The ritual for the second day in the morning, as well as the rites, with very few variations, are like that of the first day. The lesson, however, from the prophets is different, for on this day Kings viii. 2-21 is read. After the afternoon service of this day the middle days of the festival begin. which last four days, %%hen the ritual is like that of ordinary days, only that a few prayers bearing on this festival are occasionally inserted in the regular formulte, les sons from the law are read on each day as specified in the article HAPHTARA, and the above-named procession goes round the ark. The seventh day, which is Me Great Hosanna (7121 NVV17.1), is cele brated with peculiar solemnity, inasmuch as it is believed that on this day God decrees the weather or rather the rain for the future harvest (111zIrhna Rosh Ila-Shana, i. 2; Gemara, ibid.) On the evening preceding this day every Israelite prepares for hirnself a small bunch of willows tied up with the bark of the palm ; some of the pious Jews as semble either in the synagogue or in the booths to read the book of Deuteronomy, the Psalms, the Mishna, etc., all night, and are immersed before the morning prayer. When the time of morning service arrives, numerous eandles are lighted in the synagogue, and after Me Shachrith (Trilit'A =morn ing prayers, which is similar to that of the previous day, seven scrolls of the law are taken out of the ark, and from one of them the lesson is read. The lifusaph or additional prayers are then recited ; thereupon a procession is formed headed by the Rabbi and the legate with the palms in their hands, and followed by those who carry the seven scrolls of the law. This procession goes seven braes round the ark which is placed in the middle of the syna gogue, or round the reading-desk, reciting the Ho sannas, in accordance with the seven circuits around the altar which were performed in the temple on this day, and waving their palms at certain expres sions. The palms are then laid down, and every one takes up his bunch of willows, and beats off its leaves at a certain part of the liturgy, in accord ance with the beating off the leaves from the wil lows around the altar in the temple, which took place on this day. On the evening of the seventh day the festival commences which concludes the whole cycle of festival (Ira M). lt is a clay of holy convocation, on which no manner of work is done, and is introduced by the Iiiddnsh (r.M4p)=pro clamation of its sanctity, given in the former part of this article. On the following morning the Jews resort to the synagogue, recite the morning prayer (nnnt7), as in the first two days of the feast of Tabernacles, inserting however some prayers ap propriate for this occasion. Whereupon the special lesson for the day is read [HAPFITARAI, the Illie saph mtnn) or additional prayer is offered, and the priests pronounce the benediction in the manner already described. The people no longer take their meals in the booths on this day. On the evening of this day again another festival com mences, called the Rejoicings of the Lary pine/ min). After the reciting of the Eighteen Bene dictions, all the scrolls of the law are taken out of the ark, into which a lighted candle is placed. A procession is then formed of the distinguished mem bers, who are headed by the legate ; they hold the scrolls in their hands, and go around the reading desk ; the scrolls are then put back into the ark, and only one is placed upon the desk, out of which is read the last chapter of Deuteronomy, and to the reading of which all persons present in the synagogue are called, including children. When the evening service is over the children leave the synagogue in procession, carrying banners with sundry Hebrew inscriptions. On the follow ing morning the Jews again resort to the synagogue, recite the Hallel after the Eighteen Benedictions, empty the ark of all its scrolls, put a lighted candle into it, form themselves into a procession, and with the scrolls in their hands, and amid jubilant songs, go round the reading-desk. This being over, the scrolls of the law are put back into the ark, and from one of the two which are retained is read Dent. whereunto four persons are at first called, then all the little children are called as on the previous evening, and then again several grown up people are called. The first of these is called the Bridegroom of the Law (iron inn), and after the cantor who calls him up has addressed him in a somewhat lengthy Hebrew formula, the last verses of the Pentateuch are rea.d ; and when the reading
of the law is thus finished all the people exclaim pm, be strong./ which expression is printed at the end of every book in the Hcbrew Bible, as well as of every non-inspired Hebrew work. After read ing the last chapter of the law, the beginning of Genesis (i. r—ii. 3) is read, to which another one is called who is denominated the Bridegroom of Genesis QV Vti713. inn), and to whom again the cantor delivers a somewhat lengthy Hebrew for mula ; the 111aphiir, consisting of Num. xxix. 33 xxx. 1, is then read from another scroll ; and with the recitation of the ./lhaaph, or additional special prayer for the festival, the service is concluded. The rest of the day is spent in rejoicing and feast ing. The design of this festival is to celebrate the annual completion of the perusal of the Pentateuch, inasmuch as on this day the last section of the law is read. Hence the name of the festival, g the Re joicing offinishing the Law' [HAPHTARA].
