Yoma 5:2-3

Yoma 5:2

The Ark was removed when the First Temple was destroyed, so we didn’t have it in the Second Temple. There was a stone in the Holy of Holies from the time of the early prophets called the Foundation Stone, elevated three fingerbreadths from the ground. In the time of the Second Temple, the Kohein Gadol would put the firepan on the Foundation Stone.

Yoma 5:3

The Kohein Gadol took the bowl of the bull’s blood from the one who was stirring it (refer back to mishna 4:3) and he re-entered the Holy of Holies, standing again between the staves of the Ark. He sprinkled the blood up once and down seven times. He did not intend to sprinkle up and down per se; rather, he motioned like one does when cracking a whip. He counted as follows: one; one and one; one and two; one and three; one and four; one and five; one and six; one and seven. He came out of the Holy of Holies and placed the bowl on the gold stand in the Sanctuary.