The New World

וְהַמְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת־הַשָּׂעִיר לַעֲזָאזֵל יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ בַּמָּיִם וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן יָבוֹא אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶה

יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו, וְהוּא עַצְמוֹ מְכַפֵּר עַל הָאֲחֵרִים

There were a variety of animals that were part of the עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, including two שְּׂעִירִם which had very different purposes. One was brought as a חַטָּאת, its blood later brought into the קֹדֶשׁ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים and sprinkled between the בַּדֵּי הָאָרוֹן. With regard to the other שָׂעִיר the Torah tells us: וְנָתַן אֹתָם עַל־רֹאשׁ הַשָּׂעִיר וְשִׁלַּח בְּיַד־אִישׁ עִתִּי הַמִּדְבָּרָה. After doing וִדּוּי on the שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ, having in mind אֶת־כׇּל־עֲוֺנֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת־כׇּל־פִּשְׁעֵיהֶם לְכׇל־חַטֹּאתָם, the Kohen Gadol passed the שָׂעִיר to an appointee who brought it to the Midbar.

As we know, the שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ was brought to a cliff in a location known as עֲזָאזֵל, where it was pushed into a ravine and destroyed. Although it would seem that the אִישׁ עִתִּי had now completed his role, there is one more Passuk related to him: וְהַמְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת־הַשָּׂעִיר לַעֲזָאזֵל יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ בַּמָּיִם וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן יָבוֹא אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶה. The אִישׁ עִתִּי became טָמֵא on account of his task and had to go to a Mikva before returning to the מַּחֲנֶה.

While this would appear to be just one of many Dinim related to the עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, there is an interesting Medrash that discusses this Passuk,

At the beginning of Parshas Chukas, the Bamidbar Rabba discusses the concept of חֻקִּים, generally and specifically. Among the Memros there we find: אַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים יֵצֶר הָרָע מֵשִׁיב עֲלֵיהֶן, דִּכְתִיב בָּהֶן חֻקָּה, אֵשֶׁת אָח, וְכִלְאַיִם, וְשָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ, וּפָרָה אֲדֻמָּה. There are four Mitzvos, each of which is referred to by the term חֻקָּה, about which the Yetzer Harah asks questions. One of the four is the שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ about which the Yetzer Harah asks: וְהַמְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת הַשָֹּׂעִיר לַעֲזָאזֵל יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו, וְהוּא עַצְמוֹ מְכַפֵּר עַל הָאֲחֵרִים. If it is true that the שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ is מְכַפֵּר on כׇּל־עֲוֺנֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת־כׇּל־פִּשְׁעֵיהֶם לְכׇל־חַטֹּאתָם, how can it be that it in turn causes the אִישׁ עִתִּי to become טָמֵא? How can it be, asks the Yetzer Harah, that we find טֻמְאָה and טָהֲרָה intersecting in this way? The answer, explains the Medrash, is the words וְהָיְתָה זֹאת לָכֶם לְחֻקַּת עוֹלָם—this Din contains an element of חֹק.

If we think about it, the claim of the Yetzer Harah has some merit: how, indeed, can טֻמְאָה result from כַּפָּרָה ? Although this is similar to Halachos pertaining to the פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה, about which the Torah tells us that all those involved in the process become טָמֵא, in that case there is physical טֻמְאָה at hand—when it comes to the שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ there is כַּפָּרָה, but in a much more general sense. Why then does the אִישׁ עִתִּי become טָמֵא?

This question becomes even greater, in a sense, if we consider another Medrash related to these words.

The Yalkut Shimoni, here, points out that the Passuk says וְהַמְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת־הַשָּׂעִיר לַעֲזָאזֵל יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו, teach us that only the מְשַׁלֵּחַ

Becomes טָמֵא and not the שּׁוֹלֵחַ. That is, the אִישׁ עִתִּי becomes טָמֵא but not the Kohen Gadol. Then, the Yalkut discusses another detail of this Halacha: at what point does the אִישׁ עִתִּי become טָמֵא? יָכוֹל מִשֶּׁיָּצָא חוּץ לְחוֹמַת הָעֲזָרָה, we may have assumed that once he leaves the Bais Hamikdash he is טָמֵא, but the Passuk says לַעֲזָאזֵל. If so, יָכוֹל מִשֶּׁהִגִּיעַ לַצּוּק, we might think that he only becomes טָמֵא once he reaches the cliff, known as the צּוּק, but the Passuk says וְהַמְשַּׁלֵּח. Therefore, the Yalkut concludes: מִשֶּׁיָּצָא חוּץ לְחוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, the אִישׁ עִתִּי became טָמֵא once he left the walls of Yerushalayim.

