Chazal teach us that both he-goats must be equal in height, appearance and value. There can be no difference between these two animals other than their ultimate end, which is determined by the lots. Al HaTorah offers a thoughtful exposition of this equality. Human nature dictates that people spend money on many personal and secular pursuits. Regardless of the price, people always find the money to spend on themselves. For some it is the theater; for others, sports-related amusements; or, for still others, trips that spare no expense, money is always available. Then there are those humanitarians who feel they must empty their coffers for charities that are of a secular nature. Animal shelters, protecting the rainforest and other areas, take precedence over such tzedakos as Jewish education, assisting the needy, finding shelter for Jewish immigrants, helping the sick and feeding the poor. We somehow always find a teretz, rationale, to justify our selection of charities, relegating Torah-oriented tzedakos to a distant second place. The Torah tells us that there should be “goral echad” – one lot for Hashem and one lot for Azazel. The least we should do is to give an amount of assistance to Hashem’s charities equal to that which we give to our own.
