(Numb. xxvii. 8-11) that no one shall deprive another of the estate which belongs to him by right, nor, when he dies, refuse it to his heirs, nor dissipate, nor disperse it, but leave it to those to whom it is most proper to bequeath it, namely, to those who are nearest akin (to the original proprietor.) Hence, the order to be observed respecting it, is particularly pointed out; for a son takes the precedency, then a daughter, after that a brother, then, as is well known, his father's brothers. The right of primogeniture is also to be given to the eldest son, because of the priority of love to him; (67) nor must a husband indulge his affections by transferring the right to another son by a more beloved wife. This virtue so equitable, that we ought to prefer those who are most nearly related to us, and be the readiest to do them good, is every where recommended and confirmed by the Law; hence, the Prophet says, "He that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.” (i. e. his relatives.) (Prov. xi. 17.) Thus, also, the Law speaks of alms-giving; "Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land :" (Deut. xv. 11:) and our Wise Men exceedingly commend him who does good to his relatives, and provides for his sister's daughter; and how far we ought to go in this duty, and how highly it ought to be commended by us, our Law sufficiently informs us, whilst it inculcates upon us the obligation of regarding

our relatives and kindred notwithstanding they may offend us, and not to turn away our benignant countenance from them, even if any of them should be of the vilest and most depraved character, as it is said, (Deut. xxiii. 7,) "Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is thy brother." How often soever, therefore, or whensoever we find a person to whose bounty we have been indebted, or from whom we have formerly received a favour, we are bound to remember him, because he formerly aided us, although since that time he may have done us injury; thus God hath said, (Deut. xxiii. 7,) "Thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian, because thou wast a stranger in his land;" though, it is well known how much evil the Egyptians did to us afterwards.

We see, therefore, how many excellent and laudable actions may be learned from these precepts: the two last, indeed, do not properly belong to this place, but we have been led into the digression respecting the Edomite and Egyptian, by what was said concerning the hereditary right of relatives.

R

CHAPTER XVIII.

Of the Causes and Reasons of Precepts of the eighth Class.

THE precepts comprehended in the eighth class, are those which are enumerated in our Talmudical tract "Of Times," and the reasons of which, except in a few instances, are given in the Law itself.

The cause of the institution of the Sabbath is so well known, as to need no explanation; it is evidently designed to procure rest for man, by providing that a seventh part of his life shall be free from labour and fatigue, of which no one, either rich or poor shall be deprived: to which may be added, that it most powerfully confirms and perpetuates the doctrine and history of the creation of the world. (68)

The reason of the Fast of the day of Expiation, (Levit. xvi. 29-34,) is also clear. It excites repentance, and is likewise held on the day on which Moses, the prince of prophets, came down from the Mount with the second tables, and announced to the people the forgiveness of their great transgression: hence, it is chosen to be, for ever, a day wholly devoted to repentance and divine worship; and therefore every corporeal pleasure and all bodily labour and fatigue are

REASONS OF THE LAWS OF MOSES. 255

forbidden on that day, and the whole of it is to be spent in confessing and forsaking sin.

The other Festival Days were appointed generally for purposes of joy, and because such public assemblies promote that union and affection which are necessarily required under all civil and political governments; although the peculiar and proper circumstances of those days had their distinct causes. (69)

Thus, in what relates to the Feast of the Passover, the reason is manifest why it was to be celebrated for seven days, which is, because the circumaction or revolution of seven days is the mediate circumvolution between

a solar day and a lunar month, which, it is well known, is of great use, not only in natural things, but also in legal ones. (70) For the law is constantly assimilated to nature, and nature is in some sort perfected by it; for nature possesses neither reason nor understanding, but the law is, as it were, the rule and guide of the Most High God, who hath imparted understanding to those who are endued with it.-These things, however, are not within the scope of this chapter, and, therefore, we will resume our former subject.

The Feast of Weeks, (i. e. Pentecost,) was celebrated in commemoration of the day on which the Law was given (to Moses.) To honour that day, the days were counted from the preceding solemnity (of the Passover) to the present one, just as a man who is expecting his

best and most faithful friend, is accustomed to count the days and hours till his arrival; and this is the true reason why the days are reckoned from the day on which the Omer or Sheaf was offered, (Levit. xxiii, 15,) and on which they were brought out of Egypt, to that of the giving of the Law, which was the chief cause and end of their coming out of Egypt, as it is said, (Exod. xix, 4,) "I brought you unto myself." And because that great and glorious manifestation continued during one day only, therefore the commemoration of it annually was peculiarly solemnized only on one day; but as the Eating of Unleavened Bread would have passed without any impression or distinct recollection of the reason and object of it, if it had been merely for a single day, since it frequently happens that men eat unleavened bread for two or three days together, therefore it was continued for a whole week, that the cause of it might be observed and impress the mind.

In like manner the celebration of the Beginning of the (Civil) Year was limited to one day, because it was intended to be a day of repentance and conversion, or awaking men out of sleep; and for the same reason the Blowing of the Trumpets (Levit. xxiii, 24,) was ordered to take place on that day. It was besides this, a preparation for the day of Fasting, (i. e. of Expiation,) as is evident from the ten days intervening betwixt the commencement of the year and the day of Expiation. (71)