Edited by Rabbi Tuly Weisz the Israel Bible: Ezra-Nehemiah First Edition, 2018

Edited by Rabbi Tuly Weisz The Israel Bible: Ezra-Nehemiah First Edition, 2018

Menorah Books An imprint of Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.

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The Israel Bible is a holy book that contains the name of God and should be treated with respect. Table of Contents

iv Credits v Acknowledgements viii Aleph Bet Chart ix Introduction xv Foreward xviii Blessing Before and After Reading theTorah

19 The Book of Ezra and Nehemiah 85 Biographies of The Israel Bible Scholars 87 Bibliography 98 List of Transliterated Words in The Israel Bible 113 Photo Credits 114 Chart of the Hebrew Months and their Holidays 117 Map of Modern-Day Israel and its Neighbors 118 List of Prime Ministers of the State of Israel 119 Prayer for the State of Israel 122 Prayer for the Welfare of Israel’s Soldiers 124 Hatikvah

iii Credits

Commentary and introductions for The Israel Bible were written by the following scholars:

Bereishit (Genesis): Rabbi Tuly Weisz Shemot (Exodus): Rabbi Tuly Weisz Vayikra (Leviticus): Shira Schechter Bamidbar (Numbers): Shira Schechter Devarim (Deuteronomy): Shira Schechter Yehoshua (Joshua): Rabbi Shmuel Jablon Shoftim (Judges): Rabbi Shmuel Jablon Shmuel (Samuel): Rabbi Shmuel Jablon Melachim (Kings): Rabbi Shmuel Jablon Yeshayahu (Isaiah): Rabbi Yaakov Beasley Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah): Rabbi Yaakov Beasley Yechezkel (Ezekiel): Rabbi Yaakov Beasley Trei Asar (The Twelve Prophets) Rabbi Yaakov Beasley Tehillim (Psalms): Rabbi Avi Baumol Mishlei (Proverbs): Ahuva Balofsky Iyov (Job): Alexander Jacob Tsykin Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs): Batya Markowitz Rut (Ruth): Rabbi Tuly Weisz Eicha (Lamentations): Rabbi Noam Shapiro Kohelet (Ecclesiastes): Batya Markowitz Esther (Esther): Batya Markowitz Daniel (Daniel): Batya Markowitz Ezra v’Nechemya (Ezra and Nehemiah): Josh Even-Chen Divrei Hayamim (Chronicles): Alexander Jacob Tsykin Maps Editor: Lorien Balofsky Associate Editor: Shira Schechter Editor: Rabbi Tuly Weisz Production Management: Avishai Magence Commentary Editor: Rabbi Alan Haber Copy Editing: Efrat Gross Typesetting: Estie Dishon Cover Design: Tani Bayer Icon Design: Eliyahu Misgav

iv Acknowledgements

Producing a Tanakh is a massive undertaking that requires a tremendous team of “wise students,” as the Hebrew expression goes. The Israel Bible would never have seen the light of day without the herculean efforts of numerous contributors. First and foremost, SHIRA SCHECHTER dedicated several years as associate editor of The Israel Bible and saw the project through from beginning till end. With a perfect balance of meticulousness and fear of Heaven, she carefully supervised all aspects of research, development, editing and production. Shira’s innate appreciation for Hebrew grammar along with her sharp eye and love for the subject matter, can be felt on every page. Thank you to the esteemed scholars who contributed their immense Tanakh knowledge to this groundbreaking initiative: RABBIS AVI BAUMOL, YAAKOV BEASLEY, SHMUEL JABLON AND ALEXANDER JACOB TSYKIN, AHUVA BALOFSKY, JOSH EVEN-CHEN, and BATYA MARKOWITZ. The breadth of yourTorah scholarship, along with your love for Israel, served as a constant inspiration. I would like to thank the devoted staff of Israel365 for their vast and varied contributions to The Israel Bible in the five years since we naively asked each other, “How hard could it be to create a brand new Tanakh?” First, to LORIEN BALOFSKY who was there in the beginning and designed the first versions of The Israel Bible along with many features of this volume, including the maps. And to all the other creative geniuses: MAAYAN HOFFMAN, TSIVYA FOX, ORLY GIBSON and SHLOMO VILE. To the brilliant strategic team SHIFRA GOLDMEIER, AYAL KELLMAN, STEVEN GOLDSTEIN, SIMONE SOMERS, GILA HALPERN, MAZZ WHITE and CLARINDA YUVIENCO. To the truth- seeking reporters and editors of Breaking Israel News, ABRA FORMAN, ELIYAHU ADAM BERKOWITZ, JONATHAN BENEDEK, RIVKAH LAMBERT ADLER and ELIANA RUDEE. And a special yasher koach to SHLOMO SCHREIBMAN whose acumen enabled this important effort to continue.

v I would also like to acknowledge our “alumni” whose skills and personali- ties shaped The Israel Bible over the years: JILLIAN EZEKIEL, RACHAEL PLATT and ALIZA ABRAHAMOVITZ. A major debt of gratitude is owed to my trusted friends and advisors ROBERT FROHLINGER, RAFI COHEN and ARIEL GOLDBERG, whose wise counsel continues to guide Israel365. Thank you to the faculty of the Yeshiva for the Nations RABBIS SHIMON APISDORF, ELAN ADLER, YISHAI FLEISHER and MOSHE LICHTMAN who taught me a deep appreciation for Eretz Yisrael when I was his student, and SHARON NIV. Teach for Israel made possible the research and writing of The Israel Bible and I would like to thank the board of directors for their years of friendship and encouragement: NOAM LIPSHITZ, SCOTT OSBORNE, MARC SINGER and DAVID SWAGGERTY. I am indebted to the spiritual mentorship of RABBI SHLOMO RISKIN and DAVID NEKRUTMAN of the Center for Jewish Christian Understanding and Cooperation for their pioneering work and for contributing the foreward to The Israel Bible. Every page of this volume testifies to the impressive skill of the profes- sionals at Koren Publishers Jerusalem including MATTHEW MILLER, YEHOSHUA MILLER, RABBI AVISHAI MAGENCE, RABBI ALAN HABER, YEHUDIT SINGER, ESTIE DISHON, TANI BAYER and ASHIRAH YOSEFAH of their Menorah imprint. As Israel’s foremost Bible publishers, Koren represents a heritage of excellence and it was an honor to collaborate on this important undertaking with their prodigious staff. Thanks to RABBI BARRY SCHWARTZ and LEIF MILLIKEN for their assistance in providing the well respected New Jewish Publication Society English translation for inclusion in this volume. In addition to its many unique features, The Israel Bible is the firstTanakh to be financed through crowdfunding. I can’t thank enough the close to 1,000 contributors of our online campaign who enthusiastically supported our idea and waited patiently for its publication. While many Jews and non-Jews from all over the world eagerly participated with great generosity, a sincere thank you is to a special and humble friend of Israel from Nigeria. I am greatly appreciative of the gift in honor of EKPE NDIYO EKPE by his loving son. Over the years, I have had many mentors, teachers and rabbis who deeply impacted me and taught me a love for Torah. I have been fortunate to benefit from many, yet would like to thank RABBI ZEVULUN CHARLOP, dean of

vi the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary for our private study sessions and his enthusiasm for my work in general and this initiative in particular. I would like to acknowledge the influence of my two grandfathers, RABBI DAVID STAVSKY AND GEORGE WEISZ, both of blessed memory. In very different ways, my grandfathers equally taught invaluable lessons of hard work and self-sacrifice on behalf ofTorah . My grandmothers, PEPPI WEISZ and RUTH STAVSKY and ROSALIND DOMBROFF have assumed the role of beloved matriarchs to our family, and should be blessed with longevity. My in-laws, RHONDA and DR. TOM WEISS, are like parents to me and have provided loving encouragement and much appreciated support. They should see much “nachas” from all their children and grandchildren. I would like to thank my own precious children who were my real inspiration for The Israel Bible. Feeding off their wide-eyed enthusiasm in learning the holy words of the Torah in school — and in Hebrew no less — I felt invigorated to immerse myself in our ancient heritage. With eternal gratitude to Hashem, I am fortunate for the opportunity each day “to teach these words to my children,” SHAINDEE, BELLA, DOVID, TZOFIA and AMITAI. My ultimate thanks are reserved for my beloved wife, ABBY, for her steadfast support. Anything I have achieved is to her credit. Certainly, that is true for The Israel Bible, which only came about through her guiding our family to fulfilling our dream of making Aliyah. May all the blessings that emerge from the study of The Israel Bible reward her with her innermost prayer: that our children always embrace the eternal values of the Torah of Israel. Finally, all my colleagues in producing this volume join me in offering our profound thanksgiving to the Almighty for permitting us to help spread love for the Land and the People of Israel. May the God of Israel continue His blessings so that The Israel Bible shapes the minds and hearts of all His children for generations to come.

Naphtali “Tuly” Weisz Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel Shevat 5778 / February 2018

vii Aleph Bet Chart

viii Introduction

The Hebrew Bible is commonly known as the Tanakh which stands for Torah (the Five Books of Moses), Neviim (the Prophets) and Ketuvim (the Writings). The Tanakh consists of 24 books that are considered by Jews to be the word of God. While these books have been referred to as the “Old Testament,” many Jews reject this label since it implies the replacement of the Hebrew Bible with something newer and prefer the more authentic Jewish name. The Tanakh is not only the most important book known to man, it is God’s word that is perfect and absolute. It is therefore a daunting undertaking to publish an edition of the Tanakh, and the responsibilities are awesome. There is no room for error or carelessness in dealing with the eternal word of God. Further, upon embarking on such a serious initiative, we ask ourselves if our efforts are gratuitous. Considering the many editions of the Bible in print, is there truly a need for yet another one? While there are numerous Bibles in circulation today, its most central aspect — the Land of Israel – has often been overlooked. References to Israel appear on nearly every page, and the city of Jerusalem is specifically referred to hundreds of times throughout the Bible. The essential link between Israel and Torah is emphasized repeatedly in verses such as, “For instruction (Torah) shall come forth from Tzion, the word of Hashem from Yerushalayim” (Micah 4:2). The miraculous return of the People of Israel to the Land of Israel in our own generation, and the celebration of the State of Israel’s 70th anniversary this year provides the perfect moment for a new volume to fill this void in biblical literature. The Israel Bible includes many special features elucidating God’s focus on Israel throughout Tanakh and there are many additional, multimedia features available on our website WWW.THEISRAELBIBLE. COM.

ix Ordering and Presentation — In presenting The Israel Bible, our goal is to spread awareness of the biblical significance of the Land of Israel as well as the Jewish people’s eternal connection to the land, based on the text of the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. We aim to honor “the God, the People and the Land of Israel” from an Orthodox Jewish perspective. To that end, The Israel Bible follows the traditional Jewish ordering of the books and the customary Hebrew division of chapters. Therefore, for example, we count 24 books of Tanakh with Sefer Divrei Hayamim (Chronicles) appearing last. It is our hope that our rich content will speak to all Jews and non-Jews who appreciate Israel as the God given land of the Jewish people.

English Translation — Throughout history, Jews have studied the Bible in Hebrew, as any form of translation would miss much of the nuance of the original holy tongue in which Torah has been transmitted since the days of Moses. However, as many Jews settled in America in the 19th Century, the need for an English translation became necessary. To be sure, there were already English translations prepared over the centuries by Christians, but in the words of the original editors of the Jewish Publication Society (JPS), “The Jew cannot afford to have his Bible translation prepared for him by others. He cannot have it as a gift, even as he cannot borrow his soul from others.” JPS set out in the late 1800’s to publish an authoritative English translation “in the spirit of Jewish tradition.” It was compiled over decades by some of the leading Jewish scholars of the time. They formed committees and sub- committees to compare existing English versions, considering medieval and modern Jewish commentators. The monumental JPS translation, originally published in 1917, has been updated in recent years and The Israel Bible is proud to utilize the 1984 New Jewish Publication Society (NJPS) version with its modern, clear language, as well as its wide-ranging acceptance as an accurate and high-quality translation. We applied the NJPS translation verba- tim, except for a select list of nouns, which we replaced with their traditional Hebrew names. This is true even when we found the NJPS translation to be different than the popular translation of a word or phrase and when the NJPS switched the order of the text for the sake of clarity (see, for example, Ezekiel 24:22-24).

Hebrew Transliteration — To give our readers an authentic Tanakh experience, every verse that has commentary is transliterated from Hebrew into English. The Hebrew alphabet chart includes our standards for transliteration

x and pronunciation of Hebrew verses, enabling readers of The Israel Bible to decipher key biblical passages in the holy language. Readers can hear the entire Bible read in Hebrew on our website WWW.THEISRAELBIBLE.COM. There are various standards when it comes to transliterating Hebrew words into English letters. While we have relied primarily on the classical Hebrew transliteration, we have occasionally deviated for the sake of simplicity, clarity and to reflect common usage. In addition to whole verses, we have also transliterated many proper nouns in the English translation so that our readers can learn the names of key biblical figures and locations in their Hebrew form. As a rule, we chose to transliterate names of people that were central in the establishment and functioning of the nation of Israel, as well as significant places in the Holy Land. Therefore, regarding Adam’s sons, for example, only Shet (Seth) is transliterated since it was from him that Noach (Noah) and ultimately Avraham (Abraham) descended. For this reason, there might be verses or sections of The Israel Bible that contains multiple names and only some of them are transliterated. For the same reason, we have transliterated the names of the books of Tanakh when referring to them in our introductions and commentary. When referencing a specific chapter or verse, however, we use the English names of the books in our citations for clarity. We also transliterated ideas and concepts that are central to Judaism such as Shabbat (Sabbath), the names of the Jewish holidays and the Beit Hamikdash (Temple), as well as biblical measurements. Finally, the name of God is transliterated. Out of respect, Orthodox Jews generally refer to the Lord as Hashem, which literally means ‘the Name.’ Referring to God as Hashem reminds us that we feel close to Him but also recognize our distance at the same time. To stress this moniker, we transliterated both the Tetragrammaton as well as the name Elohim as Hashem.

Study Notes — Our unique commentary was compiled by Orthodox Jewish scholars who live in Israel. It is an anthology in the sense that most of the commentary is not original, but draws from traditional teachings of early Jewish Sages and modern rabbinic commentators. We also include quotations from individuals who have played a significant part in the past century of modern Israeli history including Israeli prime ministers, poets and military leaders.

xi Our commentary can be broken into four categories, three of which are identified by an icon at the beginning of the study note: Israel lessons are indicated with an icon bearing the map of Israel and focus on the Land of Israel and the modern State of Israel. Jewish lessons are indicated with a Torah scroll and teach a concept in Judaism or a classic idea from rabbinic thought. Hebrew lessons are represented by an icon bearing the letteraleph and focus on the meaning of a Hebrew word or phrase. All other comments are considered general comments and are not assigned an icon.

Supplemental Material — In addition to our unique translation and original commentary, The Israel Bible offers supplementary material to enrich the learning experience of our readers. Before every book of Tanakh, we provide an introduction, as well as information, generally in the form of a map, a chart or a list, which is central to the specific book.

Maps — As the purpose of The Israel Bible is to highlight the biblical significance of the Land of Israel, significant time was spent researching and preparing maps to bring the physical contours of the holy land to life with great accuracy. However, since there is a lack of information regarding the precise locations of certain ancient cities, some of the places on our maps are approximate or subject to debate. In these cases, we followed the opinion that we are most comfortable with, but acknowledge that there is room for disagreement. We continue to produce new maps, which are available on our website WWW.THEISRAELBIBLE.COM/MAPS.

Torah Readings — TheTorah is not just a work that is studied privately, it is also read out loud in synagogue. Every Shabbat and holiday a portion of the Torah is read, as well as a related section from Neviim, the prophets, called the haftarah. For this reason, we included the blessings recited before and after the reading of the Torah. Readers can always find the current week’s Torah portion by visiting WWW.THEISRAELBIBLE.COM/WEEKLY-TORAH- PORTION. In this volume, we indicate where a new Torah portion begins by highlighting the Hebrew verse number with a gray box so readers can follow along with the communal Torah readings. Furthermore, we have included prayers for the State of Israel and the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces

xii (IDF) that are generally recited following the Torah reading in synagogue. It is our constant prayer that God watch over the State of Israel and the members of the IDF, who defend Israel every hour of every day.

In 1948, the State of Israel was created providing a modern answer to Isaiah’s ancient question, “Is a nation born all at once?” (Isaiah 66:8). We are now in the 70th year of God’s miraculous restoration of the People of Israel to the Land of Israel. Jewish wisdom teaches that 70 is a significant number:Moshe (Moses) translated the Torah into 70 languages for all 70 nations of the world. From our very origins, the Jewish people were meant to be a light unto the 70 nations, spreading God’s truth to the masses. In the seven decades since the modern rebirth of the the State of Israel, God’s plan has been unfolding with unprecedented speed, dramatic highs and heart-breaking lows. Never has Israel been at the forefront of the world’s attention as it is in our generation. Efforts to vilify the Jewish State seem to spread every day across the globe. At the same time, so does the growing movement of millions of non-Jewish biblical Zionists who stand with the nation of Israel as an expression of their commitment to God’s word. As we seek to understand the clash of these two conflicting worldviews, the need for The Israel Bible has never been so important. Standing on the great shoulders of those who came before us and emanating from the land that has always served as the birthplace for the Bible, we conclude with a heartfelt prayer: May the Almighty bless our efforts in offering thisTanakh to influence the hearts, minds and actions of its readers. In this way, it is our hope to spread God’s name so that the publication of The Israel Bible brings us one step closer to the final redemption of Israel and the entire world. Rabbi Tuly Weisz Editor, The Israel Bible

xiii

Foreward

The mandate to study God’s word daily is interestingly not found in the Five Books of Moses (Pentateuch), but rather in the first book of our prophetic writings: “Let not this Book of the Teaching cease from your lips, but recite it day and night, so that you may observe faithfully all that is written in it. Only then will you prosper in your undertakings and only then will you be successful” (Joshua 1:8). Charged with bringing the Israelites into the land covenantally promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God ensures Joshua of His protection if the nation observes His ways as dictated in the Divine constitution known as the Torah. In Jewish tradition, Joshua (1:8) is directly linked with Deuteronomy (11:14), “You shall gather in your new grain and wine, and oil.”1 Our Sages deduced from this scriptural combination the importance of merging Torah study with a profession. Completely dedicating oneself to the study of Torah without having the financial means to sustain this lifestyle can lead one to eventually straying from observance of God’s will. Poverty and crime can have an intimate relationship. We must also be careful that our work does not affect our daily study of Scripture. The addiction of becoming a workaholic and not making Torah study a priority can also lead one into temptations that can violate our personal relationship with Him as well as our fellow human beings. The goal is to achieve a healthy balance between our study of God’s word and our daily work. The Deuteronomic verse quoted above is part of the second section of the Shema2 that discusses the concept of reward and punishment. Sanctifying God by fulfilling His commandments results in the Land of Israel practically benefitting from rains that occur in the right season and reaping the abundance from the fields. However, if the nation follows pagan gods and practices, the consequences are devastating – famine and death. The Land of Israel is intrinsically linked with the keeping of the Torah. Covenant Land comes with covenant responsibility. xv Born into slavery, Joshua is now leading His people into the Promised Land. More than 500 years separates him from his ancestral forefather Abraham. The historical narratives that took place between Abraham leaving everything behind to follow God in Genesis 12 and the death of Moses in the last chapter of Deuteronomy are filled with intrigue, suspense, joy, sorrow and hope. What began as a family is now a nation actualizing its mission to be a kingdom of priests to the world. However, for the Israelites to succeed in the Land of Israel, they must see the Torah as the only compass to direct their lives. The biblical episodes after our first entry into the land are well known. Our ancestors’ triumphs and sins are all on public record. We learned the harsh reality of Leviticus (18:28) “So let not the land spew you out for defiling it as it spewed out the nation that came before you.” Twice, we lost the privilege to be stewards of the Land of Israel and to fulfill our nation state mandate to be a light to the world. However, when the annals of history were ready to archive the Jewish people after the Holocaust, God kept His covenantal promise and gathered us from the four corners of the globe to come home. The year 1948 was a game changer. Biblical prophecies were and are being realized. We are now living in the birth pangs of the messianic era. In our morning prayers, we recite a series of blessings over the Torah that include petitioning God to have a sweet tooth for His word, to study it without any ulterior motive and to have Him to teach it to us. They are some congregations that invoke the following liturgical prayer after the completion of these blessings: May the Torah be my faith and El Shaddai my help. Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and all time. According to Jewish tradition, the neglect of not blessing the Torah before engaging in its study was one of the reasons for the destruction of the Temple.3 This is deduced from the redundancy of words in Jeremiah (9:12) that talks about Israel not following God: “…Because they forsook the teaching I had set before them. They did not obey Me and they did not follow it [did not make a blessing before studying it].” Our inability to properly cherish God’s greatest gift to the world, the Torah, led to our eventual exile from our land. The State of Israel will celebrate its 70th birthday this year. On Israel’s Independence Day, Jews around the world recite Psalms 113-118 to express our gratitude to God for His Divine hand in helping establish the State of

3. Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 81a

xvi Israel. We have learned from our past and realize the privilege to see firsthand the land, people and Torah operating all together in our generation. When Rabbi Tuly Weisz approached me about his intent to publish The Israel Bible that would highlight commentary about the special relationship between the land and people, I saw this project as another way to publicly demonstrate our appreciation to God for having the State of Israel. In addition, it is another educational tool to ensure biblical literacy. If we are to truly enjoy the Land of Israel, it is incumbent upon us to continually study the Torah. Isaiah once prophesied that the Jewish people would return to Zion with songs, “crowned with everlasting joy” (35:10). The Israel Bible provides us the lyrical content to express our joy in living in the land that God calls holy. Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Chief Rabbi of Efrat Founder of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding & Cooperation (CJCUC)

xvii Blessing Before Reading the Torah: The one who has been called up to the Torah says: ָּבְר ּכו ֶאת ְיָי ַה ְמ ָבֹר ְך -Bless Hashem, the one who is ba-r’-KHU et a-do-NAI ham blessed vo-RAKH

The Congregation responds: ָּב ּרו ְך ְיָי ַה ְמ ָבֹר ְך -Blessed is Hashem, the one ba-RUKH a-do-NAI ham-vo ְל ָעולם ָו ֶעד who is blessed, for all eternity RAKH l’-o-LAM va-ED

The one who has been called up to the Torah continues: ָּב ּרו ְך ְיָי ַה ְמ ָבֹר ְך -Blessed is Hashem, the one ba-RUKH a-do-NAI ham-vo ְל ָעוֹלם ָו ֶעד who is blessed, for all eternity RAKH l’-o-LAM va-ED ָּב ּרו ְך ַא ָּתה ְיָי Blessed are you, Hashem ba-RUKH a-TAH a-do-NAI ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ֶמ ֶל ְך ָה ָעוֹלם -Our God, King of the e-lo-HAY-nu ME-lekh ha-o universe LAM ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָּב ַחר ָּב ּנו Who has chosen us a-SHER BA-khar BA-nu ִמ ָּכל ָה ַע ִּמים From among all the nations mi-KOL ha-a-MEEM ְו ָנ ַתן ָל ּנו And has given us v’-NA-tan LA-nu ֶאת ּתוֹ ָרתוֹ His Torah et to-ra-TO ָּב ּרו ְך ַא ָּתה ְיָי Blessed are you, Hashem ba-RUKH a-TAH a-do-NAI נוֹ ֵתן ַה ּתוֹ ָרה Giver of the Torah no-TAYN ha-to-RAH

Blessing After Reading the Torah:

ָּב ּרו ְך ַא ָּתה ְיָי Blessed are you, Hashem ba-RUKH a-TAH a-do-NAI ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ֶמ ֶל ְך ָה ָעוֹלם -Our God, King of the e-lo-HAY-nu ME-lekh ha-o universe LAM ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָנ ַתן ָל ּנו Who has given us a-SHER NA-tan LA-nu ּתוֹ ַרת ֱא ֶמת TheTorah of truth to-RAT e-MET ְו ַחֵּיי ָעוֹלם ָנ ַטע -’And planted eternal life v’-kha-YAY o-LAM na-TA b ְּב ֵתוֹכ ּנו within us to-KHAY-nu ָּב ּרו ְך ַא ָּתה ְיָי Blessed are you, Hashem ba-RUKH a-TAH a-do-NAI נוֹ ֵתן ַה ּתוֹ ָרה Giver of the Torah no-TAYN ha-to-RAH xviii Sefer Ezra v’Nechemya The Book of Ezra and Nehemiah

Introduction and commentary by Josh Even-Chen

Sefer Ezra v’Nechemya (Ezra and Nehemiah) is the penultimate book of the Hebrew Bible. Though comprised of two smaller books,Sefer Ezra and Sefer Nechemya were joined, as they concisely discuss the same general era, the final period included in theTanakh . While some of the recorded events occur in faraway Persia, the focus of the book is the realization of the yearning of the Jewish exiles to return to Eretz Yisrael. Many people associate the term “Zionism” only with the movement that began in the late nineteenth century, with the Jewish émigrés who returned to the Land of Israel in what became known as the “First Aliya.” In truth, however, the first returnees to Zion were those who returned from the Babylonian exile in the time of Ezra and Nechemya some 2500 years ago, in what is referred to as Shivat Tzion (the return to Zion). Scholars have pointed out that the two events share similar characteristics. In both cases, the majority of exiles did not opt to return, and most of those who did come were young, driven by idealism and without strong ties to their host countries. Indeed, history, especially Jewish history, tends to repeat itself. Seventy years before the reign of the Persian king Cyrus, Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians took control of the Land of Israel, exiling the inhabitants of Yehuda and destroying Yerushalayim and the Beit Hamikdash. One might have expected the Judean people to disappear in the Babylonian exile, as had happen to their brothers from the northern kingdom following the earlier exile at the hands of Assyria, but incredibly, as the prophet Yirmiyahu had predicted, they persisted. To assure their survival, they adopted a three-step approach: remember the past, live in the present, and hope for the future. And within that projected future, Eretz Yisrael was always central. Sefer Ezra v’Nechemya begins with Cyrus’s proclamation allowing the Jews to return to Israel and rebuild the Beit Hamikdash. While some Jews

19 did heed the call, many chose to remain in Persia, where, over the years of Babylonian rule, they had become comfortable and had built a life for themselves. The returnees are met with resistance and hardship, and the construction of the Temple is halted until the second year of the reign of King Darius. In response to the encouragement of the prophets Chagai and Zecharya, construction of the Beit Hamikdash resumes and is finally completed in Darius’s sixth year. A short time later, in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra, “a scribe expert in the Teaching of Moshe” (Ezra 7:6), brings a second wave of returnees to the Land of Israel, with Nechemya following thirteen years later. Ezra and Nechemya were both reformers, but while Ezra implemented spiritual reforms, Nechemya focused on pragmatic matters involving the country’s material infrastructure. Ezra’s attention turns to combating assimilation, promoting Jewish education and reestablishing a proper system of justice. Nechemya concentrates on physically reestablishing Jewish communities and reconstructing the fortifications ofYerushalayim . Both aspects were essential for the survival of the nation. Like Nechemya, the early twentieth-century Zionists were mostly responsible for building the country physically. However, as modern-day Israel’s first Chief Rabbi, Abraham Isaac Kook, commented, even the most mundane tasks like plowing a field or building a home, if performed in Israel, constitute a fulfillment of the word of God. All twenty-four books of the Hebrew Bible relate to Eretz Yisrael, but this is the only one that is dedicated to the rejuvenation of the land and its people, and the Torah laws. Our generation has merited seeing these words come to life before our eyes. It is therefore our privilege and obligation to study this book, in order to learn and benefit from the successes and failures, core messages, and divinely inspired wisdom that relates to the Jewish people’s first attempt at resettling the Land of Israel, in the days ofEzra and Nechemya.

20 Chart of Important Milestones in the Settlement of the Land of Israel Sefer Ezra v’Nechemya discusses the return of the Jews to the Land of Israel following 70 years of Babylonian exile. The return happened in stages and, to a certain degree, was incomplete. Over the years, small retorations of the Jewish people have taken place, each bringing us a little closer to the ultimate redemption. The following is a partial list of milestones in the settlement of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel:

Event Description Year Relevant verses

Exodus from Egypt Under the leadership of Moshe, Hashem redeemed the Children of Israel Exodus — 2448 Exodus and entry into the from Egyptian slavery. After spending 40 years in the desert they reached (Hebrew date) 6:6-8 Land of Israel their final destination — the Land of Israel. Entry into the land — 2488 (Hebrew date)

Return to Tzion Following Cyrus’ proclamation allowing the Jews to return to Israel and Zerubavel — Ezra rebuild the Beit Hamikdash, Zerubavel, along with Yehoshua the High 538 BCE 1-2, 7 Priest, led the first group of 42,360 returnees to the Land of Israel from the Ezra — 458 BCE Nehemiah Babylonian exile. They re-settled the land and rebuilt the Beit Hamikdash. Nechemya — 2, 13:6-7 A number of years later, Ezra followed with a second wave of about 5,000 445 BCE returnees. He worked hard to bring about religious reform among the Jews in Israel. Finally, Nechemya travelled to the Land of Israel to rebuild Jerusalem and repair its walls.

Jewish The priestly Hasmonean family led a revolt against the Syrian-Greek rulers 165 BCE - Beit independence — who had forbade the practice of Judaism and defiled the Beit Hamikdash. Hamikdash is Hasmonean dynasty They won the battle for Yerushalayim, purified the Beit Hamikdash, and restored continued to fight their Seleucid oppressors. Eventually, the Hasmoneans 142 BCE — were victorious, and, with the collapse of the Seleucid kingdom, Jewish Jews granted independence was restored in the Land of Israel until its capture by the autonomy Romans in 63 BCE.

Aliyot Aliyah, return to Israel, was always a national aspiration of the Jewish 1882-1948 people but was not fulfilled on a large-scale until the rise of Zionism. From 1882 until the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, over 550,000 Jews immigrated to the Land of Israel through several waves of Aliyah.

Declaration of the The State of Israel was officially declared by David Ben-Gurion on May, 1948 State of Israel 14th 1948 (the 5th of Iyar 5708), and the Jews again have a national homeland in the Land of Israel. Many refer to this as the beginning of the final redemption.

Rescue Operations Since the establishment of the State of Israel, there have been a number Operation Magic of rescue operations carried out by the Israel, bringing Jews all over the Carpet — world to freedom in the Jewish State. Some of these operations include: 1949-1950, Operation Magic Carpet, which brought approximately 50,000 Yemenite Operation Ezra and Jews to Israel, Operation Ezra and Nehemiah, which airlifted more Nehemiah — 1950- than 120,000 Iraqi Jews to Israel, and Operation Moses, which brought 1951, Operation approximately 8,000 Ethiopian Jews to the Jewish state. Moses — 1984

Re-unification of The Six-Day war resulted in Israel’s acquisition of the Sinai Peninsula and 1967 Yerushalayim the Gaza Strip (both eventually given back), the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem. For the first time since 1948, Jerusalem was reunited and Jews were able to pray at the Western Wall, the remaining outer wall of the Second Beit Hamikdash.

Jewish Immigration Since 1948, more than 3 million Jews from all over the world have made 1948-present aliyah to the Land of Israel. This is seen by many as a partial fulfillment of the prophecies of the ingathering of the exiles.

עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק א Ezra/Nehemiah Chapter 1 א ּו ִבשׁ ְ ַנת ַא ַחת ְל ֶכוֹרשׁ ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּפַרס ִל ְכלוֹת In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, when the 1 1 א ְ ּד ַב ְר־י ָהֹוה ִמ ִּפי ִיְר ְמָיה ֵה ִעיר ְי ָהֹוה ֶאת־ ,word of Hashem spoken by Yirmiyahu was fulfilled ּרו ַח ּכֶֹרשׁ ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּ־פַרס ַוַּי ֲע ֶבר־קוֹל ְּב ָכל־ Hashem roused the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia to ַמ ְל ּכותוֹ ְו ַג ְּם־ב ִמ ְכ ָּתב ֵלאמֹר׃ issue a proclamation throughout his realm by word of mouth and in writing as follows: ב ּכֹה ָא ַמר ּכֶֹרשׁ ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּפַרס ּכֹל ַמ ְמ ְלכוֹת Thus said King Cyrus of Persia: God of Heaven“ 2 ָה ָאֶרץ ָנ ַתן ִלי ְי ָהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹהי ַהשָּׁ ָמִים has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and ְו ּהו ָא־פ ַקד ָע ַלי ִל ְבנוֹת־לוֹ ַבִית has charged me with building Him a house in ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִּב ּיהו ָדה׃ .Yerushalayim, which is in Yehuda ג ִמ ָי־ב ֶכם ִמ ָּכ ַל־ע ּמוֹ ְי ִהי ֱא ָלֹהיו ִע ּמוֹ ְוַי ַעל Anyone of you of all His people—may his God be 3 ִל ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִּב ּיהו ָדה ְוִי ֶבן ֶא ֵּת־בית with him, and let him go up to Yerushalayim that is ְי ָהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹהי ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ּהוא ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ,in Yehuda and build the House of God of Yisrael ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ ;the God that is in Yerushalayim ד ְו ָכ ַל־ה ִנּשׁ ְ ָאר ִמ ָּכ ַל־ה ְּמקֹמוֹת ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ּהוא and all who stay behind, wherever he may be 4 ָגר־שׁ ָ ם ְי ַנ ְּשׂ ּאו ּהו ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ְמקֹמוֹ ְּב ֶכ ֶסף living, let the people of his place assist him with ּו ְבָז ָהב ּו ִבְר ּכושׁ ּו ִב ְב ֵה ָמה ִע ַם־ה ְנּ ָד ָבה silver, gold, goods, and livestock, besides the ְל ֵבית ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ freewill offering to the House ofHashem that is in Yerushalayim.” ה ַוָּי ּקו ּמו ָראשׁ ֵ י ָה ָאבוֹת ִל ּיהו ָדה ּו ִב ְנָי ִמן ,So the chiefs of the clans of Yehuda and Binyamin 5 ְו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ְלכֹל ֵה ִעיר ָה ֱא ִלֹהים and the Kohanim and Leviim, all whose spirit had ֶא ּת־רוחוֹ ַל ֲעלוֹת ִל ְבנוֹת ֶא ֵּת־בית ְי ָהֹוה been roused by Hashem, got ready to go up to build ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ .the House of Hashem that is in Yerushalayim ו ְו ָכ ְל־ס ִב ֵיבֹת ֶיהם ִחְ ּז ּקו ִב ֵיד ֶיהם ִּב ְכ ֵלי־ All their neighbors supported them with silver 6 ֶכ ֶסף ַּבָ ּז ָהב ָּבְר ּכושׁ ּו ַב ְּב ֵה ָמה ּו ַב ִּמ ְג ָ ּדנוֹת vessels, with gold, with goods, with livestock, and

ְל ַבד ַע ָּל־כ ִל־ה ְת ַנ ֵ ּדב׃ Ezra/Nehemiah with precious objects, besides what had been given as a freewill offering. ז ְו ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ּכ ֶוֹרשׁ ִהוֹציא ֶא ְּת־כ ֵלי ֵבית־ King Cyrus of Persia released the vessels of 7 ְי ָהֹוה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִהוֹציא ְנ ּבו ַכ ְד ֶנ ַּצר ִמ ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם Hashem’s house which Nebuchadnezzar had taken ַוִּי ְּת ֵנם ְּב ֵבית ֱא ָלֹהיו׃ away from Yerushalayim and had put in the house of his god. ח ַו ּי ִוֹצ ֵיאם ּכ ֶוֹרשׁ ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּפַרס ַע ַל־יד These King Cyrus of Persia released through the 8 ִמ ְתְר ָדת ַה ִּגְז ָּבר ַוִּי ְס ְּפֵרם ְלשׁ ֵ שׁ ְ ַּב ַּצר office of Mithredath the treasurer, who gave an ַה ָנּ ִשׂיא ִל ּיהו ָדה׃ inventory of them to Sheshbatzar the prince of Yehuda. ט ְו ֵא ֶּלה ִמ ְס ָּפָרם ֲא ַגְר ְט ֵלי ָז ָהב שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ִ ים This is the inventory: 30 gold basins, 1,000 silver 9 ֲא ַגְר ְט ֵל ֶי־כ ֶסף ָא ֶלף ַמ ֲח ָל ִפים ִּתשׁ ְ ָעה ,basins, 29 knives ְו ֶע ְשׂ ִרים׃ י ְּכ ֵפוֹרי ָז ָהב שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ִ ים ְּכ ֵפוֹרי ֶכ ֶסף ִמשׁ ְ ִנים gold bowls, 410 silver double bowls, 1,000 other 30 10 ַאְר ַּבע ֵמאוֹת ַו ֲע ָשׂ ָרה ֵּכ ִלים ֲא ֵחִרים ;vessels ָא ֶלף׃

23 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ב Chapter 2

יא ָּכ ֵּל־כ ִלים ַלָ ּז ָהב ְו ַל ֶּכ ֶסף ֲח ֵמשׁ ֶ ת ֲא ָל ִפים in all, 5,400 gold and silver vessels. Sheshbatzar 11 ְו ַאְר ַּבע ֵמאוֹת ַה ּכֹל ֶה ֱע ָלה שׁ ֵ שׁ ְ ַּב ַּצר brought all these back when the exiles came back ִעם ֵה ָעלוֹת ַה ּג ָוֹלה ִמ ָּב ֶבל ִל ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ .from Babylon to Yerushalayim kol kay-LEEM la-za-HAV v’-la-KE-sef kha-MAY-shet a-la-FEEM v’-ar-BA may-OT ha-KOL he-e-LAH shaysh-ba-TZAR IM hay-a-LOT ha-go-LAH mi-ba-VEL lee-ru- sha-LA-im א ְו ֵא ֶּלה ְּב ֵני ַה ְּמ ִד ָינה ָה ִעֹלים ִמשְּׁ ִבי These are the people of the province who came 1 2 ב ַה ּג ָוֹלה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ֶה ְג ָלה נבוכדנצור up from among the captive exiles whom King ְ]נ ּבו ַכ ְד ֶנ ַּצר[ ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּ־ב ֶבל ְל ָב ֶבל ַוָּישׁ ּו ּבו Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried into exile ִל ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ִו ּיהו ָדה ִאישׁ ְל ִעירוֹ׃ to Babylon, who returned to Yerushalayim and Yehuda, each to his own city, ב ֲאשׁ ֶ ָּר־ב ּאו ִע ְם־זֻר ָּב ֶבל ֵישׁ ּו ַע ְנ ֶח ְמָיה ,who came with Zerubavel, Yeshua, Nechemya 2 ְשׂ ָרָיה ְר ֵע ָלָיה ָמְר ֳ ּד ַכי ִּב ְלשׁ ָ ן ִמ ְס ָּפר ִּב ְגַוי ,Seraya, Reelaiah, Mordechai, Bilshan, Mispar ְר ּחום ַּב ֲע ָנה ִמ ְס ַּפר ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ַעם ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah: The list of the men of the people of Yisrael: ג ְּב ֵני ַפְרעֹשׁ ַא ְל ַּפִים ֵמ ָאה שׁ ִ ְב ִעים ;the sons of Parosh—2,172 3 ּ ו שׁ ְ ָ נ ִ י ם ׃ ד ְּב ֵני שׁ ְ ַפ ְטָיה שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת שׁ ִ ְב ִעים ;the sons of Shephatiah—372 4 ּ ו שׁ ְ ָ נ ִ י ם ׃ ה ְּב ֵני ָאַרח שׁ ְ ַבע ֵמאוֹת ֲח ִמשָּׁ ה ְושׁ ִ ְב ִעים׃ ;the sons of Arah—775 5 ו ְּב ֵנ ַי־פ ַחת ָמוֹאב ִל ְב ֵני ֵישׁ ּו ַע ָיוֹאב the sons of Pahath-moab: the sons of Yeshua and 6 ַא ְל ַּפִים שׁ ְ ֶמֹנה ֵמאוֹת ּושׁ ְ ֵנים ָע ָשׂר׃ ;Yoav—2,812 ז ְּב ֵני ֵע ָילם ֶא ֶלף ָמ ַאתִים ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ;the sons of Elam—1,254 7 Ezra/Nehemiah ְו ַאְר ָּב ָעה׃ ח ְּב ֵני ַז ּת ּוא ְּתשׁ ַ ע ֵמאוֹת ְו ַאְר ָּב ִעים ;the sons of Zattu—945 8 ַ ו ֲ ח ִ מ שׁ ּ ָ ה ׃ ט ְּב ֵני ַז ָּכי שׁ ְ ַבע ֵמאוֹת ְושׁ ִ שִּׁ ים׃ ;the sons of Zaccai—760 9 י ְּב ֵני ָב ִני שׁ ֵ שׁ ֵמאוֹת ַאְר ָּב ִעים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ ;the sons of Bani—642 10 יא ְּב ֵני ֵב ָבי שׁ ֵ שׁ ֵמאוֹת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ לֹשׁ ָ ה׃ ;the sons of Bebai—623 11 יב ְּב ֵני ַעְז ָּגד ֶא ֶלף ָמ ַאתִים ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ ;the sons of Azgad—1,222 12 יג ְּב ֵני ֲא ִדֹנ ָיקם שׁ ֵ שׁ ֵמאוֹת שׁ ִ שִּׁ ים ְושׁ ִ שָּׁ ה׃ ;the sons of Adonikam—666 13

1:11 When the exiles came back from Bavel to although translated here as “the exiles came back,” the Yerushalayim. The beloved Rabbi Shlomo more exacting translation is “the exiles ascended.” Ever Carlebach would quip, “Did you know that Jerusalem is since the magnetic north has dictated the directional the highest city in the world?” Many were skeptical, but illustration of maps, people have said things like, “I’m he was correct – in the spiritual, if not topographical, going down south,” or “I’m heading up north.” However, Rabbi Shlomo sense. The Bible states that “Avram went down to Egypt” this verse teaches that no matter where a person is in Carlebach from Canaan (Genesis 12:10), and when the people the world, his “spiritual compass” should always indicate (1925-1994) returned to the Land of Israel from the Babylonian exile, that Yerushalayim is “up.”

24 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ב Chapter 2

יד ְּב ֵני ִב ְגָוי ַא ְל ַּפִים ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ְושׁ ִ שָּׁ ה׃ ;the sons of Bigvai—2,056 14 טו ְּב ֵני ָע ִדין ַאְר ַּבע ֵמאוֹת ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ;the sons of Adin—454 15 ְו ַאְר ָּב ָעה׃ טז ְּב ֵנ ָי־א ֵטר ִל ִיחְז ִקָּיה ִּתשׁ ְ ִעים ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ ;the sons of Ater: Chizkiyahu—98 16 יז ְּב ֵני ֵב ָצי שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ לֹשׁ ָ ה׃ ;the sons of Bezai—323 17 יח ְּב ֵני ָיוֹרה ֵמ ָאה ּושׁ ְ ֵנים ָע ָשׂר׃ ;the sons of Jorah—112 18 יט ְּב ֵני ָחשׁ ֻ ם ָמ ַאתִים ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ לֹשׁ ָ ה׃ ;the sons of Hashum—223 19 כ ְּב ֵני ִג ָּבר ִּתשׁ ְ ִעים ַו ֲח ִמשָּׁ ה׃ ;the sons of Gibbar—95 20 כא ְּב ֵני ֵב ָית־ל ֶחם ֵמ ָאה ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ לֹשׁ ָ ה׃ ;the sons of Beit Lechem— 123 21 כב ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ְנ ָטֹפה ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ְושׁ ִ שָּׁ ה׃ ;the sons of Netophah—56 22 כג ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ֲע ָנתוֹת ֵמ ָאה ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ ;the sons of Anatot—128 23 כד ְּב ֵני ַעְז ָמֶות ַאְר ָּב ִעים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ ;the sons of Azmaveth—42 24 כה ְּב ֵני ִקְרַית ָעִרים ְּכ ִפ ָירה ּו ְב ֵארוֹת שׁ ְ ַבע the sons of Kiriath-arim: Chephirah and 25 ֵמאוֹת ְו ַאְר ָּב ִעים ּושׁ ְ לֹשׁ ָ ה׃ ;Beeroth—743 כו ְּב ֵני ָהָר ָמה ָו ָג ַבע שׁ ֵ שׁ ֵמאוֹת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ;the sons of Rama and Geba—621 26 ְו ֶא ָחד׃ כז ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ִמ ְכ ָמס ֵמ ָאה ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ ;the men of Michmas—122 27 כח ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ֵב ֵית־אל ְו ָה ָעי ָמ ַאתִים ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ;the men of Beit El and Ai—223 28 ּ ו שׁ ְ ל ֹ שׁ ָ ה ׃

כט ְּב ֵני ְנבוֹ ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ ;Ezra/Nehemiah 29 the men of Nebo—52 ל ְּב ֵני ַמ ְג ִּבישׁ ֵמ ָאה ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ְושׁ ִ שָּׁ ה׃ ;the sons of Magbish—156 30 לא ְּב ֵני ֵע ָילם ַא ֵחר ֶא ֶלף ָמ ַאתִים ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ;the sons of the other Elam—1,254 31 ְו ַאְר ָּב ָעה׃ לב ְּב ֵני ָחִרם שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת ְו ֶע ְשׂ ִרים׃ ;the sons of Harim—320 32 לג ְּב ֵני־לֹד ָח ִדיד ְואוֹנוֹ שׁ ְ ַבע ֵמאוֹת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ;the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono—725 33 ַ ו ֲ ח ִ מ שׁ ּ ָ ה ׃ לד ְּב ֵני ְיֵרחוֹ שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת ַאְר ָּב ִעים ;the sons of Yericho—345 34 ַ ו ֲ ח ִ מ שׁ ּ ָ ה ׃ לה ְּב ֵני ְס ָנ ָאה שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֶ ת ֲא ָל ִפים ְושׁ ֵ שׁ ֵמאוֹת .the sons of Senaah—3,630 35 ּ ו שׁ ְ ל ֹ שׁ ִ י ם ׃ לו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְּב ֵני ְי ַד ְעָיה ְל ֵבית ֵישׁ ּו ַע ְּתשׁ ַ ע TheKohanim : the sons of Jedaiah: the house of 36 ֵמאוֹת שׁ ִ ְב ִעים ּושׁ ְ לֹשׁ ָ ה׃ ;Yeshua—973 לז ְּב ֵני ִא ֵּמר ֶא ֶלף ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ ;the sons of Immer—1,052 37 לח ְּב ֵני ַפשׁ ְ ּחור ֶא ֶלף ָמ ַאתִים ַאְר ָּב ִעים ;the sons of Pashhur—1,247 38 ְ ו שׁ ִ ְ ב ָ ע ה ׃

25 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ב Chapter 2

לט ְּב ֵני ָחִרם ֶא ֶלף ְושׁ ִ ְב ָעה ָע ָשׂר׃ .the sons of Harim—1,017 39 מ ַה ְלִוִּים ְּב ֵנ ֵי־ישׁ ּו ַע ְו ַק ְד ִמ ֵיאל ִל ְב ֵני TheLeviim : the sons of Yeshua and Kadmiel: the 40 ַהוֹדְוָיה שׁ ִ ְב ִעים ְו ַאְר ָּב ָעה׃ .sons of Hodaviah—74 מא ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְּב ֵני ָא ָסף ֵמ ָאה ֶע ְשׂ ִרים .The singers: the sons ofAsaf —128 41 ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ מב ְּב ֵני ַהשּׁ ֲֹעִרים ְּב ֵני־שׁ ַ ּל ּום ְּב ֵנ ָי־א ֵטר ְּב ֵני־ The gatekeepers: the sons ofShalum , the sons of 42 ַט ְלמוֹן ְּב ֵנ ַי־ע ּק ּוב ְּב ֵני ֲח ִט ָיטא ְּב ֵני שׁ ָֹבי Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the ַה ּכֹל ֵמ ָאה שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ִ ים ְו ִתשׁ ְ ָעה׃ .sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, all told—139 מג ַה ְנּ ִת ִינים ְּב ֵנ ִי־צ ָיחא ְב ֵנ ֲי־ח ּשׂו ָפא ְּב ֵני The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of 43 ַט ָּבעוֹת׃ ,Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth מד ְּב ֵנ ֵי־קרֹס ְּב ֵנ ִי־ס ֲיע ָהא ְּב ֵני ָפדוֹן׃ the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of 44 Padon, מה ְּב ֵנ ְי־ל ָב ָנה ְב ֵנ ֲי־ח ָג ָבה ְּב ֵני ַע ּק ּוב׃ the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons 45 of Akkub, מו ְּב ֵנ ָי־ח ָגב ְּב ֵני־שמלי ]שׁ ַ ְל ַמי[ ְּב ֵני ָח ָנן׃ the sons of Hagab, the sons of Salmai, the sons of 46 Hanan, מז ְּב ֵנ ִי־ג ֵ ּדל ְּב ֵנ ַי־ג ַחר ְּב ֵני ְר ָאָיה׃ the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of 47 Reaiah, מח ְּב ֵנ ְי־ר ִצין ְּב ֵנ ְי־נ ָקוֹדא ְּב ֵני ַגָ ּזם׃ the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of 48 Gazzam, מט ְּב ֵנ ֻי־עָ ּזא ְב ֵנ ָי־פ ֵס ַח ְּב ֵני ֵב ָסי׃ the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of 49 Besai, Ezra/Nehemiah נ ְּב ֵנ ַי־א ְס ָנה ְב ֵני־מעינים ְ]מ ּעו ִנים[ ְּב ֵני the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of 50 נפיסים ְ]נ ּפו ִסים׃[ ,Nephusim נא ְּב ֵנ ַי־ב ְק ּב ּוק ְּב ֵנ ֲי־ח ּקו ָפא ְּב ֵני ַחְר ּחור׃ the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons 51 of Harhur, נב ְּב ֵנ ַי־ב ְצ ּלות ְּב ֵנ ְי־מ ִח ָידא ְּב ֵני ַחְרשׁ ָ א׃ the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of 52 Harsha, נג ְּב ֵנ ַי־בְרקוֹס ְּב ֵנ ִי־ס ְיסָרא ְּב ֵנ ָי־ת ַמח׃ the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of 53 Temah, נד ְּב ֵני ְנ ִצ ַיח ְּב ֵני ֲח ִט ָיפא׃ .the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha 54 נה ְּב ֵני ַע ְב ֵדי שׁ ְ לֹמֹה ְּב ֵנ ַי־סֹטי ְּב ֵנ ַי־ה ּס ֶֹפֶרת The sons ofShlomo ’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the 55 ְּב ֵני ְפ ּרו ָדא׃ ,sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda נו ְּב ֵנ ַי־י ְע ָלה ְב ֵנ ַי־דְרקוֹן ְּב ֵני ִג ֵ ּדל׃ the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of 56 Giddel, נז ְּב ֵני שׁ ְ ַפ ְטָיה ְב ֵנ ַי־ח ִּטיל ְּב ֵני ּפ ֶֹכֶרת the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons 57 ַה ְּצ ָבִיים ְּב ֵני ָא ִמי׃ .of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Ami נח ָּכ ַל־ה ְנּ ִת ִינים ּו ְב ֵני ַע ְב ֵדי שׁ ְ לֹמֹה שׁ ְ לֹשׁ The total of temple servants and the sons of 58 ֵמאוֹת ִּתשׁ ְ ִעים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ .Shlomo’s servants—392

26 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ב Chapter 2

נט ְו ֵא ֶּלה ָה ִעֹלים ִמ ֵּתל ֶמ ַלח ֵּתל ַחְרשׁ ָ א -The following were those who came up from Tel 59 ְּכ ּרוב ַא ָ ּדן ִא ֵּמר ְולֹא ָי ְכ ּלו ְל ַה ִּגיד ֵּבית־ —melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer ֲא ָבוֹתם ְוַזְר ָעם ִאם ִמִּי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ֵהם׃ they were unable to tell whether their father’s house and descent were Israelite: ס ְּב ֵנ ְי־ד ָלָיה ְב ֵנ ִי־טוֹבָּיה ְּב ֵני ְנ ָקוֹדא שׁ ֵ שׁ the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of 60 ֵמאוֹת ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ .Nekoda—652 סא ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְּב ֵני ֳח ַבָּיה ְּב ֵני ַה ּקוֹץ ְּב ֵני ,Of the sons of the Kohanim, the sons of Habaiah 61 ַבְרִז ַּלי ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָל ַקח ִמ ְּבנוֹת ַּבְרִז ַּלי ַה ִּג ְל ָע ִדי the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzilai who had ִאשָּׁ ה ַוִּי ָּקֵרא ַעל־שׁ ְ ָמם׃ married a daughter of Barzilai and had taken his name— סב ֵא ֶּלה ִּב ְקשׁ ּו ְכ ָת ָבם ַה ִּמ ְתַי ְח ִשׂים ְולֹא these searched for their genealogical records, but 62 ִנ ְמ ָצ ּאו ַוְי ֲגֹא ּלו ִמ ַן־ה ְּכ ֻה ָנּה׃ they could not be found, so they were disqualified for the priesthood. סג ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ַה ִּתְרשׁ ָ ָתא ָל ֶהם ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ְלֹא־יֹאכ ּלו The Tirshatha ordered them not to eat of the most 63 ִמ ּק ֶֹדשׁ ַה ֳּק ָדשׁ ִ ים ַעד ֲעמֹד ּכ ֵֹהן ְל ּאוִרים holy things until a Kohen with Urim and Thummim ּו ְל ֻת ִּמים׃ .should appear סד ָּכ ַל־ה ָּק ָהל ְּכ ֶא ָחד ַאְר ַּבע ִר ּבוֹא ַא ְל ַּפִים ,The sum of the entire community was 42,360 64 שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵ־מאוֹת שׁ ִ שִּׁ ים׃ סה ִמ ְּל ַבד ַע ְב ֵד ֶיהם ְו ַא ְמ ֵהֹת ֶיהם ֵא ֶּלה שׁ ִ ְב ַעת not counting their male and female servants, those 65 ֲא ָל ִפים שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ִ ים ְושׁ ִ ְב ָעה being 7,337; they also had 200 male and female ְו ָל ֶהם ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ּו ְמשׁ ְֹררוֹת ָמ ָאתִים׃ .singers סו ּסו ֵס ֶיהם שׁ ְ ַבע ֵמאוֹת שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ִ ים ְושׁ ִ שָּׁ ה ;Their horses—736; their mules—245 66 ִּפְר ֵד ֶיהם ָמ ַאתִים ַאְר ָּב ִעים ַו ֲח ִמשָּׁ ה׃ סז ְּג ַמ ֵּל ֶיהם ַאְר ַּבע ֵמאוֹת שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ִ ים ַו ֲח ִמשָּׁ ה .their camels—435; their asses—6,720 67 ֲח ִמֹרים שׁ ֵ שׁ ֶ ת ֲא ָל ִפים שׁ ְ ַבע ֵמאוֹת Ezra/Nehemiah ְו ֶע ְשׂ ִרים׃ סח ּו ֵמָראשׁ ֵ י ָה ָאבוֹת ְּב ָבוֹאם ְל ֵבית Some of the chiefs of the clans, on arriving at the 68 ְי ָהֹוה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם ִה ְת ַנ ְ ּד ּבו ְל ֵבית House of Hashem in Yerushalayim, gave a freewill ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ְל ַה ֲע ִמידוֹ ַע ְל־מכוֹנוֹ׃ .offering to erect the House ofHashem on its site סט ְּכ ָכֹחם ָנ ְת ּנו ְל ַאוֹצר ַה ְּמ ָל ָאכה ָז ָהב In accord with their means, they donated to the 69 ַ ּדְר ְּכ ִמוֹנים שׁ ֵ שׁ ִ־ר ּבֹאות ָו ֶא ֶלף ְו ֶכ ֶסף ,treasury of the work: gold—6,100 drachmas ָמ ִנים ֲח ֵמשׁ ֶ ת ֲא ָל ִפים ְו ָכ ְתנֹת ּכ ֲֹה ִנים .silver—5,000 manim, and priestly robes—100 ֵמ ָאה׃ ע ַוֵּישׁ ְ ּבו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ּו ִמ ָן־ה ָעם ,TheKohanim , the Leviim and some of the people 70 ְו ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְו ַהשּׁ ֲוֹעִרים ְו ַה ְנּ ִת ִינים and the singers, gatekeepers, and the temple ְּב ָעֵר ֶיהם ְו ָכ ִל־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְּב ָעֵר ֶיהם׃ servants took up residence in their towns and all Yisrael in their towns. va-yay-sh’-VU ha-ko-ha-NEEM v’-hal-vi-YIM u-min ha-AM v’-ham-sho-r’-REEM v’- ha-sho-a-REEM v’-ha-n’-tee-NEEM b’-a-ray-HEM v’-khol yis-ra-AYL b’-a-ray-HEM

2:70 And all Yisrael in their towns In this chapter communities on the deserted and ruined old sites of we learn of the many Jewish families who return the Land of Israel. As one travels across the landscape to their ancestral lands and villages, establishing new of the contemporary State of Israel, it is amazing to see

27 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ג Chapter 3

א ַוִּי ַּגע ַה ֶחֹדשׁ ַהשְּׁ ִב ִיעי ּו ְב ֵני ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל When the seventh month arrived—the Israelites 1 3 ג ֶּב ָעִרים ַוֵּי ָא ְס ּפו ָה ָעם ְּכ ִאישׁ ֶא ָחד ֶאל־ being settled in their towns—the entire people ְי ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ .assembled as one man in Yerushalayim va-yi-GA ha-KHO-desh ha-sh’-vee-EE uv-NAY yis-ra-AYL be-a-REEM va-yay-a-s’- FU ha-AM k’-EESH e-KHAD el y’-ru-sha-LA-im ב ַוָּי ָקם ֵישׁ ּו ַע ֶּב ָן־יוֹצ ָדק ְו ֶא ָחיו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ThenYeshua son of Yotzadak and his brother 2 ּוְזֻר ָּב ֶבל ֶּבן־שׁ ְ ַא ְל ִּת ֵיאל ְו ֶא ָחיו ַוִּי ְב ּנו Kohanim, and Zerubavel son of Shealtiel and his ֶא ִת־מְז ַּבח ֱא ֵלֹהי ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְל ַה ֲעלוֹת brothers set to and built the mizbayach of the ָע ָליו עֹלוֹת ַּכ ָּכ ּתוב ְּב ַתוֹרת מֹשׁ ֶ ה ִאישׁ ־ God of Yisrael to offer burnt offerings upon it as ָה ֱא ִלֹהים׃ is written in the Teaching ofMoshe , the man of Hashem. ג ַוָּי ִכ ּינו ַה ִּמְז ֵּב ַח ַע ְל־מ ָכוֹנֹתיו ִּכי ְּב ֵא ָימה They set up themizbayach on its site because they 3 ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ֵמ ַע ֵּמי ָה ֲאָרצוֹת ויעל ַ]וַּי ֲע ּלו[ were in fear of the peoples of the land, and they ָע ָליו עֹלוֹת ַל ָיהֹוה עֹלוֹת ַל ּב ֶֹקר ְו ָל ָעֶרב׃ offered burnt offerings on it toHashem , burnt offerings each morning and evening. ד ַוַּי ֲע ּשׂו ֶא ַת־חג ַה ֻּס ּכוֹת ַּכ ָּכ ּתוב ְו ַעֹלת יוֹם Then they celebrated the festival ofSukkot as is 4 ְּביוֹם ְּב ִמ ְס ָּפר ְּכ ִמשׁ ְ ַּפט ְ ּד ַבר־יוֹם ְּביוֹמוֹ׃ written, with its daily burnt offerings in the proper quantities, on each day as is prescribed for it, ה ְו ַא ֲחֵר ֵיכן ַעֹלת ָּת ִמיד ְו ֶל ֳח ָדשׁ ִ ים ּו ְל ָכל־ followed by the regular burnt offering and the 5 ֲמוֹע ֵדי ְי ָהֹוה ַה ְמ ֻק ָ ּדשׁ ִ ים ּו ְלכֹל ִמ ְת ַנ ֵ ּדב offerings for the new moons and for all the sacred ְנ ָד ָבה ַל ָיהֹוה׃ fixed times ofHashem , and whatever freewill offerings were made toHashem . ו ִמ ּיוֹם ֶא ָחד ַל ֶחֹדשׁ ַהשְּׁ ִב ִיעי ֵה ֵח ּל ּו From the first day of the seventh month they began 6 Ezra/Nehemiah ְל ַה ֲעלוֹת עֹלוֹת ַל ָיהֹוה ְו ֵה ַיכל ְי ָהֹוה לֹא to make burnt offerings toHashem , though the ֻי ָּסד׃ foundation of the Temple of Hashem had not been laid.

this very process reoccurring. The communities of out that the transition from the plural to the singular Beersheva, Kibbutz Dan, Givon and dozens of others were form of the verb indicates that at Sinai, the Israelites all constructed on the very same locations as their were “as one person, with one heart.” Just as the original, biblical namesakes. It is indeed wondrous to magnitude of the Sinai experience had the power to witness the fulfillment of the prophecy “... children shall unite the multitudes of people from twelve independent return to their country” (Jeremiah 31:16), and to see “all tribes into one nation, such is the power of Yerushalayim. Yisrael in their towns.” The Talmudic sage Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi Modern Beer Sheva homiletically explains the verse “Yerushalayim built up, 3:1 The entire people assembled as one man in a city knit together,” (Psalms 122:3), to mean that Yerushalayim This particular wording recalls the Jerusalem is a city “that makes all of Israel friends” Revelation at Mount Sinai, in reference to which it says: (Yerushalmi Chagiga 3:6). As it did in the time of the “They [plural] encamped in the wilderness; and there return from Babylonia, today as well Yerushalayim has Israel [singular] encamped before the mount.” (Exodus the power to bring Israel together as one, and to serve 19:2). The great medieval commentator, Rashi, points as a source of unity for all humanity.

