Chazal comment that as part of the Avodas Yom Kippur, the kohen would list the various sins committed by the people and “place them” on the head of the se’ir hamishtaleach. The he-goat represents Esau. The kohen asks Hashem to forgive the people. Why does he use the phrase kaper na instead of other synonyms like selach or mechal? Kaper means to cleanse easily, with minimal effort and without leaving a stain or residue. Hashem has many different “detergents” that can remove the blemish of sins, some of which may not be comfortable for the sinner to
endure. The kohen gadol asks that Hashem simply wipe the sins from the surface of the Jew, as the sins have not been absorbed into the being of the Jew. For if the sins had been absorbed into the being of the Jew and the community, a more arduous cleansing method would be required.
The kohen gadol is expressing that the enumerated sins are not consistent with the internal makeup of the Jew and knesses Yisrael. They were not comitted voluntarily by the Jew, rather they were forced on him by external sources. The sins that were committed belong to the realm of Esau, se’ir. The kohen gadol “returns” them to their rightful owner, and in the process wipes away their residue from the Jewish People without leaving a lasting blemish.
Indeed, the entire concept of teshuvah is built upon the idea that the sin was only skin deep and readily cleansed through repentance. This is the concept of adam ki yih’yeh v’or b’saro s’eis oh sapachas oh vaheres. The sin, the tzara’as, is limited to the surface of the skin, and not deeply embedded into the personality of the sinner. Hence, kapparah, simple rinsing to cleanse the sin, is possible and desirable.
With this idea we can appreciate the words of the prophet that we recite in Selichot, particularly around the time of Elul and the High Holy Days. Hashem challenges us to examine our sins that are so prevalent and apparent as bright crimson, Yet He will view them as if they were pure as the whitest snow. And Hashem will sprinkle us with water and cleanse and purify us, simply washing away our sins, viewed as surface dirt, from the Jew and knesses Yisrael. And we will be completely purified from our defilement, no matter how deep it may be. After that we can return to His house of prayer, the Temple, where we will once again be accepted in the category of adam ki yakriv mikem as the olah temimah, And He will hear and accept our prayers, as represented by Shema Koleinu.