(7) Day of Atonement. (Heb.
yome hak-kip-poor-cem'). The tenth day of the seventh month was the Day of Atonement—a day of abstinence, a day of holy convocation, in which all were to afflict themselves. Special offerings were made. (See ATONEMENT, DAN' OF.) (Lev. xxiii :26-32 ; xvi 31 ; Num. xxix :7-] ; Exod. xxx:m.) On these solemn occasions food came partly from hospitality (a splendid instance of which may be found in 2 Chron. xxxv :7-9), partly from the feasts which accompanied the sacrifices in the temple, and partly also front provision expressly made by the travelers themselves. Lodging, too, was afforded by friends, or found in tents erected for the purpose in and around Jerusalem (Helon's Pilgrimage; Brown's Antiquities, p. 52o ff).
The three great festivals have corresponding events (but of far greater importance) in the new dispensation. The Feast of Tabernacles was the time when our Savior was born, some suppose; Ile was crucified at the Passover ; while at Pente cost the effusion of the Holy Spirit took place.
The rest and recreation would be the more pleasant, salutary, and beneficial, because of the joyous nature of the religious services in which thcy were, for the greater part, engaged. These solemn festivals were not only commemorations of great national events, but they were occasions for the reunion of friends, for the enjoyment of hospi tality, and for the interchange of kindness. The feasts which accompanied the sacrifices opened the heart of the entire family to joy, and gave a wel come which bore a religious sanction, even to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow (Michaelis, Mos. Recht, art. 199).
How much, too, would these gatherings tend to foster and sustain a spirit of nationality! By in tercourse the feelings of tribe and clan would be worn away ; men from different parts became ac quainted with and attached to each other ; par tial interests were found to be more imaginary than real • while the predominant idea of a com mon faith' and a common rallying-place at Jeru salem, could not fail to fuse into one strong and overpowering emotion of national and brotherly love, all the higher, nay, even the lower feelings, of each Hebrew heart.
'If,' says Michaelis (Mos. Recht, art. 198, Smith's Transl.), 'any of the tribes happened to be jealous of each other or involved in civil war, their meeting together in one place for the pur poses of religion and sociality, had a tendency to prevent their being totally alienated; and even though this had happened, it gave them an oppor tunity of reuniting.' He adds that 'the separation of the ten tribes from the tribes of Judah under Rehoboam and Jeroboam could never have been permanent, had not the latter abrogated one part of the law of Moses relative to festivals. In order to perpetuate the separation. he prohibited the an nual pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and appointed two places for divine service within his own territories' 0 Kings xii :27-3o). 'He also,' adds Michaelis, 'transferred the celebration of the Feast of Taber nacles, and probably the other two festivals like wise, to a different season from that appointed by Moses' (i Kings xii :33).
Another effect of these festivals Michaelis has found in the furtherance of internal commerce. They would give rise to something resembling our modern fairs. Among the Mahometans similar festivals have had this effect.
These festivals, in their origin, had an obvious connection with agriculture. Passover saw the harvest upon the soil ; at Pentecost it was ripe; and Tabernacles was the festival of gratitude for the fruitage and vintage (Michaelis, art. 197). The first was a natural pause after the labors of the field were completed; the second, after the first-fruits were gathered ; and the third, a time of rejoicing in the feeling that the Divine bounty had crowned the year with its goodness.
2. Human Institutions. (De Feriarum Hebraorum origineac ratione, auctore H. Ewald; Gottingx, 184z; and Creuzer. Symbol.ii:597.) (1) Purim. (Hell. fioo-reem', lots).