Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

נמצאו 31 תוצאות חיפוש

1. Background of Shivat Tzion

   Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

   Yirmiyahu predicted that within just seventy years the Babylonian Empire would be humbled and the Jews restored to their homeland.  However, Yirmiyahu alluded to multiple counts of seventy, underscoring the utter opacity of the prophet’s prediction.

   Cyrus was the king who finally fulfilled Yirmiyahu’s prophecy – at least the first count of seventy. Still, the mystery shrouding the end of the seventy years heightens the dramatic irony in the opening of Ezra. The people who had been expelled to Babylonia had not fully anticipated the destruction, preferring to believe the conveniently optimistic message of the false prophets. Those who did arrive were traumatized and had little meaningful hope of redemption. While Yirmiyahu had predicted that the Temple would be rebuilt in relatively short order, it wasn’t entirely clear when exactly it would be rebuilt, by whom and how. There was no meaningful plan in place for a return to Zion. The Jews were just becoming comfortable in their new surroundings as they received news of Cyrus’ proclamation. And so when Cyrus did issue his proclamation, relatively few heeded the call. Those who did return were reproached by Chagai and Zekharia for their apathy, and required constant goading and emphatic leadership to finally complete the Temple.

   It is against this backdrop of unanticipated trauma, unmitigated disaster, renewed comfort and prophetic uncertainty that the period of Shivat Tzion was ushered in. These challenges, and the overall sense of ambivalence, continued to plague the returnees.

2. The Missing Years

   Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

   Before studying the book of Ezra, the controversy concerning the chronology of the kings of Persia must be addressed.

   Modern scholarship assumes that the Persian Empire spanned approximately 206 years and the Second Mikdash stood for 585 years.

   By contrast, traditional rabbinic sources present a dramatically different portrait of the Persian era. The Persian empire spanned 52 years and the Second Mikdash stood for just 420 years.

   Five traditional approaches exist as how to deal with this controversy. It is evident that the dispute concerning the chronology of the Persian kings carries significant theological, historical and exegetical implications. Throughout our treatment of Shivat Tzion we will be operating within the framework of the scholarly consensus.

3. Introduction to Ezra-Nehemya

   Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

   As opposed to the conclusion of Sefer Melakhim, Divrei Ha-Yamim sees hope for the future of the Judean Commonwealth. The city can and will be rebuilt and the Davidic line will be restored. In this sense, Ezra-Nehemya represents the fulfillment of Divrei Ha-Yamim’s optimistic vision for the future, and is properly viewed as not only a continuation but even a culmination of that work.

   There can be no question that the dominant personality the first chapter of Ezra is Cyrus himself. Jewish leadership is all but absent. As opposed to the prophets, who were spurned time and again by their Jewish audience, Cyrus’ message is well received. Whereas Yirmiyahu failed miserably in his attempts to goad the people to follow his commands, Cyrus succeeded spectacularly.

   In the prophetic period’s twilight, it is no longer a Jewish prophet who leads the Jews. Now, it is a gentile monarch (Cyrus), a Jewish scholar (Ezra), and a Jewish statesman (Nehemya). Cyrus’ dominance in Ezra-Nehemya’s opening chapter points to a wider motif of Shivat Tzion: the abatement of prophecy is marked by new forms of leadership and new modes for the Jewish people to connect with God.

4. The Census

   Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

   The chapter neatly captures the fundamental tension running throughout all the accomplishments of the Shivat Tzion community. While the people’s achievements are remarkable, it is always a struggle, achieved against the backdrop of the significant challenges plaguing the community.

   The Jewish return to Zion seventy years after the destruction is nothing short of miraculous. Still, fewer than 50,000 people in total returned, most of whom were lacking in means, leaving the community undermanned and lacking in resources to fend for itself.

   The glaring gaps in the community’s genealogical records speak directly to some of the key challenges facing the community: intermarriage, mass ignorance, and the concomitant need to establish religious bona fides.

5. An Imperfect Inauguration

   Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

   Having resettled in their homes, the Jews are ready to turn to the task of rebuilding the Temple. In the seventh month they construct the altar, and in the second month following the first wave of aliya, the Levites are appointed to oversee the process of the reconstruction of the Temple. The foundation is laid and a great inaugural celebration is held in which the elderly people cry remembering the first Mikdash.

