Dr. Tova Ganzel

Found 44 Search results

The Disappearance of Jerusalem in the Book of Ezekiel
Dr. Tova Ganzel
תאריך פרסום: תשס"ט | |
Why does the Beit Hamikdash in Jerusalem, take a backseat in the book of Yehezkel? This shiur explores possible reasons for Yehezkel’s idiosyncratic approach to the Beit Hamikdash in Jerusalem. Before Yehezkel, the people had believed that God would never destroy His Temple. Yehezkel has to take a stand and emphasize that the redemption will come from those in exile. Those still living and sinning in Jerusalem during his time are not to be viewed as a source of hope. His vision of a new and different Temple service in future times reflects his view that what was done in the past brought destruction and exile and that change is essential for a fresh start after the redemption and return.
The Function of Shevna
Dr. Tova Ganzel
תאריך פרסום: תשעב | |
In this class we will study the relationship between Shevna's act of hewing a tomb in an unsuitable location and his punishment. We will also explore how Shevna's realm of responsibility as second only to the king sheds light on our understanding of the punishment that Yeshayahu predicts for him in vv. 15-25 as a result of Shevna's construction of the tomb.
The Book of Yehezkel
Introduction
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The Book of Yehezkel covers a fateful period of some 22 years in the history of the Jewish People: beginning with year five of the exile of King Yehoyakhin and ending fifteen years after the Destruction of the First Temple. As opposed to other prophets, Yehezkel's prophecies are conveyed in Babylon and grapple with the contemporaneous crisis from a Diaspora vantage point.

The purpose of Yehezkel's prophecies – in the years preceding the Destruction – was to inform the people that God had departed from His Temple in Jerusalem. He therefore describes in detail the Divine chariot and the journeys of God's glory outside the Temple.

Yehezkel presents the view of the "inhabitants of Jerusalem," who say that the exiles have distanced themselves from God and from His Land, and that they are not counted among the inheritors of the land and those close to God. God's response, however, conveyed through the prophet, is that while those taken in captivity are currently in exile, God is with them there, as a "miniature Temple". For the first time, the prophet affirms the Jewish identity of the exiles: they remain part of God’s nation, even though the Jews still living in their homeland have a different view, and maintain that God's place is still in the Temple in their midst.

Both groups, the inhabitants in the land and those exiled to Babylonia, despite their differences, have this in common: neither changed its behavior during these years. Thus, Yehezkel's prophetic mission during these years was not to call upon the people to mend their ways and repent, but rather to explain the significance of the events in Jerusalem, and thereby to prepare the ground for the prophecies of rebuilding which came after the Destruction, as well as the vision of the future Temple.
The Chariot and the Journeys of God's Glory
Dr. Tova Ganzel
At the beginning of his book, Yehezkel describes how "the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God." Chapter 1, described by Chazal as the "ma'aseh merkava" is one of the most difficult chapters to understand in all of Tanakh.

This Divine vision, which appears at the very outset of the book, holds the key to understanding one of the central prophetic messages of the book. The recollection of this vision accompanies Yehezkel's prophecy throughout the rest of the book. In these visions, God's glory is borne in a chariot, which indicates motion. The upshot of all these visions is that God's glory has departed from the Temple.

Even in Yehezkel's pre-Destruction prophecies the glory of God has already departed from the Temple and the Divine Presence is no longer within the city of Jerusalem. Therefore, during the six first years of Yehezkel's prophecy – from the time he began to prophesy until the destruction of the Temple – there is no call to the nation as a whole to mend its ways and to repent. The fate of Jerusalem has already been sealed; the Temple is defiled and desecrated, and the city will not be purified until God has poured out His wrath in its midst.

Where is God's glory is to be found during the years of the Destruction? Does God's glory wander with the people to Babylon, or does it remain in the Land of Israel, outside Jerusalem, waiting for the people to return?

Yehezkel emphasizes that even though this is the first time that God's glory has departed – indeed the Temple lies in ruins – nevertheless the same Divine vision will return and once again dwell in the future Temple. The nation need not fear that the departure of God's glory from the Temple means the departure of His glory from the nation.

God’s Presence in the Temple cannot be assumed to be unconditional; God will not allow His Presence to dwell there if the nation causes the Temple to be defiled. But even though the nation refuses to accept the message of the prophets and fails to repent, even after the destruction of the Temple, God will never abandon His people.
Yehezkel’s Prophetic Mission
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Yehezkel is told at the outset that he is being sent to the nation to convey God’s word, for them to know that a prophet was among them before the Destruction. But the people dwelling in Jerusalem – like those in Babylon – will not change their ways. The role of the prophet is not to bring about repentance but rather to convey God’s word and thereby justify the imminent punishment. Therefore when he is commanded to eat the scroll, he is ambivalent. Just as the scroll contains lamentations, with no hint of redemption, so too Yehezkel’s prophecy includes, initially, only the coming of the Destruction.

Nonetheless, there is a message that the prophet addresses to each individual in his generation: the Temple is going to be destroyed, and the nation will be exiled from its land, but every person bears personal responsibility for his own fate, because even at this most bitter time there will be those who will die and those who will be saved. Every individual is responsible for his own actions. Yehezkel must therefore carry out his mission even if the nation’s fate is already sealed.
Yehezkel's Silence: Symbolic Actions and Their Meaning
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Among the many symbolic actions that God commands Yehezkel to perform as part of his prophecy, one is to bind himself up with cords and remain silent. Up until now the prophet has been commanded to go and prophesy to the people. Now it seems that before he has a chance to say anything, he receives another prophecy that contradicts everything that has come before: he must shut himself in his house and refrain from reproving the nation, until he is instructed otherwise.

