Kabbalah Imamat 16:6: Zohar

R. Abba came and asked him: It is written, AND AARON SHALL CAST LOTS UPON THE TWO GOATS. What, he asked, is the meaning of these lots, and why had Aaron to cast them? R. Simeon began his reply by citing the verse: “And he took from them Simeon and bound him before their eyes” (Gen. 42, 24) ‘Why did Joseph take Simeon rather than any other one of the brothers? The reason was that Joseph said to himself: Simeon and Levi everywhere open the door to judgement. So it was with me and so it was with Shechem. It is therefore meet that I should take this one so that he should not rouse contention among all the tribes. The question has also been asked why Simeon associated himself with Levi rather than, say, with Reuben, who was also his full brother. The reason was that he saw that Levi came from the side of judgement and he himself was attached to the side of stern judgement. He therefore thought that if Levi joined him they would be able to conquer the world. What then did God do? He took Levi for his portion, and made Simeon isolated. We have learnt that on the side of the Mother there are two emissaries attached to her left hand who roam about the world to spy it out. Now Israel are God’s portion, and from His great love for them He gave them one day in the year to cleanse and purify them from all their sins, and therefore on this day they are crowned and are safe from all executioners and all hostile emissaries. It is written that Aaron shall cast lots upon the two he-goats. Why is one of these for the Lord? Because God said, Let one abide by me and the other roam about the world; for if the two were combined the world would not be able to stand against them. The second one therefore goes forth, and when he finds Israel absorbed in religious service and pious deeds and all at peace with one another he can see no opportunity to bring a charge against them. We have learnt that there are many demons under his control, whose office it is to spy out the earth for those who transgress the commands of the Law; but on that day there is no opening for any accusation against Israel. When that he-goat reaches the rock (of Azazel) there is great rejoicing and the emissary who went forth to accuse returns and declares the praises of Israel, the accuser becoming the defender. And not only on this day, but whenever Israel desire to be cleansed of their sins, God shows them how to restrain the accusers by means of the offerings which are brought before the Holy One, blessed be He, and then they cannot harm. But this day is more efficacious than all; and just as Israel appease all below, so all those who have accusations to bring (above) are appeased, though all the service is to the Holy One. We have learnt that at the hour of which it is written that Aaron should take the two he-goats, all those (accusers) above rouse themselves and seek to go forth into the world, and when Aaron brings near those below those above are also brought near. The lots are then produced for both sides; and as the priest casts lots below so the Priest casts lots above; and just as below one is left for the Holy One and one is thrust out to the wilderness, so above one remains with the Holy One, blessed be He, and one goes forth into the supernal wilderness; so the two are connected. It is written later: AND AARON SHALL LAY HIS TWO HANDS ON THE HEAD OF THE LIVE GOAT AND CONFESS OVER HIM, ETC. He must use both hands in order that the Holy One may concur with him. The he-goat is called “live”, to include the one above. The words “over him” mean that the sins shall all be left on the goat.’ R. Abba asked how this could be reconciled with the verse which says, “And they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices unto the he-goats after which they go a-whoring” (Lev. 17, 7). He replied: ‘It does not say there that they should not sacrifice he-goats, but to he-goats. So here, the goat bore on itself all their iniquities, but the offering was brought only to the Holy One, blessed be He, and through the offering upper and lower are appeased and judgement has no sway over Israel.

‘AND SHALL SEND HIM AWAY BY THE HAND OF A MAN THAT IS IN READINESS. The words “in readiness” contain a hint that for every kind of action there are men specially fitted. There are others, again, who are specially fitted for the transmission of curses, and curses light wherever they cast their eyes. Such was Balaam, who was the fitting instrument of evil and not of good, and even when he blessed his blessing was not confirmed, but all his curses were confirmed, because he had an evil eye. Hence, as we have learnt, a man should turn aside a hundred times in order to avoid a man with an evil eye. So here, “a man that is in readiness” means a man who is marked out by nature for this service. The priest was able to tell such a man because he had one eye slightly larger than the other, shaggy eyebrows, bluish eyes and a crooked glance. This was the kind of man fitted for such a task. In Gush Halba¹=Gischala, in Galilee. there was a man whose hands brought death to whatever they touched, and none would come near him. In Syria there was a man whose look always brought ill hap, even though he meant it for good. One day a man was walking in the street with a beaming countenance when this man looked at him and his eye was knocked out. Thus different men are fitted either for one thing or the other. Hence it is written, “He that hath a good eye shall be blessed” (Prov. 22, 9), or, as we should rather read by a change in the vowelling (yebarech for yeborach), “shall bless”. We have learnt that the man who took the goat to the wilderness used to go up on a mountain and push it down with both his hands, and before it was half way down all its bones were broken,¹v. T. B. Yoma, 67a. and the man used to say: “So may the iniquities of thy people be wiped out”, etc. And when the accuser of Israel was thus made into its advocate, the Holy One, blessed be He, took all the sins of Israel and all the records of them above and threw them into the place called “depths of the sea”, as it is written: “Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Mic. 7, 19).