“The goat will thus carry all the sins away to a desolate area when it is sent to the wilderness.” (VaYikra 16:22)
The parasha describes the service performed by the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur.
As part of this service, two male goats are selected. One goat is
offered as a chatat sacrifice. The
other goat is the Azazel.
The Azazel is a very unusual service.
The Kohen Gadol recites, over
the goat, a confession on behalf of the nation. However, the Azazel is
not sacrificed upon the altar. This
goat is delivered into the hands of an appointed individual. This person leads the Azazel into the wilderness and pushes it over a cliff.
The Azazel service is an essential component of the atonement process
of Yom Kippur. When the Temple existed
and this service was performed, the Almighty provided a miraculous
demonstration of this atonement. The
Talmud explains that a scarlet thread was broken into halves. One half was tied between the horns of the Azazel.
The other half was tied to a rock near the cliff. The goat was pushed from the cliff. The atonement was demonstrated through the
scarlet thread. With the destruction of
the goat, the thread would turn white.[1]
The service of Yom Kippur is
performed by the Kohen Gadol.[2]
One of the duties of the Kohen Gadol is to read from the Torah to
the nation. The High Priest leaves the
Temple and enters the courtyard. He
reads portions of the Torah related to Yom Kippur. There is an interesting connection between the reading of the
Torah and the Azazel. The Kohen
caannot leave the Temple and begin the reading until the Azazel goat reaches the wilderness.[3]
What is the reason for this
relationship? It would seem that the Kohen Gadol cannot leave the Temple
until the Azazel service is
completed. This relationship implies
that the service is completed when the goat reached the wilderness.
This suggests an interesting
contradiction. The atonement brought
about by the Yom Kippur service was demonstrated by the transformation of the
scarlet thread. Maimonides confirms
that this thread turned white when the Azazel
was forced off the cliff.[4] This implies that the Azazel service is completed only at this point. It would follow that the Kohen Gadol should not leave the
sanctuary until this moment. Yet,
Maimonides explains that the Kohen Gadol
leaves the Temple at the moment the goat reaches the wilderness!
Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik Ztl suggests that this contradiction can
be resolved through considering a related issue. It is normally prohibited for a spiritually unclean individual to
enter the Temple. However, an exception
is made in the Azazel service. The Azazel
is delivered into the hands of an individual appointed to lead the animal into
the wilderness. If this individual
becomes defiled, he is permitted to enter the Temple.[5] Why is this exception made?
Rav Soloveitchik explains
that among the duties of the Kohen Gadol
is the delivery of the goat to this individual. The High Priest is not permitted to leave the Temple during the
service. In order for the Kohen Gadol to perform his task, the
appointed person is required to enter the Temple. Therefore, even if this person becomes unclean, he is required to
enter.
Rav Soloveitchik further
explains Maimonides’ position.
Maimonides maintains that the Kohen
Gadol does not fulfill his responsibility with the delivery of the goat to
the appointed individual. The Azazel is delivered in order to be sent
away to the wilderness. It follows that
the execution of the Kohen Gadol’s
duty requires two steps. The Azazel must be delivered to the
appointed person. This person must
reach the wilderness. In other words,
the duty of the Kohen Gadol is
completed with the arrival of the goat to the wilderness.
Rav Soloveitchik suggests
that we must take one additional step in order to understand Maimonides’
position. The atonement of the Azazel is not affected until it is
pushed from the cliff. This is part of
the service of the Azazel. However, this aspect of the service is not a
duty of the Kohen Gadol. The High Priest is required to send the goat
to the wilderness. Subsequent aspects
of the service are beyond the duty of the Kohen
Gadol.
Now, Maimonides can be fully
understood. The Kohen Gadol cannot not leave the Temple until his responsibilities
regarding the Azazel are
executed. These responsibilities are
completed when the appointed individual reaches the wilderness. The atonement process requires the goat to
be destroyed. This is not the duty of
the Kohen Gadol. Therefore, as soon as goat reaches the
wilderness the Kohen Gadol is
permitted to enter the courtyard and read to the nation.[6]
“Do
not lie with a male as you would with a woman.
It is a disgusting act.” (VaYikra
18:22)
The Torah prohibits various
sexual relations. These prohibitions
are discussed in our parasha. One of the relationships that are explicitly
mentioned is male homosexuality. In our
modern society the morality of this prohibition is widely challenged. However, there can be no doubt that the
Torah unequivocally prohibits this behavior.
