שִׁבְעַת יָמִים קֹדֶם לִשְׂרֵפַת הַפָּרָה מַפְרִישִׁין כֹּהֵן הַשּׂוֹרֵף אֶת הַפָּרָה מִבֵּיתוֹ לַלִּשְׁכָּה שֶׁעַל פְּנֵי הַבִּירָה, צָפוֹנָה מִזְרָחָה, וּבֵית אֶבֶן הָיְתָה נִקְרֵאת, וּמַזִּין עָלָיו כָּל שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים מִכָּל חַטָּאוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, לֹא הָיוּ מַזִּין עָלָיו אֶלָּא בַשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי בִּלְבָד. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא סְגָן הַכֹּהֲנִים אוֹמֵר, עַל הַכֹּהֵן הַשּׂוֹרֵף אֶת הַפָּרָה, מַזִּין כָּל שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים. וְעַל שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, לֹא הָיוּ מַזִּין עָלָיו אֶלָּא בַשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי בִּלְבָד:

Seven days before the burning of the [red] cow they would separate the priest who was to burn the cow from his house to a chamber that was facing the north-eastern corner of the birah, and which was called the Stone Chamber. They would sprinkle upon him throughout the seven days with [a mixture of] all the sin-offerings that were there. Rabbi Yose said: they sprinkled upon him only on the third and the seventh days. Rabbi Hanina the vice-chief of the priests said: on the priest that was to burn the cow they sprinkled all the seven days, but on the one that was to perform the service on Yom Kippur they sprinkled on the third and the seventh days only.

חֲצֵרוֹת הָיוּ בִירוּשָׁלַיִם בְּנוּיוֹת עַל גַּבֵּי סֶלַע וְתַחְתֵּיהֶם חָלוּל, מִפְּנֵי קֶבֶר הַתְּהוֹם. וּמְבִיאִים נָשִׁים עֻבָּרוֹת וְיוֹלְדוֹת שָׁם וּמְגַדְּלוֹת שָׁם אֶת בְּנֵיהֶן. וּמְבִיאִים שְׁוָרִים וְעַל גַּבֵּיהֶן דְּלָתוֹת, וְתִינוֹקוֹת יוֹשְׁבִין עַל גַּבֵּיהֶן וְכוֹסוֹת שֶׁל אֶבֶן בְּיָדָם. הִגִּיעוּ לַשִּׁלּוֹחַ, יָרְדוּ וּמִלְאוּם, וְעָלוּ וְיָשְׁבוּ עַל גַּבֵּיהֶן. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, מִמְּקוֹמוֹ הָיָה מְשַׁלְשֵׁל וּמְמַלֵּא:

Courtyards were built in Jerusalem over rock, and beneath them there was a hollow which served as a protection against a grave in the depths. And they used to bring there pregnant women, and there they gave birth to their children and there they raised them. And they brought oxen, upon whose backs were placed doors, and the children sat upon them with stone cups in their hands. When they reached the Shiloah spring they got down and filled the cups with water and then they ascended and sat again on the doors. Rabbi Yose said: each child used to let down his cup and fill it from his place.

בָּאוּ לְהַר הַבַּיִת וְיָרְדוּ. הַר הַבַּיִת וְהָעֲזָרוֹת, תַּחְתֵּיהֶם חָלוּל, מִפְּנֵי קֶבֶר הַתְּהוֹם. וּבְפֶתַח הָעֲזָרָה הָיָה מְתֻקָּן קָלָל שֶׁל חַטָּאת, וּמְבִיאִין זָכָר שֶׁל רְחֵלִים וְקוֹשְׁרִים חֶבֶל בֵּין קַרְנָיו, וְקוֹשְׁרִים מַקֵּל וּמְסַבֵּךְ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל חֶבֶל, וְזוֹרְקוֹ לְתוֹךְ הַקָּלָל, וּמַכֶּה אֶת הַזָּכָר וְנִרְתָּע לַאֲחוֹרָיו, וְנוֹטֵל וּמְקַדֵּשׁ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּרָאֶה עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּתְּנוּ מָקוֹם לַצְּדוֹקִים לִרְדּוֹת, אֶלָּא הוּא נוֹטֵל וּמְקַדֵּשׁ:

They arrived at the Temple Mount and got down. Beneath the Temple Mount and the courts was a hollow which served as a protection against a grave in the depths. And at the entrance of the courtyard there was the jar of the ashes of the sin-offerings. They would bring a male from among the sheep and tie a rope between its horns, and a stick or a bushy twig was tied at the other end of the rope, and this was thrown into the jar. They then struck the male [sheep] was so that it started backwards. And [a child] took the ashes and put it [enough] so that it could be seen upon the water. Rabbi Yose said: do not give the Sadducees an opportunity to rule! Rather, [a child] himself took it and mixed it.

