After the Ark was taken away, a stone was there from the times of the early prophets, and it was called Shessiyah. Its height was three fingers above the ground and upon it he would place [the shovel].

He took the blood from the one who was stirring it. He entered the place he had [previously] entered, stood in the place he had stood, and sprink- led from it one [time] upward and seven [times] down- ward. But he did not aim in sprinkling either above or below, rather like one who whips.  And this is how he would count: One. One plus one. One plus two. One plus three. One plus four. One plus five. One plus six. One plus seven.  [Then] he exited and put [the vessel] on the golden stand, which was in the Holy.