Zionism Then and Now: The Jewish People and the Promised Land Throughout History יום א' לפרשת ויגש – ר ז' של חוכה תשע"ו Young Israel of Jamaica Estates – December 13th, 2015 Part 2: Zionism Through the Eyes of Chazal I CHAZAL’S PRECURSORS AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT ‐605BCE‐ Major battle fought between Babylonian and Egyptian 3156 Armies. Babylonia led by Nebudchanezer II defeats the Egyptian army at Carchemish and turns its attention to the Nebudchanezer II attempts to invade Egypt and is Kingdom of Judah, a puppet government of the Egyptian unsuccessful. In the wake of the defeat, seeing Pharaoh Necho. As a result, Yehoyakim, King of Judah Babylon as severely weakened, Yehoyakim rebels changes alleigence to Babylonia and begins paying a (along with several other Babylonian tributaries) ‐601BCE‐ tribute from the Temple treasury. and declares independence. 1) ירמיהו (פרק מו') 3160 (א) ֲא ֶשׁר ָה ָיה ְד ַבר ה' ֶאל ִי ְר ְמ ָיהוּ ַה ָנּ ִביא ַעל ַה ִגּוֹים: (ב) ְל ִמ ְצ ַר ִים ַעל 2) מלכים ב' (פרק כג'-כד') ֵחיל ַפּ ְר ֹעה ְכוֹ ֶמ ֶלְך ִמ ְצ ַר ִים ֲא ֶשׁר ָה ָיה ַעל ְ ַהר ְפּ ָרת ְבּ ַכ ְר ְכּ ִמשׁ ֲא ֶשׁר (לו) ֶבּן ֶע ְשׂ ִרים ְו ָח ֵמשׁ ָשׁ ָה ְי ָהוֹי ִקים ְבּ ָמ ְלכוֹ ְו ַא ַחת ֶע ְשׂ ֵרה ָשׁ ָה ָמ ַלְך ִה ָכּה ְ ַבוּכ ְד ֶר ַאצּר ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל ִבּ ְשׁ ַת ָה ְר ִב ִיעית ִל ָיהוֹי ִקים ֶבּן יֹ ִאשׁ ָיּהוּ ִבּ ָירוּשׁ ָלִם ְו ֵשׁם ִאמּוֹ זבידה ְז ָבוּדּה ַבת ְפּ ָד ָיה ִמן ָרוּמה: [...] (א) ֶמ ֶלְך ְי ָהוּדה: ְבּ ָי ָמיו ָע ָלה ְ ֻב ַכ ְד ֶ ַאצּר ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל ַו ְי ִהי לוֹ ְי ָהוֹי ִקים ֶע ֶבד ָשֹׁלשׁ ָשׁ ִים ַו ָיּ ָשׁב ַו ִיּ ְמ ָרד בּוֹ: Jeremiah (ch. 46) II Kings (ch. 23-24) 1 This is what the LORD told the prophet Jeremiah concerning the 36 Jehoiakim was 25 years old when he became king, and he nations. 2 About Egypt! A message for the army of Pharaoh Neco, ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Egypt's king, which was defeated by Babylon's Nebuchadnezzar at Zebidah; she was Pedaiah's daughter and was from Rumah. […] Carchemish near the Euphrates River in the fourth year of Judah's 1 In Jehoiakim's days, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon ‐597BCE‐ King Jehoiakim, Josiah's son: attacked. Jehoiakim had submitted to him for three years, but 3164 then Jehoiakim changed his mind and rebelled against him. In response to the rebellion of the Judaic monarchy, Nevudchanezer II lays siege to Jerusalem, imprisons and exiles its king Yehoyakhin b. Yehoyakim to Zedekiah, after 9 years on the throne paying tribute Babylonia, and installs Zedekiah as a vassal king. to Nebuchadnezzar II, reestablishes Judah’s 3) מלכים ב' (פרק כד') .alliance with Egypt and rebels against Babylonia (ח) ֶבּן ְשׁ ֹמ ֶה ֶע ְשׂ ֵרה ָשׁ ָה ְי ָהוֹי ִכין ְבּ ָמ ְלכוֹ ְוּשׁ ָֹלשׁה ֳח ָד ִשׁים ָמ ַלְך ,In response, Nebuchadnezzar invades Judah