Rabbi Sacks writes about challenges in understanding the instructions regarding the scapegoat; in particular, 2 similar goats but with different treatments decided by a throw of the dice. Traditionally, the interpretation relates to atonement and purification, but doesn’t address the lots or the similarity of the coast. Rabbi Sacks cites Nahmanides and Arbarbanel, stating that the goats symbolize Jacob and Esau. Esau is not the epitome of evil, and Jacob is not perfect. But they have opposite characteristics, of impulsiveness—Esau—and long-term thinking—Jacob. Rabbi Sacks continues to discuss contemporary scholarship demonstrating that humans have dual-system brains, and are more complex than previously thought.

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