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had one. In ancient times the sermon seems to have been connected directly with the prophetic selection; later this connection seems to have been severed, probably owing to the. introduction of the musaph prayer. The preacher sat while he taught, and often an interpreter assisted him. A visiting teacher was preferred, otherwise local scholars officiated.

On any week-day the three seasons of prayer might be kept in the synagogue, and on Monday and Thursday morning the reading of the Torah (ut sup.), originally for the benefit of the country people coming to town. The rabbinical obi. Festivals. servance of the Sabbath (q.v.) required abstention from all work, including the preparation of food, and limitation of travel to a distance within 2,000 cubits of the dwelling, which distance was extended, however, by a method of symbolic interpretation to double the distance (see WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, HEBREW). The synagogue service has been set forth above. Observance at home consisted in the lighting of the Sabbath lamps on the evening of Friday, arrangement of the Sabbath meals at the same time, the blessing of the wine before the eating of the first Sabbath meal; the celebration was closed on Saturday evening by a benediction upon wine, spices, and light, and a formula of blessing which praised God, who distinguished between profane and sacred. At New Moon only women refrained from work; in the public service there was reading of Scripture, the musaph prayer; individuals, when they first saw the moon, uttered a benediction (see MOON, HEBREW CONCEPTIONS of THE). The first of Tishri, or New Year (see YEAR, THE HEBREW), was the first day of the common, Sabbatical, and jubilee years, and received a specially solemn character through the belief that it was the day when it was determined who should die during that year. In addition to the prayers, ten passages were read which dealt with the kingdom of God, remembrance of God, and the blowing of trumpets, the latter ceremony being regarded as an admonition to repentance and prayer. The Passover (q.v.) was the feast of unleavened bread (Nisan 15-21) during which leaven was scrupulously removed from the house. While the paschal lamb was no longer slaughtered, the paschal meal was regarded as a duty, including the drinking of four beakers of wine, the eating of unleavened bread, of bitter herbs, and of a dish of sweets, while there was also the recitation of a formula setting forth the meaning of the festival and of the Hallel (q.v.) in two parts, each concluded by a special benediction. According to Pesahim 37d two dishes of meat were used, recalling the Passover and the festival sacrifice. The leading thought of the celebration is the deliverance from Egypt. The first and seventh days were rest days, though preparation of food was permitted, the other days were halffestivals; the musaph prayer was used on all seven days, on the first and on the previous evening the Hallel was recited. Pentecost (q.v.) or the feast of weeks came fifty days from the day after the Passover Sabbath (Lev. xxiii. 15), was the harvest festival, and lasted for a single day on which no work was done; the musaph (i.e., additional) prayer was

§ 3) and the ark, facing the people; the leader uttered the blessing as the priest stood with hands shoulder high, while the congregation responded with the Amen at the end of each of the three parts of the blessing. Were no priest present, in ancient times the blessing was not uttered, as it was not regarded as a part of the service, but was considered as exclusively the duty of the priests.

It was regarded as a Mosaic ordinance that the Torah be read in public on the morning of all Sabbaths, new moons, feast-days and half-feasts, while it was believed that Ezra extended this reading to the' mornings of Monday and Thursa. Scripture day and the afternoon of the Sabbath.