28 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ד Chapter 4

ז ַוִּי ְּת ּנו ֶ־כ ֶסף ַל ְחֹצ ִבים ְו ֶל ָחָרשׁ ִ ים ּו ַמ ֲא ָכל ,They paid the hewers and craftsmen with money 7 ּו ִמשׁ ְ ֶּתה ָושׁ ֶ ֶמן ַל ִּצ ִדֹנים ְו ַל ּצִֹרים ְל ָה ִביא ,and the Sidonians and Tyrians with food, drink ֲע ֵצי ֲאָרִזים ִמ ַן־ה ְּל ָבנוֹן ֶא ָל־ים ָיפוֹא and oil to bring cedarwood from Lebanon by sea ְּכִרשׁ ְ יוֹן ּכ ֶוֹרשׁ ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּ־פַרס ֲע ֵל ֶיהם׃ to Yaffo, in accord with the authorization granted them by King Cyrus of Persia. ח ּו ַבשָּׁ ָנה ַהשֵּׁ ִנית ְל ָבוֹאם ֶא ֵּל־בית In the second year after their arrival at the House 8 ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ִל ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ַּב ֶחֹדשׁ ַהשֵּׁ ִני ֵה ֵח ּל ּו ,of Hashem, at Yerushalayim, in the second month ְזֻר ָּב ֶבל ֶּבן־שׁ ְ ַא ְל ִּת ֵיאל ְוֵישׁ ּו ַע ֶּב ָן־יוֹצ ָדק Zerubavel son of Shealtiel and Yeshua son of ּושׁ ְ ָאר ֲא ֵח ֶיהם ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ְו ָכל־ Yotzadak, and the rest of their brother Kohanim and ַה ָּב ִאים ֵמ ַהשְּׁ ִבי ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ַוַּי ֲע ִמ ּידו ֶאת־ Leviim, and all who had come from the captivity to ַה ְלִוִּים ִמ ֶּבן ֶע ְשׂ ִרים שׁ ָ ָנה ָו ַמ ְע ָלה ְל ַנ ֵּצ ַח Yerushalayim, as their first step appointedLeviim ַע ְל־מ ֶל ֶאכת ֵּב ְית־י ָהֹוה׃ from the age of twenty and upward to supervise the work of the House of Hashem. ט ַוַּי ֲעמֹד ֵישׁ ּו ַע ָּב ָניו ְו ֶא ָחיו ַק ְד ִמ ֵיאל ּו ָב ָניו Yeshua, his sons and brothers, Kadmiel and his 9 ְּב ֵנ ְי־י ּהו ָדה ְּכ ֶא ָחד ְל ַנ ֵּצ ַח ַע ֵל־עֹשׂה sons, the sons of Yehuda, together were appointed ַה ְּמ ָל ָאכה ְּב ֵבית ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ְּב ֵני ֵח ָנ ָדד in charge of those who did the work in the House ְּב ֵנ ֶיהם ַו ֲא ֵח ֶיהם ַה ְלִוִּים׃ of Hashem; also the sons of Henadad, their sons and brother Leviim. י ְוִי ְּס ּדו ַה ּב ִֹנים ֶא ֵת־ה ַיכל ְי ָהֹוה ַוַּי ֲע ִמ ּידו When the builders had laid the foundation of the 10 ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְמ ֻל ָּבשׁ ִ ים ַּב ֲח ְצֹצרוֹת ְו ַה ְלִוִּים Temple of Hashem, Kohanim in their vestments ְּב ֵנ ָי־א ָסף ַּב ְמ ִצ ְל ַּתִים ְל ַה ֵּלל ֶא ְת־י ָהֹוה with trumpets, and Leviim sons of Asaf with ַע ְל־י ֵדי ָ ּדִויד ֶמ ֶל ְך ִ־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ cymbals were stationed to give praise to Hashem, as King David of Yisrael had ordained. יא ַוַּי ֲע ּנו ְּב ַה ֵּלל ּו ְבהוֹדֹת ַל ָיהֹוה ִּכי טוֹב , They sang songs extolling and praisingHashem 11 ִּכ ְי־ל ָעוֹלם ַח ְס ּדוֹ ַע ִל־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְו ָכ ָל־ה ָעם For He is good, His steadfast love for Yisrael“

ֵהִר ּיעו ְת ּרו ָעה ְג ָדוֹלה ְב ַה ֵּלל ַל ָיהֹוה ַעל Ezra/Nehemiah is eternal.” All the people raised a great shout ּהו ַסד ֵּב ְית־י ָהֹוה׃ extolling Hashem because the foundation of the House of Hashem had been laid. יב ְוַר ִּבים ֵמ ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ְוָראשׁ ֵ י Many of the Kohanim and Leviim and the chiefs of 12 ָה ָאבוֹת ַהְ ּז ֵק ִנים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָר ּאו ֶא ַת־ה ַּבִית ,the clans, the old men who had seen the first house ָהִראשׁ וֹן ְּבָי ְסדוֹ ֶזה ַה ַּבִית ְּב ֵע ֵינ ֶיהם wept loudly at the sight of the founding of this ּב ִֹכים ְּבקוֹל ָּגדוֹל ְוַר ִּבים ִּב ְת ּרו ָעה house. Many others shouted joyously at the top of ְב ִשׂ ְמ ָחה ְל ָהִרים קוֹל׃ .their voices יג ְו ֵאין ָה ָעם ַמ ִּכ ִירים קוֹל ְּת ּרו ַעת The people could not distinguish the shouts of joy 13 ַה ִּשׂ ְמ ָחה ְלקוֹל ְּב ִכי ָה ָעם ִּכי ָה ָעם from the people’s weeping, for the people raised ְמִר ִיעים ְּת ּרו ָעה ְג ָדוֹלה ְו ַה ּקוֹל ִנשׁ ְ ַמע a great shout, the sound of which could be heard ַע ְד־ל ֵמָרחוֹק׃ .from afar א ַוִּישׁ ְ ְמ ּעו ָצֵרי ְי ּהו ָדה ּו ִב ְנָי ִמן ִּכ ְי־ב ֵני When the adversaries of Yehuda and Binyamin 1 4 ד ַה ּג ָוֹלה ּב ִוֹנים ֵה ָיכל ַל ָיהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹהי heard that the returned exiles were building a ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ ,temple to God of Yisrael ב ַוִּי ְּגשׁ ּו ֶא ְל־זֻר ָּב ֶבל ְו ֶא ָל־ראשׁ ֵ י ָה ָאבוֹת they approached Zerubavel and the chiefs of 2 ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו ָל ֶהם ִנ ְב ֶנה ִע ָּמ ֶכם ִּכי ָכ ֶכם the clans and said to them, “Let us build with ִנ ְדרוֹשׁ ֵל ֵאלֹה ֶיכם ולא ְ]ולוֹ [ ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו you, since we too worship your God, having ְזֹב ִחים ִמ ֵימי ֵא ַסר ַח ּדֹן ֶמ ֶל ְך ַאשּׁ ּור offered sacrifices to Him since the time of King ַה ַּמ ֲע ֶלה ָאֹת ּנו ּפֹה׃ ”.Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here

29 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ד Chapter 4

ג ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ָל ֶהם ְזֻר ָּב ֶבל ְוֵישׁ ּו ַע ּושׁ ְ ָאר ָראשׁ ֵ י Zerubavel, Yeshua, and the rest of the chiefs of the 3 ָה ָאבוֹת ְלִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ָלֹא־ל ֶכם ָו ָל ּנו ִל ְבנוֹת clans of Yisrael answered them, “It is not for you and ַּבִית ֵל ֵאלֹה ּינו ִּכי ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ַי ַחד ִנ ְב ֶנה us to build a House to our God, but we alone will ַל ָיהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹהי ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַּכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִצָּו ּנו ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך build it to God of Yisrael, in accord with the charge ּכ ֶוֹרשׁ ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּ־פָרס׃ ”.that the king, King Cyrus of Persia, laid upon us ד ַוְי ִהי ַע ָם־ה ָאֶרץ ְמַר ִּפים ְי ֵדי ַע ְם־י ּהו ָדה Thereupon the people of the land undermined the 4 ומבלהים ּ]ו ְמ ַב ֲה ִלים[ ָאוֹתם ִל ְבנוֹת׃ resolve of the people of Yehuda, and made them afraid to build. ה ְו ְסֹכִרים ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ֲיוֹע ִצים ְל ָה ֵפר ֲע ָצ ָתם They bribed ministers in order to thwart their plans 5 ָּכ ְל־י ֵמי ּכ ֶוֹרשׁ ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּפַרס ְו ַע ַד־מ ְל ּכות all the years of King Cyrus of Persia and until the ָ ּדְרָיֶושׁ ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּ־פָרס׃ .reign of King Darius of Persia ו ּו ְב ַמ ְל ּכות ֲא ַחשׁ ְ ֵורוֹשׁ ִּב ְת ִח ַּלת ַמ ְל ּכותוֹ And in the reign of Ahasuerus, at the start of his 6 ָּכ ְת ּבו ִשׂ ְט ָנה ַעל־יֹשׁ ְ ֵבי ְי ּהו ָדה ִו ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ reign, they drew up an accusation against the inhabitants of Yehuda and Yerushalayim. ז ּו ִב ֵימי ַאְר ַּת ְחשׁ ַ ְשׂ ָּתא ָּכ ַתב ִּבשׁ ְ ָלם ,And in the time of Artaxerxes, Bishlam 7 ִמ ְתְר ָדת ָט ְב ֵאל ּושׁ ְ ָאר כנותו ְּ]כ ָנ ָוׂתיו[ Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues ַעל־ארתחששתא ַ]אְר ַּת ְחשׁ ַ ְשׂ ְּת[ ֶמ ֶל ְך wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia, a letter written ָּפָרס ּו ְכ ָתב ַה ִנּשׁ ְ ְּתָון ָּכ ּתוב ֲאָר ִמית :in Aramaic and translated. Aramaic ּו ְמ ֻתְר ָּגם ֲאָר ִמית׃ ח ְר ּחום ְּב ֵע ְל־ט ֵעם ְושׁ ִ ְמשׁ ַ י ָס ְפָרא Rehum the commissioner and Shimshai the scribe 8 ְּכ ַת ּבו ִא ְּגָרה ֲח ָדה ַע ְל־י ּרושׁ ְ ֶלם wrote a letter concerningYerushalayim to King ְל ַאְר ַּת ְחשׁ ַ ְשׂ ְּתא ַמ ְל ָּכא ְּכ ֵנ ָמא׃ ) :Artaxerxes as follows ט ֱא ַדִין ְר ּחום ְּב ֵע ְל־ט ֵעם ְושׁ ִ ְמשׁ ַ י ָס ְפָרא Then Rehum the commissioner and Shimshai 9 ּושׁ ְ ָאר ְּכ ָנָו ְתהוֹן ִ ּד ָינֵיא ַו ֲא ַפְר ַס ְת ָכֵיא the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues, the Ezra/Nehemiah ַטְר ְּפ ָלֵיא ֲא ָפְר ָסֵיא ארכוי ַ]אְר ְּכָוֵיא[ judges, officials, officers, and overseers, the men ָב ְב ָלֵיא שׁ ּושׁ ַ ְנ ָכֵיא דהוא ֶ ּ]ד ָהֵיא[ of Erech, and of Babylon, and of Susa—that is the ֵע ְל ָמֵיא׃ —Elamites י ּושׁ ְ ָאר ֻא ַּמָּיא ִ ּדי ַה ְג ִלי ָא ְס ַנ ַּפר ַר ָּבא and other peoples whom the great and glorious 10 ְוַי ִּק ָירא ְו ֵהוֹתב ִה ּמוֹ ְּב ִקְרָיה ִ ּדי שׁ ָ ְמָרִין Osnappar deported and settled in the city of ּושׁ ְ ָאר ֲע ַב ַר־נ ֲהָרה ּו ְכ ֶע ֶנת׃ Shomron and the rest of the province Beyond the River [wrote]—and now יא ְ ּד ָנה ַּפְרשׁ ֶ ֶגן ִא ַּגְר ָּתא ִ ּדי שׁ ְ ַל ּחו ֲע ִלוֹהי this is the text of the letter which they sent to 11 ַע ַל־אְר ַּת ְחשׁ ַ ְשׂ ְּתא ַמ ְל ָּכא ַע ְב ָד ְיך ֱא ָנשׁ ,him:)—“To King Artaxerxes [from] your servants ֲע ַב ַר־נ ֲהָרה ּו ְכ ֶע ֶנת׃ men of the province Beyond the River. And now יב ְי ִד ַיע ֶל ֱהֵוא ְל ַמ ְל ָּכא ִ ּדי ְי ּהו ָדֵיא ִ ּדי be it known to the king that the Yehudim who 12 ְס ִל ּקו ִמ ְן־לָו ָת ְך ֲע ֶל ָינא ֲאתוֹ ִל ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם came up from you to us have reached Yerushalayim ִקְרְי ָתא ָמָר ְד ָּתא ובאישתא ּ]ו ִבישׁ ְ ָּתא[ ;and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city ָּב ַנִין ושורי ְ]ושׁ ּוַרָּיא[ אשכללו they are completing the walls and repairing the ]שׁ ַ ְכ ִל ּילו[ ְו ֻאשַּׁ ָּיא ַי ִח ּיטו׃ .foundation

4:12 The Yehudim The chosen people have Yaakov, and Israelites, to name a few. What is the origin יהודים The ?(יהודי) many biblical titles: Hebrews, children of of the branding ‘Jew’, in Hebrew Yehudi

30 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ד Chapter 4

y’-DEE-a le-he-VAY l’-mal-KA DEE y’-hu-da-YAY DEE s’-LI-ku min l’-va-TAKH a-LE-na a-TO lee-ru-sh’-LEM kir-y’-TA ma-ra-d’-TA u-veesh-TA ba-NA-yin v’-shu- ra-YA shakh-LEE-lu v’-u-sha-YA ya-KHEE-tu יג ְּכ ַען ְי ִד ַיע ֶל ֱהֵוא ְל ַמ ְל ָּכא ִ ּדי ֵהן ִקְרְי ָתא Now be it known to the king that if this city is 13 ָד ְך ִּת ְת ְּב ֵנא ְושׁ ּוַרָּיה ִישׁ ְ ַּת ְכ ְל ּלון ִמ ְנ ָ ּדה־ rebuilt and the walls completed, they will not pay ְבלוֹ ַו ֲה ָל ְך ָלא ִי ְנ ְּת ּנון ְו ַא ְּפתֹם ַמ ְל ִכים tribute, poll-tax, or land-tax, and in the end it will ְּת ַה ְנִזק׃ .harm the kingdom יד ְּכ ַען ָּכ ֳל־ק ֵבל ִ ּד ְי־מ ַלח ֵה ְיכ ָלא ְמ ַל ְח ָנא Now since we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not 14 ְו ַעְרַות ַמ ְל ָּכא ָלא ֲאִר ְיך ַל ָנא ְל ֶמ ֱחֵזא right that we should see the king dishonored, we ַע ְ ּל־ד ָנה שׁ ְ ַל ְח ָנא ְו ַהוֹד ְע ָנא ְל ַמ ְל ָּכא׃ [have written to advise the king [of this טו ִ ּדי ְי ַב ַּקר ִּב ְס ַפ ָ ּר־ד ְכָר ַנָּיא ִ ּדי ֲא ָב ָה ָת ְך so that you may search the records of your fathers 15 ּו ְת ַהשׁ ְ ַּכח ִּב ְס ַפר ָ ּד ְכָר ַנָּיא ְו ִת ְנ ַ ּדע ִ ּדי and find in the records and know that this city is a ִקְרְי ָתא ָד ְך ִקְרָיא ָמָר ָדא ּו ְמ ַה ְנְז ַקת rebellious city, harmful to kings and states. Sedition ַמ ְל ִכין ּו ְמ ִד ָנן ְו ֶאשׁ ְ ַּת ּד ּור ָע ְב ִדין ְּב ַגַּו ּה has been rife in it from early times; on that account ִמ ָן־יוֹמת ָע ְל ָמא ַע ְ ּל־ד ָנה ִקְרְי ָתא ָד ְך .this city was destroyed ָה ָחְר ַבת׃ טז ְמ ְהוֹד ִעין ֲא ַנ ְח ָנה ְל ַמ ְל ָּכא ִ ּדי ֵהן ִקְרְי ָתא We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its 16 ָד ְך ִּת ְת ְּב ֵנא ְושׁ ּוַרָּיה ִישׁ ְ ַּת ְכ ְל ּלון ָל ֳק ֵבל walls are completed, you will no longer have any ְ ּד ָנה ֲח ָלק ַּב ֲע ַבר ַנ ֲהָרא ָלא ִא ַיתי ָל ְך׃ ”.portion in the province Beyond the River יז ִּפ ְת ָג ָמא שׁ ְ ַלח ַמ ְל ָּכא ַע ְל־ר ּחום ְּב ֵעל־ The king sent back the following message: “To 17 ְט ֵעם ְושׁ ִ ְמשׁ ַ י ָס ְפָרא ּושׁ ְ ָאר ְּכ ָנָו ְתהוֹן ִ ּדי ,Rehum the commissioner and Shimshai the scribe ָי ְת ִבין ְּבשׁ ָ ְמָרִין ּושׁ ְ ָאר ֲע ַב ַר־נ ֲהָרה שׁ ְ ָלם and the rest of their colleagues, who dwell in ּו ְכ ֶעת׃ Shomron and in the rest of the province of Beyond the River, greetings. יח ִנשׁ ְ ְּתָו ָנא ִ ּדי שׁ ְ ַל ְח ּת ּון ֲע ֶל ָינא ְמ ָפַרשׁ ֱקִרי Ezra/Nehemiah 18 Now the letter that you wrote me has been read to ָק ָד ָמי׃ .me in translation יט ּו ִמ ִנּי ִשׂים ְט ֵעם ּו ַב ַּק ּרו ְו ַהשׁ ְ ַּכ ּחו ִ ּדי At my order a search has been made, and it has 19 ִקְרְי ָתא ָד ְך ִמ ָן־יוֹמת ָע ְל ָמא ַע ַל־מ ְל ִכין been found that this city has from earliest times ִמ ְת ַנ ְּשׂ ָאה ּו ְמַרד ְו ֶאשׁ ְ ַּת ּד ּור ִמ ְת ֲע ֶבד־ risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition ַּב ּה׃ .have been rife in it כ ּו ַמ ְל ִכין ַּת ִּק ִיפין ֲהווֹ ַע ְל־י ּרושׁ ְ ֶלם Powerful kings have ruled over Yerushalayim and 20 ְושׁ ַ ִּל ִיטין ְּבכֹל ֲע ַבר ַנ ֲהָרה ּו ִמ ָ ּדה ְבלוֹ exercised authority over the whole province of ַו ֲה ָל ְך ִמ ְתְי ֵהב ְלהוֹן׃ -Beyond the River, and tribute, poll-tax, and land tax were paid to them.

term is first employed as a specific ethnic title during as it says “She [Leah] conceived again and bore a son, the Babylonian exile, as can be seen in this verse and and declared, ‘This time I will praise Hashem.’ Therefore also in the books of Daniel and Esther. Historically, this she named him Yehudah” (Genesis 29:35). The name name indicated an association with the tribe of Yehuda thus highlights the inherent Jewish value of gratitude from which most of the Babylonian exiles to God. The fact that this collective name was given in ,(יהודה) descended. However, the name ultimately derives from exile shows that sometimes one has to travel far away the Hebrew root which means to ‘praise’ or ‘give thanks’, to discover who he really is.

31 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ה Chapter 5

כא ְּכ ַען ִשׂ ּימו ְּט ֵעם ְל ַב ָּט ָלא ֻּג ְבַרָּיא ִא ֵּל ְך Now issue an order to stop these men; this city is 21 ְו ִקְרְי ָתא ָד ְך ָלא ִת ְת ְּב ֵנא ַע ִד־מ ִנּי ַט ְע ָמא .not to be rebuilt until I so order ִי ְּת ָשׂ ם׃ כב ּוְז ִה ִירין ֱהווֹ שׁ ָ ּלו ְל ֶמ ְע ַּבד ַע ְ ּל־ד ָנה ְל ָמה Take care not to be lax in this matter or there will 22 ִי ְשׂ ֵּגא ֲח ָב ָלא ְל ַה ְנָז ַקת ַמ ְל ִכין׃ ”.be much damage and harm to the kingdom כג ֱא ַדִין ִמ ִ ּן־די ַּפְרשׁ ֶ ֶגן ִנשׁ ְ ְּתָו ָנא ִ ּדי When the text of the letter of King Artaxerxes was 23 ארתחששתא ַ]אְר ַּת ְחשׁ ַ ְשׂ ְּת[ ַמ ְל ָּכא read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and ֱקִרי ֳק ָד ְם־ר ּחום ְושׁ ִ ְמשׁ ַ י ָס ְפָרא their colleagues, they hurried to Yerushalayim, to ּו ְכ ָנָו ְתהוֹן ֲאַז ּלו ִב ְב ִה ּילו ִל ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ַעל־ .the Yehudim, and stopped them by main force ְי ּהו ָדֵיא ּו ַב ִּט ּלו ִה ּמוֹ ְּב ֶא ְדָרע ְו ָחִיל׃ כד ֵּב ַאדִין ְּב ֵט ַלת ֲע ִב ַידת ֵּב ֱית־א ָל ָהא ִ ּדי At that time, work on the House of Hashem in 24 ִּב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ַו ֲהָות ָּב ְט ָלא ַעד שׁ ְ ַנת ַּתְר ֵּתין Yerushalayim stopped and remained in abeyance ְל ַמ ְל ּכות ָ ּדְרָיֶושׁ ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּ־פָרס׃ until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia. א ְו ִה ְת ַנ ִּבי ַח ַּגי נביאה ְ]נ ִבָּיא[ ּוְז ַכְרָיה ַבר־ Then theNeviim , Chagai the Navi and Zecharya son 1 5 ה ִע ּדוֹא נביאיא ְ]נ ִבַּיָּיא[ ַע ְל־י ּהו ָדֵיא ִ ּדי of Ido, prophesied to the Yehudim in Yehuda and ִב ּיהוד ּו ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ְּבשׁ ֻ ם ֱא ָל ּה ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל .Yerushalayim, inspired by the God of Yisrael ֲע ֵליהוֹן׃ ב ֵּב ַאדִין ָק ּמו ְזֻר ָּב ֶבל ַּבר־שׁ ְ ַא ְל ִּת ֵיאל ThereuponZerubavel son of Shealtiel and Yeshua 2 ְוֵישׁ ּו ַע ַּב ָר־יוֹצ ָדק ְושׁ ָ ִריו ְל ִמ ְב ֵנא ֵּבית son of Yotzadak began rebuilding the House of ֱא ָל ָהא ִ ּדי ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ְו ִע ְּמהוֹן נביאיא Hashem in Yerushalayim, with the full support of ְ]נ ִבַּיָּיא[ ִד ֱי־א ָל ָהא ְמ ָס ֲע ִדין ְלהוֹן׃ .the Neviim of Hashem bay-DA-yin KA-mu z’-ru-ba-VEL bar sh’-al-tee-AYL v’-yay-SHU-a bar yo-tza-DAK v’-sha-REEV l’-miv-NAY BAYT e-la-HA DEE vee-ru-sh’-LEM v’-i-m’-HON n’-vi- ya-YA dee e-la-HA m’-sa-a-DEEN l’-HON Ezra/Nehemiah ג ֵּב ּה ִ־ז ְמ ָנא ֲא ָתא ֲע ֵליהוֹן ַּת ְּת ַני ַּפ ַחת At once Tattenai, governor of the province of 3 ֲע ַב ַר־נ ֲהָרה ּושׁ ְ ַתר ּב ְוֹז ַני ּו ְכ ָנָו ְתהוֹן ְו ֵכן Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their ָא ְמִרין ְלהֹם ַמ ָן־שׂם ְלכֹם ְט ֵעם ַּבְי ָתא colleagues descended upon them and said this to ְד ָנה ִל ְּב ֵנא ְו ֻאשַּׁ ְר ָנא ְד ָנה ְלשׁ ַ ְכ ָל ָלה׃ them, “Who issued orders to you to rebuild this house and complete its furnishing?” ד ֱא ַדִין ְּכ ֵנ ָמא ֲא ַמְר ָנא ְּלהֹם ַמ ִן־א ּנּון Then we said to them, “What are the names of the 4 שׁ ְ ָמ ָהת ֻּג ְבַרָּיא ִ ּד ְי־ד ָנה ִב ְנָי ָנא ָּב ַנִין׃ ”?men who are engaged in the building

5:2 With the full support of the Neviim of Hebrew remained their essential language. Even if they Hashem Starting with chapter 4, verse 8, the did not speak it for everyday matter, it continued to be language of Sefer Ezra switches from Hebrew to Aramaic. the language used for prayer and study, connecting to However, the Neviim of the time, Chagai, Zecharya and Hashem.. The fact that Hebrew is again the vibrant and Malachi, address the nation exclusively in Hebrew. The dynamic language of communication in contemporary Eliezer Jewish people have been exiled to every corner of the Israel should not be underestimated. The revival of Ben-Yehuda world and, in the process, have learned many different Hebrew as a spoken language in the 19th century, due (1858-1922) languages. This is as true in the modern Diaspora as it largely to the efforts of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, is as was during the Babylonian and Persian eras. And yet, miraculous as the survival of the Hebrew people with the minor exceptions of the Aramaic sections of themselves. As Shimon Peres, former president of Israel, Daniel and Ezra, the Tanakh was written entirely in pointed out, “None in the Middle East speak their original Hebrew. Although the Jews spoke other languages, language, except for Israel.”

32 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ה Chapter 5

ה ְו ֵעין ֱא ָל ֲההֹם ֲהָות ַע ָל־שׂ ֵבי ְי ּהו ָדֵיא But Hashem watched over the elders of the Yehudim 5 ְו ָל ַא־ב ִּט ּלו ִה ּמוֹ ַע ַד־ט ְע ָמא ְל ָדְרָיֶושׁ ְי ָה ְך and they were not stopped while a report went to ֶו ֱא ַדִין ְי ִת ּיבון ִנשׁ ְ ְּתָו ָנא ַע ְ ּל־ד ָנה׃ .Darius and a letter was sent back in reply to it ו ַּפְרשׁ ֶ ֶגן ִא ַּגְר ָּתא ִ ּדי־שׁ ְ ַלח ַּת ְּת ַני ַּפ ַחת This is the text of the letter that Tattenai, governor 6 ֲע ַב ַר־נ ֲהָרה ּושׁ ְ ַתר ּב ְוֹז ַני ּו ְכ ָנָו ֵת ּה -of the province of Beyond the River, and Shethar ֲא ַפְר ְס ָכֵיא ִ ּדי ַּב ֲע ַבר ַנ ֲהָרה ַע ָ ּל־דְרָיֶושׁ bozenai and his colleagues, the officials of Beyond ַמ ְל ָּכא׃ .the River, sent to King Darius ז ִּפ ְת ָג ָמא שׁ ְ ַל ּחו ֲע ִלוֹהי ְו ִכ ְד ָנה ְּכ ִתיב They sent a message to him and this is what was 7 ְּב ַגֵּו ּה ְל ָדְרָיֶושׁ ַמ ְל ָּכא שׁ ְ ָל ָמא ָּכֹלא׃ written in it: “To King Darius, greetings, and so forth. ח ְי ִד ַיע ֶל ֱהֵוא ְל ַמ ְל ָּכא ִ ּד ֲי־אַז ְל ָנא ִל ּיהוד Be it known to the king, that we went to the 8 ְמ ִד ְינ ָּתא ְל ֵבית ֱא ָל ָהא ַר ָּבא ְו ּהוא province of Yehuda, to the house of the great ִמ ְת ְּב ֵנא ֶא ֶבן ְּג ָלל ְו ָאע ִמ ְּת ָשׂם ְּב ֻכ ְת ַלָּיא Hashem. It is being rebuilt of hewn stone, and ַו ֲע ִב ְיד ָּתא ָד ְך ָא ְס ַּפְר ָנא ִמ ְת ַע ְב ָדא wood is being laid in the walls. The work is being ּו ַמ ְצ ַלח ְּבֶי ְדהֹם׃ .done with dispatch and is going well ט ֱא ַדִין שׁ ְ ֵא ְל ָנא ְל ָשׂ ַבָּיא ִא ֵּל ְך ְּכ ֵנ ָמא Thereupon we directed this question to these 9 ֲא ַמְר ָנא ְּלהֹם ַמ ָן־שׂם ְלכֹם ְט ֵעם ַּבְי ָתא elders, ‘Who issued orders to you to rebuild this ְד ָנה ְל ִמ ְב ְנָיה ְו ֻאשַּׁ ְר ָנא ְד ָנה ְלשׁ ַ ְכ ָל ָלה׃ ’?house and to complete its furnishings י ְו ַאף שׁ ְ ָמ ָה ְתהֹם שׁ ְ ֵא ְל ָנא ְּלהֹם We also asked their names so that we could 10 ְל ָהוֹד ּעו ָת ְך ִ ּדי ִנ ְכ ֻּתב שׁ ֻ ֻּם־ג ְבַרָּיא ִ ּדי write down the names of their leaders for your ְבָראשׁ ֵ יהֹם׃ .information יא ּו ְכ ֵנ ָמא ִפ ְת ָג ָמא ֲה ִת ּיבו ָנא ְל ֵמ ַמר ֲא ַנ ְח ָנא This is what they answered us: ‘We are the servants 11 ִה ּמוֹ ַע ְב ִדוֹהי ִד ֱי־א ָל ּה שׁ ְ ַמָּיא ְו ַאְר ָעא of the God of heaven and earth; we are rebuilding ּ ;the house that was originally built many years ago ּו ָב ַנִין ַּבְי ָתא ִ ּד ֲי־הָוא ְב ֵנה ִמ ַק ְד ַמת ְ ּד ָנה Ezra/Nehemiah שׁ ְ ִנין ַשׂ ִּג ָיאן ּו ֶמ ֶל ְך ְלִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַרב ְּב ָנ ִהי .a great king of Yisrael built it and completed it ְ ו שׁ ַ ְ כ ְ ל ֵ ל ּ ה ׃ יב ָל ֵהן ִמ ִ ּן־די ַהְר ִּג ּזו ֲא ָב ֳה ַת ָנא ֶל ֱא ָל ּה But because our fathers angered the God of 12 שׁ ְ ַמָּיא ְי ַהב ִה ּמוֹ ְּבַיד ְנ ּבו ַכ ְד ֶנ ַּצר ֶמ ֶל ְך־ Heaven, He handed them over to Nebuchadnezzar ָּב ֶבל כסדיא ַּ]כ ְס ָ ּד ָאה[ ּו ַבְי ָתה ְד ָנה the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who demolished ַס ְתֵר ּה ְו ַע ָּמה ַה ְג ִלי ְל ָב ֶבל׃ .this house and exiled the people to Babylon יג ְּבַרם ִּבשׁ ְ ַנת ֲח ָדה ְל ֶכוֹרשׁ ַמ ְל ָּכא ִ ּדי ָב ֶבל But in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon, King 13 ּכ ֶוֹרשׁ ַמ ְל ָּכא ָשׂם ְט ֵעם ֵּב ֱית־א ָל ָהא ְד ָנה Cyrus issued an order to rebuild this House of ִל ְּב ֵנא׃ .Hashem יד ְו ַאף ָמ ַאנָּיא ִד ֵי־ב ֱית־א ָל ָהא ִ ּדי ַד ֲה ָבה Also the silver and gold vessels of the House of 14 ְו ַכ ְס ָּפא ִ ּדי ְנ ּבו ַכ ְד ֶנ ַּצר ַה ְנ ֵּפק ִמ ֵן־ה ְיכ ָלא Hashem that Nebuchadnezzar had taken away ִ ּדי ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ְו ֵה ֵיבל ִה ּמוֹ ְל ֵה ְיכ ָלא ִ ּדי from the temple in Yerushalayim and brought to ָב ֶבל ַה ְנ ֵּפק ִה ּמוֹ ּכ ֶוֹרשׁ ַמ ְל ָּכא ִמ ֵן־ה ְיכ ָלא the temple in Babylon—King Cyrus released them ִ ּדי ָב ֶבל ִו ִיה ּיבו ְלשׁ ֵ שׁ ְ ַּב ַּצר שׁ ְ ֵמ ּה ִ ּדי ֶפ ָחה from the temple in Babylon to be given to the ָשׂ ֵמ ּה׃ one called Sheshbatzar whom he had appointed governor. טו ַו ֲא ַמ ֵר־ל ּה אלה ֵ]אל[ ָמ ַאנָּיא ֵשׂא ֵאֶזל־ He said to him, “Take these vessels, go, deposit 15 ֲא ֵחת ִה ּמוֹ ְּב ֵה ְיכ ָלא ִ ּדי ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ּו ֵבית them in the temple in Yerushalayim, and let the ֱא ָל ָהא ִי ְת ְּב ֵנא ַע ַל־א ְתֵר ּה׃ ”.House of Hashem be rebuilt on its original site

33 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ו Chapter 6

טז ֱא ַדִין שׁ ֵ שׁ ְ ַּב ַּצר ֵ ּד ְך ֲא ָתא ְי ַהב ֻאשַּׁ ָּיא That sameSheshbatzar then came and laid 16 ִ ּד ֵי־בית ֱא ָל ָהא ִ ּדי ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ּו ִמ ֱן־א ַדִין the foundations for the House of Hashem in ְו ַע ְּד־כ ַען ִמ ְת ְּב ֵנא ְו ָלא שׁ ְ ִלם׃ Yerushalayim; and ever since then it has been under construction, but is not yet finished.’ יז ּו ְכ ַען ֵהן ַע ַל־מ ְל ָּכא ָטב ִי ְת ַּב ַּקר ְּב ֵבית And now, if it please the king, let the royal archives 17 ִּג ְנַזָּיא ִ ּד ַי־מ ְל ָּכא ַת ָּמה ִ ּדי ְּב ָב ֶבל ֵהן ִא ַיתי there in Babylon be searched to see whether indeed ִ ּד ִי־מ ּן־כ ֶוֹרשׁ ַמ ְל ָּכא ִשׂים ְט ֵעם ְל ִמ ְב ֵנא an order had been issued by King Cyrus to rebuild ֵּב ֱית־א ָל ָהא ֵד ְך ִּב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ּוְר ּעות ַמ ְל ָּכא this House of Hashem in Yerushalayim. May the ַע ְ ּל־ד ָנה ִישׁ ְ ַלח ֲע ֶל ָינא׃ ”.king convey to us his pleasure in this matter א ֵּב ַאדִין ָ ּדְרָיֶושׁ ַמ ְל ָּכא ָשׂם ְט ֵעם ּו ַב ַּק ּרו Thereupon, at the order of King Darius, they 1 6 ו ְּב ֵבית ִס ְפַרָּיא ִ ּדי ִג ְנַזָּיא ְמ ַה ֲח ִתין ַּת ָּמה searched the archives where the treasures were ְּב ָב ֶבל׃ .stored in Babylon ב ְו ִהשׁ ְ ְּת ַכח ְּב ַא ְח ְמ ָתא ְּב ִב ְיר ָתא ִ ּדי ְּב ָמ ַדי But it was in the citadel of Ecbatana, in the 2 ְמ ִד ְינ ָּתה ְמ ִג ָּלה ֲח ָדה ְו ֵכ ְּן־כ ִתיב ְּב ַגַּו ּה province of Media, that a scroll was found in which ִ ּד ְכ ָרוֹנה׃ :the following was written: “Memorandum ג ִּבשׁ ְ ַנת ֲח ָדה ְל ֶכוֹרשׁ ַמ ְל ָּכא ּכ ֶוֹרשׁ ַמ ְל ָּכא In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued 3 ָשׂם ְט ֵעם ֵּב ֱית־א ָל ָהא ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ַּבְי ָתא an order concerning the House of Hashem in ִי ְת ְּב ֵנא ֲא ַתר ִ ּד ָי־ד ְב ִחין ִ ּד ְב ִחין ְו ֻאשּׁ ִוֹהי Yerushalayim: ‘Let the house be rebuilt, a place for ְמ ְסוֹב ִלין ּרו ֵמ ּה ַא ִּמין שׁ ִ ִּתין ְּפ ָתֵי ּה ַא ִּמין offering sacrifices, with a base built up high. Let it שׁ ִ ִּתין׃ ,be sixty amot high and sixty amot wide ד ִנ ְד ָּב ִכין ִ ּד ֶי־א ֶבן ְּג ָלל ְּת ָל ָתא ְו ִנ ְד ָּב ְך with a course of unused timber for each three 4 ִ ּד ָי־אע ֲח ַדת ְו ִנ ְפ ְק ָתא ִמ ֵּן־בית ַמ ְל ָּכא courses of hewn stone. The expenses shall be paid ִּת ְתְי ִהב׃ .by the palace ה And the gold and silver vessels of the House of 5 Ezra/Nehemiah ְו ַאף ָמ ֵאני ֵב ֱית־א ָל ָהא ִ ּדי ַד ֲה ָבה ְו ַכ ְס ָּפא ִ ּדי ְנ ּבו ַכ ְד ֶנ ַּצר ַה ְנ ֵּפק ִמ ֵן־ה ְיכ ָלא ִדי־ Hashem which Nebuchadnezzar had taken away ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ְו ֵה ֵיבל ְל ָב ֶבל ַי ֲה ִת ּיבון ִו ָיה ְך from the temple in Yerushalayim and transported ְל ֵה ְיכ ָלא ִד ִי־ב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ְל ַא ְתֵר ּה ְו ַת ֵחת to Babylon shall be returned, and let each go back ְּב ֵבית ֱא ָל ָהא׃ to the temple in Yerushalayim where it belongs; you shall deposit it in the House of Hashem.’ ו ְּכ ַען ַּת ְּת ַני ַּפ ַחת ֲע ַב ַר־נ ֲהָרה שׁ ְ ַתר ּב ְוֹז ַני Now you, Tattenai, governor of the province of“ 6 ּו ְכ ָנָו ְתהוֹן ֲא ַפְר ְס ָכֵיא ִ ּדי ַּב ֲע ַבר ַנ ֲהָרה ,Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and colleagues ַר ִח ִיקין ֲהווֹ ִמ ַּן־ת ָּמה׃ ,the officials of the province of Beyond the River stay away from that place. ז שׁ ְ ֻב ּקו ַל ֲע ִב ַידת ֵּב ֱית־א ָל ָהא ֵד ְך ַּפ ַחת ;Allow the work of this House of Hashem to go on 7 ְי ּהו ָדֵיא ּו ְל ָשׂ ֵבי ְי ּהו ָדֵיא ֵּב ֱית־א ָל ָהא ֵד ְך let the governor of the Yehudim and the elders of ִי ְבנוֹן ַע ַל־א ְתֵר ּה׃ the Yehudim rebuild this House of Hashem on its site. ח ּו ִמ ִנּי ִשׂים ְט ֵעם ְל ָמא ִד ַי־ת ַע ְב ּדון ִעם־ And I hereby issue an order concerning what you 8 ָשׂ ֵבי ְי ּהו ָדֵיא ִא ֵּל ְך ְל ִמ ְב ֵנא ֵּב ֱית־א ָל ָהא must do to help these elders of the Yehudim rebuild ֵד ְך ּו ִמ ִנּ ְכ ֵסי ַמ ְל ָּכא ִ ּדי ִמ ַ ּדת ֲע ַבר ַנ ֲהָרה this House of Hashem: the expenses are to be paid ָא ְס ַּפְר ָנא ִנ ְפ ְק ָתא ֶּת ֱהֵוא ִמ ְתַי ֲה ָבא to these men with dispatch out of the resources of ְל ֻג ְבַרָּיא ִא ֵּל ְך ִ ּד ָי־לא ְל ַב ָּט ָלא׃ the king, derived from the taxes of the province of Beyond the River, so that the work not be stopped.

34 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ו Chapter 6

ט ּו ָמה ַחשׁ ְ ָחן ּו ְב ֵני ִתוֹרין ְו ִד ְכִרין ְו ִא ְּמִרין They are to be given daily, without fail, whatever 9 ַל ֲע ָלָון ֶל ֱא ָל ּה שׁ ְ ַמָּיא ִח ְנ ִטין ְמ ַלח ֲח ַמר they need of young bulls, rams, or lambs as burnt ּו ְמשׁ ַ ח ְּכ ֵמ ַאמר ָּכ ֲה ַנָּיא ִד ִי־ב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ,offerings for the God of Heaven, and wheat, salt ֶל ֱהֵוא ִמ ְתְי ֵהב ְלהֹם יוֹם ְּביוֹם ִ ּד ָי־לא wine, and oil, at the order of the Kohanim in שׁ ָ ל ּו ׃ ,Yerushalayim י ִ ּד ֶי־ל ֱהוׂן ְמ ַה ְקְר ִבין ִנ ִיחוֹחין ֶל ֱא ָל ּה so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God 10 שׁ ְ ַמָּיא ּו ְמ ַצ ַּלִין ְל ַחֵּיי ַמ ְל ָּכא ּו ְב ִנוֹהי׃ of Heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. יא ּו ִמ ִנּי ִשׂים ְט ֵעם ִ ּדי ָכ ֱל־א ָנשׁ ִ ּדי ְי ַהשׁ ְ ֵנא I also issue an order that whoever alters this decree 11 ִּפ ְת ָג ָמא ְד ָנה ִי ְת ְנ ַסח ָאע ִמ ַּן־בְי ֵת ּה shall have a beam removed from his house, and he ּוְז ִקיף ִי ְת ְמ ֵחא ֲע ִלֹהי ּו ַבְי ֵת ּה ְנָו ּלו .shall be impaled on it and his house confiscated ִי ְת ֲע ֵבד ַע ְ ּל־ד ָנה׃ יב ֵו ָאל ָהא ִ ּדי שׁ ַ ִּכן שׁ ְ ֵמ ּה ַּת ָּמה ְי ַמ ַּגר And may the God who established His name 12 ָּכ ֶל־מ ֶל ְך ְו ַעם ִ ּדי ִישׁ ְ ַלח ְי ֵד ּה ְל ַהשׁ ְ ָנָיה there cause the downfall of any king or nation ְל ַח ָּב ָלה ֵּב ֱית־א ָל ָהא ֵד ְך ִ ּדי ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם that undertakes to alter or damage that House of ֲא ָנה ָדְרָיֶושׁ ָשׂ ֶמת ְט ֵעם ָא ְס ַּפְר ָנא Hashem in Yerushalayim. I, Darius, have issued the ִי ְת ֲע ִבד׃ ”.decree; let it be carried out with dispatch יג ֱא ַדִין ַּת ְּת ַני ַּפ ַחת ֲע ַב ַר־נ ֲהָרה שׁ ְ ַתר ּב ְוֹז ַני Then Tattenai, governor of the province of Beyond 13 ּו ְכ ָנָו ְתהוֹן ָל ֳק ֵבל ִ ּדי־שׁ ְ ַלח ָ ּדְרָיֶושׁ ַמ ְל ָּכא the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues ְּכ ֵנ ָמא ָא ְס ַּפְר ָנא ֲע ַב ּדו׃ carried out with dispatch what King Darius had written. יד ְו ָשׂ ֵבי ְי ּהו ָדֵיא ָּב ַנִין ּו ַמ ְצ ְל ִחין ִּב ְנ ּבו ַאת So the elders of the Yehudim progressed in the 14 ַח ַּגי נביאה ְ]נ ִבָּיא[ ּוְז ַכְרָיה ַּב ִר־ע ּדוֹא building, urged on by the prophesying of Chagai ּו ְבנוֹ ְושׁ ַ ְכ ִל ּלו ִמ ַן־ט ַעם ֱא ָל ּה ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל the Navi and Zecharya son of Ido, and they

ּ ו ִ מ ּ ְ ט ֵ ע ם ּכ ֹ ו ֶר שׁ ְו ָ ד ְ ר ָ י ֶ ו שׁ ְו ַ א ְ ר ַ ּ ת ְ ח שׁ ַ ְ ׂש ְ ּ ת א Ezra/Nehemiah brought the building to completion under the ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּפָרס׃ aegis of the God of Yisrael and by the order of Cyrus and Darius and King Artaxerxes of Persia. v’-sha-VAY y’-hu-da-YAY ba-NA-yin u-matz-l’-KHEEN bin-vu-AT kha-GAI n’-vi- YAH uz-khar-YAH bar i-DO uv-NO v’-shakh-LI-lu min TA-am e-LAH yis-ra-AYL u-mi-t’-AYM KO-resh v’-dar-YA-vesh v’-ar-takh-SHAS-t’ ME-lekh pa-RAS

6:14 By the order of Cyrus and Darius and King Government’s 1917 Balfour Declaration possessed Artaxerxes The autonomy of the Jewish similar promise when it declared: “His Majesty’s people has often been subject to the blessings or government view with favour the establishment in restraints of foreigners. Cyrus’s edict to allow the People Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, of Israel to return to the Land of Israel and rebuild the and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the Beit Hamikdash was a ray of hope in a bleak time. achievement of this object.” In fact, Harry Truman said Persian approval of Jewish authority constituted a of his May 1948 recognition of the State of Israel as remarkable turning of the tide for the exiled Jews. president of the United States: “I am Cyrus.” In all these The Balfour Though construction of the Temple was temporarily cases, it was non-Jews serving as God’s agents who Declaration halted, it was eventually completed in the sixth year facilitated the return of the Jewish people to Eretz of the reign of Darius, with his permission. The British Yisrael.

35 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ז Chapter 7

טו ְושׁ ֵ ִיציא ַּבְי ָתה ְד ָנה ַעד יוֹם ְּת ָל ָתה ִל ַירח The house was finished on the third of the month 15 ֲא ָדר ִ ּד ִי־היא שׁ ְ ַנת־שׁ ֵ ת ְל ַמ ְל ּכות ָ ּדְרָיֶושׁ of Adar in the sixth year of the reign of King ַמ ְל ָּכא׃ .Darius טז ַו ֲע ַב ּדו ְב ֵנ ִי־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ָּכ ֲה ַנָּיא ְו ֵלָוֵיא ּושׁ ְ ָאר The Israelites, theKohanim , and the Leviim, and 16 ְּב ֵנ ָי־ג ּלו ָתא ֲח ֻנ ַּכת ֵּב ֱית־א ָל ָהא ְד ָנה all the other exiles celebrated the dedication of the ְּב ֶח ְדָוה׃ .House of Hashem with joy יז ְו ַה ְקִר ּבו ַל ֲח ֻנ ַּכת ֵּב ֱית־א ָל ָהא ְד ָנה ּת ִוֹרין And they sacrificed for the dedication of this 17 ְמ ָאה ִ ּד ְכִרין ָמ ַאתִין ִא ְּמִרין ַאְר ַּבע ְמ ָאה House of Hashem one hundred bulls, two hundred ּו ְצ ִפ ֵירי ִעִ ּזין לחטיא ְ]ל ַח ָּט ָאה[ ַע ָּל־כל־ rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve goats as a ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְּתֵר ֲי־ע ַשׂר ְל ִמ ְנ ָין שׁ ִ ְב ֵטי ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ purification offering for all ofYisrael , according to the number of the tribes of Yisrael. יח ַו ֲה ִק ּימו ָכ ֲה ַנָּיא ִּב ְפ ֻל ָּג ְתהוֹן ְו ֵלָוֵיא They appointed theKohanim in their courses 18 ְּב ַמ ְח ְל ָק ְתהוֹן ַע ֲל־ע ִב ַידת ֱא ָל ָהא ִ ּדי and the Leviim in their divisions for the service ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ִּכ ְכ ָתב ְס ַפר מֹשׁ ֶ ה׃ of Hashem in Yerushalayim, according to the prescription in the Book of Moshe. יט ַוַּי ֲע ּשׂו ְב ֵנ ַי־ה ּג ָוֹלה ֶא ַת־ה ָּפ ַסח ְּב ַאְר ָּב ָעה The returned exiles celebrated thePesach on the 19 ָע ָשׂר ַל ֶחֹדשׁ ָהִראשׁ וֹן׃ ,fourteenth day of the first month כ ִּכי ִה ַּט ֲה ּרו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ְּכ ֶא ָחד ֻּכ ָּלם for the Kohanim and Leviim had purified 20 ְט ִהוֹרים ַוִּישׁ ְ ֲח ּטו ַה ֶּפ ַסח ְל ָכ ְּל־ב ֵני ַה ּג ָוֹלה themselves to a man; they were all pure. They ְו ַל ֲא ֵח ֶיהם ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ָל ֶהם׃ slaughtered the Pesach offering for all the returned exiles, and for their brother Kohanim and for themselves. כא ַו ּי ְֹאכ ּלו ְב ֵנ ִי־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַהשָּׁ ִבים ֵמ ַה ּג ָוֹלה The children ofYisrael who had returned from 21 Ezra/Nehemiah ְוכֹל ַה ִנּ ְב ָ ּדל ִמ ֻּט ְמ ַאת ּג ֵוֹי ָ־ה ָאֶרץ ֲא ֵל ֶהם the exile, together with all who joined them in ִל ְדרֹשׁ ַל ָיהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹהי ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ separating themselves from the uncleanliness of the nations of the lands to worship God of Yisrael, ate of it. כב ַוַּי ֲע ּשׂו ַח ַג־מ ּצוֹת שׁ ִ ְב ַעת ָי ִמים ְּב ִשׂ ְמ ָחה They joyfully celebrated the festival ofPesach for 22 ִּכי ִשׂ ְּמ ָחם ְי ָהֹוה ְו ֵה ֵסב ֵלב ֶמ ֶל ְך ַ־אשּׁ ּור seven days, for Hashem had given them cause for ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ְל ַחֵ ּזק ְי ֵד ֶיהם ִּב ְמ ֶל ֶאכת ֵּבית־ joy by inclining the heart of the Assyrian king ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ֱא ֵלֹהי ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ toward them so as to give them support in the work of the House of Hashem, the God of Yisrael. א ְו ַא ַחר ַה ְ ּד ָבִרים ָה ֵא ֶּלה ְּב ַמ ְל ּכות After these events, during the reign of King 1 7 ז ַאְר ַּת ְחשׁ ַ ְס ְּתא ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּ־פָרס ֶעְזָרא ֶּבן־ Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra son of Seraya son of ְשׂ ָרָיה ֶּב ֲן־עַזְרָיה ֶּב ִן־ח ְל ִקָּיה׃ Azarya son of Chilkiya ב ֶּבן־שׁ ַ ּל ּום ֶּב ָן־צדוֹק ֶּב ֲן־א ִח ּיטוב׃ son of Shalum son of Tzadok son of Achituv 2 ג ֶּב ֲן־א ַמְרָיה ֶב ֲן־עַזְרָיה ֶּב ְן־מָריוֹת׃ son of Amariah son of Azarya son of Meraioth 3 ד ֶּב ְן־זַר ְחָיה ֶב ֻן־עִ ּזי ֶּב ֻּן־ב ִּקי׃ son of Zerahiah son of Uzzi son of Bukki 4 ה ֶּב ֲן־א ִבישׁ ּו ַע ֶּב ִּן־פ ְינ ָחס ֶּב ֶן־א ְל ָעָזר ֶּבן־ son of Abishua son of Pinchas son of Elazar son of 5 ַא ֲהרֹן ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ָהרֹאשׁ ׃ —Aharon the chief Kohen

36 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ז Chapter 7

ו ּהוא ֶעְזָרא ָע ָלה ִמ ָּב ֶבל ְו ּהו ֵא־סֹפר that Ezra came up from Babylon, a scribe expert 6 ָמ ִהיר ְּב ַתוֹרת מֹשׁ ֶ ה ֲאשׁ ֶ ָר־נ ַתן ְי ָהֹוה in the Teaching of Moshe which God of Yisrael ֱא ֵלֹהי ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַוִּי ֶּתן־לוֹ ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְּכַי ְד־י ָהֹוה had given, whose request the king had granted in ֱא ָלֹהיו ָע ָליו ּכֹל ַּב ָּקשׁ ָ תוֹ׃ its entirety, thanks to the benevolence of Hashem toward him. HU ez-RA a-LAH mi-ba-VEL v’-hu so-FAYR ma-HEER b’-to-RAT mo-SHEH a-sher na-TAN a-do-NAI e-lo-HAY yis-ra-AYL va-yi-ten LO ha-ME-lekh k’-yad a-do-NAI e-lo-HAV a-LAV KOL ba-ka-sha-TO ז ַוַּי ֲע ּלו ִמ ְּב ֵנ ִי־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ּו ִמ ַן־ה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים Some of the Israelites, the Kohanim and Leviim, the 7 ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ְו ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְו ַהשּׁ ֲֹעִרים singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants ְו ַה ְנּ ִת ִינים ֶא ְל־י ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם ִּבשׁ ְ ַנת־שׁ ֶ ַבע set out for Yerushalayim in the seventh year of King ְ ל ַ א ְ ר ַ ּ ת ְ ח שׁ ַ ְ ס ְ ּ ת א ַה ּ ֶ מ ֶ ל ְ ך ׃ ,Artaxerxes ח ַוָּיבֹא ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ַּב ֶחֹדשׁ ַה ֲח ִמישׁ ִ י ִהיא arriving in Yerushalayim in the fifth month in the 8 שׁ ְ ַנת ַהשְּׁ ִב ִיעית ַל ֶּמ ֶל ְך׃ (.seventh year of the king ט ִּכי ְּב ֶא ָחד ַל ֶחֹדשׁ ָהִראשׁ וֹן ּהוא On the first day of the first month the journey up 9 ְי ֻסד ַה ַּמ ֲע ָלה ִמ ָּב ֶבל ּו ְב ֶא ָחד ַל ֶחֹדשׁ from Babylon was started, and on the first day of ַה ֲח ִמישׁ ִ י ָּבא ֶא ְל־י ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ְּכַי ֱד־א ָלֹהיו the fifth month he arrived inYerushalayim , thanks ַה ּט ָוֹבה ָע ָליו׃ .to the benevolent care of his God for him KEE b’-e-KHAD la-KHO-desh ha-ri-SHON HU y’-SUD ha-ma-a-LAH mi-ba- VEL uv-e-KHAD la-KHO-desh ha-kha-mee-SHEE BA el y’-ru-sha-LA-im k’-yad e-lo-HAV ha-to-VAH a-LAV

Ezra 7:6 A scribe expert in the Teaching of office. As then Speaker of the Knesset Mr. Kadish Luz Ezra/Nehemiah a ‘scribe’ declared, “From this day forth, all of Israel’s presidents ,(סופר) Moshe Ezra was known as a sofer who reintroduced the Torah to public life in Jerusalem shall take their oaths of office upon this Bible. We have following the Babylonian exile. According the Talmud been governed by a Provisional State Council, a (Bava Kama 82a), he instituted public reading of the Provisional Government and even now sit in the Torah on Shabbat in order to make it more dear to the temporary Knesset building. To date, Israeli presidents People of Israel. In modern times, another “scribe” made have been sworn in using a temporary edition of the a great contribution to Israel’s love for the Torah. Eliyahu Bible. This occasion symbolizes our overcoming of Koren (1907-2001) was a master typographer who foreign heritage and return to our origins”. emigrated from Germany to Israel in 1933. He opened Koren Publishers Jerusalem in 1961, and the following 7:9 The journey up from Babylon was started The year published the “Koren Tanakh,” the first Bible edited, late nineteenth and twentieth centuries designed, produced and bound by Jews in nearly 500 witnessed a series of massive waves of Jewish years. David Ben Gurion responded to the publication immigration to Israel, known as Aliyot, literally, ‘ascents.’ of the Tanakh, “Israel is redeemed from shame.” Koren, Each Aliya had a specific demographic character. The along with his team of experts, considered the precision nature of the returning Babylonian Jews was similar to Yesud Hamaala of every letter, the placement of every word on every the immigrants who came during the years 1882-1904 page and designed a new font to ensure maximum on what is known as the “First Aliya”. In both cases, the clarity and to signify the renewal of ancient Hebrew in groups were mostly comprised of poor religious families. modern times. The Koren Tanakh’s textual accuracy, But to call these modern Zionists immigrants “first” is innovative design and superior quality won it worldwide not entirely correct. Not only have there been waves of acclaim. After its publication, it became the Bible that immigration to Israel throughout the centuries, but their IDF soldiers received, along with a gun, upon their forefathers returning from Babylon preceded them by induction into the Israel Defense Forces, and it is the two-thousand five-hundred years. In 1883, the first Bible upon which Knesset members are sworn into modern Jewish community in the northern Hula Valley

37 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ז Chapter 7

י ִּכי ֶעְזָרא ֵה ִכין ְל ָבבוֹ ִל ְדרוֹשׁ ֶא ּת־ת ַוֹרת For Ezra had dedicated himself to study the 10 ְי ָהֹוה ְו ַל ֲעשֹׂת ּו ְל ַל ֵּמד ְּבִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל חֹק Teaching of Hashem so as to observe it, and to ּ ו ִ מ שׁ ְ ּ ָ פ ט ׃ .teach laws and rules to Yisrael יא ְוֶזה ַּפְרשׁ ֶ ֶגן ַה ִנּשׁ ְ ְּתָון ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָנ ַתן ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך The following is the text of the letter which King 11 ַאְר ַּת ְחשׁ ַ ְס ְּתא ְל ֶעְזָרא ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ַה ּס ֵֹפר ֵסֹפר Artaxerxes gave Ezra the Kohen-scribe, a scholar in ִ ּד ְבֵרי ִמ ְצ ְוׂת־י ָהֹוה ְו ֻח ָּקיו ַע ִל־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ matters concerning the commandments ofHashem and His laws to Yisrael: יב ַאְר ַּת ְחשׁ ַ ְס ְּתא ֶמ ֶל ְך ַמ ְל ַכָּיא ְל ֶעְזָרא ,Artaxerxes king of kings, to Ezra the Kohen“ 12 ָכ ֲה ָנא ָס ַפר ָ ּד ָתא ִ ּד ֱי־א ָל ּה שׁ ְ ַמָּיא ְּג ִמיר scholar in the law of the God of heaven, and so ּו ְכ ֶע ֶנת׃ ,forth. And now יג ִמ ִנּי ִשׂים ְט ֵעם ִ ּדי ָכ ִל־מ ְת ַנ ַ ּדב ְּב ַמ ְל ּכו ִתי I hereby issue an order that anyone in my kingdom 13 ִמ ַן־ע ָּמה ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְו ָכ ֲה ִנוֹהי ְו ֵלָוֵיא ִל ְמ ָה ְך who is of the people of Yisrael and its Kohanim and ִל ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ִע ָּמ ְך ְי ָה ְך׃ Leviim who feels impelled to go to Yerushalayim may go with you. יד ָּכ ֳל־ק ֵבל ִ ּדי ִמ ֳן־ק ָדם ַמ ְל ָּכא ְושׁ ִ ְב ַעת For you are commissioned by the king and his 14 ָי ֲע ִטֹהי שׁ ְ ִל ַיח ְל ַב ָּקָרא ַע ְל־י ּהוד seven advisers to regulate Yehuda and Yerushalayim ְו ִל ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם ְּב ָדת ֱא ָל ָה ְך ִ ּדי ִב ָיד ְך׃ according to the law of your God, which is in your care, טו ּו ְל ֵה ָיב ָלה ְּכ ַסף ּו ְד ַהב ִ ּד ַי־מ ְל ָּכא ְוָי ֲע ִטוֹהי ,and to bring the freewill offering of silver and gold 15 ִה ְת ַנ ַ ּד ּבו ֶל ֱא ָל ּה ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ִ ּדי ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם which the king and his advisers made to the God of ִ מ שׁ ְ ְ ּ כ ֵ נ ּ ה ׃ ,Yisrael, whose dwelling is in Yerushalayim טז ְוכֹל ְּכ ַסף ּו ְד ַהב ִ ּדי ְת ַהשׁ ְ ַּכח ְּבכֹל ְמ ִד ַינת and whatever silver and gold that you find 16 ָּב ֶבל ִעם ִה ְת ַנ ָ ּד ּבות ַע ָּמא ְו ָכ ֲה ַנָּיא throughout the province of Babylon, together ִמ ְת ַנ ְ ּד ִבין ְל ֵבית ֱא ָל ֲההֹם ִ ּדי ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם׃ with the freewill offerings that the people and the Kohanim will give for the House of their God, Ezra/Nehemiah which is in Yerushalayim. יז ָּכ ֳל־ק ֵבל ְ ּד ָנה ָא ְס ַּפְר ָנא ִת ְק ֵנא ְּב ַכ ְס ָּפא You shall, therefore, with dispatch acquire with 17 ְד ָנה ּת ִוֹרין ִ ּד ְכִרין ִא ְּמִרין ּו ִמ ְנ ָח ְתהוֹן this money bulls, rams, and lambs, with their ְו ִנ ְס ֵּכיהוֹן ּו ְת ָקֵרב ִה ּמוֹ ַע ַל־מ ְד ְּב ָחה ִ ּדי meal offerings and libations, and offer them ֵּבית ֱא ָל ֲהכֹם ִ ּדי ִב ּירושׁ ְ ֶלם׃ on the mizbayach of the House of your God in Yerushalayim. יח ּו ָמה ִדי עליך ֲ]ע ָל ְך[ ְו ַעל־אחיך ֶ]א ָח ְך[ And whatever you wish to do with the leftover 18 ֵי ַיטב ִּבשׁ ְ ָאר ַּכ ְס ָּפא ְו ַד ֲה ָבה ְל ֶמ ְע ַּבד silver and gold, you and your kinsmen may do, in ִּכְר ּעות ֱא ָל ֲהכֹם ַּת ַע ְב ּדון׃ .accord with the will of your God יט ּו ָמ ַאנָּיא ִ ּד ִי־מ ְתַי ֲה ִבין ָל ְך ְל ָפ ְל ָחן ֵּבית The vessels for the service of the House of your 19 ֱא ָל ָה ְך ַהשׁ ְ ֵלם ֳק ָדם ֱא ָל ּה ְי ּרושׁ ְ ֶלם׃ God that are given to you, deliver to Hashem in Yerushalayim,

was established by members of the “First aliyah.” Inspired Babylonian Jews, its founders named it Yesud Ha’Ma’ala, by this verse in Ezra describing the return of the translated here as ‘the journey up was started.’

