Page 479
VERS. LIV.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
And the Sabbath drew on.
THE Vulgar reads, Et Sabbatum illucescebat: The Sabbath began to dawn. Not ill rendred. Beza reads, Et Sabbatum succedebat: And the Sabbath succeded. Not properly. One would have thought it had been more congruously said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it began to be dark toward the Sabbath: For the night before the Sabbath was coming on: But
I. The Sabbatical Candles that were lighted in honour of the Sabbath, were now set up. i 1.1 There are three things which it is necessary a man should warn those of his own House of, on the Evening of the Sabbath, when Night is coming on: Have you paid your Tenths? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Have you begun your Erubhick Society? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Light up your Candle. k 1.2 Men and Women are bound to light up a Candle in their Houses upon the Sabbath day. If a Man hath not Bread to eat, yet he must beg from door to door to get a little Oyl to set up his light. These things being noted, the Evangelist may not be improperly understood thus, The Sabbath began to shine with the lights set up; respect being had to these Sabbath Candles. But I do not acquiesce here.
II. The Evening of the Sabbath was called amongst the Jews 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 l 1.3 Light. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 By the light of the fourteenth day, they make a search for Leven, by the light of a Candle. By the light of the fourteenth day: that is, on the Even∣ing, or in the night that immediatdly preceeds that day. So Rambam upon the place 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The search for Leven is in the night of the fourteenth day: although the eating of leavened bread is not forbidden before the noon of the fourteenth day. But they instituted this, because it is most convenient searching in the night time by Candle light: and at that time also, all persons are at home.
m 1.4 The Woman that miscarries on the light (i. e. the Evening) of the eighty first day, the Shammean School absolves her from any offering, but the School of Hillel doth not. The Gloss hath iit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 on the light of the eighty first day, i. e. in the night of the eighty first day▪ The question disputed there is this: The Woman that had been brought to bed of a Girl, was bound to the purification of eighty days. When those days were at an end, then she was bound to offer, Levit. XII. 5, 6. Now therefore seeing the oblation was to be brought on the eighty first day; the question is, what if the Woman should happen to miscarry within the very night that begins the eighty first day, must she the next day offer one or two Sacrifices? one for the Girl, and one for that of which she hath miscarried: The Shammean School will have but one; but the School of Hillel saith two.
Pesikta n 1.5 speaking concerning a vowed Sacrifice, from Levit. VII. 17. hath this pas∣sage: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Perhaps it may be eaten on the light (i. e. the Evening) of the third day. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Text saith upon the third day. It is eaten until the third day. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 It is not eaten on the light (i. e. the evening, or the night) of the third day. For then the third day was actually begun. But now in this phrase, they restrain the word especially to the beginning of the night; though some∣times it is taken for the whole night, as in that Tradition newly quoted, concerning the Woman that miscarried: And so the Gloss upon Pesachin. Maimonides o discoursing* 1.6 about putting away the Leven which ought to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 on the light of the fourteenth day: i. e. on the night that begins the fourteenth day, hath this passage; By prescription of the Scribes, they search for, and cast out their Leven 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the night; name∣ly the beginning of that night that ushers in the fourteenth day. Much to the same sense the Gemarists concerning 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the light. p 1.7 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 How comes twilight to be called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 light? from thence, because it is written, In the twilight, in the evening of the day, Prov. VII. 9. Rambam thinks it so called by a rule of contraries; for so he in Pesachin q 1.8▪ the night is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 light, by the same rule that they call many other things by their contraries.
But the Gemarists upon the place affirm, That the evening is not improperly called light, and prove it from that expression Psal. CXLVIII. 3: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Praise him all ye stars of light. However unsuitably therefore it might sound in the ears of Greeks or Latines, when they hear the evening, or beginning of the night, expressed by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, yet with the Jews it was a way of expression very usual: and they could readily understand the Evangelist speaking in their own vulgar way, when he would tell us the night of the Sabbath drew on, but expresseth it by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the light of the Sab∣bath began to shine.