민수기 19:9의 토세프타

They came to the gate that goes out from the women's courtyard to the rampart (the "Chel"), and stone vessels [containing the ashes of the red heifer] were fixed to the wall leading up from the women's courtyard, and their lids were [also] of stone. These [vessels] were seen on the rampart, and inside them were the ashes of each and every [red] heifer that had been burnt, as it is said (Num. 19:9), "And it shall be for the congregation of the Children of Israel for safekeeping, as waters of impurity; for purification it is." § He struck the male [sheep] and it startled backwards, and its ashes (i.e., that it was carrying) would spill. He would take and sanctify and sprinkle that which had spilled. These measures were [only] instituted after they ascended [to Israel] from the exile, the words of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Shimon says, their ashes descended with them to Babylonia, and came back up [with them]. They said to him, did they not become defiled in the land of the nations? He said to them, no. [The Sages] only instituted the decree regarding defilement in the land of the nations after they ascended from the exile.

Said Rabbi Nechemiah, why is everyone trusted as to [the purity of the articles involved in] the purification rite [involving the red heifer] and as to consecrated food"^*נאמנין על בהחטאת ועל הקדש, not נאמנין <לא> על הקדש ולא על התרומה ("trusted neither as to consecrated foods nor as to Terumah") (see Lieberman), but not everyone is trusted as to Terumah? So that people will not say, "I will build an altar for myself," or "I will burn a red heifer for myself," as it is said (Num. 18:7), "And you (=Aaron) and your sons with you shall safeguard your priesthood in every matter [regarding] the Altar..." (See Chag. 22a:15.) One might say that [the word "safeguard" includes] even [Terumah,] Terumat Ma'aser and Challah^*the priestly portion taken from a Levite's tithes and the portion of dough set aside for the Kohen, respectively, [and thus] the Torah comes to teach "... and to [that which is] within the Curtain." What is special about that which is "within the Curtain" is that it is not familiar to [the non-priestly class of] Israelites [who are forbidden from entering the area beyond the Curtain], which thus excludes Terumah and Terumat Ma'aser and Challah, with which Israelites are familiar. Rabbi Yehuda says, behold, it says [in regards to the red heifer] (Num. 19:9), "and it shall be for the congregation of the Children of Israel to safeguard it as the waters of purification...", such that everyone should be trusted as to safeguarding it. [If there is] a doubt as to the status of an am ha'aretz^*i.e., one who is not generally trusted to adhere to laws of purity or tithing as regards to [the impurity of] treading or movement [of a zav^*i.e., one who has experienced an abnormal discharge], [they are deemed] pure as to matters of chullin and impure as to matters of Terumah.

He added [wood] to it until the fire was kindled on most of [the fuel], or [until] the ashes became disqualified^*i.e., until the ashes of the wood predominated over the ashes of the heifer. [If] he removed bones or a black [coal] (see Par. 3:11) and sanctified with it, behold, [it is like] he has done nothing. If there was any amount of dust on it, if it was from the body, he crushes it and sanctifies it and it is fit. And they divide it into three parts: one was placed in the Hel, one was placed on the Mount of Olives, and one was divided among the [priestly] watches. That which was divided among the watches, Israel would sprinkle from it. That which was placed on the Mount of Olives, the priests would sanctify [themselves] with it. That which was placed in the Hel, they would watch over it, as it is said (Num. 19:9), "And it shall be for the community of the Children of Israel for safekeeping."