ִבּ ָירוּשׁ ָלִם [...] (י) ָבּ ֵעת ַה ִהיא עלה ָעלוּ ַע ְב ֵדי ְ ֻב ַכ ְד ֶ ַאצּר ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל besieges Jerusalem for a second time, and after 30 ְי ָרוּשׁ ָלִם ַו ָתּבֹא ָה ִעיר ַבּ ָמּצוֹר: (יא) ַו ָיּבֹא ְ ַבוּכ ְד ֶ ַאצּר ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל ַעל months, breaches the walls, imprisons and exiles ָה ִעיר ַו ֲע ָב ָדיו ָצ ִרים ָע ֶל ָיה : (יב) ַו ֵיּ ֵצא ְי ָהוֹי ִכין ֶמ ֶלְך ְי ָהוּדה ַעל ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל the king and his people and destroys Solomon’s ‐589BCE‐ הוּא ְו ִאמּוֹ ַו ֲע ָב ָדיו ְו ָשׂ ָריו ְו ָס ִר ָיסיו ַו ִיּ ַקּח ֹאתוֹ ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל ִבּ ְשׁ ַ ת ְשׁ ֹמ ֶה .Temple ְל ָמ ְלכוֹ: [...] (יד) ְו ִה ְג ָלה ֶאת ָכּל ְי ָרוּשׁ ַלִם ְו ֶאת ָכּל ַה ָשּׂ ִרים ְו ֵאת ָכּל 3172 ִגּ ֵבּוֹרי ַה ַח ִיל עשרה ֲע ֶשׂ ֶרת ֲא ָל ִפים ֶגּוֹלה ְו ָכל ֶה ָח ָרשׁ ְו ַה ַמּ ְס ֵגּר לֹא ִ ְשׁ ַאר 4) מלכים ב' (פרק כה') ַזוּלת ַדּ ַלּת ַעם ָה ָא ֶרץ: [...] (יז) ַו ַיּ ְמ ֵלְך ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל ֶאת ַמ ַתּ ְ ָיה ֹדדוֹ ַו ִיּ ְמ ֹרד ִצ ְד ִק ָיּהוּ ְבּ ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל: (א) ַו ְי ִהי ִב ְשׁ ַת ַה ְתּ ִשׁ ִיעית ְל ָמ ְלכוֹ ַבּ ֹח ֶדשׁ ַתּ ְח ָתּיו ַו ַיּ ֵסּב ֶאת ְשׁמוֹ ִצ ְד ִק ָיּהוּ: פ ָה ֲע ִשׂ ִירי ֶבּ ָעשׂוֹר ַל ֹח ֶדשׁ ָבּא ְ ֻב ַכ ְד ֶ ַאצּר ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל הוּא ְו ָכל ֵחילוֹ ַעל (II Kings (ch. 24 ְי ָרוּשׁ ַלִם ַו ִיּ ַחן ָע ֶל ָיה ַו ִיּ ְבוּ ָע ֶל ָיה ָדּ ֵיק ָס ִביב: [...] (ד) ַו ִתּ ָבּ ַקע ָה ִעיר [...] Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king, and he ruled 8 (ו) ַו ִיּ ְת ְפּשׂוּ ֶאת ַה ֶמּ ֶלְך ַו ַיּ ֲעלוּ ֹאתוֹ ֶאל ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל ִר ְב ָל ָתה ַו ְי ַד ְבּרוּ ִאתּוֹ for three months in Jerusalem. […] 9 He did what was evil in the ִמ ְשׁ ָפּט: (ז) ְו ֶאת ְבּ ֵי ִצ ְד ִק ָיּהוּ ָשׁ ֲחטוּ ְל ֵע ָייו ְו ֶאת ֵע ֵיי ִצ ְד ִק ָיּהוּ ִע ֵוּר LORD's eyes, just as all his ancestors had done. 10 At that time, the officers of Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar attacked ַו ַיּ ַא ְס ֵרהוּ ַב ְ ֻח ְשׁ ַתּ ִים ַו ְי ִב ֵאהוּ ָבּ ֶבל: ס (ח) ַוּב ֹח ֶדשׁ ַה ֲח ִמ ִישׁי ְבּ ִשׁ ְב ָעה Jerusalem and laid siege to the city. 11 Babylon's King ַל ֹח ֶדשׁ ִהיא ְשׁ ַת ְתּ ַשׁע ֶע ְשׂ ֵרה ָשׁ ָה ַל ֶמּ ֶלְך ְ ֻב ַכ ְד ֶ ַאצּר ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל ָבּא ְ Nebuchadnezzar himself arrived at the city while his officers were ַבוּז ְר ֲא ָדן ַרב ַט ָבּ ִחים ֶע ֶבד ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל ְי ָרוּשׁ ָלִם: (ט) ַו ִיּ ְשׂ ֹרף ֶאת ֵבּית ה' ,blockading it. 12 Judah's King Jehoiachin, along with his mother ְו ֶאת ֵבּית ַה ֶמּ ֶלְך ְו ֵאת ָכּל ָבּ ֵתי ְי ָרוּשׁ ַלִם ְו ֶאת ָכּל ֵבּית ָגּדוֹל ָשׂ ַרף ָבּ ֵאשׁ: II Kings (ch. 25) his servants, his officers, and his officials, came out to