The Yom Kippur ritual requires three special goats: Two are sacrificed in the Temple (one inside the sanctuary and one outside) and the third, the scapegoat, is sent out into the wilderness. In the previous daf, the Gemara discussed whether the scapegoat atones for priests and Israelites alike, or just Israelites. Rabbi Yehuda says the scapegoat atones for everyone, while Rabbi Shimon holds that it atones for regular Israelites but not priests (who receive atonement through the sacrifice of a bull).
A related discussion graces today’s page:
Granted, according to Rabbi Shimon, who holds that the priests do not achieve atonement through the scapegoat, that is why it is written in the Torah that two confessions are to be recited over the bull and that the blood of the bull is to be presented inside the sanctuary: Of these three forms of atonement, one corresponds to the atonement provided by the goat whose blood presentation is performed inside the sanctuary, one corresponds to the atonement provided by the goat whose blood presentation is performed outside the sanctuary, and one corresponds to the atonement provided by the scapegoat.
The two confessions Rabbi Shimon cites aren’t made explicit in the Torah. Because the phrase “Aaron is to offer his own bull of sin offering, to make expiation for himself and for his household” appears twice in Leviticus 16 (verses 6 and 11), Yoma 36b deduces that Aaron should confess twice over the bull before sacrificing it. These three actions (two confessions, one sacrifice), reasons the rabbi, correspond to the three goat sacrifices. Rabbi Shimon concludes that everything done with the bull atones for the priests, while the three goats atone for the Israelites’ sins.
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Rabbi Yehuda challenges this analysis:
But according to Rabbi Yehuda, who holds that the priests do achieve atonement through the scapegoat, why do I need the two confessions recited over the bull and the blood of the bull to be presented inside the sanctuary? One confession over the bull and its blood being presented inside the sanctuary would be sufficient.
Rabbi Yehuda holds that the priests do receive some atonement through the scapegoat, which would suggest one confession over the bull should be enough. So the Gemara wants to know his reasoning for a second confession:
Two confessions are necessary, one for the high priest himself, and one for his household (i.e., the priests) as the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: The high priest must first confess his own transgressions and only afterward those of the priests, because that is how the attribute of justice functions: It is better that the innocent come and atone for the guilty, than that the guilty come and atone for the guilty.
Assuming the high priest’s atonement isn’t complete until he’s finished confessing his sins, two confessions are necessary so his own slate can be cleared before he confesses on behalf of the other priests.
The larger point is this: It’s far more convincing when the person arguing on our behalf is honorable in their own right. Their words have a certain credibility that would likely be lacking if they were to come from the mouth of someone whose reputation was sullied or tainted. That being the case, Rabbi Yehuda’s argument is persuasive, and the additional confession he reads into the text reminds us all of the importance of who’s pleading our case.
Read all of Shevuot 14 on Sefaria.
This piece originally appeared in a My Jewish Learning Daf Yomi email newsletter sent on May 15, 2025. If you are interested in receiving the newsletter, sign up here.
