Sabbath means day of rest and was the Jewish name for Saturday. It was their holiest day and was kept much more strictly, both at home and at the Temple than Sunday is with us. It began on Friday evening, as the Jews considered sunset the beginning of the day instead of the end. When three loud blasts of a trumpet were heard from the Temple, Friday afternoon, everyone knew that the Sabbath had begun. All work of every kind was stopped immediately, a lamp was lighted in each house, the rooms were decorated, and the table spread. In the Temple and in the synagogues, the most important services of the week were held. At home the best clothes were worn. Meals were better than on any other day. No hard lessons were learned, and the poor and strangers were sure to be remembered. It was considered very wicked for either man or beast to do any work on the Sabbath, and there were many strange laws telling them what to do and what not to do. Travelers were forbidden to go more than a mile on that day. Some even thought that is was wrong for flax to be drying itself on the Sabbath or for wool to be dyeing.

Several times in the year there were special services at the Temple with great feasting and rejoicing and immense crowds gathered from all parts of Palestine. These were called Feasts and were in celebration of some important events in Jewish history. Some lasted seven or eight days and more than a million strangers sometimes attended them and crowded Jerusalem to overflowing. At such times, every house took in as many guests as it could and a curtain hanging before a door meant that there was still room for more. The pilgrims came to Jerusalem in long processions, singing hymns and bringing offerings as they marched. At one feast, held in October, they lived for seven days in huts of green boughs or in tents (Tabernacles), in memory of the time when the whole nation were wandering about with tents. These huts were set up all around Jerusalem and even in the streets and on the roofs. At another feast (Dedication) the Temple and all the houses in Jerusalem were illuminated for eight nights. In each house, one candle was lighted for each member of the family the first night, two for each member the second night, and so on through the week. Some of these processions of pilgrims were very picturesque, as when the "first fruits" were brought to the Temple. First came a man playing a pipe, then a bull with gilded horns and garlands, then pilgrims singing as they came and carrying gold and silver baskets filled with fruit. The psalms called "Songs of Degrees" or "Steps" were sung by these processions.

Some of the Jews wore little cases tied to their arms or bound upon their foreheads, called Phylacteries. In these cases were little strips of parchment covered with texts which were thought to give the wearer great sanctity, protecting him from danger by their magic power and driving away evil spirits. It was supposed that touching them could heal wounds, or children made to sleep. There was another charm quite similar to this, called a Mezuzah. This was hung in a metal case on door posts, either inside the house or outside, for each one who went in or out to touch as he passed and then kiss his fingers very reverently receiving a blessing from it. These are still used to this day by many Jewish people. Another belief among the Jews was that the fringe of a dress was sacred, as it was to remind the wearer of God’s commandments. Many made their fringes wide, therefore, to be though very religious; and sick people thought that by touching the edge of a great man’s robe they would be healed.

Learned men among the Jews were treated with great reverence and call Masters or Rabbis. Some had young men studying the law with them; others taught in the synagogues or gathered whom they could find in the streets and preached to them.

Exodus xx. 8

Numbers xv. 38, 39

Deuteronomy vi. 8, 9; xvi 13

Matthew xxiii. 5, 7, 8; xxiv. 20

Mark ii. 23, 24