Old Customs

Old Customs.

Certain customs peculiar to Jerusalem are mentioned in the rabbinical writings. A man invited to a meal turned up one of his sleeves as a sign of the receipt of the invitation (Lam. R. iv. 2); a flag ("mappah") was displayed at the door of a house where a feast was being held; after it had been taken away no one could enter (Tosef., Ber. iv. 8; comp. Yer. Demai iv. 4). Jerusalemites were accustomed to bind their lulabs with golden bands (Suk. 36b). Certain women habitually provided the narcotic which was given to a condemned man in order to blunt his sensibilities (Sanh. 43a; comp. Matt. xxvii. 48 and parallels). On the Fifteenth of Ab and on the Day of Atonement the maidens went abroad in borrowed white garments and danced in the vineyards, saying to the young men, "Lift up thy eyes and see whom thou wouldst choose" (Ta'an. 26b). In writing deeds in Jerusalem it was customary to state not only the day but also the hour of execution (Ket. 94b). A man approaching the city recited, "Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation" (Isa. lxiv. 10), and made a rent in his garment (M. k. 26 and parallels)—a custom observed to this day. As a congregation, the Jews of Jerusalem are called specifically (Ber. 9b) and (Yer. Ma'as. Sh. ii. 10).

The Rabbis further held that the western wall, the Gate of the Priests, and the Huldah Gate were not and never will be destroyed (Cant. R. § 2), and that whether the Temple was standing or not the Shekinah was not removed from it; it still dwelt near the western wall (Tan., Shemot, x.; Cant. R. ii. 9). God will bring back all the former joy to Jerusalem; and every one that on earth bewails its destruction will in the future world rejoice at its restoration (Pes. 28 and parallels). It will not be rebuilt until all the Diaspora is gathered together (Tan., ed. Buber, NoaH, 17); then it will reach to the Gate of Damascus (Cant. R. § 7; Sifre ii. 1); and people will come borne on clouds (Pes. 1). God and His angels will be a wall around the city (Yalk., Zech. 569), which will be a "metropolis for all countries" (Cant. R. i., § 37); it is even said that all nations will be collected therein (Ab. R. N. xxxv., end), and that the city will then have a new name (Isa. lxii. 2; Pesik. § Sosa Asis). The passages from the Talmudical writings will be found in Jehiel zebi Hirschensohn, "Sheba' Hokmot sheba-Talmud," pp. 128 et seq., Lemberg, 1883; Judah Idel Zisling, "Sefer Yalkut Erez Yisrael," Wilna, 1890; David b. Simon, "Sha'ar ha-Hazer," Jerusalem, 1862; see also FarHi, "Kaftor wa-FeraH," ed. Edelmann, p. 14a, and Neubauer, "G. T." pp. 134 et seq.

Jerusalem