38 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ח Chapter 8

כ ּושׁ ְ ָאר ַחשׁ ְ ּחות ֵּבית ֱא ָל ָה ְך ִ ּדי ִי ֶּפ ָל־ל ְך and any other needs of the House of your God 20 ְל ִמ ְנ ַּתן ִּת ְנ ֵּתן ִמ ֵּן־בית ִּג ְנֵזי ַמ ְל ָּכא׃ that it falls to you to supply, do so from the royal treasury. כא ּו ִמ ִנּי ֲא ָנה ַאְר ַּת ְחשׁ ַ ְס ְּתא ַמ ְל ָּכא ִשׂים I, King Artaxerxes, for my part, hereby issue 21 ְט ֵעם ְלכֹל ִּגַ ּז ְבַרָּיא ִ ּדי ַּב ֲע ַבר ַנ ֲהָרה ִ ּדי an order to all the treasurers in the province of ָכ ִ ּל־די ִישׁ ְ ֲא ֶל ְנכוֹן ֶעְזָרא ָכ ֲה ָנה ָס ַפר Beyond the River that whatever request Ezra the ָ ּד ָתא ִ ּד ֱי־א ָל ּה שׁ ְ ַמָּיא ָא ְס ַּפְר ָנא ִי ְת ֲע ִבד׃ ,Kohen, scholar in the law of the God of Heaven makes of you is to be fulfilled with dispatch כב ַע ְּד־כ ַסף ַּכ ְּכִרין ְמ ָאה ְו ַע ִד־ח ְנ ִטין ּכִֹרין up to the sum of one hundred kikarot of silver, one 22 ְמ ָאה ְו ַע ֲד־ח ַמר ַּב ִּתין ְמ ָאה ְו ַע ַּד־ב ִּתין ,hundred kor of wheat, one hundred batim of wine ְמשׁ ַ ח ְמ ָאה ּו ְמ ַלח ִ ּד ָי־לא ְכ ָתב׃ .one hundred batim of oil, and salt without limit כג ָּכ ִ ּל־די ִמ ַן־ט ַעם ֱא ָל ּה שׁ ְ ַמָּיא ִי ְת ֲע ֵבד Whatever is by order of the God of Heaven must 23 ַא ְדַרְז ָ ּדא ְל ֵבית ֱא ָל ּה שׁ ְ ַמָּיא ִ ּד ְי־ל ָמה be carried out diligently for the House of the God ֶל ֱהֵוא ְק ַצף ַע ַל־מ ְל ּכות ַמ ְל ָּכא ּו ְב ִנוֹהי׃ of Heaven, else wrath will come upon the king and his sons. כד ּו ְלכֹם ְמ ְהוֹד ִעין ִ ּדי ָכ ָּל־כ ֲה ַנָּיא ְו ֵלָוֵיא We further advise you that it is not permissible to 24 ַז ָּמַרָּיא ָתָר ַעָּיא ְנ ִת ַינָּיא ּו ָפ ְל ֵחי ֵּבית ,impose tribute, poll tax, or land tax on any Kohen ֱא ָל ָהא ְד ָנה ִמ ְנ ָ ּדה ְבלוֹ ַו ֲה ָל ְך ָלא שׁ ַ ִּליט Levi, singer, gatekeeper, temple servant, or other ְל ִמְר ֵמא ֲע ֵליהֹם׃ .servant of this House of Hashem כה ְו ַא ְנ ְּת ֶעְזָרא ְּכ ָח ְכ ַמת ֱא ָל ָה ְך ִ ּד ִי־ב ָיד ְך ֶמ ִנּי ,And you, Ezra, by the divine wisdom you possess 25 שׁ ָ ְפ ִטין ְו ַדָּי ִנין ִ ּד ֶי־ל ֱהוׂן דאנין ָ ּ]ד ְאי ִנין[ appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the ְל ָכ ַל־ע ָּמה ִ ּדי ַּב ֲע ַבר ַנ ֲהָרה ְל ָכ ָל־י ְד ֵעי people in the province of Beyond the River who ָ ּד ֵתי ֱא ָל ָה ְך ְו ִדי ָלא ָי ַדע ְּת ְהוֹד ּעון׃ know the laws of your God, and to teach those who do not know them.

כו ְו ָכ ִ ּל־ד ָי־לא ֶל ֱהֵוא ָע ֵבד ָ ּד ָתא ִד ֱי־א ָל ָה ְך Ezra/Nehemiah 26 Let anyone who does not obey the law of your ְו ָד ָתא ִ ּדי ַמ ְל ָּכא ָא ְס ַּפְר ָנא ִ ּד ָינה ֶל ֱהֵוא God and the law of the king be punished with ִמ ְת ֲע ֵבד ִמ ֵנּ ּה ֵהן ְלמוֹת ֵהן לשרשו ,dispatch, whether by death, corporal punishment ִ]לשׁ ְ רֹשׁ ִ י[ ֵה ַן־ל ֲע ָנשׁ ִנ ְכ ִסין ְו ֶל ֱא ּסוִרין׃ ”.confiscation of possessions, or imprisonment כז ָּב ּרו ְך ְי ָהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹהי ֲא ֵבוֹת ּינו ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָנ ַתן Blessed is God of our fathers, who put it into the 27 ָּכזֹאת ְּב ֵלב ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְל ָפ ֵאר ֶא ֵּת־בית ְי ָהֹוה mind of the king to glorify the House of Hashem in ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ ,Yerushalayim כח ְו ָע ַלי ִה ָּט ֶה־ח ֶסד ִל ְפ ֵני ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְו ֲיוֹע ָציו and who inclined the king and his counselors and 28 ּו ְל ָכ ָל־שׂ ֵרי ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ַה ִּג ּבִֹרים ַו ֲא ִני the king’s military officers to be favorably disposed ִה ְת ַחַ ּז ְק ִּתי ְּכַי ְד־י ָהֹוה ֱא ַלֹהי ָע ַלי toward me. For my part, thanks to the care of ָו ֶא ְק ְּב ָצה ִמִּי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ָראשׁ ִ ים ַל ֲעלוֹת Hashem for me, I summoned up courage and ִע ִּמי׃ .assembled leading men in Yisrael to go with me א ְו ֵא ֶּלה ָראשׁ ֵ י ֲא ֵבֹת ֶיהם ְו ִה ְתַי ְח ָשׂם These are the chiefs of the clans and the register of 1 8 ח ָה ִעֹלים ִע ִּמי ְּב ַמ ְל ּכות ַאְר ַּת ְחשׁ ַ ְס ְּתא the genealogy of those who came up with me from ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ִמ ָּב ֶבל׃ :Babylon in the reign of King Artaxerxes ב ִמ ְּב ֵני ִפ ְינ ָחס ֵּגְרשׁ ֹם ִמ ְּב ֵני ִא ָית ָמר ָ ּד ִנֵּיאל Of the sons of Pinchas, Gershom; of the sons of 2 ִמ ְּב ֵני ָדִויד ַח ּט ּושׁ ׃ .Itamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, Hattush

39 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ח Chapter 8

ג ִמ ְּב ֵני שׁ ְ ַכ ְנָיה ִמ ְּב ֵני ַפְרעֹשׁ ְז ַכְרָיה ְו ִע ּמוֹ ,Of the sons of Shechanya: of the sons of Parosh 3 ִה ְתַי ֵחשׂ ִלְז ָכִרים ֵמ ָאה ַו ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים׃ Zecharya; through him the genealogy of 150 males was registered. ד ִמ ְּב ֵני ַּפ ַחת ָמוֹאב ֶא ְלְי ֵהוֹע ַיני ֶּב ְן־זַר ְחָיה Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, of the sons of 4 ְו ִע ּמוֹ ָמ ַאתִים ַהְ ּז ָכִרים׃ .Pahathmoab, and with him 200 males ה ִמ ְּב ֵני שׁ ְ ַכ ְנָיה ֶּב ַן־י ֲחִז ֵיאל ְו ִע ּמוֹ שׁ ְ לֹשׁ Of the sons of Shechanya son of Yachaziel; and with 5 ֵמאוֹת ַהְ ּז ָכִרים׃ .him 300 males ו ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ָע ִדין ֶע ֶבד ֶּב ָן־יוֹנ ָתן ְו ִע ּמוֹ ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים And of the sons of Adin, Ebed son of Yonatan; and 6 ַהְ ּז ָכִרים׃ .with him 50 males ז ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ֵע ָילם ְישׁ ַ ְעָיה ֶּב ֲן־ע ַת ְלָיה ְו ִע ּמוֹ ;And of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Atalya 7 שׁ ִ ְב ִעים ַהְ ּז ָכִרים׃ .and with him 70 males ח ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני שׁ ְ ַפ ְטָיה ְז ַב ְדָיה ֶּב ִן־מ ָיכ ֵאל ְו ִע ּמוֹ And of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of 8 שׁ ְ ִמֹנים ַהְ ּז ָכִרים׃ .Michael; and with him 80 males ט ִמ ְּב ֵני ָיוֹאב ַעֹב ְדָיה ֶּב ְן־י ִח ֵיאל ְו ִע ּמוֹ Of the sons of Yoav, Ovadya son of Yechiel; and with 9 ָמ ַאתִים ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה ָע ָשׂר ַהְ ּז ָכִרים׃ .him 218 males י ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני שׁ ְ ִלוֹמית ֶּב ִן־יוֹס ְפָיה ְו ִע ּמוֹ ֵמ ָאה ;And of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah 10 ְושׁ ִ שִּׁ ים ַהְ ּז ָכִרים׃ .and with him 160 males יא ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ֵב ַבי ְז ַכְרָיה ֶּב ֵּן־ב ָבי ְו ִע ּמוֹ ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ;And of the sons of Bebai, Zecharya son of Bebai 11 ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה ַהְ ּז ָכִרים׃ .and with him 28 males יב ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ַעְז ָּגד ָיוֹח ָנן ֶּב ַן־ה ָּק ָטן ְו ִע ּמוֹ ֵמ ָאה And of the sons of Azgad, Yochanan son of 12 ַו ֲע ָשׂ ָרה ַהְ ּז ָכִרים׃ .Hakkatan; and with him 110 males

Ezra/Nehemiah יג ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ֲא ִדֹנ ָיקם ַא ֲח ִרֹנים ְו ֵא ֶּלה שׁ ְ ָמוֹתם ;And of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last 13 ֱא ִל ֶיפ ֶלט ְי ִע ֵיאל ּושׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ְו ִע ָּמ ֶהם and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, and שׁ ִ שִּׁ ים ַהְ ּז ָכִרים׃ .Shemaya; and with them 60 males יד ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ִב ְגַוי ּעו ַתי וזבוד ְ]וַז ּכ ּור[ ְו ִע ּמוֹ And of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zaccur; and 14 שׁ ִ ְב ִעים ַהְ ּז ָכִרים׃ .with them 70 males טו ָו ֶא ְק ְּב ֵצם ֶא ַל־ה ָנּ ָהר ַה ָּבא ֶא ַל־א ֲהָוא ,These I assembled by the river that enters Ahava 15 ַו ַנּ ֲח ֶנה שׁ ָ ם ָי ִמים שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ָ ה ָו ָא ִב ָינה ָב ָעם and we encamped there for three days. I reviewed ּו ַב ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ֵלִוי ָלֹא־מ ָצ ִאתי שׁ ָ ם׃ the people and the Kohanim, but I did not find any Leviim there. טז ָו ֶאשׁ ְ ְל ָחה ֶל ֱא ִל ֶיעֶזר ַל ֲאִר ֵיאל ִלשׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ,I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaya, Elnathan, Jarib 16 ּו ְל ֶא ְל ָנ ָתן ּו ְלָיִריב ּו ְל ֶא ְל ָנ ָתן ּו ְל ָנ ָתן Elnathan, Natan, Zecharya, and Meshullam, the ְו ִלְז ַכְרָיה ְו ִל ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם ָראשׁ ִ ים ּו ְל ָיוֹיִריב leading men, and also for Joiarib and Elnathan, the ּו ְל ֶא ְל ָנ ָתן ְמ ִב ִינים׃ ,instructors יז ואוצאה ָ]ו ֲא ַצֶּוה[ ָאוֹתם ַע ִל־א ּדוֹ and I gave them an order for Ido, the leader at the 17 ָהרֹאשׁ ְּב ָכ ִס ְפָיא ַה ָּמקוֹם ָו ָא ִשׂ ָימה place [called] Casiphia. I gave them a message to ְּב ִפ ֶיהם ְ ּד ָבִרים ְל ַד ֵּבר ֶא ִל־א ּדוֹ ָא ִחיו convey to Ido [and] his brother, temple-servants at הנתונים ַ]ה ְנּ ִת ִינים[ ְּב ָכ ִס ְפָיא ַה ָּמקוֹם the place [called] Casiphia, that they should bring ְל ָה ִב ָיא־ל ּנו ְמשׁ ָ ְר ִתים ְל ֵבית ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו׃ .us attendants for the House of our God

40 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ח Chapter 8

יח ַוָּי ִב ּיא ּו ָל ּנו ְּכַי ֱד־א ֵלֹה ּינו ַה ּט ָוֹבה ָע ֵל ּינו ,Thanks to the benevolent care of our God for us 18 ִאישׁ ֶשׂ ֶכל ִמ ְּב ֵני ַמ ְח ִלי ֶּב ֵן־לִוי ֶּבן־ they brought us a capable man of the family of ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְושׁ ֵ ֵר ְבָיה ּו ָב ָניו ְו ֶא ָחיו שׁ ְ ָמֹנה Mahli son of Levi son of Yisrael, and Sherebiah and ָע ָשׂ ר׃ ,his sons and brothers, 18 in all יט ְו ֶא ֲת־חשׁ ַ ְבָיה ְו ִא ּתוֹ ְישׁ ַ ְעָיה ִמ ְּב ֵני ְמָרִרי and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the family 19 ֶא ָחיו ּו ְב ֵנ ֶיהם ֶע ְשׂ ִרים׃ ;of Merari, his brothers and their sons, 20 in all כ ּו ִמ ַן־ה ְנּ ִת ִינים שׁ ֶ ָנּ ַתן ָ ּדִויד ְו ַה ָּשׂ ִרים and of the temple servants whom David and 20 ַל ֲע ַבֹדת ַה ְלִוִּים ְנ ִת ִינים ָמ ַאתִים the officers had appointed for the service of the ְו ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ֻּכ ָּלם ִנ ְּק ּבו ְבשׁ ֵ מוֹת׃ Leviim—220 temple servants, all of them listed by name. כא ָו ֶא ְקָרא שׁ ָ ם צוֹם ַע ַל־ה ָנּ ָהר ַא ֲהָוא I proclaimed a fast there by the Ahava River to 21 ְל ִה ְת ַענּוֹת ִל ְפ ֵני ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ְל ַב ֵּקשׁ ִמ ֶּמ ּנּו afflict ourselves before our God to beseech Him for ֶ ּדֶר ְך ְישׁ ָ ָרה ָל ּנו ּו ְל ַט ֵּפ ּנו ּו ְל ָכ ְל־ר ּכושׁ ֵ ּנו׃ a smooth journey for us and for our children and for all our possessions; כב ִּכי בֹשׁ ְ ִּתי ִלשׁ ְ אוֹל ִמ ַן־ה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ַחִיל for I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and 22 ּו ָפָרשׁ ִ ים ְל ָעְזֵר ּנו ֵמ ֵאוֹיב ַּב ָ ּדֶר ְך ִּכי־ horsemen to protect us against any enemy on the ָא ַמְר ּנו ַל ֶּמ ֶל ְך ֵלאמֹר ַי ֱד־א ֵלֹה ּינו ַעל־ way, since we had told the king, “The benevolent ָּכ ְל־מ ַב ְקשׁ ָ יו ְל ָטוֹבה ְו ֻע ּזוֹ ְו ַא ּפוֹ ַעל care of our God is for all who seek Him, while His ָּכ ְל־עֹז ָביו׃ ”.fierce anger is against all who forsake Him כג ַו ָנּ ּצו ָמה ַו ְנּ ַב ְקשׁ ָ ה ֵמ ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ַעל־זֹאת So we fasted and besought our God for this, and 23 ַוֵּי ָע ֵתר ָל ּנו׃ .He responded to our plea כד ָו ַא ְב ִ ּד ָילה ִמ ָּשׂ ֵרי ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים שׁ ְ ֵנים ָע ָשׂר , Then I selected twelve of the chiefs of theKohanim 24 ְלשׁ ֵ ֵר ְבָיה ֲחשׁ ַ ְבָיה ְו ִע ָּמ ֶהם ֵמ ֲא ֵח ֶיהם namely Sherebiah and Hashabiah with ten of their ֲע ָשׂ ָרה׃ ,brothers Ezra/Nehemiah כה ואשקולה ָ]ו ֶאשׁ ְ ֳק ָלה[ ָל ֶהם ֶא ַת־ה ֶּכ ֶסף and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and 25 ְו ֶא ַת־הָ ּז ָהב ְו ֶא ַת־ה ֵּכ ִלים ְּת ּרו ַמת ֵּבית־ the vessels, the contribution to the House of our ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ַה ֵהִר ּימו ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְו ֲיֹע ָציו ְו ָשׂ ָריו ,God which the king, his counselors and officers ְו ָכ ִל־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַה ִנּ ְמ ָצ ִאים׃ .and all Yisrael who were present had made כו ָו ֶאשׁ ְ ֲק ָלה ַע ָל־י ָדם ֶּכ ֶסף ִּכ ָּכִרים שׁ ֵ שׁ ־ I entrusted to their safekeeping the weight of six 26 ֵמאוֹת ַו ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ּו ְכ ֵל ֶי־כ ֶסף ֵמ ָאה hundred and fifty talents of silver, one hundred ְל ִכ ָּכִרים ָז ָהב ֵמ ָאה ִכ ָּכר׃ silver vessels of one talent each, one hundred talents of gold; כז ּו ְכ ֵפֹרי ָז ָהב ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ַל ֲא ַדְר ִכֹנים ָא ֶלף also, twenty gold bowls worth one thousand 27 ּו ְכ ֵלי ְנחֹשׁ ֶ ת ֻמ ְצ ָהב ָטוֹבה שׁ ְ ַנִים ֲח ּמודֹת darics and two vessels of good, shining bronze, as ַּכָ ּז ָהב׃ .precious as gold כח ָו ְאֹמָרה ֲא ֵל ֶהם ַא ֶּתם ֶקֹדשׁ ַל ָיהֹוה ,I said to them, “You are consecrated to Hashem 28 ְו ַה ֵּכ ִלים ֶקֹדשׁ ְו ַה ֶּכ ֶסף ְו ַהָ ּז ָהב ְנ ָד ָבה and the vessels are consecrated, and the silver and ַל ָיהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹהי ֲא ֵבֹת ֶיכם׃ .gold are a freewill offering to God of your fathers כט שׁ ִ ְק ּדו ְושׁ ִ ְמ ּרו ַע ִּד־תשׁ ְ ְק ּלו ִל ְפ ֵני ָשׂ ֵרי Guard them diligently until such time as you 29 ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ְו ָשׂ ֵר ָי־ה ָאבוֹת ְלִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל weigh them out in the presence of the officers of ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם ַה ִּלשׁ ְ כוֹת ֵּבית ְי ָהֹוה׃ the Kohanim and the Leviim and the officers of the clans of Yisrael in Yerushalayim in the chambers of the House of Hashem.”

41 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ט Chapter 9

ל ְו ִק ְּב ּלו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ִמשׁ ְ ַקל ַה ֶּכ ֶסף So the Kohanim and the Leviim received the cargo 30 ְו ַהָ ּז ָהב ְו ַה ֵּכ ִלים ְל ָה ִביא ִל ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ְל ֵבית of silver and gold and vessels by weight, to bring ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו׃ .them to Yerushalayim to the House of our God לא ַו ִנּ ְס ָעה ִמ ְנּ ַהר ַא ֲהָוא ִּבשׁ ְ ֵנים ָע ָשׂר We set out for Yerushalayim from the Ahava River 31 ַל ֶחֹדשׁ ָהִראשׁ וֹן ָל ֶל ֶכת ְי ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם ְוַיד־ on the twelfth of the first month. We enjoyed ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ָהְי ָתה ָע ֵל ּינו ַוַּי ִּצ ֵיל ּנו ִמ ַּכף ֵאוֹיב the care of our God, who saved us from enemy ְו ֵאוֹרב ַע ַל־ה ָ ּדֶר ְך׃ .ambush on the journey va-nis-AH mi-n’-HAR a-ha-VA bish-NAYM a-SAR la-KHO-desh ha-ri-SHON la-LE-khet y’-ru-sha-LA-im v’-YAD e-lo-HAY-nu ha-y’-TAH a-LAY-nu va-ya-tzee- LAY-nu mi-KAF o-YAYV v’-o-RAYV al ha-DA-rekh לב ַו ָנּבוֹא ְי ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם ַו ֵנּשׁ ֶ ב שׁ ָ ם ָי ִמים שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ָ ה׃ We arrived in Yerushalayim and stayed there three 32 days. לג ּו ַב ּיוֹם ָהְר ִב ִיעי ִנשׁ ְ ַקל ַה ֶּכ ֶסף ְו ַהָ ּז ָהב On the fourth day the silver, gold, and vessels were 33 ְו ַה ֵּכ ִלים ְּב ֵבית ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ַעל ַי ְד־מֵרמוֹת weighed out in the House of our God into the keeping ֶּב ּן־אוִרָּיה ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ְו ִע ּמוֹ ֶא ְל ָעָזר ֶּב ִּן־פ ְינ ָחס of Meremoth son of Uriya the Kohen, with whom ְו ִע ָּמ ֶהם ָיוֹז ָבד ֶּב ֵן־ישׁ ּו ַע ְו ַנוֹע ְדָיה ֶב ִּן־ב ּנּוי was Elazar son of Pinchas. Yozavad son of Yeshua, and ַה ְלִוִּים׃ .Noadiah son of Binnui, the Leviim, were with them לד ְּב ִמ ְס ָּפר ְּב ִמשׁ ְ ָקל ַל ּכֹל ַוִּי ָּכ ֵתב ָּכל־ Everything accorded as to number and weight, the 34 ַה ִּמשׁ ְ ָקל ָּב ֵעת ַה ִהיא׃ .entire cargo being recorded at that time לה ַה ָּב ִאים ֵמ ַהשְּׁ ִבי ְב ֵנ ַי־ה ּג ָוֹלה ִה ְקִר ּיבו The returning exiles who arrived from captivity 35 עֹלוֹת ֵל ֵאלֹהי ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ָּפִרים שׁ ְ ֵנ ָים־ע ָשׂר made burnt offerings to the God ofYisrael : twelve ַע ָּל־כ ִל־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ֵא ִילים ִּתשׁ ְ ִעים ְושׁ ִ שָּׁ ה -bulls for all Yisrael, ninety-six rams, seventy ְּכ ָב ִשׂים שׁ ִ ְב ִעים ְושׁ ִ ְב ָעה ְצ ִפ ֵירי ַח ָּטאת seven lambs and twelve he-goats as a purification שׁ ְ ֵנים ָע ָשׂר ַה ּכֹל ָעוֹלה ַל ָיהֹוה׃ . offering, all this a burnt offering toHashem Ezra/Nehemiah לו ַוִּי ְּת ּנו ֶא ָ ּת־ד ֵתי ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ַל ֲא ַחשׁ ְ ַ ּדְר ְּפ ֵני They handed the royal orders to the king’s satraps 36 ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ּו ַפ ֲחווֹת ֵע ֶבר ַה ָנּ ָהר ְו ִנ ְּשׂ ּאו ֶאת־ and the governors of the province of Beyond the ָה ָעם ְו ֶא ֵּת־ב ָית־ה ֱא ִלֹהים׃ River who gave support to the people and the House of Hashem. א ּו ְכ ַכ ּלוֹת ֵא ֶּלה ִנ ְּגשׁ ּו ֵא ַלי ַה ָּשׂ ִרים ֵלאמֹר ,When this was over, the officers approached me 1 9 ט ִלֹא־נ ְב ְ ּד ּלו ָה ָעם ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים saying, “The people ofYisrael and the Kohanim ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ֵמ ַע ֵּמי ָה ֲאָרצוֹת ְּכ ֲתוֹע ֵבֹת ֶיהם and Leviim have not separated themselves from ַל ְּכ ַנ ֲע ִני ַה ִח ִּתי ַה ְּפִרִ ּזי ַהְי ּבו ִסי ָה ַע ּמ ִֹני the peoples of the land whose abhorrent practices ַה ּמ ָֹא ִבי ַה ִּמ ְצִרי ְו ָה ֱא ִמֹרי׃ are like those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

8:31 We set out for Yerushalayim For the People month. Certainly, the symbolism of recreating such a of Israel, the past and present fuse together to formative occurrence wasn’t lost on the members of the create the most extraordinary future. Through Ezra’s entourage, giving them great courage and hope. In actions, it is clear that a carefully choreographed event modern times, almost the entire Iraqi-Babylonian Jewish was planned and designed to reflect the earlier exodus community immigrated to Israel in the early 1950’s, from Egypt. Just as the Jews left Egypt in the first month, essentially ending a continual presence there which had the Hebrew month of Nissan, and crossed the Sea of lasted for over 2800. This modern-day miracle was aptly Iraqi immigrants arriving in Israel, Reeds, Ezra’s exodus departed from a river in the first named ‘Operation Ezra and Nechemya’. 1950

42 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק ט Chapter 9

ב ִּכ ָי־נ ְשׂ ּאו ִמ ְּב ֵנֹת ֶיהם ָל ֶהם ְו ִל ְב ֵנ ֶיהם They have taken their daughters as wives for 2 ְו ִה ְת ָעְר ּבו ֶזַרע ַה ּק ֶֹדשׁ ְּב ַע ֵּמי ָה ֲאָרצוֹת themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed ְוַיד ַה ָּשׂ ִרים ְו ַה ְּס ָג ִנים ָהְי ָתה ַּב ַּמ ַעל ַהֶ ּזה has become intermingled with the peoples of the ִראשׁ ָוֹנה׃ land; and it is the officers and prefects who have taken the lead in this trespass.” ג ּו ְכשׁ ָ ְמ ִעי ֶא ַת־ה ָ ּד ָבר ַהֶ ּזה ָקַר ְע ִּתי ֶאת־ ,When I heard this, I rent my garment and robe 3 ִּב ְג ִדי ּו ְמ ִע ִילי ָו ֶא ְמְר ָטה ִמ ְּשׂ ַער רֹאשׁ ִ י I tore hair out of my head and beard, and I sat ּוְז ָק ִני ָו ֵאשׁ ְ ָבה ְמשׁ ֵוֹמם׃ .desolate ד ְו ֵא ַלי ֵי ָא ְס ּפו ּכֹל ָחֵרד ְּב ִד ְבֵרי ֱא ֵלֹהי־ Around me gathered all who were concerned over 4 ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַעל ַמ ַעל ַה ּג ָוֹלה ַו ֲא ִני יֹשׁ ֵ ב the words of the God of Yisrael because of the ְמשׁ ֵוֹמם ַעד ְל ִמ ְנ ַחת ָה ָעֶרב׃ returning exiles’ trespass, while I sat desolate until the evening offering. ה ּו ְב ִמ ְנ ַחת ָה ֶעֶרב ַק ְמ ִּתי ִמ ַּת ֲע ִנ ִיתי At the time of the evening offering I ended my 5 ּו ְב ָקְר ִעי ִב ְג ִדי ּו ְמ ִע ִילי ָו ֶא ְכְר ָעה ַעל־ self-affliction; still in my torn garment and robe, I ִּבְר ַּכי ָו ֶא ְפְר ָשׂה ַכ ַּפי ֶא ְל־י ָהֹוה ֱא ָלֹהי׃ got down on my knees and spread out my hands to Hashem my God, ו ָו ְאֹמָרה ֱא ַלֹהי ּבֹשׁ ְ ִּתי ְו ִנ ְכ ַל ְמ ִּתי ְל ָהִרים and said, “O my God, I am too ashamed and 6 ֱא ַלֹהי ָּפ ַני ֵא ֶל ָיך ִּכי ֲע ֵוׂנֹת ּינו ָר ּבו ְל ַמ ְע ָלה mortified to lift my face to You, O my God, for ּרֹאשׁ ְו ַאשׁ ְ ָמ ֵת ּנו ָג ְד ָלה ַעד ַלשָּׁ ָמִים׃ our iniquities are overwhelming and our guilt has grown high as heaven. ז ִמ ֵימי ֲא ֵבֹת ּינו ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ְּב ַאשׁ ְ ָמה ְג ָדֹלה From the time of our fathers to this very day we 7 ַעד ַה ּיוֹם ַהֶ ּזה ּו ַב ֲע ֵוׂנֹת ּינו ִנ ַּת ּנּו ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ,have been deep in guilt. Because of our iniquities ְמ ָל ֵכ ּינו ֲכֹה ֵנ ּינו ְּבַיד ַמ ְל ֵכי ָה ֲאָרצוֹת we, our kings, and our Kohanim have been handed ַּב ֶחֶרב ַּבשְּׁ ִבי ּו ַב ִּבָ ּזה ּו ְבבֹשׁ ֶ ת ָּפ ִנים over to foreign kings, to the sword, to captivity, to

ְּכ ַה ּיוֹם ַהֶ ּזה׃ .Ezra/Nehemiah pillage, and to humiliation, as is now the case ח ְו ַע ָּתה ִּכ ְמ ַע ֶט־ר ַגע ָהְי ָתה ְת ִח ָנּה ֵמ ֵאת But now, for a short while, there has been a“ 8 ְי ָהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ְל ַהשׁ ְ ִאיר ָל ּנו ְּפ ֵל ָיטה reprieve from Hashem our God, who has granted ְו ָל ֶת ָת־ל ּנו ָי ֵתד ִּב ְמקוֹם ָק ְדשׁ וֹ ְל ָה ִאיר us a surviving remnant and given us a stake in His ֵע ֵינ ּינו ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ּו ְל ִת ֵּת ּנו ִמ ְחָיה ְמ ַעט holy place; our God has restored the luster to our ְּב ַע ְב ֻד ֵת ּנו׃ eyes and furnished us with a little sustenance in our bondage. v’-a-TAH kim-at RE-ga ha-y’-TAH t’-khi-NAH may-AYT a-do-NAI e-lo-HAY-nu l’-hash-EER LA-nu p’-lay-TAH v’-la-tet LA-nu ya-TAYD bim-KOM kod-SHO l’-ha- EER ay-NAY-nu e-lo-HAY-nu ul-ti-TAY-nu mikh-YAH m’-AT b’-av-du-TAY-nu

9:8 A Surviving Remnant In his admonition of those who survived the destruction and exile, the the people who have returned to the Land of “surviving remnant,” to return home and reconstruct the Israel only to abandon Hashem and intermarry with local Beit Hamikdash, a mere 42,360 people heeded the initial women, Ezra praises God for providing them a reprieve call to return and rebuild (Ezra 2:64). In just a short time, Rabbi Judah from the years of exile and persecution. He thanks Hashem the Jews had become accustomed to living in exile, and Halevi for causing the king of Persia to look favorably upon His had embraced its lifestyle. As Rabbi Yehuda Halevi writes (1075-1141) people, and for the remnant of the nation that survived. in his work The Kuzari: “In reality, however, only a small However, even though Cyrus had granted permission to portion returned. The majority remained in Bavel, willfully

43 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק י Chapter 10

ט ִּכ ֲי־ע ָב ִדים ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ּו ְב ַע ְב ֻד ֵת ּנו לֹא ֲעָז ָב ּנו For bondsmen we are, though even in our bondage 9 ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ַוַּי ָט־ע ֵל ּינו ֶח ֶסד ִל ְפ ֵני ַמ ְל ֵכי Hashem has not forsaken us, but has disposed the ָפַרס ָל ֶת ָת־ל ּנו ִמ ְחָיה ְל ֵרוֹמם ֶא ֵּת־בית king of Persia favorably toward us, to furnish us ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ּו ְל ַה ֲע ִמיד ֶא ָת־חְר ָבֹתיו ְו ָל ֶתת־ with sustenance and to raise again the House of ָל ּנו ָג ֵדר ִּב ּיהו ָדה ּו ִב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ our God, repairing its ruins and giving us a hold in Yehuda and Yerushalayim. י ְו ַע ָּתה ַמ ַה־נֹּאמר ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ַא ֲחֵרי־זֹאת ִּכי Now, what can we say in the face of this, O our“ 10 ָעַז ְב ּנו ִמ ְצ ֶוׂת ָיך׃ ,God, for we have forsaken Your commandments יא ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִצִּו ָית ְּבַיד ֲע ָב ֶד ָיך ַה ְנּ ִב ִיאים ֵלאמֹר which You gave us through Your servants the 11 ָה ָאֶרץ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ַא ֶּתם ָּב ִאים ְלִרשׁ ְ ָּת ּה Neviim when You said, ‘The land that you are ֶאֶרץ ִנ ָ ּדה ִהיא ְּב ִנ ַ ּדת ַע ֵּמי ָה ֲאָרצוֹת about to possess is a land unclean through the ְּב ֲתוֹע ֵבֹת ֶיהם ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִמ ְל ּאו ָה ִמ ֶּפה ֶאל־ uncleanness of the peoples of the land, through ֶּפה ְּב ֻט ְמ ָא ָתם׃ their abhorrent practices with which they, in their impurity, have filled it from one end to the other. יב ְו ַע ָּתה ְּב ֵנוֹת ֶיכם ַא ִּל־ת ְּת ּנו ִל ְב ֵנ ֶיהם Now then, do not give your daughters in marriage 12 ּו ְב ֵנֹת ֶיהם ַא ִּל־ת ְשׂ ּאו ִל ְב ֵנ ֶיכם ְולֹא־ ;to their sons or let their daughters marry your sons ִת ְדְרשׁ ּו שׁ ְ ָלֹמם ְו ָטוֹב ָתם ַע ָד־עוֹלם do nothing for their well-being or advantage, then ְל ַמ ַען ֶּת ֶחְז ּקו ַו ֲא ַכ ְל ֶּתם ֶא ּת־טוב ָה ָאֶרץ you will be strong and enjoy the bounty of the land ְו ַהוֹרשׁ ְ ֶּתם ִל ְב ֵנ ֶיכם ַע ָד־עוֹלם׃ ’.and bequeath it to your children forever יג ְו ַא ֲחֵרי ָּכ ַל־ה ָּבא ָע ֵל ּינו ְּב ַמ ֲע ֵשׂ ּינו ָהָר ִעים After all that has happened to us because of our evil 13 ּו ְב ַאשׁ ְ ָמ ֵת ּנו ַה ְּג ָדֹלה ִּכי ַא ָּתה ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ,deeds and our deep guilt—though You, our God ָח ַשׂ ְכ ָּת ְל ַמ ָּטה ֵמ ֲע ֵוׂנ ּנו ְו ָנ ַת ָּתה ָּל ּנו have been forbearing, [punishing us] less than our ְּפ ֵל ָיטה ָּכזֹאת׃ iniquity [deserves] in that You have granted us such a remnant as this—

Ezra/Nehemiah יד ֲה ָנשׁ ּוב ְל ָה ֵפר ִמ ְצ ֶוׂת ָיך ּו ְל ִה ְת ַח ֵּתן ְּב ַע ֵּמי shall we once again violate Your commandments 14 ַה ּת ֵֹעבוֹת ָה ֵא ֶּלה ֲהלוֹא ֶת ֱא ַנ ָּף־ב ּנו ַעד־ by intermarrying with these peoples who follow ַּכ ֵּלה ְל ֵאין שׁ ְ ֵאִרית ּו ְפ ֵל ָיטה׃ such abhorrent practices? Will You not rage against us till we are destroyed without remnant or survivor? טו ְי ָהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹהי ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַצ ִ ּדיק ַא ָּתה ִּכי־ Hashem, God of Yisrael, You are benevolent, for we 15 ִנשׁ ְ ַאְר ּנו ְפ ֵל ָיטה ְּכ ַה ּיוֹם ַהֶ ּזה ִה ְנ ּנו ְל ָפ ֶנ ָיך have survived as a remnant, as is now the case. We ְּב ַאשׁ ְ ָמ ֵת ּינו ִּכי ֵאין ַל ֲעמוֹד ְל ָפ ֶנ ָיך ַעל־ stand before You in all our guilt, for we cannot face זֹאת׃ ”.You on this account א ּו ְכ ִה ְת ַּפ ֵּלל ֶעְזָרא ּו ְכ ִה ְתַו ּדֹתוֹ ּב ֶֹכה ,While Ezra was praying and making confession 1 10 י ּו ִמ ְת ַנ ֵּפל ִל ְפ ֵני ֵּבית ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ִנ ְק ְּב ּצו weeping and prostrating himself before the House ֵא ָליו ִמִּי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ָק ָהל ַר ְב־מאֹד ֲא ָנשׁ ִ ים of Hashem, a very great crowd of Israelites gathered ְו ָנשׁ ִ ים ִו ָיל ִדים ִּכ ָי־ב ּכו ָה ָעם ַהְר ֵּב ֶה־ב ֶכה׃ about him, men, women, and children; the people were weeping bitterly.

accepting the exile, as they did not wish to leave their in the Diaspora, yet they must take heed of Ezra’s stirring homes and businesses...” This is no less true in our own words to recognize the kindness Hashem has done for His day and age. Jews have become very comfortable living people and return with their families to Eretz Yisrael.

44 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק י Chapter 10

ב ַוַּי ַען שׁ ְ ַכ ְנָיה ֶב ְן־י ִח ֵיאל ִמ ְּב ֵני עולם ThenShechanya son of Yechiel of the family of Elam 2 ֵ]ע ָילם[ ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ְל ֶעְזָרא ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ָמ ַע ְל ּנו spoke up and said to Ezra, “We have trespassed ֵב ֵאלֹה ּינו ַונֹּשׁ ֶ ב ָנשׁ ִ ים ָנ ְכִר ּיוֹת ֵמ ַע ֵּמי against our God by bringing into our homes ָה ָאֶרץ ְו ַע ָּתה ֵישׁ ִ־מ ְקֶוה ְלִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַעל־ foreign women from the peoples of the land; but זֹאת׃ .there is still hope for Yisrael despite this ג ְו ַע ָּתה ִנ ְכָר ְּת־בִרית ֵל ֵאלֹה ּינו ְל ִהוֹציא Now then, let us make a covenant with our God to 3 ָכ ָל־נשׁ ִ ים ְו ַה ָנּוֹלד ֵמ ֶהם ַּב ֲע ַצת ֲא ָדֹני expel all these women and those who have been ְו ַה ֲחֵר ִדים ְּב ִמ ְצַות ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ְו ַכ ּת ָוֹרה born to them, in accordance with the bidding of ֵי ָע ֶשׂ ה׃ Hashem and of all who are concerned over the commandment of our God, and let the Teaching be obeyed. ד ּקום ִּכ ָי־ע ֶל ָיך ַה ָ ּד ָבר ַו ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ִע ָּמ ְך ֲחַזק Take action, for the responsibility is yours and we 4 ַו ֲע ֵשׂ ה׃ ”!are with you. Act with resolve ה ַוָּי ָקם ֶעְזָרא ַוַּישׁ ְ ַּבע ֶא ָת־שׂ ֵרי ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים So Ezra at once put the officers of theKohanim 5 ַה ְלִוִּים ְו ָכ ִל־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַל ֲעשׂוֹת ַּכ ָ ּד ָבר ַהֶ ּזה and the Leviim and all Yisrael under oath to act ַ ו ִ ּ י שׁ ּ ָ ֵ ב ע ּו ׃ .accordingly, and they took the oath ו ַוָּי ָקם ֶעְזָרא ִמ ִּל ְפ ֵני ֵּבית ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ַוֵּי ֶל ְך ThenEzra rose from his place in front of the 6 ֶא ִל־לשׁ ְ ַּכת ְי ָהוֹח ָנן ֶּב ֶן־א ְלָישׁ ִ יב ַוֵּי ֶל ְך House of Hashem and went into the Hamber of שׁ ָ ם ֶל ֶחם ָלֹא־א ַכל ּו ַמִים לֹא־שׁ ָ ָתה ִּכי Yehochanan son of Elyashiv; there, he ate no bread ִמ ְת ַא ֵּבל ַע ַל־מ ַעל ַה ּג ָוֹלה׃ and drank no water, for he was in mourning over the trespass of those who had returned from exile. ז ַוַּי ֲע ִב ּירו קוֹל ִּב ּיהו ָדה ִו ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ְלכֹל ְּב ֵני Then a proclamation was issued inYehuda and 7 ַה ּג ָוֹלה ְל ִה ָּק ֵבץ ְי ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ Yerushalayim that all who had returned from the exile should assemble in Yerushalayim, ח ְוכֹל ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָלֹא־יבוֹא ִלשׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֶ ת ַהָּי ִמים Ezra/Nehemiah 8 and that anyone who did not come in three days ַּכ ֲע ַצת ַה ָּשׂ ִרים ְו ַהְ ּז ֵק ִנים ָי ֳחַרם ָּכל־ would, by decision of the officers and elders, have ְר ּכושׁ וֹ ְו ּהוא ִי ָּב ֵדל ִמ ְּק ַהל ַה ּג ָוֹלה׃ his property confiscated and himself excluded from the congregation of the returning exiles. ט ַוִּי ָּק ְב ּצו ָכ ַל־א ְנשׁ ֵ ְי־י ּהו ָדה ּו ִב ְנָי ִמן All the men of Yehuda and Binyamin assembled in 9 ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ִלשׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֶ ת ַהָּי ִמים ּהוא ֶחֹדשׁ ,Yerushalayim in three days; it was the ninth month ַה ְּתשׁ ִ ִיעי ְּב ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ַּב ֶחֹדשׁ ַוֵּישׁ ְ ּבו ָכל־ the twentieth of the month. All the people sat in ָה ָעם ִּבְרחוֹב ֵּבית ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ַמְר ִע ִידים the square of the House of Hashem, trembling on ַע ַל־ה ָ ּד ָבר ּו ֵמ ַה ְּגשׁ ָ ִמים׃ .account of the event and because of the rains va-yi-ka-v’-TZU khol an-SHAY y’-hu-DAH u-vin-ya-MIN y’-ru-sha-LA-im lish-LO- shet ha-ya-MEEM HU KHO-desh ha-t’-shee-EE b’-es-REEM ba-KHO-desh va-yay- sh’-VU khol ha-AM bir-KHOV BAYT ha-e-lo-HEEM mar-ee-DEEM al ha-da-VAR u-may-ha-g’-sha-MEEM

10:9 All the men of Yehuda and Binyamin had formed the kingdom of Yisrael had been exiled assembled in Yerushalayim This verse only earlier by the Assyrians, forced to assimilate and became mentions the tribes of Yehuda and Binyamin, the two lost to the Nation of Israel. Although today, almost all tribes that made up the ancient kingdom of Yehuda that Jews are descendants of the ancient tribe of Yehuda, the had been exiled to Babylon. The other ten tribes who modern Jewish state was called “Israel” and not “Judah.”

45 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק י Chapter 10

י ַוָּי ָקם ֶעְזָרא ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ֲא ֵל ֶהם ַא ֶּתם ThenEzra the Kohen got up and said to them, “You 10 ְמ ַע ְל ֶּתם ַו ּתֹשׁ ִ ּיבו ָנשׁ ִ ים ָנ ְכִר ּיוֹת ְל ִהוֹסיף ,have trespassed by bringing home foreign women ַע ַל־אשׁ ְ ַמת ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ .thus aggravating the guilt of Yisrael יא ְו ַע ָּתה ְּת ּנו ָתוֹדה ַל ָיהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹה ֲי־א ֵבֹת ֶיכם So now, make confession to Hashem, God of your 11 ַו ֲע ּשׂו ְרצוֹנוֹ ְו ִה ָּב ְד ּלו ֵמ ַע ֵּמי ָה ָאֶרץ ּו ִמן־ fathers, and do His will, and separate yourselves ַה ָנּשׁ ִ ים ַה ָנּ ְכִר ּיוֹת׃ from the peoples of the land and from the foreign women.” יב ַוַּי ְע ּנו ָכ ַל־ה ָּק ָהל ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו קוֹל ָּגדוֹל ֵּכן ,The entire congregation responded in a loud voice 12 כדבריך ִּ]כ ְד ָבְר ָך[ ָע ֵל ּינו ַל ֲעשׂוֹת׃ .We must surely do just as you say“ יג ֲא ָבל ָה ָעם ָרב ְו ָה ֵעת ְּגשׁ ָ ִמים ְו ֵאין ּכ ַֹח However, many people are involved, and it is the 13 ַל ֲעמוֹד ַּב ּחוץ ְו ַה ְּמ ָל ָאכה ְלֹא־ליוֹם ֶא ָחד rainy season; it is not possible to remain out in the ְולֹא ִלשׁ ְ ַנִים ִּכ ִי־הְר ִּב ּינו ִל ְפשׁ ַֹע ַּב ָ ּד ָבר open, nor is this the work of a day or two, because ַהֶ ּזה׃ .we have transgressed extensively in this matter יד ַי ֲע ְמ ּדו ָ־נא ָשׂ ֵר ּינו ְל ָכ ַל־ה ָּק ָהל ְוכֹל ֲאשׁ ֶ ר Let our officers remain on behalf of the entire 14 ֶּב ָעֵר ּינו ַההֹשׁ ִ יב ָנשׁ ִ ים ָנ ְכִר ּיוֹת ָיבֹא congregation, and all our townspeople who have ְל ִע ִּתים ְמֻז ָּמ ִנים ְו ִע ָּמ ֶהם ִז ְק ֵנ ִי־עיר ָו ִעיר brought home foreign women shall appear before ְושׁ ְֹפ ֶט ָיה ַעד ְל ָהשׁ ִ יב ֲחרוֹן ַא ֱף־א ֵלֹה ּינו them at scheduled times, together with the elders ִמ ֶּמ ּנּו ַעד ַל ָ ּד ָבר ַהֶ ּזה׃ and judges of each town, in order to avert the burning anger of our God from us on this account.” טו ַא ְך ָיוֹנ ָתן ֶּב ֲן־ע ָשׂ ֵהאל ְוַי ְחְזָיה ֶב ִּן־ת ְקָוה Only Yonatan son of Asael and Jahzeiah son of 15 ָע ְמ ּדו ַעל־זֹאת ּו ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם ְושׁ ַ ְּב ַתי ַה ֵּלִוי Tikvah remained for this purpose, assisted by ֲעָזֻרם׃ .Meshullam and Shabbethai, the Leviim טז ַוַּי ֲע ּשׂו ֵ־כן ְּב ֵני ַה ּג ָוֹלה ַוִּי ָּב ְד ּלו ֶעְזָרא The returning exiles did so.Ezra the Kohen and the 16 ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ֲא ָנשׁ ִ ים ָראשׁ ֵ י ָה ָאבוֹת ְל ֵבית men who were the chiefs of the ancestral clans—all Ezra/Nehemiah ֲא ָבֹתם ְו ֻכ ָּלם ְּבשׁ ֵ מוֹת ַוֵּישׁ ְ ּבו ְּביוֹם ֶא ָחד listed by name—sequestered themselves on the ַל ֶחֹדשׁ ָה ֲע ִשׂ ִירי ְל ַדְריוֹשׁ ַה ָ ּד ָבר׃ .first day of the tenth month to study the matter יז ַוְי ַכ ּל ּו ַב ּכֹל ֲא ָנשׁ ִ ים ַההֹשׁ ִ ּיבו ָנשׁ ִ ים By the first day of the first month they were done 17 ָנ ְכִר ּיוֹת ַעד יוֹם ֶא ָחד ַל ֶחֹדשׁ ָהִראשׁ וֹן׃ with all the men who had brought home foreign women. יח ַוִּי ָּמ ֵצא ִמ ְּב ֵני ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר הֹשׁ ִ ּיבו Among the priestly families who were found to 18 ָנשׁ ִ ים ָנ ְכִר ּיוֹת ִמ ְּב ֵני ֵישׁ ּו ַע ֶּב ָן־יוֹצ ָדק have brought foreign women were Yeshua son of ְו ֶא ָחיו ַמ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה ֶו ֱא ִל ֶיעֶזר ְוָיִריב ּו ְג ַד ְלָיה׃ ,Yotzadak and his brothers Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedalia.

The supratribal name “Israel” provides the most and one king shall be king of them all. Never again shall comprehensive framework for the realization of they be two nations, and never again shall they be Yechezkel’s vision: “Thus said Hashem: I am going to take divided into two kingdoms” (Ezekiel 37:19, 22). The the stick of Yosef — which is in the hand of Efraim and State’s founders wished to be as inclusive as possible, of the tribes of Yisrael associated with him — and I will allowing room for the vast cultural and ethnic diversity place the stick of Yehudah upon it and make them into of the incoming exiles and thus fulfilling a role in the one stick; they shall be joined in My hand.... I will make prophetic return of the lost ten tribes, along with the them a single nation in the land, on the hills of Yisrael, tribes of Yehuda and Binyamin, to the Land of Israel.

