The vulgar Jewish chronology reckons only 1943 years to the birth of Abraham, and in several other particulars it is at variance with the Bible. The modern Jews follow the practice of their ancestors, while in Egypt, of com mencing the year at the autumnal equinox. The present Jewish icalenclar was settled by Rabbi Hittel, about the middle of the 4th century of the Christian era, and is con structed with great ingenuity and astronomical exactness, not equalled by Christians till the improvement of the Julian calendar by Pope Gregory.
Of the festivals of the Jews we can mention only a few, and those merely in a cursory manner. The principal are those of the new moon, of the Passover, of Pentecost, of the new year, the fast of atonement, and the feast of taber nacles. That the festival of the new moon might be cele brated as nearly as possible on the day of the moon's con junction with the sun, most of the months contain alternate ly twenty-nine and thirty days ; and the feast of the new moon is held on the first, or on the first and second days of the month ; the women are not allowed to work, the men may. Good eating and drinking particularly distinguish this festival. The feast of the Passover commences on the 15th day of the month Nisan, and continues among Jews who live in or near Jerusalem seven days, and elsewhere days. The Sabbath preceding is called the Great Sabbath, and is kept with most scrupulous strictness. The mode and materials for making the unleavened cakes for the Passover, are most minutely described by the rabbis, as well as all the ceremonies of this feast. It is customary for every Jew to honour it by an exhibition of the most sumptuous furniture he can afford. The table for the feast is covered with a clean linen cloth, on which are placed several dishes ; on one is the shank bone of a shoulder of lamb or kid, and an egg; on another, three cakes, wrapped in two -napkins ; on a third, some lettuce, parsley, celery, or other herbs ; these are their bitter het bs. Near the sallad is a cruet of vinegar, and some salt and water. There is also a dish, representing the bricks which their forefathers were required to make in Egypt: this is composed of apples, almonds, nuts, and figs, formed into a paste, dressed in wine and cinnamon. The first two days, and the last two, are kept with particular solemnity and strictness. Con tracts of marriage may be made, but no marriage is to be solemnized during this festival. The feast of Pentecost, on the 6th day of the month Sivan, continues two clays, and is kept with the same strictness as the first two days of the Passover. It is a received opinion of the Jews, that the world was created on the day of their new year ; and they therefore celebrate the festival of the new year by a discon tinuance of all labour, and by repeated cervices in the syna gogue. The fast of atonement is on the loth day of Tisri ; the first ten clays of the month are called days of penitence, during which the Jews believe that God examines the actions of mankind, but he defers passing sentence till the tenth. On the eve of the fast, a ceremony, evidently de signed as a substitute for their ancient sacrifices, is per formed ; this consists in killing a cock, with great formality, The cocks must on no account be red ; white is the pre ferable colour. Before the fast begins, they endeavour to
settle all their disputes. In the afternoon they make a hearty meal, to prepare for the fast, which is of the most rigid kind. The least of tabernacles commences on the 15th of Tisri, and is kept nine days. Every Jew who has a court or garden is required to erect a tabernacle on this occasion, respecting the materials and election of which the rabbis have given special directions. The eighth and ninth are high days, particularly the last, which is called the day of the rejoicing of the land.
The Jews are not permitted to taste the flesh of any four footed animals, except those which both chew the cud and part the hoof ; nor any fish, except such as have both scales and fins ; they are not to eat the blood of any beast or bird. Cattle for their use must be slaughtered by a Jew, duly qualified and especially appointed for that purpose. If the carcase has the least blemish, it cannot be eaten ; if it is perfectly sound, he affixes to it a leaden seal, with the word casher, right, and the day of the week. If there he no Jew butcher, a Jew appointed by the synagogue is stationed at the Chris tian butcher's, to superintend the cutting up of the carcase, and to affix the seal. The hind quarters are not to be eaten unless the sinew of the thigh is taken out. A cow and her calf, an ewe and her lamb, a she goat and her kid, must not be killed in the same day. The knife used for slaughter must be very sharp and free from notches. Meat and but ter must not be eaten together, on account of the law, 4, not to seethe a kid in his mother's milk." For this reason, also, they make their cheese without rennet. No knife, fork, spoon,or culinary vessel,used for meat, is to be used for milk.
Such are the opinions, traditions, rites and ceremonies, of the great majority of the modern Jews; but besides these, there is, a small sect denominated Caraites, that is, textual ists—persons attached to the text of the Scriptures. They reside chiefly in the Crimea, Lithuania, and Persia, and at Damascus;Constantinople, and Cairo ; their whole number is very inconsiderable. They agree with other Jews in denying the advent of the Messiah. The principal difference between them consists in their adherence to the letter of the Scripture,and in their rejection of all paraphrases and in terpretations of the rabbis. They also differ from the rab bis in various particulars respecting the leasts of the Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles They observe the Sabbath with far greater strictness ; they extend the de grees of affinity within which marriage is prohibited, but they are more strict in matters of divorce.
See Jt.sephtt s' Jewish .3ntigaities, and his own L!fe ; !Bs toire de la Religion des Ails pour servir de continuation a r Histoire de Jose/:he, par B asnage ; Judaica; !Monthly Magazine, vol. i. for the year 1796 ; Gentleman's Magazine for 1810 and 1811; Modern Judaism, by John Allen. (w. s.)