For how long was Yehezkel shut inside his house? If he was silent until the survivor came to inform him of the destruction of Jerusalem, to who were the many prophecies he received conveyed throughout these years?

Many possibilities are suggested, but all of them give rise to the same message: despite the skepticism of the exiles dwelling with Yehezkel, the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem is imminent, and the prophet’s message will have no effect on the people.
Yehezkel's Symbolic Actions and their Meaning
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Generally speaking, the Latter Prophets, unlike the Earlier Prophets, do not perform miracles. Therefore, in order to convey their messages effectively, they must employ both elevated speech and symbolic acts. Perhaps for this reason Yehezkel only conveys his prophecies after a series of symbolic actions performed at the beginning of his prophetic career. Indeed, the difficulty of convincing the nation of the authenticity and reliability of God’s prophets is clearly demonstrated in Yirmiyahu’s struggle against the false prophets. In Sefer Yehezkel too – even in the prophecies that follow the Destruction – the prophet’s audience treats his words as mere poetry and they continue sinning.

Yehezkel’s symbolic acts are a step-by-step demonstration of what is yet to happen due to the sins of the nation: first the siege with no response from God; the unbearable hunger and thirst; and finally – annihilation of most of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, only a few of whom will escape and be saved.
The Meaning of the Metaphor: God’s Actions
Dr. Tova Ganzel
This prophetic unit is one of the harshest that is delivered to the nation anywhere in Tanakh. The prophet begins by defining and illuminating the severity of the actions of the people. Not only have they not fulfilled God’s commandments; they have even been less loyal to God than the surrounding nations have been towards their own deities.

The nation had not internalized the idea that God might destroy His Temple. They knew that the Destruction of the Temple would be perceived by the nations as weakness on the part of God, reflecting God’s inability to defend His Temple and ward off its enemies. Thus, the Destruction of the Temple would entail a desecration of God’s Name among the nations. The nations would assume that God had lost His power and might, so much so that He could not even prevent the downfall of His Temple. The nations surrounding Jerusalem would have considered the deliberate divine Destruction of Jerusalem so strange that the people of Jerusalem were lulled into believing that this would be enough to prevent the Temple being destroyed despite their severe sins.

But Yehezkel describes that the people have defiled the Beit HaMikdash with “detestable things and abominations” – a combined term that is used over 80 times in the book that refers to the range of sins that the people have committed which are detailed by the prophet in the coming chapters. Thus the nations will come to understand how God inflicts such devastating damage on His people not as a sign of weakness but as a Divine punishment.
The Biblical Background for the Nation’s Sins
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The prophetic message in Yehezkel chapter 6 is that at this point in time, the nation is being punished for the deeds depicted in Vayikra 26. What they are suffering now is what was defined in Vayikra as the punishment for those sins. The verses of rebuke in Vayikra are linked to the situation in Yehezkel’s prophecy by describing the people’s sins with the same expressions that appear in Sefer Vayikra. These expressions are not common in Tanakh; therefore their very mention causes the warnings and punishments set down in Sefer Vayikra to echo in the ears of Yehezkel’s listeners.

However, there seems to be more of a link between our prophecy and Sefer Vayikra – this time, on a more optimistic note. Chapter 26 of Sefer Vayikra makes mention of God’s covenant with His people right after the rebuke for their unspeakable deeds. Even when the nation’s actions causes a rift between itself and God, the covenant forged between them will stand the nation in good stead and protect them, even in the most difficult times.
The End is Near
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The prophetic message of Yehezkel and Yirmiyahu is that the end of Jerusalem is imminent. The common belief in Jerusalem and in Babylonia is that somehow God will save the inhabitants of Jerusalem, allowing them to survive this crisis. The exiles themselves, though, might – in a best case scenario – return to the land; but will otherwise assimilate and disappear among the nations.

Yirmiyahu prophesies that in his own days Yehoyakhin is “a man who shall not prosper” and in those years that Yehuda is desolate, none of his progeny will prosper as king or ruler. But in the long term, the exile of Yehoyakhin will settle and prosper in Babylonia for a long period of time and they will serve as the salvation of the people. It would be these exiles who would return one day to rebuild the land which was about to be destroyed. Yehekzel prophesies that those who remained in Jerusalem will die by pestilence, by the sword or by famine.

But even after these prophecies, neither the inhabitants of Jerusalem nor the exiles in Babylonia were convinced. The Temple was still standing; the inhabitants of Jerusalem remained steadfast despite the crises they had faced since the time of Shlomo. These facts made a stronger impression than the prophecies of Yirmiyahu and Yehezkel.

To convey his messages, Yehezkel enlists all possible means: the use of symbolic acts and the borrowing of expressions familiar from the Tokhaha in Vayikra. Now, another means is adopted: a key word, aimed at emphasizing the subject of the prophecy as a whole. We see here the repeated use of the word “ketz” (end), alluding to the story of the Flood.
The Deeds of the People in the Temple
Part 1
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Yehezkel pronounces a Divine vision whose message is that although the Temple is still standing, it is effectively empty and worthless. Yehezkel sees, by means of a Divine vision, four symbolic sins, each sight worse than its predecessor. Yehezkel uses terms unique to Devarim chapter 4 which describes the prohibitions of idolatry at length, the covenant with God and the warning of exile if the covenant is violated through idol worship.
The Deeds of the People in the Temple
Part 2
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The consequence foretold in Sefer Devarim for idolatry is exile. Along with this message, Yehezkel’s prophecy again emphasizes that these acts by the people have caused the defilement of the nation, the land, and the Temple – a result not mentioned in Sefer Devarim but in Sefer Vayikra. However, there is a quantitative difference: in Vayikra, only two verses speak of idolatry as causing defilement of the people and of the Temple, while in Sefer Yehezkel this issue appears in no less than thirty verses. The necessity of repeatedly emphasizing this matter during Yehezkel’s time is understandable bearing in mind the constant presence of false prophets, who continued to insist that the Temple would not be destroyed.