46 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק י Chapter 10

יט ַוִּי ְּת ּנו ָי ָדם ְל ִהוֹציא ְנשׁ ֵ ֶיהם ַו ֲאשׁ ֵ ִמים ,They gave their word to expel their wives and 19 ֵאיל־צֹאן ַע ַל־אשׁ ְ ָמ ָתם׃ acknowledging their guilt, offered a ram from the flock to expiate it. כ ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ִא ֵּמר ֲח ָנ ִני ּוְז ַב ְדָיה׃ ;Of the sons of Immer: Chanani and Zebadiah 20 כא ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ָחִרם ַמ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה ְו ֵא ִלָּיה ּושׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ,of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Eliyahu, Shemaya 21 ִו ִיח ֵיאל ְו ֻעִזָּיה׃ ;Yechiel, and Uzziyahu כב ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ַּפשׁ ְ ּחור ֶא ְל ֵיוֹע ַיני ַמ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה ,of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah 22 ִישׁ ְ ָמ ֵעאל ְנ ַת ְנ ֵאל ָיוֹז ָבד ְו ֶא ְל ָע ָשׂה׃ ;Ishmael, Nethanel, Yozavad, and Elasah כג ּו ִמ ַן־ה ְלִוִּים ָיוֹז ָבד ְושׁ ִ ְמ ִעי ְו ֵק ָלָיה ּהוא of the Leviim: Yozavad, Shim’i, Kelaiah who is 23 ְק ִל ָיטא ְּפ ַת ְחָיה ְי ּהו ָדה ֶו ֱא ִל ֶיעֶזר׃ .Kelita, Pethahiah, Yehuda, and Eliezer כד ּו ִמ ַן־ה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ֶא ְלָישׁ ִ יב ּו ִמ ַן־השּׁ ֲֹעִרים :Of the singers: Elyashiv. Of the gatekeepers 24 שׁ ַ ֻּלם ָו ֶט ֶלם ְו ּאוִרי׃ .Shalum, Telem, and Uri כה ּו ִמִּי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ִמ ְּב ֵני ַפְרעֹשׁ ַר ְמָיה ְוִיִ ּזָּיה ,Of the Israelites: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah 25 ּו ַמ ְל ִּכָּיה ּו ִמָּי ִמן ְו ֶא ְל ָעָזר ּו ַמ ְל ִּכָּיה ּו ְב ָנָיה׃ Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Elazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah; כו ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ֵע ָילם ַמ ַּת ְנָיה ְז ַכְרָיה ִו ִיח ֵיאל ,of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah,Zecharya , Yechiel 26 ְו ַע ְב ִ ּדי ִו ֵירמוֹת ְו ֵא ִלָּיה׃ ;Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliyahu כז ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ַז ּת ּוא ֶא ְל ֵיוֹע ַני ֶא ְלָישׁ ִ יב ַמ ַּת ְנָיה ,of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai,Elyashiv , Mattaniah 27 ִו ֵירמוֹת ְוָז ָבד ַו ֲעִז ָיזא׃ ;Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza כח ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ֵּב ָבי ְי ָהוֹח ָנן ֲח ַנ ְנָיה ַז ַּבי ַע ְת ָלי׃ ,of the sons of Bebai: Yehochanan, Chananya 28 Zabbai, and Athlai; כט ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ָּב ִני ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם ַמ ּל ּו ְך ַו ֲע ָדָיה ָישׁ ּוב ,of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah 29 ּושׁ ְ ָאל ירמות ְ]וָרמוֹת׃[ ;Ezra/Nehemiah Yashuv, Sheal, and Ramoth ל ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ַּפ ַחת ָמוֹאב ַע ְד ָנא ּו ְכ ָלל ְּב ָנָיה ,of the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah 30 ַמ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה ַמ ַּת ְנָיה ְב ַצ ְל ֵאל ּו ִב ּנּוי ּו ְמ ַנשֶּׁ ה׃ Maaseiah, Mattaniah,Betzalel , Binnui, and Menashe; לא ּו ְב ֵני ָחִרם ֱא ִל ֶיעֶזר ִישִּׁ ָּיה ַמ ְל ִּכָּיה ,of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah 31 שׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה שׁ ִ ְמעוֹן׃ ;Shemaya, and Shimeon לב ְּב ְנָי ִמן ַמ ּל ּו ְך שׁ ְ ַמְרָיה׃ ;also Binyamin, Malluch, and Shemariah 32 לג ִמ ְּב ֵני ָחשׁ ֻ ם ַמ ְּת ַני ַמ ַּת ָּתה ָז ָבד ֱא ִל ֶיפ ֶלט ,of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah 33 ְיֵר ַמי ְמ ַנשֶּׁ ה שׁ ִ ְמ ִעי׃ ;Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Menashe, and Shim’i לד ִמ ְּב ֵני ָב ִני ַמ ֲע ַדי ַע ְמָרם ְו ּאו ֵאל׃ ;of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, and Uel 34 לה ְּב ָנָיה ֵב ְדָיה כלהי ְּ]כ ּלו ּהו׃[ ,also Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhu 35 לו ַו ְנָיה ְמֵרמוֹת ֶא ְלָישׁ ִ יב׃ Vaniah, Meremoth, Elyashiv 36 לז ַמ ַּת ְנָיה ַמ ְּת ַני ויעשו ְ]וַי ֲע ָשׂי׃[ ,Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasai 37 לח ּו ָב ִני ּו ִב ּנּוי שׁ ִ ְמ ִעי׃ ,Bani, Binnui, Shim’i 38 לט ְושׁ ֶ ֶל ְמָיה ְו ָנ ָתן ַו ֲע ָדָיה׃ ,Shelemiah, Natan, Adaiah 39 מ ַ מ ְ כ ַ נ ְ ד ַ ב י שׁ ָ שׁ ַ י שׁ ָ ָ ר י ׃ ,Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai 40

47 עזרא Ezra/Ezra פרק י Chapter 10

מא ֲעַזְר ֵאל ְושׁ ֶ ֶל ְמָי ּהו שׁ ְ ַמְרָיה׃ ,Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah 41 מב שׁ ַ ּל ּום ֲא ַמְרָיה ֵיוֹסף׃ ;Shalum, Amariah, and Yosef 42 מג ִמ ְּב ֵני ְנבוֹ ְי ִע ֵיאל ַמ ִּת ְתָיה ָז ָבד ְז ִב ָינא ידו ,of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad 43 ַ]י ַ ּדי[ ְו ֵיוֹאל ְּב ָנָיה׃ .Zebina, Jaddai, Yoel, and Benaiah מד ָּכ ֵל־א ֶּלה נשאי ָ]נ ְשׂ ּאו[ ָנשׁ ִ ים ָנ ְכִר ּיוֹת All these had married foreign women, among 44 ְוֵישׁ ֵמ ֶהם ָנשׁ ִ ים ַוָּי ִשׂ ּימו ָּב ִנים׃ .whom were some women who had borne children Ezra/Nehemiah

48 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק א Chapter 1

א ִ ּד ְבֵרי ְנ ֶח ְמָיה ֶּב ֲן־ח ַכ ְלָיה ַוְי ִהי ְב ֶחֹדשׁ ־ The narrative ofNechemya son of Chachalya: In the 1 1 א כסלו ִּ]כ ְס ֵליו[ שׁ ְ ַנת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ַו ֲא ִני ָהִי ִיתי month of Kislev of the twentieth year, when I was in ְּבשׁ ּושׁ ַ ן ַה ִּב ָירה׃ ,the fortress of Shushan ב ַוָּיבֹא ֲח ָנ ִני ֶא ָחד ֵמ ַא ַחי ּהוא ַו ֲא ָנשׁ ִ ים Chanani, one of my brothers, together with some 2 ִמ ּיהו ָדה ָו ֶאשׁ ְ ָא ֵלם ַע ַל־הְּי ּהו ִדים men of Yehuda, arrived, and I asked them about ַה ְּפ ֵל ָיטה ֲאשׁ ֶ ִר־נשׁ ְ ֲא ּרו ִמ ַן־השֶּׁ ִבי ְו ַעל־ the Yehudim, the remnant who had survived the ְי ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ .captivity, and about Yerushalayim ג ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו ִלי ַה ִנּשׁ ְ ָאִרים ֲאשׁ ֶ ִר־נשׁ ְ ֲא ּרו They replied, “The survivors who have survived the 3 ִמ ַן־השְּׁ ִבי שׁ ָ ם ַּב ְּמ ִד ָינה ְּבָר ָעה ְג ָדֹלה captivity there in the province are in dire trouble ּו ְב ֶחְר ָּפה ְו ַחוֹמת ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ְמ ָפֹר ֶצת ,and disgrace; Yerushalayim’s wall is full of breaches ּושׁ ְ ָעֶר ָיה ִנ ְּצ ּתו ָב ֵאשׁ ׃ ”.and its gates have been destroyed by fire ד ַוְי ִהי ְּכשׁ ָ ְמ ִעי ֶא ַת־ה ְ ּד ָבִרים ָה ֵא ֶּלה When I heard that, I sat and wept, and was in 4 ָישׁ ַ ְב ִּתי ָו ֶא ְב ֶּכה ָו ֶא ְת ַא ְּב ָלה ָי ִמים ָו ֱא ִהי mourning for days, fasting and praying to the God ָצם ּו ִמ ְת ַּפ ֵּלל ִל ְפ ֵני ֱא ֵלֹהי ַהשָּׁ ָמִים׃ .of Heaven ה ָו ַאֹמר ָא ָנּא ְי ָהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹהי ַהשָּׁ ַמִים ָה ֵאל I said, “Hashem, God of Heaven, great and 5 ַה ָּגדוֹל ְו ַה ָנּוֹרא שׁ ֵֹמר ַה ְּבִרית ָו ֶח ֶסד awesome Hashem, who stays faithful to His ְל ֲאֹה ָביו ּו ְלשׁ ְֹמֵרי ִמ ְצ ָוׂתיו׃ covenant with those who love Him and keep His commandments! ו ְּת ִהי ָנא ָאְז ְנ ָך ַ־קשֶּׁ ֶבת ְו ֵע ֶינ ָיך ְפ ֻת ּוחוֹת Let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open 6 ִלשׁ ְ ַמֹע ֶא ְּל־ת ִפ ַּלת ַע ְב ְ ּד ָך ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָא ִנֹכי to receive the prayer of Your servant that I am ִמ ְת ַּפ ֵּלל ְל ָפ ֶנ ָיך ַה ּיוֹם ָיוֹמם ָו ַלְי ָלה ַעל־ praying to You now, day and night, on behalf of the ְּב ֵני ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ֲע ָב ֶד ָיך ּו ִמ ְתַו ֶ ּדה ַע ַל־ח ּטֹאות Israelites, Your servants, confessing the sins that we ְּב ֵנ ִי־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָח ָט ּאנו ָל ְך ַו ֲא ִני ּו ֵבית־ Israelites have committed against You, sins that I ָא ִבי ָח ָט ּאנו׃ .and my father’s house have committed

ז ֲחבֹל ָח ַב ְל ּנו ָל ְך ְולֹא־שׁ ָ ַמְר ּנו ֶא ַת־ה ִּמ ְצוׂת Ezra/Nehemiah 7 We have offended You by not keeping the ְו ֶא ַת־ה ֻח ִּקים ְו ֶא ַת־ה ִּמשׁ ְ ָּפ ִטים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר commandments, the laws, and the rules that You ִצִּו ָית ֶאת־מֹשׁ ֶ ה ַע ְב ֶ ּד ָך׃ .gave to Your servant Moshe ח ְז ָכ ָר־נא ֶא ַת־ה ָ ּד ָבר ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִצִּו ָית ֶאת־ Be mindful of the promise You gave to Your servant 8 מֹשׁ ֶ ה ַע ְב ְ ּד ָך ֵלאמֹר ַא ֶּתם ִּת ְמ ָע ּלו ֲא ִני Moshe: ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you ָא ִפיץ ֶא ְת ֶכם ָּב ַע ִּמים׃ ;among the peoples ט ְושׁ ַ ְב ֶּתם ֵא ַלי ּושׁ ְ ַמְר ֶּתם ִמ ְצ ַוׂתי but if you turn back to Me, faithfully keep My 9 ַו ֲע ִשׂ ֶיתם ָאֹתם ִא ִם־י ְהֶיה ִנ ַ ּד ֲח ֶכם commandments, even if your dispersed are at the ִּב ְק ֵצה ַהשָּׁ ַמִים ִמשָּׁ ם ֲא ַק ְּב ֵצם ends of the earth, I will gather them from there והבואתים ַ]ו ֲה ִב ִיאוֹתים[ ֶא ַל־ה ָּמקוֹם and bring them to the place where I have chosen ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָּב ַחְר ִּתי ְלשׁ ַ ֵּכן ֶאת־שׁ ְ ִמי שׁ ָ ם׃ ’.to establish My name v’-shav-TEM ay-LAI ush-mar-TEM mitz-vo-TAI va-a-see-TEM o-TAM im yih-YEH ni-da-kha-KHEM bik-TZAY ha-sha-MA-yim mi-SHAM a-ka-b’-TZAYM va-ha-vee- o-TEEM el ha-ma-KOM a-SHER ba-KHAR-tee l’-sha-KAYN et sh’-MEE SHAM

1:9 And bring them to the place where I have relevant only in the Holy Land, and according to some המקום chosen to establish My name One thing that sets Jewish philosophers, even other biblical laws have a Judaism apart from other religions is the concept of a qualitative superiority when performed in the land. “chosen place.” Many biblical commandments are Additionally, as seen in this verse, Eretz Yisrael is meant

49 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ב Chapter 2

י ְו ֵהם ֲע ָב ֶד ָיך ְו ַע ֶּמ ָך ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָּפ ִד ָית ְּב ֲכֹח ָך For they are Your servants and Your people whom 10 ַה ָּגדוֹל ּו ְבָי ְד ָך ַה ֲחָז ָקה׃ You redeemed by Your great power and Your mighty hand. יא ָא ָנּא ֲא ָדֹני ְּת ִהי ָנא ָאְז ְנ ָך ַ־קשֶּׁ ֶבת ֶאל־ O Hashem! Let Your ear be attentive to the prayer 11 ְּת ִפ ַּלת ַע ְב ְ ּד ָך ְו ֶא ְּל־ת ִפ ַּלת ֲע ָב ֶד ָיך of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants ַה ֲח ֵפ ִצים ְלִיְר ָאה ֶאת־שׁ ְ ֶמ ָך ְו ַה ְצ ִל ָיחה־ who desire to hold Your name in awe. Grant Your ָנּא ְל ַע ְב ְ ּד ָך ַה ּיוֹם ּו ְת ֵנ ּהו ְלַר ֲח ִמים ִל ְפ ֵני servant success today, and dispose that man to ָה ִאישׁ ַהֶ ּזה ַו ֲא ִני ָהִי ִיתי ַמשׁ ְ ֶקה ַל ֶּמ ֶל ְך׃ be compassionate toward him!” I was the king’s cupbearer at the time. א ַוְי ִהי ְּב ֶחֹדשׁ ִנ ָיסן שׁ ְ ַנת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of 1 2 ב ְל ַאְר ַּת ְחשׁ ַ ְס ְּתא ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ַיִין ְל ָפ ָניו ָו ֶא ָּשׂא King Artaxerxes, wine was set before him; I took ֶא ַת־הַּיִין ָו ֶא ְּת ָנה ַל ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְו ָלֹא־הִי ִיתי ַרע the wine and gave it to the king—I had never been ְל ָפ ָניו׃ .out of sorts in his presence ב ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ִלי ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ַמ ּד ּו ַע ָּפ ֶנ ָיך ָר ִעים ,The king said to me, “How is it that you look bad 2 ְו ַא ָּתה ֵא ְינ ָך ֶחוֹלה ֵאין ֶזה ִּכ ִי־אם ַרֹע ֵלב though you are not ill? It must be bad thoughts.” I ָו ִא ָירא ַהְר ֵּבה ְמאֹד׃ ,was very frightened ג ָו ַאֹמר ַל ֶּמ ֶל ְך ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְל ָעוֹלם ִי ְחֶיה ַמ ּד ּו ַע !but I answered the king, “May the king live forever 3 ֵלֹא־יְר ּעו ָפ ַני ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָה ִעיר ֵּב ִית־ק ְברוֹת How should I not look bad when the city of the ֲא ַבֹתי ֲחֵר ָבה ּושׁ ְ ָעֶר ָיה ֻא ְּכ ּלו ָב ֵאשׁ ׃ graveyard of my ancestors lies in ruins, and its gates have been consumed by fire?” ד ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ִלי ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ַע ַל־מ ֶ ּה־זה ַא ָּתה The king said to me, “What is your request?” With 4 ְמ ַב ֵּקשׁ ָו ֶא ְת ַּפ ֵּלל ֶא ֱל־א ֵלֹהי ַהשָּׁ ָמִים׃ ,a prayer to the God of Heaven ה ָו ַאֹמר ַל ֶּמ ֶל ְך ִא ַם־ע ַל־ה ֶּמ ֶל ְך טוֹב ְו ִאם־ I answered the king, “If it please the king, and if 5 ִי ַיטב ַע ְב ְ ּד ָך ְל ָפ ֶנ ָיך ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִּתשׁ ְ ָל ֵח ִני ֶאל־ your servant has found favor with you, send me Ezra/Nehemiah ְי ּהו ָדה ֶא ִל־עיר ִק ְברוֹת ֲא ַבֹתי ְו ֶא ְב ֶנ ָנּה׃ to Yehuda, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, to rebuild it.” ו ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ִלי ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְו ַהשֵּׁ ַגל יוֹשׁ ֶ ֶבת ֶא ְצלוֹ With the consort seated at his side, the king said to 6 ַע ָד־מ ַתי ִי ְהֶיה ַמ ֲה ָל ֲכ ָך ּו ָמ ַתי ָּתשׁ ּוב me, “How long will you be gone and when will you ַוִּי ַיטב ִל ְפ ֵנ ַי־ה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ַוִּישׁ ְ ָל ֵח ִני ָו ֶא ְּת ָנה לוֹ ,return?” So it was agreeable to the king to send me ְז ָמן׃ .and I gave him a date ז ָו ַאוֹמר ַל ֶּמ ֶל ְך ִא ַם־ע ַל־ה ֶּמ ֶל ְך טוֹב Then I said to the king, “If it please the king, let 7 ִא ְּגרוֹת ִי ְּת ּנו ִ־לי ַע ַּל־פ ֲחווֹת ֵע ֶבר ַה ָנּ ָהר me have letters to the governors of the province ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ַי ֲע ִב ּירו ִני ַעד ֲאשׁ ֶ ָר־אבוֹא ֶאל־ of Beyond the River, directing them to grant me ְי ּהו ָדה׃ ;passage until I reach Yehuda ח ְו ִא ֶּגֶרת ֶא ָל־א ָסף שׁ ֵֹמר ַה ַּפְר ֵ ּדס ֲאשׁ ֶ ר likewise, a letter toAsaf , the keeper of the King’s 8 ַל ֶּמ ֶל ְך ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִי ֶּת ִן־לי ֵע ִצים ְל ָקרוֹת ֶאת־ Park, directing him to give me timber for roofing the שׁ ַ ֲעֵרי ַה ִּב ָירה ֲאשׁ ֶ ַר־ל ַּבִית ּו ְל ַחוֹמת gatehouses of the temple fortress and the city walls ָה ִעיר ְו ַל ַּבִית ֲאשׁ ֶ ָר־אבוֹא ֵא ָליו ַוִּי ֶּת ִן־לי and for the house I shall occupy.” The king gave me ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְּכַי ֱד־א ַלֹהי ַה ּט ָוֹבה ָע ָלי׃ .these, thanks to my God’s benevolent care for me

to play a central role in the national redemption process, Hebrew, refers both to the Land of Israel and the site of as it is the destination for the ingathering of the exiles. the Beit Hamikdash. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Sages .in teach that this word is also one of God’s seventy names (המקום) In the Tanakh, “the place,” or hamakom

50 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ב Chapter 2

ט ָו ָאבוֹא ֶא ַּל־פ ֲחווֹת ֵע ֶבר ַה ָנּ ָהר ָו ֶא ְּת ָנה When I came to the governors of the province of 9 ָל ֶהם ֵאת ִא ְּגרוֹת ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ַוִּישׁ ְ ַלח ִע ִּמי Beyond the River I gave them the king’s letters. The ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ָשׂ ֵרי ַחִיל ּו ָפָרשׁ ִ ים׃ .king also sent army officers and cavalry with me י ַוִּישׁ ְ ַמע ַס ְנ ַב ַּלט ַה ִחֹרֹני ְו ִטוֹבָּיה ָה ֶע ֶבד When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the 10 ָה ַע ּמ ִֹני ַוֵּיַרע ָל ֶהם ָר ָעה ְג ָדֹלה ֲאשׁ ֶ ָּר־בא Ammonite servant heard, it displeased them greatly ָא ָדם ְל ַב ֵּקשׁ ָטוֹבה ִל ְב ֵני ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ that someone had come, intent on improving the condition of the Israelites. יא ָו ָאבוֹא ֶא ְל־י ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם ָו ֱא ִהי־שׁ ָ ם ָי ִמים I arrived in Yerushalayim. After I was there three 11 שׁ ְ ל ֹ שׁ ָ ה ׃ days יב ָו ָא ּקום ַלְי ָלה ֲא ִני ַו ֲא ָנשׁ ִ ים ְמ ַעט ִע ִּמי I got up at night, I and a few men with me, and 12 ְו ִלֹא־ה ַּג ְד ִּתי ְל ָא ָדם ָמה ֱא ַלֹהי ֵנֹתן ֶאל־ telling no one what my God had put into my mind ִל ִּבי ַל ֲעשׂוֹת ִל ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם ּו ְב ֵה ָמה ֵאין ִע ִּמי to do for Yerushalayim, and taking no other beast ִּכי ִא ַם־ה ְּב ֵה ָמה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ֲא ִני ֵרֹכב ָּב ּה׃ ,than the one on which I was riding יג ָו ֵא ְצ ָאה ְבשׁ ַ ַע ַר־ה ַּגיא ַלְי ָלה ְו ֶא ְּל־פ ֵני ֵעין I went out by the Valley Gate, at night, toward the 13 ַה ַּת ִנּין ְו ֶאל־שׁ ַ ַער ָה ַאשׁ ְ ּפֹת ָו ֱא ִהי ֵשֹׂבר Jackals’ Spring and the Dung Gate; and I surveyed ְּבחוֹמֹת ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ֲאשׁ ֶ ר־המפרוצים ֵ]הם the walls of Yerushalayim that were breached, and [ ְּ]פ ּרו ִצים[ ּושׁ ְ ָעֶר ָיה ֻא ְּכ ּלו ָב ֵאשׁ ׃ .its gates, consumed by fire יד ָו ֶא ֱעבֹר ֶאל־שׁ ַ ַער ָה ַעִין ְו ֶא ְּל־בֵר ַכת I proceeded to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s 14 ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְו ֵא ָין־מקוֹם ַל ְּב ֵה ָמה ַל ֲעבֹר Pool, where there was no room for the beast under ַּת ְח ָּתי׃ .me to continue טו ָו ֱא ִהי ֶעֹלה ַב ַנּ ַחל ַלְי ָלה ָו ֱא ִהי ֵשֹׂבר ,So I went up the wadi by night, surveying the wall 15 ַּב ָחוֹמה ָו ָאשׁ ּוב ָו ָאבוֹא ְּבשׁ ַ ַער ַה ַּגְיא .and, entering again by the Valley Gate, I returned ָ ו ָ א שׁ ּו ב ׃

טז ְו ַה ְּס ָג ִנים לֹא ָי ְד ּעו ָא ָנה ָה ַל ְכ ִּתי ּו ָמה Ezra/Nehemiah 16 The prefects knew nothing of where I had gone ֲא ִני ֶעֹשׂה ְו ַלְּי ּהו ִדים ְו ַל ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַל ִחֹרים or what I had done, since I had not yet divulged ְו ַל ְּס ָג ִנים ּו ְלֶי ֶתר ֵעֹשׂה ַה ְּמ ָל ָאכה ַע ֵּד־כן it to the Yehudim—the Kohanim, the nobles, the לֹא ִה ַּג ְד ִּתי׃ .prefects, or the rest of the officials יז ָו ַאוֹמר ֲא ֵל ֶהם ַא ֶּתם ִרֹאים ָהָר ָעה Then I said to them, “You see the bad state we 17 ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ָב ּה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ֲחֵר ָבה are in—Yerushalayim lying in ruins and its gates ּושׁ ְ ָעֶר ָיה ִנ ְּצ ּתו ָב ֵאשׁ ְל ּכו ְו ִנ ְב ֶנה ֶאת־ destroyed by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of ַחוֹמת ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ְו ִלֹא־נ ְהֶיה עוֹד ֶחְר ָּפה׃ ”.Yerushalayim and suffer no more disgrace va-o-MAR a-lay-HEM a-TEM ro-EEM ha-ra-AH a-SHER a-NAKH-nu VAH a-SHER y’-ru-sha-LA-im kha-ray-VAH ush-a-RE-ha ni-tz’-TU va-AYSH l’-KHU v’-niv-NEH et KHO-mat y’-ru-sha-LA-im v’-lo nih-YEH OD kher-PAH

2:17 Come, let us rebuild the wall of Yerushalayim the tragedy. Destruction by fire is comprehensible, but One of the Jewish prayers recited on the ninth the idea of construction by fire is more difficult to day of the Hebrew month of Av, the day of the understand. Perhaps it indicates the degree of passion destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, states: “You destroyed necessary to engage in such a task. If this is the case, Jerusalem by fire, so too will You rebuild it with fire.” Near indeed we have merited living in a time where the latter the Western Wall, archeologists uncovered a complex fire is burning brighter, and many are answering destroyed in the Roman fires of 70 CE, and spear-pierced Nechemya’s call: “Come, let us rebuild!” skeletal remains found there gave silent testimony to

51 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ג Chapter 3

יח ָו ַא ִּגיד ָל ֶהם ֶא ַת־יד ֱא ַלֹהי ֲאשׁ ֶ ִר־היא ,I told them of my God’s benevolent care for me 18 ָטוֹבה ָע ַלי ְו ַא ִ ּף־ד ְבֵרי ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָא ַמר־ ,also of the things that the king had said to me ִלי ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו ָנ ּקום ּו ָב ִנ ּינו ַוְי ַחְ ּז ּקו ְי ֵד ֶיהם and they said, “Let us start building!” They were ַל ּטוֹ ָבה׃ .encouraged by [His] benevolence יט ַוִּישׁ ְ ַמע ַס ְנ ַב ַּלט ַה ִחֹרֹני ְו ִטֹבָּיה ָה ֶע ֶבד When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the 19 ָה ַע ּמ ִוֹני ְו ֶגשׁ ֶ ם ָה ַעְר ִבי ַוַּי ְל ִע ּגו ָל ּנו ַוִּי ְב ּזו ,Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard ָע ֵל ּינו ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו ָמ ַה־ה ָ ּד ָבר ַהֶ ּזה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ,they mocked us and held us in contempt and said ַא ֶּתם ִעֹשׂים ַה ַעל ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ַא ֶּתם ְמֹר ִדים׃ What is this that you are doing? Are you rebelling“ against the king?” כ ָו ָאשׁ ִ יב ָאוֹתם ָ ּד ָבר ָו ַאוֹמר ָל ֶהם ֱא ֵלֹהי I said to them in reply, “The God of Heaven will 20 ַהשָּׁ ַמִים ּהוא ַי ְצ ִל ַיח ָל ּנו ַו ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ֲע ָב ָדיו grant us success, and we, His servants, will start ָנ ּקום ּו ָב ִנ ּינו ְו ָל ֶכם ֵא ֵין־ח ֶלק ּו ְצ ָד ָקה building. But you have no share or claim or stake in ְוִז ָּכרוֹן ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ ”!Yerushalayim א ַוָּי ָקם ֶא ְלָישׁ ִ יב ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ַה ָּגדוֹל ְו ֶא ָחיו ThenElyashiv the Kohen Gadol and his fellow 1 3 ג ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ַוִּי ְב ּנו ֶאת־שׁ ַ ַער ַה ּצֹאן ֵה ָּמה Kohanim set to and rebuilt the Sheep Gate; they ִק ְ ּדשׁ ּו ּהו ַוַּי ֲע ִמ ּידו ַ ּד ְל ָתֹתיו ְו ַע ִד־מ ְג ַ ּדל consecrated it and set up its doors, consecrating it ַה ֵּמ ָאה ִק ְ ּדשׁ ּו ּהו ַעד ִמ ְג ַ ּדל ֲח ַנ ְנ ֵאל׃ as far as the Hundred’s Tower, as far as the Tower of Hananel. ב ְו ַע ָל־ידוֹ ָב ּנו ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ְיֵרחוֹ ְו ַע ָל־ידוֹ ָב ָנה Next to him, the men of Yericho built. Next to 2 ַז ּכ ּור ֶּב ִן־א ְמִרי׃ .them, Zaccur son of Imri ג ְו ֵאת שׁ ַ ַער ַה ָ ּד ִגים ָּב ּנו ְּב ֵני ַה ְּס ָנ ָאה The sons of Hassenaah rebuilt the Fish Gate; they 3 ֵה ָּמה ֵק ּרו ּהו ַוַּי ֲע ִמ ּידו ַ ּד ְל ָתֹתיו ַמ ְנ ּעו ָליו .roofed it and set up its doors, locks, and bars ּו ְבִר ָיחיו׃ Ezra/Nehemiah ד ְו ַע ָל־י ָדם ֶה ֱחִזיק ְמֵרמוֹת ֶּב ּן־אוִרָּיה Next to them, Meremoth son of Uriya son of 4 ֶּב ַן־ה ּקוֹץ ְו ַע ָל־י ָדם ֶה ֱחִזיק ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם ֶּבן־ Hakkoz repaired; and next to him, Meshullam ֶּבֶר ְכָיה ֶּב ְן־משׁ ֵ ַיז ְב ֵאל ְו ַע ָל־י ָדם ֶה ֱחִזיק ,son of Berechya son of Meshezabel. Next to him ָצדוֹק ֶּב ַּן־ב ֲע ָנא׃ .Tzadok son of Baana repaired ה ְו ַע ָל־י ָדם ֶה ֱחִז ּיקו ַה ְּת ִקוֹעים ְו ַא ִ ּד ֵיר ֶיהם Next to him, the Tekoites repaired, though their 5 ֵלֹא־ה ִב ּיאו ַצָּוָרם ַּב ֲע ַבֹדת ֲא ֵדֹנ ֶיהם׃ nobles would not take upon their shoulders the work of their lord. ו ְו ֵאת שׁ ַ ַער ַהְישׁ ָ ָנה ֶה ֱחִז ּיקו ָיוֹי ָדע ֶּבן־ Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of 6 ָּפ ֵס ַח ּו ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם ֶּב ְּן־ב ְסוֹדָיה ֵה ָּמה ֵק ּרו ּהו Besodeiah repaired the Jeshanah Gate; they roofed ַוַּי ֲע ִמ ּידו ַ ּד ְל ָתֹתיו ּו ַמ ְנ ֻע ָליו ּו ְבִר ָיחיו׃ .it and set up its doors, locks, and bars ז ְו ַע ָל־י ָדם ֶה ֱחִזיק ְמ ַל ְטָיה ַה ִּג ְב ִעֹני ְוָידוֹן Next to them, Melatiah the Givonite and Jadon the 7 ַה ֵּמ ִרֹנֹתי ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ִג ְבעוֹן ְו ַה ִּמ ְצ ָּפה ְל ִכ ֵּסא Meronothite repaired, [with] the men of Givon and ַּפ ַחת ֵע ֶבר ַה ָנּ ָהר׃ Mitzpa, under the jurisdiction of the governor of the province of Beyond the River. ח ַע ָל־ידוֹ ֶה ֱחִזיק ֻעִ ּז ֵיאל ֶּב ַן־חְר ֲהָיה [Next to them, Uzziel son of Harhaiah, [of the 8 ְצוֹר ִפים ְו ַע ָל־ידוֹ ֶה ֱחִזיק ֲח ַנ ְנָיה ֶּבן־ smiths, repaired. Next to him, Chananya, of the ָהַר ָּק ִחים ַוַּי ַעְז ּבו ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ַעד ַה ָחוֹמה perfumers. They restoredYerushalayim as far as the ָהְר ָח ָבה׃ .Broad Wall

52 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ג Chapter 3

ט ְו ַע ָל־י ָדם ֶה ֱחִזיק ְר ָפָיה ֶב ּן־חור ַשׂר ֲח ִצי Next to them, Rephaiah son of Chur, chief of half 9 ֶּפ ֶל ְך ְי ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ .the district of Yerushalayim, repaired י ְו ַע ָל־י ָדם ֶה ֱחִזיק ְי ָדָיה ֶב ֲן־ח ּרו ַמף Next to him, Jedaiah son of Harumaph repaired 10 ְו ֶנ ֶגד ֵּביתוֹ ְו ַע ָל־ידוֹ ֶה ֱחִזיק ַח ּט ּושׁ ֶּבן־ in front of his house. Next to him, Hattush son of ֲ ח שׁ ַ ְ ב ְ נ ָ י ה ׃ .Hashabneiah repaired יא ִמ ָ ּדה שׁ ֵ ִנית ֶה ֱחִזיק ַמ ְל ִּכָּיה ֶב ָן־חִרם Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of 11 ְו ַחשּׁ ּוב ֶּב ַּן־פ ַחת ָמוֹאב ְו ֵאת ִמ ְג ַ ּדל Pahath-moab repaired a second stretch, including ַה ַּת ּנּוִרים׃ .the Tower of Ovens יב ְו ַע ָל־ידוֹ ֶה ֱחִזיק שׁ ַ ּל ּום ֶּב ַן־ה ּל ֵוֹחשׁ ַשׂר Next to them, Shalum son of Hallohesh, chief of 12 ֲח ִצי ֶּפ ֶל ְך ְי ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם ּהוא ּו ְב ָנוֹתיו׃ half the district of Yerushalayim, repaired—he and his daughters. יג ֵאת שׁ ַ ַער ַה ַּגְיא ֶה ֱחִזיק ָח ּנון ְויֹשׁ ְ ֵבי ָז ַנוֹח Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoach repaired 13 ֵה ָּמה ָב ּנו ּהו ַוַּי ֲע ִמ ּידו ַ ּד ְל ָתֹתיו ַמ ְנ ֻע ָליו the Valley Gate; they rebuilt it and set up its ּו ְבִר ָיחיו ְו ֶא ֶלף ַא ָּמה ַּב ָחוֹמה ַעד שׁ ַ ַער doors, locks, and bars. And [they also repaired] a ָהשׁ ֲ פוֹת׃ .thousand amot of wall to the Dung Gate יד ְו ֵאת שׁ ַ ַער ָה ַאשׁ ְ ּפוֹת ֶה ֱחִזיק ַמ ְל ִּכָּיה Malchijah son of Rechab, chief of the district of 14 ֶב ֵן־ר ָכב ַשׂר ֶּפ ֶל ְך ֵּב ַית־ה ָּכֶרם ּהוא ִי ְב ֶנ ּנּו Beth-haccerem, repaired the Dung Gate; he rebuilt ְוַי ֲע ִמיד ַ ּד ְל ָתֹתיו ַמ ְנ ֻע ָליו ּו ְבִר ָיחיו׃ .it and set up its doors, locks, and bars טו ְו ֵאת שׁ ַ ַער ָה ַעִין ֶה ֱחִזיק שׁ ַ ּל ּון ֶּבן־ Shallun son of Col-hozeh, chief of the district of 15 ָּכ ֶל־חֹזה ַשׂר ֶּפ ֶל ְך ַה ִּמ ְצ ָּפה ּהוא ִי ְב ֶנ ּנּו Mitzpa, repaired the Fountain Gate; he rebuilt ִו ַיט ְל ֶל ּנּו ויעמידו ְ]וַי ֲע ִמיד[ ַ ּד ְל ָתֹתיו it and covered it, and set up its doors, locks, and ַמ ְנ ֻע ָליו ּו ְבִר ָיחיו ְו ֵאת ַחוֹמת ְּבֵר ַכת bars, as well as the wall of the irrigation pool of the

ַהשֶּׁ ַלח ְל ַג ַן־ה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְו ַע ַד־ה ַּמ ֲעלוֹת Ezra/Nehemiah King’s Garden as far as the steps going down from ַה ּי ְוֹרדוֹת ֵמ ִעיר ָ ּדִויד׃ .the City of David v’-AYT SHA-ar ha-A-yin he-khe-ZEEK sha-LUN ben kol kho-ZEH SAR PE-lekh ha-mitz-PAH HU yiv-NE-nu vee-ta-l’-LE-nu v’-ya-a-MEED dal-to-TAV man-u- LAV uv-ree-KHAV v’-AYT kho-MAT b’-ray-KHAT ha-SHE-lakh l’-gan ha-ME-lekh v’-ad ha-ma-a-LOT ha-yo-r’-DOT may-EER da-VEED טז ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִזיק ְנ ֶח ְמָיה ֶב ַן־עְז ּב ּוק ַשׂר After him,Nechemya son of Azbuk, chief of half the 16 ֲח ִצי ֶּפ ֶל ְך ֵּב ּית־צור ַע ֶד־נ ֶגד ִק ְבֵרי district of Beth-zur, repaired, from in front of the ָדִויד ְו ַע ַד־ה ְּבֵר ָכה ָה ֲע ּשׂוָיה ְו ַעד ֵּבית graves of David as far as the artificial pool, and as ַה ִּג ּבִֹרים׃ .far as the House of the Warriors

3:15 As far as the steps going down from the City structure that she believes to be the foundations of King of David The most extraordinary site where one David’s palace, illuminating the verse “David captured can see the merging of biblical text with archeology is the stronghold of Tzion; it is now the City of David” (II Jerusalem’s City of David National Park. Although Samuel 5:7). As one stands in this spot and gazes at the identified in the mid-nineteenth century, many answers mountains in all directions, King David’s words come to Excavations at City to biblical riddles still lay locked beneath its soil. In 2005, life: “Yerushalayim, hills enfold it, and Hashem enfolds of David National Israeli archeologist Eilat Mazar discover a large stone His people now and forever” (Psalms 125:2). Park in Jerusalem

53 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ג Chapter 3

יז ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִז ּיקו ַה ְלִוִּים ְר ּחום ֶּב ָּן־ב ִני .After him, theLeviim repaired: Rehum son of Bani 17 ַע ָל־ידוֹ ֶה ֱחִזיק ֲחשׁ ַ ְבָיה ַשׂ ֲר־ח ִצ ֶי־פ ֶל ְך Next to him, Hashabiah, chief of half the district of ְק ִע ָילה ְל ִפ ְל ּכוֹ׃ .Keilah, repaired for his district

יח ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִז ּיקו ֲא ֵח ֶיהם ַּבַּוי ֶּב ֵן־ח ָנ ָדד After him, their brothers repaired: Bavvai son of 18 ַשׂר ֲח ִצי ֶּפ ֶל ְך ְק ִע ָילה׃ .Henadad, chief of half the district of Keilah

יט ַוְי ַחֵ ּזק ַע ָל־ידוֹ ֵעֶזר ֶּב ֵן־ישׁ ּו ַע ַשׂר Next to him, Ezer son of Yeshua, the chief of 19 ַה ִּמ ְצ ָּפה ִמ ָ ּדה שׁ ֵ ִנית ִמ ֶנּ ֶגד ֲעלֹת ַה ֶנּשׁ ֶ ק Mitzpa, repaired a second stretch, from in front ַה ִּמ ְק ַצֹע׃ of the ascent to the armory [at] the angle [of the wall]. כ ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחָרה ֶה ֱחִזיק ָּב ּרו ְך ֶּבן־זבי ַ]ז ַּכי[ After him,Baruch son of Zaccai zealously repaired 20 ִמ ָ ּדה שׁ ֵ ִנית ִמ ַן־ה ִּמ ְק ַצוֹע ַע ֶּד־פ ַתח ֵּבית a second stretch, from the angle to the entrance to ֶא ְלָישׁ ִ יב ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ַה ָּגדוֹל׃ .the house of Elyashiv, the Kohen Gadol

כא ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִזיק ְמֵרמוֹת ֶּב ּן־אוִרָּיה ֶּבן־ After him, Meremoth son ofUriya son of Hakkoz 21 ַה ּקוֹץ ִמ ָ ּדה שׁ ֵ ִנית ִמ ֶּפ ַתח ֵּבית ֶא ְלָישׁ ִ יב repaired a second stretch, from the entrance to ְו ַע ַּד־ת ְכ ִלית ֵּבית ֶא ְלָישׁ ִ יב׃ .Elyashiv’s house to the end of Elyashiv’s house

כב ְו ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִז ּיקו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ַה ִּכ ָּכר׃ ,After him, theKohanim , inhabitants of the plain 22 repaired. כג ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִזיק ִּב ְנָי ִמן ְו ַחשּׁ ּוב ֶנ ֶגד ֵּב ָיתם After them,Binyamin and Hasshub repaired in 23 ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִזיק ֲעַזְרָיה ֶב ַן־מ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה ֶּבן־ front of their houses. After them,Azarya son of ֲע ָנ ְנָיה ֵא ֶצל ֵּביתוֹ׃ .Maaseiah son of Ananiah repaired beside his house

כד ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִזיק ִּב ּנּוי ֶּב ֵן־ח ָנ ָדד ִמ ָ ּדה שׁ ֵ ִנית After him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired a 24

Ezra/Nehemiah ִמ ֵּבית ֲעַזְרָיה ַע ַד־ה ִּמ ְק ַצוֹע ְו ַע ַד־ה ִּפ ָנּה׃ second stretch, from the house of Azarya to the angle, to the corner. כה ָּפ ָלל ֶּב ּן־אוַזי ִמ ֶנּ ֶגד ַה ִּמ ְק ַצוֹע ְו ַה ִּמ ְג ָ ּדל Palal son of Uzai—from in front of the angle and 25 ַה ּי ֵוֹצא ִמ ֵּבית ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ָה ֶע ְליוֹן ֲאשׁ ֶ ר the tower that juts out of the house of the king, the ַל ֲח ַצר ַה ַּמ ָּטָרה ַא ֲחָריו ְּפ ָדָיה ֶב ַּן־פְרעֹשׁ ׃ ,upper [tower] of the prison compound. After him Pedaiah son of Parosh. כו ְו ַה ְנּ ִת ִינים ָה ּיו יֹשׁ ְ ִבים ָּב ֶעֹפל ַעד ֶנ ֶגד The temple servants were living on the Ophel, as 26 שׁ ַ ַער ַה ַּמִים ַל ִּמְזָרח ְו ַה ִּמ ְג ָ ּדל ַה ּי ֵוֹצא׃ ,far as a point in front of the Water Gate in the east and the jutting tower.) כז ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִז ּיקו ַה ְּת ִקֹעים ִמ ָ ּדה שׁ ֵ ִנית ,After him, the Tekoites repaired a second stretch 27 ִמ ֶנּ ֶגד ַה ִּמ ְג ָ ּדל ַה ָּגדוֹל ַה ּי ֵוֹצא ְו ַעד ַחוֹמת from in front of the great jutting tower to the wall ָה ֶעֹפל׃ .of the Ophel

כח ֵמ ַעל שׁ ַ ַער ַה ּס ּו ִסים ֶה ֱחִז ּיקו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים Above the Horse Gate, the Kohanim repaired, each 28 ִאישׁ ְל ֶנ ֶגד ֵּביתוֹ׃ .in front of his house

כט ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִזיק ָצדוֹק ֶּב ִן־א ֵּמר ֶנ ֶגד ֵּביתוֹ After them,Tzadok son of Immer repaired in 29 ְו ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִזיק שׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ֶבן־שׁ ְ ַכ ְנָיה שׁ ֵֹמר front of his house. After him,Shemaya son of שׁ ַ ַער ַה ִּמְזָרח׃ .Shechaniah, keeper of the East Gate, repaired

54 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ד Chapter 4

ל אחרי ַ]א ֲחָריו[ ֶה ֱחִזיק ֲח ַנ ְנָיה ֶבן־ ,After him,Chananya son of Shelemiah and Hanun 30 שׁ ֶ ֶל ְמָיה ְו ָח ּנון ֶּב ָן־צ ָלף ַהשִּׁ שִּׁ י ִמ ָ ּדה שׁ ֵ ִני .the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired a second stretch ַא ֲחָריו ֶה ֱחִזיק ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם ֶּב ֶּן־בֶר ְכָיה ֶנ ֶגד After them, Meshullam son ofBerechya repaired in ִ נ שׁ ְ ָ ּ כ ת ֹ ו ׃ .front of his chamber

לא אחרי ַ]א ֲחָריו[ ֶה ֱחִזיק ַמ ְל ִּכָּיה ֶּבן־ After him, Malchijah of the smiths repaired as 31 ַה ּצְֹר ִפי ַע ֵּד־בית ַה ְנּ ִת ִינים ְו ָה ְרֹכ ִלים ֶנ ֶגד far as the house of the temple servants and the שׁ ַ ַער ַה ִּמ ְפ ָקד ְו ַעד ֲע ִלַּית ַה ִּפ ָנּה׃ merchants, [from] in front of the Muster Gate to the corner loft. לב ּו ֵבין ֲע ִלַּית ַה ִּפ ָנּה ְלשׁ ַ ַער ַה ּצֹאן ֶה ֱחִז ּיקו And between the corner loft to the Sheep Gate the 32 ַה ּצְֹר ִפים ְו ָה ְרֹכ ִלים׃ .smiths and the merchants repaired לג ַוְי ִהי ַּכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר שׁ ָ ַמע ַס ְנ ַב ַּלט ִּכ ֲי־א ַנ ְח ּנו When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the 33 ִבוֹנים ֶא ַת־ה ָחוֹמה ַוִּי ַחר לוֹ ַוִּי ְכ ַעס .wall, it angered him, and he was extremely vexed ַהְר ֵּבה ַוַּי ְל ֵעג ַע ַל־הְּי ּהו ִדים׃ ,He mocked the Yehudim לד ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ִל ְפ ֵני ֶא ָחיו ְו ֵחיל שׁ ְֹמרוֹן ַו ּי ֶֹאמר saying in the presence of his brothers and the 34 ָמה ַהְּי ּהו ִדים ָה ֲא ֵמ ָל ִלים ִעֹשׂים ֲהַי ַעְז ּבו Shomronn force, “What are the miserable Yehudim ָל ֶהם ֲהִיְז ָּב ּחו ַהְי ַכ ּל ּו ַב ּיוֹם ַהְי ַח ּי ּו doing? Will they restore, offer sacrifice, and finish ֶא ָת־ה ֲא ָב ִנים ֵמ ֲעֵרמוֹת ֶה ָע ָפר ְו ֵה ָּמה one day? Can they revive those stones out of the ְשׂ ּרופוֹת׃ ”?dust heaps, burned as they are לה ְו ִטוֹבָּיה ָה ַע ּמ ִֹני ֶא ְצלוֹ ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ַּגם ֲאשׁ ֶ ר־ Tobiah the Ammonite, alongside him, said, “That 35 ֵהם ּב ִוֹנים ִא ַם־י ֲע ֶלה שׁ ּו ָעל ּו ָפַרץ ַחוֹמת stone wall they are building—if a fox climbed it he ַא ְב ֵנ ֶיהם׃ ”!would breach it לו שׁ ְ ַמע ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ִּכ ָי־הִי ּינו ּבוָזה ְו ָהשׁ ֵ ב ,Hear, our God, how we have become a mockery 36 ֶחְר ָּפ ָתם ֶאל־רֹאשׁ ָ ם ּו ְת ֵנם ְל ִבָ ּזה ְּב ֶאֶרץ and return their taunts upon their heads! Let them

שׁ ִ ְ ב ָ י ה ׃ !Ezra/Nehemiah be taken as spoil to a land of captivity לז ְו ַא ְּל־ת ַכס ַע ֲל־ע ָוׂנם ְו ַח ָּט ָאתם ִמ ְּל ָפ ֶנ ָיך Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin 37 ַא ִּל־ת ָּמ ֶחה ִּכי ִה ְכ ִע ּיסו ְל ֶנ ֶגד ַה ּב ִוֹנים׃ be blotted out before You, for they hurled provocations at the builders. לח ַו ִנּ ְב ֶנה ֶא ַת־ה ָחוֹמה ַו ִּת ָּקשׁ ֵ ר ָּכ ַל־ה ָחוֹמה We rebuilt the wall till it was continuous all around 38 ַע ֶד־ח ְצָי ּה ַוְי ִהי ֵלב ָל ָעם ַל ֲעשׂוֹת׃ to half its height; for the people’s heart was in the work. א ַוְי ִהי ַכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר שׁ ָ ַמע ַס ְנ ַב ַּלט ְו ִטוֹבָּיה When Sanballat and Tobiah, and the Arabs, the 1 4 ד ְו ָה ַעְר ִבים ְו ָה ַע ּמ ִֹנים ְו ָה ַאשׁ ְ ּד ִוֹדים Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that healing ִּכ ָי־ע ְל ָתה ֲא ּרו ָכה ְלחֹמוֹת ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם had come to the walls of Yerushalayim, that the ִּכ ֵי־ה ֵח ּל ּו ַה ְּפֻר ִצים ְל ִה ָּס ֵתם ַוִּי ַחר ָל ֶהם breached parts had begun to be filled, it angered ְמאֹד׃ ,them very much ב ַוִּי ְקשׁ ְ ּרו ֻכ ָּלם ַי ְח ָ ּדו ָלבוֹא ְל ִה ָּל ֵחם and they all conspired together to come and fight 2 ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם ְו ַל ֲעשׂוֹת לוֹ ּת ָוֹעה׃ .against Yerushalayim and to throw it into confusion ג ַו ִנּ ְת ַּפ ֵּלל ֶא ֱל־א ֵלֹה ּינו ַו ַנּ ֲע ִמיד ִמשׁ ְ ָמר Because of them we prayed to our God, and set up 3 ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ָיוֹמם ָו ַלְי ָלה ִמ ְּפ ֵנ ֶיהם׃ .a watch over them day and night ד ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ְי ּהו ָדה ָּכשׁ ַ ל ּכ ַֹח ַה ַּס ָּבל ְו ֶה ָע ָפר -Yehuda was saying, “The strength of the basket 4 ַהְר ֵּבה ַו ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו לֹא ּנו ַכל ִל ְבנוֹת ַּב ָחוֹמה׃ carrier has failed, And there is so much rubble; We are not able ourselves To rebuild the wall.”

55 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ד Chapter 4

ה ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו ָצֵר ּינו לֹא ֵי ְד ּעו ְולֹא ִיְר ּאו And our foes were saying, “Before they know or see 5 ַעד ֲאשׁ ֶ ָר־נבוֹא ֶא ּל־ת ָוֹכם ַו ֲהַר ְג ּנום it, we shall be in among them and kill them, and ְו ִהשׁ ְ ַּב ְת ּנו ֶא ַת־ה ְּמ ָל ָאכה׃ ”.put a stop to the work ו ַוְי ִהי ַּכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ָּר־ב ּאו ַהְּי ּהו ִדים ַה ּיֹשׁ ְ ִבים ,When the Yehudim living near them would arrive 6 ֶא ְצ ָלם ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו ָל ּנו ֶע ֶשׂר ְּפ ָע ִמים ִמ ָּכל־ they would tell us time and again “…from all the ַה ְּמקֹמוֹת ֲאשׁ ֶ ָּר־תשׁ ּו ּבו ָע ֵל ּינו׃ ”…places where…you shall come back to us ז ָו ַא ֲע ִמיד ִמ ַּת ְח ִּת ּיוֹת ַל ָּמקוֹם ֵמ ַא ֲחֵרי I stationed, on the lower levels of the place, behind 7 ַל ָחוֹמה בצחחיים ַּ]ב ְּצ ִח ִיחים[ ָו ַא ֲע ִמיד the walls, on the bare rock—I stationed the people ֶא ָת־ה ָעם ְל ִמשׁ ְ ָּפחוֹת ִע ַם־חְר ֵבֹת ֶיהם by families with their swords, their lances, and their ָר ְמ ֵח ֶיהם ְו ַקשְּׁ ֵתֹת ֶיהם׃ .bows ח ָו ֵאֶרא ָו ָא ּקום ָו ַאֹמר ֶא ַל־ה ִחֹרים ְו ֶאל־ ,Then I decided to exhort the nobles, the prefects 8 ַה ְּס ָג ִנים ְו ֶא ֶל־י ֶתר ָה ָעם ַא ִּל־ת ְיר ּאו and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of ִמ ְּפ ֵנ ֶיהם ֶא ֲת־א ָדֹני ַה ָּגדוֹל ְו ַה ָנּוֹרא ְז ּכֹרו , them! Think of the great and awesomeHashem ְו ִה ָּל ֲח ּמו ַע ֲל־א ֵח ֶיכם ְּב ֵנ ֶיכם ּו ְב ֵנֹת ֶיכם and fight for your brothers, your sons and ְנשׁ ֵ ֶיכם ּו ָב ֵּת ֶיכם׃ ”!daughters, your wives and homes ט ַוְי ִהי ַּכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר־שׁ ָ ְמ ּעו ְאוֹי ֵב ּינו ִּכ ַי־נוֹדע When our enemies learned that it had become 9 ָל ּנו ַוָּי ֶפר ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ֶא ֲת־ע ָצ ָתם ונשוב known to us, since Hashem had thus frustrated ַ]ו ָנּשׁ ָ ב[ ֻּכ ָּל ּנו ֶא ַל־ה ָחוֹמה ִאישׁ ֶאל־ their plan, we could all return to the wall, each to ְמ ַל ְאכ ּתוֹ ׃ .his work י ַוְי ִהי ִמ ַן־ה ּיוֹם ַה ּהוא ֲח ִצי ְנ ָעַרי ִעֹשׂים From that day on, half my servants did work and 10 ַּב ְּמ ָל ָאכה ְו ֶח ְצָים ַמ ֲחִז ִיקים ְו ָהְר ָמ ִחים .half held lances and shields, bows and armor ַה ָּמ ִג ִנּים ְו ַה ְּקשׁ ָ תוֹת ְו ַהשִּׁ ְר ִיֹנים ְו ַה ָּשׂ ִרים And the officers stood behind the whole house of ַא ֲחֵרי ָּכ ֵּל־בית ְי ּהו ָדה׃ Yehuda 11 Ezra/Nehemiah יא ַה ּב ִוֹנים ַּב ָחוֹמה ְו ַה ְנֹּשׂ ִאים ַּב ֶּס ֶבל who were rebuilding the wall. The basket-carriers ְעֹמ ִשׂים ְּב ַא ַחת ָידוֹ ֶעֹשׂה ַב ְּמ ָל ָאכה were burdened, doing work with one hand while ְו ַא ַחת ַמ ֲחֶז ֶקת ַהשָּׁ ַלח׃ .the other held a weapon ha-bo-NEEM ba-kho-MAH v’-ha-no-s’-EEM ba-SE-vel o-m’-SEEM b’-a-KHAT ya-DO o-SEH va-m’-la-KHAH v’-a-KHAT ma-kha-ZE-ket ha-SHA-lakh יב ְו ַה ּב ִוֹנים ִאישׁ ַחְר ּבוֹ ֲא ּסוִרים ַע ָל־מ ְת ָניו As for the builders, each had his sword girded at 12 ּו ִבוֹנים ְו ַה ּת ֵוֹק ַע ַּבשּׁ ָוֹפר ֶא ְצ ִלי׃ his side as he was building. The trumpeter stood beside me.

4:11 Doing work with one hand while the other remember that the Lord is the source of their might and held a weapon Throughout the Tanakh, God their success. As described earlier in verse 3, first they does wonders and miracles to save the Jewish people. “prayed to our God,” and then they “set up a watch” Although perhaps one would think that a nation under against their enemies. Today, the soldiers of the Israel Hashem’s direct protection should not need arms to Defense Forces are the ones protecting the Nation of defend itself, it is His will that people conduct Israel. At IDF swearing-in ceremonies, each soldier is themselves in a natural manner. Only when necessary given a Tanakh to hold in one hand, and a gun in the A new IDF recruit will Hashem intervene with open miracles. This verse other. In this way, Israeli soldiers are the spiritual holding a Tanakh and a gun describes how in Nechemya’s time, those rebuilding the descendants of Nechemya’s work force who are walls of Yerushalayim would work with one hand while reminded that it is not their strength alone that protects holding weapons of self-defense in the other. Though the nation, but Hashem above. they rely on their own strength for protection, they

56 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ה Chapter 5

יג ָו ַאֹמר ֶא ַל־ה ִחֹרים ְו ֶא ַל־ה ְּס ָג ִנים ְו ֶאל־ I said to the nobles, the prefects, and the rest of the 13 ֶי ֶתר ָה ָעם ַה ְּמ ָל ָאכה ַהְר ֵּבה ּוְר ָח ָבה ;people, “There is much work and it is spread out ַו ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ִנ ְפָר ִדים ַע ַל־ה ָחוֹמה ְר ִחוֹקים .we are scattered over the wall, far from one another ִאישׁ ֵמ ָא ִחיו׃ יד ִּב ְמקוֹם ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִּתשׁ ְ ְמ ּעו ֶאת־קוֹל ַהשּׁ ָוֹפר When you hear a trumpet call, gather yourselves to 14 שׁ ָ ָּמה ִּת ָּק ְב ּצו ֵא ֵל ּינו ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ִי ָּל ֶחם ָל ּנו׃ ”!me at that place; our God will fight for us טו ַו ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ִעֹשׂים ַּב ְּמ ָל ָאכה ְו ֶח ְצָים And so we worked on, while half were holding 15 ַמ ֲחִז ִיקים ָּבְר ָמ ִחים ֵמ ֲעלוֹת ַהשַּׁ ַחר ַעד lances, from the break of day until the stars ֵצאת ַה ּכ ָוֹכ ִבים׃ .appeared טז ַּגם ָּב ֵעת ַה ִהיא ָא ַמְר ִּתי ָל ָעם ִאישׁ ְו ַנ ֲערוֹ I further said to the people at that time, “Let every 16 ָי ִל ּינו ְּב ְתוֹך ְי ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם ְו ָה ּיו ָ־ל ּנו ַה ַּלְי ָלה man with his servant lodge in Yerushalayim, that ִמשׁ ְ ָמר ְו ַה ּיוֹם ְמ ָל ָאכה׃ we may use the night to stand guard and the day to work.” יז ְו ֵאין ֲא ִני ְו ַא ַחי ּו ְנ ָעַרי ְו ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ַה ִּמשׁ ְ ָמר Nor did I, my brothers, my servants, or the guards 17 ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ַא ֲחַרי ֵא ֲין־א ַנ ְח ּנו פֹשׁ ְ ִטים ְּב ָג ֵד ּינו following me ever take off our clothes, [or] each his ִאישׁ שׁ ִ ְלחוֹ ַה ָּמִים׃ .weapon, even at the water א ַו ְּת ִהי ַצ ֲע ַקת ָה ָעם ּו ְנשׁ ֵ ֶיהם ְּג ָדוֹלה ֶאל־ There was a great outcry by the common folk and 1 5 ה ֲא ֵח ֶיהם ַהְּי ּהו ִדים׃ .their wives against their brother Yehudim ב ְוֵישׁ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ְאֹמִרים ָּב ֵנ ּינו ּו ְב ֵנֹת ּינו ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ;Some said, “Our sons and daughters are numerous 2 ַר ִּבים ְו ִנ ְק ָחה ָד ָגן ְו ְנֹאכ ָלה ְו ִנ ְחֶיה׃ ”!we must get grain to eat in order that we may live ג ְוֵישׁ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ְאֹמִרים ְשׂ ֵדֹת ּינו ּו ְכָר ֵמ ּינו Others said, “We must pawn our fields, our 3 ּו ָב ֵּת ּינו ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ְעֹר ִבים ְו ִנ ְק ָחה ָד ָגן ָּבָר ָעב׃ vineyards, and our homes to get grain to stave off hunger.” ד ְוֵישׁ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ְאֹמִרים ָלִו ּינו ֶכ ֶסף ְל ִמ ַ ּדת Ezra/Nehemiah 4 Yet others said, “We have borrowed money against ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְשׂ ֵדֹת ּינו ּו ְכָר ֵמ ּינו׃ .our fields and vineyards to pay the king’s tax ה ְו ַע ָּתה ִּכ ְב ַשׂר ַא ֵח ּינו ְּב ָשׂ ֵר ּנו ִּכ ְב ֵנ ֶיהם Now we are as good as our brothers, and our 5 ָּב ֵנ ּינו ְו ִה ֵנּה ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ְכֹבשׁ ִ ים ֶא ָּת־ב ֵנ ּינו children as good as theirs; yet here we are ְו ֶא ְּת־ב ֵנֹת ּינו ַל ֲע ָב ִדים ְוֵישׁ ִמ ְּב ֵנֹת ּינו —subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery ִנ ְכ ָּבשׁ וֹת ְו ֵאין ְל ֵאל ָי ֵד ּנו ּו ְשׂ ֵדֹת ּינו some of our daughters are already subjected—and ּו ְכָר ֵמ ּינו ַל ֲא ֵחִרים׃ we are powerless, while our fields and vineyards belong to others.” ו ַוִּי ַחר ִלי ְמאֹד ַּכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר שׁ ָ ַמ ְע ִּתי ֶאת־ It angered me very much to hear their outcry and 6 ַז ֲע ָק ָתם ְו ֵאת ַה ְ ּד ָבִרים ָה ֵא ֶּלה׃ .these complaints ז ַוִּי ָּמ ֵל ְך ִל ִּבי ָע ַלי ָו ָאִר ָיבה ֶא ַת־ה ִחֹרים After pondering the matter carefully, I censured the 7 ְו ֶא ַת־ה ְּס ָג ִנים ָו ְאֹמָרה ָל ֶהם ַמשָּׁ א ִאישׁ ־ nobles and the prefects, saying, “Are you pressing ְּב ָא ִחיו ַא ֶּתם נשאים ]נֹשׁ ִ ים[ ָו ֶא ֵּתן claims on loans made to your brothers?” Then I ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ְק ִה ָּלה ְג ָדוֹלה׃ raised a large crowd against them ח ָו ְאֹמָרה ָל ֶהם ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ָק ִנ ּינו ֶא ַת־א ֵח ּינו and said to them, “We have done our best to buy 8 ַהְּי ּהו ִדים ַה ִנּ ְמ ָּכִרים ַל ּג ִוֹים ְּכ ֵדי ָב ּנו ְו ַגם־ back our Yehudiish brothers who were sold to the ַא ֶּתם ִּת ְמ ְּכ ּרו ֶא ֲת־א ֵח ֶיכם ְו ִנ ְמ ְּכ ּרו ָ־ל ּנו nations; will you now sell your brothers so that ַוַּי ֲחִרישׁ ּו ְולֹא ָמ ְצ ּאו ָ ּד ָבר׃ ,they must be sold [back] to us?” They kept silent for they found nothing to answer.

