have their phylacteries very broad indeed, and look down upon those who wear them small, considering it a sign of great carelessness.

The second great precept of Judaism relates to the borders of the garments, or fringes. This precept of the ceremonial law is of Divine institution. An attentive perusal of Numb. xv. 37-40, and of Deut. xxii. 12, will convince us that the Jews were commanded to wear fringes on the borders of their garments. Our Saviour Himself observed this precept of the law of Moses, for we read of the woman with the issue of blood coming behind Him, and touching the border of His garment. This border (коáσπɛdov) signifies literally a fringe.

From Deut. xxii. 12, "Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself," the Rabbis at first concluded that the fringes should be put on the upper garment, as it is particularly' stated, "wherewith thou coverest thyself," and laid it down as a rule of faith. But at a later period the Jews were ordered to make a special garment, called by Rabbinical writers a talith, for the purpose of putting fringes on it. This word talith really signifies a vestment, but the term is generally applied to that upper garment which has the fringes on its four corners. The talith resembles a napkin or a shawl in shape, and is made of white sheep or lamb's wool. The Rabbis are very particular as to its whiteness, and order it to be of the same whiteness as the garment of the "Ancient of Days," which was as white as snow."

At the border of every talith is a ribbon of blue stripes: the reason of this colour being preferred, is because “blue is like unto the sea, the sea is like unto the sky, and the sky is like unto the throne of God." "The prescribed size of the garment

is that it should cover, in length and breadth, the head and the greatest part of the body of a boy who is able to walk by himself in the market-place, and is not in want of another person to take care of him." It is not to be of a smaller size than this, but it may be a great deal larger. Those worn by the majority of the Jews are very large. The Jews in Poland, Holland, Russia, Turkey, and Palestine have them as large as would cover the largest man from head to foot. The very strict Jews think it a great merit to have their taliths very large. The most important parts of the garments, however, are the fringes.

The first rule laid down with regard to fringes is, "It is necessary that the threads should be spun for that purpose." "The man who spins them must say at the beginning that he does it for the sake of fringes, or he must say to a woman, 'Spin for me fringes for a talith." "No threads spun by a Gentile are allowed to be used, for it is written, 'Speak unto the children of Israel,' which is understood to preclude Gentiles."

The threads composing the fringes are four in number, and are passed through an eyelet-hole, made about the breadth of three fingers from each corner of the garment: these threads are doubled in order to make eight, in accordance with the rules laid down in the Talmud; and if one thread more should be added, the garment is profaned by it. Seven of the eight threads are to be of equal length, but the eighth must be a great deal longer. The Jews assert that there is an importance attached to every thread, and to every knot belonging to the fringe. The mysteries connected with these threads, knots, etc., are said to be "great and terrible, and

cannot be described on paper." Some Cabalists are of opinion that Abel's death was caused through a controversy with Cain on the mysterious fringes.

It is considered by the Jews as a mark of great piety to have their fringes very long. Thus the Pharisees enlarged the fringes of their garments, and were rebuked by Christ for their ostentation. At the top of the talith is an atarah, or crown, which is a band sewn at the upper end, in order that the Jews may not mistake the bottom of it for the top; for there is a far greater sanctity attached to the top of the talith, which is on the head, than to the bottom. The rich Jews generally have a very expensive atarah, beautifully embroidered with gold and silver, and consider its possession very meritorious.

According to the institution of the Rabbis, the Jews are obliged to wear fringes the whole day; but in order to avoid the ridicule, which a costume such as the one just described would occasion, they divide the talith into two distinct garments the talith-gadol, or great talith, and the talithkaton, or little talith. The talith-gadol is only worn during prayers; the talith-katon, however, is constantly worn, in order that the Jews may fulfil the command of wearing fringes the whole day. It consists of two quadrangular pieces, generally of wool, the same as the talith-gadol, joined together by two broad straps, and a space left sufficient for the head to pass between, exactly like a popish scapula. From each of the corners hangs a fringe of the abovementioned description, so that the wearer may act according to the tradition of the Rabbis,—namely, "Two fringes are to be turned in front and two at the back, in order that the wearer may be surrounded by precepts."

Some Jews make this talith into the shape of a waistcoat,

or jacket, and use it as an inner garment. The talith-katon, as worn by the Jews in Poland, Russia, and Jerusalem, is very long, and so made as to present the fringes to their view in order to be constantly reminded of God's commandments; but the Jews in England are very careless in their observance of this precept of the oral law, which imperatively enjoins that the fringes should be visible, for they wear them in such a way as not to be seen at all. The talith-katon must be put on immediately after awaking from sleep, for it is unlawful to go four cubits' distance without fringes.

The influence attached to the fringes is quite as extravagant as that attached to the phylacteries. The Jews look upon them as amulets to ward off all dangers and evil spirits. No Jew would go out on a dark night without wearing his fringes, for as long as he has them on he is convinced that the devil can have no dominion over him.

The following are a few of the remarks of the Jewish fathers upon their efficacy:

"Great is the precept of fringes, which is equal to all the precepts put together."

There is a great obligation imposed upon man to make a garment for his soul daily, in which garments he is to enter into the garden of Eden, in which he will rise at the resurrection of the dead; and on that day on which he has not made a garment for his soul, he is judged in hell with great punishments; and even the whole object of the soul's descending into this world is for the sake of making these garments for herself."

"At that time Messiah shall reign over the celestials and terrestrials; and the evil spirits and devils will trouble the nations, with the permission of the Son of David, as was the

case of Solomon with Hiram, king of Tyre, to whom he sent a certain devil, and made him to go down to the seven habitations of hell, until he consented to him, and complied with him, and as he also did with the queen of Sheba. By reason of the strong terror of Messiah, all nations will come and take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, by reason of the merit of the fringes which are in the talith; and the nations will hold it, in order that they may have protection from the destroying angels and the evil spirits."

"Whosoever performs the precept of fringes is privileged to be served by 2800 servants; for it was said, 'In those days it shall come to pass that ten men shall take hold, out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, "We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you." Now there are 70 nations; 10 men of every nation amount to 700 on one corner, and therefore on four corners to 2800."

Every Rabbinical Jew, we are told, believes implicitly, and fully hopes to enjoy, all the above-mentioned privileges as a reward for carefully observing the precept of fringes; and as the oral law is believed to be of Divine origin, and therefore binding, any one expressing a doubt on the subject would be stigmatised as a heretic or seceder. The Jews of this country, however, even those who attempt to prove that the oral law is of Divine origin, are cautious in propagating such a doctrine.

The third great principle of Modern Judaism, considered by the Jews analogous to that of phylacteries and the fringes, is the m'zuzah. This word literally means a door-post; but it is generally applied to a square piece of parchment, on which is inscribed some passage of Scripture, which is rolled