Two Goats, The

It makes sense that the goat offered to G-d should be the best and the nicest, but why does the scapegoat need to be perfect?

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

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

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

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.

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...

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.