ויקרא, פרק ט״ז, פסוק ח׳

At the absolute climax of the Day of Atonement service, the fate of two physically identical goats is determined entirely by a blind drawing of lots. One is designated as an offering to God, while the other is sent into the wilderness to carry away the sins of the people. The deliberate use of lots strips away human choice, placing the decision entirely in the hands of Divine providence. To ensure the process was completely random and free from human manipulation, the lots had to be identical in size and material, preventing the High Priest from distinguishing between them by touch [ספורנו, רלב״ג, מלבי״ם]. Standing between the two goats, the High Priest would reach into a box, draw the lots simultaneously, and place one on each animal's head, with the precise procedure ensuring that only a single lot rested on each goat [תורה תמימה]. Bypassing human logic, this reliance on lots captures the very essence of repentance—a supernatural process where humanity entirely submits to Divine will [חומש קה״ת].

The wilderness destination of the second goat has generated diverse interpretations spanning the physical, symbolic, and mystical realms. The primary approach among commentators is geographic [רש״י, שפתי חכמים, בכור שור], identifying the location as a harsh, towering, and steep cliff in the desolate wilderness where the goat would be shattered. On a conceptual level, this represents the total destruction and eradication of sin, akin to casting wrongdoings into the depths of the sea [שד״ל, רד״צ הופמן]. Other perspectives view the banishment as a deliberate act of degradation. Because ancient cultures often worshipped demons and idols associated with goats, treating this animal as an object of contempt and banishing it served to uproot such beliefs, educating the people to distance themselves from idolatry [הכתב והקבלה]. Additionally, the act hints at atonement for sins of immorality, reflecting the corrupt actions of the fallen angels Uza and Azael [תורה תמימה].

Beyond the physical and symbolic, a profound mystical tradition exists, initially hinted at by [אבן עזרא] and expanded upon by [רמב״ן] alongside others [תולדות יצחק, כלי יקר, רבינו בחיי]. In this framework, the wilderness destination is linked to Samael, the spiritual prince of destruction and the heavenly accuser. On the Day of Atonement, when this accusing force seeks to condemn the Israelites, providing him with a sin-bearing goat acts as a sort of bribe. When Samael sees the people fasting, barefoot, and free of sin like angels, he transforms from an accuser into a defender, praising them before God. This dynamic is compared to the two goats Jacob prepared for Isaac; one represented Jacob's spiritual essence, while the other was meant to appease the material, destructive nature of his brother Esau [כלי יקר].

However, commentators emphatically stress that this is in no way a sacrifice to a demonic force or foreign deity. To clarify this, [רמב״ן] offers a parable of a king hosting a grand feast who commands the host to serve a portion to one of the royal servants. The host provides the meal not out of reverence for the servant, but strictly to fulfill the king's decree, ensuring the servant will praise the king. This mystical understanding reveals the absolute necessity of using lots. If the High Priest were to verbally dedicate one goat to God and the other to a destructive force, it would appear as though he were vowing an offering to a foreign entity. Instead, both goats stand before God as His property. The High Priest decides nothing; he merely casts the lots, and God's hand distributes the portions. God claims one portion for Himself and directs the other to His servant, thereby preserving absolute monotheism while successfully bearing away the people's sins and silencing the forces of strict judgment.