Nehemya's Fateful Request
Upon reading the chapter, the similarities between Nehemya’s story and that of Esther’s are immediately apparent. As opposed to the Babylonians, the Persian kings were supportive toward the Jews and ensured their security. Esther, who lived shortly before Nehemya, is presented as a model for later Jewish leaders. Esther is not merely the hero of her own work; she casts a wide shadow over the entire era of Shivat Tzion.
The Shivat Tzion community was saved, not only due to the magnanimity of gentile emperors, but also due to the sacrificial action of outstanding Jewish leaders such as Esther, Ezra, and Nehemya.
Our story, moreover, concerns the Jewish community in Israel, whereas Esther’s centers on Shushan. While God will come to the rescue of any Jewish community, whether in Israel or the diaspora, the nature of His presence necessarily will be different. In the diaspora, He remains obscure; in Israel, His name is omnipresent.
Ezra was a first-rate scholar but likely a political novice; Nehemya was highly experienced in matters of state. Ezra requires the urging of his supporters to rise and take action against intermarriage; Nehemya moves immediately to survey the wall and begin to fills its breaches. Nehemya’s actions are decisive.