Acharei Mot 5771

This week's parsha is also read during Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, because it describes the duties of Aharon, the High Priest, on that day. "He should take the two male goats and place them before G-d at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Aharon should place lots upon the two goats; one lot "for G-d" and the other lot "for Azazel" (a high cliff.) Aharon should bring the male goat upon which the lot "for G-d" came up and designate it as a sin offering. The male goat upon which the lot "for Azazel" came up should be placed before G-d while it is still alive, to [confess on it] atoning [for the Jewish people before it is] sent away to the high cliff in the desert."

When Aharon enters the Inner Sanctuary, he is told to bring sin offerings for himself and his household, and for all the people of Israel. For himself, he is to bring a bull; for the people, two male goats. Standing at the entrance to the Sanctuary, he is to mark the goats. One of the goats will be "for G-d" and the other "for Azazel," as the scapegoat for the mistakes and errors the people have committed. When the ritual is completed, the male goat marked "for Azazel" is brought to Aharon. He places his hands on it and confesses all the wrongdoings of the people. The goat is then sent off into the wilderness. The Rambam (Maimonides) explains that the scapegoat is an allegory meant to make the sinner understand that sinning inevitably leads to a wasteland.

Toras Menachem explains: Every sin has a two-fold implication: its effect on the sinner (spiritual regression needing atonement); and the existence of the sin, an evil entity that adds to the collective evil in the world. According to Rambam, the scapegoat has the power to atone both for the sins themselves and for the effect on the sinner. Rambam also writes that now that the Holy Temple no longer exists, [and we cannot sacrifice scapegoats], only teshuva (repentance) can atone for sins. On Yom Kippur, we confess as a community and ask for atonement.

Many parents, it seems, have a phantom child named Not Me. "Who did this?" a parent asks. "Not Me," answers the child. Like the scapegoat for Azazel, "Not Me" takes the blame any time the children refuse to admit they have misbehaved. It is up to us as parents to teach our children to acknowledge when they have made a mistake, to take blame and responsibility for their actions, and to suffer the age-appropriate consequences. We must let them know that no matter what they have done, they do not have to be afraid to tell us, because we love them unconditionally. While we parents may be disappointed in our children's poor choices, we must be proud of our children's willingness to admit mistakes and to correct them.