This aspect of the Din is, in a way, astounding: if the action of bringing כַּפָּרָה brought טֻמְאָה upon the אִישׁ עִתִּי, the two should coincide and happen at once. Even in the case of the פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה, those involved become טָמֵא only once they carry out an action, not just when they leave the חוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. Why, then, did the אִישׁ עִתִּי become טָמֵא when he left Yerushalayim, before the כַּפָּרָה was effected?

In a sense, the Medrash answers all these questions: כְתִיב בֵּיהּ וְהָיְתָה זֹאת לָכֶם לְחֻקַּת עוֹלָם. Since the Passuk uses the term חֹק, we must accept that these Dinim are not completely understandable from our perspective. That said, there is another interpretation of the words וְהָיְתָה זֹאת לָכֶם לְחֻקַּת עוֹלָם that we must take into account.

The Gemara in Yoma teaches: כׇּל מַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הָאָמוּר עַל הַסֵּדֶר, the various parts of the עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים must be done in the order that they are written in the Torah, and therefore, אִם הִקְדִּים מַעֲשֶׂה לַחֲבֵירוֹ לֹא עָשָׂה כְּלוּם, if they were performed out of order it is as if nothing was done.

Although this seems like a straightforward Halacha, there is a Machlokes whether it applies in all cases. R’ Yehudah holds that only when it comes to the most critical parts of the Avodah, those which are done בְּבִגְדֵי לָבָן מִבִּפְנִים, do we say לֹא עָשָׂה כְּלוּם. R’ Nechemiah, however, holds that it applies to all parts of the Avodah done בְּבִגְדֵי לָבָן, be it in the קֹדֶשׁ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים or outside, but not the parts of the Avodah that were done בְּבִגְדֵי זָהָב מִבַּחוּץ. The Gemara continues, telling us that R’ Yochanan said: וּשְׁנֵיהֶם מִקְרָא אֶחָד דָּרְשׁוּ וְהָיְתָה זֹּאת לָכֶם לְחוּקַּת עוֹלָם, both the opinions of R’ Yehuda and R’ Nechemiah are based on the same words—וְהָיְתָה זֹּאת לָכֶם לְחוּקַּת עוֹלָם.

The Gemara continues, seeking to explain how two differing Halachos can be learned from the same Passuk. This only extends to the details of the Din about which R’ Yehuda and R’ Nechemiah differ, however. The original statement of the Gemara, כׇּל מַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הָאָמוּר עַל הַסֵּדֶר, is based on the words וְהָיְתָה זֹּאת לָכֶם לְחוּקַּת עוֹלָם, with the word חֹק implying a definitive order.

It emerges that these words, וְהָיְתָה זֹּאת לָכֶם לְחוּקַּת עוֹלָם, are used to teach a very practical Halacha—that the עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים must be done in the proper order. Why, then, does the Medrash imply that these words are related to the טֻמְאָה of the אִישׁ עִתִּי? In fact, these words appear at the very end of the Parsha of עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, and are not proximate to the words וְהַמְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת־הַשָּׂעִיר לַעֲזָאזֵל יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ בַּמָּיִם . Why, then, does the Medrash assume that the term חֹק applies to this Din?

We may indeed assume that the words וְהָיְתָה זֹּאת לָכֶם לְחוּקַּת עוֹלָם appear at the end of the Pessukim discussing the עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים to tell us that an element of חֹק applies to the whole day—that there are numerous aspects of the day that fall under the rubric of חֹק. If so, another question emerges: why do we find an aspect of חֹק in relation to עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים? What is the Torah teaching us by applying this type of Halacha to the day?

Perhaps we can answer this question with an insight into יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים itself.

If one part of the Teffilos of Yom Kippur can be defined as central to our Avodas HaYom, it is the י׳׳ג מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים, which we recite numerous times throughout the day. The Gemara in Rosh Hashana explains the first two words of these Pessukim as follows: ה׳ ה׳ אֲנִי הוּא קוֹדֶם שֶׁיֶּחְטָא הָאָדָם, וַאֲנִי הוּא לְאַחַר שֶׁיֶּחְטָא הָאָדָם. The two names of Hashem with which the מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים begin are defined as two different representations of HKBH: one before a person does an Avierah and one after a person does an Avierah and then does תְּשׁוּבָה.

Rav Hutner, in a Mamar in Pachad Yitzchok on Yom Kippur, draws out an important Yesod about תְּשׁוּבָה based on this Gemara.

The fact that the Koach of תְּשׁוּבָה comes from the Shem Hashem, וַאֲנִי הוּא לְאַחַר שֶׁיֶּחְטָא הָאָדָם, means that it is not something that can be defined by terms that would otherwise be used. The other מִדּוֹת הָרַחֲמִים are represented by words that we can translate, such as רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן, אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם or even וְנַקֵּה. The Shem Hashem, however, has no ready definition—it cannot be understood in human terms.

