Open Book Parshat Acharei Mot, 2022 פרשת אחרי מות, תשפ״ב

ByDavid Ingber

Romemu: Open Book, Open Up

The Meaning of Azazel, The Escape Goat

ויקרא ט״ז:א׳-ט׳

(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֣י מ֔וֹת שְׁנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י אַהֲרֹ֑ן בְּקׇרְבָתָ֥ם לִפְנֵי־יי וַיָּמֻֽתוּ׃ (ב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה דַּבֵּר֮ אֶל־אַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֒יךָ֒ וְאַל־יָבֹ֤א בְכׇל־עֵת֙ אֶל־הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ מִבֵּ֖ית לַפָּרֹ֑כֶת אֶל־פְּנֵ֨י הַכַּפֹּ֜רֶת אֲשֶׁ֤ר עַל־הָאָרֹן֙ וְלֹ֣א יָמ֔וּת כִּ֚י בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן אֵרָאֶ֖ה עַל־הַכַּפֹּֽרֶת׃ (ג) בְּזֹ֛את יָבֹ֥א אַהֲרֹ֖ן אֶל־הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ בְּפַ֧ר בֶּן־בָּקָ֛ר לְחַטָּ֖את וְאַ֥יִל לְעֹלָֽה׃ (ד) כְּתֹֽנֶת־בַּ֨ד קֹ֜דֶשׁ יִלְבָּ֗שׁ וּמִֽכְנְסֵי־בַד֮ יִהְי֣וּ עַל־בְּשָׂרוֹ֒ וּבְאַבְנֵ֥ט בַּד֙ יַחְגֹּ֔ר וּבְמִצְנֶ֥פֶת בַּ֖ד יִצְנֹ֑ף בִּגְדֵי־קֹ֣דֶשׁ הֵ֔ם וְרָחַ֥ץ בַּמַּ֛יִם אֶת־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ וּלְבֵשָֽׁם׃ (ה) וּמֵאֵ֗ת עֲדַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יִקַּ֛ח שְׁנֵֽי־שְׂעִירֵ֥י עִזִּ֖ים לְחַטָּ֑את וְאַ֥יִל אֶחָ֖ד לְעֹלָֽה׃ (ו) וְהִקְרִ֧יב אַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־פַּ֥ר הַחַטָּ֖את אֲשֶׁר־ל֑וֹ וְכִפֶּ֥ר בַּעֲד֖וֹ וּבְעַ֥ד בֵּיתֽוֹ׃ (ז) וְלָקַ֖ח אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י הַשְּׂעִירִ֑ם וְהֶעֱמִ֤יד אֹתָם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יי פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃ (ח) וְנָתַ֧ן אַהֲרֹ֛ן עַל־שְׁנֵ֥י הַשְּׂעִירִ֖ם גֹּרָל֑וֹת גּוֹרָ֤ל אֶחָד֙ לַיי וְגוֹרָ֥ל אֶחָ֖ד לַעֲזָאזֵֽל׃ (ט) וְהִקְרִ֤יב אַהֲרֹן֙ אֶת־הַשָּׂעִ֔יר אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָלָ֥ה עָלָ֛יו הַגּוֹרָ֖ל לַיי וְעָשָׂ֖הוּ חַטָּֽאת׃

Leviticus 16:1-9

(1) יי spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they drew too close to the presence of יי. (2) יי said to Moses: Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come at will into the Shrine behind the curtain, in front of the cover that is upon the ark, lest he die; for I appear in the cloud over the cover. (3) Thus only shall Aaron enter the Shrine: with a bull of the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.— (4) He shall be dressed in a sacral linen tunic, with linen breeches next to his flesh, and be girt with a linen sash, and he shall wear a linen turban. They are sacral vestments; he shall bathe his body in water and then put them on.— (5) And from the Israelite community he shall take two he-goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. (6) Aaron is to offer his own bull of sin offering, to make expiation for himself and for his household. (7) Aaron shall take the two he-goats and let them stand before יי at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting; (8) and he shall place lots upon the two goats, one marked for יי and the other marked for Azazel. (9) Aaron shall bring forward the goat designated by lot for יי, which he is to offer as a sin offering;

THE MEANING OF עזאזל

In the Bible, a scapegoat is one of two kid goats. As a pair, one goat was sacrificed (not a scapegoat) and the living "scapegoat" was released into the wilderness, taking with it all sins and impurities. The concept first appears in the Book of Leviticus, in which a goat is designated to be cast into the desert to carry away the sins of the community.

