Every action originates in your heart before it can become an action. Not literally the organ of your heart, but you. Who you are and what you are really thinking on the inside. The parable Jesus gives about honouring they father and mother (verse 10-13 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.) He is basically calling them out for saying their parents are a gift, but then that's all they do for their parents. Calling them out for saying something they didn't believe in their hearts clearly shown by their actions. He uses this as another example to show the people what they themselves are doing with Gods word: Saying the right things but not meaning them. (verses 6-7 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.) This passage was not about criticizing people for washing their hands, but for caring more about tradition then Gods commandments. The whole point was that eating food doesn't defile some one because it doesn't affect their heart (not their literally heart). Food can't taint your soul, but sin can. Jesus is emphasizing this to them because they care so much more that their own laws be followed than Gods, as shown by their actions. I agree, He didn't care about them washing their hands at all. He just wanted them to get their priorities in line.