Yehezkel’s descriptions of the varieties of idolatry committed by the people deliberately follows the style employed in Sefer Devarim in the commands and warnings not to follow the deeds of the nations and not to serve their gods. This technique lends additional validity to Yehezkel’s prophecies about the sins – particularly about the punishment that God will bring. In addition, the nation’s sin is amplified through a broad generalization of all the different types of idolatry and their enumeration together in Chapter 8. In this way the prophet underlines the prophetic message that he is conveying: the sins of the people have included idolatry, and this represents justification for the imminent destruction and exile.
The Departure of God’s Glory from the Temple
Part 1
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Six men holding weapons of slaughter arrive from the north. One is there to document proceedings. The detailed and graphic description, including the garb of the scribe and the exact location of the group, alongside the bronze altar, is meant to convey the message that this is not a theoretical depiction. And as the men appear, the glory of the God of Israel begins its journey out of the Temple.

Even in this generation, even when the decree of Destruction is irreversible –Divine justice is evident. The righteous person will live in his righteousness; only the wicked will die for their sins. But at the same time, it is emphasized that all sinners will indeed be slain.

The description of old men being slain in the courts of the Temple is horrifying. Yehezkel presents a situation where the defilement of the Temple is caused by a Divine command that people be killed in its courtyards. However, we must recall that the Temple is already defiled because of the deeds of the nation. This slaughter demonstrates that God’s glory is no longer present, and the responsibility for this situation rests principally with the officials of the people.

Not only does the defilement of the city have its source inside the Temple, but also a fire that originates in the Temple causes the burning of the city. This fire is brought out by the man through whom we see that there is no one in the city worthy of rescue from the impending disaster.
The Departure of God’s Glory from the Temple
Part 2
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The people of the city concede that difficult times are on their way. But the people nevertheless maintain that even if they “cook” in the fire of the troubles that await them, they will be saved from annihilation, just as meat in a cauldron is saved from burning. Thus the people prepare themselves for the siege, certain however that they will prevail.

God’s response emphasizes that despite their claim, they are destined to be brought out of Jerusalem and be judged on the border of Israel.

After these prophecies of destruction, Yehezkel transmits the promise that the exiles are destined to return to their land. God will bring back His people to the land in the future, but without the people having repented. So God Himself will have to give them a new heart of flesh that will ensure that henceforth they will follow God’s laws. While superficially this appears to be a prophecy of consolation, in fact it actually offers little comfort.

The chapter concludes with God’s glory departing not only from the Temple, but also from the city of Jerusalem. Any hope of the people finally internalizing the message of Yehezkel’s prophecy is shattered by God’s statement depicting the people as rebellious.
Tzidkiyahu
Part 1
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Tzidkiyahu is not mentioned by name in Sefer Yehezkel. The kingdom of Babylonia is likewise only mentioned in these chapters indirectly and there is no prophecy that deals with the future of Babylonia and its destruction in the upcoming group of chapters that offer prophecies to the nations. Because Yehezkel is based in Babylonia, he is unable to denounce the empire in which he dwells. For the kings of Babylonia, the coronation of Tzidkiyahu in Jerusalem had the effect of creating an artificial quiet, while in effect discontinuing the monarchy of the dynasty of David in Jerusalem. Therefore, paying explicit attention to Tzidkiyahu as king may have aroused the ire of the Babylonians.

Through a symbolic act, Yehezkel is commanded to “exile” himself, carry his “gear for exile.” The departure into exile is undertaken in the evening, in the dark, with his face covered, through a hole he digs in the wall. This prophecy is God’s response to Tzidkiyahu’s rebellion against Babylonia, which contravenes God’s order conveyed to him by the prophet. The descriptions in Melakhim and in Yirmiyahu of Tzidkiyahu’s exile match the details of Yehezkel’s prophecy: the capture of the king, bringing him to Babylon, his judgement, blindness and the fate of his company.
Tzidkiyahu
Part 2
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Yehezkel continues his criticism of Tzidkiyahu by means of a parable. By relying on the king of Egypt to aid him and rebelling against Nevukhadnetzar, Tzidkiyahu decreed his own death in Babylonia. This violation was a grave breach of trust. Yehezkel goes further by comparing the violation of the covenant with Nevukhadnetzar to violation of the covenant with God.

This conclusion to the prophecy indicates that the potential for renewal of the monarchy in Israel rests with Yehoyakhin, who is in exile. This conclusion once again emphasizes the unique status of Yehoyakhin in Sefer Yehezkel; and, indeed, it is Zerubavel – the grandson of Yehoyakhin – who will eventually lead the nation at the start of the Second Temple period.
The Fate of the Kings of Yehuda
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Yehezkel’s prophecy to the kings of Yehuda in this chapter is conveyed through two parables: in the first, the royal family of Yehuda is compared to a family of lions; in the second, to a vine. To understand the significance of the first parable, the prophecy is compared with the historical events to which it refers.

This second parable does not appear to be directed at any specific king of Yehuda; rather, it marks the end of the monarchy of the kings of Yehuda collectively. This parable is noticeably harsher than the previous one. The outcome in the first parable is the capture of the kings alive, whereas in the second parable nothing remains of the vine at all.

This prophetic unit is entirely devoid of any mention of God’s Name. The parable does not mention His Name, and – unlike the other parables that Yehezkel uses to convey his messages – no interpretation is supplied at its conclusion. This omission is especially glaring given the many instances in which Yehezkel’s prophecy is attributed to God.