surrender 1 So in the ninth year of Zedekiah's rule, on the tenth day of the to the Babylonian king. The Babylonian king took Jehoiachin tenth month, Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem prisoner in the eighth year of Jehoiachin's rule. […] 14 Then with his entire army. He camped beside the city and built a siege Nebuchadnezzar exiled all of Jerusalem: all the officials, all the wall all around it. 4 Then the enemy broke into the city. […] 6 So military leaders—ten thousand exiles—as well as all the skilled the Chaldeans captured the king and brought him back to the workers and metalworkers. No one was left behind except the Babylonian king […] 7 Zedekiah's sons were slaughtered right poorest of the land's people. […] 17 Then the Babylonian king before his eyes. Then he was blinded, put in bronze chains, and made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, succeed Jehoiachin as king. taken off to Babylon. 8 On the seventh day of the fifth month in Nebuchadnezzar changed Mattaniah's name to Zedekiah. the nineteenth year of Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan arrived at Jerusalem. He was the commander of the guard and an official of the Babylonian king. 9 He burned down the LORD's temple, the royal palace, and all of Jerusalem's houses. 1 He burned down every important building. Battle of Opis. The army of the Persian Empire led ‐539BCE‐ by Cyrus the Great invades and defeats Babylonia 3222 and annexes its territories to the Persian Empire. Shortly thereafter, Cyrus grants the Jews – through Purim story in Shushan, the capital of Persia the power of a royal edict – the right to return to 6) מגילת אסתר (פרק ב') ‐their homeland. ‐483‐473 (ה) ִאישׁ ְי ִהוּדי ָה ָיה ְבּ ַשׁוּשׁן ַה ִבּ ָירה ְוּשׁמוֹ ָמ ְר ֳדּ ַכי ֶבּן ָי ִאיר ֶבּן BCE 5) עזרא (פרק א') ִשׁ ְמ ִעי ֶבּן ִקישׁ ִאישׁ ְי ִמ ִיי: (ו) ֲא ֶשׁר ָה ְג ָלה ִמ ָירוּשׁ ַל ִים ִעם ַה ֹגּ ָלה 3288‐3278 ֲא ֶשׁר ָה ְג ְל ָתה ִעם ְי ָכ ְ ָיה ֶמ ֶלְך ְי ָהוּדה ֲא ֶשׁר ֶה ְג ָלה ְ ַבוּכ ְד ֶ ַאצּר (א) ִוּב ְשׁ ַת ַא ַחת ְל ֶכוֹרשׁ ֶמ ֶלְך ָפּ ַרס ִל ְכלוֹת ְדּ ַבר ה' ִמ ִפּי ִי ְר ְמ ָיה ֵה ִעיר ֶמ ֶלְך ָבּ ֶבל: ה' ֶאת ַרוּח ֹכּ ֶרשׁ ֶמ ֶלְך ָפּ ַרס ַו ַיּ ֲע ֶבר קוֹל ְבּ ָכל ַמ ְלכוּתוֹ ְו ַגם ְבּ ִמ ְכ ָתּב (II Kings (ch. 24 ֵל ֹאמר: (ב) ֹכּה ָא ַמר ֹכּ ֶרשׁ ֶמ ֶלְך ָפּ ַרס ֹכּל ַמ ְמ ְלכוֹת ָה ָא ֶרץ ָ ַתן ִלי ה' Now there was a Jew in the fortified part of Susa whose 5 ֱא ֵֹלהי ַה ָשּׁ ָמ ִים ְוהוּא ָפ ַקד ָע ַלי ִל ְבוֹת לוֹ ַב ִית ִבּ ָירוּשׁ ַלִם ֲא ֶשׁר name was Mordecai, Jair's son. He came from the family ִבּ ָיהוּדה: (ג) ִמי ָב ֶכם ִמ ָכּל ַעמּוֹ ְי ִהי ֱא ָֹלהיו ִעמּוֹ ְו ַי ַעל ִל ָירוּשׁ ַלִם ֲא ֶשׁר line of Shimei and Kish; he was a Benjaminite. (6 ִבּ ָיהוּדה ְו ִי ֶבן ֶאת ֵבּית ה' ֱא ֵֹלהי ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵאל הוּא ָה ֱא ִֹלהים ֲא ֶשׁר Benjaminites had been taken into exile away from ִבּ ָירוּשׁ ָלִם: Ezra (ch.