Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-05-31

time appointed for the burial. In the
mean time the corpse was removed from
the bed, and placed on the floor of the
same chamber, with its feet towards the
door "a black cloth thrown over it
lighted candles placed at the head and
the two men left in charge of it until the
time Of preparing it for the grave. Dur
ing this interval, the relatives ate no
meat, nor tasted wine or spirits all the
water in the cisterns or other vessels was
thrown away and in the movements of
the household the stiffness Of death SEEM
ed to prevail unbroken.
Next day, about noon, the bier and
copper vessels alluded TO, arrived, and
soon after, coach drew up TO the door
filled with respectable Jews, who came
to perform the last kind Offices, which
they Immediately proceeded to do.-
Laying the body on the bier, which YVES
placed in sIoping position on long ta-
bic, they carefully washed it with warm
water, handed to them in the copper
pots, and finished their abiut;on by pour
ing water on the head three times, which
from the inclined position Of the corpse,
flowed all over it; they next dried the
body with peculiar care, and combed
the beard and hair with silver comb
appropriated to that use. The burial
dress ofthe deceased was then deliver
ed to them; it consisted OF fine linen,
curIously worked at the collar and
hands, and robe, girdle, and turban,
which had been constantly worn on the
day Of Gtonement and festival, of the
new year, by the departed, to the syna-
gogue worship. When clothed in these
long-prepared habiliments, the garment
Of iringes was placed in its due form
al out him, ,and its ends twisted into certain
mystic forms,a winding sheet Of fine lin
ell enclosed the whole, and the corpse
was lifted into the plain deal shell prepar-
ed Tor its reception; beneath the head
and arms were placed small pillows stuff
ed with saw-dusl and the lid Of the shell
fastened; after which it was
removed to lower apartment, and the
near relatives led in TO perform the cer-
emony Of rending their garments over
Ihe deceased. An aged jew, whose prov
,nce it was, then advanced, and in audi
Bile accents renounced, in the name of
his relatives, friends, and lastly Of all Is
rael, any connection with the departed,
either here or hereafter. The body was
hen lifted into the hearse, and followed |
by various friends, and by the religious
societies he had formerly belonged to;
and lowered into grave, which his
nearest relatives first assisted TO fill, and
which was then closed to open no more,
as more than one corpse is never lald
in the same grave. When the process
on returned, meal Of eggs boiled hard,
and salt, was laid before the mourners,
who kindlcd light Of pure olive oil,
which was kept burning during the sew
en- days Of close mourning, and which |
vas lighted up on the anniversary day
,f death, as long as the departed had a
near relative living. These seven days
are observed by the family sitting onthe
ground, with rent garments and dishev-
elled hair, while their friends come to
condole with them on their loss, ten
Jews regularly attend morning and eve-
ming to recite prayers. The bereaved
relatives wear their boards unshaved thir-
'y complete days, and the sons of a
departed Jew attend morning worship
eleven months, with scrupulous exactness
10 recIte certain prayers deemed requisite
10 facilitate the entrance of the soul into
final happincss.-Jers IN the Nineteenth
Century.