57 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ה Chapter 5

ט ויאמר ָ]ו ַאוֹמר[ לֹא־טוֹב ַה ָ ּד ָבר ֲאשׁ ֶ ר־ So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. You 9 ַא ֶּתם ִעֹשׂים ֲהלוֹא ְּבִיְר ַאת ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ought to act in a Hashem-fearing way so as not to give ֵּת ֵל ּכו ֵמ ֶחְר ַּפת ַה ּג ִוֹים ְאוֹי ֵב ּינו׃ .our enemies, the nations, room to reproach us י ְו ַג ֲם־א ִני ַא ַחי ּו ְנ ָעַרי נֹשׁ ִ ים ָּב ֶהם ֶּכ ֶסף I, my brothers, and my servants also have claims of 10 ְו ָד ָגן ַנ ַעְז ָב ָה־נּא ֶא ַת־ה ַּמשָּׁ א ַהֶ ּזה׃ money and grain against them; let us now abandon those claims! יא ָהשׁ ִ ּיבו ָנא ָל ֶהם ְּכ ַה ּיוֹם ְשׂ ֵדֹת ֶיהם Give back at once their fields, their vineyards, their 11 ַּכְר ֵמ ֶיהם ֵז ֵית ֶיהם ּו ָב ֵּת ֶיהם ּו ְמ ַאת ַה ֶּכ ֶסף olive trees, and their homes, and [abandon] the ְו ַה ָ ּד ָגן ַה ִּתירוֹשׁ ְו ַהִּי ְצ ָהר ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ַא ֶּתם ,claims for the hundred pieces of silver, the grain נֹשׁ ִ ים ָּב ֶהם׃ the wine, and the oil that you have been pressing against them!” יב ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו ָנשׁ ִ יב ּו ֵמ ֶהם לֹא ְנ ַב ֵּקשׁ ֵּכן They replied, “We shall give them back, and not 12 ַנ ֲע ֶשׂה ַּכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ַא ָּתה ֵאוֹמר ָו ֶא ְקָרא ֶאת־ demand anything of them; we shall do just as you ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ָו ַאשׁ ְ ִּב ֵיעם ַל ֲעשׂוֹת ַּכ ָ ּד ָבר ַהֶ ּזה׃ say.” Summoning the Kohanim, I put them under oath to keep this promise. יג ַּג ָם־ח ְצ ִני ָנ ַעְר ִּתי ָו ְאֹמָרה ָּכ ָכה ְי ַנ ֵער I also shook out the bosom of my garment and 13 ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ֶא ָּת־כ ָל־ה ִאישׁ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָלֹא־י ִקים said, “So may Hashem shake free of his household ֶא ַת־ה ָ ּד ָבר ַהֶ ּזה ִמ ֵּביתוֹ ּו ִמ ִיגיעוֹ ְו ָכ ָכה and property any man who fails to keep this ִי ְהֶיה ָנ ּעור ָוֵרק ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו ָכ ַל־ה ָּק ָהל ָא ֵמן ”.promise; may he be thus shaken out and stripped ַוְי ַה ְל ּלו ֶא ְת־י ָהֹוה ַוַּי ַעשׂ ָה ָעם ַּכ ָ ּד ָבר All the assembled answered, “Amen,” and praised ַהֶ ּזה׃ .Hashem. The people kept this promise יד ַּגם ִמ ּיוֹם ֲאשׁ ֶ ִר־צָּוה ִאֹתי ִל ְהיוֹת ֶּפ ָחם Furthermore, from the day I was commissioned 14 ְּב ֶאֶרץ ְי ּהו ָדה ִמשְּׁ ַנת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ְו ַעד שׁ ְ ַנת to be governor in the land of Yehuda—from the שׁ ְ ל ֹ שׁ ִ י ם ּו שׁ ְ ַ ּ ת ִ י ם ְל ַ א ְ ר ַ ּ ת ְ ח שׁ ַ ְ ס ְ ּ ת א ַה ּ ֶ מ ֶ ל ְ ך -twentieth year of King Artaxerxes until his thirty

Ezra/Nehemiah שׁ ָ ִנים שׁ ְ ֵּתים ֶע ְשׂ ֵרה ֲא ִני ְו ַא ַחי ֶל ֶחם second year, twelve years in all—neither I nor my ַה ֶּפ ָחה לֹא ָא ַכ ְל ִּתי׃ .brothers ever ate of the governor’s food allowance טו ְו ַה ַּפחוֹת ָהִראשׁ ִֹנים ֲאשׁ ֶ ְר־ל ָפ ַני ִה ְכ ִּב ּידו The former governors who preceded me laid heavy 15 ַע ָל־ה ָעם ַוִּי ְק ּחו ֵמ ֶהם ְּב ֶל ֶחם ָוַיִין ַא ַחר burdens on the people, and took from them for ֶּכ ֶסף־שׁ ְ ָק ִלים ַאְר ָּב ִעים ַּגם ַנ ֲעֵר ֶיהם .bread and wine more than forty shekalim of silver שׁ ָ ְל ּטו ַע ָל־ה ָעם ַו ֲא ִני ָלֹא־ע ִשׂ ִיתי ֵכן Their servants also tyrannized over the people. But ִמ ְּפ ֵני ִיְר ַאת ֱא ִלֹהים׃ .I, out of the fear of Hashem, did not do so v’-ha-pa-KHOT ha-ri-sho-NEEM a-sher l’-fa-NAI hikh-BEE-du al ha-AM va-yik- KHU may-HEM b’-LE-khem va-YA-yin a-KHAR KE-sef sh’-ka-LEEM ar-ba-EEM GAM na-a-ray-HEM sha-l’-TU al ha-AM va-a-NEE lo a-SEE-tee KHAYN mi-p’- NAY yir-AT e-lo-HEEM

5:15 And took from them for bread and wine they are both used to mark the sanctity of the Shabbat More than any other food, bread and wine were and Jewish festivals,, thus strengthening the connection the staples of ancient society. Bread provides basic between physical and spiritual sustenance. In addition, nourishment, and wine, while in our lives considered a wheat and grapes are two of the seven special agricultural luxury, was an important source of calories, sugar and products associated with the Land of Israel (Deuteronomy iron. Jews recite special benedictions over both bread and 8:8). Today, after two thousand years of desolation, Israel wine, and they are both utilized in spiritual rituals: Grains boasts a booming agricultural industry and over 200 Golan Heights and wine were offered as Temple sacrifices, and today wineries that produce award-winning kosher wines. Winery in Katzrin

58 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ו Chapter 6

טז ְו ַגם ִּב ְמ ֶל ֶאכת ַה ָחוֹמה ַה ּזֹאת ֶה ֱחַז ְק ִּתי I also supported the work on this wall; we did not 16 ְו ָשׂ ֶדה לֹא ָק ִנ ּינו ְו ָכ ְל־נ ָעַרי ְק ּבו ִצים שׁ ָ ם buy any land, and all my servants were gathered ַע ַל־ה ְּמ ָל ָאכה׃ .there at the work יז ְו ַהְּי ּהו ִדים ְו ַה ְּס ָג ִנים ֵמ ָאה ַו ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים Although there were at my table, between Yehudim 17 ִאישׁ ְו ַה ָּב ִאים ֵא ֵל ּינו ִמ ַן־ה ּג ִוֹים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר־ ,and prefects, one hundred and fifty men in all ְס ִב ֵיבֹת ּינו ַעל־שׁ ֻ ְל ָח ִני׃ beside those who came to us from surrounding nations; יח ַו ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָהָיה ַנ ֲע ֶשׂה ְליוֹם ֶא ָחד שׁ וֹר ֶא ָחד and although what was prepared for each day came 18 צֹאן שׁ ֵ שׁ ְּ־בֻררוֹת ְו ִצ ֳּפִרים ַנ ֲע ּשׂו ִ־לי ּו ֵבין to one ox, six select sheep, and fowl, all prepared ֲע ֶשׂ ֶרת ָי ִמים ְּב ָכ ַל־יִין ְל ַהְר ֵּבה ְו ִע ֶם־זה for me, and at ten-day intervals all sorts of wine in ֶל ֶחם ַה ֶּפ ָחה לֹא ִב ַּקשׁ ְ ִּתי ִּכ ָי־כ ְב ָדה abundance—yet I did not resort to the governor’s ָה ֲע ָבֹדה ַע ָל־ה ָעם ַהֶ ּזה׃ food allowance, for the [king’s] service lay heavily on the people. יט ָז ְכָר ִּה־לי ֱא ַלֹהי ְל ָטוֹבה ּכֹל ֲאשׁ ֶ ָר־ע ִשׂ ִיתי O my God, remember to my credit all that I have 19 ַע ָל־ה ָעם ַהֶ ּזה׃ !done for this people א ַוְי ִהי ַכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִנשׁ ְ ַמע ְל ַס ְנ ַב ַּלט ְו ִטוֹבָּיה When word reached Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem 1 6 ו ּו ְל ֶגשׁ ֶ ם ָה ַעְר ִבי ּו ְלֶי ֶתר ְאֹי ֵב ּינו ִּכי ָב ִנ ִיתי the Arab, and the rest of our enemies that I had ֶא ַת־ה ָחוֹמה ְו ַלֹא־נוֹתר ָּב ּה ָּפֶרץ ַּגם —rebuilt the wall and not a breach remained in it ַע ָד־ה ֵעת ַה ִהיא ְ ּד ָלתוֹת ֶלֹא־ה ֱע ַמ ְד ִּתי though at that time I had not yet set up doors in ַבשְּׁ ָעִרים׃ —the gateways vai-HEE kha-a-SHER nish-MA l’-san-va-LAT v’-to-vi-YAH ul-GE-shem ha-ar-VEE ul-YE-ter o-y’-VAY-nu KEE va-NEE-tee et ha-kho-MAH v’-lo NO-tar BAH PA-retz GAM ad ha-AYT ha-HEE d’-la-TOT lo he-e-MAD-tee va-sh’-a-REEM ב ַוִּישׁ ְ ַלח ַס ְנ ַב ַּלט ְו ֶגשׁ ֶ ם ֵא ַלי ֵלאמֹר ְל ָכה ,Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying 2 ְו ִנָּו ֲע ָדה ַי ְח ָ ּדו ַּב ְּכ ִפ ִירים ְּב ִב ְק ַעת אוֹנוֹ Ezra/Nehemiah “Come, let us get together in Kephirim in the Ono ְו ֵה ָּמה חֹשׁ ְ ִבים ַל ֲעשׂוֹת ִלי ָר ָעה׃ .valley”; they planned to do me harm ג ָו ֶאשׁ ְ ְל ָחה ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ַמ ְל ָא ִכים ֵלאמֹר I sent them messengers, saying, “I am engaged in 3 ְמ ָל ָאכה ְג ָדוֹלה ֲא ִני ֶעֹשׂה ְולֹא ּאו ַכל a great work and cannot come down, for the work ָלֶר ֶדת ָל ָּמה ִתשׁ ְ ַּבת ַה ְּמ ָל ָאכה ַּכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ”.will stop if I leave it in order to come down to you ַאְר ֶּפ ָה ְוָיַר ְד ִּתי ֲא ֵל ֶיכם׃ ד ַוִּישׁ ְ ְל ּחו ֵא ַלי ַּכ ָ ּד ָבר ַהֶ ּזה ַאְר ַּבע ְּפ ָע ִמים They sent me the same message four times, and I 4 ָו ָאשׁ ִ יב ָאוֹתם ַּכ ָ ּד ָבר ַהֶ ּזה׃ .gave them the same answer

6:1 I had rebuilt the wall and not a breach a simple level, of course, they provide protection for the remained in it Built, destroyed and rebuilt - this city. But on a more mystical plane, these walls provide has repeatedly been the fate of Yerushalayim’s walls. a separation between what is inside and that which is Today’s iconic Old City walls were renovated in 1538-42 outside. Though Yerushalayim and its inhabitants are by the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, whose supposed to influence the rest of the world with holiness dedicatory inscription adorns the Jaffa Gate. A more and spirituality, the walls remind us that it is also modest Hebrew inscription indicates another repair in important to separate and focus inward. Everyone has Jerusalem’s Old City walls 1970, quoting Nechemya, “Healing had come to the an obligation to make an impact and a contribution to walls of Yerushalayim” (Nehemiah 4:1). Jerusalem’s walls the rest of the world, but one must remember not to are significant in ways beyond what meets the eye; on neglect themselves and their own needs in the process.

59 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ו Chapter 6

ה ַוִּישׁ ְ ַלח ֵא ַלי ַס ְנ ַב ַּלט ַּכ ָ ּד ָבר ַהֶ ּזה ַּפ ַעם Sanballat sent me the same message a fifth time by 5 ֲח ִמישׁ ִ ית ֶא ַת־נ ֲערוֹ ְו ִא ֶּגֶרת ְּפ ּתו ָחה .his servant, who had an open letter with him ְ ּב ָידוֹ ׃ ו ָּכ ּתוב ָּב ּה ַּב ּג ִוֹים ִנשׁ ְ ָמע ְו ַגשׁ ְ ּמו ֵאֹמר Its text was: “Word has reached the nations, and 6 ַא ָּתה ְו ַהְּי ּהו ִדים חֹשׁ ְ ִבים ִל ְמרוֹד ַע ֵּל־כן Geshem too says that you and the Yehudim are ַא ָּתה ֶבוֹנה ַה ָחוֹמה ְו ַא ָּתה ֶהֹוה ָל ֶהם planning to rebel—for which reason you are ְל ֶמ ֶל ְך ַּכ ְ ּד ָבִרים ָה ֵא ֶּלה׃ building the wall—and that you are to be their king. Such is the word. ז ְו ַג ְם־נ ִב ִיאים ֶה ֱע ַמ ְד ָּת ִל ְקרֹא ָע ֶל ָיך You have also set up Neviim in Yerushalayim to 7 ִב ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ֵלאמֹר ֶמ ֶל ְך ִּב ּיהו ָדה ְו ַע ָּתה ’! proclaim about you, ‘There is a king inYehuda ִישָּׁ ַמע ַל ֶּמ ֶל ְך ַּכ ְ ּד ָבִרים ָה ֵא ֶּלה ְו ַע ָּתה Word of these things will surely reach the king; so ְל ָכה ְו ִנָּו ֲע ָצה ַי ְח ָ ּדו׃ ”.come, let us confer together ח ָו ֶאשׁ ְ ְל ָחה ֵא ָליו ֵלאמֹר לֹא ִנ ְהָיה ַּכ ְ ּד ָבִרים I sent back a message to him, saying, “None of 8 ָה ֵא ֶּלה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ַא ָּתה ֵאוֹמר ִּכי ִמ ִּל ְּב ָך ַא ָּתה these things you mention has occurred; they are ָבוֹדאם׃ —”figments of your imagination ט ִּכי ֻכ ָּלם ְמָיְר ִאים ָאוֹת ּנו ֵלאמֹר ִיְר ּפ ּו for they all wished to intimidate us, thinking, “They 9 ְי ֵד ֶיהם ִמ ַן־ה ְּמ ָל ָאכה ְולֹא ֵת ָע ֶשׂה ְו ַע ָּתה ”.will desist from the work, and it will not get done ַחֵ ּזק ֶא ָת־י ָדי׃ !Now strengthen my hands י ַו ֲא ִנ ָי־ב ִאתי ֵּבית שׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ֶב ְ ּן־ד ָלָיה ֶּבן־ Then I visitedShemaya son of Delaiah son of 10 ְמ ֵה ַיט ְב ֵאל ְו ּהוא ָע ּצור ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ִנָּו ֵעד ֶאל־ Mehetabel when he was housebound, and he ֵּבית ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ֶא ּל־ת ְוֹך ַה ֵה ָיכל ְו ִנ ְס ְּגָרה said, “Let us meet in the House of Hashem, inside ַ ּד ְלתוֹת ַה ֵה ָיכל ִּכי ָּב ִאים ְל ָהְר ֶג ָך ְו ַלְי ָלה the sanctuary, And let us shut the doors of the ָּב ִאים ְל ָהְר ֶג ָך׃ sanctuary, for they are coming to kill you, By night they are coming to kill you.” Ezra/Nehemiah יא ָו ְאֹמָרה ַה ִאישׁ ָּכ ִמוֹני ִי ְבָרח ּו ִמי ָכ ִמוֹני ,I replied, “Will a man like me take flight? Besides 11 ֲאשׁ ֶ ָר־יבוֹא ֶא ַל־ה ֵה ָיכל ָו ָחי לֹא ָאבוֹא׃ who such as I can go into the sanctuary and live? I will not go in.” יב ָו ַא ִּכ ָירה ְו ִה ֵנּה ֱלֹא־א ִלֹהים שׁ ְ ָלחוֹ ִּכי Then I realized that it was notHashem who sent 12 ַה ְנּ ּבו ָאה ִ ּד ֶּבר ָע ַלי ְו ִטוֹבָּיה ְו ַס ְנ ַב ַּלט —him, but that he uttered that prophecy about me ְשׂ ָכרוֹ ׃ —Tobiah and Sanballat having hired him יג ְל ַמ ַען ָשׂ ּכור ּהוא ְל ַמ ַע ִן־א ָירא ְו ֶא ֱע ֶשׂה־ because he was a hireling, that I might be 13 ֵּכן ְו ָח ָט ִאתי ְו ָהָיה ָל ֶהם ְלשׁ ֵ ם ָרע ְל ַמ ַען intimidated and act thus and commit a sin, and so ְי ָחְר ּפו ִני׃ .provide them a scandal with which to reproach me יד ָז ְכָרה ֱא ַלֹהי ְל ִטוֹבָּיה ּו ְל ַס ְנ ַב ַּלט ְּכ ַמ ֲע ָשׂיו O my God, remember against Tobiah and“ 14 ֵא ֶּלה ְו ַגם ְל ַנוֹע ְדָיה ַה ְנּ ִב ָיאה ּו ְלֶי ֶתר Sanballat these deeds of theirs, and against ַה ְנּ ִב ִיאים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָה ּיו ְמָיְר ִאים ִאוֹתי׃ Noadiah the Neviah, and against the other Neviim that they wished to intimidate me!” טו ַו ִּתשׁ ְ ַלם ַה ָחוֹמה ְּב ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ַו ֲח ִמשָּׁ ה ,The wall was finished on the twenty-fifth of Elul 15 ֶל ֱא ּלול ַל ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ּושׁ ְ ַנִים יוֹם׃ .after fifty-two days טז ַוְי ִהי ַּכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר שׁ ָ ְמ ּעו ָּכ ְל־אוֹי ֵב ּינו ַוִּיְר ּאו When all our enemies heard it, all the nations round 16 ָּכ ַל־ה ּג ִוֹים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ְס ִב ֵיבֹת ּינו ַוִּי ְּפ ּלו about us were intimidated, and fell very low in their ְמאֹד ְּב ֵע ֵינ ֶיהם ַוֵּי ְד ּעו ִּכי ֵמ ֵאת ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו own estimation; they realized that this work had ֶנ ֶע ְשׂ ָתה ַה ְּמ ָל ָאכה ַה ּזֹאת׃ .been accomplished by the help of our God

60 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ז Chapter 7

יז ַּגם ַּבָּי ִמים ָה ֵהם ַמְר ִּבים ֵחֹרי ְי ּהו ָדה Also in those days, the nobles of Yehuda kept up 17 ִא ְּג ֵרֹת ֶיהם ְהוֹלכוֹת ַע ִל־טוֹבָּיה ַו ֲאשׁ ֶ ר a brisk correspondence with Tobiah, and Tobiah ְל ִטוֹבָּיה ָּבאוֹת ֲא ֵל ֶיהם׃ .with them יח ִּכ ַי־ר ִּבים ִּב ּיהו ָדה ַּב ֲע ֵלי שׁ ְ ּבו ָעה לוֹ ִּכי־ Many in Yehuda were his confederates, for he 18 ָח ָתן ּהוא ִלשׁ ְ ַכ ְנָיה ֶב ָן־אַרח ִו ָיהוֹח ָנן ְּבנוֹ was a son-in-law of Shechanya son of Arah, and ָל ַקח ֶא ַּת־ב ְת־משׁ ֻ ָּלם ֶּבן ֶּבֶר ְכָיה׃ his son Yehochanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechya. יט ַּגם ָטוֹבֹתיו ָה ּיו ְאֹמִרים ְל ָפ ַני ּו ְד ָבַרי They would also speak well of him to me, and 19 ָה ּיו ִמוֹצ ִיאים לוֹ ִא ְּגרוֹת שׁ ָ ַלח ִטוֹבָּיה would divulge my affairs to him. Tobiah sent letters ְלָיְר ֵא ִני׃ .to intimidate me א ַוְי ִהי ַּכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִנ ְב ְנ ָתה ַה ָחוֹמה ָו ַא ֲע ִמיד When the wall was rebuilt and I had set up the 1 7 ז ַה ְ ּד ָלתוֹת ַוִּי ָּפ ְק ּדו ַהשּׁ ֲוֹעִרים ְו ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים doors, tasks were assigned to the gatekeepers, the ְו ַה ְלִוִּים׃ .singers, and the Leviim ב ָו ֲא ַצֶּוה ֶא ֲת־ח ָנ ִני ָא ִחי ְו ֶא ֲת־ח ַנ ְנָיה ַשׂר I put Chanani my brother and Chananya, the 2 ַה ִּב ָירה ַע ְל־י ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם ִּכ ּי־הוא ְּכ ִאישׁ ,captain of the fortress, in charge of Yerushalayim ֱא ֶמת ְוָיֵרא ֶא ָת־ה ֱא ִלֹהים ֵמַר ִּבים׃ for he was a more trustworthy and Hashem-fearing man than most. ג ויאמר ָ]ו ַאֹמר[ ָל ֶהם לֹא ִי ָּפ ְת ּחו שׁ ַ ֲעֵרי I said to them, “The gates ofYerushalayim are not to 3 ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ַעד־חֹם ַהשֶּׁ ֶמשׁ ְו ַעד ֵהם be opened until the heat of the day, and before you ְעֹמ ִדים ָי ִג ּיפו ַה ְ ּד ָלתוֹת ֶו ֱא ּחֹזו ְו ַה ֲע ֵמיד .leave your posts let the doors be closed and barred ִמשׁ ְ ְמרוֹת יֹשׁ ְ ֵבי ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ִאישׁ ְּב ִמשׁ ְ ָמרוֹ And assign the inhabitants of Yerushalayim to ְו ִאישׁ ֶנ ֶגד ֵּביתוֹ׃ watches, each man to his watch, and each in front of his own house.” ד ְו ָה ִעיר ַר ֲח ַבת ָי ַדִים ּו ְג ָדוֹלה ְו ָה ָעם ְמ ַעט The city was broad and large, the people in it were 4 ְּב ָתוֹכ ּה ְו ֵאין ָּב ִּתים ְּב ּנוִים׃ .Ezra/Nehemiah few, and houses were not yet built v’-ha-EER ra-kha-VAT ya-DA-yim ug-do-LAH v’-ha-AM m’-AT b’-to-KHAH v’- AYN ba-TEEM b’-nu-YIM ה ַוִּי ֵּתן ֱא ַלֹהי ֶא ִל־ל ִּבי ָו ֶא ְק ְּב ָצה ֶאת־ My Hashem put it into my mind to assemble the 5 ַה ִחֹרים ְו ֶא ַת־ה ְּס ָג ִנים ְו ֶא ָת־ה ָעם nobles, the prefects, and the people, in order to ְל ִה ְתַי ֵחשׂ ָו ֶא ְמ ָצא ֵס ֶפר ַהַּי ַחשׂ ָה ִעוֹלים register them by families. I found the genealogical ָּבִראשׁ ָוֹנה ָו ֶא ְמ ָצא ָּכ ּתוב ּבוֹ׃ register of those who were the first to come up, and there I found written:

7:4 The city was broad and large, the people in it City walls, beginning with the neighborhood of Mishkenot were few There must be a proper proportion Sha’ananim in 1860. As a land, however, the Land of Israel between a city’s size and its population. Nechemya is will always have room to contain her children. Also named concerned that since too few people were living in Eretz Hatzvi, ‘The Land of the Gazelle,’ the Talmud (Ketubot Yerushalayim, it would be difficult to defend, even though 112a) states that just as a gazelle’s hide stretches it was surrounded by a wall. He therefore looks for more according to need, so too the Land of Israel will stretch to people to inhabit the city. Conversely, if the borders of a sustain any number of its people. Furthermore, King city encompass too small an area, it will become Solomon writes “my beloved is like a gazelle” (Song of overcrowded. This was the case in the 1850s when, in a Songs 2:9), inferring that just as a gazelle finds its way miraculous reversal of Nechemya’s time, Yerushalayim home from the ends of the world, so too will the dispersed became so full of inhabitants that it was necessary to Jews return. And when they do, Eretz Yisrael will contain expand and build new neighborhoods outside the Old them all.

61 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ז Chapter 7

ו ֵא ֶּלה ְּב ֵני ַה ְּמ ִד ָינה ָה ִעֹלים ִמשְּׁ ִבי ַה ּג ָוֹלה These are the people of the province who 6 ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ֶה ְג ָלה ְנ ּבו ַכ ְד ֶנ ַּצר ֶמ ֶל ְך ָּב ֶבל ַוָּישׁ ּו ּבו came up from among the captive exiles that ִל ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ְו ִל ּיהו ָדה ִאישׁ ְל ִעירוֹ׃ ,Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had deported and who returned to Yerushalayim and to Yehuda, each to his own city, ז ַה ָּב ִאים ִע ְם־זֻר ָּב ֶבל ֵישׁ ּו ַע ְנ ֶח ְמָיה ֲעַזְרָיה ,who came with Zerubavel, Yeshua, Nechemya 7 ַר ַע ְמָיה ַנ ֲח ָמ ִני ָמְר ֳ ּד ַכי ִּב ְלשׁ ָ ן ִמ ְס ֶּפֶרת ,Azarya, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordechai, Bilshan ִּב ְגַוי ְנ ּחום ַּב ֲע ָנה ִמ ְס ַּפר ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ַעם Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ :the men of the people of Yisrael ח ְּב ֵני ַפְרעֹשׁ ַא ְל ַּפִים ֵמ ָאה ְושׁ ִ ְב ִעים ;the sons of Parosh—2,172 8 ּ ו שׁ ְ ָ נ ִ י ם ׃ ט ְּב ֵני שׁ ְ ַפ ְטָיה שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת שׁ ִ ְב ִעים ;the sons of Shephatiah—372 9 ּ ו שׁ ְ ָ נ ִ י ם ׃ י ְּב ֵני ָאַרח שׁ ֵ שׁ ֵמאוֹת ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ ;the sons of Arah—652 10 יא ְּב ֵנ ַי־פ ַחת ָמוֹאב ִל ְב ֵני ֵישׁ ּו ַע ְו ָיוֹאב the sons of Pahath-moab: the sons of Yeshua and 11 ַא ְל ַּפִים ּושׁ ְ ֶמֹנה ֵמאוֹת שׁ ְ ָמֹנה ָע ָשׂר׃ ;Yoav—2,818 יב ְּב ֵני ֵע ָילם ֶא ֶלף ָמ ַאתִים ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ;the sons of Elam—1,254 12 ְו ַאְר ָּב ָעה׃ יג ְּב ֵני ַז ּת ּוא שׁ ְ ֶמֹנה ֵמאוֹת ַאְר ָּב ִעים ;the sons of Zattu—845 13 ַ ו ֲ ח ִ מ שׁ ּ ָ ה ׃ יד ְּב ֵני ַז ָּכי שׁ ְ ַבע ֵמאוֹת ְושׁ ִ שִּׁ ים׃ ;the sons of Zaccai—760 14 טו ְּב ֵני ִב ּנּוי שׁ ֵ שׁ ֵמאוֹת ַאְר ָּב ִעים ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ ;the sons of Binnui—648 15 Ezra/Nehemiah טז ְּב ֵני ֵב ָבי שׁ ֵ שׁ ֵמאוֹת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ ;the sons of Bebai—628 16 יז ְּב ֵני ַעְז ָּגד ַא ְל ַּפִים שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ;the sons of Azgad—2,322 17 ּ ו שׁ ְ ָ נ ִ י ם ׃ יח ְּב ֵני ֲא ִדֹנ ָיקם שׁ ֵ שׁ ֵמאוֹת שׁ ִ שִּׁ ים ;the sons of Adonikam—667 18 ְ ו שׁ ִ ְ ב ָ ע ה ׃ יט ְּב ֵני ִב ְגָוי ַא ְל ַּפִים שׁ ִ שִּׁ ים ְושׁ ִ ְב ָעה׃ ;the sons of Bigvai—2,067 19 כ ְּב ֵני ָע ִדין שׁ ֵ שׁ ֵמאוֹת ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ַו ֲח ִמשָּׁ ה׃ ;the sons of Adin—655 20 כא ְּב ֵנ ָי־א ֵטר ְל ִחְז ִקָּיה ִּתשׁ ְ ִעים ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ ;the sons of Ater: Chizkiyahu—98 21 כב ְּב ֵני ָחשׁ ֻ ם שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ ;the sons of Hashum—328 22 כג ְּב ֵני ֵב ָצי שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ְו ַאְר ָּב ָעה׃ ;the sons of Bezai—324 23 כד ְּב ֵני ָחִריף ֵמ ָאה שׁ ְ ֵנים ָע ָשׂר׃ ;the sons of Hariph—112 24 כה ְּב ֵני ִג ְבעוֹן ִּתשׁ ְ ִעים ַו ֲח ִמשָּׁ ה׃ ;the sons of Givon—95 25 כו ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ֵב ֶית־ל ֶחם ּו ְנ ָטֹפה ֵמ ָאה שׁ ְ ִמֹנים ;the men of Beit Lechem and Netophah—188 26 ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ כז ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ֲע ָנתוֹת ֵמ ָאה ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ ;the men of Anatot—128 27

62 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ז Chapter 7

כח ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ֵב ַית־עְז ָמֶות ַאְר ָּב ִעים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ ;the men of Beth-azmaveth—42 28 כט ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ִקְרַית ְי ָעִרים ְּכ ִפ ָירה ּו ְב ֵארוֹת the men of Kiryat Ye’arim, Chephirah, and 29 שׁ ְ ַבע ֵמאוֹת ַאְר ָּב ִעים ּושׁ ְ לֹשׁ ָ ה׃ ;Beeroth—743 ל ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ָהָר ָמה ָו ָג ַבע שׁ ֵ שׁ ֵמאוֹת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ;the men of Rama and Geba—621 30 ְו ֶא ָחד׃ לא ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ִמ ְכ ָמס ֵמ ָאה ְו ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ ;the men of Michmas—122 31 לב ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ֵב ֵית־אל ְו ָה ָעי ֵמ ָאה ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ;the men of Beit El and Ai—123 32 ּ ו שׁ ְ ל ֹ שׁ ָ ה ׃ לג ַא ְנשׁ ֵ י ְנבוֹ ַא ֵחר ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ ;the men of the other Nebo—52 33 לד ְּב ֵני ֵע ָילם ַא ֵחר ֶא ֶלף ָמ ַאתִים ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ;the sons of the other Elam—1,254 34 ְו ַאְר ָּב ָעה׃ לה ְּב ֵני ָחִרם שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת ְו ֶע ְשׂ ִרים׃ ;the sons of Harim—320 35 לו ְּב ֵני ְיֵרחוֹ שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת ַאְר ָּב ִעים ;the sons of Yericho—345 36 ַ ו ֲ ח ִ מ שׁ ּ ָ ה ׃ לז ְּב ֵני־לֹד ָח ִדיד ְואוֹנוֹ שׁ ְ ַבע ֵמאוֹת ;the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono—721 37 ְו ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ְו ֶא ָחד׃ לח ְּב ֵני ְס ָנ ָאה שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֶ ת ֲא ָל ִפים ְּתשׁ ַ ע ֵמאוֹת .the sons of Senaah—3,930 38 ּ ו שׁ ְ ל ֹ שׁ ִ י ם ׃ לט ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְּב ֵני ְי ַד ְעָיה ְל ֵבית ֵישׁ ּו ַע ְּתשׁ ַ ע TheKohanim : the sons of Jedaiah: the house of 39 ֵמאוֹת שׁ ִ ְב ִעים ּושׁ ְ לֹשׁ ָ ה׃ ;Yeshua—973 מ ;the sons of Immer—1,052 40 ְּב ֵני ִא ֵּמר ֶא ֶלף ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ Ezra/Nehemiah מא ְּב ֵני ַפשׁ ְ ּחור ֶא ֶלף ָמ ַאתִים ַאְר ָּב ִעים ;the sons of Pashhur—1,247 41 ְ ו שׁ ִ ְ ב ָ ע ה ׃ מב ְּב ֵני ָחִרם ֶא ֶלף שׁ ִ ְב ָעה ָע ָשׂר׃ .the sons of Harim—1,017 42 מג ַה ְלִוִּים ְּב ֵנ ֵי־ישׁ ּו ַע ְל ַק ְד ִמ ֵיאל ִל ְב ֵני TheLeviim : the sons of Yeshua: Kadmiel, the sons 43 ְל ְהוֹדָוה שׁ ִ ְב ִעים ְו ַאְר ָּב ָעה׃ .of Hodeiah—74 מד ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְּב ֵני ָא ָסף ֵמ ָאה ַאְר ָּב ִעים .The singers: the sons ofAsaf —148 44 ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ מה ַהשּׁ ֲֹעִרים ְּב ֵני־שׁ ַ ּל ּום ְּב ֵנ ָי־א ֵטר ְּב ֵנ ַי־ט ְלמֹן The gatekeepers: the sons ofShalum , the sons of 45 ְּב ֵנ ַי־ע ּק ּוב ְּב ֵני ֲח ִט ָיטא ְּב ֵני שׁ ָֹבי ֵמ ָאה Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ִ ים ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ .sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai—138 מו ַה ְנּ ִת ִינים ְּב ֵנ ִי־צ ָחא ְב ֵנ ֲי־ח ֻשׂ ָפא ְּב ֵני The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of 46 ַט ָּבעוֹת׃ ,Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth מז ְּב ֵנ ֵי־קירֹס ְּב ֵנ ִי־ס ָיעא ְּב ֵני ָפדוֹן׃ the sons of Keros, the sons of Siah, the sons of 47 Padon, מח ְּב ֵנ ְי־ל ָב ָנה ְב ֵנ ֲי־ח ָג ָבה ְּב ֵני שׁ ַ ְל ָמי׃ the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons 48 of Shalmai,

63 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ז Chapter 7

מט ְּב ֵנ ָי־ח ָנן ְּב ֵנ ִי־ג ֵ ּדל ְּב ֵנ ָי־ג ַחר׃ the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of 49 Gahar, נ ְּב ֵנ ְי־ר ָאָיה ְב ֵנ ְי־ר ִצין ְּב ֵני ְנ ָקוֹדא׃ the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of 50 Nekoda, נא ְּב ֵנ ַי־גָ ּזם ְּב ֵנ ֻי־עָ ּזא ְּב ֵני ָפ ֵס ַח׃ the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of 51 Paseah, נב ְּב ֵנ ֵי־ב ַסי ְּב ֵנ ְי־מ ּעו ִנים ְּב ֵני נפושסים the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of 52 ְ]נ ִפישׁ ְ ִסים׃[ ,Nephishesim נג ְּב ֵנ ַי־ב ְק ּב ּוק ְּב ֵנ ֲי־ח ּקו ָפא ְּב ֵני ַחְר ּחור׃ the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons 53 of Harhur, נד ְּב ֵנ ַי־ב ְצ ִלית ְּב ֵנ ְי־מ ִח ָידא ְּב ֵני ַחְרשׁ ָ א׃ the sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of 54 Harsha, נה ְּב ֵנ ַי־בְרקוֹס ְּב ֵנ ִי־ס ְיסָרא ְּב ֵנ ָי־ת ַמח׃ the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of 55 Temah, נו ְּב ֵני ְנ ִצ ַיח ְּב ֵני ֲח ִט ָיפא׃ .the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha 56 נז ְּב ֵני ַע ְב ֵדי שׁ ְ לֹמֹה ְּב ֵנ ַי־סוֹטי ְּב ֵנ ֶי־סוֹפֶרת The sons ofShlomo ’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the 57 ְּב ֵני ְפִר ָידא׃ ,sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida נח ְּב ֵנ ַי־י ְע ָלא ְב ֵנ ַי־דְרקוֹן ְּב ֵני ִג ֵ ּדל׃ the sons of Jala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of 58 Giddel, נט ְּב ֵני שׁ ְ ַפ ְטָיה ְב ֵנ ַי־ח ִּטיל ְּב ֵני ּפ ֶֹכֶרת the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons 59 ַה ְּצ ָבִיים ְּב ֵני ָאמוֹן׃ .of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Ammon ס ָּכ ַל־ה ְנּ ִת ִינים ּו ְב ֵני ַע ְב ֵדי שׁ ְ לֹמֹה שׁ ְ לֹשׁ The total of temple servants and the sons of 60

Ezra/Nehemiah ֵמאוֹת ִּתשׁ ְ ִעים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ .Shlomo’s servants—392 סא ְו ֵא ֶּלה ָה ִעוֹלים ִמ ֵּתל ֶמ ַלח ֵּתל ַחְרשׁ ָ א -The following were those who came up from Tel 61 ְּכ ּרוב ַא ּדוֹן ְו ִא ֵּמר ְולֹא ָי ְכ ּלו ְל ַה ִּגיד ֵּבית־ —melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer ֲא ָבוֹתם ְוַזְר ָעם ִאם ִמִּי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ֵהם׃ they were unable to tell whether their father’s house and descent were Israelite: סב ְּב ֵנ ְי־ד ָלָיה ְב ֵנ ִי־טוֹבָּיה ְּב ֵני ְנ ָקוֹדא שׁ ֵ שׁ the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of 62 ֵמאוֹת ְו ַאְר ָּב ִעים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים׃ .Nekoda—642 סג ּו ִמ ַן־ה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְּב ֵני ֳח ַבָּיה ְּב ֵני ַה ּקוֹץ ְּב ֵני Of the Kohanim: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of 63 ַבְרִז ַּלי ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָל ַקח ִמ ְּבנוֹת ַּבְרִז ַּלי ַה ִּג ְל ָע ִדי Hakkoz, the sons of Barzilai who had married a ִאשָּׁ ה ַוִּי ָּקֵרא ַעל־שׁ ְ ָמם׃ daughter of Barzilai the Giladite and had taken his name— סד ֵא ֶּלה ִּב ְקשׁ ּו ְכ ָת ָבם ַה ִּמ ְתַי ְח ִשׂים ְולֹא these searched for their genealogical records, but 64 ִנ ְמ ָצא ַוְי ֲגֹא ּלו ִמ ַן־ה ְּכ ֻה ָנּה׃ they could not be found, so they were disqualified for the priesthood. סה ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ַה ִּתְרשׁ ָ ָתא ָל ֶהם ֲאשׁ ֶ ר לֹא־ The Tirshatha ordered them not to eat of the most 65 ְיֹאכ ּלו ִמ ּק ֶֹדשׁ ַה ֳּק ָדשׁ ִ ים ַעד ֲעמֹד ַה ּכ ֵֹהן holy things until a Kohen with Urim and Thummim ְל ּאוִרים ְו ּתו ִּמים׃ .should appear סו ָּכ ַל־ה ָּק ָהל ְּכ ֶא ָחד ַאְר ַּבע ִר ּבוֹא ַא ְל ַּפִים ,The sum of the entire community was 42,360 66 שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵ־מאוֹת ְושׁ ִ שִּׁ ים׃

64 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ח Chapter 8

סז ִמ ְּל ַבד ַע ְב ֵד ֶיהם ְו ַא ְמ ֵהֹת ֶיהם ֵא ֶּלה not counting their male and female servants, these 67 שׁ ִ ְב ַעת ֲא ָל ִפים שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ֵמאוֹת שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ִ ים being 7,337; they also had 245 male and female ְושׁ ִ ְב ָעה ְו ָל ֶהם ְמשׁ ֲֹרִרים ּו ְמשׁ ֲֹררוֹת .singers ָמ ַאתִים ְו ַאְר ָּב ִעים ַו ֲח ִמשָּׁ ה׃ סח ְּג ַמ ִּלים ַאְר ַּבע ֵמאוֹת שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ִ ים ַו ֲח ִמשָּׁ ה [,Their horses—736, their mules—245] 68 ֲח ִמֹרים שׁ ֵ שׁ ֶ ת ֲא ָל ִפים שׁ ְ ַבע ֵמאוֹת .camels—435, asses—6,720 ְו ֶע ְשׂ ִרים׃ סט ּו ִמ ְק ָצת ָראשׁ ֵ י ָה ָאבוֹת ָנ ְת ּנו ַל ְּמ ָל ָאכה Some of the heads of the clans made donations for 69 ַה ִּתְרשׁ ָ ָתא ָנ ַתן ָל ָאוֹצר ָז ָהב ַ ּדְר ְּכ ִמֹנים :the work. The Tirshatha donated to the treasury ֶא ֶלף ִמְזָרקוֹת ֲח ִמשִּׁ ים ָּכ ְתנוֹת ּכ ֲֹה ִנים gold—1,000 drachmas, basins—50, priestly שׁ ְ לֹשׁ ִ ים ַו ֲח ֵמשׁ ֵמאוֹת׃ .robes—530 ע ּו ֵמָראשׁ ֵ י ָה ָאבוֹת ָנ ְת ּנו ְל ַאוֹצר ַה ְּמ ָל ָאכה Some of the heads of the clans donated to the 70 ָז ָהב ַ ּדְר ְּכ ִמוֹנים שׁ ְ ֵּתי ִר ּבוֹת ְו ֶכ ֶסף ָמ ִנים work treasury: gold—20,000 drachmas, and ַא ְל ַּפִים ּו ָמ ָאתִים׃ .silver—2,200 manim עא ַו ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָנ ְת ּנו שׁ ְ ֵאִרית ָה ָעם ָז ָהב The rest of the people donated: gold—20,000 71 ַ ּדְר ְּכ ִמוֹנים שׁ ְ ֵּתי ִר ּבוֹא ְו ֶכ ֶסף ָמ ִנים .drachmas, silver—2,000, and priestly robes—67 ַא ְל ָּפִים ְו ָכ ְתנֹת ּכ ֲֹה ִנים שׁ ִ שִּׁ ים ְושׁ ִ ְב ָעה׃ עב ַוֵּישׁ ְ ּבו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ְו ַהשּׁ ֲוֹעִרים TheKohanim , the Leviim, the gatekeepers, the 72 ְו ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ּו ִמ ָן־ה ָעם ְו ַה ְנּ ִת ִינים ְו ָכל־ ,singers, some of the people, the temple servants ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְּב ָעֵר ֶיהם ַוִּי ַּגע ַה ֶחֹדשׁ ַהשְּׁ ִב ִיעי .and all Yisrael took up residence in their towns ּו ְב ֵני ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְּב ָעֵר ֶיהם׃ When the seventh month arrived—the Israelites being [settled] in their towns— א ַוֵּי ָא ְס ּפו ָכ ָל־ה ָעם ְּכ ִאישׁ ֶא ָחד ֶאל־ the entire people assembled as one man in the 1 Ezra/Nehemiah 8 ח ָהְרחוֹב ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִל ְפ ֵני שׁ ַ ַע ַר־ה ָּמִים ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra ְל ֶעְזָרא ַה ּס ֵֹפר ְל ָה ִביא ֶא ֵת־ס ֶפר ּת ַוֹרת the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of מֹשׁ ֶ ה ֲאשׁ ֶ ִר־צָּוה ְי ָהֹוה ֶא ִת־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ .Moshe with which Hashem had charged Yisrael ב ַוָּי ִביא ֶעְזָרא ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ֶא ַת־ה ּת ָוֹרה ִל ְפ ֵני On the first day of the seventh month,Ezra 2 ַה ָּק ָהל ֵמ ִאישׁ ְו ַע ִד־אשָּׁ ה ְוכֹל ֵמ ִבין the Kohen brought the Teaching before the ִלשׁ ְ ַמֹע ְּביוֹם ֶא ָחד ַל ֶחֹדשׁ ַהשְּׁ ִב ִיעי׃ congregation, men and women and all who could listen with understanding. ג ַוִּי ְקָרא־בוֹ ִל ְפ ֵני ָהְרחוֹב ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִל ְפ ֵני He read from it, facing the square before the Water 3 שׁ ַ ַע ַר־ה ַּמִים ִמ ָן־האוֹר ַע ַד־מ ֲח ִצית ַה ּיוֹם Gate, from the first light until midday, to the men ֶנ ֶגד ָה ֲא ָנשׁ ִ ים ְו ַה ָנּשׁ ִ ים ְו ַה ְּמ ִב ִינים ְו ָאְז ֵני ;and the women and those who could understand ָכ ָל־ה ָעם ֶא ֵל־ס ֶפר ַה ּת ָוֹרה׃ the ears of all the people were given to the scroll of the Teaching. ד ַוַּי ֲעמֹד ֶעְזָרא ַה ּס ֵֹפר ַע ִל־מ ְג ַ ּד ֵל־עץ Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden tower made 4 ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָע ּשׂו ַל ָ ּד ָבר ַוַּי ֲעמֹד ֶא ְצלוֹ ַמ ִּת ְתָיה ,for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah ְושׁ ֶ ַמע ַו ֲע ָנָיה ְו ּאוִרָּיה ְו ִח ְל ִקָּיה ּו ַמ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה Shema, Anaiah, Uriya, Chilkiyahu, and Maaseiah at ַע ְל־י ִמינוֹ ּו ִמ ְּשׂמֹאלוֹ ְּפ ָדָיה ּו ִמישׁ ָ ֵאל ,his right, and at his left Pedaiah,Mishael , Malchijah ּו ַמ ְל ִּכָּיה ְו ָחשׁ ֻ ם ְו ַחשׁ ְ ַּב ָ ּד ָנה ְז ַכְרָיה .Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zecharya, Meshullam ְ מ שׁ ֻ ָ ּ ל ם ׃

65 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ח Chapter 8

ה ַוִּי ְפ ַּתח ֶעְזָרא ַה ֵּס ֶפר ְל ֵע ֵיני ָכ ָל־ה ָעם ,Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people 5 ִּכ ֵי־מ ַעל ָּכ ָל־ה ָעם ָהָיה ּו ְכ ִפ ְתחוֹ ָע ְמ ּדו for he was above all the people; as he opened it, all ָכ ָל־ה ָעם׃ .the people stood up ו ַוְי ָבֶר ְך ֶעְזָרא ֶא ְת־י ָהֹוה ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ַה ָּגדוֹל Ezra blessed Hashem, the great Hashem, and all 6 ַוַּי ֲע ּנו ָכ ָל־ה ָעם ָא ֵמן ָא ֵמן ְּב ַמֹעל ְי ֵד ֶיהם the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with hands ַוִּי ְּק ּדו ַוִּישׁ ְ ַּת ֲחֻּו ַל ָיהֹוה ַא ַּפִים ָאְר ָצה׃ upraised. Then they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before Hashem with their faces to the ground. ז ְוֵישׁ ּו ַע ּו ָב ִני ְושׁ ֵ ֵר ְבָיה ָי ִמין ַע ּק ּוב שׁ ַ ְּב ַתי ,Yeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai 7 ִהוֹדָּיה ַמ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה ְק ִל ָיטא ֲעַזְרָיה ָיוֹז ָבד ,Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azarya, Yozavad, Hanan ָח ָנן ְּפ ָל ָאיה ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ְמ ִב ִינים ֶא ָת־ה ָעם Pelaiah, and the Leviim explained the Teaching to ַל ּת ָוֹרה ְו ָה ָעם ַע ָל־ע ְמ ָדם׃ .the people, while the people stood in their places

ח ַוִּי ְקְר ּאו ַב ֵּס ֶפר ְּב ַתוֹרת ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ְמ ָפֹרשׁ They read from the scroll of the Teaching of 8 ְושׂוֹם ֶשׂ ֶכל ַוָּי ִב ּינו ַּב ִּמ ְקָרא׃ Hashem, translating it and giving the sense; so they understood the reading. ט ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ְנ ֶח ְמָיה ּהוא ַה ִּתְרשׁ ָ ָתא ְו ֶעְזָרא ,Nechemya the Tirshatha, Ezra the Kohen and scribe 9 ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ַה ּס ֵֹפר ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ַה ְּמ ִב ִינים ֶאת־ and the Leviim who were explaining to the people ָה ָעם ְל ָכ ָל־ה ָעם ַה ּיוֹם ָקדֹשׁ ּ־הוא ַל ָיהֹוה said to all the people, “This day is holy toHashem ֱא ֵלֹה ֶיכם ַא ִּל־ת ְת ַא ְּב ּלו ְו ַא ִּל־ת ְב ּכ ּו ִּכי your God: you must not mourn or weep,” for all the ִבוֹכים ָּכ ָל־ה ָעם ְּכשׁ ָ ְמ ָעם ֶא ִ ּת־ד ְבֵרי people were weeping as they listened to the words ַה ּתוֹ ָרה׃ .of the Teaching י ַו ּי ֶֹאמר ָל ֶהם ְל ּכו ִא ְכ ּלו ַמשׁ ְ ַמ ִנּים ּושׁ ְ ּתו He further said to them, “Go, eat choice foods and 10 ַמ ְמ ַת ִּקים ְושׁ ִ ְל ּחו ָמנוֹת ְל ֵאין ָנכוֹן לוֹ drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever Ezra/Nehemiah ִּכ ָי־קדוֹשׁ ַה ּיוֹם ַל ֲא ֵדֹנ ּינו ְו ַא ֵּל־ת ָע ֵצ ּבו has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our ִּכ ֶי־ח ְדַות ְי ָהֹוה ִהיא ָמ ֻעְ ּז ֶכם׃ Lord. Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in Hashem is the source of your strength.” יא ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ַמ ְחשׁ ִ ים ְל ָכ ָל־ה ָעם ֵלאמֹר ַה ּס ּו ,TheLeviim were quieting the people, saying 11 ִּכי ַה ּיוֹם ָקדֹשׁ ְו ַא ֵּל־ת ָע ֵצ ּבו׃ ”.Hush, for the day is holy; do not be sad“ יב ַוֵּי ְל ּכו ָכ ָל־ה ָעם ֶל ֱאכֹל ְו ִלשׁ ְ ּתוֹת ּו ְלשׁ ַ ַּלח Then all the people went to eat and drink and 12 ָמנוֹת ְו ַל ֲעשׂוֹת ִשׂ ְמ ָחה ְג ָדוֹלה ִּכי ֵה ִב ּינו send portions and make great merriment, for they ַּב ְ ּד ָבִרים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִהוֹד ּיעו ָל ֶהם׃ .understood the things they were told יג ּו ַב ּיוֹם ַהשֵּׁ ִני ֶנ ֶא ְס ּפו ָראשׁ ֵ י ָה ָאבוֹת ְל ָכל־ On the second day, the heads of the clans of all the 13 ָה ָעם ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ֶא ֶל־עְזָרא ַה ּס ֵֹפר people and the Kohanim and Leviim gathered to ּו ְל ַה ְשׂ ִּכיל ֶא ִ ּל־ד ְבֵרי ַה ּת ָוֹרה׃ .Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Teaching

יד ַוִּי ְמ ְצ ּאו ָּכ ּתוב ַּב ּת ָוֹרה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִצָּוה ְי ָהֹוה They found written in the Teaching thatHashem 14 ְּבַיד־מֹשׁ ֶ ה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ֵישׁ ְ ּבו ְב ֵנ ִי־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל had commanded Moshe that the Israelites must ַּב ֻּס ּכוֹת ֶּב ָחג ַּב ֶחֹדשׁ ַהשְּׁ ִב ִיעי׃ dwell in booths during the festival of the seventh month,

66 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ט Chapter 9

טו ַו ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ַישׁ ְ ִמ ּיעו ְוַי ֲע ִב ּירו קוֹל ְּב ָכל־ and that they must announce and proclaim 15 ָעֵר ֶיהם ּו ִב ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ֵלאמֹר ְצ ּאו ָה ָהר throughout all their towns and Yerushalayim as ְו ָה ִב ּיאו ֲע ֵל ַי־זִית ַו ֲע ֵל ֵי־עץ שׁ ֶ ֶמן ַו ֲע ֵלי follows, “Go out to the mountains and bring leafy ֲה ַדס ַו ֲע ֵלי ְת ָמִרים ַו ֲע ֵלי ֵעץ ָעבֹת branches of olive trees, pine trees, myrtles, palms ַל ֲעשֹׂת ֻס ּכֹת ַּכ ָּכ ּתוב׃ and [other] leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.” va-a-SHER yash-MEE-u v’-ya-a-VEE-ru KOL b’-khol a-ray-HEM u-vee-ru-sha-LA- im lay-MOR tz’-U ha-HAR v’-ha-VEE-u a-lay ZA-yit va-a-lay AYTZ SHE-men va- a-LAY ha-DAS va-a-LAY t’-ma-REEM va-a-LAY AYTZ a-VOT la-a-SOT su-KOT ka-ka-TUV טז ַוֵּי ְצ ּאו ָה ָעם ַוָּי ִב ּיאו ַוַּי ֲע ּשׂו ָל ֶהם ֻס ּכוֹת So the people went out and brought them, and 16 ִאישׁ ַע ַּל־ג ּגוֹ ּו ְב ַח ְצ ֵרֹת ֶיהם ּו ְב ַח ְצרוֹת made themselves booths on their roofs, in their ֵּבית ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ּו ִבְרחוֹב שׁ ַ ַער ַה ַּמִים courtyards, in the courtyards of the House of ּו ִבְרחוֹב שׁ ַ ַער ֶא ְפָרִים׃ Hashem, in the square of the Water Gate and in the square of the Efraim Gate. יז ַוַּי ֲע ּשׂו ָכ ַל־ה ָּק ָהל ַהשָּׁ ִבים ִמ ַן־השְּׁ ִבי The whole community that returned from the 17 ֻס ּכוֹת ַוֵּישׁ ְ ּבו ַב ֻּס ּכוֹת ִּכי ָלֹא־ע ּשׂו ִמ ֵימי —captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths ֵישׁ ּו ַע ִּב ּן־נון ֵּכן ְּב ֵני ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַעד ַה ּיוֹם the Israelites had not done so from the days of ַה ּהוא ַו ְּת ִהי ִשׂ ְמ ָחה ְּג ָדוֹלה ְמאֹד׃ Yehoshua son of Nun to that day—and there was very great rejoicing. יח ַוִּי ְקָרא ְּב ֵס ֶפר ּת ַוֹרת ָה ֱא ִלֹהים יוֹם ְּביוֹם He read from the scroll of the Teaching of Hashem 18 ִמ ַן־ה ּיוֹם ָהִראשׁ וֹן ַעד ַה ּיוֹם ָה ַא ֲחרוֹן each day, from the first to the last day. They ַוַּי ֲע ּשׂו ָ־חג שׁ ִ ְב ַעת ָי ִמים ּו ַב ּיוֹם ַהשְּׁ ִמ ִיני celebrated the festival seven days, and there was a ֲע ֶצֶרת ַּכ ִּמשׁ ְ ָּפט׃ .solemn gathering on the eighth, as prescribed

א 1 ּו ְביוֹם ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ְו ַאְר ָּב ָעה ַל ֶחֹדשׁ ַהֶ ּזה Ezra/Nehemiah 9 On the twenty-fourth day of this month, the ט ֶנ ֶא ְס ּפו ְב ֵנ ִי־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְּבצוֹם ּו ְב ַשׂ ִּקים Israelites assembled, fasting, in sackcloth, and with ַו ֲא ָד ָמה ֲע ֵל ֶיהם׃ .earth upon them ב ַוִּי ָּב ְד ּלו ֶזַרע ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ִמ ּכֹל ְּב ֵני ֵנ ָכר Those of the stock ofYisrael separated themselves 2 ַוַּי ַע ְמ ּדו ַוִּי ְתַו ּד ּו ַע ַל־ח ּט ֵֹאת ֶיהם ַו ֲעוׂנוֹת from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their ֲא ֵבֹת ֶיהם׃ .sins and the iniquities of their fathers

8:15 Go out to the mountains and bring leafy the earth” (Genesis 8:11). Additionally, the menorah branches of olive trees Any species of tree may ‘lamp’ in the Beit Hamikdash is kindled daily exclusively be used to construct the sukkah, the booth used to with olive oil, and this oil is also used ceremoniously observe the holiday of Sukkot. For this particular Sukkot, to anoint a new king. The common theme of these though, the people specifically looked for olive events is renewal. After the flood, the world was given branches. Besides being one of the seven special a new start. Each time the menorah is lit, it is kindled agricultural species of the Land of Israel (Deuteronomy anew, without any reliance on previous lightings, and Olive branches in the Galilee 8:8), the olive also plays a significant role in the story the coronation of a new monarch also begins a new of Noach’s flood. After the rain stopped falling, Noach era for the kingdom. This symbolism was certainly not sent out a dove to see if the flood waters had receded. lost on the people in Nechemya’s time, who were When the dove returned with a freshly plucked olive renewing their traditions in the God-given land of their leaf, “Noach knew that the waters had decreased on forefathers.

