Ziv: Parashat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim

the life of the flesh is in the blood

Our parasha (which is a double-parasha : Achrei-mot “after the death” and Kedoshim “saints”) begins immediately after the deaths of the two sons of Aaron that we studied two weeks ago in parachat Shemini. Indeed, last week’s parasha “Tazria-Metsora” (with the latter part of Shemini) makes a long parenthesis in the proceedings of the event of the deaths of Nadav and Avihu - a bridge between the first part of Leviticus, which deals with the services of the priests, and the last part of the book, which deals with a tabernacle which shall be “in the midst” of the children of Israel. At the end of the previous parasha, we read this fundamental instruction which shall serve as a foundation for the rest of the book : “Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst.” (Leviticus 15:31). This objective serves as a good introduction to the parasha “Kedoshim” where the main idea is “You shall be holy; for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:1). However, before the children of Israel can be instructed in holiness, the high-priest needs to atone from his own sins, those of his household and of all the people.

The Day of Atonement - Yom Kippur - is therefore instituted in our parasha, after the death of the two sons of Aaron : “and the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is upon the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat” (Leviticus 16:2). Aaron, and every high-priest after him, must offer the sacrifice of atonement once a year - the only time he is allowed within the Holy of Holies. On that day, the high-priest is dressed in simple clothes - linen clothes. He offers a bull for himself and his household and two male goats for the children of Israel. He “shall cast lots upon the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel” (Leviticus 16:8). The offering for the Lord is sacrificed and its blood serves to “make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel, and because of their transgressions, all their sins; and so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which abides with them in the midst of their uncleannesses” (Leviticus 16:16). However, the offering to “Azazel” shall “bear all their iniquities upon him to a solitary land; and he shall let the goat go in the wilderness” (Leviticus 16:22). According to tradition, Azazel has always been connoted with demons, the forces of evil : the “Yetzer HaRah” - some traditions even connect it with the fallen angels of Genesis 6.

Why these two offerings? The holy book of the Zohar, ponders this very question and notes that the goat “for Azazel” is not a name for any sacrifice, but it is “sent” or “let go” into the wilderness - the same verb used for Jacob when he sends gifts to his brother Esau. The first goat is offered with its blood to make atonement, since as we read later in the parasha “the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement, by reason of the life” (Leviticus 17:11), but the second is sent to appease the forces of evil which attack the soul of the people unceasingly. It is therefore “let go” in the wilderness - a desolate land - far from God and from life - a land that signifies death, carrying on himself all the sins of the people as testimony against the forces of death. Just as Esau - who wanted to kill Jacob and his household - the children of Israel - was appeased seeing the forces of life of those he wanted to kill coming at him, so the forces of evil leave the children of Israel alone on the day of atonement to be purified of their sins. Shabbat Shalom.