   However, there are several signs that not all is well. The Altar was built without the Temple. Only a small group participated in the building of the Altar. Fear of the local population existed in the background of all of this activity. Only limited sacrifices were offered. The building of the first Mikdash was a grand and independent project. This project was a small one under Persian rule.

   The message of the chapter’s narrative is two-fold. Even joyous occasions may be marked with elements of sadness. Human reality is complex and chapter three shines a spotlight on the tensions inherent to the human condition. Second, the fact that a celebratory moment is imperfect is no reason to avoid rejoicing altogether. An imperfect altar dedication is still cause for joy. 

6. Confronting Anti-Semitism

   Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

   Ezra-Nehemya is sub-divided into three major sections: Each of the three major segments evinces a similar organizational structure: (a) aliya, (b) a confrontation with antisemitism, (c) support of the Temple/Jerusalem, and (d) working toward ensuring the everyday functioning of society.

   On a local level, chapters 4-6 of Ezra neatly break down in similar fashion. The three chapters sub-divide into three sections. All three segments consist of the enemies’ efforts to stall the construction, a response from the Jews or king, and a resolution.

   The author of Ezra-Nehemya implies that although the events of Shivat Tzion transpired over the course of nearly a century, featuring varied monarchs, Jewish leaders, and gentile antagonists, fundamentally the story is the same. The major motifs in Shivat Tzion are recurring: the challenge of abandoning comfortable diaspora communities and returning to Judea; the need for proactivity in combating antisemitism and rebuilding; and the importance of confronting the social rifts in our community. By presenting the stories of Shivat Tzion in chronologically interwoven, structurally repetitious fashion, our author suggests that these challenges are universal to the era of Shivat Tzion, and possibly all eras as well.

7. Haggai: The Practical Prophet

   Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

   As opposed to many other prophets, Haggai describes no visions. Instead, he conveys a plain, clear message to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash. This stands in sharp contrast to Haggai’s colleague Zekharia who witnesses numerous visions conveying obscure meanings. Zekharia writes in poetry, Haggai in prose. For this reason, Haggai is called “the Navi” - God’s mouthpiece.

   Haggai tells the people that if they abandon the building of God’s house, they cannot expect material comfort and success in their own homes. Whereas most prophets emphasize personal repentance from moral shortcomings, Haggai calls for a national return to the task of rebuilding the Temple.

   The disparity in message between Haggai and earlier prophets – Haggai being a more practical book with more modest aims and a relatively upbeat message – is reinforced by another key distinction: the people actually obey Haggai’s prophecy! Precisely because Haggai’s message was more specific and optimistic, less radical and cataclysmic, his message was more readily embraced by the people than the doomsday scenarios prognosticated by his predecessors.

8. Haggai Redoubles His Efforts

   Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

   Haggai once again exhorts the community to remain committed to the building process. Although they had obeyed his first prophecy, they had apparently become discouraged yet again. The prophet conveys a similar message, if one more specifically directed at the Shivat Tziyyon period: Although things might presently appear grim, ultimately a transformation will occur, and the Second Temple’s glory will outstrip even that of the First.

   By comparing the present reality to the Exodus from Egypt, Haggai reinforces just how radical is the transformation he anticipates. During the period of the Jewish enslavement in Egypt, the notion that the impoverished slave nation would suddenly take possession of their captors’ riches would have seemed utterly implausible. Much the same, argues Haggai implicitly, may be said for the metamorphosis he foresees.

   There is, then, a straightforward literary structure to Sefer Haggai. The simplicity of the book’s design mirrors the directness of the prophet’s message. Anxiety about agricultural yield increases the peoples’ motivation to follow Haggai’s charge. Haggai’s succeeds in ultimately setting the reconstruction project back on its footing. By single-mindedly urging the people again and again to focus on one task, he ultimately achieves what he sets out to accomplish.

9. Zekharya: Spiritual Visionary

   Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

   Haggai and Zekharya, while radically different – Haggai is straightforward and political, Zekharya quasi-mystical and spiritual – can in fact be seen as two sides of the same coin. Similar to Haggai, Zekharya’s message says that while things may appear grim at present, in the long run they will turn around dramatically. However, while Haggai calls for the Jews to roll up their sleeves and begin the work. Zekharya cries for repentance, suggesting that the rebuilding of Jerusalem will materialize regardless. Throughout Zekharya, the Jews’ role is to strive in matters of spirituality, and God will take care of the rest.

