El Molay Rachamim

"God who is filled with compassion"; the first three words of a prayer for the soul of the departed, usually chanted at the graveside and at memorial services.

Elohist

Title given the supposed author of authors of the Elohistic passages of the Pentateuch, in contradistinction to the Jehovistic; from the Hebrew term Elohim (God), of frequent occurrence in the Bible. The theories of the Higher Critics, beginning with Jean Astruc in the middle of the 18th cent., are in large measure evolved from the recognition of duplicate narratives in the five books of Moses, one group consistently uses the term Elohim for God, whilst the other as consistently employs Jhwh.* Owing to the influence of Wellhausen, the writers of the critical school assume, that the oldest Elohistic passages were written ab out 750 b.c.e. and are of later authorship than the Jhwh passages.

Emancipation of the Jews

The first attempt to enact the naturalization of the Jews was made in England, in 1751, though at that date, some individual Jews in various countries had letters of denizenship. The chronological history of emancipation follows:

1636, Rhode island granted religious liberty.

1669, "Jews, heathens and dissenters," granted liberty of conscience in the Carolinas.

1777, Constitution of New York State placed Jews on a status of complete equality with other residents.

1781, Joseph of Austria abolishes poll tax and issues "Toleranz patent."

1786, Religious liberty granted Jews in Hungary.

1788, Poll tax abolished in Prussia.

1790, French National Assembly grants citizenship to Bordeaux Sephardim.

1791, French National Assembly grants equality to the Jews.

1796, Batavian National Assembly grants equality to Netherlands Jews.

1806, Napoleon's Assembly of Jewish notables held.

1807, Session of Napoleon's Sanhedrin.

1808, Jews of Westphalia and of Baden emancipated.

1811, Jews of Hamburg emancipated.

1812, Jews of Mecklenburg-Prussia emancipated.

1825, Jewish disabilities abolished in Maryland, U.S.A.

1830, Abolition of More Judaico (Jewish oath) in France.

1831, Emancipation of Jews of Jamaica.

1833, Emancipation of Jews of Hesse.

1846, "Toleration Tax," abolished in Hungary.

1848, Emancipation of Jews of German States.

1849, Jews of Denmark emancipated.

1858, Jewish disabilities removed in England.

1859, Equality granted in Italy.

1860, Austrian Jews emancipated.

1861, Jewish oath abolished and Jews emancipated in Wurttemberg.

1865, Disabilities removed in Sweden.

1865, Complete equality granted in Belgium.

1866, Emancipation of Jews in Switzerland.

1867, Emancipation of the Jews in Hungary.

1869, Jews granted political equality in Prussia.

1872, Bavarian Jews emancipated.

1904, More Judaica abolished in Roumania.

1905-6 Jews granted political rights in Russian Empire.

1908, Jews granted political rights in Turkish Empire.

1919, All citizens equalized in U.S.S.R.

1919, Jews granted equality in Roumania, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia.

1932, Equality of all citizens granted in Spain.

En Kelohenu:

An ancient popular hymn chanted on Sabbaths and festivals. It is of mystical authorship and in use for many centuries. It contains an acrostic which is repeated four times.

Era of the Contracts:

"Minyan Shetaroth." This method of dating dates from the battle of Gaza fought in 312 b.c.e. and is mentioned as a means of computation in I Macc. i. 11 See: Chronology.

Erev:

"Evening." As the day counts from the previous evening "erev" is associated with every Sabbath,* New Moon,* and festival. It describes the forenoon of the day, preceding Sabbath, etc.

Erev Pesach (Passover Eve):

The afternoon of the 14th day of the month of Nisan. The Seder *takes place on the evening of that day. It is customary for first-borns to fast the whole or part of that day in remembrance of the deliverance of the first-born Israelites from the tenth plague in Egypt (Ex. xiii. 2, 12-15)

Erub Tavshilin:

"Combination of dishes." A ceremony performed by orthodox Jews on the eve of a festival that is immediately followed by the Sabbath, to sanction the preparation and cooking of food, on the holiday, for use on the Sabbath which follows it. The ceremony consists of a special benediction pronounced by the head of the household over bread and food just before the holiday begins.

Etrog:

"Citron." Used as a symbol, with the lulab, in the services of the Festival of Tabernacles.

Evening Service:

"Maarib." The three daily services are in fulfillment of the injunction in Deut. vi. 7. Generally maarib is recited directly after mincha, i.e., at starlight.

Exegesis:

The critical interpretation or explanation of the Scriptures; an art or science indigenous to Jewish scholarship, which was in vogue during the existence of the second temple, and found its definite expression in the Midrash. This tradition of expounding has continued unbroken to the present day, though the form and methodology has undergone some change, chiefly in response tot he pressure exercised by non-Jewish scholarship on the same subject. But the close adherent to tradition, practices exegesis in accordance with the general rules of reason and logic laid down in Talmudic times.