CHAPTER II.
1. Men may not discourse on illegal connections with three, 1 nor on the work of creation with two, 2 nor on the cherubs with one, 3 save when one is wise, and comprehends it of his own knowledge. Every one who considers four things, it were suitable for him that he did not come into the world. What is in the height? what is in the depth? what is before? and what is behind? And every one who is not anxious for the honour of his Creator, it were suitable for him that he did not come into the world.
2. José the son of Joezar said that "one is not to lay his hand on the offering." José the son of Jochanan said, "he is to lay his hand on the offering." Joshua the son of Perachia said, that he "is not to lay on his hand." Nittai the Arbelite said, "he is to lay on his hand." Judah the son of Tabai said, that "he is not to lay on his hand." Simon the son of Shatach said, "he is to lay on his hand." Shemaiah said, "he is to lay on his hand." Abtalion said, "he is not to lay on his hand." Hillel and Menachem did not dispute. Menachem went out and Shammai entered. Shammai said, "he is not to lay on his hand." Hillel said, "he is to lay on his hand." 4 The first were Princes, and the second were Presidents of the Tribunal.
3. The school of Shammai said, "men may bring peace-offerings during the feast, but they are not to lay their hands on them, and they are not to bring burnt-offerings." But the house of Hillel say, "they may bring peace-offerings, and burnt-offerings, and lay their hands on them."
4. "When Pentecost happens to be on the eve of the Sabbath?" The school of Shammai say, "the day of slaughtering the offering is after the Sabbath." But the
school of Hillel say, "there is no day of slaughtering after the Sabbath." But they both acknowledge that if it happened to be on the Sabbath, the day of slaughter is after the Sabbath. And the high priest must not robe in his vestments, though they are allowed in seasons of mourning and fasting, for fear of confirming the words of those who say that "Pentecost is after the Sabbath." 1
5. Men must wash their hands for ordinary eating, but for tithes and for the heave-offering they must be baptized. And for the sin-offering, if the hands be unclean, the body is unclean.
6. He who baptized himself for ordinary eating, and indicated it to be for ordinary eating, he is prohibited from (eating) the tithe. "If he baptized for the tithe, and indicated it to be for the tithe?" "He is prohibited from eating heave-offerings." "If he baptized for heave-offerings, and indicated it to be for heave-offerings?" "He is prohibited from eating the holy flesh." "If he baptized for the holy flesh, and indicated it to be for the holy flesh?" "He is prohibited from the sin-offering." "If he baptized for the weighty?" "He is permitted the light" "If he baptized, and did not indicate his intention?" "It is as no baptism."
7. Treading on the garments of an ordinary man defiled the Pharisees. Treading on the garments of the Pharisees defiled those who eat the heave-offering. Treading on the garments of those who eat the heave-offering defiled for the holy flesh. Treading on the garments of those who eat the holy flesh defiles for the sin-offering. Joseph the son of Joezer was the most pious of the priesthood, and treading on his cloak defiled for the holy flesh. Jochanan the son of Gudgada used to eat with the purification for the holy flesh all his life; and treading on his cloak defiled for the sin-offering.
Footnotes
171:1 From motives of delicacy.
171:2 This must be done only by one Deut. iv. 32).
171:3 Ezek. x.; Isaiah vi.
171:4 This decision is for private sacrifices, but for public sacrifices there seems (according to the Talmud) to have been no "laying on of hands," except in the case of the scapegoat and the bullock, when the congregation had sinned through ignorance.
172:1 i.e. The Sadducees (Lev. xxiii. 15).