   Jerusalem will be so expansive that it will not be able to contain its population with walls. The expansive nature of the city is, of course, in sharp contrast to the meager numbers that plagued the community of returnees.

   God commands the Jews of Babylonia that the exile has ended, and they must now return to the holy city of Jerusalem. Eventually, the other nations will join the Jews in worshipping God in Jerusalem. 

10. Sefer Zekharya: Optimistic Visions

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Yehoshua, the Kohen Gadol is a survivor who has returned to lead his people in the service of the Temple that had been destroyed. Despite his imperfections, Yehoshua is appointed to a prominent position due to this status as a survivor.

    Like Yehoshua, the people are perhaps not fully innocent and worthy. Still, just as in the high priest’s poignant story, they are all deserving of consolation after the trauma they have endured. Therefore, God will ensure the success of their endeavors.

    As in the imagery of the rock, the seven-pronged menora indicates that God’s providence will ensure the success of the rebuilding. Once again, as opposed to Haggai, Zekharya’s message is not an instruction to build, but that the project will succeed. Despite its humble start, no one should “scorn a day of small beginnings.” The method for achieving those steps is not by military might, but through spirituality.

    The olive trees would appear to signal the durability of Zerubavel and Yehoshua’s leadership. God’s eyes will watch over the community and its leaders, ensuring the survival of the imperiled community.

11. Haggai: Spotlight on the Twelve Prophets

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

12. Obscure Reveries

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Anyone who steals the Temple’s materials or otherwise defiles the holy house will be cursed. All this refers to the Jews’ enemies, who seek to stifle the Jews’ attempts to build the Temple by way of theft and any other means possible. Their end, hints the prophecy, will be that of curse and failure.

    The appointment of multiple leaders without a clear hierarchy is generally a recipe for disaster. The prophecy predicts that despite the potential for tension, Yehoshua and Zerubavel will cooperate peaceably. The Hasmoneans acted contrary to the spirit of this prophecy.

    Zekharia transitions to an uplifting messianic vision depicting the old and young flourishing in the streets of Jerusalem. He concludes, all the fasts associated with the destruction of the Mikdash will be transformed into joyous occasions.

    Whereas at the beginning of the sefer the prophet presents repentance as a necessary precondition for the Jews to receive Divine reward, by the end of the eighth chapter, the two appear to have been disentangled from one another. Certainly the Jews are required be righteous. Still, the simple reading of our chapter indicates that the salvation will be forthcoming whether or not the Jews follow God’s word.

13. The Pessah Sacrifice

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    The Jews restart the construction of the Beit HaMikdash, but are met with opposition by the locals, who turn to Darius to complain. However, Darius locates Cyrus’ letter, and support the Jews’ right to continue building. The Mikdash is finally completed more than four years later, during the month of Adar, during the sixth year of Darius’ reign. The Jews celebrate the dedication by offering hundreds of sacrifices and appointing the Kohanim and Leviim. Shortly afterwards, after purifying themselves, they offer the Pessah sacrifice on the 14^th of Nissan.

    The remarkable resemblances between this Pessah sacrifice and Hizkiyahu’s, as described in Divrei HaYamim, indicates the religious potential of even the most sinful and uneducated of communities. The Jews of Hizkiyahu’s time were largely recalcitrant, to the point that many refused to participate in the sacrifice and celebration. At the time of Ezra, the Jews were similarly unobservant. Yet both communities were swayed, even transformed, under the influence of extraordinary events and historic leadership. Our narratives are testaments to the deep religious recesses of the Jews’ soul, and the capacity of inspired leaders to spark that passion.

14. Ezra Arrives on the Scene

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Ezra chapter 7 finally introduces us to Ezra himself. During the reign of Artaxerxes, Ezra led a group of Jews on aliya. Ezra is referred to as both Kohen and scholar. There is particular emphasis on the role of the priestly teacher in the works of Shivat Tzion. This represents a larger shift away from charismatic priestly and prophetic roles toward an emphasis on Torah. The fact that Ezra is identified as a Kohen without reference to the Temple service accentuates the transition underway.

