Commentary for Yoma 80:6

אמר רבא הכי קאמרי עלה הגורל בשמאל מהו שיחזירו לו ולשעירו לימין אמר להם אל תתנו מקום לצדוקים לרדות

The reason, then, [of his negative answer] is so as not to give an occasion for the Sadducees to rebel, but, without that, we would turn it, yet you said that the casting of the lots is indispensable, and since the left hand has determined its destination,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the Lord, even before the lot was actually placed on the he-goat.');">⁷</span> how can we turn it? - Raba answered: This is what they said: If the lot had come up in the left hand, may one change it and the he-goat to the right?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If the lot 'For the Lord' came up in the left hand so that the he-goat standing opposite the priest at his left hand was thereby designated a sin-offering for the Lord, that on the right being designated for Azazel, may he exchange the he-goats and the lots so that whereas the lot decided which is which, the manipulation will have afforded him the comfort of knowing that without formally changing the lots, the 'right one' will be designated for the Lord.');">⁸</span>

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