Öz
In this article, the ritual of the “goat sent to Azazel,” mentioned in the Torah as part of the Yom Kippur observances, is examined from multiple perspectives. This practice appears to exhibit notable parallels with comparable apotropaic (evil-averting) rituals documented in Ebla, Hatti, Ugarit, and, to some extent, Assyrian sources. The reference to Azazel in Leviticus 16 has been interpreted in various ways within Jewish texts, particularly the Mishnah and Talmud. Some commentators propose that Azazel is the name of a rugged and desolate mountain or a geographical region, while others envision it as a satanic entity, a fallen angel, or a demon inherited from pagan mythology. In addition to the goat sacrificed “for Yahweh,” the goat designated “for Azazel” was left alive and sent into the desert to symbolically remove sins and spiritual impurity from the community. Nevertheless, evidence from Second Temple period practices indicates that this goat was later thrown off a cliff, suggesting that both the ritual itself and the significance attributed to Azazel underwent changes over time. Equally noteworthy are certain rabbinic interpretations emphasizing that the goat offered to Azazel was not an actual sacrifice, but rather a symbolic bearer of sins, acting solely under divine command. Meanwhile, works such as 1 Enoch and the Apocalypse of Abraham characterize Azazel as a fallen angel or arch-demon who imparts evil and corruption to humanity. Over various periods, a range of sources has thus advanced divergent views concerning the nature of Azazel. This article undertakes a detailed exploration of these debates.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Kaynakça
- Ahituv, Shmuel. “Azazel”. Encyclopaedia Judaica. ed. Fred Skolnik. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House, 2007. 2/763-764.
- Alexandria, Philo von. “De Specialibus Legibus I”. Philonis Alexandrini Opera Quae Supersunt. V. ed. Leopold Cohn. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 1963. 1-84.
- Alexandria, Philo von. “Quis Rerum Divinarum Heres Sit”. Philonis Alexandrini Opera Quae Supersunt. III. ed. Paul Wendland. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 1963. 1-71.
- Araz, Ömer Faruk. Yahudilikte Tefsir Geleneği: Midraşik Literatürün Tarihsel Gelişimi. İstanbul: İz Yayıncılık, 2019.
- Avioz, Michael. “The Book of Leviticus in Josephus’ Writings”. The Text of Leviticus: Proceedings of the Third International Colloquium of the Dominique Barthélemy Institute, held in Fribourg (October 2015). ed. Innocent Himbaza. Leuven, Paris, Bristol, CT: Peeters, 2020. 227-242.
- Ayali-Darshan, Noga. “The Scapegoat Ritual and Its Ancient Near Eastern Parallels”. (https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-scapegoat-ritual-and-its-ancient-near-eastern-parallels) Babil Talmudu. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Bamberger, Bernard Jacob. Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan’s Realm. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2006.
- Blair, Judit M. De-Demonising the Old Testament: An Investigation of Azazel, Lilith, Deber, Qeteb and Reshef in the Hebrew Bible. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2009.
- Carmichael, Calum. Illuminating Leviticus: A Study of its Laws and Institutions in the Light of Biblical Narratives. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006.
- Carmichael, Calum. “The Origin of the Scapegoat Ritual”. Vetus Testamentum 50/2 (2000). 167-182. Cooper, Howard. “Some Thoughts on ‘Scapegoating’ and Its Origins in Leviticus 16”. European Judaism: A Journal for the New Europe 41/2 (2008). 112-119.
- Grabbe, Lester L. “The Scapegoat Tradition: A Study in Early Jewish Interpretation”. Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman Period 18/2 (1987). 152-167.
- Hayward, C. T. R. The Jewish Temple: A Non-Biblical Sourcebook. London, New York: Routledge, 2002. İbn Ezra al-Vayikra. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Janowski, B. “Azazel”. Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible (DDD). ed. Karel van der Toorn. Bob Becking. Pieter W. van der Horst. Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill, 1999, 128-131.
