Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Sforno · Torah

Sforno on Leviticus 16:8/ספורנו על ויקרא ט״ז:ח׳

אגּוֹרָלוֹת. כִּי הַגּוֹרָל בִּפְרָט עַל יְדֵי אִישׁ חֲסִידוֹ הוּא כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאַל אִישׁ בִּדְבַר הָאֱלֹהִים, כַּאֲמָרוֹ ״בַּחֵיק יוּטַל אֶת הַגּוֹרָל, וּמֵה׳ כָּל מִשְׁפָּטוֹ״ (משלי טז:לג).
1גורלות, use of a lot, especially when handled by one of G’d’s intimates, in this case by Aaron, serves to confirm something G’d wants as we know from Solomon in Proverbs 16,33 בחיק יוטל את הגורל, ומה' כל משפטו, “the lot is cast in the lap, but one’s judgment depends on G.d.” [the gullible person imagining that as long as the lot has not revealed what it was meant to reveal the fate of the individual has not been determined, is in gross error. The fate had long ago been determined in heaven. (Alshich). Ed.]