still have in our possession. Our forefathers continued at Cranganor for about a thousand years, and the number of heads who governed were seventy-two. Soon after our settlement, other Jews followed us from Judea, and among these came that man of great wisdom, Rabbi Samuel, a Levite of Jerusalem, with his son Rabbi Jehuda Levita. They brought with them the silver trumpets made use of at the time of the Jubilee, which were saved when the second temple was destroyed; and we have heard from our fathers that there were engraven on those trumpets the letters of the ineffable name,' meaning Jehovah (7.) Thus do we find unexpectedly an account of the disposal of the Jubilee trumpets at the temple; but it is well known that in every considerable town in Judea there were Jubilee trumpets to hail its glorious advent.

SECT. VI.

The Feast of Purim or Lots.

Its origin; lasted three days; way it was observed formerly; way it is observed now. Singular conduct of the Jews while in the synagogue.

THE Feast of Purim, or of Lots, took its rise, as is generally known, from the gratitude of the Jews, on escaping the plot of Haman for exterminating their nation; and obtained its name from the lots that were cast before him, probably by the astrologers, who knew his hatred against Mordecai, and his wish to destroy his family and nation." Esther and Mordecai were the suggesters of the measure, and the 13th, 14th, and 15th days of the 12th month, or the month Adar, were ap

a Dr. Buchanan afterwards gives a translation of it, and lodged a fac simile of the original in the public library at Cambridge.

pointed for its annual celebration: the 13th as a fast, being the day on which they were to have been destroyed; and the 14th and 15th as a feast for their glorious deliverance. It is impossible, from the Jewish manner of computing time, exactly to ascertain the days in our year which correspond with these, for they varied annually; but if the beginning of their year was on the 21st of March, or the vernal equinox, and their months were 29 and 30 days alternately, the 13th, 14th, and 15th days of their 12th month would fall on the 21st, 22d, and 23d of our February. The fast, to this day, is called the fast of Esther, and the feast still holds the name of Purim. It is justly styled by Prideaux, the Bacchanalia of the Jews, which they celebrate with all manner of rejoicing, and when they indulge themselves in all manner of luxurious excesses, especially in drinking wine to drunkenness, which they consider as a part of the solemnity, because it was by means of the wine banquet (they think) that Esther made the king's heart merry, and induced him to grant her request.

We are not informed whether any particular sacrifices were offered at the temple; but it is probable that the Book of Esther was read by some of the priests in the court of the women; for even now it is solemnly read in all their synagogues from beginning to end, at which they are all enjoined to be present, men, women, children, and servants, because all these had their share in the deliverance which Esther obtained. And as often as the name of Haman occurs in the reading, the usage is for all of them to clap with their hands, and stamp with their feet, and exclaim, "Let his memory perish."

Such is the description of the feast according to Prideaux; but Calmet has collected from Basnage, Leo of

• Connect, of the Old and New Test. A.A.C. 452.

Modena, and others, a number of additional particulars, the chief of which are as follow. On the eve of the 13th of Adar, if it be a day on which they may fast, they keep it strictly, in memory of that kept by Esther and Mordecai; but if the day be a sabbath, or the eve of a sabbath, on which they never fast, they anticipate it, that is, instead of fasting on the 13th of Adar, they fast on the 11th. On the eve of the 14th, (or after the sun had set on the 13th) they give alms liberally to the poor, both as a proper fruit of fasting, and that these may the better enjoy the feast; after which they assemble in the synagogue, light the lamps, and as soon as the stars begin to appear, they begin to read the Book of Esther, not from a printed book, but from a roll of vellum, in the ancient manner, written with a particular kind of ink. After they have opened the roll they repeat three prayers, to thank God for having enjoined this feast; for having delivered their nation, and for having continued their lives till the celebration of that particular festival. At this feast the reader of the roll may sit while he is reading, whereas on other days he is obliged to stand; and in this way they proceed till they have finished the book; there being five places in the text where the reader raises his voice with all his might, and makes such a dreadful howling, as to frighten the women and children. When he comes to the place where the names of Haman's ten sons are mentioned, he repeats them very quick, without taking breath, to show that these ten persons were destroyed in a moment. Every time the name of Haman is pronounced, the children with great fury strike the benches of the synagogue with mallets or stones, and make lamentable cries. It is said that formerly they used to bring into the synagogue a great stone, with the name of Haman written upon it, and all the while the Book of Esther was reading, they struck it with other stones, till

they had beat it to pieces. The reading is concluded in much the same way as it was begun, namely, with curses against Haman and Seres his wife, with blessings on Esther and Mordecai, and with praises to God for having preserved his people.-We are not informed how long a time they are thus employed; but after they have done reading they return home, where they make a meal of milk rather than of meat, and then retire to rest: so much for the eve of the feast.-On the day following, early in the morning, they return to the synagogue, where, after they have read that passage of Exodus in which the war of Amalek is mentioned, they again read the book of Esther with the same ceremonies as before. After which they return home, make as good cheer as they can, send a share of what they have at table to those who have need, and pass the rest of the day in sports and dissolute mirth; for their doctors have decided that on this day they may drink wine until they cannot distinguish between cursed be Haman and cursed be Mordecai. Such is their conduct on the 14th of Adar; but although the feast is continued through the 15th, the 14th only is kept with solemnity. During these two days they may work or do business, yet they refrain the first day, although not obliged to it. The second day they read no new lesson in the synagogue, yet they show on it signs of festivity. It may be added, that on the eve of the festival they collect the half shekel that was formerly paid to the temple, to distribute among such as undertake a journey to Jerusalem; whither several repair out of devotion, and where they covet to be buried, believing that all the Jews are to meet there at the day of judgment, and that they shall even pass thither through the bowels of the earth. Nor should it be omitted, that when the year consists of thirteen months, and there are consequently two Adars (Adar and Ve-adar,) they cele

brate the feast of Purim twice, viz. the grand Purim on the 14th of the 1st Adar, and the lesser Purim on the 14th of the 2d Adar; but this second feast has nothing, properly speaking, but the name."

SECT. VII.

The Feast of Dedication.

History of its origin; time of the year when kept; manner of observing it; lasted eight days; nightly illumination; alterations afterwards arising from necessity.

THE next feast we have to notice is the Feast of Dedication. This was appointed by Judas Maccabæus, as a new dedication of the temple and altar, after they had been polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes; for every one in the least conversant with Jewish history, knows his hatred of the Jewish name; how he forbade their children to be circumcised, restrained them in the exercise of their religion, killed many who disobeyed his mandates, burnt the books of their law, set up idolatry, sacrilegiously carried off the altar of incense, the show bread table, and the golden candlestick from the holy place, with the other vessels and treasures of the temple, sacrificed a sow upon the altar of burnt offerings, built a heathen altar on the top of it, and made broth of swine's flesh to sprinkle the courts and temple to defile them.i

d

Thus did it please God long to afflict his people, for their multiplied transgressions; but his bowels of mercy were at length moved towards them, and he resolved to

⚫ Vide Calmet's Dict. art. PUR. Buxtorff, De Synag. Judaica, cap. 29. b 1 Maccab. i. 49. 60, 61.

Prideaux, Connect. A.A.C. 168.

f Prideaux, A.A.C. 168. b 1 Maccab. i. 54.

1 Maccab. i. 44, 45, 50. Prideaux, Connect. A.A.C. 167.

8 1 Maccab. i. 21-23. 2 Maccab. v. 16. 1 Maccab. i. 47. Prideaux, Connect. A.A.C. 170.