They observed that some of His disciples were eating their bread with hands that were ceremonially defiled—that is, unwashed according to the ritual traditions handed down through generations.
and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.
OJBAnd they had observed that some of his talmidim were eating their lechem with yadayim temeiot, that is, hands ritually unclean.
TCENTWhen they saw some of his disciples eating bread with hands that were defiled (that is, unwashed), they criticized them.
T4T[7:2–4]The Pharisees and all of the other Jews strictly observe the traditions that their ancestors taught. For example, they refuse to eat until they first wash their hands with a special ritual, especially after they return from buying things in the marketplace. They think that God will be angry with them if they do not do that, because some person or thing unacceptable to God might have touched ◄them/the things they bought►. There are many other such traditions that they accept and try to obey. Specifically, they wash in a special way their cups, pots, kettles, containers, and beds in order that using these things will not make God reject them.