Komentarz do Kapłańska 16:21

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

AND HE SHALL PUT THEM UPON THE HEAD OF THE GOAT. Such an expression is not used with reference to the bullock of Aaron [over which he confessed his own sins and those of the other priests], nor in relation to the goat of the sin-offering of the Eternal, nor regarding the leaning of hands upon any of the offerings. This is because all offerings were brought for acceptance upon the fires of G-d⁸⁴Above, 4:35; 5:12. [which burnt on the altar], and thus they effected pardon and atonement. But this [goat that was sent away to Azazel], since it was not for G-d, and the recipient thereof [i.e. Sammael] has no power to offer atonement or pardon, therefore the goat merely carries the people’s sins away, and [the accusing angel] must answer “Amen” against his will.¹⁰⁵See Ramban above, Verse 8 [in connection with the quote from the Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer about Sammael]. The particular expression of Ramban here is based upon a Rabbinic tradition (Shabbath 119 b) that two ministering angels, one good and one bad, accompany a person on the eve of the Sabbath on his way from the synagogue to his home. If the house is in order, the light is kindled, and peace reigns throughout, the good angel says, “May it be so on the next Sabbath as well,” and the bad angel answers “Amen” against his will, etc. When the Israelites are free from all sins and transgressions [as after the moment of confession of sins over the goat sent to Azazel], he indeed carries their sins away, as is mentioned in many verses in the Torah¹⁰⁶E.g., thou shalt set the blessing upon Mount Gerizim, and the curse upon Mount Ebal (Deuteronomy 11:29). and the prophets. This then is [the meaning of the expression], and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities.¹⁰⁷Verse 22. That was the reason why the thread of crimson wool¹⁰⁸A thread of crimson wool was tied on the head of the goat as soon as the lot determined that it was to be sent to Azazel (Yoma 41 b). When the person who brought it there finally arrived at the ravine, he divided the threat and tied one half to the rock and the other half between the horns of the goat (ibid., 67a). There was also a thread of crimson wool tied to the door of the Sanctuary (ibid., 68 b). At the moment of the fulfillment of the Divine command concerning this goat, the threads miraculously turned white as a sign of the Divine forgiveness, as it is said, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18) (Yoma 68 b). turned white at the time when the goat was sent away to Azazel, i.e., at the moment that he pushed it over the cliff, when it was broken in pieces, as is mentioned in the words of the Sages.¹⁰⁹Ibid., 67 a.

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

...elsewhere the sinner’s or his representative the High Priest’s placing his hands with all his weight on the animal offered as the sin offering is designed to regain the goodwill of Hashem for the sinner or sinners. In this instance (compare Shabbat 119) the scapegoat reluctantly agrees to carry the sins of the Israelites and says Amen.

איש עתי, “a man designated for this particular task.” Our sages understand the word איש in this instance to mean that even a non-priest was fit for this task (Yuma 66). The word עתי means that even if the man was in a state of ritual impurity (temporarily) this did not disqualify him for this task. The man, even if impure, was allowed to enter the courtyard of the Temple in order to dispatch the scapegoat. The word עתי also means that the procedure transcends the laws of the Sabbath. The Torah means that if for some reason that scapegoat takes sick, the designated man may carry him to its destination on his shoulder. If the animal remained in good health it most certainly could be carried on the Sabbath as it is not forbidden to carry animals capable of walking, on the Sabbath. Even if the animal is sick and therefore as if tied up, unable to walk, the procedure is carried out on the Sabbath. All this is part of the meaning of the word עתי.

Who is prepared. The Toras Kohanim says: עתי, that he should be prepared. Radak’s explanation for the root עת, says that he is called עתי because he was accustomed in going there many times (עתים).

את שתי ידיו, “both of his hands;” once the word שתי has been used here with the word for hands being in the plural, this is to teach us that whenever the word appears in the plural mode both hands are meant, without the word שתי needing to be written.

והתודה עליו, “and he will confess over him;” how precisely does he word his confession? He recites the following words: אנא השם חטאו ועוו ופשעו בני ישראל, “the Children of Israel committed inadvertent sins, deliberate sins as well as sins reflecting their obstinacy against the Lord;” the people in turn will respond by saying that this was all true, and that they now blessed the glory of the Lord G-d. Thus far they had only confessed sins that they knew they had been guilty of. How do we know that their confession included sinful acts committed against their will through circumstances beyond their control, as well as possible sins that they had not even been aware of? This is covered by the word: כל עונות, “ail manner of sins.”The scapegoat that is thrown off the rock on the Day of Atonement results in atonement for sins committed by trespassing on holy grounds and abusing for personal use holy objects or foods reserved for consumption by the priests, etc.. It covers all manner of sins committed regardless of how severe the penalty for these sins if not repented. (Sifra)

ביד איש עתי, “by the hand of a man especially (temporarily) appointed for this task.”According to a Midrashnot found) the word: עתי, “which could be translated as: “whose time had come,” this is someone who was destined to die before this year is out. This would account for the fact that it was noticed that the man who had been entrusted with this task never lived out that year. [A well known commentator, author < of k’lee yakar, written several hundred years after that of our author, by the name of Shlomoh Efrayin ben Aharon, quotes this commentary, but attributes it to our author. Ed.] We must assume that in those days people used astrology to determine who was not destined to live out the year.

To the desert. The connotation is that he should go freely in the desert … In any case, the verse does not depart from its plain meaning, and the sending works in one of two ways. If the generation merits, the goat goes down to a desolate land, as found in Targum Yonason. If the generation is not worthy, the opposite happens, and the goat strengthens itself and flees to the desert, as it says in the Yerushalmi: “All the days that Shimon HaTzaddik was alive the goat would break up into its limbs before it reached even half the mountain, but after Shimon HaTzaddik died it would flee to the desert and the nomads would eat it”.