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 it was rendered susceptible of becoming unclean; and since the Torah makes no distinction between detached from and attached to the soil, and the emendation of the Sages, that only such seed as is detached is susceptible of receiving defilement, but not that which is attached to the soil, had not been adopted by the Samaritans. Hence, he who had forsworn benefit from people who ate garlic was regarded as not having included Cutheans in his vow, since they did not eat garlic, whereas he was forbidden benefit from Israelites, who having accepted the taḳḳanah of the Sages, did eat garlic. Now we can understand why this (fifth) taḳḳanah was considered so important as to be ascribed to Ezra.

The sixth taḳḳanah,, evidently permitted giving garments to the launderers on Thursdays. This accords well with the Hillelite Halakah that allows giving work to a Gentile three days before the Sabbath, though it is probable that he may not finish it before Sabbath. See Shabbat 11 a.

The seventh taḳḳanah,, is explained in the Talmud to mean, the housewife should get up early to bake in order to give of her bread to the poor man. According to my opinion, this taḳḳanah also bore some relation to Sabbath observance, particularly as in the Palestinian Talmud, the reading is ; that is, this regulation had for its purpose, that on Fridays baking should be begun in time for a crust to be