ויקרא, פרק ט״ז, פסוק י׳

The central process of Yom Kippur presents a dramatic contrast between two identical goats. Their fates are decided at the sanctuary's entrance, sending them on completely opposite paths. One is sacrificed to God inside, elevated by its death, while the other remains physically whole but is banished from human settlement, carrying the sins of the people. The lot drawn from the box designating the goat for the wilderness is placed physically on its body [רד צ הופמן, אדרת אליהו].

The goat is positioned alive by others before God [רש״י, אבן עזרא, הכתב והקבלה, רד צ הופמן]. Emphasizing its living state actually hints at its ultimate end. Because the goat is dispatched to the desert, one might assume it is meant to roam freely. Therefore, it is stressed that it only remains alive while standing before God. The act of sending it away is specifically designed to bring about its death, as it is ultimately pushed off a mountain cliff and shattered [רש״י, מזרחי, חזקוני, ברכת אשר, רד צ הופמן]. Legally, this requirement to be alive sets strict time limits for the ceremony. The goat must survive at least until the blood of the sacrificed goat is sprinkled or until the verbal confession is completed. If it is killed by a wild animal or develops a disqualifying blemish after the lottery, it becomes invalid [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, חזקוני, אדרת אליהו, העמק דבר, פרדס יוסף].

Conceptually, the primary approach among commentators is that keeping the goat alive enables the atonement process. Unlike standard sacrifices where atonement is achieved through slaughter and the sprinkling of blood, this goat brings atonement while fully alive, relying entirely on a verbal confession. The High Priest presses his hands upon the goat's body and confesses, effectively transferring the sins of the people onto the animal [מזרחי, שפתי חכמים, ביאור יש״ר, הכתב והקבלה, שטיינזלץ]. Some add a deeper layer, noting that sin and impurity are equated with death. Before the confession, the goat is truly considered alive, but the moment it is burdened with the nation's transgressions, it is viewed as dead [אור החיים].

Once the sins are transferred, the goat is sent away. Even if an error occurs during the service, requiring additional pairs of goats to be brought and new lots to be drawn, only one single goat is ultimately sent into the desert [תורה תמימה, אדרת אליהו]. This banishment represents the removal of impurity and anger from the Israelites [בכור שור, שפתי כהן]. The task of leading the goat away is performed by an appointed agent who does not require special priestly garments [שפתי כהן].

The goat's final destination is a place of absolute desolation. The primary approach among commentators is that the destination refers to a harsh, steep, and rocky cliff devoid of vegetation, where the goat is thrown [רשב״ם, רלב״ג, מלבי״ם, אדרת אליהו]. Others view the name of the destination as a combination of words meaning stubbornness and disappearance. In this light, the goat symbolizes the physical and material urges that distance a person from God; because these urges have no lasting future, they are banished into the wasteland [רש ר הירש]. Another perspective connects this banishment to an atonement for the ancient sins of the fallen angels, Uza and Azael [מלבי״ם, אדרת אליהו]. Finally, the requirement to send the goat into a desert region was not limited to a specific era but applied throughout all generations and across all historical locations of the sanctuary, from the early Tabernacle to the permanent Temple in Jerusalem [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם].