Parah Chapter Two

(1) Rabbi Eliezer says: A pregnant red heifer is valid [for the ritual]. And the Sages invalidate it. Rabbi Eliezer says: It cannot be purchased from gentiles. And the Sages validate [purchasing a red heifer from gentiles]. And furthermore all communal and individual sacrifices [may] come either from the Land [of Israel] or from outside of the Land, either from the new [grain, harvested in the new year but before the omer sacrifice is brought on Pesach, and forbidden until after the sacrifice] or from the old [grain], except for the omer and the two loaves [offered on Shavuot] which may only be brought from the new [grain] and from the Land.

(2) A [red] heifer whose horns and hoofs are black, they [the horns and hoofs] should be removed. The eyeball, the teeth and the tongue do not invalidate it [from being entirely red, if they are black]. The runt is valid. [If] it had a boil which was cut off, Rabbi Yehudah invalidates it; Rabbi Shimon says: Any time a removal occurred and red hair did not grow in its place is invalid.

(3) One [a red heifer] born through a Caesarean section [literally: came out through a wall], one given as payment [for a harlot], or as a price [for a dog] are invalid. Rabbi Eliezer validates [them], as the verse says: (Deuteronomy 23:19) "Do not bring a harlot's payment or the price of a dog to the house of Hashem your G-d," and this one, [the red heifer,] does not come to the house. All the blemishes which invalidate sacrifices invalidate the [red] heifer. [If] one rode on it, leaned on it, hung from its tail, used it to cross a river, doubled the reins over it, [or] placed his cloak on it, it is invalid. But if he tied it with a rein, made a shoe for it to prevent slipping, [or] spread his cloak over it because of the flies, it is valid. This is the rule: anything [done] for its own needs [that of the heifer], it is valid. For any other needs, it is invalid.

(4) If a bird rested on it, it is valid. If a male mounted it, it is invalid. Rabbi Yehudah says: If one caused [the male] to mount, it is invalid. If [it mounted] on its own accord, it is valid.

(5) [If] it had two black or white hairs from one pore, it is invalid. Rabbi Yehudah says: even from one cup [a bump of flesh from which several hairs grow]. If they [the two hairs] are from two cups, and they prove one another [giving indication that they grew in tandem], it is invalid. Rabbi Akiva says: Even four or even five scattered [hairs], they should be plucked [and the cow is valid]." Rabbi Eliezer says: Even fifty. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Beteira says: Even one at its head and one at its tail invalidate it. [If] it had two hairs whose roots are black and tips are red, [or] whose roots are red and tips are black, everything follows after the appearance [i.e. the tips], these are the words of Rabbi Meir; and the Sages say: after the root.