This, as Rav Hutner puts us teaches us that כֹּחָהּ שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה אֵינוֹ כֹּחַ בֵּין שְׁאָר הַכּוֹחוֹת שֶׁהָעוֹלָם מִתְנַהֵג עַל יְדֵיהֶן. The Koach Haתְּשׁוּבָה is not one among the many Kochos that run the world. Rather, it is a new Metzius, an entity unto itself. This implies that the Koach of תְּשׁוּבָה is not related to any force or entity, בִּלְתִּי לָה׳ לְבַדּוֹ, only to HKBH Himself. This Shem Hashem in particular, known as the שֵׁם הֲוַי׳, relates to the role of Hashem as the creator of all, the מִחְיָה וּמָהוּהַּ וּמַמְצִיא אֶת כָּל הַמְּצִיאוּת כֻּלָּהּ, a reality that recurs at every moment. This in turn indicates that the Koach of תְּשׁוּבָה, represented by the שֵׁם הֲוַי׳ is a creation unto itself—a בְּרִיָּה חֲדָשָׁה.

Rav Hutner continues, explaining the words of the Gemara based on this idea.

When the world was created, before the חֵטְא of אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, there was no need for תְּשׁוּבָה, and so this did not exist. This was the world of אֲנִי הוּא קוֹדֶם שֶׁיֶּחְטָא הָאָדָם, the שֵׁם הֲוַי׳ that created a world free of חֵטְא, and therefore without a need for תְּשׁוּבָה. Later, when the first חֵטְא occurred, HKBH brought a new Metzius to the world, כֹּחָהּ שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה, using the שֵׁם הֲוַי׳. Thereafter, the world exists in a situation of אֲנִי הוּא לְאַחַר שֶׁיֶּחְטָא הָאָדָם, in a situation in which תְּשׁוּבָה is possible.

Perhaps we can explain the Medrashim about the עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים based on this idea.

Yom Kippur is a day of תְּשׁוּבָה, the day in which we focus our efforts, Teffilos, and thoughts on achieving a כַּפָּרָה. This was the purpose of the עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים in the Bais Hamikdash and is the ultimate purpose of all that we do on this holiest day. Because the focus of the day is תְּשׁוּבָה, it is perhaps quite appropriate that there is an element of חֹק, for this allows us insight into one of the most important truths of תְּשׁוּבָה: it is a בְּרִיָּה חֲדָשָׁה, governed by its own set of rules and logic.

As we have seen, the אִישׁ עִתִּי becomes טָמֵא, not when he is חוּץ לְחוֹמַת הָעֲזָרָה but only once he is חוּץ לְחוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. There is no way to explain this, let alone the reason he becomes טָמֵא in the first place, but perhaps that is the point. These Dinim teach us that the כַּפָּרָה we receive on Yom Kippur comes from HKBH Himself, through the Middah of אֲנִי הוּא לְאַחַר שֶׁיֶּחְטָא הָאָדָם. This representation of the שֵׁם הֲוַי׳ brings כַּפָּרָה through the כֹּחָהּ שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה, itself a gift from HKBH.

At the same time, the words וְהָיְתָה זֹּאת לָכֶם לְחוּקַּת עוֹלָם teach us that כׇּל מַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים הָאָמוּר עַל הַסֵּדֶר, the עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים must be done in order. We learn from this that while there is a Koach of תְּשׁוּבָה that defies logic and explanation, there is a prescribed way to access it. We must understand that only by engaging in the process of תְּשׁוּבָה can we hope to achieve כַּפָּרָה, but we must also realize that it is at hand: Hashem is the רוֹצֶה בִּתְשׁוּבָה and created a בְּרִיָּה חֲדָשָׁה using the שֵׁם הֲוַי׳ expressly for this purpose.

The two Drashos related to the words וְהָיְתָה זֹּאת לָכֶם לְחוּקַּת עוֹלָם therefore go hand-in-hand: the טֻמְאָה of the אִישׁ עִתִּי reminds us that תְּשׁוּבָה is a בְּרִיָּה חֲדָשָׁה, one that HKBH created to allow us to attain a כַּפָּרָה, and follows its own set of logic and rules. At the same time, the need for the עֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים to be done in the correct order reminds us that the gift תְּשׁוּבָה is accessible only through the path set forth by the Torah.

As we enter the day of Yom Kippur, and our minds are focused on the goals of the day, these ideas can help guide our thoughts. If we remember that HKBH created a new iteration of the world, אֲנִי הוּא לְאַחַר שֶׁיֶּחְטָא הָאָדָם, just to allow us to do תְּשׁוּבָה, we will eagerly pursue its path, reaching our goal and finding ourselves in the warm embrace of כַּפָּרָה.