A EUROPEAN JEW.

the father of the intended bride has not yet collected the stipulated dot.

In speaking of dots, I may explain that every Jewish girl before she can marry must have one according to her station in life. Among the working or artisan classes it is from 100 upwards. It may not all be in hard cash, and generally is not, but part is given in money and part in jewels. The latter the husband is able to dispose of in case of need. By the hard and fast rules of dots it can at once be seen how heavy it must be on a family where there are several daughters, all of whom must be married and get dots. No sooner, therefore, is a father presented with an infant daughter than he has to begin to think of her dot and her marriage. But if he happen to have several daughters, he feels it a hardship. Consequently if a daughter is born there is little joy in a poor family, but if a son, they think it a special mark of

ber as means will permi exchanged for larger on and diamonds, so that b ries her dowry on her p means of making hersel terested part of the com a girl has received a pa cumstances will she or

LIVING ON THE TO

poses; it is considered s rather than touch the go In the case of an or by subscription, and mo "a righteous deed," to marriage ceremony is a Jews.

Girls generally marr years of age, and young ty. After marriage the but spend some time wi the young wife receive good wife and mother, aright.

But I must now desci

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parents

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SEA OF GALILEE.

keeping time with their timbrels. We were not a little
amused to see the exhausted-looking bride getting
on her feet and performing a sort of slow, lackadaisical
dance; most of her action seemed to be in her arms and
head, while she stood almost still; but she soon gave
way and began to sob, while her friends tried to comfort
her as best they could, and the musicians began to sing
a little more energetically. Everybody in the house was
soon thrown into a state of excitement. The sound of
music and the clapping of hands were heard in the dis-
tance. A beautifully embroidered veil was hastily thrown
over the bride, and she was surrounded by all her female
friends. Shortly the bridegroom made his appearance,
surrounded by his relations. After sweets and water
were partaken of, the procession started. The bride, on
crossing the threshold of her father's door, kissed the

Mesurah he that signifying that she has left her father's

such as "Blessed art Th of his people Israe! by lock." The wine was th bride, after which the br bride's finger, saying, "I with this ring according The marriage contract parties and witnesses; th wine and repeated the fo art Thou, Jehovah, our Who hast created joy a bride, pleasure and joy, s

* A small scroll of parchm with the word "Shaddai" (A placed in a small case, and fa door of every Jewish house. house for good, except when h

tramped on it (of course she had to be supported to prevent her slipping while it was being crushed). The fish indicates that her future joys may be as plentiful as the fish in the sea. The ceremony over, the happy pair were congratulated.

At this stage I observed the married women passing and repassing small coins between them. On asking what it meant I was told that there was a woman ill in the next house, and that the evil spirit might become jealous and transfer the malady to the bride-the sorrow to the house of joy. They were therefore playing a sort of hide-and-seek with a few of the bride's coins, so as to T sunnose the superstitious old

21

| great accuser, Satan, wh gels, whom he believes t deeds; the judge stands This idea seems to be book of Job, where it is sons of God came to pre and Satan came also am fore the Lord." They New Year's Day. Shou outweigh his "mitzvah pronounced, but the fo Day of Atonement, are these are not fully take

place, which one of the members (a professional in this
respect) has ascertained by placing a feather over the
man's nostrils, members of another society are called in
whose duty it is to prepare the dead for burial. By this
time a crowd of relatives and friends has come on the
scene; the wildest excitement and lamentation prevail
among the women; every new-comer, whether related
or not, as by magic takes up the wail; tears are shed
copiously; they tear their hair, knock their heads against
the wall, and scream at the pitch of their voices. One
unaccustomed to such sights would come to the conclu-
sion that all the women had gone mad, but I soon dis-
covered that they had a method in their madness.

good de 1

Α

Rabbi, whose duty it is

called to see the old man, who significantly remarked concerning the dead-"They are the living; we are the dead."

After purifying, the corpse is laid on a bed, and the funeral service begins by individuals coming forward and taking hold of the dead man's toe and asking forgiveness for past injuries. The body is then carried on plane boards, in place of a coffin, to the cemetery, the procession of mourners following. The grave, which must be a fresh piece of ground (for the Jews never bury in the same grave twice), being in readiness, the body is put in, surrounded by four boards. All who stand near throw earth into the grave -if possible some brought from the Holy Land - and those present repeat, "He is the rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are judgment, a God of truth, and without iniquity. Just and upright is He!" "Far be it from Thee to blot out our remembrance, but let Thine eyes be upon us with mercy, for Thou art the Lord of mercy and forgive

by their son or nearest ma (holy)-—a prayer-three in the presence of no fe once a year, on the annive The Jews consider " and holiest of prayersunderstood it they would markable that the prayer tence about death or of p names the attributes of J

MODERN TYRE.

ness. Oh! have compassion on the remnant of the sheep of Thy hand, and say to the angel of death, 'Stay thy hand.' The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!" Several other prayers and psalms are repeated.

Every Jew, if possible, likes to be buried in the Holy Land, to have his dust mingle with that of his forefathers in his beloved country. Many of the superstitious ignorant go to die in Jerusalem from an idea that at the resurrection, if not buried there, they will have to travel to the Holy City underground. No sooner is the grave closed than all the mourners hasten away as fast as they can-afraid lest they should hear the knock of the angel at the grave, saying to the dead, "Wicked, wicked, what is thy 'pasuk'?" (text). Every Jew has a

Although the Sabbath yet I am afraid that it spirit. Many of the Sa tions of the sublime an tion of the Talmud is ta what is lawful and what day.

The followers of Sha tails, while those of Hill bath, according to Sh truly observed when t shall be in their own la of Gentile nations.

With the Jew the Sal a cessation from every