וְלָקַח֙ מִדַּ֣ם הַפָּ֔ר וְהִזָּ֧ה בְאֶצְבָּע֛וֹ עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַכַּפֹּ֖רֶת קֵ֑דְמָה וְלִפְנֵ֣י הַכַּפֹּ֗רֶת יַזֶּ֧ה שֶֽׁבַע־פְּעָמִ֛ים מִן־הַדָּ֖ם בְּאֶצְבָּעֽוֹ׃
And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the ark-cover on the east; and before the ark-cover shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
Jerusalem Talmud Yoma
Rebbi Joḥanan said, so he should not err98This refers to the way of counting as explained in Mishnah 4. Why does he have to count 1+n? Babli 55a.. Rebbi Zeˋira said, that he should finish his sprinkling with “seven”99Since in all he has to sprinkle 8 times, it is preferable to end with “7” which is an odd number and means “luck”.. But was it not stated100The prefix ק is Babylonian Aramaic. The version in which the second number precedes the first is R. Jehudah’s in Tosephta 2:14, R. Meïr’s in the Babli 55a., “seven and one”? Rebbi Abun said, it is written101Lev. 16:14; cf. Note 84., before the cover .. seven. Why does the verse say, he shall sprinkle? That the first sprinkling should be counted with them102Sprinkling is mentioned separately for the blood on the cover of the Ark and the seven times in front of the Ark. Therefore they have to be mentioned separately in counting. Babli 55a..