AUG 24, 2025 JLM 71ยฐF 11:37 PM 04:37 PM EST
Yom Kippur: A Man for One Season and the Anti-Scapegoat

Live every day like itโ€™s your last is a popular saying. The Talmud makes a similar statement, but its concept of living life to the fullest is more sobering.

The focus is on being mindful about the opportunities for repentance. This is because each day may be the last opportunity to repent and even on that last day, by repenting, a person can earn eternal life.

This notion may help explain one of the Bible’s most mysterious rituals, which is reported in this week’s Torah portion and is a central feature of the Yom Kippur service. It involves a pair of look-alike goats, one of whom is sacrificed on the Temple Altar and the other is sent to ‘Azazel’, accompanied by an ‘Ish Iti’. What do these terms of art mean? Why the elaborate ceremony, in which lots were drawn by the Kohen Gadol, designating one goat to be offered on the Temple Altar and the other to be sent to Azazel? After all, despite the different destinations, both goats were, in effect, sin offerings slated to die that day; why should the one sent to Azazel be singled out as a so-called scapegoat?

It is suggested that the ritual has been mislabeled as the sacrifice of the scapegoat. This is because sins can’t be divested merely by transferring them to someone or something else. Each person is personally responsible for his or her own actions. Removing the stain of sin is a painstaking process. It requires introspection, recognition of our personal failings and genuine repentance. Absolution is not just sometime artificially conferred; it must be earned.

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#Yom Kippur - The Day of Atonement
Comments
Raymond Fodor 13:47 12.10.2024
I don't need Jesus. I have Hashem the GOD of my father's and the people. All of the teachings of Jesus were good words but old word spoken long before he came to the word. God is accessible to all!
Merle Pincus 08:28 12.10.2024
I'm Jewish but Jeshuas Atonement for me....released me from spiritual death into genuine Spiritual.Life The Life of The Holy Spirit....for which l am Eternally Grateful...it's The Life of Heaven Ha S
[Anonymous] 21:27 11.10.2024
God Bless Israel, the Jewish People, IDF, IAF, PM B. Netanyahu and any others in Israel ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ .. Iโ€™ve been praying and supporting All mentioned above and will ALWAYS GOD BLESS ISRAEL & HIS BELOVED
Iris Longtime 20:14 11.10.2024
๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ‘‘๐ŸŒŽโœก๏ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿฅฐโค๏ธ๐ŸŒน๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ˜๐ŸŽถโœ…๏ธ
Aliza Circle 18:41 11.10.2024
May God bless and protect Israel ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ, the Jewish โœก๏ธ people, the IDF IAF and the Navy, and May he let the rest of the Jewish โœก๏ธ people โœก๏ธ pray at the Kotel on Yom-Kippur.
[Anonymous] 14:09 11.10.2024
Testaments old and new must be together never separated. In war PTSD is a stronghold and Jesus would define it as such. This is what HE taught and cast out! I will adhere to the word of BELIEF
[Anonymous] 14:05 11.10.2024
Why Ephesians 6:12? Because if you believe the Old Testament where GOD himself acknowledged Satin in the Garden of Edin then believe that what we have here now is spiritual demons. The old and new
[Anonymous] 14:01 11.10.2024
Oh so much to say on this amazing post. First yes your personal relationship with Almighty God is the upmost importance.! 2nd:where I will find difference is my favorite verse by far: Ephesians 6:12
Cindy 12:26 11.10.2024
Thank you. A good teaching.
[Anonymous] 11:52 11.10.2024
JESUS IS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE RESURRECTED LIFE AND HE IS THE ONLY WAY TO GODโค๏ธ๐Ÿค ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ˜‡
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