723 Lev. xxiii. 10, 17. The omer or wave-sheaf of barley was always cut on the evening of the 15th Nisan, even though it were a Sabbath. It must always have been gathered from a fresh harvest cultivated even in the Sabbatical year. The reapers asked these questions three times of those who were witnesses, “Has the sun gone down?” “With this sickle?” “Into this basket?” “On this Sabbath [first day of the Passover]?” “Shall I reap?” After the witnesses answered these questions the sheaf was reaped. It was finally ground into flour, and a handful of it mixed with frankincense was burned on the altar. The remainder belonged to the priests. 724 Num. xxviii. The two wave-loaves of wheaten flour were always offered on the Jewish Pentecost. 725 Deut. xxiii. 18. 726 Nehem. ii. 8. 1 Chron. xxix. 1. 727 According to Jewish tradition a dead body covered in with earth conveyed legal uncleanness to everyone who walked over it; but if a vault was over the body, or if air intervened between the corpse and the surface of the ground, it was regarded as a non-conductor. There are reckoned six degrees of uncleanness—the father of fathers, the fathers, the first, second, third, and fourth children of defilement. There are altogether twenty-nine fathers of uncleanness, of which eleven arise from contact with a dead body. 728 Some commentators explain that “each heifer requires a fresh lad.” 729 Num. xix. 3. 730 The Pharisees asserted that a priest might be defiled, and that after washing he was legally clean for burning the red heifer. But the Sadducees maintained that he was not legally clean before sunset. Num. xix. 9, 10. 731 Lev. xxii. 7. 732 The cedar, hyssop, and scarlet wool were laid parallel to each other, and whatever portion of the scarlet wool remained too long was wrapped round the bundle. 733 Num. xix. 9. 734 Or thick parts of straw. 735 If the vessels had been in the first row, someone might have touched them, or some vessel might have come in contact with them, so as to render them unclean. 736 Num. xix. 15. 737 It does not disallow the purifying pool if water flowed through a crevice in the rock into the pool. 738 The principle laid down in this mishna is that if one merely carried the rope for drawing the water, it was allowed to him to do so. But if he used the rope for any work advantageous to himself it was disallowed. 739 The modern Yebna (Jamnia). 740 The water is disallowed, because the man gained something for himself during the act of drawing it. His intention was not single-minded and pure. 741 Lev. iv. 12, 21. 742 Primary uncleanness arises from touching a dead body, leprosy, etc. Secondary uncleanness arises from touching one who had primary uncleanness.