    Whereas in the opening section of Ezra, the only form of worship practiced by the Jews is that of sacrifice, Ezra ushers in a new emphasis on Torah study and observance. This shift foreshadows the revolution on which Ezra was about to embark.

    Ezra deflects credit from himself toward God. This theme of hashgacha – that while God no longer performs open miracles, He nonetheless profoundly influences world events – pervades the literature of Shivat Tzion. While prophecy may be waning, divine inspiration remains, so too God continues to guide earthly events.

    Absolute divine clarity is declining. In that vacuum, divinely-inspired personal reminisces rise to the fore.

15. Ezra’s Journey

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    By many measures, Ezra’s journey is a resounding success. With God’s help, he earns the support of the king and hee convinces Jewish leaders to accompany him. His fast and prayer are apparently effective, and his group arrives safely in Jerusalem. After carefully appointing the priests as stewards of the gold, silver, and other materials, those items are delivered safely and precisely accounted for in the Temple.

    Despite his successes, though, Ezra confronts significant challenges along the way. The Levites at first are a no-show. Later on in our chapter, Ezra notes that he was required to pray for safety on his trip because he was embarrassed to ask the king for protection. Almost immediately after arriving, Ezra learns that intermarriage is rampant among the Jews

    Ultimately, the fact that Ezra was compelled to face a series of challenges extending him beyond his scholarly expertise serves to highlight the extent of his self-sacrifice. It is his willingness to abandon the comforts of his diaspora home to teach Torah to a far-flung, ignorant community – in short, his shelichut – that is the mark of his heroism.

16. Intermarriage During Shivat Tzion

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    The books of Ezra and Nehemya put a new emphasis on the sin of intermarriage, including seemingly harsh responses. The leaders of Shivat Tzion seem to present the sin somewhat differently than earlier Biblical works.

    According to the Torah, exogamy is prohibited so as not to lead one’s children toward idolatry. In contrast, the leaders of Shivat Tzion seem to speak with a different point of emphasis, introducing new terminology implying that the sin is not so much about the concern for idolatry or otherwise sinful lifestyle, but runs counter to the holiness of the Jew, an act of betrayal.

    For arguably the first time in history, during the period of Ezra and Nehemya, the temptation of idolatry no longer looms large. Therefore, whereas Devarim and Melakhim tended to stress the lure of paganism, Ezra, Nehemya and Malakhi, no longer confronting this threat, emphasized the inherently objectionable nature of the proscription.

    What does emerge with clarity from Ezra-Nehemya is that there are times, especially when the Jewish community faces an existential challenge, when an unyielding approach is necessary. Although many might take offense to such a “heavy-handed” response, sometimes proper leadership demands an approach that closely follows the firm stand taken by Ezra and Nehemya.

17. Separating From Foreign Wives

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Ezra’s response to the news of intermarriage is at once severe and passive. His actions seem conflicted. The success of the initiative is similarly mixed. At first glance, it appears to be a remarkable triumph. Upon closer examination, however, the people’s commitment appears lukewarm.  The fact that Nehemya was repeatedly required to confront the sin implies that Ezra had failed to truly solve the problem.

    Ezra was a different type of leader than Nehemya. Whereas Nehemya was a forceful political personality deeply grounded in Torah values, Ezra was first and foremost a brilliant, dedicated scholar. Ezra was not, in essence, a man of action. Only when prodded does Ezra rise to the occasion and move mountains to profoundly shape his community.

    The parallels to the Revelation at Sinai teach despite the fact that the community has sinned, repentance creates the possibility of renewed covenantal commitment. Shivat Tzion represents a time of renewed commitment to our relationship with God.

18. Introduction to Nehemya

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    A cursory glance at the book of Nehemya makes it clear that many of the concerns encountered in Ezra remain relevant in Nehemya: the arrival of a new leader on the scene; opposition from the indigenous population; the importance and challenges of construction; censuses of the olim; and mass ignorance and repentance.

    While both Ezra and Nehemya arrive under grave circumstances – each travels to Jerusalem at great personal sacrifice to guide a struggling community – there are a number of obvious differences between the two.

    Upon hearing the news of the state of Jerusalem Nehemya launches into prayer. Nehemya, much more so than Ezra, laces his tefilla with rich allusions to prior Torah texts and personalities. The Jewish community was rudderless, lacking in leadership and direction, and unable to provide basic security for its residents. The only way he would feel secure in making his request from the king was by first invoking some of his outstanding predecessors throughout Jewish history: Moshe, Aaron, David, and Shlomo. 