What are the objections
raised against this prohibition? Among
the criticisms is the claim that the homosexual is not evil. He cannot control his sexual preference. Perhaps, the preference is even genetically
“hard-wired” into his personality. It
is not fair to essentially deprive the homosexual of sexual expression.
Another more radical
criticism is that sexual preference is subjective. It is inappropriate to label heterosexual behavior as proper and
homosexual behavior as a perversion. Two
people study a single piece of art. The
beauty of the work inspires one. The other observer finds the work boring and
mediocre. Is one correct and the other
mistaken? Of course not! Each is entitled to his or her individual
opinion. Why should the issue of sexual
preference be treated differently? How
can heterosexuality be regarded as more proper than homosexual preferences?
How do we respond to these
issues? The first step is to realize
that we do not apologize for the Torah.
In other words, the Torah is the word of G-d. It does not derive its legitimacy from our acquiescence to its
wisdom. Consider a simple analogy. The law of gravity is one of the Almighty’s
creations. If a person jumps off a
ten-story building, he will experience the effects of gravity. These effects are not influenced by the
jumper’s attitude toward the law and its wisdom. Gravity is a reality!
The laws of the Torah derive their reality from the same source as the
law of gravity. Both are expressions of
the Divine will. Neither needs our
approval. In short, the Torah’s
condemnation of homosexuality is clear.
This means the behavior is prohibited regardless of our questions
regarding the justice of the prohibition.
Nonetheless, we are
commanded to study the Torah. The mitzvot are a source of wisdom. We do not study the Torah to justify its
laws. We study the Torah to learn from
it. What can we learn from the Torah’s
prohibition of homosexuality?
Nachmanides notes that the
prohibition of homosexuality is adjacent to the restriction against
bestiality. He explains that these two mitzvot share a common theme. Both of these relations cannot result in
conception and procreation. Nachmanides
explains that the sexual desire is designed to operate in the service of
procreation. This suggests that
homosexuality and bestiality are perversions of the sexual drive.[7]
It does not follow that a
sexual act that cannot result in pregnancy is immoral. There is no prohibition against sexual
relations between a man and his wife that will not result in conception. For example, it is unlikely that a nursing
mother will conceive. Nonetheless, this
husband and wife may have relations.
Nachmanides’ position is
that in the homosexual or bestial relationship the object of sexual desire is
not suitable for the purpose of procreation.
Therefore, these relationships represent a perversion of the sexual
drive. In the case of a man and woman
engaging in sexual relations that will not result in conception, the sexual
desire is not perverted. The object of
the drive is essentially suitable for procreation. Consequently, no perversion exists.
Rabbaynu Avraham ibn Ezra’s
comments that the male and the female are created with a specific biological
design. This design suggests that the
male and female are the appropriate partners in the sexual act. Homosexuality ignores the basic biological
design of the human species.[8]
It seems that according to
Ibn Ezra, the will of the Almighty is expressed in the physical design of the
human being. Therefore, homosexual
relations represent an overt denial of the Creator’s will.
It must be acknowledged that
the homosexual may be an innocent victim of his desires. His engagement in homosexual relations does
not necessarily represent a desire to rebel against the Almighty’s plan. Also, we cannot assume that a specific
homosexual repudiates the importance of procreation or the benefits of a
heterosexual orientation. The
homosexual may agree with the position of Nachmanides and Ibn Ezra but find
himself unable to control his preference and desire. This is a tragedy.
However, homosexual behavior is nonetheless prohibited. Every person is confronted with desires that
the individual knows are wrong. In some cases, we may be unable to control our
urge to act on these desires. This does
not make the behavior correct.
[1] Tractate Yoma 67a.
[2] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Mishne Torah, Hilchot Avotad Yom HaKippurim 1:2.
[3] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Mishne Torah, Hilchot Avotad Yom HaKippurim 3:8.
[4] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Commentary on the Mishne, Mesechet Yoma, Chapter 6. See also Mishne Torah, Hilchot Avotad Yom HaKippurim 3:7.
[5] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Mishne Torah, Hilchot Avotad Yom HaKippurim 5:21.
[6] Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Kobetz Chidushai Torah, pp. 120-122.
[7] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban / Nachmanides), Commentary on Sefer VaYikra 18:22.
[8] Rabbaynu Avraham ibn Ezra, Commentary on Sefer VaYikra 18:22.