- Josephus, Flavius. “Antiquities of the Jews”. Josephus: The Complete Works. çev. William Whiston. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2003.
- Katar, Mehmet. Yahudilik, Hıristiyanlık ve İslâm’da Tövbe. Ankara: Eskiyeni Yayınları, 2017.
- McCurdy, J. Frederic. “Azazel”. Jewish Encyclopedia. ed. Isidore Singer. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1901. 2/365-367.
- Marcus, Yosef. “The Scapegoat Ritual: Between Biblical and Tannaitic Law”. The Review of Rabbinic Judaism 25 (2022). 195-213.
- Mariani, Matteo. “The Enochic Azazel in the Background of the Synoptic Tradition”. (https://www.academia.edu/125886266/The_Enochic_Azazel_in_the_background_of_the_Synoptic_ Tradition)
- Meral, Yasin. Yahudi Dinî Literatüründe Mesih, Deccal ve Gog-Magog. Ankara: Ankara Okulu Yayınları, 2019.
- Meral, Yasin. Yahudi Kaynakları Işığında Yahudilik. İstanbul: MilelNihal Yayınları, 2021.
- Moşe ben Yosef di Trani. Bet Elohim. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Mişna. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Musa bin Meymun. Delâletu’l-Hâirîn. çev. Osman Bayder. Özcan Akdağ. Kayseri: Kimlik Yayınevi, 2019.
- Orlov, Andrei A. Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in Early Jewish Demonology. New York: State University of New York Press, 2011.
- Pinker, Aron. “A Goat to Go to Azazel”. The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 7 (2007). 1-25.
- Pirkey de-Rabbi Eliezer. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Ramban al-Vayikra. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Rashkow, Ilona. “Azazel: The Scapegoat in the Bible and Ancient Near East”. The Jewish Bible Quarterly 51/2 (2023). 85-89.
- Raşi al-Vayikra. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Roo, Jacqueline C.R. de. “Was the Goat for Azazel Destined for the Wrath of God?”. Biblica 81/2 (2000). 233-242.
- Sa’adya Gaon. Sefer ha-Emunot ve-ha-Deot. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Sa’adya Gaon. Tefsiru’t-Tevrat bi’l-‘Arabiyye. çev. Nuh Arslantaş. İstanbul: Türkiye Yazma Eserler Kurumu Başkanlığı, 2018.
- Sawyer, John F. A. Sacred Languages and Sacred Texts. London, New York: Routledge, 2002.
- Schwartz, Howard. Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
- Tawil, Hayim. “‘Azazel the Prince of the Steepe: A Comparative Study”. Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 92/1 (1980),.43-59.
- The Apocalypse of Abraham, çev. George Herbert Box. London, New York: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, Macmillan, 1919.
- The Book of Enoch. çev. R. H. Charles. London: SPCK Classics, 2013.
- The Dead Sea Scrolls. (https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/)
- The Israelite Samaritan Version of the Torah. çev. Benyamim Tsedaka. Michigan, Cambridge: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2013.
- The Samaritan Pentateuch: A Critical Editio Maior. III. ed. Stefan Schorch. Berlin, Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 2018.
- Tur-Sinai, N.H. “Azazel”. Eretz-Israel 1 (1951). 77-80.
