5. The passover was slaughtered(155) for three bands in succession, as is
said, "The whole assembly of the congregation of Israel"(156)--assembly,
congregation, Israel. The first band entered, the court was filled, the
doors of the court were locked. The trumpeters blew with the trumpets,
blew an alarm, and blew. The priests stood in rows, and in their hands
were bowls of silver and bowls of gold. All the silver row was entirely
silver, and all the golden row was entirely gold. They were not mingled.
And the bowls were not flat-bottomed, lest they should lay them down, and
the blood be coagulated.

6. When an Israelite slaughtered, and a priest caught the blood, he gave
it to his companion, and his companion to his companion, and he took the
full, and returned the empty bowl. The priest nearest the altar poured it
out at once in front of the foundation of the altar.

7. The first band went out, the second band entered; the second went out,
the third entered. As was the proceeding of the first, so was the
proceeding of the second and the third. They read the praise.(157) When
they finished they repeated it, and after repeating it they read it a
third time, even though they did not complete it thrice in their time. R.
Judah said, "during the time of the third band they did not reach to 'I
love the Lord, for He hath heard,' because the people were few."

8. As was the proceeding in ordinary days, so was the proceeding on the
Sabbath, save that the priests washed out the court,(158) though not with
the will of the Sages. R. Judah said, "a cup was filled with mixed-up
blood,(159) and poured out at once upon the altar;" but the Sages "did not
admit it."

9. "How did they hang up and skin the passover sacrifices?" "Iron hooks
were fixed in the walls and pillars, and on them they hung them, and
skinned them." "And every one who had not a place to hang them up and skin
them?" "Thin smooth rods were there, and he rested one on his shoulder and
on the shoulder of his companion, and hung it up and skinned it." Rabbi
Eliezer said, "when the fourteenth began on a Sabbath, he rested his hand
on the shoulder of his companion, and the hand of his companion on his
shoulder, and he hung it up and skinned it."

10. He cut it open, and took out its entrails. He put them on a dish and
incensed them on the altar. The first party went out, and sat down on the
Mountain of the House. The second party were in the Chel,(160) and the
third