Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Achary Mot AND FROM THE ISRAELITE COMMUNITY HE SHALL TAKE TWO HE-GOATS FOR A SIN OFFERING AND A RAM FOR A BURNT OFFERING.                                                                                                                                  (Vayikra 16:5)   The Azazel Goat As Symbolic Carrier of Sins It appears to me that the reason that all the chattat (sin) offerings, both individual and public, are goats, i.e., the goats of the festivals and the goats of New Moons, and the goats of Yom HaKippurim and the goats...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parshat Acharey Mot – Kedoshim "YOU ARE NOT TO WITHHOLD (PROPERTY) FROM YOU NEIGHBOR, YOU ARE NOT TO COMMIT ROBBERY. YOU ARE NOT TO KEEP OVERNIGHT THE WAGES OF A HIRED-HAND WITH YOU UNTIL MORNING." (VAYIKRA 19:13) "You are not to keep overnight" – In Those Days – at this Time. The withholding of wages has a demoralizing effect upon both employer and employee. The employer loses his awareness of sin. Often we hear explanations and rationalizations of withholding of wages, as though the employer has the...