67 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ט Chapter 9

ג ַוָּי ּקו ּמו ַע ָל־ע ְמ ָדם ַוִּי ְקְר ּאו ְּב ֵס ֶפר ּת ַוֹרת Standing in their places, they read from the scroll of 3 ְי ָהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹה ֶיהם ְר ִב ִעית ַה ּיוֹם ּוְר ִב ִעית the Teaching of Hashem their God for one-fourth of ִמ ְתַו ִ ּדים ּו ִמשׁ ְ ַּת ֲחִוים ַל ָיהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹה ֶיהם׃ the day, and for another fourth they confessed and prostrated themselves before Hashem their God. ד ַוָּי ָקם ַע ַל־מ ֲע ֵלה ַה ְלִוִּים ֵישׁ ּו ַע ּו ָב ִני On the raised platform of the Leviim stood Yeshua 4 ַק ְד ִמ ֵיאל שׁ ְ ַב ְנָיה ֻּב ִנּי שׁ ֵ ֵר ְבָיה ָּב ִני ְכ ָנ ִני ,and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah ַוִּיְז ֲע ּקו ְּבקוֹל ָּגדוֹל ֶא ְל־י ָהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹה ֶיהם׃ Bani, and Chenani, and cried in a loud voice to Hashem their God. ה ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו ַה ְלִוִּים ֵישׁ ּו ַע ְו ַק ְד ִמ ֵיאל ָּב ִני ,TheLeviim Yeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah 5 ֲחשׁ ַ ְב ְנָיה שׁ ֵ ֵר ְבָיה ִהוֹדָּיה שׁ ְ ַב ְנָיה ְפ ַת ְחָיה Sherebiah, Hodiah, and Pethahiah said, “Rise, bless ּקו ּמו ָּבֲר ּכו ֶא ְת־י ָהֹוה ֱא ֵלֹה ֶיכם ִמן־ :Hashem your God who is from eternity to eternity ָה ָעוֹלם ַע ָד־ה ָעוֹלם ִו ָיבְר ּכו שׁ ֵ ם ְּכ ֶבוֹד ָך May Your glorious name be blessed, exalted‘ ּו ְמ ַרוֹמם ַע ָּל־כ ְּל־בָר ָכה ּו ְת ִה ָּלה׃ ’!though it is above every blessing and praise ו ַא ָּת ּה־הוא ְי ָהֹוה ְל ַב ֶ ּד ָך את ַ]א ָּתה[ ,You alone are Hashem. You made the heavens“ 6 ָע ִשׂ ָית ֶא ַת־השָּׁ ַמִים שׁ ְ ֵמי ַהשָּׁ ַמִים ְו ָכל־ the highest heavens, and all their host, the earth ְצ ָב ָאם ָה ָאֶרץ ְו ָכ ֲל־אשׁ ֶ ר ָע ֶל ָיה ַהַּי ִּמים and everything upon it, the seas and everything ְו ָכ ֲל־אשׁ ֶ ר ָּב ֶהם ְו ַא ָּתה ְמ ַחֶּיה ֶא ֻּת־כ ָּלם in them. You keep them all alive, and the host of ּו ְצ ָבא ַהשָּׁ ַמִים ְל ָך ִמשׁ ְ ַּת ֲחִוים׃ .heaven prostrate themselves before You ז ַא ָּת ּה־הוא ְי ָהֹוה ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָּב ַחְר ָּת You are Hashem, who chose Avram, who brought 7 ְּב ַא ְבָרם ְו ֵהוֹצאתוֹ ֵמ ּאור ַּכ ְשׂ ִ ּדים ְו ַשׂ ְמ ָּת him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and changed his שְּׁ מוֹ ַא ְבָר ָהם׃ .name to Avraham ח ּו ָמ ָצ ָאת ֶא ְת־ל ָבבוֹ ֶנ ֱא ָמן ְל ָפ ֶנ ָיך ְו ָכרוֹת Finding his heart true to You, You made a covenant 8 ִע ּמוֹ ַה ְּבִרית ָל ֵתת ֶא ֶת־אֶרץ ַה ְּכ ַנ ֲע ִני with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the ַה ִח ִּתי ָה ֱא ִמֹרי ְו ַה ְּפִרִ ּזי ְו ַהְי ּבו ִסי ְו ַה ִּגְר ָּגשׁ ִ י Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and Ezra/Nehemiah ָל ֵתת ְלַזְרעוֹ ַו ָּת ֶקם ֶא ְ ּת־ד ָבֶר ָיך ִּכי ַצ ִ ּדיק the Girgashite—to give it to his descendants. And ָא ָּתה׃ .You kept Your word, for You are righteous ט ַו ֵּתֶרא ֶא ֳת־ע ִני ֲא ֵבֹת ּינו ְּב ִמ ְצָרִים ְו ֶאת־ ,You took note of our fathers’ affliction in Egypt 9 ַז ֲע ָק ָתם שׁ ָ ַמ ְע ָּת ַע ַל־י ּם־סוף׃ .and heard their cry at the Sea of Reeds י ַו ִּת ֵּתן אֹתֹת ּו ְמֹפ ִתים ְּב ַפְרעֹה ּו ְב ָכל־ ,You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh 10 ֲע ָב ָדיו ּו ְב ָכ ַל־עם ַאְרצוֹ ִּכי ָי ַד ְע ָּת ִּכי all his servants, and all the people of his land, for ֵהִז ּידו ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ַו ַּת ַע ְשׂ־ל ָך שׁ ֵ ם ְּכ ַה ּיוֹם You knew that they acted presumptuously toward ַהֶ ּזה׃ them. You made a name for Yourself that endures to this day. יא ְו ַהָּים ָּב ַק ְע ָּת ִל ְפ ֵנ ֶיהם ַוַּי ַע ְב ּרו ְב ְתוֹך־ You split the sea before them; they passed through 11 ַהָּים ַּבַּי ָּבשׁ ָ ה ְו ֶא ְת־רֹד ֵפ ֶיהם ִהשׁ ְ ַל ְכ ָּת the sea on dry land, but You threw their pursuers ִב ְמצוֹלֹת ְּכ ֶמוֹ־א ֶבן ְּב ַמִים ַעִ ּזים׃ .into the depths, like a stone into the raging waters יב ּו ְב ַע ּמ ּוד ָע ָנן ִה ְנ ִח ָיתם ָיוֹמם ּו ְב ַע ּמ ּוד You led them by day with a pillar of cloud, and by“ 12 ֵאשׁ ַלְי ָלה ְל ָה ִאיר ָל ֶהם ֶא ַת־ה ֶ ּדֶר ְך ֲאשׁ ֶ ר night with a pillar of fire, to give them light in the ֵי ְל ּכו ָ־ב ּה׃ .way they were to go יג ְו ַעל ַה ִר־ס ַיני ָיַר ְד ָּת ְו ַד ֵּבר ִע ָּמ ֶהם You came down on Har Sinai and spoke to them 13 ִמשָּׁ ָמִים ַו ִּת ֵּתן ָל ֶהם ִמשׁ ְ ָּפ ִטים ְישׁ ָ ִרים from heaven; You gave them right rules and true ְותוֹרוֹת ֱא ֶמת ֻח ִּקים ּו ִמ ְצוׂת ִטוֹבים׃ .teachings, good laws and commandments

68 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ט Chapter 9

יד ְו ֶאת־שׁ ַ ַּבת ָק ְדשׁ ְ ָך ַהוֹד ַע ָת ָל ֶהם ּו ִמ ְצווֹת You made known to them Your holy Shabbat, and 14 ְו ֻח ִּקים ְו ָתוֹרה ִצִּו ָית ָל ֶהם ְּבַיד מֹשׁ ֶ ה You ordained for them laws, commandments and ַע ְב ֶ ּד ָך׃ .Teaching, through Moshe Your servant טו ְו ֶל ֶחם ִמשָּׁ ַמִים ָנ ַת ָּתה ָל ֶהם ִלְר ָע ָבם You gave them bread from heaven when they were 15 ּו ַמִים ִמ ֶּס ַלע ֵהוֹצ ָאת ָל ֶהם ִל ְצ ָמ ָאם hungry, and produced water from a rock when they ַו ּת ֶֹאמר ָל ֶהם ָלבוֹא ָלֶרשׁ ֶ ת ֶא ָת־ה ָאֶרץ were thirsty. You told them to go and possess the ֲאשׁ ֶ ָר־נ ָשׂ ָאת ֶא ָת־י ְד ָך ָל ֵתת ָל ֶהם׃ .land that You swore to give them טז ְו ֵהם ַו ֲא ֵבֹת ּינו ֵהִז ּידו ַוַּי ְקשׁ ּו ֶא ָת־עְר ָּפם ;But they—our fathers—acted presumptuously 16 ְולֹא שׁ ָ ְמ ּעו ֶא ִל־מ ְצ ֶוׂת ָיך׃ they stiffened their necks and did not obey Your commandments. יז ַוְי ָמ ֲא ּנו ִלשׁ ְ ַמֹע ְו ָלֹא־ז ְכ ּרו ִנ ְפ ְל ֶאֹת ָיך Refusing to obey, unmindful of Your wonders that 17 ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָע ִשׂ ָית ִע ָּמ ֶהם ַוַּי ְקשׁ ּו ֶא ָת־עְר ָּפם You did for them, they stiffened their necks, and ַוִּי ְּת ּנו־רֹאשׁ ָלשׁ ּוב ְל ַע ְב ֻד ָתם ְּב ִמְרָים .in their defiance resolved to return to their slavery ְו ַא ָּתה ֱא ַּלוֹה ְס ִליחוֹת ַח ּנּון ְוַר ּחום ֶאֶר ְך־ But You, being a forgiving Hashem, gracious and ַא ַּפִים ְוַרב־וחסד ֶ]ח ֶסד[ ְולֹא ֲעַז ְב ָּתם׃ compassionate, long-suffering and abounding in faithfulness, did not abandon them. יח ַאף ִּכ ָי־ע ּשׂו ָל ֶהם ֵע ֶגל ַמ ֵּס ָכה ַו ּי ְֹאמ ּרו Even though they made themselves a molten calf 18 ֶזה ֱא ֶלֹה ָיך ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ֶה ֶע ְל ָך ִמ ִּמ ְצָרִים ַוַּי ֲע ּשׂו and said, ‘This is your God who brought you out of ֶנ ָאצוֹת ְּגדֹלוֹת׃ ,Egypt,’ thus committing great impieties יט ְו ַא ָּתה ְּבַר ֲח ֶמ ָיך ָהַר ִּבים לֹא ֲעַז ְב ָּתם You, in Your abundant compassion, did not 19 ַּב ִּמ ְד ָּבר ֶא ַת־ע ּמ ּוד ֶה ָע ָנן ָלֹא־סר abandon them in the wilderness. The pillar of ֵמ ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ְּב ָיוֹמם ְל ַה ְנ ָחֹתם ְּב ַה ֶ ּדֶר ְך ְו ֶאת־ cloud did not depart from them to lead them on ַע ּמ ּוד ָה ֵאשׁ ְּב ַלְי ָלה ְל ָה ִאיר ָל ֶהם ְו ֶאת־ the way by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to give ַה ֶ ּדֶר ְך ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ֵי ְל ּכו ָ־ב ּה׃ .them light in the way they were to go Ezra/Nehemiah כ ְו ּרו ֲח ָך ַה ּט ָוֹבה ָנ ַת ָּת ְל ַה ְשׂ ִּכ ָילם ּו ַמ ְנ ָך You endowed them with Your good spirit to 20 ָלֹא־מ ַנ ְע ָּת ִמ ִּפ ֶיהם ּו ַמִים ָנ ַת ָּתה ָל ֶהם instruct them. You did not withhold Your manna ִל ְצ ָמ ָאם׃ from their mouth; You gave them water when they were thirsty. כא ְו ַאְר ָּב ִעים שׁ ָ ָנה ִּכ ְל ַּכ ְל ָּתם ַּב ִּמ ְד ָּבר לֹא Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness 21 ָח ֵס ּרו ַשׂ ְל ֵמֹת ֶיהם לֹא ָב ּלו ְוַר ְג ֵל ֶיהם לֹא so that they lacked nothing; their clothes did not ָב ֵצ ּקו׃ .wear out, and their feet did not swell כב ַו ִּת ֵּתן ָל ֶהם ַמ ְמ ָלכוֹת ַו ֲע ָמ ִמים ַו ַּת ְח ְל ֵקם You gave them kingdoms and peoples, and“ 22 ְל ֵפ ָאה ַוִּי ְירשׁ ּו ֶא ֶת־אֶרץ ִסיחוֹן ְו ֶאת־ allotted them territory. They took possession of the ֶאֶרץ ֶמ ֶל ְך ֶחשׁ ְ ּבוֹן ְו ֶא ֶת־אֶרץ עוֹג ֶמ ֶל ְך־ land of Sihon, the land of the king of Heshbon, and ַ ה ָ ּ ב שׁ ָ ן ׃ .the land of Og, king of Bashan כג ּו ְב ֵנ ֶיהם ִהְר ִּב ָית ְּכ ְכֹכ ֵבי ַהשָּׁ ָמִים ַו ְּת ִב ֵיאם You made their children as numerous as the stars 23 ֶא ָל־ה ָאֶרץ ֲאשׁ ֶ ָר־א ַמְר ָּת ַל ֲא ֵבֹת ֶיהם of heaven, and brought them to the land which You ָלבוֹא ָלָרשׁ ֶ ת׃ .told their fathers to go and possess כד ַוָּי ּבֹאו ַה ָּב ִנים ַוִּי ְירשׁ ּו ֶא ָת־ה ָאֶרץ ַו ַּת ְכ ַנע :The sons came and took possession of the land 24 ִל ְפ ֵנ ֶיהם ֶאת־יֹשׁ ְ ֵבי ָה ָאֶרץ ַה ְּכ ַנ ֲע ִנים You subdued the Canaanite inhabitants of the land ַו ִּת ְּת ֵנם ְּבָי ָדם ְו ֶא ַת־מ ְל ֵכ ֶיהם ְו ֶא ַת־ע ְמ ֵמי ,before them; You delivered them into their power ָה ָאֶרץ ַל ֲעשׂוֹת ָּב ֶהם ִּכְר ָצוֹנם׃ both their kings and the peoples of the land, to do with them as they pleased.

69 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק ט Chapter 9

כה ַוִּי ְל ְּכ ּדו ָעִרים ְּב ֻצרוֹת ַו ֲא ָד ָמה שׁ ְ ֵמ ָנה They captured fortified cities and rich lands; they 25 ַוִּי ְירשׁ ּו ָּב ִּתים ְמ ֵל ִא ָּים־כ ּל־טוב ּבֹרוֹת took possession of houses filled with every good ֲח ּצו ִבים ְּכָר ִמים ְוֵז ִיתים ְו ֵעץ ַמ ֲא ָכל thing, of hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive trees, and ָלרֹב ַו ּי ְֹאכ ּלו ַוִּי ְשׂ ְּב ּעו ַוַּישׁ ְ ִמ ּינו ַוִּי ְת ַע ְ ּד ּנו ,fruit trees in abundance. They ate, they were filled ְּב ּטו ְב ָך ַה ָּגדוֹל׃ .they grew fat; they luxuriated in Your great bounty כו ַוַּי ְמ ּרו ַוִּי ְמְר ּדו ָּב ְך ַוַּישׁ ְ ִל ּכו ֶא ּת־ת ָוֹר ְת ָך Then, defying You, they rebelled; they cast Your 26 ַא ֲחֵרי ַגָּום ְו ֶא ְת־נ ִב ֶיא ָיך ָהָר ּגו ֲאשׁ ֶ ר־ Teaching behind their back. They killed Your ֵה ִע ּידו ָבם ַל ֲהשׁ ִ ָיבם ֵא ֶל ָיך ַוַּי ֲע ּשׂו Neviim who admonished them to turn them back ֶנ ָאצוֹת ְּגדוֹלֹת׃ .to You; they committed great impieties כז ַו ִּת ְּת ֵנם ְּבַיד ָצֵר ֶיהם ַוָּי ֵצ ּרו ָל ֶהם ּו ְב ֵעת You delivered them into the power of their“ 27 ָצָר ָתם ִי ְצ ֲע ּקו ֵא ֶל ָיך ְו ַא ָּתה ִמשָּׁ ַמִים adversaries who oppressed them. In their time of ִּתשׁ ְ ָמע ּו ְכַר ֲח ֶמ ָיך ָהַר ִּבים ִּת ֵּתן ָל ֶהם trouble they cried to You; You in heaven heard מוֹשׁ ִ ִיעים ְויוֹשׁ ִ ּיעום ִמַּיד ָצֵר ֶיהם׃ them, and in Your abundant compassion gave them saviors who saved them from the power of their adversaries. כח ּו ְכ ַנוֹח ָל ֶהם ָישׁ ּו ּבו ַל ֲעשׂוֹת ַרע ְל ָפ ֶנ ָיך But when they had relief, they again did what was 28 ַו ַּת ַעְז ֵבם ְּבַיד ְאֹי ֵב ֶיהם ַוִּיְר ּד ּו ָב ֶהם evil in Your sight, so You abandoned them to the ַוָּישׁ ּו ּבו ַוִּיְז ָע ּקו ָך ְו ַא ָּתה ִמשָּׁ ַמִים ִּתשׁ ְ ַמע .power of their enemies, who subjugated them ְו ַת ִּצ ֵילם ְּכַר ֲח ֶמ ָיך ַר ּבוֹת ִע ִּתים׃ Again they cried to You, and You in heaven heard and rescued them in Your compassion, time after time. כט ַו ָּת ַעד ָּב ֶהם ַל ֲהשׁ ִ ָיבם ֶא ּל־ת ָוֹר ֶת ָך ְו ֵה ָּמה You admonished them in order to turn them back 29 ֵהִז ּידו ְולֹא־שׁ ָ ְמ ּעו ְל ִמ ְצ ֶוׂת ָיך ּו ְב ִמשׁ ְ ָּפ ֶט ָיך to Your Teaching, but they acted presumptuously ָח ְט ּאו ָ־בם ֲאשׁ ֶ ַר־י ֲע ֶשׂה ָא ָדם ְו ָחָיה ָב ֶהם and disobeyed Your commandments, and sinned ַוִּי ְּת ּנו ָכ ֵתף ֶסוֹרֶרת ְו ָעְר ָּפם ִה ְקשׁ ּו ְולֹא against Your rules, by following which a man shall Ezra/Nehemiah שׁ ָ ֵ מ ע ּו ׃ live. They turned a defiant shoulder, stiffened their neck, and would not obey. ל ַו ִּת ְמשׁ ְֹך ֲע ֵל ֶיהם שׁ ָ ִנים ַר ּבוֹת ַו ָּת ַעד ָּבם You bore with them for many years, admonished 30 ְּב ּרו ֲח ָך ְּבַי ְד־נ ִב ֶיא ָיך ְולֹא ֶה ֱאִז ּינו ַו ִּת ְּת ֵנם them by Your spirit through Your Neviim, but they ְּבַיד ַע ֵּמי ָה ֲאָרצֹת׃ would not give ear, so You delivered them into the power of the peoples of the lands. לא ּו ְבַר ֲח ֶמ ָיך ָהַר ִּבים ֲלֹא־ע ִשׂ ָיתם ָּכ ָלה ְולֹא Still, in Your great compassion You did not make 31 ֲעַז ְב ָּתם ִּכי ֵא ַל־ח ּנּון ְוַר ּחום ָא ָּתה׃ an end of them or abandon them, for You are a gracious and compassionate Hashem. לב ְו ַע ָּתה ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ָה ֵאל ַה ָּגדוֹל ַה ִּג ּבוֹר And now, our God, great, mighty, and awesome“ 32 ְו ַה ָנּוֹרא שׁ ֵוֹמר ַה ְּבִרית ְו ַה ֶח ֶסד ַאל־ Hashem, who stays faithful to His covenant, do ִי ְמ ַעט ְל ָפ ֶנ ָיך ֵאת ָּכ ַל־ה ְּת ָל ָאה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר־ not treat lightly all the suffering that has overtaken ְמ ָצ ַא ְת ּנו ִל ְמ ָל ֵכ ּינו ְל ָשׂ ֵר ּינו ּו ְל ֲכֹה ֵנ ּינו us—our kings, our officers, ourKohanim , our ְו ִל ְנ ִב ֵיא ּנו ְו ַל ֲא ֵבֹת ּינו ּו ְל ָכ ַל־ע ֶּמ ָך ִמ ֵימי Neviim, our fathers, and all Your people—from the ַמ ְל ֵכי ַאשּׁ ּור ַעד ַה ּיוֹם ַהֶ ּזה׃ .time of the Assyrian kings to this day לג ְו ַא ָּתה ַצ ִ ּדיק ַעל ָּכ ַל־ה ָּבא ָע ֵל ּינו ִּכי־ Surely You are in the right with respect to all that 33 ֱא ֶמת ָע ִשׂ ָית ַו ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ִהְרשׁ ָ ְע ּנו׃ ,has come upon us, for You have acted faithfully and we have been wicked.

70 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק י Chapter 10

לד ְו ֶא ְת־מ ָל ֵכ ּינו ָשׂ ֵר ּינו ּכ ֲֹה ֵנ ּינו ַו ֲא ֵבֹת ּינו לֹא Our kings, officers,Kohanim , and fathers did not 34 ָע ּשׂו ּת ָוֹר ֶת ָך ְולֹא ִה ְקשׁ ִ ּיבו ֶא ִל־מ ְצ ֶוׂת ָיך follow Your Teaching, and did not listen to Your ּו ְל ֵע ְד ֶוׂת ָיך ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ַה ִע ָידֹת ָּב ֶהם׃ commandments or to the warnings that You gave them. לה ְו ֵהם ְּב ַמ ְל ּכו ָתם ּו ְב ּטו ְב ָך ָהָרב ֲאשׁ ֶ ָר־נ ַת ָּת When they had their own kings and enjoyed the 35 ָל ֶהם ּו ְב ֶאֶרץ ָהְר ָח ָבה ְו ַהשְּׁ ֵמ ָנה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר־ good that You lavished upon them, and the broad ָנ ַת ָּת ִל ְפ ֵנ ֶיהם לֹא ֲע ָב ּדו ָך ְולֹא־שׁ ָ ּבו and rich land that You put at their disposal, they ִמ ַּמ ַע ְל ֵל ֶיהם ָהָר ִעים׃ would not serve You, and did not turn from their wicked deeds. לו ִה ֵנּה ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ַה ּיוֹם ֲע ָב ִדים ְו ָה ָאֶרץ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר־ Today we are slaves, and the land that You gave 36 ָנ ַת ָּתה ַל ֲא ֵבֹת ּינו ֶל ֱאכֹל ֶא ִּת־פְרָי ּה ְו ֶאת־ our fathers to enjoy its fruit and bounty—here we ּטו ָב ּה ִה ֵנּה ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ֲע ָב ִדים ָע ֶל ָיה׃ !are slaves on it hi-NAY a-NAKH-nu ha-YOM a-va-DEEM v’-ha-A-retz a-sher na-TA-tah la-a-vo- TAY-nu le-e-KHOL et pir-YAH v’-et tu-VAH hi-NAY a-NAKH-nu a-va-DEEM a-LE-ha לז ּו ְת ּבו ָא ָת ּה ַמְר ָּבה ַל ְּמ ָל ִכים ֲאשׁ ֶ ָר־נ ַת ָּתה On account of our sins it yields its abundant crops 37 ָע ֵל ּינו ְּב ַח ּט ֵֹאות ּינו ְו ַעל ְּגִו ּי ֵֹת ּינו מֹשׁ ְ ִלים to kings whom You have set over us. They rule over ּו ִב ְב ֶה ְמ ֵּת ּנו ִּכְר ָצוֹנם ּו ְב ָצָרה ְג ָדוֹלה our bodies and our beasts as they please, and we ֲא ָנ ְח ּנו׃ .are in great distress א ּו ְב ָכל־זֹאת ֲא ַנ ְח ּנו ּכְֹר ִתים ֲא ָמ ָנה In view of all this, we make this pledge and put it“ 1 10 י ְו ְכֹת ִבים ְו ַעל ֶה ָח ּתום ָשׂ ֵר ּינו ְלִוֵּי ּנו [in writing; and on the sealed copy [are subscribed ּכ ֲֹה ֵנ ּינו׃ .our officials, ourLeviim , and our Kohanim ב ְו ַעל ַה ֲח ּתו ִמים ְנ ֶח ְמָיה ַה ִּתְרשׁ ָ ָתא ֶּבן־ On the sealed copy [are subscribed]: Nechemya“ 2 ֲח ַכ ְלָיה ְו ִצ ְד ִקָּיה׃ ,the Tirshatha son of Chachalya and Tzidkiyahu Ezra/Nehemiah ג ְשׂ ָרָיה ֲעַזְרָיה ִיְר ְמָיה׃ ,Seraya, Azarya, Yirmiyahu 3 ד ַּפשׁ ְ ּחור ֲא ַמְרָיה ַמ ְל ִּכָּיה׃ ,Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah 4 ה ַ ח ּ ט ּ ו שׁ שׁ ְ ַ ב ְ נ ָ י ה ַמ ּ ל ּ ו ְ ך ׃ ,Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch 5 ו ָחִרם ְמֵרמוֹת ַעֹב ְדָיה׃ ,Harim, Meremoth, Ovadya 6 ז ָ ּד ִנֵּיאל ִּג ְנּתוֹן ָּב ּרו ְך׃ ,Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch 7 ח ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם ֲא ִבָּיה ִמָּי ִמן׃ ,Meshullam, Aviya, Mijamin 8 ט ַמ ַעְזָיה ִב ְל ַּגי שׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ֵא ֶּלה ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים׃ .Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaya; these are the Kohanim 9

9:36 Here we are slaves on it This chapter speaks Hashem gave the land to the People of Israel so that they of Hashem’s original promise to Avraham to could rest in it at ease, and yet this verse states that in grant the Land of Israel to his descendants as an fact “we are slaves on it.” The Land of Israel is not just a inheritance (verse 8). It then continues with an overview homeland or national territory. It is a tool, a vehicle of history, including the exodus from Egypt, the years through which the people can fulfill their ultimate in the desert, the acquisition of Eretz Yisrael and the purpose: To serve God and serve as a light unto the many trials and tribulations that were the plight of the nations (Isaiah 42:6) – a mission requiring much hard Israelites for many centuries. One might assume that work.

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י ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ְוֵישׁ ּו ַע ֶּב ֲן־אַז ְנָיה ִּב ּנּוי ִמ ְּב ֵני And the Leviim: Yeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of“ 10 ֵח ָנ ָדד ַק ְד ִמ ֵיאל׃ .the sons of Henadad, and Kadmiel יא ַו ֲא ֵח ֶיהם שׁ ְ ַב ְנָיה ִהוֹדָּיה ְק ִל ָיטא ְּפ ָל ָאיה ,And their brothers: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita 11 ָח ָנן׃ ,Pelaiah, Hanan יב ִמ ָיכא ְרחוֹב ֲחשׁ ַ ְבָיה׃ ,Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah 12 יג ַז ּכ ּור שׁ ֵ ֵר ְבָיה שׁ ְ ַב ְנָיה׃ ,Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah 13 יד ִהוֹדָּיה ָב ִני ְּב ִנ ּינו׃ .Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu 14 טו ָראשׁ ֵ י ָה ָעם ַּפְרעֹשׁ ַּפ ַחת ָמוֹאב ֵע ָילם ,The heads of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab“ 15 ַז ּת ּוא ָּב ִני׃ ,Elam, Zattu, Bani טז ֻּב ִנּי ַעְז ָּגד ֵּב ָבי׃ ,Bunni, Azgad, Bebai 16 יז ֲא ִדֹנָּיה ִב ְגַוי ָע ִדין׃ ,Adoniyahu, Bigvai, Adin 17 יח ָא ֵטר ִחְז ִקָּיה ַע ּז ּור׃ ,Ater, Chizkiyahu, Azzur 18 יט ִהוֹדָּיה ָחשׁ ֻ ם ֵּב ָצי׃ ,Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai 19 כ ָחִריף ֲע ָנתוֹת נובי ֵ]נ ָיבי׃[ ,Hariph, Anatot, Nebai 20 כא ַמ ְג ִּפ ָיעשׁ ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם ֵחִזיר׃ ,Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir 21 כב ְמשׁ ֵ ַיז ְב ֵאל ָצדוֹק ַי ּד ּו ַע׃ ,Meshezabel, Tzadok, Jaddua 22 כג ְּפ ַל ְטָיה ָח ָנן ֲע ָנָיה׃ ,Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah 23 כד הוֹשׁ ֵ ַע ֲח ַנ ְנָיה ַחשּׁ ּוב׃ ,Hoshea, Chananya, Hasshub 24

Ezra/Nehemiah כה ַה ּל ֵוֹחשׁ ִּפ ְל ָחא שׁ ֵוֹבק׃ ,Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek 25 כו ְר ּחום ֲחשׁ ַ ְב ָנה ַמ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה׃ ,Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah 26 כז ַו ֲא ִחָּיה ָח ָנן ָע ָנן׃ ,and Ahiah, Hanan, Anan 27 כח ַמ ּל ּו ְך ָחִרם ַּב ֲע ָנה׃ .Malluch, Harim, Baanah 28 כט ּושׁ ְ ָאר ָה ָעם ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ַה ְלִוִּים ַהשּׁ ֲוֹעִרים And the rest of the people, the Kohanim, the“ 29 ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ַה ְנּ ִת ִינים ְו ָכ ַל־ה ִנּ ְב ָ ּדל ֵמ ַע ֵּמי Leviim, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple ָה ֲאָרצוֹת ֶא ּל־ת ַוֹרת ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ְנשׁ ֵ ֶיהם servants, and all who separated themselves from ְּב ֵנ ֶיהם ּו ְב ֵנֹת ֶיהם ּכֹל ֵיוֹד ַע ֵמ ִבין׃ the peoples of the lands to [follow] the Teaching of Hashem, their wives, sons and daughters, all who know enough to understand, ל ַמ ֲחִז ִיקים ַע ֲל־א ֵח ֶיהם ַא ִ ּד ֵיר ֶיהם join with their noble brothers, and take an oath 30 ּו ָב ִאים ְּב ָא ָלה ּו ִבשׁ ְ ּבו ָעה ָל ֶל ֶכת ְּב ַתוֹרת ,with sanctions to follow the Teaching of Hashem ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִנ ְּת ָנה ְּבַיד מֹשׁ ֶ ה ֶע ֶבד־ given through Moshe the servant of Hashem, and ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ְו ִלשׁ ְ מוֹר ְו ַל ֲעשׂוֹת ֶא ָּת־כל־ to observe carefully all the commandments of ִמ ְצוׂת ְי ָהֹוה ֲא ֵדֹנ ּינו ּו ִמשׁ ְ ָּפ ָטיו ְו ֻח ָּקיו׃ .Hashem our Lord, His rules and laws לא ַו ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִלֹא־נ ֵּתן ְּב ֵנֹת ּינו ְל ַע ֵּמי ָה ָאֶרץ Namely: We will not give our daughters in“ 31 ְו ֶא ְּת־ב ֵנֹת ֶיהם לֹא ִנ ַּקח ְל ָב ֵנ ּינו׃ marriage to the peoples of the land, or take their daughters for our sons.

72 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק י Chapter 10

לב ְו ַע ֵּמי ָה ָאֶרץ ַה ְמ ִב ִיאים ֶא ַת־ה ַּמ ָּקחוֹת The peoples of the land who bring their wares and“ 32 ְו ָכל־שׁ ֶ ֶבר ְּביוֹם ַהשַּׁ ָּבת ִל ְמ ּכוֹר ִלֹא־נ ַּקח —all sorts of foodstuff for sale on theShabbat day ֵמ ֶהם ַּבשַּׁ ָּבת ּו ְביוֹם ֶקֹדשׁ ְו ִנ ּטֹשׁ ֶאת־ we will not buy from them on the Shabbat or a holy ַהשָּׁ ָנה ַהשְּׁ ִב ִיעית ּו ַמשָּׁ א ָכ ָל־יד׃ day. “We will forgo [the produce of] the seventh year, and every outstanding debt. לג ְו ֶה ֱע ַמ ְד ּנו ָע ֵל ּינו ִמ ְצוׂת ָל ֵתת ָע ֵל ּינו We have laid upon ourselves obligations: To“ 33 שׁ ְ ִלשׁ ִ ית ַהשֶּׁ ֶקל ַּבשָּׁ ָנה ַל ֲע ַבֹדת ֵּבית charge ourselves one-third of a shekel yearly for the ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו׃ —service of the House of our God לד ְל ֶל ֶחם ַה ַּמ ֲעֶר ֶכת ּו ִמ ְנ ַחת ַה ָּת ִמיד for the rows of bread, for the regular meal offering 34 ּו ְל ַעוֹלת ַה ָּת ִמיד ַהשַּׁ ָּבתוֹת ֶה ֳח ָדשׁ ִ ים and for the regular burnt offering, [for those ַל ּמ ֲוֹע ִדים ְו ַל ֳּק ָדשׁ ִ ים ְו ַל ַח ָּטאוֹת ְל ַכ ֵּפר of the] Shabbatot, new moons, festivals, for ַע ִל־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְוכֹל ְמ ֶל ֶאכת ֵּב ֱית־א ֵלֹה ּינו׃ , consecrations, for sin offerings to atone forYisrael and for all the work in the House of our God. l’-LE-khem ha-ma-a-RE-khet u-min-KHAT ha-ta-MEED ul-o-LAT ha-ta-MEED ha-sha-ba-TOT he-kho-da-SHEEM la-mo-a-DEEM v’-la-ko-da-SHEEM v’-la-kha- TOT l’-kha-PAYR al yis-ra-AYL v’-KHOL m’-LE-khet bayt e-lo-HAY-nu לה ְו ַה ּג ָוֹרלוֹת ִה ַּפ ְל ּנו ַע ֻל־קְר ַּבן ָה ֵע ִצים We have cast lots [among] the Kohanim, the“ 35 ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ַה ְלִוִּים ְו ָה ָעם ְל ָה ִביא ְל ֵבית Leviim, and the people, to bring the wood offering ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ְל ֵב ֲית־א ֵבֹת ּינו ְל ִע ִּתים ְמֻז ָּמ ִנים to the House of our God by clans annually at set שׁ ָ ָנה ְבשׁ ָ ָנה ְל ַב ֵער ַע ִל־מְז ַּבח ְי ָהֹוה times in order to provide fuel for the mizbayach of ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ַּכ ָּכ ּתוב ַּב ּת ָוֹרה׃ .Hashem our God, as is written in the Teaching לו ּו ְל ָה ִביא ֶא ִּת־ב ּכ ּוֵרי ַא ְד ָמ ֵת ּנו ּו ִב ּכ ּוֵרי ָּכל־ And [we undertake] to bring to the House of“ 36 ְּפִרי ָכ ֵל־עץ שׁ ָ ָנה ְבשׁ ָ ָנה ְל ֵבית ְי ָהֹוה׃ Hashem annually the first fruits of our soil, and of every fruit of every tree;

לז ְו ֶא ְּת־בכֹרוֹת ָּב ֵנ ּינו ּו ְב ֶה ְמ ֵּת ּינו ַּכ ָּכ ּתוב Ezra/Nehemiah 37 also, the first-born of our sons and our beasts, as is ַּב ּת ָוֹרה ְו ֶא ְּת־ב ֵכוֹרי ְב ָקֵר ּינו ְו ֵצֹאנ ּינו written in the Teaching; and to bring the firstlings ְל ָה ִביא ְל ֵבית ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ַל ּכ ֲֹה ִנים of our cattle and flocks to the House of our God ַה ְמשׁ ָ ְר ִתים ְּב ֵבית ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו׃ for the Kohanim who minister in the House of our God. לח ְו ֶא ֵת־ראשׁ ִ ית ֲעִר ֵיסֹת ּינו ּו ְת ּרו ֵמֹת ּינו We will bring to the storerooms of the House of“ 38 ּו ְפִרי ָכ ֵל־עץ ִּתירוֹשׁ ְוִי ְצ ָהר ָנ ִביא our God the first part of our dough, and our gifts ַל ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ֶא ִל־לשׁ ְ כוֹת ֵּב ֱית־א ֵלֹה ּינו of grain], and of the fruit of every tree, wine and] ּו ַמ ְע ַשׂר ַא ְד ָמ ֵת ּנו ַל ְלִוִּים ְו ֵהם ַה ְלִוִּים oil for the Kohanim, and the tithes of our land for ַה ְמ ַע ְּשׂ ִרים ְּבכֹל ָעֵרי ֲע ָבֹד ֵת ּנו׃ the Leviim—the Leviim who collect the tithe in all our towns subject to royal service.

10:34 For the regular meal offering The last ten korbanot can only be brought in Yerushalayim, the core קרבן verses of this chapter focus on the pledge to idea behind them is timeless and universal, intended revive the many sacrificial obligations. The word for for all humanity. In the absence of the Beit Hamikdash קרוב indicates its true and its sacrifices, we use prayer as a means of coming ,(קרבן) sacrifice’ or ‘offering,’ korban’ close to our Father in Heaven. As the verse is Hoshea (קרוב) purpose. Korban comes from the word karov which means ‘close.’ The korban facilitates a close says “Instead of bulls we will pay [the offering of] our relationship between man and God. Although the lips” (Hosea 14:3).

73 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק אי Chapter 11

לט ְו ָהָיה ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ֶּב ַן־א ֲהרֹן ִע ַם־ה ְלִוִּים ַּב ְע ֵשׂר An Aaronite Kohen must be with the Leviim when 39 ַה ְלִוִּים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ַי ֲע ּלו ֶא ַת־מ ֲע ַשׂר they collect the tithe, and the Leviim must bring up ַה ַּמ ֲע ֵשׂר ְל ֵבית ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ֶא ַל־ה ְּלשׁ ָ כוֹת a tithe of the tithe to the House of our God, to the ְל ֵבית ָה ָאוֹצר׃ .storerooms of the treasury מ ִּכי ֶא ַל־ה ְּלשׁ ָ כוֹת ָי ִב ּיאו ְב ֵנ ִי־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל For it is to the storerooms that the Israelites and 40 ּו ְב ֵני ַה ֵּלִוי ֶא ְּת־ת ּרו ַמת ַה ָ ּד ָגן ַה ִּתירוֹשׁ the Leviim must bring the gifts of grain, wine, and ְו ַהִּי ְצ ָהר ְושׁ ָ ם ְּכ ֵלי ַה ִּמ ְק ָ ּדשׁ ְו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים oil. The equipment of the sanctuary and of the ַה ְמשׁ ָ ְר ִתים ְו ַהשּׁ ֲוֹעִרים ְו ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְולֹא ministering Kohanim and the gatekeepers and ַנ ֲעזֹב ֶא ֵּת־בית ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו׃ the singers is also there. “We will not neglect the House of our God.” א ַוֵּישׁ ְ ּבו ָשׂ ֵר ָי־ה ָעם ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם ּושׁ ְ ָאר ; The officers of the people settledYerushalayim in 1 11 יא ָה ָעם ִה ִּפ ּילו ָגוֹרלוֹת ְל ָה ִביא ֶא ָחד ִמן־ the rest of the people cast lots for one out of ten to ָה ֲע ָשׂ ָרה ָלשׁ ֶ ֶבת ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ִעיר ַה ּק ֶֹדשׁ , come and settle in the holy city ofYerushalayim ְו ֵתשׁ ַ ע ַהָּידוֹת ֶּב ָעִרים׃ .and the other nine-tenths to stay in the towns va-yay-sh’-VU sa-RAY ha-AM bee-ru-sha-LA-im ush-AR ha-AM hi-PEE-lu go-ra- LOT l’-ha-VEE e-KHAD min ha-a-sa-RAH la-SHE-vet bee-ru-sha-LA-im EER ha-KO-desh v’-TAY-sha ha-ya-DOT be-a-REEM ב ַוְי ָבֲר ּכו ָה ָעם ְלכֹל ָה ֲא ָנשׁ ִ ים ַה ִּמ ְת ַנ ְ ּד ִבים The people gave their blessing to all the men who 2 ָלשׁ ֶ ֶבת ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ . willingly settled inYerushalayim ג ְו ֵא ֶּלה ָראשׁ ֵ י ַה ְּמ ִד ָינה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָישׁ ְ ּבו These are the heads of the province who lived 3 ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם ּו ְב ָעֵרי ְי ּהו ָדה ָישׁ ְ ּבו ִאישׁ ,in Yerushalayim—in the countryside of Yehuda ַּב ֲא ֻחָ ּזתוֹ ְּב ָעֵר ֶיהם ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים the people lived in their towns, each on his own ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ְו ַה ְנּ ִת ִינים ּו ְב ֵני ַע ְב ֵדי שׁ ְ לֹמֹה׃ property, Israelites, Kohanim, Leviim, temple servants, and the sons of Shlomo’s servants,

Ezra/Nehemiah ד ּו ִב ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ָישׁ ְ ּבו ִמ ְּב ֵני ְי ּהו ָדה ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני while in Yerushalayim some of the Judahites and 4 ִב ְנָי ִמן ִמ ְּב ֵני ְי ּהו ָדה ֲע ָתָיה ֶב ֻן־עִ ּזָּיה :some of the Benjaminites lived: Of the Judahites ֶּב ְן־ז ַכְרָיה ֶב ֲן־א ַמְרָיה ֶּבן־שׁ ְ ַפ ְטָיה ֶבן־ Athaiah son of Uzziyahu son of Zecharya son of ַמ ֲה ַל ְל ֵאל ִמ ְּב ֵנ ָי־פֶרץ׃ Amariah son of Shephatiah son of Mehalalel, of the clan of Periz, ה ּו ַמ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה ֶב ָּן־ב ּרו ְך ֶּב ָּן־כ ֶל־חֹזה ֶּב ֲן־חָזָיה and Maaseiah son of Baruch son of Col-hozeh 5 ֶב ֲן־ע ָדָיה ֶב ָן־יוֹיִריב ֶּב ְן־ז ַכְרָיה ֶּב ַן־השִּׁ ִלֹני׃ son of Hazaiah son of Adaiah son of Joiarib son of Zecharya son of the Shilohite.

11:1 In the holy city of Yerushalayim In addition and Matriarchs, symbolic of earth. Teveria, where the to Yerushalayim, Jews recognize three other holy Jerusalem Talmud was compiled, resides by the shores of cities, Tzfat (Safed), Teveria (Tiberias), and Chevron the Kinneret and corresponds to water. Tzfat, located high (Hebron). The idea of four holy cities originated after the up on the mountains, is the renowned center of mystical Ottoman conquest of Israel, and corresponds to the four Judaism, the Kabbalah, and is therefore associated with centers of Jewish life at the time. Each city is holy for a air. And Yerushalayim, the site of the Temples which different reason, and each corresponds to one of the four contained the altars and the menorah lamp, is associated elements from which the ancients believed the world with fire. In this way, the four holy cities of Israel contain was created. Chevron is the burial site of the Patriarchs all the elements for everything in heaven and earth.

74 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק אי Chapter 11

ו ָּכ ְּל־ב ֵנ ֶי־פֶרץ ַה ּיֹשׁ ְ ִבים ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם ַאְר ַּבע All the clan of Periz who were living in 6 ֵמאוֹת שׁ ִ שִּׁ ים ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה ַא ְנשׁ ֵ ָי־חִיל׃ .Yerushalayim—468 valorous men ז ְו ֵא ֶּלה ְּב ֵני ִב ְנָי ִמן ַס ֻּלא ֶּב ְן־משׁ ֻ ָּלם ֶּבן־ These are the Binyaminites: Sallu son of Meshullam 7 ֵיוֹעד ֶּב ְּן־פ ָדָיה ֶב ָן־קוֹלָיה ֶב ַן־מ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה son of Joed son of Pedaiah son of Kolaiah son of ֶּב ִן־א ִית ֵיאל ֶּב ְן־ישׁ ַ ְעָיה׃ .Maaseiah son of Itiel son of Jesaiah ח ְו ַא ֲחָריו ַּג ַּבי ַס ָּלי ְּתשׁ ַ ע ֵמאוֹת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים .After him, Gabbai and Sallai—928 8 ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה׃ ט ְו ֵיוֹאל ֶּב ִן־ז ְכִרי ָּפ ִקיד ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ִו ּיהו ָדה ֶבן־ ,Yoel son of Zichri was the official in charge of them 9 ַה ְּס ּנו ָאה ַע ָל־ה ִעיר ִמשׁ ְ ֶנה׃ -and Yehuda son of Hassenuah was the second-in command of the city. י ִמ ַן־ה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְי ַד ְעָיה ֶב ָן־יוֹיִריב ָי ִכין׃ ,Of the Kohanim: Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jachin 10 יא ְשׂ ָרָיה ֶב ִן־ח ְל ִקָּיה ֶּב ְן־משׁ ֻ ָּלם ֶּבן־ Seraya son of Chilkiyahu son of Meshullam son of 11 ָצדוֹק ֶּב ְן־מָריוֹת ֶּב ֲן־א ִח ּיטוב ְנ ִגד ֵּבית Tzadok son of Meraioth son of Achituv, chief officer ָה ֱא ִלֹהים׃ ,of the House of Hashem יב ַו ֲא ֵח ֶיהם ֵעֹשׂי ַה ְּמ ָל ָאכה ַל ַּבִית שׁ ְ ֶמֹנה and their brothers, who did the work of the 12 ֵמאוֹת ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ּושׁ ְ ָנִים ַו ֲע ָדָיה ֶּב ְן־י ָרֹחם House—822; and Adaiah son of Jeroham son ֶּב ְּן־פ ַל ְלָיה ֶּב ַן־א ְמ ִצי ֶב ְן־ז ַכְרָיה ֶּבן־ of Pelaliah son of Amzi son of Zecharya son of ַּפשׁ ְ ּחור ֶּב ַן־מ ְל ִּכָּיה׃ ,Pashhur son of Malchijah יג ְו ֶא ָחיו ָראשׁ ִ ים ְל ָאבוֹת ָמ ַאתִים ַאְר ָּב ִעים and his brothers, heads of clans—242; and 13 ּושׁ ְ ָנִים ַו ֲע ַמשׁ ְ ַסי ֶּב ֲן־עַזְר ֵאל ֶּב ַן־א ְחַזי ֶּבן־ Amashsai son of Azarel son of Ahzai son of ְמשׁ ִ ֵּלמוֹת ֶּב ִן־א ֵּמר׃ ,Meshillemoth son of Immer יד ַו ֲא ֵח ֶיהם ִּג ּב ֵוֹרי ַחִיל ֵמ ָאה ֶע ְשׂ ִרים .and their brothers, valorous warriors—128 14 ּושׁ ְ ָמֹנה ּו ָפ ִקיד ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ַז ְב ִ ּד ֵיאל ֶּבן־ Zabdiel son of Haggedolim was the official in Ezra/Nehemiah ַה ְּג ִדוֹלים׃ .charge of them טו ּו ִמ ַן־ה ְלִוִּים שׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ֶב ַן־חשּׁ ּוב ֶּבן־ Of the Leviim: Shemaya son of Hasshub son of 15 ַעְזִר ָיקם ֶּב ֲן־חשׁ ַ ְבָיה ֶּב ּן־ב ּו ִנּי׃ ,Azrikam son of Hashabiah son of Bunni טז ְושׁ ַ ְּב ַתי ְו ָיוֹז ָבד ַע ַל־ה ְּמ ָל ָאכה ַה ִח ָיצֹנה and Shabbethai and Yozavad of the heads of the 16 ְל ֵבית ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ֵמָראשׁ ֵ י ַה ְלִוִּים׃ Leviim were in charge of the external work of the House of Hashem. יז ּו ַמ ַּת ְנָיה ֶב ִן־מ ָיכה ֶּב ַן־ז ְב ִ ּדי ֶב ָן־א ָסף Mattaniah son ofMicha son of Zabdi son of Asaf 17 רֹאשׁ ַה ְּת ִח ָּלה ְי ֶהוֹדה ַל ְּת ִפ ָּלה ּו ַב ְק ֻּב ְקָיה was the head; at prayer, he would lead off with ִמשׁ ְ ֶנה ֵמ ֶא ָחיו ְו ַע ְב ָ ּדא ֶּבן־שׁ ַ ּמ ּו ַע ֶּב ָּן־ג ָלל praise; and Bakbukiah, one of his brothers, was his ֶּבן־ידיתון ְ]י ּדו ּתון׃[ second-in-command; and Abda son of Shammua son of Galal son of Yedutun. יח ָּכ ַל־ה ְלִוִּים ְּב ִעיר ַה ּק ֶֹדשׁ ָמ ַאתִים .All the Leviim in the holy city—284 18 שׁ ְ ִמֹנים ְו ַאְר ָּב ָעה׃ יט ְו ַהשּׁ ֲוֹעִרים ַע ּק ּוב ַט ְלמוֹן ַו ֲא ֵח ֶיהם And the gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their 19 ַהשּׁ ְֹמִרים ַּבשְּׁ ָעִרים ֵמ ָאה שׁ ִ ְב ִעים .brothers, who stood watch at the gates—172 ּ ו שׁ ְ ָ נ ִ י ם ׃ כ ּושׁ ְ ָאר ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ַה ְלִוִּים ְּב ָכ ָל־עֵרי And the rest of the Israelites, the Kohanim, and the 20 ְי ּהו ָדה ִאישׁ ְּב ַנ ֲח ָלתוֹ׃ Leviim in all the towns of Yehuda [lived] each on his estate. 75 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק בי Chapter 12

כא ְו ַה ְנּ ִת ִינים יֹשׁ ְ ִבים ָּב ֶעֹפל ְו ִצ ָיחא ְו ִגשׁ ְ ָּפא The temple servants lived on the Ophel; Ziha and 21 ַע ַל־ה ְנּ ִת ִינים׃ .Gishpa were in charge of the temple servants כב ּו ְפ ִקיד ַה ְלִוִּים ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ַל ִם ֻעִ ּזי ֶב ָּן־ב ִני ֶּבן־ The overseer of theLeviim in Yerushalayim was Uzzi 22 ֲחשׁ ַ ְבָיה ֶּב ַן־מ ַּת ְנָיה ֶּב ִן־מ ָיכא ִמ ְּב ֵני ָא ָסף son of Bani son of Hashabiah son of Mattaniah son ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְל ֶנ ֶגד ְמ ֶל ֶאכת ֵּב ָית־ה ֱא ִלֹהים׃ of Micha, of the Asaphite singers, over the work of the House of Hashem. כג ִּכ ִי־מ ְצַות ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ַו ֲא ָמ ָנה ַעל־ There was a royal order concerning them, a 23 ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְ ּד ַבר־יוֹם ְּביוֹמוֹ׃ stipulation concerning the daily duties of the singers. כד ּו ְפ ַת ְחָיה ֶּב ְן־משׁ ֵ ַיז ְב ֵאל ִמ ְּב ֵנ ֶי־זַרח ֶּבן־ Petahiah son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerach 24 ְי ּהו ָדה ְלַיד ַה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ְל ָכ ָ ּל־ד ָבר ָל ָעם׃ son of Yehuda, advised the king concerning all the affairs of the people. כה ְו ֶא ַל־ה ֲח ֵצִרים ִּב ְשׂ ָדֹתם ִמ ְּב ֵני ְי ּהו ָדה As concerns the villages with their fields: Some of 25 ָישׁ ְ ּבו ְּב ִקְרַית ָה ַאְר ַּבע ּו ְב ֶנֹת ָיה ּו ְב ִדיבֹן the Judahites lived in Kiryat Arba and its outlying ּו ְב ֶנֹת ָיה ּו ִב ַּיק ְב ְצ ֵאל ַו ֲח ֵצֶר ָיה׃ hamlets, in Dibon and its outlying hamlets, and in Jekabzeel and its villages; כו ּו ְבֵישׁ ּו ַע ּו ְב ָמוֹל ָדה ּו ְב ֵבית ָּפ ֶלט׃ ;in Yeshua, in Moladah, and in Beth-pelet 26 כז ּו ַב ֲח ַצר שׁ ּו ָעל ּו ִב ְב ֵאר שׁ ֶ ַבע ּו ְב ֶנֹת ָיה׃ in Hazar-shual, in Be’er Sheva and its outlying 27 hamlets; כח ּו ְב ִצ ְק ַלג ּו ִב ְמ ָכֹנה ּו ִב ְב ֶנֹת ָיה׃ and in Tziklag and in Meconah and its outlying 28 hamlets; כט ּו ְב ֵעין ִר ּמוֹן ּו ְב ָצְר ָעה ּו ְבַיְר ּמות׃ ;in En-rimmon, in Tzora and in Yarmut 29 ל ָז ַנֹח ֲע ֻד ָּלם ְו ַח ְצֵר ֶיהם ָל ִכישׁ ּו ְשׂ ֶדֹת ָיה Zanoach, Adulam, and their villages; Lachish and its 30 Ezra/Nehemiah ֲעֵז ָקה ּו ְב ֶנֹת ָיה ַוַּי ֲח ּנו ִמ ְּב ֵאר־שׁ ֶ ַבע ַעד־ fields;Azeika and its outlying hamlets. They settled ֵּג ִיא־הנֹּם׃ .from Be’er Sheva to the Valley of Hinnom לא ּו ְב ֵני ִב ְנָי ִמן ִמ ָּג ַבע ִמ ְכ ָמשׂ ְו ַעָּיה ּו ֵב ֵית־אל The Benjaminites: from Geba, Michmash, Aija, and 31 ּו ְב ֶנֹת ָיה׃ ;Beit El and its outlying hamlets לב ֲע ָנתוֹת נֹב ֲע ָנ ְנָיה׃ ,Anatot, Nov, Ananiah 32 לג ָחצוֹר ָר ָמה ִּג ָּתִים׃ ,Hazor, Rama, Gittaim 33 לד ָח ִדיד ְצ ִבֹעים ְנ ַב ָּלט׃ ,Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat 34 לה לֹד ְואוֹנוֹ ֵּגי ַה ֲחָרשׁ ִ ים׃ .Lod, Ono, Ge-harashim 35 לו ּו ִמ ַן־ה ְלִוִּים ַמ ְח ְלקוֹת ְי ּהו ָדה ְל ִב ְנָי ִמין׃ Some of the Judahite divisions of Leviim were 36 [shifted] toBinyamin . א ְו ֵא ֶּלה ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָע ּלו ִעם־ These are theKohanim and the Leviim who came 1 12 יב ְזֻר ָּב ֶבל ֶּבן־שׁ ְ ַא ְל ִּת ֵיאל ְוֵישׁ ּו ַע ְשׂ ָרָיה :up with Zerubavel son of Shealtiel and Yeshua ִיְר ְמָיה ֶעְזָרא׃ ,Seraya, Yirmiyahu, Ezra ב ֲא ַמְרָיה ַמ ּל ּו ְך ַח ּט ּושׁ ׃ ,Amariah, Malluch, Hattush 2 ג שׁ ְ ַכ ְנָיה ְר ֻחם ְמֵרמֹת׃ ,Shechanya, Rehum, Meramoth 3 ד ִע ּדוֹא ִג ְנּתוֹי ֲא ִבָּיה׃ ,Ido, Ginnethoi, Aviya 4

76 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק בי Chapter 12

ה ִמָּי ִמין ַמ ַע ְדָיה ִּב ְל ָּגה׃ ,Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah 5 ו שׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ְו ָיוֹיִריב ְי ַד ְעָיה׃ ,Shemaya, Joiarib, Jedaiah 6 ז ַס ּל ּו ָעמוֹק ִח ְל ִקָּיה ְי ַד ְעָיה ֵא ֶּלה ָראשׁ ֵ י Sallu, Amok, Chilkiyahu, Jedaiah. These were the 7 ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ַו ֲא ֵח ֶיהם ִּב ֵימי ֵישׁ ּו ַע׃ heads of the Kohanim and their brothers in the time of Yeshua. ח ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ֵישׁ ּו ַע ִּב ּנּוי ַק ְד ִמ ֵיאל שׁ ֵ ֵר ְבָיה ,TheLeviim : Yeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah 8 ְי ּהו ָדה ַמ ַּת ְנָיה ַע ֻל־הְּידוֹת ּהוא ְו ֶא ָחיו׃ Yehuda, and Mattaniah, in charge of thanksgiving songs, he and his brothers; ט ּו ַב ְק ֻּב ְקָיה וענו ְ]ו ֻע ִנּי[ ֲא ֵח ֶיהם ְל ֶנ ְג ָ ּדם and Bakbukiah and Unni [and] their brothers 9 ְל ִמשׁ ְ ָמרוֹת׃ .served opposite them by shifts י ְוֵישׁ ּו ַע ִהוֹליד ֶא ָת־יוֹי ִקים ְו ָיוֹי ִקים ִהוֹליד ;Yeshua begot Joiakim; Joiakim begot Elyashiv 10 ֶא ֶת־א ְלָישׁ ִ יב ְו ֶא ְלָישׁ ִ יב ֶא ָת־יוֹי ָדע׃ ;Elyashiv begot Joiada יא ְו ָיוֹי ָדע ִהוֹליד ֶא ָת־יוֹנ ָתן ְו ָיוֹנ ָתן ִהוֹליד .Joiada begot Yonatan; Yonatan begot Jaddua 11 ֶא ַת־י ּד ּו ַע׃ יב ּו ִב ֵימי ָיוֹי ִקים ָה ּיו ֲכֹה ִנים ָראשׁ ֵ י ָה ָאבוֹת In the time of Joiakim, the heads of the priestly 12 ִל ְשׂ ָרָיה ְמָרָיה ְלִיְר ְמָיה ֲח ַנ ְנָיה׃ ;clans were: Meriaiah—of the Seraya clan Chananya—of the Yirmiyahu clan; יג ְל ֶעְזָרא ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם ַל ֲא ַמְרָיה ְי ָהוֹח ָנן׃ Meshullam—of the Ezra clan; Yehochanan—of the 13 Amariah clan; יד למלוכי ִ]ל ְמ ִל ּיכו[ ָיוֹנ ָתן ִלשׁ ְ ַב ְנָיה ֵיוֹסף׃ Yonatan—of the Melicu clan; Yosef—of the 14 Shebaniah clan; טו ְל ָחִרם ַע ְד ָנא ִל ְמָריוֹת ֶח ְל ָקי׃ Adna—of the Harim clan; Helkai—of the 15

Ezra/Nehemiah Meraioth clan; טז לעדיא ְ]ל ִע ּדוֹא[ ְז ַכְרָיה ְל ִג ְנּתוֹן ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם׃ Zecharya—of the Ido clan; Meshullam—of the 16 Ginnethon clan; יז ַל ֲא ִבָּיה ִז ְכִרי ְל ִמ ְנָי ִמין ְל ַמוֹע ְדָיה ִּפ ְל ָטי׃ ;Zichri—of the Aviya clan…of the Miniamin clan 17 Piltai—of the Moadiah clan; יח ְל ִב ְל ָּגה שׁ ַ ּמ ּו ַע ִלשׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ְי ָהוֹנ ָתן׃ Shammua—of the Bilgah clan; Jehonathan—of the 18 Shemaya clan; יט ּו ְל ָיוֹיִריב ַמ ְּת ַני ִל ַיד ְעָיה ֻעִ ּזי׃ Mattenai—of the Joiarib clan; Uzzi—of the Jedaiah 19 clan; כ ְל ַס ַּלי ַק ָּלי ְל ָעמוֹק ֵע ֶבר׃ ;Kallai—of the Sallai clan; Ever—of the Amok clan 20 כא ְל ִח ְל ִקָּיה ֲחשׁ ַ ְבָיה ִל ַיד ְעָיה ְנ ַת ְנ ֵאל׃ Hashabiah—of the Chilkiyahu clan; Nethanel—of 21 the Jedaiah clan. כב ַה ְלִוִּים ִּב ֵימי ֶא ְלָישׁ ִ יב ָיוֹי ָדע ְו ָיוֹח ָנן TheLeviim and the Kohanim were listed by heads 22 ְוַי ּד ּו ַע ְּכ ּתו ִבים ָראשׁ ֵ י ָאבוֹת ְו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ,of clans in the days of Elyashiv, Joiada, Yochanan ַע ַל־מ ְל ּכות ָ ּדְרָיֶושׁ ַה ָּפְר ִסי׃ and Jaddua, down to the reign of Darius the Persian. כג ְּב ֵני ֵלִוי ָראשׁ ֵ י ָה ָאבוֹת ְּכ ּתו ִבים ַע ֵל־ס ֶפר But the Levite heads of clans are listed in the book 23 ִ ּד ְבֵרי ַהָּי ִמים ְו ַע ְד־י ֵמי ָיוֹח ָנן ֶּב ֶן־א ְלָישׁ ִ יב׃ of the chronicles to the time of Yochanan son of Elyashiv.

