Siman - Yoma Daf 67
- הרי מזון הרי מים
The next Mishnah describes the Ish Iti’s trek to the Azazel cliff, where ten sukkos were set up intermittently along the way. על כל סוכה וסוכה אומרין לו "הרי מזון והרי מים" – At each sukkah they would say to him, “Here is food and here is drink.” It was taught in a Baraisa, מעולם לא הוצרך אדם לכך – No one ever had a need for this food and drink. So why did they offer it to him? אלא שאינו דומה מי שיש לו פת בסלו למי שאין לו פת בסלו – Rather, it was offered because the hunger of one who has bread in his basket does not compare to the hunger of one who does not have bread in his basket.
- Where the strip of red wool was tied
It was taught in a Baraisa, that originally, they would tie the loshon shel zehoris on the doorway of the Ulam, on the outside, הלבין היו שמחין – If it turned white, they rejoiced, לא הלבין היו עצבין ומתביישין – but if it did not turn white, they were despondent and ashamed. They therefore instituted that they should tie it on the door of the Ulam, on the inside, ועדיין היו מציצין ורואין – but people would still peek in and see what happened to it. התקינו שיהיו קושרין אותו חציו בסלע וחציו בין קרניו – they therefore instituted that they should tie half of the strip on a rock and half of the strip on the goat’s horns. Rebbe Nachum bar Pappa said in the name of Rebbe Elazar Hakappar: Originally, they would tie the strip of red wool on the door of the Ulam, on the inside וכיון שהגיע שעיר למדבר היה מלבין וידעו שנעשית מצותו – and as soon as the goat reached the wilderness and was pushed off the cliff, the strip would turn white, and they knew that the mitzvah of the se’ir was completed, as it says in the passuk, אם יהיו חטאיכם כשנים כשלג ילבינו – If your sins will be like crimson, they will become white like snow.
- The meaning of Azazel
It was taught in a Baraisa: "עזאזל" שיהא עז וקשה – The term “Azazel” indicates that the mountain should be harsh and rugged. Rashi explains that the word "אל" is strong. It might be thought that the se’ir can be sent to a mountain in a populated place, the Torah therefore states, "במדבר" – in the wilderness. ומנין שבצוק – And from where do we know that it must be a cliff? The Torah therefore states "גזירה", meaning, cut sharply, such as a cliff. A Baraisa was taught in the yeshivah of Rebbe Yishmael, "עזאזל" שמכפר על מעשה עוזא ועזאל – the term “Azazel” indicates that it atones for the act of Uza and Aza'el. Rashi explains that this refers to the two malachim of destruction who descended to earth in the days of Naamah, the sister of Tuval Kayin, and proceeded to cohabit with the daughters of man. They represent the sin of adultery, for which the se’ir comes to atone.
