A Treatise on the Special Laws, Which Are Referred to Three Articles of the Decalogue, Namely the Third, Fourth, and Fifth About Oaths, and the Rever

 I. (1) In the treatise preceding this one we have discussed with accuracy two articles of the ten commandments, that which relates to not thinking tha

 II. (6) And some men display such easiness and indifference on the subject, that, passing over all created things, they dare in their ordinary convers

 III. (9) But if any one being compelled to swear, swears by anything whatever in a manner which the law does not forbid, let him exert himself with al

 IV. And in this description of oaths those most lawful vows are included which are offered up in consequence of an abundance of blessings, either pres

 V. (18) But there are other persons, also, boastful, puffed up with pride and arrogance, who, being insatiably greedy of glory, are determined to obey

 VI. (24) But the law takes away from virgins and from married women the power of making vows independently, pronouncing the parents of the one class,

 VII. (29) These then are the ordinances contained in the express language of these commandments but there is also an allegorical meaning concealed be

 VIII. (32) But in the case of those persons who have vowed not merely their own property or some part of it, but also their own selves, the law has af

 IX. (35) These are the ordinances established in respect of men, but about animals the following commands are given. If any one shall set apart any be

 X. (39) The next commandment is that concerning the sacred seventh day, in which are comprehended an infinite number of most important festivals. For

 XI. (41) Now there are ten festivals in number, as the law sets them down.

 XII. (42) The law sets down every day as a festival, adapting itself to an irreproachable life, as if men continually obeyed nature and her injunction

 XIII. (46) Being, therefore, full of all kinds of excellence, and being accustomed to disregard all those good things which affect the body and extern

 XIV. (49) Wherefore, if truth were to be the judge, no wicked or worthless man can pass a time of festival, no not even for the briefest period, inasm

 XV. (56) But after this continued and uninterrupted festival which thus lasts through all time, there is another celebrated, namely, that of the sacre

 XVI. (65) It is forbidden also on this day to kindle a fire, as being the beginning and seed of all the business of life since without fire it is not

 XVII. (71) And Moses thinks the number seven worthy of such reverence that even all other things which at all partake of it are honoured by him at al

 XVIII. (79) After having given these commandments, Moses proceeds in regular order to establish a law full of all gentleness and humanity. If, says

 XIX. (86) In the next place Moses commands the people to leave the land fallow and untilled every seventh year, for many reasons [Le 25:4.] first of

 XX. (96) Then, O you most worthless of all men! I would say to them, have you not first learnt what you are now teaching? or do you know how to invite

 XXI. (104) And the lawgiver, who is a prophetic spirit, gave us our laws, having a regard to these things, and proclaimed a holiday to the whole count

 XXII. (110) Having laid down these principles as a kind of foundation of gentleness and humanity, he then puts together seven sevens of years, and so

 XXIII. (116) These are the commandments which are given with respect to the divisions of the land and the inheritances so portioned out. There are oth

 XXIV. (120) And concerning the tribe which was set apart as consecrated for the priesthood, the following laws are established. The law did not bestow

 XXV. (122) But the laws established with respect to those who owed money to usurers, and to those who had become servants to masters, resemble those a

 XXVI. (140) Following the order which we have adopted, we proceed to speak of the third festival, that of the new moon. First of all, because it is th

 XXVII. (145) And after the feast of the new moon comes the fourth festival, that of the passover, which the Hebrews call pascha, on which the whole pe

 XXVIII. (150) And there is another festival combined with the feast of the passover, having a use of food different from the usual one, and not custom

 XXIX. (162) There is also a festival on the day of the paschal feast, which succeeds the first day, and this is named the sheaf, from what takes place

 XXX. (176) The solemn assembly on the occasion of the festival of the sheaf having such great privileges, is the prelude to another festival of still

 XXXI. (188) Immediately after comes the festival of the sacred moon in which it is the custom to play the trumpet in the temple at the same moment th

 XXXII. (193) And after the feast of trumpets the solemnity of the fast is celebrated, [part of sections 193�194 was omitted in Yonge's translation bec

 XXXIII. (204) The last of all the annual festivals is that which is called the feast of tabernacles, which is fixed for the season of the autumnal equ

 XXXIV. (215) There is, besides all these, another Festival[De 26:1.] sacred to God, and a solemn assembly on the day of the festival which they call c

 XXXV. (216) Nevertheless, any one may easily see that it has about it some of the characteristics of a sacred festival, and that it comes very near to

 XXXVI. (220) This hymn is sung from the beginning of summer to the end of autumn, by two choruses replying to one another uninterruptedly, on two sepa

 XXXVII. (223) I have now said thus much respecting the number seven, and the things referring to it among the days, and the months, and the years and

 XXXVIII. (224) Having already spoken of four commandments which, both as to the order in which they are placed and as to their importance, are truly t

 XXXIX. (226) And this is not the only reason why a man's father and mother are deserving of honour, but here are also several other reasons. For among

 XL. (228) I affirm, therefore, that that which produces is always older than that which is produced, and that that which causes anything is older than

 XLI. (232) For these reasons it is allowable for parents even to accuse their children, and to reprove them with considerable severity, and even, if t

 XLII. (234) Since this, then, is the case, those who do honour their parents are not doing anything worthy of praise, since even any single one of the

 XLIII. (237) And any one may conjecture that pious respect is due to parents, not only from what has been said above, but also from the manner in whic

 XLIV. (242) I have now then gone through all the five heads of laws in the first table, and have noticed also all the particular points which had any

