Azazel

There’s a caveat here, something you really have to know: You can’t send a goat away unless you first take ownership of it.

The scapegoat has been a laughingstock, fodder for the scoffers, since time immemorial. Even the Talmud singles out the scapegoat – from amongst all the sacrifices – as a potential source of derision.

There is another difference, which explains why Judaism is overwhelmingly a guilt rather than a shame culture.

There are two ways to view human life, as mutually exclusive as they are fundamental. Our existence is either a result of intention, or of accident. And the corollary follows directly: Either our lives are meaningful, or they are not...

The power of ritual is that it does not speak in abstractions – reason versus emotion, instinctual deferral rather than gratification

Why two identical animals whose fate, so different, was decided by the drawing of a lot? And who or what was Azazel?

Before the scapegoat was taken into the wilderness, “Aaron the High Priest placed his hands upon its head and confessed all the sins of the Jewish People." (Leviticus 16:21) The verse is written "yado" meaning "his hand," the way we recite it, however, is...

Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, when we are closest to G‑d and most connected to the essence of our souls.

And Aaron shall place lots upon the two he goats: one lot "For the L-rd," and the other lot, "For Azazel." And Aaron shall bring the he goat upon which the lot, "For the L-rd," came up, and designate it as a sin offering. And the he goat upon which the lo...

Artist Statement: The Kohen Gadol and the goats - part of the Yom Kippur Temple service.