The description of the fate of the last king of Yehuda, Tzidkiyahu, appears as part of a series of prophecies in Chapter 21 that describe the end of the kingdom of Yehuda. The message it suggests is that the kings of Yehuda have been arrogant; they have not maintained, along with their role as kings, their subjugation to God and His charge. They have not upheld God’s sanctity. In this way they have brought about the Destruction of Jerusalem and of the Temple.
Prophecy and Prophets
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The prophets whose messages run counter to those of Yehezkel are divided into different groups, whose order in the text may reflect their respective popularity.

The first argument that was commonly used against Yehezkel’s prophecy was that, with time, his words would lose their relevance. It was enough for these opponents to remind their listeners that warnings as to the destruction had also been voiced in the past, and the passage of time showed that “that which was, is that which shall be”: Jerusalem would not be destroyed. God’s response is that before long their own claim will lose its relevance. The prophecies of the Destruction of Jerusalem will be realized soon, in their own days.

The second group that Yehezkel targets with his words consists of those who claim that their message is prophecy from God, while in fact they are making up their prophecies from their hearts. This shows even more clearly how complicated Yehezkel’s prophetic mission was. The difficulty in differentiating between true prophets and false ones arose from the fact that these were not two completely distinct and separate groups; they were not easily distinguishable from each another.

In this prophecy Yehezkel compares the false prophets to foxes reminiscent of the lamentation that follows the destruction in Eikha. Through their misleading words, the prophets have made themselves like the foxes that would soon wander among the ruins of the Temple. Yehezkel thereby connects the false prophecies with their results. Over the generations the fox came to symbolize the cause of the Destruction, the Destruction itself, but also the hope of a future redemption and rebuilding.
Not Without Cause Have I Done
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The prophet begins by describing the famine that will befall the city; then the wild animals that will pass through the land, followed by the sword, and finally, the pestilence. Describing these imminent afflictions raises the question of whether any righteous people will survive the onslaught. And if so, might their families also be saved in their merit, as in similar situations described in the Torah?

The prophetic response to this question is that if indeed there are any righteous individuals to be found in the city, they alone will be saved. The inhabitants of Jerusalem will not be saved by virtue of the righteous present there. Through the comparison to Noah, the anticipated Destruction seems even more devastating than the Flood. Noah saved his entire family, but now even that possibility does not exist.

Ultimately, there are some survivors of the destruction of Jerusalem. But they are left alive not by virtue of the righteous individuals, but because of God’s desire that the terrible actions and the resulting punishment of the inhabitants of the city be made known.
He Speaks in Allegories
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Throughout the chapters dating to the years prior to the destruction there is a motif of words and terms that relate to women. This image is fully realized with the death of the prophet’s wife, symbolizing the final destruction of the city.

The detailed description of the unfaithfulness of this woman – Jerusalem – emphasizes the chasm between her humble beginnings, with no lineage and no identity, and the abundance God bestowed upon her and His favors done for her that ultimately end in her betrayal. God’s response is a detailed description of total annihilation.

Yehezkel compares the deeds of the city of Jerusalem to those of Shomron and Sodom. The sin of Sodom, as depicted here, is that despite the economic stability and strength of its inhabitants, they did not support the poor and needy. Yehezkel attributes only social sins to Sodom in order to emphasize the more grievous sins of Jerusalem, which are described as unfaithfulness.

Despite the people’s actions in the present, the covenant that God remembers and maintains even in the future is a covenant of youth, and even at the time of their sin, this historical covenant will stand. This is also why the nation is rebuked just as it is being forgiven.
The Soul that Sins – It Shall Die
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The people of Yehezkel’s generation claimed that since the destruction was inevitable, their individual actions no longer had any importance and it made no difference whether they remained loyal to God’s commandments or not. Others believed that “The way of the Lord is unfair”. Therefore Yehezkel repeats and emphasizes the responsibility of every individual for his actions and the life-and-death consequences that follow. Yehezkel concludes by stating that the people’s claim – that the son dies because of the sins of the father – is simply incorrect.

The prophet also declares that the gates of repentance remain open to the individual. These verses are quite unusual given that nowhere in the book is there any call for the people to mend their ways so that God will not destroy His Temple. Although the prophet here calls upon the people to repent, he offers no promise that this will prevent the destruction; he only speaks of deliverance from the death for the sinners when the destruction comes.

The sins brought about the imminent destruction of the city according to Yehezkel are idolatry, sexual immorality and bloodshed. Yehezkel does not seem to attribute the destruction of the First Temple to the social transgressions of the nation as a whole – in neither the prophecies before nor after the Destruction.

In Chapter 22 as the Destruction of Jerusalem draws nearer the prophet appears to place more of an emphasis on the personal responsibility that the leaders of the people bear for their actions, along with the dire consequences of their corrupt leadership for the nation as a whole. This chapter attributes sins both social and religious in nature to the office-bearers in leadership positions. Thus, the fate of the city is sealed because of idolatry, sexual immorality, bloodshed, and – finally – the deeds of the leadership.
The Abominations of their Fathers
Part 1
Dr. Tova Ganzel
This chapter illustrates the cyclical process of history going back to the slavery in Egypt: Am Yisrael violates God’s laws and as a result is deemed unworthy of redemption – even survival. But nonetheless the nation is restored to its land to prevent God’s Name from being desecrated in the eyes of the nations. The desecration of God’s Name lies not only in the actual transgression of His laws, but also by how this betrayal is perceived by the nations. Thus the repair of this desecration – the sanctification of God’s Name – must likewise also be “before the nations”: through the ingathering of Am Yisrael from the places to which they have been scattered.

The commandment of Shabbat enjoys a place of honor in Sefer Yehezkel. What makes Yehezkel’s attitude towards Shabbat special is not that he mentions more often than the other prophets, but that he views Shabbat as a sign and symbol – not of the Creation of the world - but of the special sanctity of Israel.

