4. He who gained the lot to take the ashes from the altar, took them; and they said to him, “be careful that thou touch not the vessels, till thou dost sanctify thy hands and thy feet from the laver.” And the ash dish was placed in the corner between the ascent to the altar and the west of the ascent. No man entered with the priest, and there was no candle in his hand, but he walked toward the light of the fire on the altar. They did not see him, and they did not hear his voice, till they heard the creaking of the wheel, which the son of Kattin made for the laver, and they said, “the time has come to sanctify his hands and feet from the laver.” He took the silver ash dish, and he went up to the top of the altar, and he turned the live coals on one side, and he piled up those that were well burned inward, and he descended, and came on the pavement of the altar. He turned his face northward, and went eastward of the ascent about ten cubits. He packed the coals on the pavement three hand-breadths distant from the ascent, at the place where they put the crops of the fowls, and the ashes of the inner altar, and of the candlestick. Chapter II 1. His brethren saw him come down, and they came running to him. They hastened and sanctified their hands and their feet from the laver. They took the brushes and the forks, and went up to the top of the altar. The members and the cauls(535) (of the sacrifices) which were not consumed over night, they moved to the side of the altar. If the sides could not contain them, they laid them out in a closet at the ascent. 2. They commenced to bring up the ashes to the top of the heap,(536) and the heap was on the middle of the altar. Sometimes there was on it about 300 cors;(537) but in the holidays they did not clear away the ashes, since they were an honor for the altar. Never was the priest lazy in removing the ashes. 3. The priests began bringing up the fagots to arrange the fire of preparation on the altar. “Was, then, all wood allowed for preparation?” “Yes, all wood was allowed for the fire of preparation, except that of the olive and that of the vine. But these they preferred—branches of the fig-tree, of the nut, and of the pine.” 4. The priests arranged the great fire of preparation eastward, and then made an opening eastward, so that the heads of the inward fagots touched the heap on the altar. And there was a division between the fagots, that the priests might kindle the chips there.