(Then jumping upwards, they say three times) As I attempt to leap towards thee, but cannot touch thee, so may those who attempt to injure me, be unable to reach me. (Then they say three times) May fear and dread fall on them; by the greatness of thine arm may they be still as a stone. (Again three times) Still as a stone may they be by the greatness of thine arm: may fear and dread fall on them. David, King of Israel, liveth and existeth. (Then they say to each other) Peace be to you. (And answer) Unto you be peace. it be renewed unto us and all Israel for a good and fortunate month." The 121st Psalm is also repeated, and then the following-" The voice of my beloved; behold he cometh, leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe, or a young hart; behold he standeth behind our wall-he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice."

(Again three times) May

The face in the moon is looked upon as the Shechinah () or symbol of the divine glory, such as dwelt in the Tabernacle and Temple; therefore, the following is next repeated,-"It was taught in the college of Rabbi Ishmael, that if the Israelites were worthy to be admitted to reverence the Divine presence of their Father who is in heaven, but once a month, it might suffice them. Abaiya therefore saith it must be said standing."

The Talmud says, that when the Lord created the sun and moon, they were both of equal bulk and lustre; and that the moon addressing the Creator, said to him, "Thou hast given to the sun and to me an equal light, and the world cannot distinguish between us any difference of the day and night." The Almighty, perceiving

that the moon coveted greater light than the sun, punished her pride, and told her, that her light should be diminished, and that the light of the sun from that time forth should be the greater. This is inferred from Genesis i. 16, where both sun and moon are called great; but in the next clause the moon is called the lesser light; from which it is concluded, the Lord must have lessened it after its first creation. In reference to this they also say, "Who is this coming from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved? May it be thy pleasure, O God, and the God of our fathers, to continue to fill up the deficiences of the moon, and that the light of the moon be as the light of the sun, as her light was during the first six days of creation, before her diminution; as it is said, the two great lights.' O may the verse be fulfilled And they will seek the Lord their God, and David their King.'

The ceremony must not be performed, unless the face in the moon be distinctly seen. Therefore, should the evening fixed upon be cloudy, the greatest part of the night is spent in watching for a favourable opportunity. The coldest winter nights cannot prevent them going out to perform this duty; as it is firmly believed, that, after doing so, they shall not die during that month. On this account they are in much anxiety, until the performance of the ceremony, when they begin to feel

once more secure.

CHAPTER VI.

FEASTS AND FASTS.

OUR object in this chaper is to present a succinct view of the feasts and fasts as they occur in the Jewish Calendar, and the manner in which they are celebrated.

The Jewish year consists of twelve lunar months, each having twenty-nine or thirty days. The difference between the solar and lunar months, however, would occasion, in the cycle of nineteen years, a complete reversal of the months; to prevent which, seven times during that period, an additional month is inserted, This additional month is called Va-adar (1) or Adar Sheni (7) i. e. second Adar; and the year in which it occurs is called Shenath Ngebbur (12y NIV) or leap-year.

The Jews have two sorts of years, the civil and the ecclesiastical. The civil year commences in the month called Tishri-on the first day of which the Jewish authors hold the work of creation was begun. All civil

year.

and commercial matters are dated according to this The ecclesiastical year commences in the month of Nissan, in commemoration of their departure out of Egypt. All feasts and fasts are computed according to this year.

As the Jewish months are lunar, none of these years corresponds with the year adopted by the Christian world—the months varying their time continually. In the subjoined calendar we have arranged the months of the Christian year according as they will stand in the next Jewish year; which will give our reader a correct and complete idea of the subject.

The Festivals of the Jewish Calendar, for the year 5614, comprising parts of the Christian years of 1853, 1854.