4. Ongin and import of this Festival. —Like Pentecost, the Feast of Tabernacles owes its origin to the harvest, which terminated at this time, and which the Jews in common with other nations of antiquity celebrated as a season of joy and thank fulness for the kindly fruit of the earth. This is undoubtedly implied in its very name, the Feast of Ingathering-, and is distinctly declared in Exod. xxiii. 16 : Thou shalt keep . . the feast of in gathering in the end of the year When thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field' (comp. also Lev. xxiii. 39 ; Deut. xvi. r3). With this agri cultural origin, however, is associated a great his torical event, which the Jews are enjoined to re member during the celebration of this festival, and which imparted a second name to this feast—viz. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days . . . that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt' (Lev. 42, 43), whence its name the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles.' The Feast of Tabernacles, therefore,like Passover, has a twofold significance—viz. it has a reference both to the annual course of nature and to a great national event. As to the reason for connecting this pre eminently joyous festival of ingathering with the homeless dwelling of the Israelites in booths in the wilderness, we prefer the one given by the ancient Jews to theories advanced by modern comrnen tators. In the midst of their great joy—when their houses are full of corn, new wine, oil, and all good things, and their hearts overflow with rejoicing— the Israelites might forget the Lord their God, and say that it is their power and the strength of their arm which have gotten them this prosperity (Dent. viii. 12, etc.) To guard against this the Hebrews were commanded to quit their permanent and shel tered house and sojourn in booths at the time of harvest and in the midst of general abund ance, to be reminded thereby that they were once homeless and wanderers in the wilderness, and that they are now in the enjoyment of blessings through the 7oodnesE and faithfulness of their heavenly Fath6er, who fulfilled the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This idea was still more de veloped after the Babylonish captivity, when the canons about the building of the booths were en acted. The booths, as we have seen, were to be covered in such a manner as to admit the view of the sky and the stars, in order that the sojourners therein might be reminded of their Creator, and re member that, however great and prosperous the harvest, the things of earth are perishable and vanity of vanities. This is the reason why the Scribes also ordained that the Book of Ecclesiastes should be read on this joyous festival [ECCLE SIASTES].
5. Literature. —The lifiskna Tractate Succa ; the 2erusalem and Babylonian Gemaras on this Mishna ; Dachs, a learned Swiss orientalist, pub lished a Latin version of the Babylon Gemara on Succa, with erudite annotations and extracts from the Jewish Rabbins on this festival, Utrecht 1726 ; Maimonides, Ha-Chezaka, Hfichoth Lulab ; Meyer, De 7'emp. et Festis Diebus Hebrawrum, p. 317, etc., Utrecht 1755 ; Bahr, Symbolik des Mosaischen Cultus, vol. ii. pp. 624 ff., 652 ff., Heidelberg 1839 ; Herzfeld, Geschichte des Volker fsracl, vol. ii. pp. 120ff., 177 ff., Nordhausen, 1357; The Iewish Ritual entitled Derech Ha-Chajim, pp. 214 b ff., 295 ff., Vienna 1859 ; Keil, Hand buch der biblischen p. 412 ff., 2d ed., Frankfort-on-the-Maine 1859.—C. D. G.