Early English Christian Bible versions follow the translation of the Septuagint and Latin Vulgate, which interpret azazel as "the goat that departs" (Greek tragos apopompaios, "goat sent out", Latin caper emissarius, "emissary goat"). William Tyndale rendered the Latin as "(e)scape goat" in his 1530 Bible. This translation was followed by subsequent versions up through the King James Version of the Bible in 1611: "And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat."^[8] Several modern versions however either leave it as the proper noun Azazel, or footnote "for Azazel" as an alternative reading.

Jewish sources in the Talmud (Yoma 6:4,67b) give the etymology of azazel as a compound of az, strong or rough, and el, mighty, that the goat was sent from the most rugged or strongest of mountains.^[9] From the Targums onwards the term azazel was also seen by some rabbinical commentators as the name of a Hebrew demon, angelic force, or pagan deity.^[10] The two readings are still disputed today.^[11]

משנה יומא ו׳:ב׳

בָּא לוֹ אֵצֶל שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ וְסוֹמֵךְ שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו עָלָיו וּמִתְוַדֶּה. וְכָךְ הָיָה אוֹמֵר, אָנָּא הַשֵּׁם, עָווּ פָּשְׁעוּ חָטְאוּ לְפָנֶיךָ עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל. אָנָּא בַּשֵּׁם, כַּפֶּר נָא לָעֲוֹנוֹת וְלַפְּשָׁעִים וְלַחֲטָאִים, שֶׁעָווּ וְשֶׁפָּשְׁעוּ וְשֶׁחָטְאוּ לְפָנֶיךָ עַמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת משֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ לֵאמֹר (ויקרא טז), כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי יי תִּטְהָרוּ. וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהָעָם הָעוֹמְדִים בָּעֲזָרָה, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ שׁוֹמְעִים שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ שֶׁהוּא יוֹצֵא מִפִּי כֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, הָיוּ כּוֹרְעִים וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים וְנוֹפְלִים עַל פְּנֵיהֶם, וְאוֹמְרִים, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:

Mishnah Yoma 6:2

The Yom Kippur service continues: The High Priest comes over to the scapegoat, places both his hands upon it, and confesses. And he would say as follows: Please, God, Your people, the house of Israel, have sinned, and done wrong, and rebelled before You. Please, God, grant atonement, please, for the sins, and for the wrongs, and for the rebellions that they have sinned, and done wrong, and rebelled before You, Your people, the house of Israel, as it is written in the Torah of Moses Your servant, saying: “For on this day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins; before the Lord you shall be purified” (Leviticus 16:30). And the priests and the people standing in the Temple courtyard, when they would hear the Explicit Name emerging from the mouth of the High Priest, when the High Priest did not use one of the substitute names for God, they would kneel and prostrate themselves and fall on their faces, and say: Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever.

רש"י על ויקרא ט״ז:ח׳:ב׳

עזאזל. הוּא הַר עַז וְקָשֶׁה, צוּק גָּבוֹהַּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֶרֶץ גְזֵרָה — חֲתוּכָה:

Rashi on Leviticus 16:8:2

עזאזל AZAZEL — (The word is taken to be a compound of עזז "to be strong" and אל "mighty"). It was a precipitous and flinty rock — a towering peak, for it is said (v. 22) "[and the goat shall bear upon it their iniquities into] an גזר) "ארץ גזרה means to cut) — into a craggy land (Yoma 67b).

משנה תורה, הלכות תשובה א׳:ב׳

שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ לְפִי שֶׁהוּא כַּפָּרָה עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מִתְוַדֶּה עָלָיו עַל לְשׁוֹן כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא טז כא) "וְהִתְוַדָּה עָלָיו אֶת כָּל עֲוֹנֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל". שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ מְכַפֵּר עַל כָּל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, הַקַּלּוֹת וְהַחֲמוּרוֹת, בֵּין שֶׁעָבַר בְּזָדוֹן בֵּין שֶׁעָבַר בִּשְׁגָגָה, בֵּין שֶׁהוֹדַע לוֹ בֵּין שֶׁלֹּא הוֹדַע לוֹ, הַכּל מִתְכַּפֵּר בְּשָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ. וְהוּא שֶׁעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה. אֲבָל אִם לֹא עָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה אֵין הַשָּׂעִיר מְכַפֵּר לוֹ אֶלָּא עַל הַקַּלּוֹת. וּמַה הֵן הַקַּלּוֹת וּמַה הֵן הַחֲמוּרוֹת. הַחֲמוּרוֹת הֵן שֶׁחַיָּבִין עֲלֵיהֶם מִיתַת בֵּית דִּין אוֹ כָּרֵת. וּשְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא וָשֶׁקֶר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן כָּרֵת הֲרֵי הֵן מִן הַחֲמוּרוֹת. וּשְׁאָר מִצְוֹת לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה וּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶן כָּרֵת הֵם הַקַּלּוֹת:

Mishneh Torah, Repentance 1:2

The Azazel-goat, because it is atoning for all Israel, the High-Priest confesses over it in the speech of all Israel, even as it is said: "And confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel" (Lev. 16.21). The Azazel-goat, moreover, atones for all transgressions mentioned in the Torah, both, minor and major, whether one committed it in spite or whether he committed it in error, whether it was done by him knowingly or unknowingly— for all the Azazel-goat atones, provided the sinner did repent. But if he repenteth not, the Azazel-goat atones not save for his minor sins. And, what are the minor and what are the major sins? The major sins are such as carry the guilt of death or excision, included among which are also vain and false swearing, although they do not carry the guilt of excision; and all other prohibitive or mandatory commandments which do not carry the guilt of excision are the minor.

יומא ס״ז ב:ו׳-ז׳

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״עֲזָאזֵל״ — שֶׁיְּהֵא עַז וְקָשֶׁה. יָכוֹל בַּיִּשּׁוּב, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״בַּמִּדְבָּר״, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁבְּצוּק? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״גְּזֵירָה״. תַּנְיָא אִידַּךְ: ״עֲזָאזֵל״ — קָשֶׁה שֶׁבֶּהָרִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״וְאֶת אֵילֵי הָאָרֶץ לָקָח״. תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: ״עֲזָאזֵל״ — שֶׁמְּכַפֵּר עַל מַעֲשֵׂה עוּזָּא וְעַזָּאֵל.

Yoma 67b:6-7

§ The Sages taught: The word Azazel indicates that the cliff the goat is pushed from should be rough and hard. I might have thought that it may be located in a settled area. Therefore, the verse states: “In the wilderness.” And from where does one derive that the goat is pushed from a cliff? The verse states “gezeira,” indicating an area that is sharp, like a cliff. It was taught in another baraita: Azazel is a reference to the hardest mountain, and so it says: “And the mighty [eilei] of the land he took away” (Ezekiel 17:13). Azazel is interpreted as azaz-el, with the term el connoting something rough and hard. The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Azazel is so called because it atones for the actions of Uzza and Azael. These are the names of “sons of God” who sinned with “daughters of men” (Genesis 6:2) and thereby caused the world to sin during the generation of the Flood.

E.T. Man

ויקרא ט״ז:כ״א

וְסָמַ֨ךְ אַהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־שְׁתֵּ֣י יָדָ֗ו עַ֣ל רֹ֣אשׁ הַשָּׂעִיר֮ הַחַי֒ וְהִתְוַדָּ֣ה עָלָ֗יו אֶת־כׇּל־עֲוֺנֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־כׇּל־פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֖ם לְכׇל־חַטֹּאתָ֑ם וְנָתַ֤ן אֹתָם֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַשָּׂעִ֔יר וְשִׁלַּ֛ח בְּיַד־אִ֥ישׁ עִתִּ֖י הַמִּדְבָּֽרָה׃

Leviticus 16:21

Aharon is to lean his two hands on the head of the live hairy [goat]
and is to confess over it
all the iniquities of the Children of Israel, all their transgressions, for all of their sins;
then he is to place them upon the head of the hairy [goat]
and is to send it free by the hand of a man for the occasion, into the wilderness.

רש"י על ויקרא ט״ז:כ״א:א׳

איש עתי. הַמּוּכָן לְכָךְ מִיּוֹם אֶתְמוֹל:

Rashi on Leviticus 16:21:1

איש עתי A READY MAN — one who was held in readiness for this purpose from yesterday (Yoma 66a; Sifra, Acharei Mot, Section 4 8).

אבן עזרא על ויקרא ט״ז:כ״א:ב׳

עתי. מזומן לעתו או מנהגו ללכת בכל עת בכפורים והיו״ד להתיחס לעת כמו פנימי והמפרשים אותו חכם איננו נכון בעיני וחז״ל אמרו שהנושא הוא כהן ודבריהם אמת:

Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 16:21:2

APPOINTED. Itti (appointed) means prepared for his time. Or itti refers to an individual whose custom it was to always lead the goat on the Day of Atonement. The yod relates to the word et (time). Itti is similar to penimi (internal). The interpretation of those who explain itti to mean wise does not appear correct to me. Our sages, of blessed memory, said that the “bearer” was a kohen. Their words are true.