19. Nehemya's Fateful Request

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

20. Building and Securing Jerusalem's Walls

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Having inspired the community to commit to rebuilding the wall, Nehemya moves swiftly to repair the breaches, dividing responsibility for forty-two stretches of wall among a range of leaders, families, and townspeople. By the chapter’s end, the Jews had managed to complete the wall’s entire circumference, albeit to only half its intended height.

    Sanbalat and his colleagues turn to the threat of physical violence. Nehemya responds by establishing guard duty throughout the course of the night. Giving arms to the citizens of Jerusalem, he inspires the people to be unafraid, remember God, and fight on behalf of their families.

    Instead of dwelling on the negativity or engaging in extended conversations, Nehemya responds with decisive action, moving at breakneck pace to create the facts on the ground necessary to ensure the Jews’ safety. In so doing, he co-opts the Jews’ energies into assisting with the construction, rendering irrelevant their complaints.

    Throughout the process, Nehemya does not take a moment for himself. He not only oversees the building and guard duty, but accepts personal responsibility for both. 

21. Nehemya Fights for the Poor

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

22. Nehemya Wards Off his Enemies

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Prophecy is on the wane. In this transitional moment, the book of Nehemya invokes the term “navi” in both ambiguous and shifting ways. Prophecy still exists, but it casts a far shorter shadow than in earlier ages.

    During the time of the patriarchs and Moshe, prophecy certainly existed. Indeed, Moshe himself was the greatest of prophets. Nonetheless, Moshe’s primary mode of leadership was not necessarily exercised in the way of the later prophets. The same may be said of the patriarchs. Similarly, as the Biblical period ebbs away, prophecy continues to exist, but no longer represents a major mode of Jewish leadership. It is appropriate, therefore, that just as the earliest usages of navi are unclear, so too in Ezra-Nehemya, we find ambiguous usages of the word that gradually transition away from prophecy.

    While divine reward and punishment still figure heavily in Ezra-Nehemya, Sanbalat and Tovia’s concern for tarnishing Nehemya’s reputation has a strikingly modern ring to it; they wished to embroil him in scandal. As before, here too we find evidence that the transition to a post-prophetic period is well underway.

23. The Teshuva Revolution

    Part 1

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    The events of Shivat Tzion are cyclical. Although three different sets of events are recorded in our sefer, each mirrors the others. The similarity dramatizes the striking parallel between the events of the early chapters of Ezra, in which the Jews are restored to their homes and engage in a religious revival by rebuilding the altar, and Nehemya’s repopulation and inspiring Torah reading. The details differ and some sixty years separate the two events, but the fundamental challenges of Shivat Tzion remain the same.

    Whereas Ezra was highly esteemed as a scholar and role model, his political acumen was no match for that of Nehemya. Throughout the events which until this point had emphasized matters of security, Ezra stood outside the limelight. Now that things have settled down considerably and Nehemya is finally ready to turn to religious matters, Ezra once again steps forward and plays a prominent role alongside his colleague.

    As we make our way through the Torah reading ceremony, it becomes clear that Ezra’s ritual is intended to recreate the Hakhel ceremony. Hakhel is a septennial recreation of the Revelation at Sinai. Thus, the Torah reading ceremony is a transformative event of Shivat Tzion, and even of Jewish history. It is evident that there was mass ignorance on the part of the remnant in Judea. Had Ezra not ascended from Babylonia, it is not at all self-evident that the Judean community would have ever learned the basics and recommitted themselves to a Torah-based lifestyle. The comparison to Sinai is thus certainly not an exaggeration.

24. The Teshuva Revolution

    Part 2

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Consistent with the transition detailed from a Temple-based Judaism to a Torah-centered lifestyle, the emphasis in this chapter is decidedly not on the Temple service. Many, if not all, of the practices omitted in this chapter bear significant connections to the Temple service. Ezra’s revolution, which seeks to reimagine Jewish life in the aftermath of the destruction of the First Commonwealth, envisions an observance of the holidays that does not revolve around the sacrificial service.

