By: Lower School Judaic Studies Teacher, Chaya TurJman-Meyer
In this week’s parsha, Acharei Mot, we learn about the sacred service performed by the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur. One of the most dramatic and mysterious rituals involves the selection of two goats - one designated for Hashem and the other for Azazel.
The Kohen Gadol casts lots to determine each goat’s fate. The one chosen for Hashem is brought as a holy sacrifice on the altar. The other is led to Mount Azazel. There, the Kohen ties a red string to its horns, attaches a heavy rock, and sends it off the mountain. This act, while difficult to visualize, served as a powerful atonement for the sins of the Jewish people.
But what is the meaning behind such a seemingly harsh ritual?
What relevance does it hold for us today, especially in a world without a Beit Hamikdash?
The key lies in the word Azazel עֲזָאזֵל which can be read as an acronym for זֶה לְעוּמַּת זֶה עשה אלקים:
“G-d made one opposite the other.”
This idea reflects a Kabbalistic concept : that the world is a blend of opposites. Good and evil, light and darkness, success and failure - each exists in contrast to the other. Only through this contrast can we truly recognize and appreciate what is good.
So why send a goat off a cliff?
Because this ritual teaches us something profound: what appears as sin or evil is not an end — it is good in disguise. Every challenge, every failure, even every moment of darkness, is part of a greater divine plan. These experiences are not obstacles to holiness, but vehicles for it. They awaken within us the power to return, to grow, and to rise even higher. Deep down, every Jew is whole and pure — and sometimes it is through the struggle itself that this inner goodness is revealed. Our mission is to uncover the divine purpose hidden within every moment, even those that seem furthest from it.
As we reflect on this parsha, let’s remember that the path to holiness is not paved with perfection, but with the courage to return, to rise, and to reveal our inner light.