 XLV. (249) Again, let the man who has profaned the sacred seventh day as far as it may have lain in his power, be liable to the punishment of death. F

 XLVI. (252) Against those who call God as a witness in favour of assertions which are not true, the punishment of death is ordained in the law [De 19

 XLVII. (257) We have now then mentioned the punishments which are ordained against those who neglect the five commandments. But the rewards which are

 XLVIII. (260) Again, those who properly keep the sacred sabbath are benefited in two most important particulars, both body and soul as to their body,

XXX. (176) The solemn assembly on the occasion of the festival of the sheaf having such great privileges, is the prelude to another festival of still greater importance; for from this day the fiftieth day is reckoned, making up the sacred number of seven sevens, with the addition of a unit as a seal to the whole; and this festival, being that of the first fruits of the corn, has derived its name of pentecost from the number of fifty, (pente�kostos). And on it it is the custom to offer up two leavened loaves made of wheat, as a first fruit of the best kind of food made of corn; either because, before the fruit of the year is converted to the use of man, the first produce of the new crop, the first gathered corn that appears is offered as a first fruit, in order that by an insignificant emblem the people may display their grateful disposition; [sections 177�180 were omitted in Yonge's translation because the edition on which Yonge based his translation, Mangey, lacked this material. These lines have been newly translated for this volume.] (177) We must disclose another reason. Its nature is wondrous and highly prized for numerous reasons including the fact that it consists of the most elemental and oldest of the things which are encased in substances, as the mathematicians tell us, the rightangled triangle. For its sides, which exist in lengths of three and four and five, combine to make up the sum twelve, the pattern of the zodiac cycle, the doubling of the most fecund number six which is the beginning of perfection since it is the sum of the same numbers of which it is also the Product.[literally, "being the sum of its own parts to which it is equal." In mathematical notation: 1 + 2 + 3 = 6 = 1 x 2 x 3.] To the second power, it seems, they produce fifty, through the addition of 3 x 3 and 4 x 4 and 5 x 5. The result is that it is necessary to say that to the same degree that fifty is better than twelve, the second power is better than the first power. (178) If the image of the lesser is the most beautiful sphere of those which are in heaven, the zodiac, then of what would the better, the number fifty, be a pattern than a completely better nature? This is not the occasion to speak about this. It is sufficient for the present that the difference has been noted so that a principal point is not considered to be subordinate. (179)the feast which takes place on the basis of the number fifty has received the name "the feast of the first produce" since during the feast it is customary to offer two leavened loaves made from wheat as the first fruit of grain, the best food. It is named "the feast of the first produce" Either[the "or" is in section 181.] because before the annual crop has proceeded to human use, the first produce of the new grain and the first fruit which has appeared are offered as first fruit. (180) For it is just and religiously correct that those who have received the greatest gift from God, the abundance of the most necessary as well as most beneficial and even the sweetest food, should not enjoy it or have any use of it at all before they offer the first fruits to the Supplier. They are giving him nothing since all things and possessions and gifts are his, but through a small symbol demonstrate a thankful and God-loving character to the one who needs no favors but showers continuous and ever-flowing favors. (181) Or else because the fruit of wheat is most especially the first and most excellent of all productions. (182) And the bread is leavened because the law forbids any one to offer unleavened bread upon the altar; not in order that there should be any contradiction in the injunctions given, but that in a manner the giving and receiving may be of one sort; the receiving being gratitude from those who offer it, and the giving an unhesitating bestowal of the customary blessings on those who offer. [...][the whole of this passage appears corrupt and unintelligible. Mangey especially points out that what was forbidden was not to offer unleavened bread, but leavened bread upon the altar. See Exodus 28.23:18.] Not indeed to that [...][part of section 183 was omitted in Yonge's translation because the edition on which Yonge based his translation, Mangey, lacked this material. These lines have been newly translated for this volume.] (183) For those for whom it is lawful and permissible will use what has once been consecrated; and it is lawful for those who are consecrated to the priesthood, who have received the right given by the humaneness of the law to share in the things offered on the altar which are not consumed by the unquenchable fire, either as a wage for their services or as a prize for contests in which they compete on behalf of piety or as a sacred allotment in view of the fact that with regard to the land they have not acquired their appropriate part in the same way as the other tribes. (184) And it is permitted to the priests; and the leaven is also an emblem of two others things; first of all of that most perfect and entire food, than which one cannot, among all the things of daily use, find any which is better and more advantageous; and the fruit of wheat is the best of all the things that are sown; so that it is fitting, that that should be offered as the most excellent of first fruits, for the most excellent gift. (185) The second is a more figurative meaning, implying that every thing which is leavened is apt to inflate and elate; and joy is an irrational elation of the soul. Now man is not by nature disposed to rejoice at anything that exists more than at an abundant and sufficient supply of necessaries; for which it is very proper to give thanks joyfully, making a display of gratitude, for the invisible happiness affecting the mind, which shall be perceptible to the outward senses through the medium of the leavened loaves; (186) and these first fruits are loaves, not corn, because when there is corn there is no longer anything wanting for the enjoyment of food, for it is said that the wheat is the last of all the grains which are sown to ripen and to come to harvest. (187) And there are thus two most excellent acts of thanksgiving having a reference to two distinct times; to the past, in which we have been saved from experiencing the evils of scarcity and hunger while living in happiness and plenty; and to the future, because we have provided ourselves with supplies and abundant preparations for it.

THE EIGHTH FESTIVAL