Öz
Bu makalede, Tevrat’ta bahsi geçen ve Yom Kipur’daki uygulamalardan biri olan “Azazel’e gönderilen keçi” ritüelini farklı yönleriyle ele alınmıştır. Bu uygulamanın, Ebla, Hatti, Ugarit ve kısmen Asur kaynaklarında görülen benzer apotropeik (kötülüğü uzaklaştırıcı) ritüellerle dikkat çekici bir paralellik sergilediği görülmektedir. Levililer 16’da belirtilen Azazel ifadesi, Mişna ve Talmud başta olmak üzere çeşitli Yahudi metinlerinde farklı şekillerde açıklanmıştır. Bazı yorumcular, Azazel’in sarp ve ıssız bir dağ veya coğrafi bölge adı olduğunu öne sürerken; kimileri de onu şeytanî bir varlık, düşmüş bir melek veya pagan mitlerinden miras kalmış bir demon olarak görmüştür. “Yahve için” kurban edilen keçinin yanında, “Azazel için” canlı bırakılan keçi, günahları ve manevi kirliliği topluluktan uzaklaştırdığı düşüncesiyle çöle gönderilmiştir. Bununla birlikte II. Mabet Dönemi uygulamalarına bakıldığında ise bu keçinin uçurumdan itilerek öldürüldüğü anlaşılmaktadır. Bu durum gerek ritüelin kendisinin gerekse Azazel ifadesine yüklenen anlamların süreç içerisinde yenilendiğini göstermektedir. Bununla birlikte bazı rabbani yorumlarda Azazel’e sunulan keçinin bir kurban olmadığının ve sadece Tanrı’nın emriyle günahların sembolik taşıyıcısı hâline geldiğinin vurgulanmış olması dikkat çekicidir. I. Enoh ve İbrahim Apokalipsi gibi kaynaklar ise Azazel’i insanlara kötülük ve bozulma öğreterek lanetlenmiş bir melek veya baş şeytan şeklinde tanımlamışlardır. Dolayısıyla Azazel’in mahiyeti konusunda çeşitli dönemler içerisinde öne çıkan pek çok kaynakta farklı görüşler ortaya atılmıştır. Bu makale, söz konusu tartışmaları detaylı bir incelemeyle değerlendirmektedir.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Kaynakça
- Ahituv, Shmuel. “Azazel”. Encyclopaedia Judaica. ed. Fred Skolnik. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House, 2007. 2/763-764.
- Alexandria, Philo von. “De Specialibus Legibus I”. Philonis Alexandrini Opera Quae Supersunt. V. ed. Leopold Cohn. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 1963. 1-84.
- Alexandria, Philo von. “Quis Rerum Divinarum Heres Sit”. Philonis Alexandrini Opera Quae Supersunt. III. ed. Paul Wendland. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 1963. 1-71.
- Araz, Ömer Faruk. Yahudilikte Tefsir Geleneği: Midraşik Literatürün Tarihsel Gelişimi. İstanbul: İz Yayıncılık, 2019.
- Avioz, Michael. “The Book of Leviticus in Josephus’ Writings”. The Text of Leviticus: Proceedings of the Third International Colloquium of the Dominique Barthélemy Institute, held in Fribourg (October 2015). ed. Innocent Himbaza. Leuven, Paris, Bristol, CT: Peeters, 2020. 227-242.
- Ayali-Darshan, Noga. “The Scapegoat Ritual and Its Ancient Near Eastern Parallels”. (https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-scapegoat-ritual-and-its-ancient-near-eastern-parallels) Babil Talmudu. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Bamberger, Bernard Jacob. Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan’s Realm. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2006.
- Blair, Judit M. De-Demonising the Old Testament: An Investigation of Azazel, Lilith, Deber, Qeteb and Reshef in the Hebrew Bible. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2009.
- Carmichael, Calum. Illuminating Leviticus: A Study of its Laws and Institutions in the Light of Biblical Narratives. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006.
- Carmichael, Calum. “The Origin of the Scapegoat Ritual”. Vetus Testamentum 50/2 (2000). 167-182. Cooper, Howard. “Some Thoughts on ‘Scapegoating’ and Its Origins in Leviticus 16”. European Judaism: A Journal for the New Europe 41/2 (2008). 112-119.
- Grabbe, Lester L. “The Scapegoat Tradition: A Study in Early Jewish Interpretation”. Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman Period 18/2 (1987). 152-167.
- Hayward, C. T. R. The Jewish Temple: A Non-Biblical Sourcebook. London, New York: Routledge, 2002. İbn Ezra al-Vayikra. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Janowski, B. “Azazel”. Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible (DDD). ed. Karel van der Toorn. Bob Becking. Pieter W. van der Horst. Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill, 1999, 128-131.
