ABSTRACT
Scapegoat The term originated in the Hebrew ritual described in the Book of Leviticus: “Aaron shall lay both hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat” (16:20-22). In other words, the sins of the people were symbolically transferred to the goat which was then let go into the wilderness taking with it the guilt of the people.
