An oral teaching preserved in the Tosefta (Parah 3:6) relates that Ishmael ben Fabus (Phiabi) the High Priest had initially prepared two red heifers; the ashes of one used for those who had immersed themselves in a ritual bath that selfsame day, but had not waited till the sun had set – a condition known as tevul yom, and the ashes of the other used for those who had already immersed themselves and had waited till the sun had set.
He stood corrected, conceding that he had erred, seeing that it was only necessary to be sprinkled with the ashes immediately following an immersion in a ritual bath, without the necessity of repeating the process after sunset.
The Mishnah describes his tenure as High Priest as a successful one: "When R. Ishmael b. Piabi (Fabus) died the splendour of the priesthood ceased.
[8][9][10] Ishmael ben Fabus's imaginative appeal has inspired the writing of the fictional novel, Ben-Hur[11] He was a descendant of John Hyrcanus, a scion of the House of Asmoneus.
[citation needed] His grandson is believed to have been Rabbi Ishmael of the Sages,[12] and he may have been related to the former High Priest Joshua, son of Fabus.