Whatever needs immersion in water, whether under Biblical law or under Rabbinic law, renders tamei mei chatas, ashes [of the parah adumah], and [a person who is fit to] sprinkle mei chatas through contact or carrying; an eizov on which hechsher was effected, water that has not been sanctified, and an empty vessel that is tahor for mei chatas [are also rendered tamei] through contact or carrying. [These are] the words of R’ Meir; but the Sages say: Through contact, but not through carrying.

Any eizov that has an accompanying name is invalid. “This is an eizov” is valid. “Greek eizov,” “blue eizov,” “Roman eizov,” and “desert eizov” are invalid. [An eizov] of terumah that is tamei is invalid. [An eizov] of [terumah that is] tahor should not [be used for] sprinkling, but if he sprinkled [with it] it is valid.  One may not sprinkle with sprouts nor with [an eizov that has] berries. One is not liable [after being sprinkled] with sprouts upon entering the Temple. R’ Eliezer says: [One is] not [liable] even [after being sprinkled] with [an eizov that has] berries. These are sprouts: stalks that are not developed.

An eizov that one sprinkled with is valid for the taharah of a metzora.  [If] one harvested it for firewood and liquid fell on it, he dries it and it is valid.  [If] one harvested it for food, and liquid fell on it, even though he dried it, [it is] disquali-fied.  [If] he harvested it for [mei] chatas, it is as if he harvested it for food. [These are] the words of R’ Meir; R’ Yehudah, R’ Yose, and R’ Shimon say: It is as if he harvested it for firewood.

The mitzvah of eizov is three sprigs in which there are three stalks. R’ Yehudah says: [Three sprigs] of three three.  An eizov that has three sprigs, he separates it, and binds it. [If] he separated it but did not bind it, [or] bound it but did not sep-arate it, [or] neither separated it or bound it, it is valid.  R’ Yose says: The mitzvah of eizov is three sprigs in which there are three stalks, and its remainders are two, and its stubs are any amount.