thought it best to retire to my lodgings, where one arrived soon after SO intoxicated that after a little exertion in jumping about the room, he fell senseless upon the floor. His poor wife administered to him, pouring cold water upon him occasionally, until at last they conveyed him to the roof of the house, where he lay a whole day insensible, and his wife guarding him. But my host, with whom I had a conversation previously on the impropriety of getting drunk for God's sake, came home sober. Soon after his return a large company of intoxicated persons came in singing and dancing. Brandy and sweetmeats were placed upon the table according to custom, and I was invited to join them in their dinner, which I did. Finding the company were filling up the measure of their intoxication, I availed myself of the opportunity of expostulating with them upon the unlawfulness of intoxication at any time, especially during the days which the Lord has consecrated to be kept holy unto himself, and that instead of obtaining heaven they would incur the punishment of hell. My host being the only sober one among them, began to defend their practice by referring to Deut. 16: 14, "And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou and thy son," etc., and he inquired, "How can we rejoice when our circumstances are so unhappy, except by the use of intoxicating liquor, which enables us to forget all our sorrows and be merry?" I replied, that this proves our nation to have lost all sensibility to spiritual things, and all love to God, and that this can only result from a knowledge of a crucified Saviour. I furthermore asked him what necessity there was for him to be excited by love of the world, and to rejoice in the possession of its good things? He acknowledged that it was wrong, and promised not to drink that day. The visiters left, dissatisfied and weary with my presence. My host was soon after called away, and as I accidentally passed the house of their chief Rabbi, I recognised his voice among the singers.

In passing another street I met two respectable Jewish boys disputing with each other concerning the Rabbi whom they should join to perform the duty of the day. One said, "let us go to this Rabbi," and the other said, "no, let us go to that." I was struck with the eagerness with which they discussed the matter, and with their enumeration of the advantages which they would derive from the one or the other. I could not help thinking that such youths would never have thought of these allurements, had not their parents or teachers inculcated it as a religious duty, and thus caused them to be entangled in sensuality from their tenderest years, which renders them careless of and unsusceptible to spiritual things. After leaving them I proceeded to the native Jewish Synagogue, where I found a great number of boys from 8 to 12 years of age, running around the pulpit with the parchment rolls of the law in their arms, some of them larger than the bearers themselves. Though it was already dusk, they still continued their frolic, attended with great noise. It was sickening to behold such levity in the house of God, and by those who held his law in their arms. One man was present to see that they did not let the rolls fall, as in this case the whole congregation would be obliged to expiate the offence by a fast of one or two days. This merriment seldom closes with the day, but continues in some places through the week.

This

In the previous year, 1833, I was at Bagdad, where I made frequent attempts to attend the Synagogue, but did not succeed in consequence of the guard which was placed there by the Pasha, by the express desire of the Prince of the captivity, probably to prevent disturbance. year I attended the Synagogue in Beyroot. As I entered when the first part of the service was over, I can only relate what I saw during the reading of the Law, and the procession for carrying it around the pulpit, which was sufficiently distressing. When particular individuals were called up to pronounce a blessing and read particular portions of the law, comfits were thrown, for the honor, over the whole assembly, and all the boys, and many grown persons, tumbled over one another to pick them up, which gave the syn agogue the aspect of a mad-house, rather than of a house of prayer. After this, those who stood in the pulpit, and many others, proceeded with a chorus, singing and dancing, to fetch those to the pulpit for whose honor they had scattered

SECOND SERIES, VOL. IV. NO. I.

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