At three periods of the year they withdraw [funds] from the [treasury] chamber; fifteen days before Pesach, fifteen days be-fore Shavuos, and fifteen days before Succos. And these are also the designated dates for the animal tithe —- [these are] the words of R’ Akiva.  Ben Azzai says: [The three periods are] on the twenty-ninth of Adar, on the first of Sivan, and on the twenty-ninth of Av.  R’ Elazar and R’ Shimon says: [The three periods are] on the first of Nissan, on the first of Sivan, and on the twenty-ninth of Elul. Why did they say “on the twenty-ninth [of Elul]” instead of saying “on the first of Tishrei”? —- because that [day] is a festival, and one may not tithe on a festival, therefore they advanced it to the twenty-ninth of Elul.

With three baskets of three se’ah each, they withdraw the terumah from the [funds in the treasury] chamber; on them were written [the Hebrew letters] “aleph,” “beis,” “gimmel.”  R’ Yishmael says: The Greek [letters] “alpha,” “beta,” “gam-ma” were written on them.  The one who withdraws the terumah may not enter [the treasury chamber] wearing a hemmed garment, nor with a shoe or a sandal, nor with tefillin or an amulet, lest he become poor and people might say, “Because of the sin of [stealing from] the [treasury] chamber has he become impoverished!” Or, lest he become rich and people might say, “He has enriched himself with the terumah of the [treasury] chamber!” For a person must please people in the same manner that he must please the Omnipresent, for it is said: And you shall be guiltless before HASHEM and before Israel [Numbers 32:22]. And it is also said: And find favor and good understanding in the eyes of God and mankind [Proverbs 3:4].

[Each member] of Rabban Gamliel’s household would enter [the treasury chamber] with his half shekel between his fingers and throw it before the one withdrawing the terumah. The one withdrawing the terumah would purposely push it into the basket.  The one making the withdrawal did not withdraw the terumah until he had inquired, “Shall I withdraw the terumah?” —- and they had replied to him, “Withdraw! Withdraw! Withdraw!” —- three times.

[After] he had made the first terumah withdrawal he covered [the remaining money] with leather covers; [after] the second [withdrawal] he covered [the remaining money] with leather covers; [but after] the third [withdrawal] he did not cover [the remaining money]. [The money is covered] lest he forget and withdraw from an accumulation from which [funds] had [al-ready] been withdrawn.  He withdrew the first terumah on behalf of [the inhabitants of] Eretz Yisrael, the second on behalf of [the inhabitants of] the cities surrounding it, and the third on behalf of [the inhabitants of] Babylon, Media, and the distant countries.