Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). The holiest day. The most dangerous ritual in the entire Torah. And the Targum Jonathan adds details that turn Leviticus 16 into a thriller.
First, the clothing: Aaron must wear only white linen, not the golden vestments. The Targum explains why—"that there be not brought to memory the sin of the golden calf." Gold on Yom Kippur would remind God of Israel's worst sin. The high priest's wardrobe became a legal defense strategy.
The two goats were chosen by lot—"equal lots," the Targum specifies, one for the Lord and one for Azazel. Aaron "shall throw them into the vase, and draw them out, and put them upon the goats." The vase detail is a Targum addition, describing a physical lottery mechanism.
The scapegoat's destination gets a name: Beth-Hadurey, a rocky desert. The Hebrew Bible says only "a land cut off." The Targum adds that "a tempestuous wind from the presence of the Lord will carry him away, and he will die." God's own wind kills the goat—it does not simply wander off to perish.
The confession over the scapegoat was performed "with an oath uttered and expressed with the Great and glorious Name"—the Shem HaMeforash, God's ineffable Name. The Targum specifies that Aaron placed his right hand over his left on the goat's head. A man was "prepared from the year foregoing" to lead the goat away, meaning Yom Kippur logistics began a full year in advance.
The five afflictions of Yom Kippur are listed explicitly: abstaining "from food, and from drinks, and from the use of the bath, and from rubbing, and from sandals, and from the practice of the bed." The Hebrew Bible says only to "afflict your souls." The Targum enumerates exactly what that means.
The fast begins on the ninth of Tishrei at evening—the Targum adds a reason: "that you may employ the time of your festivals with joy."