The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

VERS. XLII.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

The Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath.

YOU will ask, whether any day going before the Sabbath was called Parasceue, The Preparation. Among the Hebrews indeed it is commonly said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Eve of the Sabbath. But be it granted: whence is it called, The Preparation? Either that they prepared themselves for the Sabbath? or rather, that they prepared provisions to be eaten on the Sabbath? And that by the Law, On the sixt day they shall prepare, &c. Whatsoever ye will bake, bake to day; and whatsoever ye will seeth, seeth to day, &c. Exod. XVI. 5, 23. Hence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, Preparation, is a very usual word with them in this sense 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 p 1.1 A common day prepares for the Sabbath, and a common day prepares for a feast day. q 1.2 But those reasons do not hold good 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to forbid the Preparation, while as yet there remains much of the day▪ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Preparation.

But you will say, If a Feast day prepares not for the Sabbath, which Maimonides saith, such an Interpretation will not suit with the words, which we are now handling, that it should be called The Preparation, in respect of provisions prepared for the Sabbath, on that day. Let the Masters themselves answer.

:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 r 1.3 On a feast day, which happens on a Sabbath Eve, let not, a man in the beginning seeth food after the Feast day for the Sabbath day, but let him seeth for the Feast day, and if any remains, let it be reserved f••r the Sabbath. But 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (according to the letter, Let him make a boyling, but the sense is) Let him prepare food on the Eve of the Feast day, and let him depend upon it for the Sabbath. The School of Shammai saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A twofold food: that of Hillel saith One food.

Maimonides speaks plainer. s 1.4

On a Feast day, that falls in with a Sabbath Eve, they do not bake nor seeth on the Feast day what they eat on the Sabbath. And this prohibition is from the words of the Scribes: namely, That none seeth on a Feast day for a common day: for this is arguing a majori ad minus, from the greater to the less: if a man seeth not for the Sabbath day much less for a common day. But if he provides food on the Eve of the Feast day, on which he may depend, (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) then if he bake or seeth on the Feast day for the Sabbath, it is permitted: and that, on which he depends, is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The mixing of food. And why it is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mixing? (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A mingling together) Namely, as that mixing which they make concerning the Courts or the Vesteries, on the Sabbath Eve, is for acknowledgment, that is, that they should not think, that it is lawful to carry any thing from place to place on the Sabbath: So this food is for acknowledgment and re∣membrance, that they should not think or imagine that it is lawful to bake any thing on a Feast day, which is not eaten that day: therefore this food is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the mixing of food.

Of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the mixing of Courts we speak 2 Cor. X. 16. The sum of the matter is this; many families dwelt by one common Court: now therefore when it was not lawful to carry out any thing on the Sabbath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from a place which was of one right, and condition, to a place which was of another; therefore it was not lawful for any of those families to carry out any thing out of his house into the Court joyn∣ing to his door, and on the contrary; All partook of the communion and mixture of the right, and that by eating together of that food, which was brought together by them all, and then it was lawful. So in this case, whereof we are now treating. Since it was not lawful by the Canons of the Scribes, to prepare any food on a Feast day for the Sabbath that followed on the morrow: and since of necessity something was to be prepared for the Sabbath, they mollified the rigor of the Canon thus; that first some food should be prepared on the Feast day, which was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a mixture as it were of right; and depending upon this thus prepared, they might prepare any thing for the morrow Sabbath.

Of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the mixture of foods, mention occurs in the Talmudists infinite times, and these things which have been spoke concerning them, afford not a little light to the clause, which we are now handling, and to others, where the word Preparation oc∣curs; and make those things plainer, which we have said concerning the Preparation of the Passover; namely, that it denoteth not either the preparation of the Paschal Lamb, nor the preparation of the people to eat the Lamb; but the preparation of meats to be eaten in the Passover week. Nor in this place, if it be aplyed to the Sabbath, doth it denote any other thing than the preparation of food for the Sabbath now approach∣ing. So that that day, wherein Christ was crucified, was a double preparation in the double sense alledged. Namely, the whole day, but especially from the third hour was The Preparation of the Passover, or of the whole week following; and the Evening of the day was the Preparation of the Sabbath following on the morrow.

Of that Sabbath John saith, which we cannot let pass, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. That the day of that Sabbath was a great day, Chap. XIX. 31. For it was the day of the peoples appearance in the Temple; it was the day of the offering of the sheaf of firstfruits; and I ask, whether before that day Christs persecuters had offered their Chagigahs?

Notes

• p 1.1

  Maimon. in Jom tobh. c. 1.
• q 1.2

  Gloss ibid. in cap. 6.
• r 1.3

  Bab. Jom tobh, fol. 15. 1.
• s 1.4

  Jom. tobh. cap. 6.