The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

VERS. II.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Why do they transgress the Tradition of the Elders?

HOW great a value they set upon their Traditions, even above the Word of God, appears sufficiently from this very place, ver. 6. out of infinite examples, which we meet with in their Writings, we will produce one place only, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a 1.1 The words of the Scribes are lovely, above the words of the Law; for the words of the Law are weighty and light, but the words of the Scribes are all weighty.

He that shall say, There are no Phylacteries, transgressing the words of the Law, is not guilty; but he that shall say, there are five Totaphoth, adding to the words of the Scribes, he is guilty.

:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of the Elders, are weightier than the words of the Prophets.

A Prophet and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an Elder, to what are they likened? To a King sending two of his servants into a Province; of one he writes thus, Unless he shew you my Seal, believe him not: Of the other thus, Although he shews you not my Seal, yet believe him. Thus it is written of the Prophet, He shall shew thee a sign or a miracle; but of the Elders thus, According to the Law which they shall teach thee, &c. But enough of Blasphemies.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.

For they wash not their hands, &c.

b 1.2 The undervaluing of the washing of hands is said to be among those things for which the Sanhedrin Excommunicates: and therefore that R. Eliazar ben Hazar was Excommu∣nicated by it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Because he undervalued the washing of hands; and that when he was dead, by the command of the Sanhedrin, a great stone was laid upon his Bier. Whence you may learn, say they, that the Sanhedrin stones the very Coffin of every Ex∣communicate person that dies in his Excommunication.

It would require a just volume, and not a short Commentary, or a running Pen, to lay open this mystery of Pharisaism; concerning washing of hands, and to discover it in all its niceties, let us gather these few passages out of infinite numbers.

I. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 c 1.3 The washing of hands and the plunging of them is appointed by the words of the Scribes. But, by whom, and when, it is doubted. Some ascribe the institution of this Rite to Hillel and Shammai, others carry it back to Ages be∣fore them. d 1.4 Hillel and Shammai decreed concerning the washing of hands. R. I••si••hen Rabb. Bon, in the name of R. Levi, saith, That Tradition was given before, but they had forgotten it: these second stand forth and appoint according to the mind of the former.

II. e 1.5 Although it was permitted to eat unclean meats, and to drink unclean drinks; yet the ancient Religious eat their common food in cleanness, and took care to avoid uncleanness all their days, and they were called Pharisees. And this is a matter of the highest sanctity, and the way of the highest Religion, namely, that a man separate himself, and go aside from the vulgar, and that he neither touch them, nor eat, nor drink with them: for such separation conduceth to the purity of the body from evil works, &c. Hence that definition of a Pharisee which we have produced before, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Pharisees eat their common food in cleanness: and the Pharisaical Ladder of Heaven, f 1.6 Whosoever hath his seat in the land of Israel, and eateth his common food in cleanness, and speaks the holy language, and recites his Phylacteries morning and evening, let him be confident that he shall obtain the life of the world to come.

III. Here that distinction is to be observed between 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 forbidden meats, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 unclean meats. Of both Maimonides writ a proper Tract. Forbidden meats, such as Fat, Blood, Creatures unlawful to be eaten, Levit. II. were by no means to be eaten: but Meats unclean in themselves were lawful indeed to be eaten, but con∣tracted some uncleanness elswhere; it was lawful to eat them, and it was not lawful; or, to speak as the thing indeed is, they might eat them by the Law of God, but by the Ca∣nons of Pharisaism, they might not,

IV. The distinction also between 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 unclean, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 profane, or polluted, is to be observed. Rambam, in his Preface to Toharoth, declares it.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Profane or polluted denotes this, that it does not pollute ano∣ther beside it self. For every thing which uncleanness invades, so that it becomes unclean, but renders not another thing unclean, is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 profane. And hence it is said, of every one

that eats unclean meats, or drinks unclean drinks, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That his body is polluted: but he pollutes not another. Note that, the body of the eater is polluted by unclean meats. To which you may add that which follows in the same Maimonides in the place before alledg∣ed. Separation from the common people, &c. conduces to the purity of the body from evil works; the purity of the body conduceth to the sanctity of the soul from evil affections: the sanctity of the soul conduces unto likeness to God, as it is said, And ye shall be sanctified, and ye shall be holy, because I the Lord that sanctifie you, am holy. Hence you may more clearly perceive the force of Christs confutation, which we have, ver. 17, 18, 19, 20.

V. They thought that clean food was polluted by unclean hands, and that the hands were polluted by unclean meats. You would wonder at this Tradition g 1.7 Unclean meats and unclean drinks do not defile a man, if he touch them not, but if he touch them with his hands, then his hands become unclean: if he handle them with both hands, both hands are de∣filed; if he touch them with one hand only, one hand only is defiled.

VI. This care therefore laid upon the Pharisee Sect, that meats should be set on free, as much as might be, from all uncleanness: but especially since they could not always be se∣cure of this, that they might be secure that the meats were not rendred unclean by their hands. Hence were the washings of them, not only when they knew them to be unclean, but also when they knew it not.

Rambam in the Preface to the Tract 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of hands, hath these words, If the hands are unclean by any uncleaness, which renders them unclean; or, if it be hid from a man, and he knows not that he is polluted; yet he is bound to wash his hands in order to eating his common food, &c.

VII. To these most rigid Canons they added also Bugbears and Ghosts to assright them.

:〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 h 1.8 It was a business of Shibta. Where the Gloss is, Shibta was one of the Demo••s who hurt them that wash not their hands before meat. The Aruch writes thus, Shibta is an evil spirit which sits upon mens hands in the night: and if any touch his food with unwashen hands, that spirit sits upon that food, and there is danger from it.

Let these things suffice as we pass along, it would be infinite to pursue all that is said of this rite and superstition. Of the quantity of water sufficient for this washing, of the wash∣ing of the hands, and of the plunging of them, of the first and second water, of the man∣ner of washing, of the time, of the order when the number of those that sat down to meat exceeded five, or did not exceed, and other such like niceties; read, if you have leisure, and if the toyl and nauseousness of it do not offend you, the Talmudick Tract 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of hands, Maimonides upon the Tract 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Lavers, and i 1.9 Bab. Beracoth, and this Article indeed is inserted through the whole volume entitled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cleanness. Let this discourse be ended with this Canon, k 1.10 For a cake, and for the washing of hands, let a man walk as far as four miles.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Hieros Berac. fol. 3. 2.
• b 1.2

  In Bab Berac. fol. 46. 2.
• c 1.3

  Maimon. in Mikvaoth, cap. 11.
• d 1.4

  Heros. Schab. fol. 1. 4.
• e 1.5

  Maimon. in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• f 1.6

  Hieros. in the place above.
• g 1.7

  Rambam in the place be∣••ore.
• h 1.8

  Bab. Taanith, fol. 20. 2.
• i 1.9

  Fol. 45. 2, &c.
• k 1.10

  Hieros. Chal∣••ah, fol. 58. 3.