The testimony offered by the Shabbat that “I am the Lord your God” – is a concept unique to Yehezkel; there is no parallel to it elsewhere in the Torah. This accentuates the importance of Shabbat: through its observance, the nation not only expresses its sanctity, but also testifies to and calls to consciousness the fact that the Lord is their God. Conversely, the breach of Shabbat is testimony to the distance between the nation and their God. This ultimately led to the defiling of the Temple and its Destruction.
The Abominations of their Fathers
Part 2
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The act of offering children to Molekh and passing them through fire – was common among pagans and is echoed in the story of Akeidat Yitzhak. It led to a perception that such practices had Divine legitimacy. Yirmiyahu emphasizes, in each of the three verses where the burning of children by fire is mentioned, that the act violates God’s command; that such an idea never “came into God’s mind,” and that God would never mislead His people this way. If indeed – as it appears from Yehezkel – the view prevailed among the people that this act was legitimate in God’s eyes, then it is clear why Yirmiyahu repeats over and over the prophetic message that there is no basis for it.

According to Yehezkel’s prophecy, the future revival of the nation will not come because of the covenant of the forefathers – which is not mentioned here at all – nor as the result of the nation repenting. It is a “forced” redemption, motivated by the desecration of God’s Name inherent in the very fact of the nation’s exile. The nation should therefore be ashamed of its deeds because of the Divine motivation to restore them to their land. This redemption is “forced” upon the people, as it were, with no opportunity for them to exercise their free choice – perhaps even against their will. It is for this reason that the whole nation will not return.
The Beginning of the End
God’s Sword in the Hand of the King of Babylon (Part 1)
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Chapter 21 mentions God’s Name fifteen times in different forms. This emphasis is meant to counter the popular perception – prevalent in pagan thought – that God would not destroy His own land, and to emphasize the events will come about by God’s will.

Jerusalem will not be saved; not only that but the city is about to suffer a large-scale massacre, and the sword that slaughters will do so in the agency of God.

The prophet addresses the sword of the king of Babylon. The proximity of these two units highlights the idea that the sword of the king of Babylon is none other than the sword of God, in whose agency the king is acting.
The Beginning of the End
God’s Sword in the Hand of the King of Babylon - Part 2
Dr. Tova Ganzel
This article provides historical background about the king of Babylonia, Nevukhadnetzar and contrasts how he was seen by the two major prophets of his time, Yirmiyahu and Yehezkel. Additionally, this article examines life in the Babylonian exile, based on extra-biblical sources.
The Destruction of the City
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The prophecy concerning the imminent fate of the city resembles the destruction that Yehezkel had prophesied in the past, but he no longer reacts with cries of surprise or distress, as he had earlier; now he is apathetic. From now on, his pre-destruction prophetic mission is limited to describing the situation in the city.

The description begins presenting a city that is full of bloodshed. Yehezkel’s accusation is against all of Jerusalem’s inhabitants – all classes and positions. Throughout the book Yehezkel avoids using the name Jerusalem altogether. Perhaps this is that the actions of the nation have not only led to the defiling of the name, but have also caused a rupture in God’s attitude towards the eternity of the city.

Chapter 24 contains two accounts of loss: the loss of Yehezkel’s wife, and the loss of the Temple. The connection between Yehezkel’s private loss and the nation’s loss of the Temple indicates that the profaning of the Temple is irreversible: in other words, the Temples that will be built after the destruction of the First Temple represent a new creation, not a recreation of the Temple that existed.

Yehezkel is commanded not to mourn for his wife as a sign to the people. Why, then, is Am Yisrael commanded not to mourn over the Temple?

The withholding of mourning may represent a sort of Divine punishment – or, alternatively, an act of acceptance of God’s will. Perhaps mourning is only significant for the comfort that others give to the mourner and the commandment not to mourn signifies that there are none to comfort.

This prophecy concludes Yehezkel’s prophecies of rebuke uttered before the destruction and ends his term of silence.
Prophecies Concerning the Nations
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The prevailing perception in the Ancient East was that kings were emissaries of the gods or even gods themselves, and that every nation had its own god that ensured its victor in war. The prophet counters this perception by gathering all the prophecies about the nations into a single collection. This emphasizes that God, Lord of the entire world, decides the fate of each and every nation.

These chapters in Yehezkel, unlike the prophecies addressed to other nations by other prophets, make scant mention of Israel’s redemption.

In Chapter 25, Yehezkel conveys brief prophecies concerning Ammon, Moav, Edom and the Pelishtim, each of which has a lengthy historical relationship with Israel. These prophecies share a uniform structure.

The transition between the first and second parts of the book is indirectly shown here through the content of the prophecy to Ammon, In response to their joy over the desecration of the Temple and the desolation of the land and the exile, Yehezkel prophesies their disappearance and annihilation.
Prophecies to Tzor
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Tyre was an economic and cultural power throughout the duration of the Israelite kingdom. This was the source of various problems: including the introduction of idolatry in the times of Shlomo and Ahav and the causing problems regarding Shabbat observance in Nehemya’s days. There were periods when positive ties prevailed between Israel and Tyre, including the building of David’s house by emissaries from Tyre and Hiram’s assistance in building the Temple.

While Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians, Tyre withstood the siege throughout the period of the Babylonian empire. The steadfastness of Tyre in contrast with the destruction of the Temple served to compound the psychological difficulty facing the inhabitants of Jerusalem: now, God’s status in the eyes of the nations had fallen even more. Not only had the god of the Babylonians seemingly prevailed over the God of Israel, but there seemed to be a different god that watched over Tyre that was even stronger than the Babylonian power. In effect, Nevukhadnetzar’s conquest of Jerusalem proved to the nations what they had wanted to demonstrate, namely, the weakness of the God of Israel. This religious challenge, and the desecration of God’s Name among the nations, are apparently the reason for the length and vehemence of the prophecy to Tyre. Tyre – which, from the earliest history of the Israelite monarchy maintained commercial ties with it – has grown arrogant to the point where it has presumed itself above the Lord God of Israel.