לֹא הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין, לֹא חַטָּאת עַל גַּבֵּי חַטָּאת, וְלֹא תִינוֹק עַל גַּבֵּי חֲבֵרוֹ. וּצְרִיכִין הָיוּ הַתִּינוֹקוֹת לְהַזּוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, לֹא הָיוּ צְרִיכִין לְהַזּוֹת:

One may not bring a sin-offering by virtue of [the purifications made for] another sin-offering, nor one child by virtue of [the preparations made for] another. The children had to be sprinkle on each other, the words of Rabbi Yose the Galilean. Rabbi Akiva says: they did not need to sprinkle.

לֹא מָצְאוּ מִשֶּׁבַע, עוֹשִׂין מִשֵּׁשׁ, מֵחָמֵשׁ, מֵאַרְבַּע, מִשָּׁלשׁ, מִשְּׁתַּיִם וּמֵאֶחָת. וּמִי עֲשָׂאָם. הָרִאשׁוֹנָה עָשָׂה משֶׁה, וְהַשְּׁנִיָּה עָשָׂה עֶזְרָא, וְחָמֵשׁ, מֵעֶזְרָא וָאֵילָךְ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, שֶׁבַע מֵעֶזְרָא וָאֵילָךְ. וּמִי עֲשָׂאָן. שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק וְיוֹחָנָן כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל עָשׂוּ שְׁתַּיִם שְׁתַּיִם, אֶלְיְהוֹעֵינַי בֶּן הַקּוֹף וַחֲנַמְאֵל הַמִּצְרִי וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן פִּיאָבִי עָשׂוּ אַחַת אֶחָת:

If they did not find the residue of the ashes of the seven [red cows] they performed the sprinkling with those of six, of five, of four, of three, of two or of one. And who prepared these? Moses prepared the first, Ezra prepared the second, and five were prepared from the time of Ezra, the words of Rabbi Meir. But the sages say: seven from the time of Ezra. And who prepared them? Shimon the Just and Yohanan the high priest prepared two; Elihoenai the son of Ha-Kof and Hanamel the Egyptian and Ishmael the son of Piabi prepared one each.

וְכֶבֶשׁ הָיוּ עוֹשִׂים מֵהַר הַבַּיִת לְהַר הַמִּשְׁחָה, כִּפִּין עַל גַּבֵּי כִפִּין, וְכִפָּה כְנֶגֶד הָאֹטֶם, מִפְּנֵי קֶבֶר הַתְּהוֹם, שֶׁבּוֹ כֹהֵן הַשּׂוֹרֵף אֶת הַפָּרָה, וּפָרָה וְכָל מְסַעֲדֶיהָ, יוֹצְאִין לְהַר הַמִּשְׁחָה:

They made a ramp from the Temple Mount to the Mount of Olives, being constructed of arches above arches, each arch placed directly above each foundation [of the arch below] as a protection against a grave in the depths, whereby the priest who was to burn the cow, the cow itself and all who aided in its preparation went forth to the Mount of olives.

לֹא הָיְתָה פָרָה רוֹצָה לָצֵאת, אֵין מוֹצִיאִין עִמָּהּ שְׁחוֹרָה, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ, שְׁחוֹרָה שָׁחֲטוּ. וְלֹא אֲדֻמָּה, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ, שְׁתַּיִם שָׁחֲטוּ. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, לֹא מִשּׁוּם זֶה, אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יט), וְהוֹצִיא אֹתָהּ, לְבַדָּהּ. וְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ מַקְדִּימִים בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם לְהַר הַמִּשְׁחָה, וּבֵית טְבִילָה הָיָה שָׁם. וּמְטַמְּאִים הָיוּ אֶת הַכֹּהֵן הַשּׂוֹרֵף אֶת הַפָּרָה, מִפְּנֵי הַצְּדוֹקִים, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ אוֹמְרִים, בִּמְעֹרְבֵי שֶׁמֶשׁ הָיְתָה נַעֲשֵׂית:

If the cow refused to go out, they may not take out with it a black one lest people say, "They slaughtered a black cow" nor another red [cow] lest people say, "They slaughtered two." Rabbi Yose says: it was not for this reason but because it is said "And he shall bring her out" by herself. The elders of Israel used to go first by foot to the Mount of Olives, where there was a place of immersion. The priest that was to burn the cow was (deliberately) made unclean on account of the Sadducees so that they should not be able to say, "It can be done only by those on whom the sun has set."

