זוהר, תצוה י״גZohar, Tetzaveh 13

Segment 1א׳

תָּא חֲזֵי, הַהוּא שָׂעִיר דִּמְשַׁדְּרִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲזָאזֵל, לְהַהוּא מַדְבְּרָא, בְּגִין לְמֵיהַב חוּלָקָא לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, לְאִתְעַסְּקָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ. וְאִי תֵּימָא, תְּרֵין שְׂעִירִין אֲמַאי הָכָא, חַד לַיְיָ' וְחַד לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא. תִּינַח הַהוּא שָׂעִיר דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא. לַיְיָ' אֲמַאי.

Observe this: the goat which the Israelites sent down to Azazel, into that desert, was sent with the intention of giving to the “other side” a portion, so pacifying and keeping it occupied that it might not do harm to the sons of the Kingdom. But it may be objected: “Why, then, was it necessary to have two goats, one “to the Lord” and one to the “other side”?

Segment 2ב׳

אֶלָּא לְמַלְכָּא דְּהֲוָה אַרְגִּיז עַל בְּרֵיהּ, קָרָא לְסַנְטִירָא, הַהוּא דְּעָבִיד דִּינָא בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּדִיר, בְּגִין דְּיִזְדָּמַּן לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא בִּבְרֵיהּ. הַהוּא סַנְטִירָא חַדֵּי, וְעָאל בְּבֵי מַלְכָּא לְמֵיכַל תַּמָּן, כֵּיוָן דְּאַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ בְּרֵיהּ, אָמַר, וַדַּאי לָא עָאל סַנְטִירָא דָּא בְּבֵי אַבָּא, אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאַרְגִּיז מַלְכָּא עָלַי. מָה עָבֵד, אָזַל וְאִתְפְּיָיס בַּהֲדֵיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפָּיַיס בַּהֲדֵיהּ, פָּקִיד מַלְכָּא לְמֶעְבַּד סְעוּדָתָא עִלָּאָה לֵיהּ וְלִבְרִיהּ, וּפָקִיד דְּלָא יָדַע בֵּיהּ הַהוּא סַנְטִירָא. לְבָתַר עָאל הַהוּא סַנְטִירָא. אָמַר מַלְכָּא הַשְׁתָּא אִי יִנְדַּע דָּא, מִסְּעוּדָתָא עִלָּאָה דְּאַתְקִינִית לִי וְלִבְרִי, יִתְעַרְבֵּב פָּתוֹרָא. מָה עֲבַד. קָרָא לַמְּמָנָא עַל סְעוּדָתָא, אָמַר לֵיהּ, אַתְקִין מִדִי, וּתְשָׁוֵי קַמָּאי, וּתְשָׁוֵי קַמֵּיהּ דְּהַהוּא סַנְטִירָא, בְּגִין דְּיַחְשִׁיב דְּסָעִיד קַמָּאי מִדִּילִי, וְלָא יִנְדַּע בְּהַהִיא סְעוּדָתָא יַקִּירָא דְּחֶדְוָה דִּילִי וְדִבְרִי, וְיִטּוֹל הַהוּא חוּלָקָא וְיֵזִיל לֵיהּ, וְיִתְפְּרַשׁ מִחֶדְוָה דִּסְעוּדָתָא דִּילָן. וְאִי לָאו דְּמַלְכָּא עָבִיד הָכִי, לָא יִתְפְּרַשׁ הַהוּא סַנְטִירָא מִבֵּי מַלְכָּא.

The answer to this question can be gathered from the following parable. A king once became angered with his son, and he called to that minister whose office it was to punish offenders that he might be at hand to chastise his son on the morrow. The minister, in high spirits, was overjoyed, and entered the palace to partake of food there. The prince, on seeing him, thought to himself: “Surely, that man comes here to no good purpose, but doubtless because my father is angry with me.” So what did he do? He straightway went in unto his father and persuaded him to forgive him. Then the king commanded that a banquet should be prepared for him and his son, but that the minister should not be told thereof, for, he thought to himself, should he get wind of the repast which I have ordered for myself and my son, he will disturb our meal. What, then, did the king do? He called to his chamberlain and said unto him: “Prepare first a meal for this minister, in order that he may imagine that I am showing him a mark of special favour by giving a banquet in his honour, and so be satisfied and depart, without knowing anything of the previous meal which I have commanded thee to prepare, and which we shall consume when he is gone. Therefore let him, as I have said, take his part and then go, that our joy may be complete and undisturbed.” And so it was done. Now, if the king had not dealt thus with his minister and his son, the former would not have left the palace, and the feast of forgiveness would have been marred.

Segment 3ג׳

כַּךָ אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אַזְמִינוּ תְּרֵין שְׂעִירִין, חַד לִי וְחַד לְהַהוּא דַּלְטוֹרָא, בְּגִין דְּיַחְשִׁיב דְּמִסְּעוּדָתָא דִּילִי קָאֲכִיל, וְלָא יִנְדַּע בִּסְעוּדָתָא דְּחֶדְוָה אַחֲרָא דִּילָן, וְיִסַּב הַהוּא חוּלָקָא, וְיֵזִיל לְאָרְחֵיהּ, וְיִתְפְּרַשׁ מִבֵּיתִי. כֵּיוָן דְּאִמָא עִלָּאָה, עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, אָתֵי לְמִשְׁרֵי (ק' ע"ב) גּוֹ הֵיכְלָא דְּעָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה, לְאַשְׁכְּחָא נְהִירוּ (נ"א לאשגחא עלה בנהירו) דְּאַנְפִּין, דִּין הוּא דְּלָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח הַהוּא דַּלְטוֹרָא, וְלָא מָארֵי דְּדִינִין לְקַמֵּיהּ, כַּד אַפִּיק כָּל בִּרְכָאן, וְאַנְהִיר לְכֹלָּא. וְכָל הַהוּא חִירוּ יִשְׁתְּכַּח, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל נַטְלֵי מֵאִינּוּן בִּרְכָאן.

Similarly, the Holy One said to Israel: “Prepare ye two goats, one for Me and one for that Accuser, in order that he may imagine that he is participating in My meal, but in reality may be quite unaware of the true meal of our joy. Let him take his part and go his way and leave My house.” As the “supernal Mother”, the world to come, comes down to dwell in the palace of the lower world in order that all faces should be lit up there, it is meet that the Accuser should not be found in its holy presence, neither he nor any other of the ministers of judgement, when it dispenses blessings and radiates light upon all things and freedom unto all creatures, and Israel takes of these blessings.