פירוש על יומא 4:3

ממרס – he stirs and shakes and mixes it, so that it not become congealed when he delays until he performs the service of the incense.

Introduction In this mishnah the bull is slaughtered and the high priest begins to make preparations for the incense offering.

על הרובד הרביעי – each row of the stones of the floor is called a terrace (i.e., a paved level space between the steps in the Temple hall) (see Tractate Yoma 43b), and it is impossible to explain the fourth terrace in the hall containing the golden altar. The fourth row that is in the midst of the hall containing the golden altar from the opening of the hall containing the golden altar and inwards, for it is written (Leviticus 16:17): “[When he goes in to make expiation in the Shrine], nobody else shall be in the Tent of Meeting [until he comes out],” but it teaches the fourth terrace of the hall containing the golden altar, that is to say, the fourth terrace in the courtyard, that goes from the hall containing the golden altar to the courtyard, he counts the terraces and places it on the fourth terrace and stands there and stirs it. For inside the hall containing the golden altar, it is impossible as we have stated.

He killed it [the bull] and received its blood in a bowl, and he gave it to the one who stirs it up on the fourth terrace within the sanctuary so that it should not congeal. After making the second confession, he slaughters the second bull and receives its blood in a bowl. The blood will later be taken to the altar and sprinkled on it. In order that it shouldn’t congeal until that point, another priest stirs the blood continuously. This priest is standing on the fourth terrace. Between the outer altar and the Ulam, which was the entrance to the Hekhal (Sanctuary) there were twelve steps, divided into four groups of three. The third step of each group was made of specially paved stones and it was called a terrace. The fourth terrace was the uppermost one, and it was adjacent to the Ulam.

וחותה – he takes coals out with a pan and sets down the coal-pan until he grabs handfuls of the incense [with both hands] and places it within the pan and afterwards brings the pan and the coal-pan inside.

He took the coal-pan and went up to the top of the altar, and cleared the coals to both sides, and took a panful of the inner glowing cinders, and he came down and placed the coal-pan on the fourth terrace in the Temple Court. The priest would then take a coal-pan in which he would later turn the incense into smoke. He would get the ashes from the outer altar in the courtyard. First he would push the upper layer of ashes aside and take the hot burning cinders. Then he would come down off the altar and bring the coal-pan with the hot burning cinders up to the fourth terrace, the same place where the blood was waiting.