(b) The Four Cups of Wine. — There is no mention of wine in connection with the Passover in the Pentateuch ; but the Mishna strictly enjoins that there should never be less than four cups of it provided at the paschal meal even of the poorest Israelite {Pesach. x, 1). The wine was usually red, and it was mixed with water as it was drunk (Pesach. vii, 13, with Bartenora's note ; and Otho's Lex. p. 507). The cups were handed round in succes- sion at specified intervals in the meal (see above). Two of them appear to be distinctly mentioned in Luke xxii, 17, 20. " The cup of blessing" (1 Cor. x, 16) was prob- abl}' the latter one of these, and is generally considered to have been the third of the series, after which a grace was said; though a comparison of Luke xxii, 20 (where it is called " the cup after supper") with Pesach. x, 7, and the designation P^il 013, "cup of the //uWe/," might rather suggest that it was the fourth and last cup. Schtittgen, however, is inclined to doubt whether there is any reference in either of the passages of the N. T. to the formal ordering of the cups of the Passover, and proves that the name " cup of blessing" (il2"i3 ?T1J 013) was applied in a general way to any cup which was drunk with thanksgiving, and that the expression was often used metaphorically, e. g. Psa. cxvi, 13 (//or. Heb. in 1 Cor. x, 16; see also Carpzov, A pp. Crit. p. 380).
The wine drunk at the meal was not restricted to the four cups, but none could be taken during the interval between the third and fourth cups {Pesach. x, 7).
(c) The Hallel. — The service of praise sung at the Passover is not mentioned in the law. The name is contracted from il'^"lbbri {Hallelujah). It consisted of the series of Psalms from cxiii to cxviii. The first portion, comprising Psa. cxiii and cxiv, was sung in the early part of the meal, and the second part after the fourth cup of wine. This is supposed to have been the " hymn" sung by our Lord and his apostles (Matt, xxvi, 30 ; Mark xiv, 26 ; Buxtorf, I^x. Tal. s. v. bbn, anASyn. Jud. p. 48 ; Otho, Lex, p. 271 ; Carpzov, App. Crit. p. 374). See Hali.el.
((/) Persons Partaking. — No male was admitted to the table unless he was circumcised, even if he was of the seed of Israel (Exod. xii, 48). Neither, according to the letter of the law, was any one of either sex admitted who was ceremonially unclean (Numb, ix, 6 ; Joseph. War, vi, 9, 3). But this rule was on special occasions liberal- ly applied. In the case of Hezekiah's Passover (2 Chron. xxx), we find that a greater degree of legal purity was required to slaughter the lambs than to eat them, and that numbers partook "otherwise than it was written," who were not " cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary." The Rabbinists expressly state that women were permitted, though not commanded, to par- take (Pesach. viii, 1 ; Chagif/ah, i, 1 ; comp. Joseph. War, vi, 9, 3), in accordance with the instances in Scripture which have been mentioned of Hannah and Mary. But the Karaites, in more recent times, excluded all but full- grown men. It was customary for the number of a par- ty to be not less than ten (Joseph. War, vi, 9, 3). It waa
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perhaps generally under twenty, but it might be as many as a hundred, if each one could have a piece of the lamb as large as an olive {J'esach. viii, 7).
(e) Position at (he Table. — When the meal was pre- pared, the family was placed round the table, the pater- familias taking a place of honor, probably somewhat raised above the rest. There is no reason to doubt that the ancient Hebrews sat, as they were accustomed to do at their ordinary meals (see Otho, Lex. p. 7). But when the custom of reclining at table had become general, that posture appears to have been enjoined, on the ground of its supposed significance. The Mishna says that the meanest Israelite should recline at the Passover '• like a king, with the ease becoming a free man" (Pe- sach. X, 1, with Maimonides's note). He was to keep in mind that when his ancestors stood at the feast in Egypt they took the posture of slaves (R. Levi, quoted by Otho, p. 604). Our Lord and his apostles conformed to the usual custom of their time, and reclined (Luke xxii, 14, etc.).
6. The 15th oj' Xisan. — On this day there was a hoi}' convocation, and it was one of the six days on which, as on the Sabbath, no manner of work was allowed to be done; with this exception, however, that while on the Sabbath the preparation of the necessary articles of food was not allowed (Exod. xvi, o, 23, 29; xxxv, 2, 3), on holy convocation it was permitted (Exod. xii, 16; Lev. xxiii, 7 ; Numb, xxviii, 18). The other five days on which the Bible prohibits servile work are the seventh day of this festival, the day of Pentecost, New-Year's day, and the first and last days of the feast of Taberna- cles. The needful work which -(vas lawful to be done on these days is defined by the .Jewish canons to be such as killing beasts, kneading dough, baking bread, boiling, roasting, etc.; but not such work as may be done in the evening of a fast-daj-, as, for instance, reaping, threshing, winnowing, or grinding; while servile work is building, pulling down edifices, weaving, etc. If any one engaged in servile work he was not to be stoned to death, as in the case of violating the Sabbath (Numb. XV, 32, 35), but received forty stripes save one (Jlaimo- nides, Yad Ila-Chezal-a, Ililchoth Yom Tab. i, 1, etc.). In addition to the daily ordinary sacrifices, there were offered on this day and on the following six days two young bullocks, a ram, and seven lambs of the first year, with meat-offerings for a burnt-offering, and a goat for a sin-offering (Numb, xxviii, 19-23).