Yehezkel’s prophecy to Tyre and to Sidon ends with the ingathering of Israel in its land. This does not appear to be an after-thought to the prophecy, but rather an essential component, a conclusion that completes the prophecies of destruction to the nations. Sanctification of God’s Name in the eyes of the nation begins with their downfall, but it will not be open and clear until God gathers up His nation.
Prophecies to Egypt
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Egypt’s long-term stability in the region, its geographic proximity, and its historic connection with Israel form the foundation of Yehezkel’s prophecies to this country. The prophet points an accusing finger at Egypt in three areas:

The first and most central accusation, common to Tzor and Egypt, is the sin of arrogance towards God. The kings of Tzor and of Egypt attribute their successes to themselves. They pride themselves on their successes, boast about them, and scorn the God of Israel. However, the prophet assures Egypt that even when the Temple is in ruins and God’s nation is exiled, it is God Who determines the fate of all nations, including Egypt, and its king.

This was a period when Egypt hoped to become a superpower with influence beyond the region, following the fall of Assyria and prior to Babylon reaching its zenith. Therefore, Egypt encouraged Tzidkiyahu to rebel against Babylon which ultimately brought upon the downfall of Yehuda. Yehezkel’s prophecies put an end to the possibility of an Egyptian empire, not only in the worldly realm, but also from the Divine perspective. From now onwards, as in the past, Egypt will be a “lowly kingdom,” not an empire.

Finally, Egypt is accused of the religious harlotry that infiltrated Israel.
The People, the Prophet, and God in Response to the Destruction
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Yehezkel and the Jews in Babylon receive the news of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. Yehezkel must contend with the claim of the remnant left in the land that they are the ones who will eventually inherit it despite their small numbers. And indeed, size or number is not the decisive factor. The argument of the remnant is erroneous: not because of their small number, but rather their due to the multitude of their sins.

The claim of the remnant seems to belong to the period preceding the murder of Gedalya. The claim of the remnant in the land indicates that they assumed that exile was a matter pertaining only to those now in Babylonia, while they themselves were continuing the national survival of Am Yisrael, and were therefore deserving of possession of the land. The murder of Gedalya brought this claim to an end. They ceased to view themselves as a distinct group that was separate from their brethren in Babylonia.

An understanding of the prophecy from which its historical context raises two exegetical possibilities: If Gedalya was murdered in the Tishrei immediately after the destruction of the Mikdash, then Yehezkel’s prophecy – taking place in the month of Tevet – which seem polemical is no longer relevant. The other, seemingly more likely possibility is that this prophecy describes the situation in the land at a slightly later stage – not during the weeks immediately following the Destruction. At this time there were still a good number of Jewish inhabitants in the land, and they still viewed their group as an alternative to the Babylonian exiles. This perspective rests upon the assumption that Gedalya was assassinated not in the month of Tishrei immediately after the Destruction, but rather a year or more later.

The prophet does not focus on the Destruction itself; he looks to the past and to the future. The reason for this is that the exiles in Babylonian have not experienced the direct crisis, and they have already begun to internalize the new reality. These prophecies contain nothing in the way of consolation, sorrow, reconciliation or compassion over what has happened in Jerusalem. This is especially conspicuous if we compare these chapters with Yirmiyahu, who laments at length over the Destruction.
The Shepherds of Israel, in the Past and in the Future
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Yehezkel records a harsh prophecy directed against the kings of Israel, the nation’s leaders, whom he compares to shepherds who do not tend to their flocks. In the future, the leadership will be taken from these shepherds who failed in the past to properly lead the nation. God Himself will gather up the flock, rehabilitate it and hand it over to a different shepherd who will fulfill his role faithfully.

The new shepherd will be a descendant of David. However, the present model of leadership will come to an end. It will not be a mere technical replacement of personnel, but rather a fundamental change in the essence of the role. Therefore in speaking of David’s future status he is not referred to as “king” but as a “Nasi” – prince.

Since the institution of kingship has failed, an alternative form of leadership must replace it. One of the roles of the king of Israel is to bring about a situation that will facilitate the Divine Presence coming to rest amongst the nation. The kings of Israel, as depicted in Sefer Yehezkel, brought about the opposite situation: defilement and the distancing of the Divine Presence. Now it is too late; there is no repair for the corrupt kingship, and therefore it is replaced by the station of the “Nasi.”
God’s Eternal Preference for Israel over Edom
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Although it seems that this prophecy is directed to Edom, it is actually addressed to Israel. The shared historical background of the Israel and Edom, on one hand, and the habitation of the Edomites to the south of Yehuda, on the other, presented a religious challenge.

The nation’s fear that God preferred Esav prevailed until the beginning of the return to the land. Even after the Second Temple was built by the returnees, the status of the Edomites – the descendants of Esav – caused Am Yisrael to doubt their own status in God’s eyes. This seems to be an echo of the fear that the Divine choice of Yaakov over Esav is not an eternal choice but that God might change His mind. The impression arising from Yehezkel’s response is that the nation feels that perhaps now, following the destruction of the Temple, after it has been made clear that Am Yisrael did not uphold the covenant with God, God will continue His covenant with Avraham via the sons of Esav, rather than through the descendants of Yaakov.

The hostility between Israel and Edom throughout the generations grew even stronger during the years of Yehezkel’s prophecies, owing to the active participation of some Edomites in shedding the blood of Am Yisrael during the Destruction.

