Yoma 134

דכתיב (ויקרא טז, כב) במדבר ומאן דאמר אסורין דכתיב (ויקרא טז, כב) גזירה

For it is written: 'in the wilderness';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVI, 22. This phrase is superfluous and comes to teach that just as the wilderness belongs to all so are the broken limbs of the he-goat it contains free for the use of all.');">¹</span> the one who holds they are forbidden [argues]: Because Scripture says: cut off.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. i.e., cut off from use, forbidden.');">²</span> But as for him who considers them forbidden, for what purpose does he use the word 'wilderness'?

ומאן דאמר אסורין האי מדבר מאי עביד ליה מיבעי ליה לכדתניא (ויקרא טז, י) המדברה (ויקרא טז, י) המדברה (ויקרא טז, כב) במדבר לרבות נוב וגבעון שילה ובית עולמים

He needs it in accord with what was taught: 'Into the wilderness', 'to the wilderness', 'in the wilderness',<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. vv. 10, 21, 22.');">³</span> that means to include Nob, Gibeon, and Shiloh and the Permanent House.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., The Jerusalem Temple. The law applies to all these places.');">⁴</span> And what does the other [teacher] do with 'cut off'? - He needs it, in accord with what was taught: Gezerah,'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Hebrew for the 'cut off'.');">⁵</span>

ואידך האי גזירה מאי עביד ליה מיבעי ליה לכדתניא גזירה אין גזירה אלא חתוכה דבר אחר אין גזירה אלא דבר המתגזר ויורד

[the term] 'gezerah' means something that is 'cut off';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., something that rises steep, and not in a slope.');">⁶</span> another explanation: Gezerah means something that goes to pieces as it goes down; another interpretation: 'gezerah'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The root meaning of the word is: cut off, guard. Thus: to institute a preventive measure, to enact a prohibition, to decree. All these root-meanings are here brought into play: It is 'cut off', hence descending precipitately. - It is cut, 'split', hence dashed in pieces. - It is a decree, divine, hence no criticism is allowed.');">⁷</span> - perhaps you might say this is a vain thing?

דבר אחר גזירה שמא תאמר מעשה תהו הוא ת"ל אני ה' אני ה' גזרתיו ואין לך רשות להרהר בהן

Therefore the text reads: I am the Lord, I have decreed<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The root meaning of the word is: cut off, guard. Thus: to institute a preventive measure, to enact a prohibition, to decree. All these root-meanings are here brought into play: It is 'cut off', hence descending precipitately. - It is cut, 'split', hence dashed in pieces. - It is a decree, divine, hence no criticism is allowed.');">⁷</span> it and you are not permitted to criticize it. Raba said: The view of him who says they are permitted is more reasonable, for the Torah did not say 'Send away'! to create [possibility of] offence.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' It would be an offence for an unwary man who found them to make use of these animals, and the Torah would place no such stumbling-block in the way of the average person. Hence the assumption that the members of the goat's body are free to be used.');">⁸</span>

אמר רבא מסתברא כמאן דאמר מותרין לא אמרה תורה שלח לתקלה

Our Rabbis taught: Azazel - it should be hard and rough.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Az and el mean strong, irresistible, impudent.');">⁹</span> One might have assumed that it is to be in inhabited land, therefore the text reads: 'In the wilderness'. But whence do we know that it [is to be in] a Zok?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Zok means a mountain peak; it may be the special name of the mountain whence the he-goat was flung down.');">¹⁰</span>

תנו רבנן עזאזל שיהא עז וקשה יכול בישוב ת"ל במדבר ומנין שבצוק ת"ל גזירה תניא אידך עזאזל קשה שבהרים וכן הוא אומר (יחזקאל יז, יג) ואת אילי הארץ לקח

- Therefore the text reads: 'Cut off'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Supra p. 315, n. 7.');">¹¹</span> Another [Baraitha] taught: Azazel, i.e., the hardest of mountains, thus also does it say: And the mighty [ele] of the land he took away.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XVII, 13.');">¹²</span> The School of R'Ishmael taught: Azazel - [it was so called] because it obtains atonement for the affair of Uza and<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' This is a reference to the legend of fallen angels, based partly on Gen. VI, 4 and also on foreign lore. V. Jung, L. 'Fallen Angels in Jewish, Christian and Mohammedan literature'.');">¹³</span>

תנא דבי ר' ישמעאל עזאזל שמכפר על מעשה עוזא ועזאל

Aza'el. - Our Rabbis taught: Mine ordinances shall ye do,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVIII, 4.');">¹⁴</span>

ת"ר (ויקרא יח, ד) את משפטי תעשו דברים שאלמלא (לא) נכתבו דין הוא שיכתבו ואלו הן עבודת כוכבים וגלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים וגזל וברכת השם

i.e., such commandments which, if they were not written [in Scripture], they should by right have been written and these are they: [the laws concerning] idolatry [star-worship], immorality and bloodshed, robbery and blasphemy. And My statutes shall ye keep,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVIII, 4.');">¹⁴</span> i.e., such commandments to which Satan objects, they are [those relating to] the putting on of sha'atnez,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A web of wool and linen, v. Deut. XXII, 11. All the laws mentioned in this group cannot be explained rationally; they are to be taken on faith, as the decree of God.');">¹⁵</span>

