For the Pharisees, and all the Jews
The far greater part of them; all, excepting the Sadducees; and
especially the Pharisees, were very tenacious of this tradition
of washing hands before eating: hence Pharisees are described as
such, (hrhjb) (Nhylwx ylkwa) , "that eat their
common food with cleanness" F14, i.e. of hands: these,
except they wash their hands oft, eat not;
or except they wash very cautiously, with great care, diligence,
and exactness, as the Syriac version suggests; and about which
there are various rules given, to be observed with great
strictness F15. Some render the words, "they wash
their hands to the elbow"; and this is a rule with the Jews,
which is closely to be abode by, that the washing of hands is to
be, (qrp de) , "to the
joint", which joins the hand and arm together F16:
particularly it is observed F17, that
``washing of the hands for the eating of the offering, is unto the elbow, and for common food, to the joints of the fingers: he that eats with an ancient man, and does not wash his hands to the elbow, he may not eat with him.''Well may it be added,
holding the tradition of the elders;
nor do the Jews pretend the authority of the Scriptures as
obliging them to such rules; for, they say, the command
concerning washing of hands is, (Myrpwo yrbdm) , "from the words of the Scribes"
F18; and is (Mymkx twum) , "a command of the wise men"
F19. The tradition is this:
``they wash hands for common food, but for the tithe, and for the first offering, and for that which is holy, they dip them, and for the sin offering; for if the hands are defiled; the body is defiled F20.''And this tradition of the elders, the Scribes, and Pharisees, strictly observed.