Parashat Acharei Mot-Kedoshim: Sending The Goat To Azazel
“He must take the two he-goats and place them before HaShem, outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Aharon must place lots upon the two he-goats, one lot for HaShem and the other lot for Azazel. Aharon must offer up the he-goat upon which the lot for HaShem came up by designating it as a sin-offering. The he-goat for which the lot for Azazel came up must be left standing alive before HaShem, to atone by confession on it and to send it away into the desert to Azazel.” (Leviticus 16:7-10)
“After he finishes effecting atonement for defilement of the Holy of Holies, the Tent of Meeting, and the Altar, he must bring the live he-goat. Aharon must lean both of his hands upon the live he-goat’s head and confess upon it all the Israelites’ willful transgressions, all their rebellions, and all their unintentional sins; he will place them on the he-goat’s head. He must send it off to the desert with a man readied for this task. The he-goat will carry upon itself all their sins to a precipitous land. In the desert, he must send the he-goat off to its death.” (Leviticus 16:20-22)
The Mishna (Yoma 67a) describes the dramatic moment: “What would he then do? He would cut the crimson sash in two parts. One part he would tie onto a boulder (as seen at right in the picture),” and it would turn from red to white, symbolizing the whitening of Israel’s sins. “The other part he would tie between the goat’s two horns. He would then push the goat backwards over the cliff.”
The sending of the goat to Azazel is described in the Rosh Hashanah prayers: “He pushed it backwards with both hands, and it would tumble down. It would not reach half the way down the mountainside before it was dashed to pieces. The kohen then says ‘May the sins of Your people Israel be thus smashed.’” Maimonides adds (Teshuva 1:2): “The goat that is sent off to Azazel is an atonement for all of Israel.”
** this article is from The Temple Institute FB
