The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1859-12-19

This brtsf statement OF Jewish customs Af
the close II life Is Of much interest. The jews
imagine that tho two greatest &C. that can b
Performed ars-saying prayers for dying man,
and following HIN TO the grave; on the princi-
pie that be who docs another . favor In differ
ant circumstances may be sefish, from an ex-
peststion Of its return, but that In these cases
the motive must be pure, ~ no such sxpccla-
Is no unusual thing, therefore, for his friends
and relations 10 inf,sm tho whole nciXnboshood
OF 'he fact. A poor jew, as vol q ricn one.
h.ays has, at such q time, two nurses 70 attend
and say prayers; he may nave them night aud
day Tor months, the whois sxpeoss u which, to.
gsthor with that of doctors, &C., bs betrayed
from the treasury Of the ~ yn-gogus. Those who
attend Jow in his dy ing momsnts srv- well &C
quaint, d with oil the sy mptons Of de sth for,
though burial takes place within twenty foar
hours, inst snces are very rsrs Of persons beng
buried alive. The departed lies on the same bod
for ons hour; . feather 10 put on his lips Ito 10
blown away IL he should brsath), and, ~ il Is
reckonod an honor, the jews present STOP, during
thst tue; they STRIP the rp-e and lay 1t on tho
gr und, or, In sono csses, carry II to another
room. A biack cloth IA now obtained fIOm tho
synagogue To lay over the cotpsc; prsw ter plato
with salt " gonersly pnt. On tue breast, which,
they say, keors IL from swelling; oil Is put In
vessel, and = cotton wick Ia inserted; a basin of
waef, covered with clean nApkin, Is brought
forth; sDd two W, tchers (provided by the syns
gogue, II the individual bs poor) sit by the
de~d.
An hour before the time of burial, certain poo
pie come from the synagogue to wash aud
shrvud the corpss, IN the abiution Of which from
torty To hity gallons Of water may be usod. Bs
fre IL leaves tho house, the husband for the WIFE
the wife for the husband, children for parents,
sso parents for Chi dron, &c., &c., stand on one
sids the cotiins, and the clerk of tho synagogue
on the Other, while, as each relation leans over
tho coffin, tho eleik takes knife, mates q slit
Oh the right side Of tho male or fssaals's upper
garment, sbost two inches ! ns and then tears
l. too inches further Tho garnsnts must BE-
worn IN tnis s'a 9 tr ,h rty. one days.
When any Of the jews assembled csnntt fol-
low the corpse to the grave pail OF water aud
. jug are brought, with which they may wash
each ott tors hands. The frat taxes the water
aud thro~sh over the hands Of tho next, three
vessel; this Is af,erwar placed on the ground;
whom he who Is washed tases Il up, and does the
same for him who washed him, and thus tho
ptooss OF sblution Is carried on through the
whole
The c. ffins Of tho rich and poor are made Of
splintsrs running into the hands. Tho shrouds
arc generally made Of wool; but some Of the
more wealthy arc buried in ine linen. The Jews
have no walking funerals; aud no difference Is
apparent between those Of tho poor and the
rich, exoept relatives or friends Of the latter
means uncommon for corpse TO be followed by
a multitude, consisting Of from ono hundred to
one thousand persons, ss may DO frequently
witnessed, at tho East end OF London where
there arc several jewish 5uryiug grounds.
Publicity Is given to case Of dissolution In two
ways. Ono Is by its announcement in tho
l synagogue; for, when person has died tho clark
10 tho midst Of the prayer stops, and, with Z
loud voice.. mentions his nAme, the spot whore
tho corpse lies, and the hour Of intermenf.
Tho other Is more remarkable. Ono OF the
Jews belonging to the synagogue goes into the
places crow ded with his people, having corr.
monsv-box In II: :,o Va nair gallon cask, So
cured by lock and kcy, with . niche Largo
enough TO ADMIT Of . penny psics. The pc
| culiar sound Of tho boz, whsn shsksn, intimatss
| that some one u dsad, the Jews therefore
| flock around him, 0ske every inquiry, and
cast into the box What they please. This is
always done unless tho departed was an ills-
gitimate child, person Of very impure lie or
one grossly negligent Of jewish f6rms. In this
cass seldom mors than eight or nine follow him
/ -. a.. 10 ,u0. tvSAa &a h.