An appointed man

124. We have learned about "and shall send him away by the hand of an appointed man into the wilderness" (Vayikra 16:21). What is meant by appointed? HE ANSWERS: The secret of the matter is as follows. Whatever needs to be done, THE DOER needs to be ready to do it. There are people through whom the blessing comes true more than through others. THE REASON IS DUE TO HIS PREPARATION FOR THE MATTER. Come and see what is written about the priest. "He that has a good eye shall be blessed" (Mishlei 22:9). Do not read 'shall be blessed,' but rather 'He shall bless.' As a result of his good eye, he is ready so that the blessing will thus prevail through him.

125. There is a man who is fit for curses to occur through him. Wherever he looks, there would be curses, anathemas and confusions. For example, Bilaam was called evil-eyed, as he was ready for every evil but not prepared for good. Even when he blessed, his blessing was no blessing and it was not fulfilled. But when he cursed, it prevailed; even in one instance IT WOULD COME TO BE. Therefore, it is written, "Whose eyes are open," (Bemidbar 24:3). Every place his eye had seen was cursed.

126. Come and see what is written, "But he set his face toward the wilderness" (Ibid. 1) for the purpose of arousing the force that rules there, NAMELY THE OTHER SIDE, so it should come slandering and denouncing Yisrael. It is written of the priests, "He that has a good eye shall be blessed," as he is ready for this and the blessing prevails where he aims his eyes. As a result, we have learned that a person should turn away even from one hundred ways and avoid meeting someone who has an evil eye.

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."

128. In Gush Chalav, there was a person that would kill wherever he struck with his hand, and people would not approach him. In Syria, there was a person that wherever he looked, even if he meant well, everything would turn to bad. One day, there was a person going to the market and his face was aglow, so that person came and stared at him and his eye burst. Hence, in all THINGS, EITHER GOOD OR BAD, there is someone fit for either the one or the other. Consequently, the verse says, "He that has a good eye shall be blessed." Do not pronounce it: 'shall be blessed,' but 'shall bless.'

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).