There are vei y particular r ulcs laid down by the rabbis respecting the materials, form, and colours of the gar ments to be worn by the Jews ; but in general they conform to the mode of dress in the country where they reside. It is, however, deemed unlawful to wear any garment made of linen and •eollen woven together, or made with either of these and sewed with the other. Every unite is required to has t a quadrangular garment,called tack It consists of two quadrangular pieces of woollen or silk joined together at the upper edge hy two fillets. These rest vn the shoulders, and toe pieces hang down, one on the hack, and the other over the breast. This is constantly worn as an inner gar ment. Fium each of the corners hangs a fringe, consisting cf eight threads, and tied with five knots. The sanctity of this garment is supposed to depend upon these fringes. The tin cads composing them must be of wool that has been shorn, not pulled, and spun by a Jewess for the express purpose. There are also minute and very particular re gulations regarding the colour and the foldingolthe threads. The talk h is not required to be worn at night, nor is the wearing of it obligetory on women, servants, or young chil dren It is never to be sold or pledged to a Christian. Other appendages of Jewish devotion are the phylacteries, one for the head, and one for the arm. The former is made of skin or leather stretched nu a block, and sewed so as to form a leathern box, divided into four compartments, hay ing impressed on one side of it the letter Shin, and on the other a character resembling that letter, only with four points instead of three. In the compartments are inclosed four passages of the law. written on parchment, which is bound round with hair pulled from the tail of a cow, and well washed. The strap which fastens the phylactery to the head ought to be black on the outside, and any colour except red on the inside. It is fastened in such a manner, that the little box including the parch ments rusts.on the forehead below the hale, so that the divine precepts may be fixed in the brain. 'Fire phylactery for the arm is nearly similar, except that it has only one cavity, and is without the impression of the letter Shin. It is fastened to the naked skin, on the inner part of the left arm, so as to be near the heart. It would be tiresome to enu • merate the directions fur tying on these phylacteries, which are excessively minute and multifarious. Besides phylac teries, there are schedules fordoor-posts,which are generally placed un the right hand of the entrance, and touched or kissed by such of the Jews as wish to be deemed very de yOUI.
No synagogue can be instituted except there be at least ten men w ho have passed the age of thirteen. The highest ground is chosen, and no Jew is permitted to build a house of superior or even equal height. In prayer, their faces are always turned towards the land of Canaan ; the door of the synagogue, therefore, is always placed at the opposite point of the compass. A closet or chest called the Ark, in which the book of the law is deposited, is opposite to the entrance into the synagogue. Every copy of the Pen tateuch must be in manuscript. The rabbis have laid down rules for transcribing it, which must on no account be omitted or infringed. The ink employed is to be made of prescribed ingredients. The book itself is to be in the form of a roll. Near the middle of the synagogue is a desk or altar where the law is read, and sermons delivered. No seats arc admitted between the altar and the ark. The women arc not allowed to sit with the men, and they are even screened from their notice by a wooden lattice. In each synagogue there is a reader or chanter, clerks fur the management of pecuniary matters, besides inferior atten dants. The general business of the congregation is super intended by wardens or elders. The privilege of folding and unfolding the law, and of performing other public ser is accounted a high honour, and, as such, is put up to public auction. The money arising from these sales is paid into the general stock of the synagogue.
In every country there is a chief, or presiding rabbi, who exercises not only a spiritual, but also a civil, jurisdiction: his authority is kept up by ecclesiastical censures, excom munications, Ecc. The title of rabbi is little more than an honorary distinction, and is easily obtained by any individual well versed in the Talmud.
The Jewish religion is, perhaps, more a religion of minute and trifling rites and ceremonies, than even the Catholic religion. The minutest circumstances in dress
ing and undressing, washing and wiping the face and hands, and other necessary actions of common and daily life, arc enjoined by the rabbis to be performed exactly according to the prescribed regulations. Their prayers also are numerous, and some of them relate to the most trifling circumstances. Those esteemed the most solemn and im portant are called Shemsneh Esreb, or the Eighteen pray ers, though they actually consist of nineteen, the last hav ing been added against heretics and apostates. They are enjoined to be said by all Jews above the age of thirteen, wherever they may be, three times a-day. The members of the synagogue are required to repeat at least a hundred benedictions every day. A son who survives his father is en joined to attend the nocturnal service in the synagogue every evening for a year, and to repeat the Kodesh, in order that his father may be delivered from hell. This service may be suspended by any person going up to the desk and clos ing the book. This is not unfrequently dune in case of quarrels ; and the prayers cannot be renewed till a recon ciliation takes place.
Nothing is to be undertaken on a Friday which cannot be finished before the evening. In the afternoon they wash and clean themselves, trim their hair, and pare their nails. They begin with the left hand, but think it wrong to cut the nails on two adjoining fingers in succession. Even the parings are directed by the Talmud to be disposed of in a particular manner ; for it says, he that throws them on the ground is an impious man ; he that buries them is a just man ; he that throws them into the fire is a pious and perfect man." Every Jew, of whatever Yank, must assist in the preparation for the Sabbath. Two loaves, baked on the Friday, arc set on a table. 'This is dent in memory of the manna, of which a double portion fell on the sixth day of the week. The table remains spread all the Sabbath. Before the sun is set, the candles are to be lighted ; one at least with seven wicks, in allusion to the number of days in a week, is to be lighted in each house. The TalmudicaI directions respecting the wicks and oil form part of the Sabbath evening service ; they are most ridiculously and childishly minute. The lesson appointed for the Sabbath is divided into seven parts, and read to seven persons at the altar. The first called up to hear it, is a descendant of Aaron, the second of Levi, the third an Israelite of any tribe ; the same order is then repeated ; the seventh may be of any tribe. The portion read from the law is follow ed by a portion from the prophets. There arc three ser vices, morning, afternoon, and evening. On their return from the last, a wax candle, or a lamp with two wicks, is lighted, and held by a child. The master then takes a glass of wine in his right hand, and a box of spices in his left. After a prayer, a little of the wine is spilled on the fl or; and the wine being taken in the left, and the spices in the right hand, after another prayer, he and all the family smell to the spices, and taste the wine. This ceremony is called frabdala, or the separation, because it separates the Sab bath from other days. The works forbidden on the Sab bath, according to the rahhis, may be reduced u;,der trurt‘ nine general heads ; of which writing, blotting out, ruling paper, kindling a fire or quenching it, form some. Other forbidden actions are brought under these heads by a very forced analogy. Thus, curdling milk is included under the forbidden head of building, because a wnole is formed by the composition of different bodies. Filling ditches is deemed unlawful, and therefore some rabbis have forbidden the sweeping ola room on the Sabbath, lest any furrow or chink in the floor should be filled by the operation. Waiking over new ploughed ground is also forbidden, lest a hole should thus be filled up. A tailor must not go out of doors with a needle stuck in any of his clothes. The use of stilts is prohibited, because, though the stilts seem to carry the man, yet in fact the man carries the stilts, and to bear a burden on the Sabbath is unlawful. Dirt on the coat, &c. may be scraped off with the nails while it is moist, but not if it is dry, because thus it would raise some dust, and that would resemble grinding or breaking to pieces.