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Banquets

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

Banu Aus

(salvation of the son), mentioned in B. K. 80a (see Tos. and 'Aruk, s.v. yijy Solomon ben Adret, Responsa, Nos. 200 and 758; Sliulhan 'Aruk, Yoreh

than the Book of Esther itself (see Pl'kim and the modern literature on Purim in Wildeboer's commentary on Esther; Marti, "Kurzer Hand-Commentar,"

De'ah, 305, 10). The feast given on the night before circumcision, called the " Zakor "-meal, and the one given at the naming of the new-born daughter on the fourth Sabbath, called "Hollekrcisch," are of late and foreign origin. They are not mentioned in

xvii. 172-177).



them "Terumat ha-Deshen," p. 269, as does Mordecai Japhe "Lebush," Yoreh De'ah, 265, 12. 5. The Finishing of a Talmudical Treatise Called Siyyum This was also regarded as an occasion for feasting by students, sufficient even to permit them to eat meat when otherwise forbidden (Sliulhan 'Aruk, Orah Hayyim, 1058, 1 Magen the older codes, but Israel Isserlein refers to

in

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Abraham). 6. The Sabbath and Holy-Day Meals These, which in later times assumed the character of simple family repasts permeated by the spirit of genuine domesticity, were originally Banquets of the Pharisaic brotherhood, enlivened by song and discussions, at which the men reclined the women and children if they took part at all not being considered as among the number present. Wine at the opening and closing of the meal was deemed an indispensable feature over it the benediction and a blessing of sanctiflcation of the day were offered by the one who presided at the table and broke the Perfumes and ointments as well as a variety bread. of dishes were characteristics of these, meals, to the preparation of which some would devote a whole week(Ber. viii. 5; Tos. Ber. vi. 5; Tos. Bezah, ii. 13, Geiger, "Urschrift," 14; Bezah 16a; Pes. K. xxiii. p. 123; idem, " Jud. Zeit.'Mv. 105 el seq.). These Banquets might not be held, however, at the time of the public discourses. "Two great families held such on Saobath eve and Saturday noon at such an improper time, and were exterminated for such transgression" (Git. 386). Three meals are prescribed for the Sabbath one on the preceding evening another at noon (to which some add a breakfast in the forenoon) and the third in the late afternoon (Shab. 1174 el seq.). The Passover-eve meal also, although eminently a family feast, perhaps as early as Mishnaic times (Pes. x. 4), had originally the character of a banquet, at which the Pharisaic brothers sat together eating and drinking, singing hymns, and reciting or expounding chapters from Holy Scripture, as may be learned from the Pesah Haggadah and the New Testament story of the last supper (Matt. xx vi. and parallels). Especially were the poor inWhen Tobit had a rich meal previted as guests. pared for him for Pentecost, he sent out his son to invite any poor Israelite he could find to participate



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While the feasters often sat therein (Tobit ii. 1, 2). after Greek fashion with garlands on their heads " Ant."xix. (Isa. xxviii.l; Wisdom ii. 7,8; Josephus, especially obligatory to place 9, § 1), some deemed it wreaths on their heads at the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles (Book of Jubilees, xvi. 24). New moons also were occasions of great festive meals for the ancient Pharisaic brotherhoods, as is learned from B. H. ii. 5, and Maseket Soferim, xix. 9; whereas

Purim Banquets, at which drinking was a prominent feature (Meg. 74), appear to be older the merry

II.— 32

7.

Feasts of Joy and Thanksgiving for "VicJews Such a one is mentioned (III

tories of the



Mace. iii. 30-36) as having lasted, like Hanukkah (I Mace. iv. 59), eight days. 8. Meals of Comfort, " Se'udat Habraah," Given to the Mourners (II Sam. iii. 35; Jer. xvi. 7; Tobit iv. 17; Hosea ix. 4; Josephus, "B. J." ii. 1, Ket. 84; M. K. 54, § 1; idem, "Ant." xix. 9, § 1 25a; Mas. Soferim, xix. 11): These, forming a totally different class, may have originally been farewell Banquets to the dead (see Spitzer, I.e. pp. 65 el seq. Schwally, " Das Leben nach dem Tode, " 1892, p. 23), which were changed into gifts to the mourners (Maimonides, " Yad," Abel, xiii. Yoreh De'ah, 378).





See Mourning. The various rules regarding the invitation and the seating of the guests, the mixing of the wine and the serving of the dishes, to be observed by the mas" apxiTp'tK?utvoc," ter of the banquet, called in Greek and the servant of the house (" shamthe cook, by mash "), were no less strictly observed by the Jews than by the Greeks and Romans, as may be learned

from Ber. vii. Tosef., Ber. iv.-vii.; Derek 'Erez Rabba and Zutta. For the Babylonian Jews, the The Persians were guides and patterns (Ber. 614). wealthy Jews often followed the exGreek and ample of the Romans in indulging in Roman sumptuous and boisterous Banquets

Influences, such as are described in Philo, "De Vita Contemplativa," §£ 5-7, and Wisdom ii. 7 et seq. All the more do the Rabbis warn against luxurious meals (Pes. 49a), and insist that discussions of Scripture, sacred songs, and, above all, the presence of students of the Law should give each banquet a sacred character (Ab. iii. 3). "All tables are full of vomit and filthiness without Makom " (= the name of God) (Isa. xxviii. 8 see Taylor, "Sayings of the Jewish Fathers," who refers to Cor. x. 31; Ber. 64a; Sanh. 101a; compare

Ber. 434).

Portions from the Banquets were sent to the poor, "to them for whom nothing is prepared " (Neh. viii. Greater 10), especially on Purim (Esth. ix. 19, 22). than the Banquets given by King Solomon (B. M. vii. 1) were, according to B. M. 86b, those of Abraham, because his hospitality was the greater. Nehemiah also kept open house (Neh. v. 17, 18). The Hasidic Banquets described by Philo (I.e. %% 8 et

and Josephus ("B. J." ii. 8, § 5) gave rise to the idea of a great banquet of the righteous in the world to come, also called "se'udah" (Ab. iii. 25; compare Taylor, I.e. Rev. xix. 9, "Se'udah shel

seq.)



Liviatan"; see Leviathan and Eschatology). Bibliography: Smith, Diet, nf the Bible, s.v. Banquet; Winer and Riehm GastmUhler, in Hanck's Realeneyhlo;

plidie.

K.

AUS

An Arab tribe that came to Medina BANTT together with the Banu Khazraj (about 300), and settled there among the Jewish inhabitants of the For some time they lived under Jewish proplace. tection and intermarried with them; but, getting