9. Furthermore, they said: Every time that the righteous depart this world, there is likewise annulled from this world all the harsh decrees, and the death of the righteous brings forgiveness for the sins of the generation. Therefore, we read the portion dealing with the sons of Aaron on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) to bring forgiveness for the sins of Yisrael. The Holy One, blessed be He, says, 'Contemplate the death of these pious ones, and it will be accredited for you, as if you offered sacrifice this day to attain forgiveness.' We have learned that as long as Yisrael will be in exile and neither be able to offer offerings on this day nor will they be able to offer the two goats, they will at least have the memory of the two sons of Aaron. Thus, it will serve as atonement for them.

111. It is written, "And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats..." (Vayikra 16:8). Rabbi Aba came and asked: What where those lots for? Why did it require Aaron to place the lots? What is this Torah portion for? I have learned before my master the order OF THE YOM KIPPUR service, and also this matter I wish to know.

116. We have learned that "And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats." "Aaron shall cast," WHY ONLY AARON? Because he stems from the aspect of Chesed, AND THUS IS ABLE TO PERFECT MALCHUT WITH CHASSADIM. "Upon the two goats:" BEHOLD "upon" is to be understood precisely, HINTING ABOUT MALCHUT WHICH IS ABOVE THE TWO GOATS, so as to give fragrance to the Matron, DENOTING MALCHUT. "One lot for Hashem, and the other lot for Azazel" (Vayikra 16:8). HE QUESTIONS: These two goats SYMBOLIZE JUDGMENTS, so why should one of them be for Hashem? HE ANSWERS: The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Let one GOAT stay with Me and let the other wander around in the world, for if both joined together, the world would not be able to bear it.'

117. This GOAT comes out and roams around the world. It finds Yisrael performing various kinds of worship on various levels and a variety of good practices and it cannot overcome them. Among them all, peace reigns and the goat cannot commence to slander them, MEANING TO INSTIGATE AGAINST THEM. This goat is sent with the burden of all the sins of Yisrael.

118. We have learned that numerous bands of demons are ready under the authority OF THIS GOAT, prepared to spy out the land against all those transgressing the Torah, but on that day, YOM KIPPUR, it is unable to find words of slander against Yisrael. When this goat OF AZAZEL arrives at the mountain, multiple joys burst forth from it to all. Even he who pursued Judgment that emerged, NAMELY THE SUPERNAL GOAT, recants and speaks praise of Yisrael. The prosecutor has become the defense attorney, MEANING THE SLANDERER HAS NOW BECOME THE CHAMPION SPOKESMAN FOR YISRAEL.

119. Come and see not only this alone, but everywhere that Yisrael need to cleanse themselves their sin, the Holy One, blessed be He, gives them a plan to bind the accusers, SO THEY WILL NOT ACCUSE. It is also to pacify them through the means of sacrifices and burnt offerings that they offer before the Holy One, blessed be He. From then on, they are unable to cause harm and on that day, YOM KIPPUR, more than any other day, just as Yisrael below plead everyone delight, THROUGH THE TWO GOATS, so they all accusers. All of this is as a result of the sacrifice and the service of the Holy One, blessed be He.

120. We have learned that at that time it is written that Aaron "shall take the two goats..." (Vayikra 16:7), these TWO GOATS are stirred up that very day above. They wish TO JOIN TOGETHER, AS MENTIONED, to rule and to set out into the world. When the priest offers the two goats down below in the Temple, they are offered above, and when the lots are spread in every direction, the priest casts lots down below. Then the priest, WHO IS CHESED, casts the lots on high. Just as one remains with the Holy One, blessed be He, REFERRING TO THE ONE GOAT ALLOTTED TO HASHEM, below, and one, NAMELY THE GOAT OF AZAZEL, is brought out to the desert, so it is on high. One remains with the Holy One, blessed be He, IN THE CENTRAL COLUMN, and one goes out and wanders in the world into the desert on high, MEANING THE JUDGMENTS THAT BECOME REVEALED WITH THE EMERGENCE OF CHOCHMAH, WHICH ARE CONSIDERED OF THE ASPECT OF DESERT AND FOREBODING WILDERNESS. The one joins with another, MEANING THEY SHED LIGHT ONE UPON THE OTHER.

121. It is written, "And Aaron shall lay both his two hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him..." (Ibid. 21). Hence it is written, "And Aaron shall lay both his two hands," WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT AND LEFT COLUMNS so that the Holy One, blessed be He, THE CENTRAL COLUMN, will harmonize his hands. In "On the head of the live goat," "the live" is exact, AS IT COMES to include the goat above.

123. Rabbi Aba said to him: If so, behold it is written, "And they shall no more offer their sacrifices to the demons (also: 'goats')" (Vayikra 17:7), SO HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT THE GOAT OF AZAZEL CORRESPONDS WITH THE GOAT ABOVE? He answered him: Here things are different as there they used to offer sacrifices to goats, as it is not written: 'And they shall no more offer their sacrifices goats,' but rather "to the goats" as they worshipped goats AND GAVE THEM authority. Here ONLY "and the goat shall bear upon it all their iniquities" (Vayikra 16:22), and the sacrifice was made only for the Holy One, blessed be He. Come and see: as a result of this sacrifice, those on high and those below are perfumed, and Judgment neither dwells nor rules upon Yisrael.

127. Also here, "And shall send him away by the hand of an appointed man," MEANING THAT he is ready for this and marked for it. The priest recognized him, because one eye was slightly larger than the other, the skin above the eye, NAMELY THE EYELIDS, was covered by large hairs and the eye was blue-colored and looked squintingly. This is the person appointed for this matter, TO SEND THE GOAT TO AZAZEL, and he is fitting for this. Therefore, it is written, "By the hand of an appointed man."

