[(Ps. 12:7 [61]:) REFINED SEVENFOLD.] R. Hanan bar Pazzi interpreted the verse in the context of the parashah on the Red Heifer, which contains seven references to seven things:⁶⁸., Numb. 6:5; Numb. R. 19:2, cont.; PRK 4:2; PR 14:6. Seven references to heifers,⁶⁹ 14:6, n. 21, following n. 31 in the Friedmann edition, notes that the Targum Pseudo-Jonathan does contain seven mentions of the heifer, with the extra references in vss. 7 9. Braude and Kapstein in their translation of PRK 4:2, n. 31, allude to the tradition of only seven red heifers having been so offered since the days of Moses. See Parah 3:5. seven items for burning,⁷⁰ seven sprinklings,⁷¹ 3:1, 9. seven instances of laundering clothes,⁷² seven ways of becoming unclean,⁷³ seven people or things who become clean,⁷⁴ and seven references to a priest.⁷⁵ If someone should say to you: there are only five references to a priest, say to him: Moses and Aaron were included in the total, where it is stated (in Numb. 19:1–2): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON, SAYING: THIS IS THE STATUTE OF THE TORAH.

footnotes: ⁶⁸ Tanh ⁶⁹ Numb. 19:2, 5, 6, 9, 10 account for five. Braude in his translation of PR ⁷⁰ Vss. 5-6 mention the burning of skin, flesh, blood, dung, cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson stuff. ⁷¹ So vs. 4; see Parah ⁷² Numb. 19:7, 8, 10, 19, 21. Braude and Kapstein, n. 34, suggest that Numb. 19:7, requires three launderings, one after each of the three stages in the rite, i.e., in vss. 3, 4, 6. ⁷³ Vss. 14-16 mention entering a tent where someone has died, being in that tent, being an open vessel there, touching one killed in the open, touching one who died naturally, touching a human bone, or touching a grave. ⁷⁴ Vss. 18f. explains how to cleanse the categories of uncleanness mentioned in the previous note. ⁷⁵ The five obvious references occur in vss. 3, 4, 6, 7 (twice).