סָמְכוּ יְדֵיהֶם עָלָיו וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ, אִישִׁי כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, טְבֹל אֶחָת. יָרַד וְטָבַל וְעָלָה וְנִסְתַּפֵּג. וְעֵצִים הָיוּ מְסֻדָּרִים שָׁם, עֲצֵי אֲרָזִים וָאֳרָנִים וּבְרוֹשִׁים וַעֲצֵי תְאֵנָה חֲלָקָה. וְעוֹשִׂין אוֹתָהּ כְּמִין מִגְדָּל, וּמְפַתְּחִין בָּהּ חַלּוֹנוֹת, וַחֲזִיתָהּ מַעֲרָבָה:

They laid their hands upon him and said, "My Lord the high priest, perform immersion once." He went down and immersed himself and came up and dried himself. Different kinds of wood were set in order there: cedar wood, pine, spruce and the wood of smooth fig trees. They made it in the shape of a tower and opened air holes in it; and its foreside was turned towards the west.

כְּפָתוּהָ בְחֶבֶל שֶׁל מֶגֶג וּנְתָנוּהָ עַל גַּב הַמַּעֲרָכָה, רֹאשָׁהּ בַּדָּרוֹם וּפָנֶיהָ לַמַּעֲרָב. הַכֹּהֵן עוֹמֵד בַּמִּזְרָח וּפָנָיו לַמַּעֲרָב. שָׁחַט בִּימִינוֹ וְקִבֵּל בִּשְׂמֹאלוֹ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בִּימִינוֹ הָיָה מְקַבֵּל וְנוֹתֵן לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ, וּמַזֶּה בִימִינוֹ. טָבַל וְהִזָּה שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים. עַל כָּל הַזָּיָה, טְבִילָה. גָּמַר מִלְּהַזּוֹת, קִנַּח אֶת יָדוֹ בְּגוּפָהּ שֶׁל פָּרָה. יָרַד וְהִצִּית אֶת הָאֵשׁ בַּאֲלִיתוֹת. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, בַּחֲרִיּוֹת:

They bound it with a rope of reed and placed it on the pile with its head towards the south and its face towards the west. The priest stood in the east with his face towards the west. He slaughtered with his right hand and received the blood with his left. Rabbi Judah said: he received the blood with his right hand and put it in his left hand. He sprinkled with his right. Seven times he dipped his finger in the blood and sprinkled it towards the Holy of Holies, dipping once again for each sprinkling. When he finished the sprinkling he wiped his hand on the body of the cow, came down and kindled the fire with wood chips. Rabbi Akiva said: with dry branches of palm-trees.

נִבְקְעָה, וְעָמַד חוּץ מִגִּתָּהּ. נָטַל עֵץ אֶרֶז וְאֵזוֹב וּשְׁנִי תוֹלַעַת. אָמַר לָהֶן, עֵץ אֶרֶז זֶה, עֵץ אֶרֶז זֶה. אֵזוֹב זֶה, אֵזוֹב זֶה. שְׁנִי תוֹלַעַת זֶה, שְׁנִי תוֹלַעַת זֶה. שָׁלשׁ פְּעָמִים עַל כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר. וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים לוֹ, הֵין וְהֵין, שָׁלשׁ פְּעָמִים עַל כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר:

It burst and he stood outside its pit and he took the cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool. He said to them, "Is this cedarwood? Is this cedarwood?" "Is this hyssop? Is this hyssop?" "Is this scarlet wool? Is this scarlet wool?" Three times he repeated each question and they answered him "Yes, yes" three times to each question.

כְּרָכָן בִּשְׁיָרֵי הַלָּשׁוֹן וְהִשְׁלִיךְ לְתוֹךְ שְׂרֵפָתָהּ. נִשְׂרְפָה, חוֹבְטִין אוֹתָהּ בְּמַקְלוֹת, וְכוֹבְרִין אוֹתָהּ בִּכְבָרוֹת. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, בְּמַקָּבוֹת שֶׁל אֶבֶן וּבִכְבָרוֹת שֶׁל אֶבֶן הָיְתָה נַעֲשֵׂית. שָׁחוֹר שֶׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ אֵפֶר, כּוֹתְשִׁין אוֹתוֹ. וְשֶׁאֵין בּוֹ, מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ. הָעֶצֶם, בֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ הָיָה נִכְתָּשׁ. וְחוֹלְקִים אוֹתוֹ לִשְׁלשָׁה חֲלָקִים, אֶחָד נִתָּן בַּחֵיל, וְאֶחָד נִתָּן בְּהַר הַמִּשְׁחָה, וְאֶחָד הָיָה מִתְחַלֵּק לְכָל הַמִּשְׁמָרוֹת:

He then wrapped them together with the remains of the strip of wool and cast them into the fire. When it was burnt up they would beat it with sticks and then sift it with sieves. Rabbi Ishmael says: this was done with stone hammers and stone sieves. If there was a black coal on which there were some ashes they would crush it but if there were no [ashes] they would leave it. A bone was crushed in either case. It was then divided into three parts: one part was deposited on the hel, one on the Mount of Olives, and one was divided among the priestly watches.