The Scapegoat

-Yakov Azriel

August 10, 2010

“And Aaron shall place both his hands on the head of the scapegoat and confess upon it all the sins of the Children of Israel and all their crimes, whatever their transgressions; they will be put on the head of the scapegoat, which will be sent off to the desert in the hands of the executioner.”  (Leviticus 16:21)

Bright crimson ribbons tied between his horns,

A clanking, clinking bell around his neck,

His back bedecked with ornaments of silk —

Why did the priest place hands upon my head,

Then trembling shout a list of sins and crimes?

I bet I know: they want to crown me king,

A wise and noble king who never dies.

An orchestra of Levites play their flutes,

Their golden harps, their ten-stringed lutes, their drums,

Their silver trumpets as he is taken out —

Why I alone am sent to Azazel?

And who or what the hell is ‘Azazel’?

I bet I know: they think I am an angel,

A pure, immortal angel full of grace.

Out of the Temple precinct packed with crowds,

And out the narrow lanes of Jerusalem,

And out Damascus Gate, toward desert cliffs —

Why am I brought here to this mountain peak?

Why rip the crimson ribbons from my horns?

I bet I know: they wish to worship me,

I bet I —

Yakov Azriel was born in New York (as Gerald Rosenkrantz) and came to live in Israel after finishing his BA in English literature in Brooklyn College. He later completed an MA in Judaica, and in May 2004 he received his doctorate (on the stories of Rabbi Nachman of Braslav). He has published three full-length books of poetry: Threads From A Coat Of Many Colors: Poems on Genesis (2005), In The Shadow Of A Burning Bush: Poems on Exodus (2008), and Beads For The Messiah's Bride: Poems on Leviticus (2009), all published by Time Being Books. His new books of poetry based on the Books of Numbers, Deuteronomy and the Psalms will be published over the next few years. Over 150 of his poems have been published in journals and magazines in the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel, and his poems have won thirteen different awards in international poetry competitions. Yakov has twice been awarded fellowships from the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture for his poetry.