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The Momentary Man
By Rabbi Pesach Wolicki

In the Temple on Yom Kippur a very unique service was performed. Two identical goats were selected for the service. They were brought to the entrance of the Sanctuary. There, through the drawing of lots, one of the two would be selected “for G-d” as an offering to be brought on the Altar. The other of the two goats would be killed in a most unusual manner.

“Aharon shall lay his two hands on the head of the live goat and confess on it all the iniquities of Bnei Yisrael and all their rebellious transgressions for all their sins, and put them on the head of the goat and send it away with the designated man – [heb.“ish iti”] – to the desert. The goat shall carry upon itself all of their iniquities to a desolate land and the man shall send the goat into the desert.” (Vayikra 16:21-22)

The goat was led by the “designated man” to a cliff in the desert. Arriving at the cliff, the man would then cast the goat over the cliff to its death.

The phrase “designated man” is peculiar. Does this refer to a Kohen chosen for this purpose? If so, the more conventional verbiage would have been “echad min hakohanim – one of the Kohanim”. What is the meaning of this odd phrase?

The Hebrew for “designated man” is “Ish iti”. The word “Ish” means man. “Iti” – translated here as “designated” is actually difficult to render into English. It may be more accurate etymologically to render it as “timely” or “momentary” as in “of the moment”. What is "ish iti"? A momentary man? A man of the time? Clearly, a simple translation is difficult.

Chizkuni (13th cent. France) quotes a remarkable midrash in explanation of this verse.

“It is found in a midrash: ‘Iti’ (of the moment) - that his time had come to die during that year. For the one who led the goat [to the desert] would not live out the year. Therefore, they would choose a man whose time had come to die during the coming year. The system of such predictions was easily knowable to them.”

According to this chilling midrash, “iti” is understood literally as “momentary”. In other words, he is a man who lives in the present but has no future.

With this explanation of the phrase “ish iti” we are better equipped to understand this peculiar service in its entirety.

Each of us stands at the entrance to the sanctuary – at the point of decision. In what direction will we take our lives? We can choose the way that is "for G-d." This is the way of entering the sanctuary. It is the way of “korban”, of drawing close to G-d through service of him.

On the other hand we may choose the other path - the path that leads not to G-d but out into a desolate land. The desert is a place of no order, no potential, and no life.

The image is striking and the message is powerful. A man with no future going to a place of no life. Nothing productive comes of that goat. That is where our sins lead us. They do not create a better future. Nothing good or productive comes of them. Only desolation, hopelessness, and despair.

The Torah tells us to choose life. On Yom Kippur we must see the choice before us and choose the path that is “for G-d” the path that bears fruit and lives on. We must enter the temple and grow closer to G-d in service of Him. This is the path of life.