766 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1893. 



Appendix IY. 



The following account of tbe exhibit appeared in the Xew York 

 P^vening Post, September 9, 1894: 



To stmlents of religious ceremonial an exhibit made by tbe Smitbsouiau lustitution 

 in the Government Build iu.i» will jirove of absorbing interest. Placed iu a small 

 room on the south side of the building, it might escape notice by casual observers; 

 but while not extensive, being only tbe nucleus of acollection recently commenced, 

 it comprehends a rather large quantity of objects used in the Jewish, Greek, Moham- 

 medan, and Assyro-Baby-lonian religions, and a great many copies of ancient statues 

 and bas-reliefs representing characters and scenes from the Roman and Greek mythol- 

 ogy. For comparative study it oft'ers.an opportunity truly rare, as it is the only col- 

 lection of the kind in the world except that of the Royal Museum at Berlin. 



In the first two cases are articles, ancient and modern, used by the Jews iu the 

 religious observances of the synagogue and household. Among these are scrolls of 

 the law or Torah wrapped in embroidered velvet cloth with silver-worked belt and 

 silver bells on the rollers; also a manuscript copy of the Book of Esther, inserted iu 

 a revolving silver case, with illuminations illustrating the chief eveuts narrated in 

 the book. The Book of Esther, generally called Megillath Esther (roll of Esther), 

 is read iu the synagogue in the feast of Purim on the 15th of Adar (March-April), 

 which was established to commemorate the deliverance of the Jews from the machi- 

 nations of Haman. It is one of the five rolls read on various occasions in the syna- 

 gogue, the others being the Song of Solomon, Ruth, Ecclesiastes, and Lamentations. 

 There are several objects connected with the Passover meal or seder. Among these 

 are brass and pewter plates for holding the green herbs, and twelve wine glasses 

 with engravings upon them representing human life. During the seder, each person 

 is supposed to drink of four cups of wine, and the glasses are refilled at stated parts 

 of the service, one cup being set apart for the prophet Elijah, the expected herald of 

 the Messiah. 



Of especial interest is a delicately Avrought silver spice box, supposed to have been 

 manufactured in Wiirtemberg about 1740. This box, filled with spice, is usedinthe 

 .Tewish service known as Habdalah (or separation), the service of the conclusion of 

 the Sabbath. There is a tradition that at the beginning of the Sabbath a special 

 angel accompanies the Avorshiper from the synagogue and remains with him until 

 the holy day is ended. The departure of the angel leaves the man fiiint, and the 

 spices are intended to restore him. The objects used in this service are a cup of 

 Avine, the spice box, and a candle. A blessing is first said over the wine, then over 

 spices, and lastly over the light, the candle being then extinguished by having wine 

 poured upon it. 



A Jewish marriage contract is exhibited, dated at Rome in the year of creation 

 5576 (1816). In the kethubah or marriage contract the obligations of the husband 

 to love, honor, and provide becomingly for his wife are set forth, and also the amount 

 of dowry allowed to the bride. The minimum of the dowry is fixed by the law at 

 200 shekels (about $50) for a virgin and 100 shekels for a widower divorced woman. 

 To this is usually added what the bride has received from her parents and what the 

 husband settles A^oluntarily, all of which she gets in case of the death of her hus- 

 band or of divorce. The established form of the kethubah usually commences 

 " Under good auspices and with good luck to bridegroom and bride, whoso findeth 

 a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth favor of tlie Lord.'' The contract exhib- 

 ited is decorated around the margin with symbolical figures, and contains the liturgy 

 of the wedding ceremony and passages from the Bilde and the Talmud The .Jewish 

 marriage is made valid by the bridegroom's putting a ring on the hand of the bride 

 while saying the words, "Behold thou art wedded to me according to the law of 

 Moses and Israel." These are the only words uttered by either bride or groom. 



