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1) ESCORTING THE USHER OF THE SEIR

(a) The prominent Jews would escort the usher to the first booth en route to Azazel.
(b) There were ten booths from Yerushalayim to Azazel (90 Ris @ 7.5 Ris per Mil).
(c) At each booth he was offered food or drink in the event that the fast was too difficult for him.
(d) The residents of each booth would escort him to the next booth and the last would watch him proceed to the cliff.
(e) At the cliff the usher would divide a red thread, tying half to a stone and half between the horns of the Seir.
(f) He would push the Seir backward where it would break up on the rocks of the cliff, long before it landed at the bottom.
(g) He would return to the last Sukah.
(h) (Tana Kama) His garments would be Tamei from his departure from Yerushalayim.
(i) (R. Shimon) From the point of pushing the Seir.

(a) (R. Meir) There were 10 Sukos over 12 Mil distance from Yerushalayim to the cliff.
(b) (R. Yehudah) Nine Sukos over 10 Mil.
(c) (R. Yosi) Five Sukos over 10 Mil, each employing an Eruv Techumin to escort him the entire distance.

1. R. Yosi reported that his son, Elazar, lightheartedly indicated that, based on his father's reasoning, he could make do with two Sukos.

(d) Question: Who is the Tana who holds that the residents of the last Sukah would (have to) stand and watch him from their distance?
(e) Answer: It is R. Meir (10 Sukos over 12 Mil).

(a) The Beraisa teaches that the offer of food was never accepted, but the usher benefited from its being available.
(b) This is called Pas BeSalo (lit. bread in his basket).

(a) Question: Why divide the thread at all; let him tie it all to the rock?
(b) Answer: For fear that it may turn white right away and (in his joy) he will neglect his mission, pushing off the Seir.
(c) Question: Then tie it all onto the Seir?
(d) Answer: Perhaps the Seir will fall such that its horns will be concealed from view.
(e) The Beraisa teaches that the thread was once hung publicly and would cause the People's mood to change based on whether or not the thread turned white.
(f) They instituted that it would be tied to the rock, out of public view (R. Elazar HaKapar reported similarly).

(a) Question: Is such benefit permitted?
(b) Answer: It is a dispute between Rav and Shmuel.

1. Heter can be derived from the Hefker implications of the extra word BaMidbar.
2. Isur could be derived from the stringency implied by Gezeirah.
3. Question: According to the Isur opinion, what is the role of BaMidbar?
4. Answer: It teaches that the Seir HaMishtaleach is done even when the Ohel Moed has been replaced with Mishkan and Mikdash.
5. Question: What will the Heter opinion do with the word Gezeirah?
6. Answer: It teaches that the cliff must be jagged.
7. Alternate Answer: It refers to the quality of the Seir as that which breaks apart as it falls.
8. Alternate Answer: It is a decree (Gezeirah) from HaShem, even if its Kaparah is unfathomable.

(c) The Mutar position seems logical since, otherwise, the Torah has given an instruction which could lead to a great stumbling (if someone unwittingly benefited from those found parts of the Seir).

(a) As its name implies, it is doubly harsh (Az and El).
(b) BaMidbar teaches that it may not be in a place of residence.
(c) Gezeirah teaches that it is a cliff.
(d) Another Beraisa teaches that it is the harshest of mountains (proof text).
(e) (Tana d'vei R. Yishmael) The name Azazel alludes to its atonement for Uza and Azael (Arayos, -Rashi).
(f) The Beraisa teaches that Es Mishpatei Ta'asu refers to Mitzvos which are logical; while Es Chukosei Tishmeru is HaShem's demand of fidelity regarding that which is mysterious and which the Satan claims is meaningless (including the Seir HaMishtaleach).

(a) The usher himself contracts Tumas Begadim but not his escorts (or the Kohen Gadol) who accompany him.
(b) The Beraisa negates the possibilities that his Tumas Begadim began directly upon leaving the Azarah or only once he arrives at the cliff.
(c) (R. Yehudah) The Tumah begins once he leaves the walls of Yerushalayim.
(d) (R. Yosi) Once he arrives at the cliff.
(e) (R. Shimon) Once he pushes it over the cliff.

(a) He removed the Eimurim from the Par and Seir.
(b) He placed the Eimurim in a Meigis and brought them onto the Mizbeach as a Ketores.
(c) He braided the two animals on top of one another and four people carried them out, whole, to be burnt.
(d) (Tana Kama) Tumas Begadim (for the ones dealing with the burning) begins upon leaving the Azarah.
(e) (R. Shimon) From the moment the fire takes hold of the majority of the Par and Seir.

(a) Question: Does the Mishnah really mean that he does the Haktarah now (given that there are many Avodos between removing the Eimurim and putting them on the Mizbeach)!?
(b) Answer: It means that he placed them in the Meigis *in order* to (later) offer them as a Ketores.