Mishnayos Parah Perek 6 Mishnah 1

המקדש -the waters of lustration (i.e., sin-offering. A person who comes to place from the ashes of the heifer/cow into the water. This is the קידוש/mixing that is stated through our Tractate.

או על הצד – on the side of the vessel.

ואחר כך נפל לשוקת – on the water that is within the trough, those waters are invalid for sprinkling, as it is written (Numbers 19:17): "ולקחו [לטמא מעפר שרת החטאת] ונתן [עליו מים חיים]/”[Some of the ashes from the fire of purification] shall be taken [for the impure person, and fresh water] shall be added to them [in a vessel].” Until the ashes would be would bring within the water from the power (i.e., direct actions) of the person.

נטל מן השפופרת וכיסה – he took the ashes from the tube/reed and covered the tube/reed prior to his mixing it, that is prior to his putting the ashes in the water.

או שהגיף את הדלת (or shut the door) – prior to his mixing [the ashes in the water].

הקידוש כשר – that is the ashes that are in his hands, because the work does not invalidate the ashes, as we have stated (see also the end of Chapter 4).

והמים פסולים – that work was done with the water, and above [at the end] of the Chapter פרת חטאת/the cow of purification (chapter 4) we taught that the work [done by those involved in the ritual] renders the water unfit until they put the ashes into it/"והמלאכה פוסלת במים עד יטילו את האפר".

זקפה בארץ – after he took the ashes from the tube/reed, he placed the read in the ground prior to placing the ashes in the water.

פסול – the filling/drawing, that is the water, because he performed the task with the water. But if he placed the tube/reed in his hand and covered his hand upon it in order that the ashes don’t scatter that are within it and afterwards placed the ashes on the water, the filling/drawing, that is, the water, is not considered labor/work.

לפי שאי אפשר – to preserve the ashes that are within the reed/tube if he will not cover his hand on its mouth, for he is not able to restore the stop-gap/stopper on its mouth until he mixes [the ashes in the water]. Another explanation"זקפה בארץ"/he placed the ashes in the ground, the ashes are invalid, as it is written (Numbers 19:9): “[A man who is pure shall gather up the ashes of the cow and deposit them outside the camp in a pure place,] to be kept for water of lustration for the Israelite community,” [but in the ground, it is not kept/preserved]. But if he placed the ashes into his hand, it is fit/appropriate, for it is possible to protect it, and it is well that we call it [in the Torah] "למשמרת" – and for that reason, we have the reading, "לפי שאפשר"/because it is possible [to do so without distractions].