את חוקותי תשמרו דברים שהשטן משיב עליהן ואלו הן אכילת חזיר ולבישת שעטנז וחליצת יבמה וטהרת מצורע ושעיר המשתלח ושמא תאמר מעשה תוהו הם ת"ל (ויקרא יח, ל) אני ה' אני ה' חקקתיו ואין לך רשות להרהר בהן

the halizah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The ceremony of taking off the brother-in-law's shoe, v. Deut. XXV, 5ff.');">¹⁶</span> [performed] by a sister-in-law, the purification of the leper, and the he-goat-to-be-sent-away. And perhaps you might think these are vain things, therefore Scripture says: I am the Lord,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVIII, 4.');">¹⁴</span>

אימתי מטמא בגדים ת"ר המשלח מטמא בגדים ואין השולח את המשלח מטמא בגדים

i.e., I, the Lord have made it a statute and you have no right to criticize it. FROM WHEN ON DOES IT RENDER HIS GARMENTS UNCLEAN? Our Rabbis taught: Only he who is to take the goat away renders his garments unclean, but he who sends the appointed man away<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e.,those who accompany him.');">¹⁷</span>

יכול משיצא חוץ לחומת עזרה ת"ל המשלח אי המשלח יכול עד שיגיע לצוק תלמוד לומר והמשלח הא כיצד משיצא חוץ לחומת ירושלים דברי ר' יהודה

does not render his garments unclean. One might have assumed that [he does so] as soon as he goes forth outside from the wall of the Temple court, therefore the text reads: He that letteth go.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVI, 26.');">¹⁸</span> If [you derive from] 'he that letteth go' [one might infer that] only when he reaches Zok, therefore the text reads: 'And he that letteth go'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [This argument is not clear. v. Rashi. Tosef. (Yoma III) reads: One might have assumed as soon as he goes forth outside the wall of the Temple court, therefore the text reads: 'For Azazel shall wash his clothes'. If 'for Azazel shall wash his clothes', I might [infer] only when he reaches Zok etc.]');">¹⁹</span>

רבי יוסי אומר עזאזל וכבס עד שהגיע לצוק ר' שמעון אומר (ויקרא טז, כו) והמשלח את השעיר לעזאזל יכבס בגדיו זורקו בבת ראש ומטמא בגדים

How then is it? R'Judah says: As soon as he goes out of the walls of Jerusalem. R'Jose says: Azazel and wash [are written in close proximity] i.e., only when he reaches the Zok.

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> בא לו אצל פר ושעיר הנשרפין קרען והוציא את אימוריהן נתנן במגיס והקטירן על גבי המזבח

R'Simeon says: And he that letteth go the goat for Azazel shall wash his clothes, i.e., he flings it down headlong and his garments become then unclean. <big><b>MISHNAH: </b></big>HE [THE HIGH PRIEST] CAME TO THE BULLOCK AND THE HE-GOAT THAT WERE TO BE BURNT,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 27: And they shall burn in the fire their skin, and their flesh.');">²⁰</span> HE CUT THEM OPEN AND TOOK OUT THE SACRIFICIAL PORTIONS<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. IV, 8-10.');">²¹</span>

קלען במקלעות והוציאן לבית השריפה ומאימתי מטמאין בגדים משיצאו חוץ לחומת העזרה ר' שמעון אומר משיצית האור ברובן

AND PUT THEM ON A TRAY, AND BURNT THEM UPON THE ALTAR'HE TWISTED THEM [THE BEASTS] AROUND CARRYING POLES AND BROUGHT THEM OUT TO THE PLACE OF BURNING. FROM WHAT TIME DO THEY RENDER GARMENTS UNCLEAN?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Lev. XVI, 28.');">²²</span> AFTER THEY HAVE GONE OUTSIDE THE WALL OF THE TEMPLE COURT.

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> והקטירן סלקא דעתך אלא אימא להקטירן על גבי מזבח

R'SIMEON SAYS: FROM THE MOMENT THE FIRE HAS TAKEN HOLD OF MOST OF THEM. <big><b>GEMARA: </b></big>And he burnt them up? How could that thought arise in you?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That took place much later.');">²³</span>

קלען במקלעות אמר רבי יוחנן כמין קליעה תנא לא היה מנתחן ניתוח בשר עולה אלא עור על גבי בשר מנא הני מילי דתניא רבי אומר נאמר כאן עור ובשר ופרש ונאמר להלן (ויקרא טז, כז) עור ובשר ופרש

- Rather say: To burn them [later] on the altar. HE TWISTED THEM AROUND CARRYING POLES: R'Johanan said: So in the form of a net-work. - A Tanna taught: He did not cut them up as one cuts up the flesh of a burnt-offering, but [he left] the skin on the flesh. Whence do we know this? Because It was taught:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Zeb. 50a.');">²⁴</span> Rabbi said: It is said here: skin. flesh. dung<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lev. XVI, 27.');">²⁵</span> and it is said there: skin. flesh. and dung<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With reference to the bullock brought by an anointed priest for a sin-offering. Ibid. IV, 11.');">²⁶</span>