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The Dutch are just the contrary-sober, quiet, homely, and domestic. There is, however, no lack of ability among the Amsterdam Jews, for in all branches of science and arts they have many eminent representatives, and are a distinguished body of men. Still, in the Army and Navy, no Jew has ever risen to a position of command, as it would be difficult to make the men respect or obey him. That fact will be quite sufficient to show you the social position of the Hebrew race here. And yet Massena and Soult were Jews! What a hard thing it is to root out prejudice from our minds !"

"What a hard thing it is to root out prejudice from our minds!" Ay, and who has had more experience of how hard a thing it is, than that social and religious pariah -the Jew?

CHAPTER XI.

THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER.

DEATH OF THE FIRST-BORN.

NE of the chief features

ONE

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of the Jewish religion is the intimate connection between the home and the synagogue during the celebration of its rites and ceremonies. In the various feasts and fasts instituted by the Hebrew Church, the family circle and the house of worship almost divide between them the duties and prayers to be performed. We

have seen in the solemn fasts of the Day of Atonement, and in the feasts of Tabernacles, Purim, and Dedication, what position home-worship occupies in relation to the services in the synagogue; but it still remains for me to mention the Feast which, above all others, is the great home festival of the Jew, and one of the most joyous days in his calendarthe Feast of the Passover.

This great festival is, in many respects, the most important in the Jewish year. The word "Passover " is derived from the Hebrew verb Pasach, signifying to pass by or over, from the fact of the angel passing by the houses of the Hebrews, and sparing the inmates, when he smote the first-born of the Egyptians. The feast was instituted to commemorate that wonderful event, and the manner in which the nation left their house of bondage on the night of their redemption. It is kept for eight days, during which no leavened bread, or fermented drink of any kind, is allowed to be used for any purpose. On this account it is also called the Feast of Unleavened Cakes, though, strictly speaking, the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, are two distinct institutionsthe former commemorating the protection granted to the Israelites when all the first-born of the Egyptians were destroyed, and the latter celebrating the commencement of their march out of Egypt. Both are, however, generally included under the name of the Passover.

This festival is one of many instances of the peculiar strictness which the Jews attach to their different religious observances. On this occasion, as I have already said, no bread with the slightest amount of leaven is to be used; and to the proper execution of this commandment the greatest attention is paid. The only bread permitted to be eaten is a kind of unleavened cake called mazzoth, which is made of wheaten flour, in a round form, and about a foot in diameter, perforated all over, and so very thin that a pound weight contains about nine cakes. In the preparation of these cakes the greatest care is taken to prevent the least tendency to fermentation; hence great dispatch is necessary during the process of baking. One weighs out the flour in batches of ten pounds each; another

kneads it; and then it is passed on through nine different hands before it reaches the oven. It is then put in, baked, and taken out again, and the whole is completed within eight minutes. All matters connected with the mazzoth are under the control of a board selected from the neighbouring synagogues, superintended by the Chief Rabbi of the country or locality: this board directs the preparation of the mazzoth for the whole community. Some little time previous to the Passover, advertisements are inserted in the public papers for a contract for a certain number of sacks of wheat; watchers, called Shomerin, are then appointed to superintend the grinding, in order that no adulteration may take place. No one is permitted to bake these cakes without being authorised by the chief Rabbi, who visits the premises twice a week during the time of their manufacture, so that all things may be carried on according to the law. A watcher is also appointed to each bake-house, to see that all crumbs of dough are removed, and that the apparatus is kept thoroughly clean, lest the slightest fermentation should take place. During the celebration of this festival no common flour or meal is allowed in any form whatever, and the broken pieces of mazzoth are ground into meal, of which all pastry is made. The poor who apply for these cakes are supplied gratis by the various synagogues to the amount of eight pounds per head, for which purpose a tax of about sixteen shillings per sack is levied, and also a rate on every seat-holder in the synagogue.

The drink allowed on this festival is only water or wine. The wine must, of course, be made by a Jew, and untouched by Christian hands. As this wine is rather expensive, a substitute is made by pouring water over raisins, and leaving it to stand for a certain time, when it is ready for use.

The Sabbath preceding the Passover is a very important day, and is called by the Jews the Great Sabbath. Two reasons are given for its being so designated: one is, that on that day the Almighty is said to have commanded their forefathers to take every one a lamb; and as the Egyptians reverenced the lamb among their deities, the Jews in fear said, "Will they not stone us?" But God bade them be of good courage, and fear not. On this they took every one his lamb, which so greatly enraged the Egyptians that they armed themselves to destroy the Hebrews. But God visited the former with such excruciating pains that they were obliged to abandon their project. The other reason for its being called the Great Sabbath is because the Haphtorah alludes to the coming of Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. On this Sabbath all the laws and domestic duties that belong to the festival are expounded to the congregation : and it is held as a very sacred day.

On the evening of the thirteenth day of the month, the eve of the Passover commences. Immediately after the evening prayers in the synagogue, the head of the family searches the different rooms of his house where leaven is usually kept, and gathers all he meets with. This leaven is purposely put in his way-pieces of bread being placed on tables, window-sills, side-boards, etc. With a lamp in his hand, a goose-quill, and a spoon, he commences his search by saying, “Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who hast sanctified us with Thy commandments, and commanded us to remove the leaven." After repeating this, he gathers in dead silence the arranged pieces of bread; and when all is collected he cries, "All manner of leaven that is in my possession, which I have not seen or removed, shall be null

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