129. We have learned this person would go WITH THE GOAT to the desert. When he arrived there with the goat, he would ascend the mountains, push the goat off with both hands and it would not even reach halfway through the mountain when its limbs would fall apart. That man would say: So may be blotted all the sins of Your people. THROUGH THIS, the prosecutors would turn to defend Yisrael. Then would the Holy One, blessed be He, take all sins of Yisrael, and all that is written with the verdicts on high, which mention the sins of men. And He would cast them out in this manner, AS THE GOAT WAS CAST OFF FROM THE MOUNTAIN, to a place called the depths of the sea, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF A PLACE OF DARKNESS AND OF THE JUDGMENTS OF THE LEFT THAT IS BENEATH MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED SEA. This is the meaning of the verse, "And You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Michah 7:19).

130. We have learned that "And he shall take from the congregation, of the children of Yisrael two kids of the goats for a sin offering" (Vayikra 16:5). THE VERSE SAYS, "from the congregation." THIS IS TO TEACH that they should buy it with everyone's MONEY, and atonement will thus come to all, as all sins of Yisrael are impending here and all will attain atonement from this act. THEREFORE, it is not enough TO TAKE MONEY from one person. From where is it taken? The money is taken from the public fund boxes in the sanctuary, and they bring THE GOATS with this money, which is the contributed property of everyone.

131. They make from the outset a sin offering of the other goat that remained before the Holy One, blessed be He, and we have already established to which place it is attached. Afterwards, they are sacrificed and all things become better, and Yisrael remain in the clear before the Holy One, blessed be He, from all sins committed. This is the essence of the verse, "For on that day will He forgive you..." (Vayikra 16:29).

132. Rabbi Shimon said, "And Jacob said to Rivkah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man" (Beresheet 27:11). What is this statement hinting at? Surely, Esau was a hairy (Heb. sa'ir) man, of him that is called goat (Heb. seir), WHICH IS THE OTHER SIDE, as it comes from the same aspect. "And I am a smooth (Heb. chalak) man," MEANING a man WHO WAS GIVEN (HEB. NECHELAK) from what He allotted (Heb. chalak) to the ministers of the other nations, as it is written, "Which Hashem your Elohim has allotted to all the nations" (Devarim 4:19) and, "For Hashem's portion (Hbe. chelek) is His people" (Devarim 32:9). Furthermore, "a smooth man" MEANS the two goats WERE PARTED and there remained one PORTION, which the priest divided (Heb. chilek). One went to the portion OF JACOB and one for the Holy One, blessed be He. Why? In order that THE GOAT carry upon its shoulders all Jacob's sins, as it is written, "And the goat shall bear upon it all their iniquities (Heb. avonotam)" (Vaykira 16:22). THESE COMPRISE THE LETTERS, Avonot (Eng. 'sins') tam (lit. 'a perfect man'), REFERRING TO THE SINS OF JACOB KNOWN AS THE PERFECT MAN.

134. Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd). It is commanded that the High Priest should perform the service of that day as need be, and should dispatch the goat to Azazel. The secret is as you said, in order THAT THE OTHER SIDE be separated from the Holy Nation and not make demands for their sins before the King. He should not accuse them, as he has neither strength nor authority but when anger is intensified above. With this gift OF THE GOAT TO AZAZEL, he is then converted to be their guardian. As a result he is banished from before the King. We established that this is so, because he represents the end of all flesh.

135. The Holy Nation gives to him what is needed for him, NAMELY a goat (Heb. seir). This is the secret of "Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy (Heb. sa'ir) man" (Beresheet 27:11), AS HE IS AN ASPECT OF THE OTHER SIDE. IT CONTAINS MALE AND FEMALE CHARACTERISTICS, and just as in the side of holiness there is male and female, so too in the side of defilement there exist a male and female. A popular saying goes like this: Throw a bone to a dog and he will lick the dust off your feet; HERE ALSO, WE GIVE TO THE OTHER SIDE A GOAT AND HE IS CONVERTED TO BE A DEFENDER.

137. Hence, we need on this day to throw a bone to the dog, MEANING THE GOAT OF AZAZEL. While he is dragging THE BONE, people may enter the palace of the King and no one dares to stop them, FOR THE ACCUSER IS PREOCCUPIED WITH HIS GIFT. Afterwards, he will still be wagging his tail, MEANING HE WILL BECOME A DEFENDER.

138. It is written, "And confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Yisrael" (Vayikra 16:21) and "the goat shall bear upon it all their iniquities" (Ibid. 22). When THE OTHER SIDE sees this goat, his desire towards it IS AROUSED to be with it, and he does not know which of the sins the goat took upon himself. He then returns to Yisrael and sees that they are free and clear of sins and blemishes, as all sins are upon the head of the goat. He ascends and praises them before the Holy One, blessed be He. The Holy One, blessed be He, pays attention to the testimony of the accuser and, since His desire is to have mercy on His people, He extends mercy to Yisrael even though He is aware of all that transpired.

254. After THE DEMONS go with them through the world, they return them to their graves and they see body worms picking at THEIR flesh. THE SOULS mourn for them, FOR THE BODIES. These sorcerers go to the cemeteries and perform their sorcery, make an image of a human form and slaughter before it a goat. Later, they bring that goat to that grave and that image they shatter to four directions and raise it to the four corners of the grave. Then they perform their sorcery. All these groups assemble with evil kinds and bring this soul, which enters the grave, and speaks with them.