On the following morning the Jews again resort to the synagogue, recite the Hallel after the Eighteen Ben- edictions, empty the ark of all its scrolls, put a lighted candle into it, form themselves into a procession, and with the scrolls in their hands, and amid jubilant songs, go round the reading-desk. This being over, the scrolls of the law are put back into the ark, and from one of the two which are retained is read Deut. xxxiii, wherenuto four persons are at first called, then all the little children are called as on the previous evening, and then again several grown-up people are called. The first of these is called the Bridegroom of the Law (il"l'^P. "m), and after the cantor who calls him up has addressed him in a somewhat lengthy Hebrew formida, the last verses of the Pentateuch are read; and when the reading of the law is thus finished all the people exclaim, p^T^,be strong! which expression is printed at the end of every book in the Hebrew B ble as well as of everj' non-inspired He- brew work. After reading the last chapter of the law, the beginning of Genesis (i, 1-ii, 3) is read, to which another one is called who is denominated the Bridegroom of Genesis (r.'^CS'nS '^H), and to whom again the cantor delivers a somewhat lengthy Hebrew formula; the Mnphti?; consisting of Numb, xxix, 35-xxx, 1, is then read from another scroll; and with the recitation of the Musaph, or additional special prayer for the fes- tival, the service is concluded. The rest of the day is spent iu rejoicing and feasting. The design of this fes- tival is to celebrate the annual completion of the perusal of the Pentateuch, inasmuch as on this day the last sec-
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tion of the law is read. Hence the name of the festival, the Rejoicing of Finishing the Law.
IV. Origin and Import of this Feslical. — Like Pente- cost, the Feast of Tabernacles owes its origin to the harvest, which terminated at this time, and which the Jews in common with other nations of antiquity cele- brated as a season of joy and thankfulness for the kindly fruit of the earth. This is undoubtedly implied in its very name, the Feast of Ingathering, and is distinctly declared in Exod. xxiii, 16 : " Thou shalt keep . . . the feast of ingathering in the end of the year when thou hast gathered in thy labors out of the Held" (comp. also Lev. xxiii, 39 ; Deut. xvi, 13). With this agricultural origin, however, is associated a great historical event, which the Jews are enjoined to remember during the celebration of this festival, and which imparted a second name to this feast — viz. " Ye shall dwell in booths seven days . . . that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egj'pt" (Lev. xxiii, 42, 43), whence its name, the Feast of Booths or Tiihernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles, therefore, like the Passover, has a twofold significance — viz. it has a reference both to the annual course of nature and to a great national event. As to the reason for connecting this i)re-eminently joy- ous festival of ingathering with the homeless dwelling of the Israelites in booths in tlie wilderness, we prefer the one given by the ancient Jews to theories advanced by modern commentators. In the midst of their great joy — when their houses are full of corn, new wine, oil, and all good things, and their hearts overflow with re- joicing— the Israelites might forget the Lord their God, and say that it is their power and the strength of their arm which have gotten them this prosperity (Deut. viii, 12, etc.). To guard against this the Hebrews were commanded to quit their permanent and sheltered house and sojourn in booths at the time of harvest and in the midst of general abundance, to be reminded thereby that they were once homeless and wanderers in the wilder- ness, and that they are now in the enjoyment of bless- ings through the goodness and faithfulness of their heavenly Father, who fulrilled the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This idea was still more developed after the Babylonian captivity, when the canons about the building of the booths were enacted. The booths, as we have seen, were to be covered in such a manner as to admit the view of the sky and the stars, in order that the sojourners therein might be reminded of their Creator, and remember that, however great and prosperous the harvest, the things of earth are perishable and vanity of vanities. This is the reason why the scribes also ordained that the book of Ecclesiastes should be read on this joyous festival.
The origin of the Feast of Tabernacles is by some connected with Sukkoth, the first halting-place of the Israelites on their march out of Egypt ; and the huts are taken, not to commemorate the tents in the wilder- ness, but the leafy booths (sukkoth) in which tliey lodged for the last time before they entered the desert. The feast would thus call to mind the transition from settled to nomadic life (Stanley, Sinai awe? Pufcs/iwe, Appendix, §89).