77 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק בי Chapter 12

כד ְוָראשׁ ֵ י ַה ְלִוִּים ֲחשׁ ַ ְבָיה שׁ ֵ ֵר ְבָיה ְוֵישׁ ּו ַע ,The heads of theLeviim : Hashabiah, Sherebiah 24 ֶּב ַן־ק ְד ִמ ֵיאל ַו ֲא ֵח ֶיהם ְל ֶנ ְג ָ ּדם ְל ַה ֵּלל Yeshua son of Kadmiel, and their brothers served ְלהוֹדוֹת ְּב ִמ ְצַות ָ ּדִויד ִאישׁ ָ־ה ֱא ִלֹהים opposite them, singing praise and thanksgiving ִמשׁ ְ ָמר ְל ֻע ַּמת ִמשׁ ְ ָמר׃ hymns by the ordinance of David the man of Hashem—served opposite them in shifts; כה ַמ ַּת ְנָיה ּו ַב ְק ֻּב ְקָיה ַעֹב ְדָיה ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם ַט ְלמוֹן ,Mattaniah, Bakbukiah,Ovadya , Meshullam 25 ַע ּק ּוב שׁ ְֹמִרים שׁ ֲוֹעִרים ִמשׁ ְ ָמר ַּב ֲא ֻס ֵּפי Talmon, and Akkub, guarding as gatekeepers by ַהשְּׁ ָעִרים׃ .shifts at the vestibules of the gates כו ֵא ֶּלה ִּב ֵימי ָיוֹי ִקים ֶּב ֵן־ישׁ ּו ַע ֶּב ָן־יוֹצ ָדק These were in the time of Joiakim son ofYeshua 26 ּו ִב ֵימי ְנ ֶח ְמָיה ַה ֶּפ ָחה ְו ֶעְזָרא ַה ּכ ֵֹהן son of Yotzadak, and in the time of Nechemya the ַה ּסוֹ ֵפר׃ .governor, and of Ezra the Kohen, the scribe כז ּו ַב ֲח ֻנ ַּכת ַחוֹמת ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ִּב ְקשׁ ּו ֶאת־ ,At the dedication of the wall of Yerushalayim 27 ַה ְלִוִּים ִמ ָּכ ְל־מ ָקוֹמֹתם ַל ֲה ִב ָיאם the Leviim, wherever they lived, were sought out ִל ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם ַל ֲעשֹׂת ֲח ֻנ ָּכה ְו ִשׂ ְמ ָחה and brought to Yerushalayim to celebrate a joyful ּו ְבתוֹדוֹת ּו ְבשׁ ִ יר ְמ ִצ ְל ַּתִים ְנ ָב ִלים ,dedication with thanksgiving and with song ּו ְב ִכנֹּרוֹת׃ .accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres כח ַוֵּי ָא ְס ּפו ְּב ֵני ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ּו ִמ ַן־ה ִּכ ָּכר The companies of singers assembled from the 28 ְס ִביבוֹת ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ּו ִמ ַן־ח ְצֵרי ְנ ָטֹפ ִתי׃ Yarden] plain, the environs of Yerushalayim, and] from the Netophathite villages; כט ּו ִמ ֵּבית ַה ִּג ְל ָּגל ּו ִמ ְּשׂדוֹת ֶּג ַבע ְו ַעְז ָמֶות from Beth-hagilgal, from the countryside of Geba 29 ִּכי ֲח ֵצִרים ָּב ּנו ָל ֶהם ַה ְמשׁ ֲֹרִרים ְס ִביבוֹת and Azmaveth, for the singers built themselves ְי ּרושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ .villages in the environs of Yerushalayim ל ַוִּי ַּט ֲה ּרו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ַוְי ַט ֲה ּרו ֶאת־ TheKohanim and Leviim purified themselves; then 30

Ezra/Nehemiah ָה ָעם ְו ֶא ַת־השְּׁ ָעִרים ְו ֶא ַת־ה ָחוֹמה׃ they purified the people, and the gates, and the wall. לא ָו ַא ֲע ֶלה ֶא ָת־שׂ ֵרי ְי ּהו ָדה ֵמ ַעל ַל ָחוֹמה I had the officers ofYehuda go up onto the wall, and 31 ָו ַא ֲע ִמ ָידה שׁ ְ ֵּתי תוֹדֹת ְּגדוֹלֹת ְו ַת ֲה ֻלכֹת I appointed two large thanksgiving [choirs] and ַלָּי ִמין ֵמ ַעל ַל ָחוֹמה ְלשׁ ַ ַער ָה ַאשׁ ְ ּפֹת׃ processions. [One marched] south on the wall, to the Dung Gate; לב ַוֵּי ֶל ְך ַא ֲחֵר ֶיהם הוֹשׁ ַ ְעָיה ַו ֲח ִצי ָשׂ ֵרי behind them were Hoshaiah and half the officers of 32 ְי ּהו ָדה׃ ,Yehuda לג ַו ֲעַזְרָיה ֶעְזָרא ּו ְמשׁ ֻ ָּלם׃ ,and Azarya, Ezra, Meshullam 33 לד ְי ּהו ָדה ּו ִב ְנָי ִמן ּושׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ְוִיְר ְמָיה׃ ,Yehuda, Binyamin, Shemaya, and Yirmiyahu 34 לה ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ַּב ֲח ְצֹצרוֹת ְז ַכְרָיה ֶבן־ ;and some of the young Kohanim, with trumpets 35 ָיוֹנ ָתן ֶּבן־שׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ֶּב ַן־מ ַּת ְנָיה ֶּב ִן־מ ָיכָיה Zecharya son of Yonatan son of Shemaya son of ֶּב ַן־ז ּכ ּור ֶּב ָן־א ָסף׃ Mattaniah son ofMichaihu son of Zaccur son of Asaf, לו ְו ֶא ָחיו שׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ַו ֲעַזְר ֵאל ִמ ֲל ַלי ִּג ֲל ַלי ָמ ַעי ,and his brothers Shemaya, and Azarel, Milalai 36 ְנ ַת ְנ ֵאל ִו ּיהו ָדה ֲח ָנ ִני ִּב ְכ ֵלי־שׁ ִ יר ָ ּדִויד ,Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Yehuda, and Chanani ִאישׁ ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ְו ֶעְזָרא ַה ּס ֵוֹפר ִל ְפ ֵנ ֶיהם׃ with the musical instruments of David, the man of Hashem; and Ezra the scribe went ahead of them.

78 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק בי Chapter 12

לז ְו ַעל שׁ ַ ַער ָה ַעִין ְו ֶנ ְג ָ ּדם ָע ּלו ַע ַל־מ ֲעלוֹת From there to the Fountain Gate, where they 37 ִעיר ָ ּדִויד ַּב ַּמ ֲע ֶלה ַל ָחוֹמה ֵמ ַעל ְל ֵבית ascended the steps of the City of David directly before ָ ּדִויד ְו ַעד שׁ ַ ַער ַה ַּמִים ִמְזָרח׃ them, by the ascent on the wall, above the house of David, [and onward] to the Water Gate on the east. לח ְו ַה ּת ָוֹדה ַהשֵּׁ ִנית ַה ֶהוֹל ֶכת ְלמוֹאל ַו ֲא ִני The other thanksgiving [choir] marched on the 38 ַא ֲחֶר ָיה ַו ֲח ִצי ָה ָעם ֵמ ַעל ְל ַה ָחוֹמה ֵמ ַעל wall in the opposite direction, with me and half ְל ִמ ְג ַ ּדל ַה ַּת ּנּוִרים ְו ַעד ַה ָחוֹמה ָהְר ָח ָבה׃ the people behind it, above the Tower of Ovens to the Broad Wall; v’-ha-to-DAH ha-shay-NEET ha-ho-LE-khet l’-MOL va-a-NEE a-kha-RE-ha va- kha-TZEE ha-AM may-AL l’-ha-kho-MAH may-AL l’-mig-DAL ha-ta-nu-REEM v’-AD ha-kho-MAH ha-r’-kha-VAH לט ּו ֵמ ַעל ְלשׁ ַ ַע ֶר־א ְפַרִים ְו ַעל־שׁ ַ ַער ַהְישׁ ָ ָנה ,and above the Gate of Efraim, the Jeshanah Gate 39 ְו ַעל־שׁ ַ ַער ַה ָ ּד ִגים ּו ִמ ְג ַ ּדל ֲח ַנ ְנ ֵאל ּו ִמ ְג ַ ּדל the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, the Tower of ַה ֵּמ ָאה ְו ַעד שׁ ַ ַער ַה ּצֹאן ְו ָע ְמ ּדו ְּבשׁ ַ ַער the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they halted at ַה ַּמ ָּטָרה׃ .the Gate of the Prison Compound מ ַו ַּת ֲע ְמֹד ָנה שׁ ְ ֵּתי ַה ּתוֹדֹת ְּב ֵבית ָה ֱא ִלֹהים Both thanksgiving choirs halted at the House of 40 ַו ֲא ִני ַו ֲח ִצי ַה ְּס ָג ִנים ִע ִּמי׃ ,Hashem, and I and half the prefects with me מא ְו ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ֶא ְלָי ִקים ַמ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה ִמ ְנָי ִמין ,and the Kohanim Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin 41 ִמ ָיכָיה ֶא ְל ֵיוֹע ַיני ְז ַכְרָיה ֲח ַנ ְנָיה Michaihu, Elioenai, Zecharya, Chananya, with ַּב ֲח ְצֹצרוֹת׃ ,trumpets מב ּו ַמ ֲע ֵשׂ ָיה ּושׁ ְ ַמ ְעָיה ְו ֶא ְל ָעָזר ְו ֻעִ ּזי ,and Maaseiah and Shemaya, Elazar, Uzzi 42 ִו ָיהוֹח ָנן ּו ַמ ְל ִּכָּיה ְו ֵע ָילם ָו ָעֶזר ַוַּישׁ ְ ִמ ּיעו Yehochanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. Then the ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְוִיְזַר ְחָיה ַה ָּפ ִקיד׃ .singers sounded forth, with Jezrahiah in charge מג 43 ַוִּיְז ְּב ּחו ַב ּי ַוֹם־ה ּהוא ְז ָב ִחים ְּג ִדוֹלים Ezra/Nehemiah On that day, they offered great sacrifices and ַוִּי ְשׂ ָמ ּחו ִּכי ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ִשׂ ְּמ ָחם ִשׂ ְמ ָחה ;rejoiced, for Hashem made them rejoice greatly ְג ָדוֹלה ְו ַגם ַה ָנּשׁ ִ ים ְו ַהְי ָל ִדים ָשׂ ֵמ ּחו the women and children also rejoiced, and the ַו ִּתשָּׁ ַמע ִשׂ ְמ ַחת ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם ֵמָרחוֹק׃ .rejoicing in Yerushalayim could be heard from afar מד ַוִּי ָּפ ְק ּדו ַב ּיוֹם ַה ּהוא ֲא ָנשׁ ִ ים ַעל־ At that time men were appointed over the 44 ַה ְנּשׁ ָ כוֹת ָל ָאוֹצרוֹת ַל ְּת ּרומוֹת ָלֵראשׁ ִ ית chambers that served as treasuries for the gifts, the ְו ַל ַּמ ַע ְשׂרוֹת ִל ְכנוֹס ָּב ֶהם ִל ְשׂ ֵדי ֶה ָעִרים first fruits, and the tithes, into which the portions ְמ ָנאוֹת ַה ּת ָוֹרה ַל ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַל ְלִוִּים ִּכי prescribed by the Teaching for the Kohanim and ִשׂ ְמ ַחת ְי ּהו ָדה ַע ַל־ה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַע ַל־ה ְלִוִּים ;Leviim were gathered from the fields of the towns ָה ְעֹמ ִדים׃ for the people of Yehuda were grateful to the Kohanim and Leviim who were in attendance,

12:38 The broad wall In recording the proces- the seven-meter-wide “broad wall,” mentioned in this sion of the wall’s dedication ceremony, Nehe- verse as well as earlier in Sefer Nehemiah (3:8). It is miah mentions the “broad wall.” During the 1948 War thought to have been built during the reign of King of Independence, the entire Jewish quarter of Jerusa- Chizkiyahu in the late eighth century BCE, as a defen- lem’s Old City was utterly destroyed. After the 1967 sive structure against the expected invasion by King liberation, the quarter’s returning residents wished to Sennacherib of Assyria. Today, modern apartments The broad wall rebuild their homes, and in the process, many archeo- surround the ancient wall, enabling a harmonious in Jerusalem logical excavations were carried out. One of the many existence between Jerusalem’s rich past and blessed incredible finds was Dr. Nahman Avigad’s discovery of present.

79 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק גי Chapter 13

מה ַוִּישׁ ְ ְמ ּרו ִמשׁ ְ ֶמֶרת ֱא ֵלֹה ֶיהם ּו ִמשׁ ְ ֶמֶרת who kept the charge of their God and the charge 45 ַה ָּט ֳהָרה ְו ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְו ַהשּׁ ֲֹעִרים ְּכ ִמ ְצַות of purity, as well as to the singers and gatekeepers ָ ּדִויד שׁ ְ לֹמֹה ְבנוֹ׃ serving] in accord with the ordinance of David] and Shlomo his son— מו ִּכ ִי־ב ֵימי ָדִויד ְו ָא ָסף ִמ ֶּק ֶדם ראש for the chiefs of the singers and songs of praise and 46 ָ]ראשׁ ֵ י[ ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְושׁ ִ ְּיר־ת ִה ָּלה ְוהֹדוֹת thanksgiving to Hashem already existed in the time ֵל ִאלֹהים׃ .of David and Asaf מז ְו ָכ ִל־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ִּב ֵימי ְזֻר ָּב ֶבל ּו ִב ֵימי ְנ ֶח ְמָיה And in the time of Zerubavel, and in the time 47 ְנֹת ִנים ְמ ָניוֹת ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְו ַהשּׁ ֲֹעִרים of Nechemya, all Yisrael contributed the daily ְ ּד ַבר־יוֹם ְּביוֹמוֹ ּו ַמ ְק ִ ּדשׁ ִ ים ַל ְלִוִּים portions of the singers and the gatekeepers, and ְו ַה ְלִוִּים ַמ ְק ִ ּדשׁ ִ ים ִל ְב ֵני ַא ֲהרֹן׃ made sacred contributions for the Leviim, and the Leviim made sacred contributions for the Aaronites. א ַּב ּיוֹם ַה ּהוא ִנ ְקָרא ְּב ֵס ֶפר מֹשׁ ֶ ה ְּב ָאְז ֵני At that time they read to the people from the 1 13 יג ָה ָעם ְו ִנ ְמ ָצא ָּכ ּתוב ּבוֹ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָלֹא־יבוֹא Book of Moshe, and it was found written that ַע ּמ ִֹני ּו ָמֹא ִבי ִּב ְק ַהל ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ַע ָד־עוֹלם׃ no Ammonite or Moabite might ever enter the congregation of Hashem, ב ִּכי לֹא ִק ְ ּד ּמו ֶא ְּת־ב ֵני ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַּב ֶּל ֶחם since they did not meet Yisrael with bread and 2 ּו ַב ָּמִים ַוִּי ְשׂ ּכֹר ָע ָליו ֶא ִּת־ב ְל ָעם ְל ַק ְללוֹ water, and hired Balaam against them to curse ַוַּי ֲה ְפֹך ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו ַה ְּק ָל ָלה ִל ְבָר ָכה׃ .them; but our God turned the curse into a blessing ג ַוְי ִהי ְּכשׁ ָ ְמ ָעם ֶא ַת־ה ּת ָוֹרה ַוַּי ְב ִ ּד ּילו ָכל־ When they heard the Teaching, they separated all 3 ֵעֶרב ִמִּי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל׃ .the alien admixture from Yisrael ד ְו ִל ְפ ֵני ִמֶ ּזה ֶא ְלָישׁ ִ יב ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ָנ ּתון ְּב ִלשׁ ְ ַּכת ,Earlier, the Kohen Elyashiv, a relative of Tobiah 4 ֵּב ֱית־א ֵלֹה ּינו ָקרוֹב ְל ִטוֹבָּיה׃ who had been appointed over the rooms in the House of our God, Ezra/Nehemiah ה ַוַּי ַעשׂ לוֹ ִלשׁ ְ ָּכה ְג ָדוֹלה ְושׁ ָ ם ָה ּיו ְל ָפ ִנים had assigned to him a large room where they used 5 ְנֹת ִנים ֶא ַת־ה ִּמ ְנ ָחה ַה ְּל ָבוֹנה ְו ַה ֵּכ ִלים to store the meal offering, the frankincense, the ּו ַמ ְע ַשׂר ַה ָ ּד ָגן ַה ִּתירוֹשׁ ְו ַהִּי ְצ ָהר ִמ ְצַות equipment, the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, the ַה ְלִוִּים ְו ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים ְו ַהשּׁ ֲֹעִרים ּו ְת ּרו ַמת dues of the Leviim, singers and gatekeepers, and the ַה ּכ ֲֹה ִנים׃ . gifts for theKohanim ו ּו ְב ָכ ֶל־זה לֹא ָהִי ִיתי ִּב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם ִּכי ִּבשׁ ְ ַנת During all this time, I was not in Yerushalayim, for 6 שׁ ְ ל ֹ שׁ ִ י ם ּו שׁ ְ ַ ּ ת ִ י ם ְל ַ א ְ ר ַ ּ ת ְ ח שׁ ַ ְ ס ְ ּ ת א ֶמ ֶ ל ְ ך ־ in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of ָּב ֶבל ָּב ִאתי ֶא ַל־ה ֶּמ ֶל ְך ּו ְל ֵקץ ָי ִמים Babylon, I went to the king, and only after a while ִנשׁ ְ ַא ְל ִּתי ִמ ַן־ה ֶּמ ֶל ְך׃ .[did I ask leave of the king [to return ז ָו ָאבוֹא ִל ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם ָו ָא ִב ָינה ָבָר ָעה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר When I arrived in Yerushalayim, I learned of the 7 ָע ָשׂה ֶא ְלָישׁ ִ יב ְל ִטוֹבָּיה ַל ֲעשׂוֹת לוֹ outrage perpetrated by Elyashiv on behalf of Tobiah ִנשׁ ְ ָּכה ְּב ַח ְצֵרי ֵּבית ָה ֱא ִלֹהים׃ in assigning him a room in the courts of the House of Hashem. ח ַוֵּיַרע ִלי ְמאֹד ָו ַאשׁ ְ ִל ָיכה ֶא ָּת־כ ְּל־כ ֵלי I was greatly displeased, and had all the household 8 ֵב ִית־טוֹבָּיה ַה ּחוץ ִמ ַן־ה ִּלשׁ ְ ָּכה׃ ;gear of Tobiah thrown out of the room

80 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק גי Chapter 13

ט ָו ְאֹמָרה ַוְי ַט ֲה ּרו ַה ְּלשׁ ָ כוֹת ָו ָאשׁ ִ ָיבה I gave orders to purify the rooms, and had the 9 שָּׁ ם ְּכ ֵלי ֵּבית ָה ֱא ִלֹהים ֶא ַת־ה ִּמ ְנ ָחה equipment of the House of Hashem and the meal ְו ַה ְּל ָבוֹנה׃ .offering and the frankincense put back י ָו ֵא ְד ָעה ִּכ ְי־מ ָניוֹת ַה ְלִוִּים לֹא ִנ ָּת ָנה I then discovered that the portions of the Leviim 10 ַוִּי ְבְר ּחו ִאישׁ ְ־ל ָשׂ ֵד ּהו ַה ְלִוִּים ְו ַה ְמשׁ ְֹרִרים had not been contributed, and that the Leviim and ֵעֹשׂי ַה ְּמ ָל ָאכה׃ the singers who performed the [temple] service had made off, each to his fields. יא ָו ָאִר ָיבה ֶא ַת־ה ְּס ָג ִנים ָו ְאֹמָרה ַמ ּד ּו ַע I censured the prefects, saying, “How is it that the 11 ֶנ ֱעַזב ֵּב ָית־ה ֱא ִלֹהים ָו ֶא ְק ְּב ֵצם ָו ַא ֲע ִמ ֵדם House of Hashem has been neglected?” Then I ַע ָל־ע ְמ ָדם׃ recalled [the Leviim] and installed them again in their posts; יב ְו ָכ ְל־י ּהו ָדה ֵה ִב ּיאו ַמ ְע ַשׂר ַה ָ ּד ָגן ,and all Yehuda brought the tithes of grain, wine 12 ְו ַה ִּתירוֹשׁ ְו ַהִּי ְצ ָהר ָל ָאוֹצרוֹת׃ .and oil into the treasuries יג ָו ְאוֹצָרה ַע ָל־אוֹצרוֹת שׁ ֶ ֶל ְמָיה ַה ּכ ֵֹהן I put the treasuries in the charge of the Kohen 13 ְו ָצדוֹק ַה ּס ֵוֹפר ּו ְפ ָדָיה ִמ ַן־ה ְלִוִּים ְו ַעל־ Shelemiah, the scribe Tzadok, and Pedaiah of ָי ָדם ָח ָנן ֶּב ַן־ז ּכ ּור ֶּב ַן־מ ַּת ְנָיה ִּכי ֶנ ֱא ָמ ִנים the Leviim; and assisting them was Hanan son of ֶנ ְחשׁ ָ ּבו ַו ֲע ֵל ֶיהם ַל ֲחלֹק ַל ֲא ֵח ֶיהם׃ Zaccur son of Mattaniah—for they were regarded as trustworthy persons, and it was their duty to distribute the portions to their brothers. יד ָז ְכָר ִּה־לי ֱא ַלֹהי ַעל־זֹאת ְו ַא ֶּל־ת ַמח O my God, remember me favorably for this, and 14 ֲח ָס ַדי ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָע ִשׂ ִיתי ְּב ֵבית ֱא ַלֹהי do not blot out the devotion I showed toward the ּו ְב ִמשׁ ְ ָמָריו׃ .House of my God and its attendants טו ַּבָּי ִמים ָה ֵה ָּמה ָר ִא ִיתי ִב ּיהו ָדה ּדְֹר ִכים־ At that time I saw men in Yehuda treading 15 ִּג ּתוֹת ַּבשַּׁ ָּבת ּו ְמ ִב ִיאים ָה ֲעֵרמוֹת Ezra/Nehemiah winepresses on the Shabbat, and others bringing ְו ְעֹמ ִסים ַע ַל־ה ֲח ִמֹרים ְו ַא ַף־יִין ֲע ָנ ִבים heaps of grain and loading them onto asses, also ּו ְת ֵא ִנים ְו ָכ ַל־מ ָּשׂא ּו ְמ ִב ִיאים ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם wine, grapes, figs, and all sorts of goods, and ְּביוֹם ַהשַּׁ ָּבת ָו ָא ִעיד ְּביוֹם ִמ ְכָרם ָצִיד׃ .bringing them into Yerushalayim on the Shabbat I admonished them there and then for selling provisions. טז ְו ַה ּצִֹרים ָישׁ ְ ּבו ָב ּה ְמ ִב ִיאים ָ ּדאג ְו ָכל־ Tyrians who lived there brought fish and all sorts 16 ֶמ ֶכר ּו ְמֹכִרים ַּבשַּׁ ָּבת ִל ְב ֵני ְי ּהו ָדה of wares and sold them on the Shabbat to the ּו ִב ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם׃ .Judahites in Yerushalayim יז ָו ָאִר ָיבה ֵאת ֵחֹרי ְי ּהו ָדה ָו ְאֹמָרה ָל ֶהם ,I censured the nobles of Yehuda, saying to them 17 ָמ ַה־ה ָ ּד ָבר ָהָרע ַהֶ ּזה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ַא ֶּתם ִעֹשׂים ,What evil thing is this that you are doing“ ּו ְמ ַח ְּל ִלים ֶאת־יוֹם ַהשַּׁ ָּבת׃ !profaning the Shabbat day יח ֲהלוֹא כֹה ָע ּשׂו ֲא ֵבֹת ֶיכם ַוָּי ֵבא ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו This is just what your ancestors did, and for it 18 ָע ֵל ּינו ֵאת ָּכ ָל־הָר ָעה ַה ּזֹאת ְו ַעל ָה ִעיר ;Hashem brought all this misfortune on this city ַה ּזֹאת ְו ַא ֶּתם ִמוֹס ִיפים ָחרוֹן ַעל־ and now you give cause for further wrath against ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ְל ַח ֵּלל ֶא ַת־השַּׁ ָּבת׃ ”!Yisrael by profaning the Shabbat

81 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק גי Chapter 13

יט ַוְי ִהי ַּכ ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ָצ ֲל ּלו שׁ ַ ֲעֵרי ְי ּרושׁ ָ ַל ִם When shadows filled the gateways ofYerushalayim 19 ִל ְפ ֵני ַהשַּׁ ָּבת ָו ְאֹמָרה ַוִּי ָּס ְג ּרו ַה ְ ּד ָלתוֹת at the approach of the Shabbat, I gave orders that ָו ְאֹמָרה ֲאשׁ ֶ ר לֹא ִי ְפ ָּת ּחום ַעד ַא ַחר the doors be closed, and ordered them not to be ַהשַּׁ ָּבת ּו ִמ ְנּ ָעַרי ֶה ֱע ַמ ְד ִּתי ַע ַל־השְּׁ ָעִרים opened until after theShabbat . I stationed some of ָלֹא־יבוֹא ַמ ָּשׂא ְּביוֹם ַהשַּׁ ָּבת׃ my servants at the gates, so that no goods should enter on the Shabbat. vai-HEE ka-a-SHER tza-l’-LU sha-a-RAY y’-ru-sha-LA-im lif-NAY ha-sha-BAT va- o-m’-RAH va-yi-sa-g’-RU ha-d’-la-TOT va-o-m’-RAH a-SHER LO yif-ta-KHUM AD a-KHAR ha-sha-BAT u-mi-n’-a-RAI he-e-MAD-tee al ha-sh’-a-REEM lo ya-VO ma-SA b’-YOM ha-sha-BAT כ ַוָּי ִל ּינו ָה ְרֹכ ִלים ּו ְמֹכֵרי ָכ ִל־מ ְמ ָּכר ִמ ּחוץ Once or twice the merchants and the vendors of all 20 ִל ּירושׁ ָ ָל ִם ַּפ ַעם ּושׁ ְ ָּתִים׃ ,sorts of wares spent the night outside Yerushalayim כא ָו ָא ִע ָידה ָב ֶהם ָו ְאֹמָרה ֲא ֵל ֶיהם ַמ ּד ּו ַע but I warned them, saying, “What do you mean by 21 ַא ֶּתם ֵל ִנים ֶנ ֶגד ַה ָחוֹמה ִא ִּם־תשׁ ְ ּנו ָיד spending the night alongside the wall? If you do ֶאשׁ ְ ַלח ָּב ֶכם ִמ ָן־ה ֵעת ַה ִהיא ָלֹא־ב ּאו so again, I will lay hands upon you!” From then on ַ ּ ב שׁ ּ ַ ָ ּ ב ת ׃ .they did not come on the Shabbat כב ָו ְאֹמָרה ַל ְלִוִּים ֲאשׁ ֶ ר ִי ְה ּיו ִמ ַּט ֲהִרים I gave orders to the Leviim to purify themselves and 22 ּו ָב ִאים שׁ ְֹמִרים ַהשְּׁ ָעִרים ְל ַק ֵ ּדשׁ ֶאת־ come and guard the gates, to preserve the sanctity יוֹם ַהשַּׁ ָּבת ַּגם־זֹאת ָז ְכָר ִּה־לי ֱא ַלֹהי of the Shabbat. This too, O my God, remember ְו ּחו ָסה ָע ַלי ְּכרֹב ַח ְס ֶ ּד ָך׃ to my credit, and spare me in accord with your abundant faithfulness. כג ַּגם ַּבָּי ִמים ָה ֵהם ָר ִא ִיתי ֶא ַת־הְּי ּהו ִדים Also at that time, I saw that Yehudim had married 23 הֹשׁ ִ ּיבו ָנשׁ ִ ים אשדודיות ַ]אשׁ ְ ֳ ּד ִד ּיוֹת[ ;Ashdodite, Ammonite, and Moabite women עמוניות ַ]ע ֳּמ ִנ ּיוֹת[ ֲמוֹא ִב ּיוֹת׃ Ezra/Nehemiah

13:19 I gave orders that the doors be closed 1990s. Like Nechemya’s gates, until 1887 the current Jerusalem’s Old City constituted the entire city Old City gates were closed each day before sunset and of Yerushalyim until the 1860’s. There had always been opened again at sunrise. Today, however, seven of the a protective wall surrounding it, with gates allowing gates remain open all the time and have no doors. Only passage in and out. In Nechemya’s time, the wall was the Gate of Mercy on the eastern side of the Temple reconstructed and the gates, with their strong doors, Mount wall remains sealed and, according to tradition, were closed to bar passage from evildoers. When the will be reopened in the days of the Mashiach. Crusaders ruled over Yerushalayim, the walls According to Yechezkel, in the future there will be surrounding the city had only four gates, but when twelve gates leading to the city of Yerushalyim, one for Gate of Mercy Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Turkish each of the twelve tribes of Israel (Ezekiel 48:31-34). Empire renovated the walls of Yerushalayim from 1538- No matter how many gates there are, “Hashem loves 42, he ensured that there were six functional gates. In the gates of Tzion, more than all the dwellings of 1887, the New Gate was added and the Tanners’ Gate Yaakov” (Psalms 87:2), for they lead to his most precious was discovered, and opened during excavations in the city, Yerushalayim.

82 נחמיה Nechemya/Nehemiah פרק גי Chapter 13

כד ּו ְב ֵנ ֶיהם ֲח ִצי ְמ ַד ֵּבר ַאשׁ ְ ּד ִוֹדית ְו ֵא ָינם a good number of their children spoke the 24 ַמ ִּכ ִירים ְל ַד ֵּבר ְי ּהו ִדית ְו ִכ ְלשׁ וֹן ַעם language of Ashdod and the language of those ָו ָעם׃ various peoples, and did not know how to speak Judean. uv-nay-HEM kha-TZEE m’-da-BAYR ash-do-DEET v’-ay-NAM ma-kee-REEM l’-da-BAYR y’-hu-DEET v’-khil-SHON am va-AM כה ָו ָאִריב ִע ָּמם ָו ֲא ַק ְל ֵלם ָו ַא ֶּכה ֵמ ֶהם I censured them, cursed them, flogged them, tore 25 ֲא ָנשׁ ִ ים ָו ֶא ְמְר ֵטם ָו ַאשׁ ְ ִּב ֵיעם ֵּב ִאלֹהים ,out their hair, and adjured them by Hashem, saying ִא ִּם־ת ְּת ּנו ְב ֵנֹת ֶיכם ִל ְב ֵנ ֶיהם ְו ִא ִּם־ת ְשׂ ּאו You shall not give your daughters in marriage to“ ִמ ְּב ֵנֹת ֶיהם ִל ְב ֵנ ֶיכם ְו ָל ֶכם׃ their sons, or take any of their daughters for your sons or yourselves. כו ֲהלוֹא ַע ֵל־א ֶּלה ָח ָטא־שׁ ְ לֹמֹה ֶמ ֶל ְך It was just in such things that King Shlomo of Yisrael 26 ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ּו ַב ּג ִוֹים ָהַר ִּבים ָלֹא־הָיה ֶמ ֶל ְך sinned! Among the many nations there was not ָּכ ּמֹהו ְו ָא ּהוב ֵל ָאלֹהיו ָהָיה ַוִּי ְּת ֵנ ּהו a king like him, and so well loved was he by his ֱא ִלֹהים ֶמ ֶל ְך ַע ָּל־כ ִל־י ְשׂ ָר ֵאל ַּגם־אוֹתוֹ God that Hashem made him king of all Yisrael, yet ֶה ֱח ִט ּיאו ַה ָנּשׁ ִ ים ַה ָנּ ְכִר ּיוֹת׃ .foreign wives caused even him to sin כז ְו ָל ֶכם ֲה ִנשׁ ְ ַמע ַל ֲעשֹׂת ֵאת ָּכ ָל־הָר ָעה How, then, can we acquiesce in your doing this 27 ַה ְּג ָדוֹלה ַה ּזֹאת ִל ְמעֹל ֵּב ֵאלֹה ּינו ְלהֹשׁ ִ יב great wrong, breaking faith with our God by ָנשׁ ִ ים ָנ ְכִר ּיוֹת׃ ”?marrying foreign women כח ּו ִמ ְּב ֵני ָיוֹי ָדע ֶּב ֶן־א ְלָישׁ ִ יב ַה ּכ ֵֹהן ַה ָּגדוֹל One of the sons of Joiada son of the Kohen Gadol 28 ָח ָתן ְל ַס ְנ ַב ַּלט ַה ִחֹרֹני ָו ַא ְבִר ֵיח ּהו ֵמ ָע ָלי׃ ;Elyashiv was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite I drove him away from me. כט ָז ְכָרה ָל ֶהם ֱא ָלֹהי ַעל ָּג ֳא ֵלי ַה ְּכ ֻה ָנּה Remember to their discredit, O my God, how 29 ּו ְבִרית ַה ְּכ ֻה ָנּה ְו ַה ְלִוִּים׃ they polluted the priesthood, the covenant of the Ezra/Nehemiah Kohanim and Leviim. ל ְו ִט ַהְר ִּתים ִמ ָּכ ֵל־נ ָכר ָו ַא ֲע ִמ ָידה I purged them of every foreign element, and 30 ִמשׁ ְ ָמרוֹת ַל ּכ ֲֹה ִנים ְו ַל ְלִוִּים ִאישׁ arranged for the Kohanim and the Leviim to work ִ ּב ְמ ַל ְאכ ּתוֹ ׃ ,each at his task by shifts לא ּו ְל ֻקְר ַּבן ָה ֵע ִצים ְּב ִע ִּתים ְמֻז ָּמנוֹת and for the wood offering [to be brought] at fixed 31 ְו ַל ִּב ּכ ּוִרים ָז ְכָר ִּה־לי ֱא ַלֹהי ְל ָטוֹבה׃ times and for the first fruits. O my God, remember it to my credit!

13:24 did not know how to speak Judean own land and political life it is also necessary that we Nechemya bemoans the fact that in seventy have a language to hold us together.” Many scoffed at years of exile the Jews of his generation forgot how to Ben-Yehuda’s vision, but today Hebrew has been speak Hebrew. The situation was even worse in the revived from the dustbin of history and is the official Eliezer modern era after 2,500 years of exile, when Hebrew language of the State of Israel. Millions of Israeli Jews Ben-Yehuda was nearly extinct, reserved exclusively as the Jewish today converse in Hebrew, conduct their daily affairs (1858-1922) holy language for prayer and study. This all changed in Hebrew, and can read the Tanakh in their original with the advent of the Zionist revival, thanks in large mother tongue as well. In the words of his biographer, part to the efforts of one man, Eliezer Ben-Yehuda “Before Ben-Yehuda people could speak Hebrew; after (1858-1922), who decided that “in order to have our him, they did.”

Biographies of The Israel BibleScholars

Ahuva Balofsky — Ahuva grew up in Toronto, Canada and obtained her B.A. Hons. and B.Ed. at York University. She taught Bible, Rabbinics and English at the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto. After moving to Israel in 2004 with her family, she completed a Master’s degree in Bible at Bar Ilan University. Rabbi Avi Baumol — Rabbi Baumol, a pulpit Rabbi and Jewish educator, is currently serving the Jewish community of Krakow, Poland. He earned a B.A. from Yeshiva University and an M.A. in Jewish History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School. Rabbi Baumol is an alumnus of Yeshivat Har Etzion and received Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshiva University. He is the author of “The Poetry of Prayer; Tehillim in Tefillah,” Gefen Publishing, Jerusalem 2009. Rabbi Yaakov Beasley — Rabbi Beasley has been lecturing passionately on Bible in different venues in Israel and abroad for almost twenty years. His essays and articles on Bible study appear regularly in leading magazines. Rabbi Beasley is also the editor of the groundbreaking series on the Pentateuch, Torah MiEtzion, and is completing advanced Bible studies at Bar Ilan University. When not teaching, he enjoys the company of his family in their home in the Judean mountains. Josh Even-Chen — Josh is a native of North Carolina, but has called Israel his home ever since immigrating to Israel with his family in 1978. Josh graduated from Bar-Ilan University and completed a teaching degree. He now works as a tour guide who is popular with diverse groups of varied ages and backgrounds. He lives in Ma’aleh Adumim with his wife Chana and their six children. Rabbi Shmuel Jablon — Rabbi Jablon is a highly experienced Jewish educator, having served as an administrator and teacher in American Jewish day schools for over two decades. He is a rabbinic graduate of the Hebrew Theological College (“Skokie Yeshiva”), holds a Masters Degree in Education and is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America. In the summer of 5774 (2014), he fulfilled a life-long dream by making aliyah to Israel with his family.

85 Batya Markowitz — Batya is a two-time National Bible Contest winner. Growing up in Toronto, her dream was to make aliyah to Israel and become a Bible teacher. Today, Batya lives with her husband in the heart of Jerusalem, fulfilling both of those goals. Since receiving a degree in Jewish Education at Michlalah Jerusalem College, she has been teaching Jewish studies at the elementary, junior high and post high school levels. Shira Schechter – Shira graduated from Stern College with a BA in Judaic studies and received masters’ degrees in education and Bible from the Azrieli and the Bernard Revel graduate schools of Yeshiva University. Shira also studied at the Yeshiva University Graduate Program for women in Advanced Talmudic Studies, and was a teaching fellow at the Rabbi Soloveitchik Institute in Boston. Prior to making aliyah in 2013, Shira taught Bible to high school students in New Jersey. Rabbi Noam Shapiro — Rabbi Shapiro studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion and has rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Rabbi Shapiro has taught Torah topics at high schools and Seminaries in the United States and Israel. Rabbi Shapiro also served as an editor for the Koren Talmud Bavli with commentary by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz. He currently lives with his family in Gush Etzion, Israel. Alexander Jacob Tsykin –Born in Melbourne, Rabbi Tsykin studied in Mount Scopus Memorial College for thirteen years before spending three years at Yeshivat Har Etzion pursuing advanced studies in Jewish law. He studied for two years in Monash University, Australia, and two years in Yeshiva University, New York, where he completed a degree in Jewish Studies focusing on Modern Jewish History. Alexander lives in Alon Shevut, Israel, with his wife and son. Rabbi Naphtali (“Tuly”) Weisz — Rabbi Weisz attended Yeshiva University (BA), the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (Rabbinic Ordination) and the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law (JD). He served as the Rabbi of the Beth Jacob Congregation in Columbus, Ohio before making Aliyah. Rabbi Weisz founded Israel365 and the Yeshiva for the Nations and serves as the publisher of Breaking Israel News. He is also the editor of The Israel Bible.

86 Bibliography

This bibliography contains a short biography of the scholars and historical figures mentioned in the commentary ofThe Israel Bible.

Aaronsohn, Sarah (1890–1917) — Born in Zichron Yaakov, Aaronsohn and her siblings co-founded Nili, a Jewish, pro-British espionage group, established to help liberate Palestine from Ottoman rule. Aaronsohn was captured and tortured by the Turks, and killed herself before revealing anything to her torturers. Abrabanel, Rabbi Yitzchak (1437–1508) — Born in Portugal, Abrabanel fled to Spain in 1483. He was a statesman, philosopher and Bible commentator. He tried to convince King Ferdinand to revoke the edict expelling the Jews from Spain in 1492 but was unsuccessful. Agnon, Shmuel Yosef (1888–1970) — Born in Buczacz, Galicia, Agnon immigrated to Israel in 1908. An Israeli writer, his works are published under .(שי) his initials S.Y. Agnon, and he is known in Hebrew by his acronym Shai One of the most admired Israeli authors of the 20th century, Agnon was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1966. Albo, Rabbi Joseph (1380–1444) — Born in Spain, Albo was a Jewish rabbi and philosopher during the 15th century. He is best known for his philosophical work, Book of the Principles, in which he discusses the fundamental beliefs of Judaism. Allon, Yigal (1918–1980) — Born in Kfar Tavor, Israel, Allon was a commander of the Palmach, a general in the IDF and an Israeli politician. He briefly served as interim Prime Minister of the State of Israel in 1969, following the death of Prime Minister Levi Eshkol. Altschuler, Rabbi David (18th century) — Commonly known by the name of his commentary, Metzudat David, he lived in Galicia where he died a martyr’s death. The Metzudat David commentary is considered basic for understanding the books of the prophets. Aviner, Rabbi Shlomo (b. 1943) – Born in France, Aviner immigrated to Israel at age 23. He served in the Israeli Defense Forces and studied under

87 Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook. He is the Rabbi of Beit El and head of the Ateret Yerushalayim seminary in the Old City of Jerusalem. He is the author of many books, including a commentary on the Book of Judges. Barak, Ehud (b. 1942) — Born in Kibbutz Mishmar Hasharon, Barak is an Israeli politician who served as Israel’s tenth Prime Minister from 1999–2001. He served in the IDF for 35 years and, along with two others, is the most decorated soldier in Israel’s history. Barbivai, Orna (b. 1962) — Born in Afula, Barbivai is a Major-General in the IDF and former head of its manpower directorate. She is the first woman to have been promoted to the rank of Major-General in the Israel Defense Forces. Bar-Ilan, Rabbi Meir (1880–1949) — Born in Russia, Bar-Ilan moved to the United States in 1915 where he became an important leader of the Mizrachi Religious Zionist Movement. He moved to Israel in 1926 where he continued to lead Mizrachi and the struggle for a Jewish state. Bar Ilan University is named in his memory. Barkat, Nir (b. 1959) — Born in Jerusalem, Barkat is an Israeli businessman and politician who has served as the mayor of Jerusalem since 2008. Bazak, Rabbi Amnon (b. 1966) – Born in Jerusalem, Bazak is a teacher of Talmud at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shevut. He is an expert in the Bible, and teaches Bible classes at the Herzog teacher’s college. He has published a number of books on the Bible. Begin, Menachem (1913–1992) — Born in Belarus, Begin became an Israeli politician, founder of the Israeli political party Likud and 6th Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Before the establishment of the State, he headed the Zionist paramilitary organization called the Irgun. As Prime Minister, Begin signed a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979, for which he and Anwar Sadat were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Ben-Gurion, David (1886–1973) — Born in Poland, Ben-Gurion immigrated to Israel in 1906. He is considered Israel’s “founding father,” as he formally declared the establishment of the State on May 14, 1948, and was the first to sign the Israeli Declaration of Independence which he helped write. Ben-Gurion served as the first Prime Minister of Israel. Ben-Zvi, Yitzchak (1884–1963) — Born in the Ukraine, Ben-Zvi immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1907. He was a historian and a leader of

88 the Labor Zionist movement. He served as the second president of the State of Israel from 1952 until his death in 1963. Berlin, Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda (1816–1893) — Born in Belarus, Berlin is commonly known by his acronym Netziv. He was a Torah scholar and served as dean of the esteemed talmudical college of Volozhin from 1854 until it closed in 1892. Berlin authored a number of works on rabbinic literature as well as a commentary on the Bible. Bialik, Chaim Nachman (1873–1934) — Born in the Ukraine, Bialik moved to Tel Aviv in 1924. He was one of the pioneers of Hebrew poetry and his works contributed to the revival of the Hebrew language. He became known as Israel’s national poet. Blech, Rabbi Benjamin (b. 1933) — Born in Zurich, Blech is a professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University in New York. He served as Rabbi of the Young Israel of Oceanside and has authored numerous books including The Secrets of Hebrew Words. Braverman, Sarah (1919–2013) — Born in Romania, Braverman immigrated to Israel at a young age. She was a member of the Palmach, parachuted into Europe with the Jewish heroine Chana Senesh, and established the IDF Women’s Corps. She is affectionately known as the “first lady of the IDF.” Carlebach, Rabbi Shlomo (1925–1994) — Born in Berlin, Carlebach moved to New York in 1939. He was a rabbi, religious teacher, composer and singer. He is known as one of the foremost Jewish religious songwriters of the century as well as a pioneer of the “baal teshuva movement,” working to draw unaffiliated Jews back to Judaism. Clorfene, Rabbi Chaim (b. 1939) — Born in Chicago, Illinois, Clorfene resides in Safed, Israel. He is a recognized authority on the Third Temple and the Messianic era, has authored numerous books, and produced multiple audio dramas and video presentations on the Third Temple and other Jewish topics. Dayan, Moshe (1915–1981) — Born on Kibbutz Degania Alef, Dayan was the second child born on the first Israeli kibbutz. He was an Israeli military leader and politician, known for his role as Israeli Defense Minister during the 1967 Six-Day War as well as for his signature eye patch. Eban, Abba (1915–2002) — Born in South Africa, Eban immigrated to Israel in 1940. He was a scholar of both Arabic and Hebrew as well as an

89 Israeli diplomat and politician. Some of his different positions included Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Education Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Ambassador to the United States and to the United Nations. Eshkol, Levi (1895–1969) — Born in the Ukraine, Eshkol immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1914. He served as Israel’s fourth Prime Minister from 1963 until his death in 1969. Ginsberg, Asher (1856–1927) — Born in Russia, Ginsberg moved to Israel in 1922. He was a Hebrew essayist and is considered the founder of cultural Zionism. He is primarily known by his Hebrew pen name Achad Ha’am. Glazerson, Rabbi Matityahu (b. 1937) — Born in K’far Saba, Glazerson is a rabbi, teacher, musician and composer. In his teaching, he focuses on the meaning behind the Hebrew letters and their numerical value. He has authored over 30 books. Hakham, Rabbi Amos (1921–2012) — Born in Jerusalem, Hakham was a master of the Hebrew Bible and a scholar. He was the winner of the first International Bible Contest held in Israel in 1958. Hakham authored the commentary on a number of books for the Da’at Mikra Bible series, including the commentary on the Book of Psalms. Halevi, Rabbi Judah (c. 1080 — c. 1145) – Born in Spain, Halevi was a physician, poet and philosopher. He wrote The Kuzari in defense of the teachings of Judaism. His is known to have had an intense yearning for the Holy land, and is famous for writing “My heart is in the east, and I in the uttermost west.” He died shortly after arriving in Israel. Hertz, Rabbi Joseph Herman (1872–1946) — Born in Hungary, Hertz was a rabbi and Bible scholar, and edited a notable commentary on the Pentateuch. He was the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom from 1913– 1946. Hirsch, Rabbi Samson Raphael (1808–1888) — Born in France, Hirsch was a rabbi in Frankfurt-Main and the leader of modern German-Jewish Orthodoxy. He wrote a six-volume commentary on the Pentateuch. Horowitz, Rabbi Yeshaya (1565–1630) — Born in Prague, Horowitz immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1621. He was a prominent rabbi and kabbalist and is also known as the Shelah ha-Kadosh (the holy Shelah). Ibn Ezra, Rabbi Abraham (1089–1164) — Born in Tuleda, Navarre, Ibn Ezra was a philosopher, poet, mathematician, astronomer, linguist and

90 biblical exegete. His commentary is included in most common editions of the Hebrew Bible that contain rabbinic commentary. Ickovitz, Rabbi Chaim (1749–1821) – Born in Volozhin, Ickovitz is commonly known as Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin. A rabbi, Talmudist and ethicist, he was the founder of the famed Volozhin talmudical college. He authored Nefesh HaChaim, a work of religious philosophy. Jacob son of Asher (c. 1275 — c. 1340) – Born in Germany, he was an influential medieval rabbi, often called the Baal HaTurim, after his main work on Jewish law, the Arbaah Turim, the Four Rows. He wrote two commentaries on the Pentateuch; a concise commentary of mystical and symbolic references in the Torah, and an exegetical commentary. Kaplan, Rabbi Aryeh (1934–1983) — Born in the Bronx, New York, Kaplan was a rabbi, educator and author. He is considered an original thinker and was known for his knowledge of physics and kabbalah. Kaplan authored numerous works on a variety of topics including the Bible, Talmud, mysticism, Jewish beliefs and philosophy. Keel, Yehuda (1916–2011) — Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Keel immigrated to Israel in 1936. He was an educator and Bible commentator and served as the head of the religious education department of the Israel Ministry of Education. He headed the Da’at Mikra biblical commentary project and was awarded the Israel Prize for Jewish studies in 1992. Kimchi, Rabbi David (1160–1235) — Born in Provence, Kimchi is commonly known by his acronym Radak. A rabbi, philosopher and grammarian, he wrote a widely-studied commentary on the Bible. Kook, Rabbi Abraham Isaac (1865–1935) — Born in Latvia, Kook immigrated to Israel in 1904. He was the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of the Land of Israel, founder of the Mercaz HaRav academy and is viewed as one of the fathers of Religious Zionism. He was well known for his tremendous love for others and for his intellectual leadership helping to establish a Jewish State in the Land of Israel. Kook, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda (1891–1982) — Born in Lithuania, Kook immigrated to Israel in 1904. He was a Rabbi and leader of Religious Zionism and the only son of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. He served as head of the Mercaz HaRav seminary as well as the editor of many of his late father’s works. He continued in his father’s path of Religious Zionism and was

91 instrumental in encouraging Jews to settle in areas liberated during the Six Day War. Kollek, Theodore (1911–2007) — Born in Hungary in 1911, Kollek immigrated to Israel in 1935. He served as mayor of Jerusalem for 28 years from 1965–1993, and dedicated himself to developing the city and was awarded the Israel Prize in 1988 for his contributions to society and the State of Israel. Kremer, Rabbi Elijah (1720–1797) — Born in Lithuania, Kremer was a Talmudist, a master of Jewish law and a kabbalist. Because of his brilliance and mastery of text he is known as the “Genius of Vilna.” Leibowitz, Nechama (1905–1997) — Born in Riga, Latvia, Leibowitz immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1930. She was a Bible scholar and master educator who inspired many to study the Bible. She was known for her worksheets containing questions on the weekly Torah portion which she would personally review, correct and return. Leibtag, Rabbi Menachem (b. 1958) – Born in Ohio, Leibtag immigrated to Israel where he is a Bible scholar, noted lecturer and pioneer of Jewish education on the internet. He teaches a thematic-analytic approach to biblical study, emphasizing biblical theme and structure, that combines traditional Jewish approaches with modern scholarship. Levi ben Gershon (1288–1344) — Born in France, he is commonly known by his acronym Ralbag or Gersonides. He was a philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, Talmudist and Bible commentator. Levin, Rabbi Aryeh (1885–1969) — Born in Poland, Levin was a rabbi and scholar known for his warmth, kindness, humility and love of every person. After immigrating to Israel, he became known as the “Father of the Prisoners” for his role as Jewish prison chaplain, bringing love, encouragement and hope to those behind bars. Lichtman, Rabbi Moshe — Born in New Jersey, Lichtman immigrated to Israel in 1991. He is a rabbi, teacher and author, and is known for his translations of various Hebrew texts and for his work, Eretz Yisrael in the Parshah and A Drop in the Ocean. Luntschitz, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim (1550–1619) — Born in Poland, Luntschitz served as the Rabbi of Prague from 1604–1619 and was best known for his Torah commentary Kli Yakar.

92 Luria, Rabbi Isaac (1534–1572) — Born in Jerusalem, Luria is commonly known as the Arizal (the Ari of blessed memory). He became a rabbi and Jewish kabbalist in the mystical city of Safed. He is considered to be the father of contemporary Jewish mysticism. Maimonides (1135–1204) — Born in Spain, Maimonides is commonly known as Rambam, the acronym of his name Rabbi Moshe ben (son of) Maimon. He was a preeminent Jewish legal scholar and philosopher, as well as a renowned physician. His numerous works include “The Guide for the Perplexed,” the main source of his philosophical views, and the “Mishneh Torah,” his seminal codification of Jewish law. He is buried in Tiberias, Israel. Meir, Golda (1898–1978) — Born in Kiev, Meir immigrated first to the United States and then to the Land of Israel in 1921. She served as Israel’s fourth Prime Minister, the only woman to have held this position to date. Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (1843–1926) — Born in Lithuania, he was a rabbi and prominent leader of the Orthodox Jewish community of Eastern Europe. He is known for his writings on Maimonides’ work of Jewish law, called Ohr Sameach, as well as his commentary on the Torah called Meshech Chochmah. Meiri, Rabbi Menachem (1249- c. 1310) — Born in Southern France, Meiri was a rabbi and Talmudic scholar. His commentary on the Talmud is considered one of the most monumental works on the Talmud. Morgensztern, Rabbi Menachem Mendel (1787–1859) — Born in Poland, Morgensztern is also known as the Kotzker Rebbe. He was a Hasidic rabbi and leader, known for his sharp-witted sayings and down-to-earth philosophies. Munk, Rabbi Michael (1905–1985) — Born in Berlin, Munk was an educator, author and activist. He founded the Adath Yisrael Synagogue of Hendon in London, and was the founding principal of the largest Orthodox Jewish school for girls in America. Nahmanides (1194–1270) – Born in Spain, Rabbi Moshe ben (son of) Nachman is also known by his acronym the Ramban. He was one of the leading Torah scholars of the Middle Ages, and authored numerous works on Torah subjects, including a famed commentary on the Pentateuch. Navon, Yitzchak (1921–2015) — Born in Jerusalem, Navon became an Israeli political and diplomat, author, and linguist. He served as the fifth president of the State of Israel from 1978–1983.

93 Netanyahu, Benjamin (b. 1949) — Born in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu is an Israeli politician, a veteran of an elite unit of the Israel Defense Forces, and a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In March 2015, he was elected to his fourth term as Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Peres, Shimon (1923–2016) — Born in Poland, Peres immigrated to Israel in 1934. He was an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1984–1986, and from 1995–1996. He was also Israel’s ninth president from 2007–2014. Rabin, Yitzchak (1922–1995) — Born in Jerusalem, Rabin was an Israeli politician who served two terms as Prime Minister of the State of Israel, from 1974–1977 and again from 1992 until his assassination in 1995. Riskin, Rabbi Shlomo (b. 1940) — Born in Brooklyn, Riskin served as a rabbi in New York before immigrating to Israel in 1983 to become the founding chief rabbi of Efrat. He is also the founder and chancellor of Ohr Torah Stone, a network of Jewish educational institutions in America and Israel. Rivlin, Reuven (b. 1939) — Born in Jerusalem, Rivlin is an Israeli lawyer and politician who has been serving as Israel’s 10th president since 2014. Rosen, Rabbi Joseph (1858–1936) — Born in Rogachev, Belarus, Rosen was one of the most prominent Talmudic scholars of the early 20th century. He is known as the “Genius of Rogachev” because of his photographic memory and his ability to use seemingly unrelated Talmudic passages to elucidate a question or area of Jewish law under discussion. Sacks, Rabbi Lord Jonathan (b. 1948) — Born in London, England, Sacks is a rabbi, scholar and philosopher, and has authored more than 25 books. Sacks served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth for 22 years. Schneerson, Rabbi Menachem Mendel (1902–1994) — Born in Russia, Schneerson immigrated to the United States in 1941. He was the last leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement and one of the most influential Jewish leaders of the 20th century. Senesh, Chana (1921–1944) – Born in Hungary, Senesh immigrated to Israel in 1939. She was one of the 37 Jews from Mandatory Palestine parachuted into Yugoslavia by the British Army in an effort to save Jews from deportation to Auschwitz. She was ultimately caught and executed. She is remembered for her heroism as well as her poetry.

94 Sforno, Rabbi Obadiah (c. 1470- 1550) — Born in Italy, Sforno was a rabbi, philosopher and physician. His commentary on the Bible often reflects his knowledge of natural sciences. His commentaries on Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs were dedicated to King Henry II of France, demonstrating a close relationship between them. Shamir, Yitzchak (1915–2012) — Born in Ruzinoy, Poland, Shamir immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1935. He was an Israeli politician who served as both Israel’s eighth and tenth Prime Minister, from 1983–1984 and 1986–1992. Sharansky, Natan (b. 1948) — Born in the former Soviet Union, Sharansky is an Israeli politician and human rights activist and a former Russian refusenik. He immigrated to Israel following his release from Soviet prison in 1986, and has served as Chairman of the Executive of the Jewish Agency since 2009. Sharett, Moshe (1894–1965) — Born in the Ukraine, Sharett immigrated to Israel in 1906. He was the second Prime Minister of the State of Israel, serving from 1954–1955, and also served as Israel’s Foreign Minister from 1955–1956. Sharon, Ariel (1928–2014) — Born in the Israeli agricultural community of Kfar Malal, Sharon was an Israeli general and politician. He served as Israel’s eleventh Prime Minister from 2001–2006. Shazar, Zalman (1889–1974) — Born in Belarus, Shazar immigrated to Israel in 1924. An Israeli politician, author and poet, he was the president of the State of Israel from 1963–1973. Shemer, Naomi (1930–2004) — Born on Kibbutz Kvutzat Kinneret, Shemer became a well-known Israeli singer, songwriter and composer. Her most famous song, Yerushalayim shel zahav, Jerusalem of Gold, was written in 1967 and is considered by some to be an informal second Israeli national anthem. Shlomo son of Yitzchak (1040–1105) — Born in France, he is commonly known by his acronym Rashi. He wrote extensive commentaries on the Bible and Talmud, and his comments are considered the most basic for understanding both the Pentateuch and the Talmud. Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812) – Born in Belarus, he was the founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty of Hasidic Judaism. He is known as the Baal Hatanya, the Master of the Tanya, for his work on Hasidic Jewish

95 philosophy and is author of various works on Jewish philosophy, law and prayer. Slifkin, Rabbi Natan (b. 1975) — Born in England, Slifkin immigrated to Israel where he is a rabbi, educator and author popularly known as the “Zoo Rabbi.” He has authored texts on zoology and science and their relationship to the Torah, and is the director of the Biblical Museum of Natural History in Beit Shemesh, Israel. Soloveitchik, Rabbi Joseph B. (1903–1993) – Born in Poland, Soloveitchik was a renowned religious leader, Talmudic scholar, author and modern Jewish philosopher. He headed the rabbinical school of Yeshiva University in New York. Sorotzkin, Rabbi Zalman (1881–1966) – Born in Lithuania, Sorotzkin was a Torah commentator who published a commentary on the Pentateuch known as Oznaim L’Torah. Stavsky, Rabbi David (1930–2004) — Born in New York City, Stavsky was ordained at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He was a chaplain in the U.S. Army and the rabbi of Beth Jacob Congregation in Columbus, Ohio from 1957 until his death in 2004. Teichman, Rabbi Zvi — Rabbi and head of the Torah study program at Ohel Moshe in Baltimore, Maryland. He has been involved in Jewish education for over 25 years and authored Eretz HaTzvi, a guide to the commandments that pertain specifically to the Land of Israel. Weiser, Rabbi Meir Leibush (1809–1879) — Born in Volochisk, Volhynia, Weiser is known by his acronym, Malbim. He was a rabbi, master of Hebrew grammar and a Bible commentator. He is known for his principle that every word in the Torah carries its own meaning, even distinct from its synonyms. Weizmann, Chaim (1874–1952) — Born in Belarus, Weizmann immigrated to Israel, settling in Rechovot in 1937, and served as the first president of the State of Israel from 1949–1952. A biochemist, he founded the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rechovot, Israel and helped establish the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Wiesel, Elie (1928–2016) — Born in Romania, Weisel was a professor, political activist and the author of 57 books. A Holocaust survivor, his writings are considered among the most significant in Holocaust literature. Willig, Rabbi Mordechai (b. 1947) — Born in New York, Willig has been the rabbi and spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Riverdale synagogue

96 since 1974. He is also a renowned scholar and professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University in New York. Yadin, Yigael (1917–1984) — Born in Jerusalem, Yadin was an Israeli archeologist, politician and the second Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. Yogev, Motti (b. 1956) — Born in Haifa, Yogev is an Israeli politician and member of the Israeli parliament. He previously served as secretary general of the Israeli branch of Bnei Akiva, the largest religious Zionist youth movement in the world, as well as deputy chairman of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council.

