No. XI.
RABBINIC ARTIFICES RESPECTING LEAVEN AT THE PASSOVER.
One of the many bright features in the national character of
Israel is the devoted constancy, with which they have, in the
most troublous times and under the most disastrous circumstances,
celebrated the anniversary of their first great national
deliverance. More than three thousand years have now rolled
away since Israel's God heard the cries of the first-born in
Egypt, and by slaying the first-born of their enemies, effected
their salvation with a mighty hand and on outstretched arm.
And yet the memory of that great event is still fresh in the
hearts of the nation, and the children of Israel, wherever
scattered, in the wilds of Poland, the coasts of Africa, or the
torrid regions of India, as well as amongst ourselves, are now
making consentaneous preparation for the approaching festival.
Such constancy and such devotion bespeak minds of no ordinary
mould, and naturally lead us to ask, how is it that the Lord
does not now hear Israel's cries and prayers, which ascend
from every region under heaven, and restore them to that place
in His dispensations and that rank amongst the sons of men,
which his Word assigns to them? A Christian would give
the answer suggested by the New Testament, but we waive
that at present. The oral law gives a reply the same in
substance. It tells us that the mass of the nation has obscured
the light of Divine revelation by the admixture of human
inventions, that, therefore, a restoration would only be the
establishment of error, and is consequently impossible. We
have already given some proofs of this assertion, the Rabbinical
laws relating to the Passover furnish us with many more, and
to these the season of the year now naturally refers us.
Amongst the first directions relating to the Passover, the Word of God gives this plain command, "Even the first day shall ye put away leaven out of your houses." (Exod. xii. 15.) This is intelligible to the most illiterate, and easy to be obeyed, but the Rabbles have superadded a mass of explanations and observances, which tend only to perplex and to burden the conscience. In the first place they are not satisfied with the honest endeavour of an Israelite to obey the command of God, unless he does it according to the form and manner which they prescribe.
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