To alleviate the fear of the nation, Yehezkel prophesied the destruction and desolation of Edom as a punishment for their abuse of the remnant of Yehuda. The mountains of Israel will be rebuilt on the ruins of Mount Se’ir.
Yehezkel’s Description of the Nation’s Purification
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The various descriptions of redemption in Sefer Yehezkel suggest that the occurrence of the redemption is not dependent on the nation’s deeds, rather the process is carried out in its entirety by God. The prophet states the reason for this: the ingathering of the nation into its land takes place solely because of God’s desire that His Name be sanctified in the eyes of the nations. The Destruction and the exile do not cause any fundamental change in the nation’s attitude towards God, and therefore the desired processes – purification and atonement - will take place without any preconditions.
The Idea of Shabbat in the Book of Yechezkel
Dr. Tova Ganzel | Hour and 8 minutes
What is the status of Shabbat observance during the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash and the Babylonian exile? This shiur traces the records of Shabbat observance in the Tanakh, and particularly in the book of Yechezkel, and highlights the crucial nature of Shabbat - its desecration ultimately lead to the destruction, and its observance signifies the eternal relationship between God and Israel.
The Nation’s Revival
Dr. Tova Ganzel
After describing the change in the status of the people at the time of redemption, Yehezkel states that at that time the land will flourish and produce trees and bountiful, better fruit than any other land, like the utopic Garden of Eden. This completes the circle of his prophecies to the nations in which the Garden of Eden is used to describe Egypt and Tyre.

If we track the appearance of the root Darash – To Seek - throughout the book of Yehezkel we find that in the past, God’s relations with His people were in crisis, and the seeking of God by the people during the years of destruction received a negative response. With regard to the future, there is a transformation in the use of the verb in which God seeks out His people.
The Vision of the Dry Bones
Dr. Tova Ganzel
God’s status and His power stand at the center of Yehezkel's prophecy. The nation’s past, present and future is clarified by its relationship with God. Indeed, from the prophet's perspective it is altogether possible that not a single survivor of the nation will remain. Therefore, for the observer of the vision of the dry bones the outcome is not clear. The prophet therefore has no indication as to the future of these dry bones based on prior knowledge or principles such as the covenant, the merit of the forefathers, desecration of God’s Name, or the like. The answer will depend only on God’s own decision.

The description in the book of Yirmitahu of human bones that are strewn outside of their graves expresses more than just the great number of deaths during the years of siege and destruction. The withholding of burial dishonors the dead, and the removal of bones from their burial place likewise shows contempt. In light of this, Yehezkel’s encounter with a valley full of bones may testify to the disgrace of the people, and not necessarily to its future revival. How will the situation develop? That depends entirely on God.

What unfolds is a slow process of rebirth that is realized in stages. Whether the description in the book of Yehezkel is of an actual occurrence or an allegory, it is clear that in the Jewish national consciousness, this prophecy remains timeless. For our generation, seeing the establishment and prospering of the State of Israel after the horror of the Holocaust, this consciousness of the redemption being bound together with the vision of dry bones is greatly amplified.
The Future of the Kingdom of Israel
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The future unification of the exiles of Israel with the exiles of Yehuda is a rather surprising prophecy. Up until now, Yechezkel has not mentioned the exiles of Israel. This arose from the fact that as, as far as we know, the exiles of Israel, unlike the exiles of Yehuda, did not live in exile as a community with a separate, independent identity. The prevailing philosophy among them was the pagan world-view which assumed that as well as obeying the local administration, exiled groups would also show loyalty to the local deity. Therefore, this prophecy concerning the reunification of the kingdom of Israel with the kingdom of Yehuda is both a notable and significant development.

Thus, it appears that the prophecy of the Dry Bones earlier in the chapter refers to the Kingdom of Israel. The 150 years that have passed since the exile of the Kingdom of Israel are not proof of their annihilation, and the nation receives a Divine promise of Divine revival.

Our prophetic unit concludes with Yehezkel conveying the promise that the revival of the people, in all its various manifestations – Land of Israel, leadership, covenant, and the Beit HaMikdash - will be eternal.
Yehezkel’s Prophecy regarding Gog and Magog
Part 1
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Ostensibly, the revival prophecies climax with the nation’s return to its land and its purification from sin. However, the process remains unfinished. The nation’s revival occurs hand-in-hand with the strengthening of God’s status in the world and God’s status is only fully anchored after His war against Gog: a war that ends with the Divine promise that God will not hide His face from His people.

The uniqueness of this prophecy in Yehezkel, compared to similar prophecies in Yishayahu and Zekharya, lies in its scope, the explicit naming of the aggressors, and the timing of the war as specified in the prophecy: after the nation’s return to its land.

The purpose of the prophecy as a whole is emphasized in the final verse of chapter 38: “Thus will I magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will make Myself known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.” (v. 23) This verse underlines the aim of God’s war against Gog, as well as its result – knowledge of God among the nations. Thus, this prophecy is a response to the desecration of God’s Name represented by the exile of the nation from its land and the destruction of the Temple.
Yehezkel’s Prophecy regarding Gog and Magog
Part 2 - The Purification of the Land
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The corpses of the armies of Gog defile the land and must be buried in order to purify the land. However, the valley in which they are buried alludes to the valley of Ben Hinom, the valley in which children were sacrificed to Molekh. Thus, on a deeper level the prophet is hinting that the passing of children through fire - which had been common in the land - is what truly caused the land’s defilement. In addition to purifying the land from the casualties of war, this ceremony also purifies the land from the sins of the past.

Although burying the dead bodies can stop those bodies from causing impurity, the burials cannot stop the graves from becoming a pilgrimage site. In these verses, the dead themselves become flesh for consumption. Those who consume them – the birds and the beast of the field – could have been sacrificed as offerings to the dead, while here the situation is reversed: they themselves eat the flesh and drink the blood of God’s enemies, thus ensuring that the graves do not become places of worship.

