2. Morenu (11) means our teacher, and is a title of great esteem. It is only conferred upon Local Rabbis, or members of the Beth Din-individuals who have to decide upon religious questions for the community, or a congregation. To be called up to the reading of the law by the title of Morenu, is considered to be a very great honour. The privilege of conferring this title rests with the Chief Rabbi. A higher degree of honour is implied in the duplicate form of the word Moreh Morenu (1711), and is only conferred on the Chief Rabbi.

3. Chaver (1), which, literally, means associate, is a title of honour, but inferior to that of Morenu. The privilege of bestowing this title is also with the Chief Rabbi, and is conferred more with reference to consistency and piety of character, than Jewish literary attainments.

4. Sopher (10), or Writer.-This is merely an avocation, and requires no qualification except an acquaintance with the mode of writing Hebrew, and a facility of executing it well. The Sopher, however, must be thoroughly versed in the forms of the various documents to be intrusted to him, and the ceremonies he is to comply with, especially in preparing a scroll of the Law.

5. Menahelenu (15), which means our guide. This is quite a new title; consequently, we are unable to pronounce upon the degree of honour attached to it, except that it is superior to Morenu.

6. Shochet (n) simply means a killer. We have already explained his office, and now we shall briefly state his necessary qualifications. The office of Shochet is divided into two departments-one for fowls, and

the other for cattle; and the candidate for either must pass an examination by three Rabbis, before receiving his diploma. No one is eligible for the office under thirteen years of age, or if denying the divine authority of the oral law. The questions upon which a candidate for the former department is examined, are the following:-1. Who is fit to kill? 2. What kind of animals and fowls are lawful? 3. On what part is the operation to be performed? 4. To what extent is the cut to be made? 5. What kind of knife must be used? 6. In what manner is the operation to be done? 7. How is the blood to be received? 8. What is the fit time for killing? 9. What makes the killing to be void ? 10. In what manner is the blood to be covered?

Sueh are the questions proposed to the candidate; and if found sufficiently acquainted with the digest of answers, prepared from Rabbinical authorities, he receives a diploma which empowers him to kill in whatever country he may afterwards reside, The examination for the other department is much more complicated, and demands a great amount of knowledge and Rabbinical jurisprudence. This office is generally filled by the Reader of the Synagogue in places where the Jews are not numerous.

7. Shomer () i. e. Watchman. There are several kinds of Shomrim. One being for the meat, and connected with the Shochet, as already explained; others are Shomrim for the bread, and others for the cheese, and others for the Passover bread. All these are elected by the different committees who have the charge of these various departments. No particular qualification is

essential for the one or the other of these Shomrim except integrity of character.

8. Mohel (1), or Circumciser. This is a distinct office in London, and other large towns where the Jews are numerous; but in small places it is generally performed by the Reader of the Synagogue. The profession is not considered an ecclesiastical one; nor is the Mohel to pass a religious or literary examination, but attains his distinction by practice and dint of skill.

We have now enumerated all the offices and titles that belong to the community, as apart from, and independent of, the Synagogue.

CHAPTER II.

THE SYNAGOGUE.

WE need not say that by Synagogue is meant the Jewish House of Worship-all our readers are too well acquainted with Biblical matters to be ignorant of this. The word is derived from the Greek Synagoge (Zvraywyn), a place of assembly, and is the word made use of in the New Testament for the Jewish place of worship. The term employed by the Jews themselves in all written and printed documents is Beth Haccnesseth (nDɔɔn n'), i. e., house of the assembly. In conversation, however, the common name is shul, from the German schule, which signifies a school, or a place for education. The English Jews frequently adopt the name Synagogue, especially in print; but shul is the common name, and made use of by the Ashkenasim in Europe and America.

In this chapter we shall give an account of all that belong to the Synagogue, under the following headsThe building, officers, service, music, membership, and

revenues.

SECTION I. THE BUILDING.-There is nothing peculiar in the exterior of the Synagogue to distinguish it as a Jewish place of worship; but in the interior there are several things exclusively Jewish.

1. It is divided into two distinct and separate parts. The floor is appropriated to the males, who are not allowed to be elsewhere. The floor is generally furnished with as many sittings as it will conveniently admit— not pews, as those generally adopted in Protestant places of worship; but a kind of open seats, or forms. Every form is divided into a number of sittings, with a box underneath each seat, and whoever rents a sitting, the box, for the time being, belongs to him, therein to deposit his prayer-book and Talith. There is no division between the sittings, but those who occupy the form sit side by side. The males-the occupiers of the floor or body of the Synagogue-constitute the congregation, of whom there must be ten above the age of thirteena minyan-otherwise the service cannot be proceeded with.

The gallery is assigned to the females. They are not allowed to sit in the body of the Synagogue, as they are not considered a part of the congregation. For the same reason, they have not the liberty to join in the service on any occasion. The gallery sittings are disposed of in a similar manner to those on the floor. In front of the gallery is a kind of lattice work; through this the females are permitted to witness the congregation worshipping; nevertheless, if so disposed, they cannot be prevented from singing and making melody in their hearts to the Lord.

2. The next peculiar object is the Heichel (), or