From the context of the passage just quoted we cull the following, which proves that the Talmud itself bases the precept concerning the washing of hands on oral tradition and not on the written law: — "Rav Yehudah ascribes this saying to Shemuel, that when Solomon "gave to the traditional rules that regulated the washing of hands and -other ceremonial rites the form and sanction of law, a Bath Kol came forth and said (Prov. xxiii. 15), ( My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine; y and again it said (Prov. xxvii, 11), <My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me/® (See Prov. xxx. 5, 6.)