They would bind [the parah adumah] with a rope of rush and place it on top of the pyre, [with] its head toward the south and its face toward the west.  The Kohen would stand to the east with his face to the west He would slaughter [the parah adumah] with his right [hand] and receive [its blood] in his left [hand]. R’ Yehudah says: He would receive [the blood] in his right [hand] and put it into his left [hand], and sprinkle [it] with his right [hand].  He would dip [his finger into the blood] and sprinkle [blood] seven times in the direction of the Holy of Holies. For every sprinkling [there would be] a dipping.  When he would finish sprinkling, he would wipe his hand on the body of the parah [adumah].  He would descend [from the pyre] and kindle the fire with twigs. R’ Akiva says: With palm fronds.

[The parah adumah] split open, and [the Kohen] would stand outside its pit, [and] would take cedar wood, eizov, and crim-son wool. He would say to them, “This [is] cedar wood, this [is] cedar wood. This [is] eizov, this [is] eizov. This [is] crimson wool, this [is] crimson wool.” Three times concerning each thing. And they said to him: “Yes,” and, “Yes,” three times concerning each thing.

[The Kohen] would bind [the cedar wood and the eizov] with the remnants of the strip [of crimson wool], and cast [the bun-dle] into the burning [of the parah adumah].  [When the parah adumah] was burnt, they would beat it with sticks, and sift it in sieves. R’ Yishmael says: It was done with hammers of stone and sieves of stone.  Charcoal containing ash they would grind. And what did not contain [ash] they would leave [untouched]. [As for] bone, in either case [it] would be ground.  And they would divide [the ashes] into three portions: One [portion] would be placed in the cheil, one would be placed on the Mount of Oil, and one would be divided among all the watches.

If one slaughtered a chatas cow not for its own sake; it is invalid. [or] he received [the blood] or sprinkled [it] not for its own sake, or for its own sake and not for its own sake, or not for its own sake and for its own sake, it is invalid. R’ Eliezer [rules it] acceptable.  Or [if it was performed by] one whose hands and feet had not been washed, [it is] invalid. R’ Eliezer validates [it].  And [if it was] not [performed] by the Kohen Gadol, [it is] invalid. R’ Yehudah validates [it].  And [if] [the service was performed] by [a Kohen] who lacks vestments, [it is] disqualified. And it was performed with the white vestments.

[If] [the parah adumah] was burned outside of its pyre, or in two pyres, or [if] he burned two [cows] in one pyre, it is invalid.  [If] he sprinkled and did not direct [it] toward the entrance, it is invalid.  [If] he sprinkled from the sixth the seventh, and repeated and sprinkled the seventh, it is disqualified; from the seventh the eighth, and he repeated and sprinkled the eighth, it is valid.

[If] he burned it without wood, or with any wood, even with straw or stubble, it is valid.  [If] he skinned and dismem-bered it, it is valid.  [If] he slaughtered it with the intent to eat from its meat or to drink from its blood, it is valid. R’ Eliezer says: Intent does not invalidate the [red] cow.

All those involved in the parah adumah service from beginning to end contaminate [their] clothing and they invalidate [the parah adumah] by [performing another] task.  If an invalidating circumstance befell [the parah adumah] during its slaughtering, it does not contaminate his clothing. If [the invalidation] occurred during its sprinkling: Whoever participated [in the service] before its invalidation, it contaminates his clothing; [and whoever participated] after its invalidation, it does not contaminate his clothing. It thus emerges that its stringency is its leniency.  It is always subject to me’ilah, until it be-comes ash. And one may add wood to it, and its procedures are performed by day and by a Kohen, [and another] task inval-idates it, until it is made into ash.  And [performing another] task disqualifies the water, until the ashes are placed into it.

[If] someone brings an earthenware vessel [home] for chatas [purposes], he [must] immerse, and spend the night next to the kiln. R’ Yehudah says: He may even bring [a utensil] from [someone’s] home and it is acceptable, for all are trusted with regard to chatas.  And for terumah, he may open the kiln and take [the utensil]. R’ Shimon says: [He may take a utensil] from the second row. R’ Yose says: From the third row.

[If] someone immerses a utensil for [mei] chatas in water that is not suit- able for consecration, he must dry [it]; [if he im-merses it] in water that is suitable for consecration, he does not need to dry [it]; if [he immerses the utensil in order] to add consecrated water in it, in either case he must dry [it].

[Regarding] a gourd shell that one immersed in water that is not suitable for consecration, we may consecrate [mei chatas] in it until it becomes tamei. [If the gourd shell subsequently] became tamei, we may not consecrate [mei chatas] in it. R’ Ye-hoshua says: If one may consecrate [mei chatas] in [the shell] initially, he should also [be able to] consecrate [mei chatas] in it at the end. [And] if one may not consecrate [mei chatas] in it at the end, he should also not [be able to consecrate mei chatas in it] initially. In either case, one may not add consecrated water in it.

Regarding] a tube that one cut for chatas [purposes], R’ Eliezer says: He may immerse [it] immediately. R’ Yehoshua says: He must render [the tube] tamei and [only then] immerse [it].  All are qualified to consecrate [mei chatas], except for a deaf-mute, a mentally deranged person, and a minor. R’ Yehudah rules a minor qualified, but disqualifies a woman and an androgyne.