    Putting Esther and Nehemya together, it appears that repairing the Jewish People’s social fabric was a major point of emphasis for both post-exilic communities. It is almost as if Tanakh implies that Jews of Persia and Israel sought to “undo” the sins of previous generations, in which the wealthy trampled upon the poor and there were irreparable divisions between the different classes of society. Both Esther and Nehemya worked to create greater unity by emphasizing the importance of generosity at times of communal celebration, so that no one would feel excluded.

    The extraordinary moment of solidarity around the celebration of Sukkot – with all the difficulties it raises regarding contemporary observance of that holiday - coupled with the dramatic impact of the Torah reading ceremony just a few days earlier, combines to make the events of Nehemya chapter eight some of the most climactic known to biblical history.

25. The Great Prayer and Confession

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    After reading the Torah and celebrating Sukkot in spectacular fashion, the people remain behind, mourning and fasting for their sins. Those who had intermarried separate from their foreign spouses, and the community recites confession. The Levites proceed to offer a whirlwind tour of Biblical history, Notwithstanding the Jews’ unfaithful behavior, God remains compassionate and continues to provide.

    Perhaps the most conspicuous aspect of the prayer of the Levites is the extent to which they draw upon earlier scriptural sources. The ideal is to anchor our prayers, as our actions, in those of the outstanding scholars of the current and previous generations. The prayer exemplifies the key role played by religious commitment born of deep understanding. As the curtain closes on the prophetic period, a new emphasis on the Torah tradition rises to the fore.

    It was the leadership of the Shivat Tzion community that helped to renew the community’s commitment to Mosaic law as the touchstone for Jewish life and Jewish learning. Above all, this is the legacy of Ezra-Nechemia.

    Our invocation of Nechemia during our daily prayers hints to the larger idea that the miracles of the exodus are not isolated events, but are but one piece of the compassion with which God graced His people throughout the course of history.

26. The Oath

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Nechemia chapter 10, perhaps the climax of the nation’s renewed commitment to Torah, summarizes the binding oath accepted by the community.

    In many instances, the oath seems to supersede the obligations that are set forth explicitly in the Torah. The commentators struggle with a fundamental question: to what extent was the oath a renewed commitment to the ancient laws of the Torah, albeit with some novel interpretations, and to what extent are these new, proto-Rabbinic laws? As we have seen, it is most likely that our chapter presents a mix of the two views. On any view, our chapter – and, indeed, the entire period of Shivat Tzion – exemplifies a careful balance between commitment to tradition and an understanding that specific commandments require additional emphasis or even innovation at particular moments in history.

27. The End of Nehemya

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Chapter 11 reports that a tenth of the Jewish population of Judea was selected by lottery to live in Jerusalem, with an eye toward ensuring the city’s ongoing security. The Jerusalem lottery was a random, rather than Divine, mechanism for determining who was to live in the holy city, consistent with the tenor of desacralization running throughout the period of Shivat Tzion.

    The celebratory dedication of Jerusalem’s walls closely resembles the celebration in the third chapter of Ezra. Buried among the many similarities, however, is a basic difference. In Nehemya, the joy is unmitigated. In Ezra it is muted by the sobbing of those who had witnessed the First Temple’s grandeur. Thus, Nehemya is to be viewed as having brought Ezra’s work to a point of greater completion.

    Nehemya’s final chapter neatly summarizes many of his major concerns throughout his tenure in Judea, and it brings his story full circle. The differences between the events of Nehemya chapter 1 and chapter 13 neatly capture the enormity of the governor’s achievements. At the book’s opening, there is an existential crisis. The walls of Jerusalem are burnt to the ground, and the community’s survival is far from assured. By the end, the wall has been completed and the community’s safety secured. Nehemya has turned his attention to matters of ethics, the Temple, and religious practice. However, for all his accomplishments and efforts, Nehemya concludes his sefer with his work incomplete. The battle for the hearts and minds of the people was destined to continue in Sefer Malakhi, a work written some years following Ezra and Nehemya’s careers.

28. Malakhi’s Opening Chapter

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Malakhi structures his prophecy as an ongoing series of dialogues between God and the Jewish People, forming the backbone of the book and as well as its central motif.

    Malakhi consistently sees the world through the lenses of the intimate relationship between God and the Jewish People. In this sense, he is fittingly named “my messenger,” emphasizing the immediacy of the connection between God and His people.

