Commentary for Niddah 15:3

אי זהו האדום כדם המכה שחור כחרת דיהא מיכן טהור כקרן כרכום כברור שיש בו וכמימי אדמה מבקעת בית כרם מיצף עליו מים וכמזג שני חלקי מים ואחד יין מן היין השרוני:

Originally, whosoever wanted to remove [the ashes from] the Altar, removed [it]. At a time that they were many they would run and ascend the ramp [of the altar] and he that came first into the four cubits won [the privilege]. And if two were even, the appointed one would say to them [all]: Raise the finger(s). And what did they put forward [i.e. raise]? One or two. And [but] they do not put forth [raise] the thumb in the Temple: It happened [once] that two were even, and [they] were running and ascending the ramp. And one [of them] pushed his fellow and his foot was broken. And when the court saw that they were coming into danger, they enacted that they shall not remove [the ashes from] the altar except by lot. There were four lots there, and this [one] was the first lot.

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