רשב"ם על ויקרא ט״ז:כ״א:א׳

ביד איש עתי - איש הבקי בדרכים ובמדבריות ורגיל בכל עת ששולחין אותו.

Rashbam on Leviticus 16:21:1

ביד איש עתי, a man familiar with the paths and the desert regions, someone always available, on call, for such an assignment.

דברי הימים א י״ב:ל״ג

(לג) וּמִבְּנֵ֣י יִשָּׂשכָ֗ר יוֹדְעֵ֤י בִינָה֙ לַֽעִתִּ֔ים לָדַ֖עַת מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל רָאשֵׁיהֶ֣ם מָאתַ֔יִם וְכׇל־אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־פִּיהֶֽם׃ {ס}

I Chronicles 12:33

(33) of the Issacharites, men who knew how to interpret the signs of the times, to determine how Israel should act; their chiefs were 200, and all their kinsmen followed them;

יומא ס״ו א:ט״ו-ס״ו ב:ב׳

מְסָרוֹ לְמִי שֶׁמּוֹלִיכוֹ. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״אִישׁ״ — לְהַכְשִׁיר אֶת הַזָּר, ״עִתִּי״ — שֶׁיְּהֵא מְזוּמָּן. ״עִתִּי״ — וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּשַׁבָּת, ״עִתִּי״ — וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּטוּמְאָה. ״אִישׁ״ — לְהַכְשִׁיר אֶת הַזָּר. פְּשִׁיטָא? מַהוּ דְּתֵימָא: ״כַּפָּרָה״ כְּתִיבָא בֵּיהּ, קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן.

Yoma 66a:15-66b:2

It was taught in the mishna that the priest passed the goat to the one who was to lead it to the wilderness. The Sages taught, with regard to the verse: “And he shall send it away with an appointed man into the wilderness” (Leviticus 16:21), that the halakhic midrash interprets the word man as mentioned in order to qualify a non-priest for this task. The word appointed indicates that he should be designated the day before. The word appointed also indicates that the scapegoat is always sent away at the appointed time, and even on Shabbat. Similarly, the word appointed indicates that the scapegoat is always sent away at the appointed time, and even when the appointed man is in a state of ritual impurity. The baraita stated that the word man is mentioned to qualify a non-priest. The Gemara expresses surprise: It is obvious that a non-priest is qualified for this service; why would one have thought otherwise? The Gemara answers: Lest you say: The term atonement is written with regard to it, and atonement is achieved only through services performed by priests. Therefore, it teaches us that this atonement is not achieved through a sacrificial offering, and consequently the service may be performed even by an Israelite.

מי השלוח, חלק א, ספר ויקרא, אחרי מות ד׳

ושלח ביד איש עתי. ואיתא בזוה"ק (ויקרא ס"ג:) שהאדם הזה לא היה חי אח"כ בלתי זמן מועט, והדיוק הוא ממלת עתי כי משמע מזה שנתמלאו כל השלמתו ואין לו מה להשלים בזה העולם עוד.

Mei HaShiloach, Volume I, Leviticus, Achrei Mot 4

“… and he shall send [the goat] out by the hand of a man appointed for the occasion ….” (Vayikra, 16:21)
It is said in the holy Zohar (Vayikra, 63b), “this man would only live after this a short while,” and the proof of this is in the term “appointed for the occasion” (eeti, coming from the word et, a time). With his action on the Day of Atonement he reaches a final state (time) of completion, having nothing more left to complete in this world.

אגרא דכלה, בראשית קע״ה

[מארת חסר כתיב (בראשית א יד). על שהוא יום מארה ליפול אסכרה ח"ו כמו שפירש רש"י, וכן איתא בזוהר הק' (ח"א ל"ג ע"ב) מאר"ת נקראת לילית חייבתא. ואיתא תו בזוהר הק' (ח"ג צ' ע"א) אצל שעיר המשתלח הנשלח ביד עת"י (ויקרא טז כא) (בגימטריא לילית), שהאי גברא היה בעל מום כנודע, על כן גם בכאן שהוא יום מאר"ת ומסוכן היום ח"ו לאסכרה, נרמז בס"ת יהי" מארת" ברקיע" ס"ת עת"י בגימטריא לילית, הש"י יצילנו מכל דבר רע אמן. ור"ת "יהי "מארת "ברקיע, בגימטריא ב"ן מדת מלכות שמים כנודע המבטל מלכותא חייבתא מן העולם לתקן עולם במלכות, והבן:

Agra DeKala, Bereshit 175

...