    Malakhi places great emphasis on the centrality of family relations to our responsibilities not only toward God, but also our fellow Jews and humanity.

    Although the Second Temple has not yet attained the honor described in Haggai’s prophecy, Malakhi chastises the priests for relating dishonorably to the sacrificial service.  Apparently, given the Temple’s relatively sorry state, the priests likely saw no reason to act reverentially toward the service. Moreover, although the exact date of Malakhi’s prophecy is unknown, the sense is that the Temple had already been functioning for some time. At this point, the Temple was likely no longer a novelty, and quite possibly was taken for granted by the priests.

    Today, many younger people take the existence of Israel for granted; they did not see the founding of the State or the miraculous victories in wars, such as in 1967. The challenge of the current generation is not to fall into the trap that ensnared the priests – to remain passionately committed to Jerusalem even when its restoration is no longer freshly imprinted upon our hearts.

29. Harsher Criticism

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Echoing the covenant of peace forged with Pinhas, and especially Moshe’s blessings before his death, in this passage Malakhi castigates the priests for their shortcomings not in regard to their role in the sacrificial service, but as Torah teachers. In contrast to a previous era, in which the Levites observed the covenant and feared the Almighty, they have now “turned out of the way of that course.”

    The emphasis on the priests’ lapses as halakhic decisors, although to a degree rooted in earlier Biblical passages, sounds strikingly post-prophetic. All this betokens a clear transition in leadership from priest as primarily focused on the Temple service to one also centered on Torah education.

    In light of the centrality of the familial metaphor, it may be that the dialogue between God and the nation is the perfect organizing principle. Constructed as a series of tense exchanges between quarrelling but loving spouses, the discussion motif offers a realistic snapshot of a marital relationship and is therefore particularly apt.

30. Malakhi’s Grand Conclusion

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    By addressing the immediate concern of the mediocre Temple service while nostalgically hearkening back to a golden age, Malakhi hews to his mandate of remaining anchored in his own times while summing up all of Nevi’im.

    Malakhi mirrors Tzefania, but his subject differs. For Malakhi idolatry is no longer a burning issue. The point of emphasis therefore shifts from pagan worship to an exclusive focus on ethics and morality. By building off the language of his predecessors yet addressing contemporary concerns, all the while prophesying about the Messianic period, Malakhi continues to stay true to his multiple mandates.

    As an antidote to the shortcomings of Eliyahu’s overly zealous leadership, at the End of Days he will enact an historic reconciliation among family members and between God and His people.

    The culmination of Sefer Malakhi and Nevi’im offers an inspiring message that is at once relevant to its time and simultaneously universal: The reunification of family is a signal of redemption. That family includes both the Jewish people and God Himself. This comforting message must have proven powerfully uplifting for the beleaguered Shivat Tzion community. Like Zekharia, Malakhi reminds the people that redemption would ultimately arrive, and that modest steps toward repentance and building families were steps toward that deliverance.

31. A Retrospective

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Conflicting proofs exist as to whether the books of Ezra and Nehemya are one book or two. The preponderance of evidence inclines toward the position that they are a unified work. The differences noted center on Ezra and Nehemya’s distinct leadership styles, one religious and the other political - two contrasting modes of leadership that are crucial in the post prophetic era.

    While similarities to the rest of Tanakh are abound in the books of Shivat Tzion, still, there are significant departures from the rest of Tanakh.

    The omnipresent temptation of idolatry has been overtaken by the allure of intermarriage.

    The post-prophetic period will feature uncharted territory for a Jewish community that had been led by monarchs and prophets for as long as they could remember. As opposed to the prophets’ black-and-white, explicit directives, the Shivat Tzion community must learn to embrace ambiguity.

    The contemporary messages of the works of Shivat Tzion include:

    • There are multiple legitimate models of Jewish leadership.
    • At times leadership demands clinging to core principles, even if at great risk.
    • Redemption, in Shivat Tzion as today, is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Shivat Tzion interweaves idealism and realism. We must celebrate partial victories, even as the work remains dauntingly incomplete.
    • National rituals and shared memory are keys to Jewish survival.
    • Education is the key that unlocks Jewish commitment and continuity.
    • Politics are unpleasant, but are necessary and not inherently evil.
    • No matter the challenges, we remain God’s beloved.