dress, and on his Sabbath rarely exhibits a
very devout appearance; nevertheless his religion requires daily
observances from his birth upwards, which can only be carried out by
means of a living faith. In the first place his religion is an expensive
one, and he must pay in various ways very heavily for its support. It is
true many of the observances required have become obsolete, but on the
Sabbath he has much to go through at home, as well as to attend at the
synagogue and to abstain from all worldly occupations. After the third
day of the month every strict Jew either alone or with a number of his
co-religionists must make the salutation of the moon. Then every month
has certain days to be kept, especially in October, their new year, on
the first and second days. It is believed that the destiny of every
individual is determined on this month by the Creator Himself; that those
whose demerits preponderate are sealed to death, those whose merits
preponderate to life, and those whose merits and demerits are equal are
delayed until the day of atonement. The first ten days of their new year
are ten days of repentance, during which the Israelites are to repent and
confess their sins, pray to the Almighty to write them down in the book
of life, and grant them a happy new year. On the seventh day every one
has a branch of willow procured under the superintendence of the officers
of the synagogue, and all repair there with branches in their hands. The
last of these days is the Day of Atonement, and is religiously kept by
every Jew. On the 15th is the Feast of Tabernacles, on which the Jews
are expected to live in booths, but in this country the rule is not
strictly observed. In April is the most important of all the
festivals--that of the Passover and of unleavened bread, when the doors
of the house are left open for all, even the very poorest of the poor.
In June is held the feast of Pentecost, to commemorate the giving of the
law. The synagogues on that occasion are decorated with flowers, and in
their houses the tables and floors are also dressed with flowers, sweet
briar, and other fragrant herbs. A conscientious Jew must have a life of
intense labour and self-denial, nor can he evade his duties nor impose
them on another. How welcome to them of old must have been the Master's
kindly words, "Come unto Me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden, and I
will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, and