- Josephus, Flavius. “Antiquities of the Jews”. Josephus: The Complete Works. çev. William Whiston. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2003.
- Katar, Mehmet. Yahudilik, Hıristiyanlık ve İslâm’da Tövbe. Ankara: Eskiyeni Yayınları, 2017.
- McCurdy, J. Frederic. “Azazel”. Jewish Encyclopedia. ed. Isidore Singer. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1901. 2/365-367.
- Marcus, Yosef. “The Scapegoat Ritual: Between Biblical and Tannaitic Law”. The Review of Rabbinic Judaism 25 (2022). 195-213.
- Mariani, Matteo. “The Enochic Azazel in the Background of the Synoptic Tradition”. (https://www.academia.edu/125886266/The_Enochic_Azazel_in_the_background_of_the_Synoptic_ Tradition)
- Meral, Yasin. Yahudi Dinî Literatüründe Mesih, Deccal ve Gog-Magog. Ankara: Ankara Okulu Yayınları, 2019.
- Meral, Yasin. Yahudi Kaynakları Işığında Yahudilik. İstanbul: MilelNihal Yayınları, 2021.
- Moşe ben Yosef di Trani. Bet Elohim. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Mişna. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Musa bin Meymun. Delâletu’l-Hâirîn. çev. Osman Bayder. Özcan Akdağ. Kayseri: Kimlik Yayınevi, 2019.
- Orlov, Andrei A. Dark Mirrors: Azazel and Satanael in Early Jewish Demonology. New York: State University of New York Press, 2011.
- Pinker, Aron. “A Goat to Go to Azazel”. The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 7 (2007). 1-25.
- Pirkey de-Rabbi Eliezer. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Ramban al-Vayikra. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Rashkow, Ilona. “Azazel: The Scapegoat in the Bible and Ancient Near East”. The Jewish Bible Quarterly 51/2 (2023). 85-89.
- Raşi al-Vayikra. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Roo, Jacqueline C.R. de. “Was the Goat for Azazel Destined for the Wrath of God?”. Biblica 81/2 (2000). 233-242.
- Sa’adya Gaon. Sefer ha-Emunot ve-ha-Deot. (https://www.sefaria.org/).
- Sa’adya Gaon. Tefsiru’t-Tevrat bi’l-‘Arabiyye. çev. Nuh Arslantaş. İstanbul: Türkiye Yazma Eserler Kurumu Başkanlığı, 2018.
- Sawyer, John F. A. Sacred Languages and Sacred Texts. London, New York: Routledge, 2002.
- Schwartz, Howard. Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
- Tawil, Hayim. “‘Azazel the Prince of the Steepe: A Comparative Study”. Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 92/1 (1980),.43-59.
- The Apocalypse of Abraham, çev. George Herbert Box. London, New York: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, Macmillan, 1919.
- The Book of Enoch. çev. R. H. Charles. London: SPCK Classics, 2013.
- The Dead Sea Scrolls. (https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/)
- The Israelite Samaritan Version of the Torah. çev. Benyamim Tsedaka. Michigan, Cambridge: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2013.
- The Samaritan Pentateuch: A Critical Editio Maior. III. ed. Stefan Schorch. Berlin, Boston: Walter de Gruyter, 2018.
- Tur-Sinai, N.H. “Azazel”. Eretz-Israel 1 (1951). 77-80.
Ayrıntılar
| Birincil Dil | Türkçe |
|---|---|
| Konular | Yahudilik Araştırmaları |
| Bölüm | Araştırma Makalesi |
| Yazarlar | |
| Yayımlanma Tarihi | 30 Nisan 2025 |
| Gönderilme Tarihi | 28 Ocak 2025 |
| Kabul Tarihi | 14 Mart 2025 |
| Yayımlandığı Sayı | Yıl 2025 Cilt: 2 Sayı: 1 |
Dinler Tarihi Dergisi Creative Commons Atıf-GayriTicari 4.0 Uluslararası Lisansı ile lisanslanmıştır.