Whereas in Yirmiyahu’s prophecy of destruction, the flesh of the sinners from the nation of Israel is eaten by the birds and the beasts of the field, in Yehezkel’s prophecy of revival it is God’s enemies who succumb to this fate.
Yehezkel’s Prophecy regarding Gog and Magog
Part 3 - The Nations will Know God
Dr. Tova Ganzel
God exiled His people because of their sins, and because God’s chose to hide His face. In the pagan world, by contrast, the harm inflicted on a particular nation was proof of the weakness of their god; the suffering was not interpreted as a punishment or as the hiding of a divine face. This sharply contrasts the Jewish view.

The purpose of redemption – the ingathering of the exiles and the war against Gog – is that not only will God’s name become known among the nations, but His name will also be magnified and sanctified, so much so that many nations will recognize Him. This will compensate for the desecration of God’s name that transpired when His people were exiled.
The Vision of the Future Temple
Part 1 - The Temple with God’s Glory in Its Midst
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The final nine chapters of Sefer Yechezkel set forth a vision of the future Temple. These chapters are rich in detail about the dimensions of the building, the various sacrifices, land inheritances, and more.

It is not coincidental that Yechezkel’s prophecy about the future Temple comes now, a point when the nation has become accustomed to the reality of life in exile, without an active Jewish center in the land. In their new reality, the exiles are left uncertain about their future and their status.

The detailed but opaque description of the future Beit HaMikdash carries a dual – and indeed self-contradictory – message: on one hand, the Mikdash is presented as something concrete and real; on the other, it cannot actually be built, at least not at this stage.

The prophet describes the return of God’s glory to the Temple, creating an exalting sense of God’s complete presence, followed by a harsh description of the sins that led to the destruction of the Mikdash and the departure of God’s presence. The sudden fall from such lofty exaltation to such depths seems to reflect the fact that one of the conditions for the return of God’s glory to the Temple is that “the house of Israel will no more profane My holy Name”.
The Vision of the Future Temple
Part 2 - More Concealment than Revelation
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The description of the Temple and the city, has some concrete and precise elements, but at the very same time, lacks some very central details.

According to Yehezkel's prophecy, the changes in this Temple include not only the outer structure of the edifice, but also fundamental difference in who enters it. This change relates both to the measure of access afforded the people, but also the division of roles among the various leaders of the nation, and the degree to which they are connected to the Temple.

The impression arising from Yehezkel’s prophecy is that the Temple is not a spiritual center for the entire nation. The Temple serves the kohanim and leviim, who perform their service within it as representatives of the people, while the only roles that are given to the people are the auxiliary functions and appearances: funding of the sacrifices, prostration, and a partial view of the Divine service.
The Concluding Chapters of Yehezkel
Dr. Tova Ganzel
The first part of Chapter 45 deals with the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. But the division here is fundamentally different to that familiar to us: the one dating to the period when the land was originally settled. This new division apparently serves two different purposes. First, the placement of the Levite inheritance between the inheritance of the other tribes and the Temple is meant to prevent the Temple from being defiled. In addition, this new arrangement will prevent the office-bearers from being dependent, to some extent, on the people – a situation which in the past had led to the misuse of the leaders’ power.

There are some significant discrepancies between the laws that Yehezkel sets down and the laws of the Torah, specifically in the area of Korbanot. It is difficult to characterize all the differences between the sacrifices set down in the Torah and those we encounter in Yechezkel’s prophecy. However, the changes to the sacrifices listed in Yechezkel should be viewed as part of a broader totality of change, including a new order of leadership with the aim of preventing a repetition of the catastrophe of the departure of the Divine Presence and the subsequent destruction of the Temple.

The changes extend from the Temple itself to Jerusalem and to the other parts of the country: the city becomes shared by all the tribes of Israel, and the land is divided among the tribes in an egalitarian manner. This redivision of the inheritances will help to reduce antagonism among the tribes, and perhaps help to prevent oppression and theft, since these, too, were among the reasons for God’s departure from the Temple in the past.

Chapter 47 offers a surprising turning-point in the vision of the future Temple. The prophet speaks here neither of the structure nor of the order of service, but rather describes a wondrous stream that emerges from the entrance to God’s House and flows all the way to the Arava. Although Yechezkel has distanced the people from anything connected to the Temple, now he is also creating a Divine connection with the people that has never existed before.

The wondrous river that appears at the end of the Sefer seems to be a way of bringing the Sanctuary into the very midst of the people more than ever before: through connecting with the miraculous abundance and healing forces of the river, powers not found in the usual course of nature.

It turns out that in order to heal the people, the prophet foresees a fissure in the regular order of nature. Beyond purification - a necessary condition for the revival of the people in the future - there will also be possible forms of healing that pass through the Sanctuary, but that do not require the people to approach.

Now we see that the healing properties of the river in fact have the wondrous ability to repair the flaws that caused the Destruction. The distancing of the people from the Temple turns out to be a physical measure that does not reflect any spiritual distancing: God connects the people to the Temple by means of the river that flows from the very midst of the House, notwithstanding the geographical distance.

So it turns out that ultimately the bond between God and His people is not only renewed unilaterally by God; but the entire nation is part of the process as they are nourished, by the river from the Temple, more directly than ever before.
Prophecies of Redemption in Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel
Dr. Tova Ganzel | Hour and 4 minutes
The prophecies of redemption of Yehezkel, Yirmiyahu and Yeshayahu each have unique characteristics that define them, influenced by their context - both time and place- within which they were said. By closely examining these prophecies we can understand each of their unique content and appreciate the historical context that lies in the background of each of these prophecies.