192. The Lots
I heard in the year 1949, Tel-Aviv
The lots mean that they are both equal, and that it is impossible to examine with the intellect which is more important. This is why a lot is required. In The Zohar, Emor, it asks, “How can a goat for the Lord and a goat for Azazel be equal?”
The thing is that a goat for the Lord is considered “right,” and a goat for Azazel is considered “left,” where there is GAR de Hochma. It is said about that, “rewarded—good; not rewarded—bad.” This means that Malchut of the quality of Din [judgment] appeared. This is considered a lock and a blocking on the lights. The lock is at the place of the Chazeh in each Partzuf; hence, Hochma can shine up to the place of the lock, but stops at the place of the Chazeh, since any Tzimtzum [restriction] works only from itself downward and not upward.
And the goat for the Lord is integrated with the left of the goat for Azazel, meaning with the Hochma. However, it is not like the left of Azazel, where it is from above downward. This is why the light stops, since the lock takes effect, though only from below upward, at which time the lock is concealed and the key is revealed.
It follows that concerning Hochma, the goat for Azazel has Hochma from the GAR, whereas the goat for the Lord is considered VAK. However, VAK can shine, while GAR must be stopped, hence the goat for Azazel, so the devil will not complain.
He complains because his only wish is to extend Hochma, which belongs to Behina Dalet, since it is not completed by any other degree, as its source is Behina Dalet. Therefore, if it does not receive into its own degree, it is not completed.
This is why it always entices man to extend into Behina Dalet, and if man is unwilling, it has all kinds of ploys to force man to extend. Hence, when it is given a portion of the quality of Hochma it does not complain about Israel, since it is afraid that the abundance it already has would be stopped.
Yet, when it extends GAR de Hochma, at that time Israel extends the VAK de Hochma. This light of Hochma is called “light of absolution,” by which one is awarded repentance from love, when sins become as virtues. This is the meaning of the goat for Azazel carrying the iniquities of the children of Israel upon it, meaning that all the iniquities of Israel have now become virtues.
There is the parable that The Zohar tells of a King’s fool. When he is given wine and told of everything that he had done, even the bad deeds that he did, he says about those deeds that they are good deeds, and that there is none other like him in the whole world. In other words, the devil is called “the fool.” When it is given wine, meaning Hochma [wisdom], when it draws it, it is the light of absolution, and thus all the iniquities become as virtues.
It follows that it says about all the bad deeds that they are good, since the sins have become as virtues. And since the devil wants to be given its share, it does not complain about Israel.
This is the meaning of the complaints that were in Egypt: He asked, “How are these different from those? Either Israel die like the Egyptians, or Israel will return to Egypt.” The thing is that Egypt is the source for extension of Hochma, but there it is Hochma in the form of GAR, and when Israel were in Egypt they were under their control.