Er würde sie [das Zedernholz, den Ysop und die Wurmseide] mit dem Rest des Strangs [der Wurmseide] umwickeln und sie in ihr [das Färsenfeuer] werfen. Einmal verbrannt, schlugen sie es [die Überreste] mit Stöcken und sieben es mit Sieben [um feine Asche zu produzieren]. Rabbi Yishmael sagt: Mit Steinplatten und mit Steinsieben würden sie es tun. Schwarze Asche, die Asche enthält, würde sie zerdrücken. Und [Holzkohle], die [Asche] nicht enthält, würden sie [am Scheiterhaufen] verlassen. Die Knochen, egal ob sie Asche enthielten oder nicht, würden zerkleinert. Und sie würden [die Asche] in drei Teile teilen: einer würde in den Cheeil [einen Raum im Tempel] gelegt, und einer würde auf den Berg der Salbung gelegt, und einer würde unter allen Priesterrotationen verteilt.
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
כרכן – to the cedar wood and hyssop with remnants of the strip of wool that was dyed in the scarlet wool which was long, and with what remained from it on the cedar wood and the hyssop, he would bind all three of them together, in order that they would have weight and would fall into burning of the cow, but not flame would not retain the strip. But if he didn’t bind them and he (i.e., the Kohen) cast each of one of them separately, it is fit/kosher.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
Introduction
The final mishnah of this chapter concludes the description of the burning of the red cow.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
בכברות של אבן (stone sieves) – stones that are perforated with thin holes like a sieve. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yishmael.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
He then wrapped them together with the remains of the strip of wool and cast them into the fire. After demonstrably ensuring that the cedarwood, hyssop and scarlet wool were what they were supposed to be (see yesterday's mishnah), the priest would use the extra wool to bind them up and cast them into the fire (see Numbers 19:6).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
שחור שיש בו אפר – charcoal that if they pounded/crushed it, it would make ash.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
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. The next steps taken ensured that everything that was in the fire was actually burned. They would beat the fire with sticks and then sift through it to make sure the ashes were fine. Rabbi Ishmael says that this was done with stone instruments which are not susceptible to impurity.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
כותשין אותו- but if it doesn’t return like ash, we leave it.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
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. Coals that had ashes remaining on them were crushed up so that the ashes would be part of the final product. Bones were crushed up even if they didn't have ashes remaining on them.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
בין כך ובין כך – whether it comes back as ash or whether it doesn’t come back as ash.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
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. The ashes of the red cow (and the other materials) were then split and divided into three places. The first is the "hel" an area right outside the courtyard where the ashes were placed into the water to purify the priest who was to burn the next cow (see mishnah three). The second part was placed on the Mount of Olives. This part was not used (at least not on a regular basis). The third part was given out to the priestly watches who would use it to purify any Israelite who needed this type of purification.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
חולקין אותו לשלשה חלקים – after they have sifted all of the ash, whether it is ash of the cow/heifer, whether it is the ash of the wood that was burned with it, we divide the ash into three parts.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
אחד ניתן בחיל – for preventative measures, as it is written (Numbers 19:9): “[A man who is pure shall gather up the ashes of the cow and deposit them outside the camp in a pure place,] to be kept for water of lustration for the Israelite community.” (see Mishnah Middot 2:3 for the purpose of the חיל )
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
ואחד ניתן בהר המשחה – and there the Kohanim would sanctify.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
ואחד היה מתחלק לכל המשמרות – and from it, they would sprinkle all of Israel.
