In what sort of Keli does the Kohen mix the water and the ashes?
What is the exact procedure regarding the ashes and the water?
Ramban: The Kohen places the earthenware vessel into the spring to fill with water, places ashes on it 1 and mixes them (Kidush) until the water is floating on top of the ashes.
Ramban: Even though the Pasuk implies that he pours the water on the ashes - See Ramban.
Who performs the Kidush?
Yoma, 43a: Based on the comparison of the Kidush "Ve'lakchu la'Tamei ... ") to the gathering of the ashes in Pasuk 9 1 - to which "me'Afar S'reifas ha'Chatas" refers - anybody may perform the Kidush, except for a Cheresh, Shoteh and Katan.
Refer to 19:9:1.1:2 & 19:9:1:2.1
Why does the Torah spell "Afar" with an 'Ayin' instead of with an 'Alef'?
Rashi (in Ta'anis, 15a): The Torah sometimes refers to ashes as 'Afar' (earth). 1
Oznayim la'Torah: The Torah inserts the word "S'reifas" to teach us that the ashes of the wood with which the Parah is burned combine with the ashes of the Parah itself, and it spells "me'Afar" with an 'Ayin' to teach us that if some of the earth on which the wood is placed is mixed with the ashes of the Parah and the wood, it doesn't matter. 2
What is the definition of "Mayim Chayim"?
Rashi (in Shabbos, 109a): Spring-water.
What are the implications of "ve'Lakchu ... ve'Nasan"?
Sukah, 37b: It implies a. that he must place the ashes into the water and that if they fell in by themselves it is Pasul, and b. that if he poured the ashes into the water directly from the tube into the water (and not with his hands), it is Kasher - which teaches us taking via something is considered taking. 1
Bartenura Parah, 6:1: It implies that the ashes must be poured via the force of man from the tube into the water and that, consequently, if they are poured first on to the side of the bowl or on to the Kohen?s hand before falling into the water, it is Pasul. 2
Why does the Torah write "ve'Lakchu" in the plural and "ve'Nasan" in the singular"?
Yoma, 43a: To teach us that two people are permitted to take the ashes, 1 only one person must do the mixing.
See Torah Temimah, note 93.
Into what kind of K?li does the Kohen pour the spring-water?
Targum Yonasan: Into an earthenware vessel.
What are the implications of "Mayim Chayim el Keli"?
Sotah 16b: It implies 'Chiyutan bi'Keli' - that one does not pour into the K'li from another vessel but places the K'li itself into the spring to fill it with water.
Da'as Zekenim, Hadar Zekenim: Torah is called Mayim, and [Etz] Chayim. "Keli" is an acronym of Kohen, Levi, Yisrael [hinting to the order of Kri'as ha'Torah].
Sotah, 16b: It implies that the water must be poured directly into the K'li, and that consequently, if one placed the ashes into the K'li first, it is Pasul.
Seeing as one pours the water first, why does the Torah write "ve'Nasan alav Mayim Chayim"?
Sotah, 16b: To teach us that, after placing the ashes into the water, he stirs them in order to mix them well.