97 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ַע ִּמ ֵיאל Amiel Ammiel a-mee-AYL ַע ִּמ ָינ ָדב Aminadav Amminadab a-mee-na-DAV List of Transliterated Words ֲא ִמ ַּתי Amitai Amittai a-mi-TAI in The Israel Bible ַא ְמנֹן Amnon Amnon am-NON ָאמוֹ ן Amon Amon a-MON The following is a list of nouns which have been transliterated into Hebrew ָעמוֹ ס Amos Amos a-MOS :in the English translation and commentary of The Israel Bible ָאמוֹ ץ Amotz Amoz a-MOTZ ַע ְמָרם Amram Amram am-RAM ֲע ָנתוֹ ת Anatot Anathoth a-na-TOT Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ֲארוֹ ן Aron Ark a-RON ָע ָכן Achan Achan a-KHAN ֲארוֹן ַה ְּבִרית Aron HaBrit Ark of the Covenant a-RON ha-b’-REET ַא ְח ָאב Achav Ahab akh-AV ַ א ְ ר ּ ַ פ ְ כ שׁ ָ ד Arpachshad Arpachshad ar-pakh-SHAD ָא ָחז Achaz Ahaz a-KHAZ ָא ָסא Asa Asa a-SA ֲא ַחְזָי ּהו Achazyahu Ahaziah a-khaz-YA-hu ֲע ָש ֵׂהאל Asael Asahel a-sah-AYL ֲא ִח ֶיעֶזר Achiezer Ahiezer a-khee-E-zer ָא ָסף Asaf Asaph a-SAF ֲא ִח ּיהוד Achihud Ahihud a-khee-HUD ַ א שׁ ְ ּ ד ֹ ו ד Ashdod Ashdod ash-DOD ֲא ִח ָיקם Achikam Ahikam a-khee-KAM ָ א שׁ ֵ ר Asher Asher a-SHAYR ֲא ִח ּילוד Achilud Ahilud a-khee-LUD ַ א שׁ ְ ְ ק ל ֹ ו ן Ashkelon Ashkelon ash-k’-LON ֲא ִח ֶימ ֶל ְך Achimelech Ahimelech a-khee-ME-lekh ֲע ַת ְלָיה Atalya Athaliah a-tal-YAH ֲא ִח ַירע Achira Ahira a-khee-RA ַע ְב ּדוֹ ן Avdon Abdon av-DON ֲא ִח ָיס ָמ ְך Achisamach Ahisamach a-khee-sa-MAKH ֲא ִב ַיחִיל Avichayil Abihail a-vee-KHA-yil ֲא ִח ֶיתֹפל Achitofel Ahithophel a-khee-TO-fel ֲא ִב ָידן Avidan Abidan a-vee-DAN ֲא ִח ּיטוב Achituv Ahitub a-khee-TUV ֲא ִב ַיגִיל Avigail Abigail a-vee-GA-yil ֲא ִחָּיה Achiya Ahijah a-khi-YAH ֲא ִב ּיהוא Avihu Abihu a-vee-HU ָא ָדם Adam Adam a-DAM ֲא ִב ֶימ ֶל ְך Avimelech Abimelech a-vee-ME-lekh ֲא ָדר Adar Adar a-DAR ֲא ִב ָינ ָדב Avinadav Abinadab a-vee-na-DAV ֲא ִדֹנָּי ּהו Adoniyahu Adonijah a-do-ni-YA-hu ֲא ִב ָירם Aviram Abiram a-vee-RAM ֲע ֻד ָּלם Adulam Adullam a-du-LAM ֲ א ִ ב י שׁ ַ י Avishai Abishai a-vee-SHAI ָא ּגור Agur Agur a-GUR ֲא ִבָּיה Aviya Abijah a-vi-YAH ַא ֲהרֹן Aharon Aaron a-ha-RON ֲא ִבָּים Aviyam Abijam a-vi-YAM ֲע ָמ ָשׂא Amasa Amasa a-ma-SA ַא ְב ֵנר Avner Abner av-NAYR ֲא ַמ ְצָיה Amatzya Amaziah a-matz-YAH ַא ְבָר ָהם Avraham Abraham av-ra-HAM ָא ֵמן Amen Amen a-MAYN

98 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ַע ִּמ ֵיאל Amiel Ammiel a-mee-AYL ַע ִּמ ָינ ָדב Aminadav Amminadab a-mee-na-DAV ֲא ִמ ַּתי Amitai Amittai a-mi-TAI ַא ְמנֹן Amnon Amnon am-NON ָאמוֹ ן Amon Amon a-MON ָעמוֹ ס Amos Amos a-MOS ָאמוֹ ץ Amotz Amoz a-MOTZ ַע ְמָרם Amram Amram am-RAM ֲע ָנתוֹ ת Anatot Anathoth a-na-TOT ֲארוֹ ן Aron Ark a-RON ֲארוֹן ַה ְּבִרית Aron HaBrit Ark of the Covenant a-RON ha-b’-REET ַ א ְ ר ּ ַ פ ְ כ שׁ ָ ד Arpachshad Arpachshad ar-pakh-SHAD ָא ָסא Asa Asa a-SA ֲע ָש ֵׂהאל Asael Asahel a-sah-AYL ָא ָסף Asaf Asaph a-SAF ַ א שׁ ְ ּ ד ֹ ו ד Ashdod Ashdod ash-DOD ָ א שׁ ֵ ר Asher Asher a-SHAYR ַ א שׁ ְ ְ ק ל ֹ ו ן Ashkelon Ashkelon ash-k’-LON ֲע ַת ְלָיה Atalya Athaliah a-tal-YAH ַע ְב ּדוֹ ן Avdon Abdon av-DON ֲא ִב ַיחִיל Avichayil Abihail a-vee-KHA-yil ֲא ִב ָידן Avidan Abidan a-vee-DAN ֲא ִב ַיגִיל Avigail Abigail a-vee-GA-yil ֲא ִב ּיהוא Avihu Abihu a-vee-HU ֲא ִב ֶימ ֶל ְך Avimelech Abimelech a-vee-ME-lekh ֲא ִב ָינ ָדב Avinadav Abinadab a-vee-na-DAV ֲא ִב ָירם Aviram Abiram a-vee-RAM ֲ א ִ ב י שׁ ַ י Avishai Abishai a-vee-SHAI ֲא ִבָּיה Aviya Abijah a-vi-YAH ֲא ִבָּים Aviyam Abijam a-vi-YAM ַא ְב ֵנר Avner Abner av-NAYR ַא ְבָר ָהם Avraham Abraham av-ra-HAM

99 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ַא ְבָרם Avram Abram av-RAM ֲח ָנ ִני Chanani Hanani kha-NA-nee ַ א ְ ב שׁ ָ ל ֹ ו ם Avshalom Absalom av-sha-LOM ֲח ַנ ְנָיה Chananya Hananiah kha-nan-YAH ֲעַזְרָיה Azarya Azariah a-zar-YAH ַח ִנּ ֵיאל Chaniel Hanniel kha-nee-AYL ְ ֲעֵז ָקה Azeika Azekah a-zay-KAH ֲחנוֹ ך Chanoch Enoch kha-NOKH ַעָ ּזה Azza Gaza a-ZAH ַחָּוה Chava Eve kha-VAH ְ ּב ֵני ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל B’nei Yisrael The Children of b’-NAY yis-ra-AYL ֲח ַב ּק ּוק Chavakuk Habakkuk kha-va-KUK Israel ֶח ְרמוֹ ן Chermon Hermon kher-MON ָּבָרק Barak Barak ba-rakh-AYL ֶח ְצרוֹ ן Chetzron Hezron khetz-RON ָּב ּרו ְך Baruch Baruch ba-RUKH ֶח ֶבר Chever Heber KHE-ver ַּבְרִז ַּלי Barzilai Barzillai bar-zi-LAI ֶח ְברוֹ ן Chevron Hebron khev-RON ַ ּ ב ְ ע שׁ ָ א Basha Baasa ba-SHA ִח ְל ִקָּי ּהו Chilkiyahu Hilkiah khil-ki-YA-hu ַּבת-שׁ ֶ ַבע Batsheva Bath-sheba bat-SHE-va ִחְז ִקָּי ּהו Chizkiyahu Hezekiah khiz-ki-YA-hu ְ ּ ב ֵ א ר שׁ ֶ ַ ב ע Be’er Sheva Beer-sheba b’-AYR SHE-va ָח ְפ ִני Chofni Hophni khof-NEE ְּב ֵאִרי Be’eri Beeri b’-ay-REE ֻח ְל ָ ּדה Chulda Hulda khul-DAH ֵּבית ָאֶון Beit Aven Beth-aven bayt A-ven ּחור Chur Hur Khur ֵּבית ֵאל Beit El Beth-el bayt el ָ ּדן Dan Dan Dan ֵּבית ַה ִּמ ְק ָ ּדשׁ Beit Hamikdash Temple bayt ha-mik-DASH ָ ּד ִנֵּיאל Daniel Daniel da-ni-YAYL ֵּבית ֶל ֶחם Beit Lechem Beth-lehem bayt LE-khem ָ ּד ָתן Datan Dathan da-TAN ֵּבית ׁ ְש ָאן Beit Shean Beth-shean bayt sh’-AN ָ ּדִוד David David da-VID ֵ ּ ב י ת שׁ ֶ ֶ מ שׁ Beit Shemesh Beth-shemesh bayt SHE-mesh ְ ּדבוֹ ָרה Devora Deborah d’-vo-RAH ֶּבֶר ְכָיה Berechya Berechiah be-rekh-YAH ִד ָינה Dina Dinah DEE-nah ְּב ַצ ְל ֵאל Betzalel Bezalel b’-tzal-AYL ּד ֵוֹאג ָה ֲא ִדֹמי Doeg Ha’adomi Doeg the Edomite do-AYG ha-a-do-MEE ִּב ְל ָהה Bilha Bilhah bil-HAH ֶא ְפָרִים Efraim Ephraim ef-RA-yim ִּב ְנָי ִמין Binyamin Benjamin bin-ya-MIN ֶא ְפָר ָתה Efrat Ephrat ef-RAT ּב ַֹעז Boaz Boaz BO-az ֶא ְפָר ָתה Efrat Ephrathah ef-RA-tah ֻּב ִּקי Buki Bukki bu-KEE ֵא ּהוד Ehud Ehud ay-HUD ּב ּוִזי Buzi Buzi bu-ZEE ֵא ָלה Eila Elah AY-lah ַּכְר ֶמל Carmel Carmel kar-MEL ֵאילוֹן Eilon Elon ay-LON ֲח ַכ ְלָיה Chachalya Hacaliah kha-khal-YAH ֵעין ֶּג ִדי Ein Gedi En-gedi ayn GE-dee ַח ַּגי Chagai Haggai kha-GAI ַהר ֵע ָיבל Mount) Eival (Mount) Ebal ay-VAL) ָח ְג ָלה Chagla Hoglah khag-LAH ֶא ְל ָעָזר Elazar Eleazar el-a-ZAR ַח ָנּ ה Chana Hannah kha-NAH ֶא ְל ָח ָנן Elchanan Elhanan el-kha-NAN ֲח ַנ ְמ ֵאל Chanamel Hanamel kha-nam-AYL ֵע ִלי Eli Eli ay-LEE

100 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ֲח ָנ ִני Chanani Hanani kha-NA-nee ֲח ַנ ְנָיה Chananya Hananiah kha-nan-YAH ַח ִנּ ֵיאל Chaniel Hanniel kha-nee-AYL ֲחנוֹ ְך Chanoch Enoch kha-NOKH ַחָּוה Chava Eve kha-VAH ֲח ַב ּק ּוק Chavakuk Habakkuk kha-va-KUK ֶח ְרמוֹ ן Chermon Hermon kher-MON ֶח ְצרוֹ ן Chetzron Hezron khetz-RON ֶח ֶבר Chever Heber KHE-ver ֶח ְברוֹ ן Chevron Hebron khev-RON ִח ְל ִקָּי ּהו Chilkiyahu Hilkiah khil-ki-YA-hu ִחְז ִקָּי ּהו Chizkiyahu Hezekiah khiz-ki-YA-hu ָח ְפ ִני Chofni Hophni khof-NEE ֻח ְל ָ ּדה Chulda Hulda khul-DAH ּחור Chur Hur Khur ָ ּדן Dan Dan Dan ָ ּד ִנֵּיאל Daniel Daniel da-ni-YAYL ָ ּד ָתן Datan Dathan da-TAN ָ ּדִוד David David da-VID ְ ּדבוֹ ָרה Devora Deborah d’-vo-RAH ִד ָינה Dina Dinah DEE-nah ּד ֵוֹאג ָה ֲא ִדֹמי Doeg Ha’adomi Doeg the Edomite do-AYG ha-a-do-MEE ֶא ְפָרִים Efraim Ephraim ef-RA-yim ֶא ְפָר ָתה Efrat Ephrat ef-RAT ֶא ְפָר ָתה Efrat Ephrathah ef-RA-tah ֵא ּהוד Ehud Ehud ay-HUD ֵא ָלה Eila Elah AY-lah ֵאילוֹן Eilon Elon ay-LON ֵעין ֶּג ִדי Ein Gedi En-gedi ayn GE-dee ַהר ֵע ָיבל Mount) Eival (Mount) Ebal ay-VAL) ֶא ְל ָעָזר Elazar Eleazar el-a-ZAR ֶא ְל ָח ָנן Elchanan Elhanan el-kha-NAN ֵע ִלי Eli Eli ay-LEE

101 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ֱא ִל ָיאב Eliav Eliab e-lee-AV ְּג ּאו ֵאל Geuel Geuel g’-u-AYL ֱא ִל ָידד Elidad Elidad e-lee-DAD ִּגיחוֹן Gichon Gihon gee-KHON ֱא ִל ֶיעֶזר Eliezer Eliezer e-lee-E-zer ִג ְדעוֹ ן Gidon Gideon gid-ON ֱא ִל ֶימ ֶל ְך Elimelech Elimelech e-lee-ME-lekh ִג ְל ָעד Gilad Gilead gil-AD ֱ א ִ ל י שׁ ָ ע Elisha Elisha e-lee-SHA ִּג ְל ָּגל Gilgal Gilgal gil-GAL ֱ א ִ ל י שׁ ָ ָ מ ע Elishama Elishama e-lee-sha-MA ִּג ְב ָעה Giva Gibeah giv-AH ֱא ִל ׁ ֶיש ַבע Elisheva Elisheba e-lee-SHE-va ִ ּג ְבעוֹ ן Givon Gibeon giv-ON ֱא ִל ָיצ ָפן Elitzafan Eli-zaphan e-lee-tza-FAN ֲה ַד ָּסה Hadassa Hadassah ha-da-SAH ֱא ִל ּיצור Elitzur Elizur e-lee-TZUR ַהר ַה ַּבִית Har HaBayit Temple Mount har ha-BA-yit ֵא ִלָּי ּהו Eliyahu Elijah ay-li-YA-hu ַהר ַהֵ ּז ִיתים Har HaZeitim the Mount of Olives har ha-zay-TEEM ֶא ְל ָק ָנה Hashem Lord/God Elkana Elkanah el-ka-NAH ֶא ְלָי ָסף Elyasaf Eliasaph el-ya-SAF ֵה ָימן Hayman Heman hay-MAN ֶ א ְ ל ָ י שׁ ִ י ב Elyashiv Eliashib el-ya-SHEEV ה ֹ ו שׁ ֵ ַ ע Hoshea Hosea ho-SHAY-a ֱ א נ ֹ ו שׁ Enosh Enosh e-NOSH ִע ּדוֹ Ido Iddo i-DO ֵער Er Er ayr ִע ָּמ ּנו ֵאל Imanu-El Immanuel i-MA-nu ayl ֶאשׁ ְ ָּתאֹל Eshtaol Eshtaol esh-ta-OL ִאישׁ ּ-בֹשׁ ֶ ת Ish-boshet Ish-bosheth eesh BO-shet ֶא ְס ֵּתר Esther Esther es-TAYR ִא ָית ָמר Itamar Ithamar ee-ta-MAR ֶע ֶב ֶד־מ ֶל ְך Eved Melech Ebed-melech E-ved ME-lekh ִא ִית ֵיאל Itiel Ithiel ee-tee-AYL ֶא ֶבן ָה ֶעֶזר Even Ha-Ezer Eben-Ezer E-ven ha-E-zer ִא ְב ָצן Ivtzan Ibzan iv-TZAN ֵע ֶבר Ever Eber AY-ver ִא ּיוֹ ב Iyov Job i-YOV ֶא ְבָי ָתר Evyatar Abiathar ev-ya-TAR ַק ְד ִמ ֵיאל Kadmiel Kadmiel kad-mee-AYL ֶעְזָרא Ezra Ezra ez-RA ָּכ ֵלב Kalev Caleb ka-LAYV ָּגד Gad Gad gad ִ ק י שׁ Keesh Kish keesh ַּג ִ ּדי Gadi Gaddi ga-DEE ְק ָהת Kehat Kohath k’-HAT ַּג ִ ּד ֵיאל Gadiel Gaddiel ga-dee-AYL ֵק ָינן Keinan Kenan kay-NAN ַּג ְמ ִל ֵיאל Gamliel Gamaliel gam-lee-AYL ְק ּמו ֵאל Kemuel Kemuel k’-mu-AYL ְּג ַד ְלָי ּהו (Gedalia Gedaliah g’-dal-YA (hu ְּכ ּרו ִבים Keruvim Cherubim k’-ru-VEEM ְּג ֵדָרה Gedera Gederah g’-day-RAH ִכ ְליוֹ ן Kilyon Chilion kil-YON ַהר ְּגִרִזים Mount) Gerizim (Mount) Gerizim g’-ri-ZEEM) ִקְרַית ַאְר ַּבע Kiryat Arba Kiriath-arba keer-YAT AR-bah ֵ ּ ג ְ ר שׁ ֹ ו ם Gershom Gershom gay-r’-SHOM ִקְרַי ֵת-ס ֶפר Kiryat Sefer Kiriath-sepher keer-YAT SAY-fer ֵ ג ְ ר שׁ ֹ ו ן Gershon Gershon gay-r’-SHON ִקְרַית ְי ָעִרים Kiryat Ye’arim Kiriath-jearim keer-YAT y’-a-REEM ֶ ג שׁ ֶ ם Geshem Geshem GE-shem ִּכ ְס ֵלו Kislev Chislev kis-LAYV

102 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ְּג ּאו ֵאל Geuel Geuel g’-u-AYL ִּגיחוֹן Gichon Gihon gee-KHON ִג ְדעוֹ ן Gidon Gideon gid-ON ִג ְל ָעד Gilad Gilead gil-AD ִּג ְל ָּגל Gilgal Gilgal gil-GAL ִּג ְב ָעה Giva Gibeah giv-AH ִ ּג ְבעוֹ ן Givon Gibeon giv-ON ֲה ַד ָּסה Hadassa Hadassah ha-da-SAH ַהר ַה ַּבִית Har HaBayit Temple Mount har ha-BA-yit ַהר ַהֵ ּז ִיתים Har HaZeitim the Mount of Olives har ha-zay-TEEM Hashem Lord/God ֵה ָימן Hayman Heman hay-MAN ה ֹ ו שׁ ֵ ַ ע Hoshea Hosea ho-SHAY-a ִע ּדוֹ Ido Iddo i-DO ִע ָּמ ּנו ֵאל Imanu-El Immanuel i-MA-nu ayl ִאישׁ ּ-בֹשׁ ֶ ת Ish-boshet Ish-bosheth eesh BO-shet ִא ָית ָמר Itamar Ithamar ee-ta-MAR ִא ִית ֵיאל Itiel Ithiel ee-tee-AYL ִא ְב ָצן Ivtzan Ibzan iv-TZAN ִא ּיוֹ ב Iyov Job i-YOV ַק ְד ִמ ֵיאל Kadmiel Kadmiel kad-mee-AYL ָּכ ֵלב Kalev Caleb ka-LAYV ִ ק י שׁ Keesh Kish keesh ְק ָהת Kehat Kohath k’-HAT ֵק ָינן Keinan Kenan kay-NAN ְק ּמו ֵאל Kemuel Kemuel k’-mu-AYL ְּכ ּרו ִבים Keruvim Cherubim k’-ru-VEEM ִכ ְליוֹ ן Kilyon Chilion kil-YON ִקְרַית ַאְר ַּבע Kiryat Arba Kiriath-arba keer-YAT AR-bah ִקְרַי ֵת-ס ֶפר Kiryat Sefer Kiriath-sepher keer-YAT SAY-fer ִקְרַית ְי ָעִרים Kiryat Ye’arim Kiriath-jearim keer-YAT y’-a-REEM ִּכ ְס ֵלו Kislev Chislev kis-LAYV

103 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ּכ ֲֹה ִנים Kohanim Priests ko-ha-NEEM ֶקֹה ֶלת Kohelet Koheleth ko-HE-let ּכ ֵֹהן Kohen Priest ko-HAYN ּכ ֵֹהן ָּגדוֹל Kohen Gadol High Priest ko-HAYN ga-DOL ַקֹרח Korach Korah KO-rakh ּ כ ּ ו שׁ ִ י Kushi Cushi ku-SHEE ָ ל ִ כ י שׁ Lachish Lachish la-KHEESH ֵל ָאה Leah Leah lay-AH ֶל ֶמ ְך Lemech Lamech LE-mekh ְל ּמו ֵאל Lemuel Lemuel l’-mu-AYL ֵלִוי Levi Levi lay-VEE ְלִוִּים Leviim Levites l’-vee-IM ַמ ְח ָלה Machla Mahlah makh-LAH ַמ ְחלוֹ ן Machlon Mahlon makh-LON ַמ ְח ֵסָיה Machseya Mahseiah makh-say-YAH ַמ ְל ָא ִכי Malachi Malachi mal-a-KHEE ָמנוֹ ַח Manoach Manoah ma-NO-akh ָמׁ ִש ַיח Mashiach Messiah ma-SHEE-akh ְמ ִפ ׁ ֶיבֹשת Mefiboshet Mephibosheth m’-fee-VO-shet ַמ ֲה ַל ְל ֵאל Mehalalel Mahalalel ma-ha-lal-AYL ְמ ַנ ֵחם Menachem Menahem m’-na-KHAYM ְמַנֶּשׁה Menashe Menasseh m’-na-SHEH ְמ ָנֹרה Menorah Candlestick m’-no-RAH ְמָרִרי Merari Merari m’-ra-REE ְמ ּתוׁ ֶש ַלח Metushelach Methusaleh m’-tu-SHE-lakh ִמ ָיכה Micha Micah mee-KHAH ִמ ָיכ ֵאל Michael Michael mee-kha-AYL ִמ ָיכְי ּהו Michaihu Micaiah mee-KHAI-hu ִמ ַיכל Michal Michal mee-KHAL ִמ ְל ָּכה Milka Milcah mil-KAH ִמְרָים Miriam Miriam mir-YAM ִ מ י שׁ ָ ֵ א ל Mishael Mishael mee-sha-AYL

104 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ִמְשַּׁכן Mishkan Tabernacle mish-KAN ִמ ְצ ָּפה Mitzpa Mizpah mitz-PAH ִּמְז ֵּב ַח Mizbayach Altar miz-BAY-akh ָמְר ֳ ּד ַכי Mordechai Mordecai mor-d’-KHAI מוֹ ִר ָ ּיה Moriah Moriah mo-ri-YAH ׁ ֶמֹשה Moshe Moses mo-SHEH ַנ ְח ִּבי Nachbi Nahbi nakh-BEE ָנחוֹ ר Nachor Nahor na-KHOR ַ נ ְ ח שׁ ֹ ו ן Nachshon Nahshon nakh-SHON ַנ ּחום Nachum Nahum na-KHUM ָנ ָדב Nadav Nadab na-DAV ַנ ְפ ָּת ִלי Naftali Naphtali naf-ta-LEE ָנ ֳע ִמי Naomi Naomi na-o-MEE ָנ ָתן Natan Nathan na-TAN ָנ ָבל Naval Nabal na-VAL ָנ ִביא Navi Prophet na-VEE ָנ ָבל Navot Naboth na-VAL ְנ ֶח ְמָיה Nechemya Nehemiah n’-khem-YAH ֶנ ֶגב Negev Negeb NE-gev ֵנִרָּיה Nerya Neriah nay-ri-YAH ְנ ַת ְנ ֵאל Netanel Nethanel n’-tan-AYL ְנּ ִב ָיאה Neviah Prophetess n’-vee-AH ְנּ ִב ִיאים Neviim Prophets n’-vee-EEM ִנ ָיסן Nisan Nisan nee-SAN ָנֹעה Noa Noah no-AH ַנֹח Noach Noah NO-akh נֹב Nov Nob nov ּנון Nun Nun nun עוֹ ֵדד Oded Oded o-DAYD ָא ֳה ָלה Ohola Oholah a-ho-LAH ָא ֳה ִל ָיאב Oholiav Oholiab o-ha-lee-AV ָא ֳה ִל ָיבה Oholiva Oholibah a-ho-lee-VAH

105 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ָע ְמִרי Omri Omri om-REE אוֹ ָנן Onan Onan o-NAN ָע ְת ִנ ֵיאל Otniel Othniel ot-nee-AYL ַעֹב ְדָיה Ovadya Obadiah o-vad-YAH עוֹ ֵבד Oved Obed o-VAYD ֵעוֹבד ֱאדוֹם Oved Edom Obed Edom o-VAYD e-DOM ַּפ ְג ִע ֵיאל Pagiel Pagiel pag-ee-AYL ַּפ ְל ִטי Palti Palti pal-TEE ַּפ ְל ִט ֵיאל Paltiel Paltiel pal-tee-AYL ֶּפ ַקח Pekach Pekah PE-kakh ְּפ ַד ְה ֵאל Pedael Pedahel p’-da-AYL ְּפ ַק ְחָיה Pekachya Pekahiah p’-kakh-YAH ָּפ ֶלג Peleg Peleg PE-leg ּ ְפ ִנ ָנּ ה Penina Peninnah p’-ni-NAH ֶּפֶרץ Peretz Perez PE-retz ְּפ ּתו ֵאל Petuel Pethuel p’-tu-AYL ִּפ ְינ ָחס Pinchas Phinehas peen-KHAS ָר ֵחל Rachel Rachel ra-KHAYL ָרם Ram Ram ram ָר ָמה Rama Ramah ra-MAH ְר ּעו Re’u Reu r’-U ְר ַח ְב ָעם Rechovam Rehoboam r’-khav-AM ְר ּאו ֵבן Reuven Reuben r’-u-VAYN ִר ְב ָקה Rivka Rebecca riv-KAH ּרות Rut Ruth rut ַשׂ ְל ָמה Salma Salmon/Salmah sal-MAH ַשׂ ְלמוֹ ן Salmon Salmon sal-MON ָשׂ ָרה Sara Sarah sa-RAH ָשׂ ַרי Sarai Sarai sa-RAI ֶס ָלה Selah Selah SE-lah ְשָׂרָיה Seraya Seraiah s’-ra-YAH ְשׂ ּרוג Serug Serug s’-RUG

106 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ְס ּתור Setur Sethur s’-TUR שׁ ַ ֲ ע ָ ר ִ י ם Shaarayim Shaaraim sha-a-RA-yim שׁ ַ ַ ּ ב ת Shabbat Sabbath sha-BAT ׁ ּ ַש ָ ּבתוֹ ת Shabbatot Sabbaths sha-ba-TOT שׁ ָ ָ פ ן Shafan Shaphan sha-FAN ָשָׁפט Shafat Shaphat sha-FAT ָשֵׁלם Shalem Salem sha-LAYM ַשּׁלּום Shalum Shallum sha-LUM ַשְׁמַּגר Shamgar Shamgar sham-GAR שׁ ַ ּ מ ּ ו ַ ע Shamua Shammua sha-MU-a שׁ ָ א ּו ל Shaul Saul sha-UL שׁ ְ ַ א ְ ל ִ ּ ת י ֵא ל Shealtiel Shealtiel sh’-al-tee-AYL שׁ ְ ָ א ר ָי שׁ ּו ב Shear Yashuv Shear-Jashub sh’-AR ya-SHUV שׁ ְ ַ כ ְ נ ָ י ה Shechanya Shecaniah sh’-khan-YAH שׁ ְ ֶ כ ם Shechem Shechem sh’-KHEM שׁ ֵ ָ ל ה Sheila Shelah shay-LAH שׁ ֶ ַ ל ח Shelach Shelah SHE-lakh שׁ ְ ֻ ל ִ מ י ֵא ל Shelumiel Shelumiel sh’-lu-mee-AYL שׁ ֵ ם Shem Shem Shaym ְשַׁמְעָיה Shemaya Shemaiah sh’-ma-YAH שׁ ֵ שׁ ְ ַ ּ ב ַ ּ צ ר Sheshbatzar Sheshbazzar shaysh-ba-TZAR שׁ ֵ ת Shet Seth Shayt שׁ ְ ָ ב ט Shevat Shebat sh’-VAT שׁ ִ לֹ ה Shilo Shiloh shi-LOH שׁ ִ ְ מ ִ ע י Shim’i Shimei shim-EE ׁ ִש ְמעוֹ ן Shimon Simeon shim-ON שׁ ִ ְ מ שׁ ֹ ו ן Shimshon Samson shim-SHON שׁ ְ לֹמֹה Shlomo Solomon sh’-lo-MOH שׁ ְ מ ּו ֵ א ל Shmuel Samuel sh’-mu-AYL שׁ ֹ ו ָפ ר Shofar Horn sho-FAR שּׁ ָֹופרֹות Shofarot Horns sho-fa-ROT שׁ ְֹמרוֹן Shomron Samaria sho-m’-RON

107 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ִס ָיון Sivan Sivan see-VAN ָת ָמר Tamar Tamar ta-MAR ָּת ַנ ְ”ך Tanakh Hebrew Bible ta-NAKH ַּת ּפ ּו ַח Tapuach Tappuah ta-PU-akh ָ ּתבוֹ ר Tavor Tabor ta-VOR ְ ּתקוֹ ָעה Tekoa Tekoa t’-KO-a ֶּתַרח Terach Terah TE-rakh ְט ֶבְרָיה Teveria Tiberias t’-ver-YAH ֵט ֵבת Tevet Tebeth tay-VAYT ִּתְר ָצה Tirtza Tirzah tir-TZAH ּתוֹ ָלע Tola Tola to-LA ָצדוֹ ק Tzadok Zadok tza-DOK ְצ ַפ ְנָיה Tzefanya Zephaniah tz’-fan-YAH ְצ ָל ְפ ָחד Tzelofchad Zelophehad tz’-la-f’-KHAD ְצ ּרוָיה Tzeruya Zeruiah tz’-ru-YAH ְצ ַפת Tzfat Safed tz’-FAT ִצ ְד ִקָּי ּהו Tzidkiyahu Zedekiah tzid-ki-YA-hu ִצ ְק ַלג Tziklag Ziklag tzi-k’-LAG ִצ ּיוֹ ן Tzion Zion tzi-YON ִצ ּפָֹרה Tzipora Zipporah tzi-po-RAH ָצְר ָעה Tzora Zorah tzor-AH ּצוִר ֵיאל Tzuriel Zuriel tzu-ree-AYL ֻא ָכל Ukal Ucal u-KAL ּאוִרי Uri Uri u-REE ּאוִרָּיה Uriya Uriah u-ri-YAH ּעוץ Utz Uz Utz ֻעִ ּזָּי ּהו Uzziyahu Uzziah u-zi-YA-hu ַי ֲעקֹב Yaakov Jacob ya-a-KOV ַי ֲחִז ֵיאל Yachaziel Jahaziel ya-kha-zee-AYL ָי ֵעל Yael Jael ya-AYL ָיפוֹ Yaffo Joppa/Jaffa ya-FO ָי ִאיר Yair Jair ya-EER

108 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ָי ֶקה Yakeh Jakeh ya-KEH ַּיְר ֵ ּדן Yarden Jordan yar-DAYN ַיְר ּמות Yarmut Jarmuth yar-MUT ְי ֶחְז ֵקאל Yechezkel Ezekiel y’-khez-KAYL ְי ִח ֵיאל Yechiel Jehiel y’-khee-AYL ְי ָכ ְנָיה Yechonya Jeconiah y’-khon-YAH ְי ּדו ּתון Yedutun Jeduthun y’-du-TUN ְיהוֹ ָא ָחז Yehoachaz Jehoahaz y’-ho-a-KHAZ ְ י ה ֹ ו ָא שׁ Yehoash Jehoash y’-ho-ASH ְיהוֹ ָח ָנן Yehochanan Jehohanan y’-ho-kha-NAN ְיהוֹ ָנ ָתן Yehonatan Jonathan y’-ho-na-TAN ְיהוֹ ָרם Yehoram Jehoram y’-ho-RAM ְ י ה ֹ ו שׁ ָ ָ פ ט Yehoshafat Jehoshaphat y’-ho-sha-FAT ְ י ה ֹ ו שׁ ַ ְ ב ַ ע ת Yehoshavat Jehoshabeath y’-ho-shav-AT ְ י ה ֹ ו שׁ ֶ ַ ב ע Yehosheva Jehosheba y-ho-SHE-va ְ י ה ֹ ו שׁ ֻ ַ ע Yehoshua Joshua y’-ho-SHU-a ְיהוֹ ָצ ָדק Yehotzadak Jehozadak y’-ho-tza-DAK ְי ָהוֹי ִכין Yehoyachin Jehoiachin y’-ho-ya-KHEEN ְיהוֹ ָי ָדע Yehoyada Jehoiada y’-ho-ya-DA ְי ָהוֹי ִקים Yehoyakim Jehoiakim y’-ho-ya-KEEM ֵי ּהוא Yehu Jehu yay-HU ְי ּהו ָדה Yehuda Judah y’-hu-DAH ְי ּהו ִדי Yehudi Jew y’-hu-DEE ְּי ּהו ִדים Yehudim Jews y’-hu-DEEM ֶיֶרד Yered Jared YE-red ְיִריחוֹ Yericho Jericho y’-ree-KHO ָיָר ְב ָעם Yerovam Jeroboam ya-rov-AM ְיֻר ַּב ַעל Yerubaal Jerubbaal y’-ru-BA-al ְי ּרושׁ ָ ִָלִים Yerushalayim Jerusalem y’-ru-sha-LA-yim ְ י שׁ ַ ְ ע ָ י ה ּו Yeshayahu Isaiah y’-sha-YA-hu ֵ י שׁ ּו ַ ע Yeshua Jeshua yay-SHU-a ִי ְפ ָּתח Yiftach Jephthah yif-TAKH

109 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ִי ְג ָאל Yigal Igal yig-AL ִיְר ְמָי ּהו Yirmiyahu Jeremiah yir-m’-YA-hu ִ י שׁ ָ י Yishai Jesse yi-SHAI ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל Yisrael Israel yis-ra-AYL ִי ָּ ׂש ָשכר Yissachar Issachar yi-sa-KHAR ִי ְצ ָחק Yitzchak Issac yitz-KHAK ִיְזְר ֶעאל Yizrael Jezreel yiz-r’-EL י ֹ ו ָא שׁ Yoash Joash yo-ASH יוֹ ָאב Yoav Joab yo-AV יוֹ ָח ָנן Yochanan Johanan yo-kha-NAN יוֹ ֶכ ֶבד Yocheved Jochebed yo-KHE-ved יוֹ ֵאל Yoel Joel yo-AYL יוֹ ָנה Yona Jonah yo-NAH יוֹ ָנ ָדב Yonadav Jonadab yo-na-DAV יוֹ ָנ ָתן Yonatan Jonathan yo-na-TAN יוֹ ָרם Yoram Joram yo-RAM יוֹ ֵסף Yosef Joseph yo-SAYF יֹאשׁ ִ ָּי ּהו Yoshiyahu Josiah yo-shi-YA-hu יוֹ ָתם Yotam Jotham yo-TAM יוֹ ָצ ָדק Yotzadak Jozadak yo-tza-DAK יוֹ ָז ָבד Yozavad Jozabad yo-za-VAD ָזנוֹ ַח Zanoach Zanoah za-NO-akh ְז ַכְרָיה Zecharya Zechariah z’-khar-YAH ֶזַרח Zerach Zerah ZE-rakh ְזֻר ָּב ֶבל Zerubavel Zerubbabel z’-ru-ba-VEL ְז ּבו ֻלן Zevulun Zebulun z’-vu-LUN ִז ְל ָּפה Zilpa Zilpah zil-PAH ִז ְמִרי Zimri Zimri zim-REE

110 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew Jewish Holidays ֲח ּנו ָּכה Chanukah Hanukkah kha-nu-KAH ֶּפ ַסח Pesach Passover PE-sakh ּפ ּוִרים Purim Purim pu-REEM רֹאשׁ ַהׁ ָּש ָנה Rosh Hashana Jewish New Year rosh ha-sha-NAH שׁ ָ ּבועוֹת Shavuot Feast of Weeks sha-vu-OT ׁ ְש ִמ ִיני ֲע ֶצֶרת Shemini Atzeret Eight Day of sh’-mee-NEE a-TZE-ret Assembly ֻס ּכוֹ ת Sukkot Feast of Tabernacles su-KOT יוֹם ִּכ ּיפור Yom Kippur Day of Atonement yom kee-PUR

Biblical Measurements ַא ָּמה Amah Cubit a-MAH ַאמוֹ ת Amot Cubits a-MOT ַּבת Bat Bath bat ַּב ִּתים Batim Baths ba-TEEM ֶּב ַקע Beka half-shekel BE-ka ֳח ָמִרים Chomarim Homers kho-ma-REEM ֶחֹמר Chomer Homer KHO-mer ֵא ָיפה Efah Ephah ay-FAH ֵּגָרה Geira Gerah gay-RAH ּג ֶֹמד Gomed Gomed GO- med ִהין Hin Hin heen ַּקב Kav kab kav ְק ִשׂ ָיטה Kesita kesitah k’-see-TAH ִּכ ָּכר Kikar talent ki-KAR ִּכ ָּכִרים Kikarim talents ki-ka-RIM ּכֹר Kor kor kor ֶל ֶת ְך Letek lethech LE-tek לֹג Log Log log ָּמ ֶנה Maneh Mina ma-NEH ָמ ִנים Manim Minas ma-NEEM ֶעֹמר Omer Omer O-mer

111 Hebrew Name English Name Pronunciation Hebrew ִּפים Pim Pim peem ֵס ָאה Se’ah Seah say-AH ְס ִאים Se’eem Seahs s’-EEM שׁ ְ ָ ק ִ ל י ם Shekalim Shekels sh’-ka-LEEM שׁ ֶ ֶ ק ל Shekel Shekel SHE-kel ֶט ַפח Tefach Handbreadth TE-fakh ֶזֶרת Zeret Span ZE-ret

112 Photo Credits

Book Verse Photo Credit Genesis 1:01 Mark Neyman, GPO Genesis 2:05 Mark Neyman, GPO Genesis 7:19 Nathan Alpert, GPO Genesis 8:09 Ryan Rodrick Beiler, Shutterstock. com Genesis 13:10 Bill Rice, Wikimedia Commons Genesis 14:18 Stefano Rocca, Shutterstock.com Genesis 18:01 Eitan F., Wikimedia Commons Genesis 21:31 Dr. Avishai Teicher, Wikimedia Commons Genesis 22:18 Moshe Milner, GPO Genesis 23:19 Avi Ohayon, GPO Genesis 24:10 Elbud, Shutterstock.com Genesis 25:09 David Rabkin, Shutterstock.com Genesis 28:17 Andrew Shiva, Wikipedia Genesis 28:19 Dvirraz, Wikimedia Commons Genesis 33:19 Mark Neyman, GPO Genesis 35:19 Wikimedia Commons Genesis 37:02 Moshe Milner, GPO Genesis 43:11 Moshe Milner, GPO Genesis 46:04 Luis Villa del Campo, Wikimedia Commons Genesis 47:30 Moshe Milner, GPO Genesis 49:13 Mark Neyman, GPO

113 Chart of the Hebrew Months and their Holidays

Jewish Approximate Holiday Hebrew Date Notes Month Secular Date

Rosh Chodesh (Head of The first of every The Jewish Calendar is a lunar the Month) month calendar, and each month begins when the moon re-appears in the sky. The beginning of each new month is called Rosh Chodesh, which literally means ‘the head of the month.’ Rosh Chodesh is celebrated as a mini- holiday on the first day of every Jewish month, and special prayers are added into the daily service. When a month is 30 days long, the 30th day is celebrated as Rosh Chodesh in addition to the first day of the following month.

Nissan March-April Pesach (Passover) Begins on the Pesach is a seven day holiday 15th of Nissan commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. Outside of Israel, an eighth day is observed.

Yom Hashoa (Holocaust 27th of Nissan Yom Hashoa commemorates the 6 Memorial Day) million Jews who perished in the Holocaust.

Iyar April-May Yom Hazikaron (Memorial 4th of Iyar Yom Hazikaron is Israel’s memorial Day) day, a day to remember Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror.

Yom Haatzmaut (Israel’s 5th of Iyar Yom Haatzmaut celebrates Israel’s Independence Day) declaration of independence in 1948.

Lag Ba’Omer (33rd day of 18th of Iyar Lag Ba’Omer is a minor holiday the Omer) celebrated on the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer

Yom Yerushalayim 28th of Iyar Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, (Jerusalem Day) celebrates the re-unification of the city of Jerusalem following the 1967 Six-Day War.

Sivan May-June Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) 6th of Sivan Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. Outside of Israel it is observed for two days, the 6th and 7th of Sivan.

114 Jewish Approximate Holiday Hebrew Date Notes Month Secular Date

Tammuz June-July Fast of the Seventeenth 17th of Tammuz The Fast of the Seventeenth of of Tammuz Tammuz commemorates the breeching of the walls of Jerusalem before the destruction of the Temple. It begins a three week mourning period over the destruction of the Temple, culminating with the fast of Tisha B’Av.

Av July-August Tisha B’Av (Fast of the 9th 9th of Av Tisha B’Av is a fast day commemorating of Av) the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. It is the culmination of the three week mourning period over the destruction of the Temple which starts on the 17th of Tammuz.

Elul August- September

Tishrei September- Rosh Hashana (Jewish 1st and 2nd of Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year. October New Year) Tishrei

Tzom Gedalya (Fast of 3rd of Tishrei The Fast of Gedaliah commemorates Gedaliah) the death of Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the governor of Judah following the destruction of the First Temple. His death marked the end of Jewish rule in the Land of Israel for many generations and led to the exile of the few remaining Jews who had not been taken to Babylonia.

Yom Kippur (Day of 10th of Tishrei Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, Atonement) the holiest day of the year.

Sukkot (Feast of Begins on the Sukkot is a seven-day holiday Tabernacles) 15th of Tishrei celebrating God’s protection of the Jews in the wilderness

Shemini Atzeret/Simchat 22nd of Tishrei Shemini Atzeret is a holiday that Torah (Eighth Day of immediately follows Sukkot and Assembly) celebrates the unique relationship between God and the Children of Israel. Simchat Torah celebrates the completion and renewal of the Torah reading cycle. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are celebrated on the same day. Outside of Israel, they are celebrated on two consecutive days.

115 Jewish Approximate Holiday Hebrew Date Notes Month Secular Date

Cheshvan October- Map of Modern-Day Israel and its Neighbors November Kislev November- Chanukah (Hanukkah) Begins on the Chanukah is an eight day festival December 25th of Kislev which celebrates the defeat of the The following is a map of modern-day Israel and the surrounding countries Syrian-Greeks, the re-dedication of the

Euphrates River Temple in Jerusalem, and the miracles that God preformed to facilitate these events.

Tevet December- The end of Chanukah Chanukah ends Capital City I January (Hanukkah) on the 2nd or City LEBANON 3rd of Tevet N River SYRIA depending on Border the year, since IRAQ Kislev contains Mediterranean either 29 or 30 Sea days Jerusalem Fast of the 10th of Tevet 10th of Tevet The Fast of the 10th of Tevet ISRAEL commemorates the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem prior to the destruction of the First Temple. JORDAN Shevat January-February Tu B’Shvat (15th of 15th of Shevat Tu B’Shvat marks the beginning of the SINAI Shevat) new year for trees. It is when the first trees in the Land of Israel begin to blossom again after the winter season. SAUDI ARABIA Adar* February-March Fast of Esther 13th of Adar The Fast of Esther commemorates the EGYPT fast observed by the Jewish people in Persia at the time of Mordechai and Esther.

Purim 14th/15th of Purim celebrates God’s salvation of Adar the Jews from the evil Haman’s plot to destroy them. In most places, this holiday is celebrated on the 14th of Adar. In Jerusalem, it is celebrated on the 15th of Adar.

* During a leap year, an extra month of Adar is added so that the Jewish lunar calendar remains aligned with the solar seasons. A leap year occurs 7 times in every 19 year cycle. When this happens, Purim is celebrated in the second Adar.

116 Map of Modern-Day Israel and its Neighbors

The following is a map of modern-day Israel and the surrounding countries

Euphrates River

I Capital City City LEBANON N River SYRIA Border IRAQ Mediterranean Sea Jerusalem

ISRAEL

JORDAN

SINAI

SAUDI ARABIA

EGYPT

117 List of Prime Ministers of the State of Israel

Below is a list of the Prime Ministers of the State of Israel since the declaration of the State in 1948 until the present.

Number Name Years Term

1 David Ben-Gurion (1886 – 1973) May 1948- January 1954

2 Moshe Sharett (1894-1965) January 1954-November 1955

3 David Ben-Gurion (1886-1973) November 1955-June 1963

4 Levi Eshkol (1895-1969) June 1963-February 1969

5 Golda Meir (1898-1978) March 1969-June 1974

6 Yitzchak Rabin (1922–1995) June 1974-June 1977

7 Menachem Begin (1913–1992) June 1977-October 1983

8 Yitzchak Shamir (1915–2012) October 1983-September 1984

9 Shimon Peres (1923–2016) September 1984-October 1986

10 Yitzchak Shamir (1915–2012) October 1986-July 1992

11 Yitzchak Rabin (1922–1995) July 1992-November 1995

12 Shimon Peres (1923–2016) November 1995-June 1996

13 Benjamin Netanyahu (Born 1949) June 1996-July 1999

14 Ehud Barak (Born 1942) July 1999-March 2001

15 Ariel Sharon (1928–2014) March 2001-April 2006

16 Ehud Olmert (Born 1945) April 2006-March 2009

17 Benjamin Netanyahu (Born 1949) March 2009-Present

118 Prayer for the State of Israel

אָ בִֽינוּ שֶׁ בַּשָּׁ מַֽיִם Our Heavenly Father a-VEE-nu she-ba-sha-MA-yim

צוּר יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל וְגוֹאֲ לוֹ Israel’s Rock and Redeemer tzur yis-ra-AYL v’-go-a-LO

בָּרֵךְ אֶת מְדִ ינַת יִשְׂ רָאֵ ל Bless the State of Israel ba-RAYKH et mi-dee-NAT yis-ra-AYL

רֵאשִׁ ית תצְמִיחַ גְּאֻלָּתֵֽ נוּ the first flowering of our ray-SHEET tz’-mee-KHAT redemption g’-u-la-TAY-nu

הָ גֵן עָ לֶֽיהָ בְּאֶבְרַ ת Shield it under the wings of ha-GAYN a-LE-ha b’-ev-RAT סְחַ דּ ֶֽ ךָ Your loving kindness khas-DE-kha

וּפְרוֹס עָ לֶֽיהָ סֻכַּ ת -’And spread over it the uf-ROS a-LE-ha su-KAT sh שְׁ לוֹמֶֽךָ Tabernacle of Your peace lo-ME-kha

וּשְׁ לַח אוֹרְךָ וַאֲמִתְּ ךָ -Send Your light and truth ush-LAKH o-r’-KHA va-a-mi t’-KHA

לְרָאשֶֽׁיהָ, שָׂ רֶֽיהָ -to its leaders, ministers and l’-ro-SHE-ha, sa-RE-ha v’-yo וְיוֹעֲ צֶֽיהָ officials a-TZE-ha

וְתַקְּ נֵם בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָ ה And direct them with good v’-ta-k’-NAYM b’-ay-TZAH מִ לְּ נ פָ ֶֽ י ךָ counsel before You to-VAH m’-li-fa-NE-kha

חַ זֵּק אֶ ת יְדֵי מְ גִנֵּי אֶרֶ ץ -Strengthen the hands of the kha-ZAYK et y’-DAY m’-gi קָ דְ שֵֽׁ נ וּ defenders of our Holy Land NAY E-retz kod-SHAY-nu

וְהַ נְחִילֵם אֱ לֹהֵֽ ינוּ -Grant them deliverance, our v’-han-khee-LAYM e-lo-HAY יְשׁוּעָ ה God nu y’-shu-AH

וַעֲ טֶֽרֶ ת נִצָּחוֹן תְּעַטְּרֵ ם And crown them with the va-a-TE-ret ni-tza-KHON crown of victory t’-a-t’-RAYM

וְנָתַתָּשָׁ לוֹם בָּאָֽרֶ ץ -Grant peace in the land v’-na-ta-TA sha-LOM ba-A retz

וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם לְיוֹשְׁ בֶֽיהָ -’and everlasting joy to its v’-sim-KHAT o-LAM l’-yo-sh inhabitants VE-ha

119 וְאֶת אַ חֵֽינוּ כָּל בֵּ ית As for our brothers, the whole v’-ET a-KHAY-nu kol bayt ִ י שְׂ רָ אֵ ל house of Israel yis-ra-AYL

פְּקָ ד נָא בְּכָל אַרְ צוֹת -Remember them in all the p’-KOD na b’-KHOL ar פְּזוּרֵיהֶ ם lands of their dispersion TZOT p’-zu-ray-HEM

וְתוֹלִיכֵם מְהֵרָ ה -And swiftly lead them upright v’-to-lee-KHAYM m’-hay קוֹמְמִ יּוּת RAH ko-m’-mi-YUT

לְצִיּוֹן עִ ירֶֽךָ to Zion Your city l’-TZI-yon ee-RE-kha

וְלִירוּשָׁ לַֽיִם מִשְׁ כַּן שְׁ מֶֽךָ -And Yerushalayim Your v’-lee-ru-sha-LA-yim mish dwelling place KAN sh’-ME-kha

כַּכָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַת מֹשֶׁ ה -As is written in theTorah of ka-ka-TUV b’-to-RAT mo עַבְ דֶּֽךָ )דברים ל:ד-ה(: :Moses Your servant (Deut. SHEH av-DE-kha 30:4-5):

“אִ ם יִהְ יֶה נִדַּחֲךָ בִּקְצֵ ה Even if you are scattered to “im yih-YEH ni-da-kha-KHA“ שָּׁהַ מ ָֽ ִ י ם the furthermost lands under bik-TZAY ha-sha-MA-yim the heavens

םמִשָּׁ יְקַבֶּצְךָ יְיָאֱ לֹהֶֽיךָ From there the Lord your mi-SHAM yi-ka-betz-KHA God will gather you a-do-NAI e-lo-HE-kha

םוּמִשָּׁ יִקָּ חֶֽךָ and from there He will and u-mi-SHAM yi-ka-KHE-kha take you back

וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ יְיָאֱ לֹהֶֽיךָ אֶ ל The Lord your God will bring ve-he-vee-a-KHA a-do-NAI הָ אָֽ רֶ ץ you to the land e-lo-HE-kha el ha-A-retz

ראֲשֶׁ יָרְשׁוּ אֲ בֹתֶֽיךָ -That your ancestors possessed a-SHER ya-r’-SHU a-vo-TE khe

ִ ו י רִ שְׁ תָּ הּ and you will possess it vee-rish-TAH

וְ הֵ י טִ בְ ךָ וְ הִ רְ בְּ ךָ And He will make you more v’-hay-tiv-KHA v’-hir-b’-KHA מֵאֲ בֹתֶֽיךָ ” ”prosperous and numerous may-a-vo-TE-kha than your ancestors”

וְיַחֵד לְבָ בֵֽנוּ Unite our hearts v’-ya-KHAYD l’-va-VAY-nu

לְאַהֲבָה וּלְ יִרְאָה אֶ ת -’to love and revere Your name l’-a-ha-VAH ul-yir-AH et sh שְׁ מ ֶֽ ךָ ME-kha

וְלִשְׁ מֹר אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵ י And observe all the words of v’-lish-MOR et kol div-RAY תוֹרָתֶֽךָ Your Torah to-ra-TE-kha

120 וּשְׁ חלַ לָֽנוּ מְהֵרָ ה -And swiftly send us ush-LAKH LA-nu m’-hay RAH

בֶּן דָּ וִד מְשִֽׁיחַצִדְקֶֽךָ Your righteous anointed one ben da-VID m’-SHEE-akh of the house of David tzid-KE-kha

לִפְדוֹת מְחַכֵּי קֵ ץ To redeem those who long for lif-DOT m’-kha-KAY kaytz יְשׁוּעָ תֶֽךָ Your salvation y’-shu-a-TE-kha

הוֹפַע בַּהֲדַר גְּאוֹן עֻ זֶּֽךָ Appear in Your glorious ho-FA ba-ha-DAR g’-ON majesty u-ZE-kha

עַל כָּל יוֹשְׁ בֵי תֵבֵ ל over all the dwellers on earth al kol yo-sh’-VAY TAY-vayl אַ רְ צֶֽ ךָ ar-TZE-kha

וְיֹאמַר כֹּל אֲשֶׁ ר נְשָׁמָ ה -’And let all who breathe v’-yo-MAR kol a-SHER n בְ אַ פּ וֹ declare: sha-MAH v’-a-PO

יְיָ יאֱלֹהֵ יִשְׂ לרָאֵ מֶֽלֶךְ -The Lord God of Israel is King a-do-NAI e-lo-HAY yis-ra AYL ME-lekh

וּמַלְכוּתוֹ בַּכֹּל מָשָֽׁלָ ה -And His kingship has u-mal-khu-TO ba-KOL ma dominion over all sha-LAH,

מֵאָ ן סֶֽ לָ ה Amen, Selah a-MAYN SE-lah

121 Prayer for the Welfare of Israel’s Soldiers

ִמי ׁ ֶש ֵּבַר ְך ֲא ֵבוֹת ּינו -He Who blessed our mee she-bay-RAKH a-vo-TAY forefathers nu ַא ְבָר ָהם ִי ְצ ָחק ְוַי ֲעקֹב -Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov av-ra-HAM yitz-KHAK v’-ya a-KOV ּהוא ְי ָבֵר ְך ֶאת ַחָּי ֵלי -may He bless the fighters of hu y’-va-RAYKH et kha-ya ְצ ָבא ַה ֲה ַג ָנּה ְלִי ְשָׂר ֵאל the Israel Defense Forces LAY tz’-VA ha-ha-ga-NAH l’-yis-ra-AYL ְו ַא ְנׁ ֵשי ּכֹחוֹת ַה ִּב ָּטחוֹן -and the security personnel v’-an-SHAY ko-KHOT ha-bi ta-KHON ָה ְעוֹמ ִדים ַעל ִמׁ ְש ַמר who stand guard over our land ha-o-m’-DEEM al mish-MAR ַאְר ֵצ ּנו ar-TZAY-nu ְו ָעֵרי ֱא ֵלֹה ּינו and the cities of our God v’-a-RAY e-lo-HAY-nu ִמ ְּג ּבול ַה ְּל ָבנוֹן ְו ַעד -’from the border of the mi-g’-VUL ha-l’-va-NON v ִמ ְד ַּבר ִמ ְצַרִים Lebanon to the desert of AD mid-BAR mitz-RA-yim Egypt ּו ִמן ַהָּים ַה ָּגדוֹל ַעד and from the Great Sea unto u-MIN ha-YAM ha-ga-DOL ְלבוֹא ָה ֲעָר ָבה the approach of the Aravah ad l’-VO ha-a-ra-VAH ַּבַּי ָּבׁ ָשה ָּב ֲאִויר ּו ַבָּים on the land, in the air, and on ba-ya-ba-SHAH ba-a-VEER the sea u-va-YAM ִי ֵּתן ְיָי ֶאת ְאוֹי ֵב ּינו May the Almighty cause the yi-TAYN a-do-NAI et ַה ָּק ִמים ָע ֵל ּינו enemies who rise up against us o-y’-VAY-nu ha-ka-MEEM a-LAY-nu ִנ ָּג ִפים ִל ְפ ֵנ ֶיהם to be struck down before them ni-ga-FEEM lif-nay-HEM ַה ָּקדוֹשׁ ָּב ּרו ְך ּהוא May the Holy One, Blessed ha-ka-DOSH ba-RUKH hu is He ִיׁ ְשמֹר ְוַי ִּציל ֶאת ַחָי ֵל ּינו preserve and rescue our yish-MOR v’-ya-TZEEL et fighters kha-ya-LAY-nu ִמכׂל ָצָרה ְו ּצו ָקה from every trouble and mi-KOL tza-RAH v’-tzu-KAH distress

122 ּו ִמכׂל ֶנ ַגע ּו ַמ ֲח ָלה -and from every plague and u-mi-KOL NE-ga u-ma-kha illness LAH ְוִיׁ ְש ַלח ְּבָר ָכה ְו ַה ְצ ָל ָחה and may He send blessing and v’-yish-LAKH b’-ra-KHAH success v’-hatz-la-KHAH ְּב ָכל ַמ ֲע ֵשׂה ְי ֵד ֶיהם -in their every endeavor b’-KHOL ma-a-SAY y’-day HEM ַי ְד ֵּבר ְשׂוֹנ ֵא ּינו ַּת ְח ֵּת ֶיהם -May He lead our enemies yad-BAYR so-n’-AY-nu takh under our soldiers’ sway tay-HEM ִו ַיע ְּטֵרם ְּב ֶכ ֶתר ְישׁ ּו ָעה and glorify our forces with the vee-a-t’-RAYM b’-KHE-ter crown of salvation y’-shu-AH ּו ְב ֲע ֶטֶרת ִנ ָּצחוֹן and the mantle of victory uv-a-TE-ret ni-tza-KHON ִו ֻיקַּים ָּב ֶהם ַה ָּכ ּתוב -And may there be fulfilled for vee-ku-YAM ba-HEM ha-ka )דברים כ,ד(: :them the verse (Deuteronomy TUV 20:4): ִּ“כי ְיָי ֱא ֵלֹה ֶיכם ַה ֵהֹל ְך -For it is the Lord your God, “kee a-do-NAI e-lo-hay“ ִע ָּמ ֶכם -Who goes with you KHEM ha-ho-LAYKH i-ma KHEM ְל ִה ָּל ֵחם ָל ֶכם ִעם to battle your enemies for you l’-hi-la-KHAYM la-KHEM im ְאֹי ֵב ֶיכם o-y’-vay-KHEM ְל ׁ ִהוֹש ַיע ֶא ְת ֶכם” ”to save you” l’-ho-SHEE-a et-KHEM ְו ַנֹאמר: ָ“א ֵמן” ”Now let us say: Amen v’-no-MAR “a-MAYN

123 Hatikvah

ּכֹל עוֹד ַּב ֵּל ָבב ְּפ ִנ ָימה As long as in the heart, within kol od ba-lay-VAV p’-NEE-mah ֶנ ֶפשׁ ְי ּהו ִדי ִהוֹמָּיה A Jewish soul still yearns NE-fesh y’-hu-DEE ho-mi-YAH ּו ְל ַפ ֲא ֵתי ִמְזָרח, ָק ִד ָימה -And onward, towards the ends ul-fa-a-TAY miz-RAKH ka of the east DEE-mah ַעִין ְל ִצ ּיוֹן ִצוֹפָּיה An eye still gazes toward Zion A-yin l’-tzi-YON tzo-fi-YAH עוֹד לֹא ָא ְב ָדה ִּת ְקָו ֵת ּנו Our hope is not yet lost od lo av-DAH tik-va-TAY-nu ַה ִּת ְקָוה ַּבת שׁ ְ נוֹת -The hope two thousand years ha-tik-VAH bat sh’-NOT al ַא ְל ַּפִים old PA-yim ִל ְהיוֹת ַעם ָח ְפשׁ ִ י -To be a free nation in our land lih-YOT am khof-SHEE b’-ar ְּב ַאְר ֵצ ּנו TZAY-nu ֶאֶרץ ִצ ּיוֹן ִו ּירושׁ ָ ַלִים -The Land ofZion and E-retz tzi-YON vee-ru-sha-LA Yerushalayim yim

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