Kommentar zu Parah 3:6
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:
Und sie würden eine Rampe vom Tempelberg zum Berg der Salbung [des Ölbergs] machen, Bögen auf Bögen und [hohle] Kuppeln über den Fundamenten wegen der Gräber der Tiefe, denn darauf der Priester, der würde die Färse verbrennen, und die Färse und alle ihre Helfer würden dem Berg der Salbung überlassen.
Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
וכיפה כנגד האוטם (and an arch corresponding to the foundation/substructure -filled with earth) – the feet of the arch that the arch is supported on them is called an אוטם/foundation. But the legs of the upper arch do not correspond with the legs of the lower [arch] but rather correspond to the arch itself, that opposite the upper foundation stands the lower cavity.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Parah
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. Our mishnah describes a special ramp that was made leading from the Temple Mount to the Mount of Olives. The ramp was constructed with a series of arches in its walkway with an empty space underneath each archway. Furthermore, the ramp was multi-layered such that each archway was above the foundation of the archway below. This way the priest, the cow and all of the assistants would always be walking over an empty space. This would protect against that all pervasive fear of the "grave in the depths." [This is beginning to sound a bit like some sort of horror film!]
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Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
מפני קבר התהום – so that there would not be there pressed ritual impurity which bursts forth and rises.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Parah
ופרה וכל מסעדיה – those who support and aid it. It is the language of (Psalms 41:4): “The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed.” But even though the heifer is not susceptible to receive defilement while alive, they made a greater preference with it.
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