11 The Mishna begins the day at 6 A.M. The third hour is 9 A.M. 12 Deut. vi. 7. 13 Ibid. 14 A long blessing begins and ends with “Blessed art Thou, O Lord”; a short blessing only ends with these words. 15 Deut. xvi. 3. 16 Deut. xi. 13-21. 17 Num. xv. 37-41. 18 Because in Jer. x. 10 it is written, “But the Lord is the true God,” etc. 19 Deut. xi. 19. 20 Because it says, “that ye may look upon it,” _i.e._, the fringe. Num. xv. 39. 21 When the expressions “free” or “not free” are used, they refer to the decisions of the Levitical Law. So also is it with the expressions “clean” or “unclean.” _ 22 I.e._, the eighteen blessings called “Amidah.” 23 Phylacteries consist of texts of Scripture (Exod. xiii. 2-10, 11-17; Deut. vi. 4-9, 13-22) written on parchment and inclosed in a leather box. They are bound by thongs round the left arm and forehead. 24 Lev. xv. 16. 25 Or transgression. 26 Called Musaph. 27 Prayer called “Habdelah.” 28 Called “Chonen hada’ath.” 29 As if there were two gods. 30 Mentioned Deut. viii. 8. The Jews make a distinction between Biccurim, the fruits of the soil in their natural state, and Therumoth, the fruits in a prepared state, such as oil, flour, and wine. The first fruits were always brought to Jerusalem with great pomp and display. The Talmud says that all the cities which were of the same course of priests gathered together into one of the cities which was a priestly station, and they lodged in the streets. In the morning he who was chief among them said, “Arise, let us go up to Zion to the House of the Lord our God.” An ox went before them with gilded horns, and an olive crown was on his head. This ox was intended for a peace offering to be eaten by the priests in the court of the sanctuary. The pipe played before the procession until it approached Jerusalem. When they drew near to the holy city, the first fruits were “crowned” and exposed to view with great ostentation. Then the chief men and the high officers and the treasurers of the temple came out to meet them and receive them with honor. And all the workmen in Jerusalem rose up in their shops, and thus they saluted them: “O our brethren, inhabitants of such a city, ye are welcome.” The pipe played before them till they came to the Temple Mount. Everyone, even King Agrippa himself, took his basket upon his shoulder, and went forward till he came to the court. Then the Levites sang, “I will exalt thee, O Lord, because thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.” (Ps. xxx. 1). While the basket is still on his shoulder, he says, “I profess this day to the Lord my God.” And when he repeats the passage, “A Syrian ready to perish was my father” (Deut. xxvi. 3-5),