21st of Tishri —The seventh day, which was de nominated the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles (CI+ Mishna Sueca, iv. 8), was especially distinguished in the following manner from the other six days :—After the Mitsaph or special festival sacrifice of the day, the priests in procession made seven circuits round the altar (Mishna Succa, iv. 5), whereas on the preceding days of the festival only one circuit Wag made. The willows (M.111,1) which surrounded the altar were then so thoroughly shaken by the people that the leaves lay thickly on the ground. The people also fetched palm branches and beat them to pieces at the side of the altar (Mis/ma, ibid. iv. 6). It is from this fact that the last day of the fes tival obtained the names of Me Day of IVillow (I:14 n'131, Mishna Sucea, iv. 1), the'Great Hosanna DaY (ran Iv), and the Branch-thrash ing Dezy (711'1I1 r.11:11 1:14, Illishna, ibid. iv. 6). Herzfeld suggests that the thmshing of the willows and palms may have been to symbolise that after the last verdure of the year had served for the adornment of the altar the trees might novv go en to cast off their leaves (Geschichte des Volkes Israel, ii. 125). As soon as the thrashing process was over, the children who were present, and who also carried about the festive nosegays, threw away their palms and ate up their ethrogs or citrons (11-fiehme Sueca, iv. 7); whilst the pilgrims, ` in tbe afternoon of tbis day, began to remove the furniture from the Tabernacles in honour of the last day of the festi val ' (illishna, ibid. iv. 8), as the obligation to live or eat in the booths ceased in the afternoon of the seventh day, inasmuch as the Feast of Tabernacles itself had now terminated. Mr. Clark, the writer of the article Tabernacles, Feast of,' in Smith's Diet. of the Bible, is therefore mistaken when he says that the Hebrews left their huts and dismantled them OD the morning of the eighth day.' Besides, the eighth day, as we shall presently see, was a holy convocation, whereon no manner of work was allowed to be done, and the Hebrews could no more dismantle their huts on this day without desecrating it than on the Sabbath. It must also
be remarked that this last day of the festival, this Great Hosanna day, was regarded as one of the four days whereon God judges the world (Mishna Rath Ha-Shana, i. 2 ; Gemara, ibid.) There can, therefore, be but little doubt that when St. John records the memorable words littered by Christ (6, /o-xdru ';11,41,4 1-(eydX71 rijs oprijs) in the last great clay e2f the festival (Jolm vii. 37) he meant this distinguished day.
22d of 71shri.—The eighth day—which, as we have seen, was a separate festival—was a day of holy convocation whereon no manner of work was allowed to be done. After the daily morning sacrifice and the private offerings of the people, the sacrifices prescribed in Num. xxix. 36-38 were offered, during which the great Hallel was chanted by the Levites. At the sacrifices, however, the twenty-four orders of priests were no longer present, but lots were cast as on other festivals, and that order upon whom the lot fell, offered the sacrifices (Mishna Szicca, v. 6). The Israelites dwelt no longer in the booths on this day, the joyful proces sion for the drawing of water was discontinued, the grand illumination in the court of the women ceased, and the palms and willows were not used any more.
It only remains to be added that when the yeast of Tabernacles fell on a Sabbatical year, the read ing of portions of the law (Deut. xxxi. ro-13) was afterwards confined to one book of the Pentateuch. [SABBATICAL YEAR.] This arose from the multi plication of synagogues in which the law was read e very week, thus rendering it less needful to read extensive portions in the temple during this festival, inasmuch as the people had now ample opportuni ties of listening in their respective places of worship to the reading of the law and the prophets. Hence also the reading of the law, which in olden days took place in the last hours of the forenoon of every day of this festival, was afterwards restricted to one day. It was at last assigned to the high priest, and ultimately to the king [SABBATICAL YEAR].