Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) word "Goralos"?
Targum Yonasan and Yoma, 37a: To teach us that the two lots should be equal - not one of gold, the other, of silver, or one large, one small.
Why does the Torah insert the (otherwise superfluous) words "Echad" both by "la'Hashem and by "la'Azazel"?
Yoma, 37a: To teach the Kohen Gadol to place only the relevant Goral on each goat, and not both Goralos on each of them. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 33.
Having written "Goralos", why does the Torah insert the word "Goral" both by "la'Hashem and by 'la'Azazel"
Yoma, 37b: To teach us that, as opposed to the Tzitz, on which the Name Havayah was written, the Goralos -one of which also contained the Name Havayah - did not need to be made of gold, but could be made of olive-wood, nut-wood or 'Eshke'ro'a (box-tree wood).
What is the definition of ''Azazel"?
Ramban #1 (citing the Sifra): It means 'to the toughest mountain' 3 - in barren terrain 4 , like the Torah writes in Pasuk 22 "el Eretz Gezeirah". 5
Ramban #2 (citing the Ibn Ezra - and elaborating) 6 : It means 'the goat goes' 7 - the goat represents Eisav, 8 who carries the sins of Yisrael out to his domain (the desert). In fact, the Sa'ir la'Azazel is in the form of a bribe to Sama'el, 9 the angel of Eisav, to dissuade him from prosecuting Yisrael on the day of judgment.
Moshav Zekenim #1 (citing Yoma, 67b): The word alludes to Uza and Aza'el, two angels that descended before the flood who caused the flood due their adulterous behavior 10 - which is why it atones for Arayos. 11
Moshav Zekenim #2 (citing a Midrash Agadah): It is an angel that used to prosecute against Yisrael on Yom Kipur. Hashem said, if you were among them, also you would sin! The angel descended, and had Bi'ah with Na'amah. Hashem decreed that he never ascend, and each year we send a goat to him to recall the episode and silence all prosecutors - they see what happened to one who prosecuted against Yisrael!
Rosh (in Pasuk 22): It is Mars, one of the seven [Kochvei Leches] that serve this world that causes murder through the sword. The Sa'ir la'Azazel is a bribe to deactivate it.
Presumably this is synonymous with 'rocky'.
As implied in Pasuk 22 (Rashi).
Ramban: As a matter of fact, "la'Aza'zel is the acronym of 'le'Az Azal' - 'it goes to a tough place. Rosh - the Eiz (goat) Azal (goes, to a mountain). See Torah Temimah, note 39, DH 'u'Mah she'Ra'u'.
Yoma, 37a: In the desert, as in Pasuk 10. See also Torah Temimah, note 38.
Hadar Zekenim: It is sent to a barren land, for the Aveiros that it carries cause that nothing will grow there.
The Ramban's elaboration is based on a Midrash Rabah.
Ramban and Rosh: "Az (Eiz) Azal" means 'the goat goes'.
Ramban: Since 'Eiz' is synonymous with 'Sa'ir' - and Eisav is called Se'ir. See Toldos, 27:11 & Bereishis 36:8 & 10.
Indeed, Pirkei de'R.Eliezer (46) relates that, when Samael (who carried out all Yisrael's sins on the Sa'ir la'Azazel) sees that Yisrael are without sin, he exclaims in amazement how special are Hashem's people and how they resemble the angels - inasmuch as, on Yom Kipur, they go barefooted, they do not eat and drink, they remain standing, they are at peace with each other and they do not sin - just like angels!
Refer to Bereishis, 6:2:1:3.
See Torah Temimah, nmote 39.
What is the procedure of the lots?
Rashi and Targum Yonasan: Aharon places one of the goats on his right, the other, on his left; then he puts his hands into the box 1 (that is lying in front of him) and takes one lot in his right hand, and the other, in his left, 2 and places the one in his right hand, on the head of the goat on his right - and announces 'la'Shem Chatas'; and the one in his left hand, on the head of the goat on his left - and announces 'la'Azazel'.
What is the purpose of the lots?
