Parashat Acharei Mot (Leviticus 16:1-18:30)

Acharei Mot begins with instructions for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It is one of the most important days of the year, and from our reading we can see the how atonement and forgiveness are granted for the nation of Israel. Often, we often fail to notice the details of the Yom Kippur service and exactly what is going on. There are two specific things that we need to realize about this ritual. The first involves the function of the two goats, and the second involves exactly what could and couldn’t be forgiven. Let’s begin by understanding the purpose of each of these animals.

Of the two goats of the Yom Kippur service, the goat that was designated l’Adonai, “for the LORD,” was slaughtered for the sanctification of the Tabernacle/Temple and all its furnishings:

Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. Thus he shall 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 dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. (Leviticus 16:15–16)

Although this goat was considered a chata’at, a sin offering, it only functioned to cleanse the Holy House from the impurities of the Children of Israel that had accumulated during the previous year. It did not actually remove sin from the people. However, the goat that was designated l’Azazel, “for Azazel,” quite literally took away the sins of the Children of Israel when it was sent into the wilderness:

Parashat Metzorah (Leviticus 14:1-15:33)

The first full chapter in Parashat Metzora is a continuation of the instructions regarding the metzora (the person who has tzara’at—biblical leprosy) from our previous portion, Parashat Tazria. In both of these readings our modern senses are immediately assaulted. Why do we read chapter after chapter of gross, or even embarrassing, details of skin diseases and bodily functions? After all, we live in a modern world where all of those type of things are handled privately and confidentially with one’s medical practitioner. Why are these detailed and meticulous laws concerning tzara’at important? They are actually a reminder of God’s great compassion. How so? 

The tzara’at itself does not render the person tamei (ritually unclean). One could go a lifetime displaying the symptoms of tzara’at without ever being considered a metzora. It is the only the ruling of the kohen that can render the person tamei and a metzora. The goal of this pronouncement was not destroy the person, but to protect the community and restore the person. It was a condemnation of the flesh, rather than the person himself.