Palestine Exploration Fund - Quarterly Statement for 1894/Religion

by Palestine Exploration Fund

 

IV.—Religion.

The intention of the Mishnah is to make a "hedge about the Law" (Pirki Aboth, i, 1) to secure its exact fulfilment. But many of the rites of the second Temple, and yet more those of the times when only a synagogue service existed, are unnoticed in the Torah, or of necessity differed from those observed in times of freedom. A few of these later enactments may be mentioned, and these often illustrate the New Testament notices.

The Shema (Beracoth, i, 1) was still repeated as to our own times ("Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah"), and the phylacteries worn in prayer were believed to be mentioned in the Law, The procession of the first fruits, brought in baskets of gold and silver with a bull whose horns were gilded (Bicurim, iii, 2-8), was a rite not described in the Law, but observed in the days of the last Temple. The Sabbath lamp of olive oil with flaxen wick (Sabbath, ii) became an important observance, and the regulations against work on the Sabbath were minute. The Passover differed materially from that of the Samaritans, and from that described in the Law, because Israel had come to the "rest and the inheritance," and even the meanest must "recline at ease" (Pesakhim, x, i), instead of standing with girt loins staff in hand. Down to 70 A.D. the lamb was roasted (Pesakhim, vii, 2), but after the destruction of the Temple was no longer killed either for one or for more (viii, 7), the shank bone alone remained, as it still does, the symbol of the lamb. The Passover might be eaten in legal uncleanness (vii, 6) but it consisted only of unleavened bread, mingled wine, and bitter herbs (ii, 6), namely, lettuce, endives, and horseradish, liquorice and bitter coriander, with the Kharoseth sauce symbolic of the mortar used for building in Egypt, and made of figs, pistachios, and almonds, with acids, spices, and cinnamon (Bartenora's note on, x, 3); but the Kharoseth was not a command (x, 3), nor indeed were the four cups of wine (x, 2-7), though they were used at the Passover in the time of Christ. The search for leaven was strict, and even bookbinder's paste was avoided (iii, 1) among sources of suspected fermentation.

The great day of Yoma—the fast of Atonement—could no longer be observed, save by fasting of the strictest character, even children and babes being encouraged to observe it.^[1] The dance of maidens in the vineyards, and when going down to fetch willows at Kolonia (Taanith, iv, 7; Succah, iv, 4) was no longer a cheerful rite when wives were chosen by young men not for their beauty but for pious worth. It used to occur twice yearly before the Temple fell. The scapegoat was no longer precipitated from the cliff of Zuk {el Muntâr) for fear of its return to Jerusalem (Yoma, iv, 4); nor was the feast of water pouring, or the torchlight dance in the Temple possible (Succah, iv, 9; v, 2-4), but the palm branches could still be brought to the synagogue (Succah, iii, 12), and the lulab, or bunch, carried with the citron. The messengers no longer bore witness to the new moon in Jerusalem (Rosh hash Shanah, i, 3), nor were beacons lighted to carry the news to Babylon (ii, 2), but probably the ram's-horns were blown at this feast (iii, 3), as they still are in Jerusalem, and as they were even in the fourth century A.D. The booths were made not only on or outside houses but even on board ship, or when travelling in a car (Succah, ii, 3), The fasting for rain, beginning in October and going on if needful till April (Taanith, i, 2-7) could still be observed, but no wood-offering could be brought to the Temple (Taanith, iv, 5).

The Levirate ceremony (Yebamoth) was strictly observed, as it still is, but the administration of the Water of Jealousy (Sotah) seems to have fallen into disuse even while the Temple, where the rite was observed, was standing.^[2] The wording of vows (Nedarim) was as precise as it is recorded to have been in the Gospel (Matt, xxiii, 16). The Nazarite, abstaining (either for life or for a stated time) from all impurity, from wine, and from shaving the head (Nezir, vi, 1), might still observe the ancient practices. But the power of the Sanhedrin to punish by stoning, strangling, burning, and beheading (Sanhedrin, vii) was taken away by the Romans (Sotah, viii, 12) and even scourging could not be inflicted (Macoth, i, 12). The Jews awaited the coming of Elias (Sotah, viii, 15), and that of the Messiah^[3] with the resurrection of the pious (Sanhedrin, xi, 1; Sotah, viii, 15) and many questions were to remain unsettled till Elias should come (Edioth, viii, 7; Baba Metzia, ii, 8), but the ashes of the red heifer could no longer be prepared with water from Siloam, drawn from thence by boys seated on bulls, and said to have been born in the Temple and there kept to avoid impurity till the time arrived (Parah, iii, 2-6). These ashes might not be taken across water (ix, 5), and could only be prepared in the Temple, and the rite appears to have been observed under the Hasmoneans and down to about the Christian era (iii, 5). But the limit of a Sabbatical journey was still obligatory (Erubin), and the limits of unwalled towns defined by ropes (Erubin, i, 9), as they still are at Safed;^[4] while the Sabbatical year was certainly observed in Herod's time, and apparently in the second century A.D. (Shebiith, vi, 1). The law as to trees not eaten of till the fourth year (Orlah) was less strict in Syria than in Palestine, and a law as to first fruits only held beyond Jordan (Bicurim, i, 2). The three boxes to receive the old shekels for Israel, Syria, and Babylon (Shekalim, iii, 4) could no longer be set out in the sanctuary, and the daily "continual" service (Tamid) was abolished, though the "Story of Creation" could be read in the synagogue (Taanith, iv, 2) as of old.

1. The Babylonians are said to have been so hungry after the fast as to eat the sacrifice raw (Menakhoth, xiii, 10).
2. It was abolished by Rabbi Johanan Ben Zacai about 70 A.D. (Sotah, ix, 9).
3. The term Messiah was also applied to the High Priest on service (Horaioth, iii, 4), and the priest anointed for war (Sotali, viii, 1).
4. Dr. Chaplin states that the limits are shown by wires at Jerusalem in the present day.