in case water is poured on the seed while it is attached to the soil, that seed does not become susceptible of receiving pollution; that only when the seed has been removed from the ground does the pouring of water thereon render it susceptible of impurity.' To this, the answer of the Pharisees appears to be directed, and in fact proves that to have been the purport and burden of the question; for the rejoinder is virtually, 'Do ye not also make a similar distinction in the matter of defilement between that which is attached to the ground and that which is detached, when ye admit that the stream of water, though coming from a cemetery (than which nothing is more unclean), is clean, because the stream of water is attached to the soil?'[1]
That the eating of garlic served as a means of emphasizing some principle we can see from another Mishnah, also very ancient.[2] He that forswears benefit from 'men who rest on the Sabbath' is forbidden to derive benefit from Cutheans as well as Israelites, since the Cutheans, though they do not regard as binding the taḳḳanot and gezerot added by the Sages (e.g. the Erub), do rest on Sabbath in conformity with the Torah. He that forswears benefit from 'men who eat garlic' is forbidden in case of Israelites, and permitted in case of Cutheans. The reason in the latter case is that the Cutheans adhered to the old Halakah based on Scripture, and consequently did not eat garlic, because before plucking it from the ground, it was customary to wet it, pouring water upon it, and thereby
- ↑ R. Leszynsky, Die Sadduzaer, pp. 38-43, says that ניצוק in this passage means honey'. See also Geiger, Urschrift, p. 147; Derenbourg, Essai, p. 134.
- ↑ Nedarim 3. 10: הנודר בשובתי שבת אסור בישראל ואסור בכותים םאובלי שום אסור בישראל ומותר בבותים is the correct reading. See Bet Joseph, Ṭur Yoreh Deʻah, § 214.
