5. If she had two black or white hairs in one cavity, she is disallowed. R. Judah said, “even in one pore.” “If they be in two pores and they prove united?” “She is disallowed.” Rabbi Akiba said, “even four or five, if they be scattered, may be plucked out.” Rabbi Eleazar said, “even fifty.” R. Joshua, son of Bathira, said, “if there be even one in her head and one in her tail, she is disallowed.” “If there be two hairs, their roots black and their tops red, their roots red and their tops black?” “All follows after the appearance,” the words of Rabbi Meier. But the Sages say, “after the root.” Chapter III 1. Seven days before the burning of the heifer, the priest who burned the heifer was removed from his house to the chamber in front of the Temple Palace toward the northeast;(726) and it was called the Stone House. And he was sprinkled during all the seven days from all the ashes of red heifers which were there. R. José said, “they did not sprinkle him save on the third and seventh days only.” R. Hananiah, the deputy high-priest, said, “on the priest who burned the heifer they sprinkled during all the seven days, but on him who took service on the Day of Atonement they did not sprinkle save on the third and seventh days only.” 2. There were courts in Jerusalem built of stone, and beneath they were hollow,(727) through fear of an unseen grave. And pregnant women were brought, and they were delivered there. And there they reared their sons, and oxen were brought with doors on their backs, and the lads were seated on them with stone cups in their hands. They came to Siloam, they dismounted, and filled them. They remounted, and returned on the backs of the oxen. R. José said, “from their seats on the backs of the oxen they let down (the cups) and filled them (with water).” 3. The lads came back to the Mountain of the House and dismounted. The Mountain of the House and its courts were hollow below, through fear of an unseen grave. And at the door of the court there were prepared the ashes of the red heifers; and they brought a ram from the sheep, and they twisted a rope between his horns, and they twisted a stick and stuck it into the end of the rope, and it was dipped into the ashes, and the ram got a blow, and he skipped backward, and took them, and caused them to appear on the surface of the water. R. José said, “you should not give an opportunity to the Sadducees for scoffing: but (the lad) took and prepared the ashes.” 4. They did not make use of (what pertained) to one red heifer for a second one, nor did they use another lad for(728) his (prepared) companion. “And the lads themselves were in need of sprinkling,” the words of Rabbi José the Galilean. R. Akiba said, “they had no need of sprinkling.”