the Levites stood upon the steps and played and sang. Two
priests stood at the upper gate which led from the ante-court for Israel
to that for the women, each provided with a trumpet, and as soon as the
cock crew they blew one simple blast, then a compound or fragmentary
one, and then a modulated or shouting blast. This was the preconcerted
signal for the drawing of the water. As soon as they reached the tenth
step, they blew again three blasts as before. When they came to the
ante-court for women, they blew another three blasts, and after that
they continued blowing till they came to the east gate. When they
arrived at the east gate, they turned their faces westward (i.e., toward
the Temple), and said, "Our fathers, who were in this place, turned
their backs toward the Temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the
East, for they worshiped the sun in the East; but we turn our eyes to
God!" Rabbi Yehudah says, "These words were repeated, echoing, 'We are
for God, and unto God are our eyes directed!'"

_Succah_, fol. 51, col. 1, 2.

Rabbon Shimon ben Gamliel has said there were no such gala-days for
Israel as the fifteenth of Ab and the Day of Atonement, when the young
maidens of Jerusalem used to resort to the vineyard all robed in white
garments, that were required to be borrowed, lest those should feel
humiliated who had none of their own. There they danced gleefully,
calling to the lookers-on and saying, "Young men, have a care; the
choice you now make may have consequences."

_Taanith_, fol. 26, col. 2.

Rabbi Elazar the Great said, "From the fifteenth of Ab the influence of
the sun declines, and from that day they leave off cutting wood for the
altar fire, because it could not be properly dried (and green wood might
harbor vermin, which would make it unfit for use)."

_Taanith_, fol. 31, col. 1.

He who eats turnips to beef, and sleeps out in the open air during the
night of the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the months of summer (that
is, when the moon is full), will most likely bring on an ague fever.

_Gittin_, fol. 70, col. 1.

A lad should, at the age of fifteen, begin to apply himself to the
Gemara.

_Avoth_, chap. 5.

"So I bought her to me for fifteen" (Hosea iii. 2), that is, on the
fifteenth day of Nisan, when Israel was redeemed from the bondage of
Egypt. "Silver;" this refers to the righteous. "An homer and a
half-homer;" these equal forty-five measures, and are the forty-five
righteous