{"id":97913,"date":"2018-07-09T18:02:03","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:02:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-2036\/"},"modified":"2021-10-17T09:26:03","modified_gmt":"2021-10-17T06:26:03","slug":"wall-2036","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-2036\/","title":{"rendered":"book-Writings-Ezra"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"book","wall_id":"2036","book":"Ezra","books_group":"Writings","date":"","hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":"","updates_last_update":"28\/06\/2020","date_from":"20211017","date_to":"","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"98298","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"2","name":"Crying and Laughing in a New Jewish Reality ","post_title":"Crying and Laughing in a New Jewish Reality","slug":"crying-and-laughing-in-a-new-jewish-reality","old_id":"98298","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"2036","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"with Leah Sarna","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/FUCZjxCeaoA","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Reflections on Ezra and Nehemiah","tile_main_caption":"Crying and Laughing in a New Jewish Reality","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"with Leah Sarna","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/FUCZjxCeaoA","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ezra","chapter":false,"chapter_main_number":false,"date":false,"wall_id":"2036"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"332","name":"24 in 24","old_id":"732"}]},{"order":2,"id":"98020","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Welcome to Bayit Sheni, The Second Commonwealth ","post_title":"Welcome to Bayit Sheni, The Second Commonwealth","slug":"welcome-to-bayit-sheni-the-second-commonwealth","old_id":"98020","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"842","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"It may have lasted longer, but it hardly outshined its predecessor\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

A full dozen biblical books relate to the Babylonian Exile and the Second Temple era (<\/span>Bayit Sheni<\/span><\/em>). Among the Prophets, Isaiah addressed prophecies towards the restoration of Zion, even naming Cyrus, King of Persia, as God\u2019s anointed one (45:1). Jeremiah lived through the destruction of the First Temple and prophesied that the Babylonian exile would end after 70 years (29:10). Ezekiel began his prophetic career in Babylonia (1:1) and foresaw the renaissance of the Jewish people, which he compared to the resurrection of dry bones (37:1 ff.). Haggai lived during the reign of Darius the Mede (1:1) as did Zachariah (1:2), and Malachi is identified by the Talmud as Ezra (Megillah 10b).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Among the Writings, apart from Ezra-Nehemiah, Daniel and Esther are explicitly situated both in and during the Babylonian exile, and Chronicles provides both genealogical and historical background for the return to Zion (e.g., 2 Chr. 36). Lamentations, in mourning the destruction of the First Temple, anticipates its rebuilding (\u201crenew our days as of old,\u201d 5:21), and Psalms contains a \u201cSong of Ascents\u201d entitled \u201cWhen the Lord restores the fortunes of Zion\u201d (126:1).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And yet, hardly an era in Jewish history is as undefined as the period between the rebuilding of the Temple during the reign of Darius and the conquest of Palestine by Alexander the Great in 332 BCE. Indeed, whereas academic chronology puts the rebuilding in 516 BCE, granting nearly 200 years for the domination by Persia, rabbinic chronology allows for only 34 years of Persian rule (Avodah Zarah 9a), thereby shortening the duration of the Second Temple by some 165 years.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Whether it stood 585 years or 420 years, the Second Temple does not seem to have inspired the same religious or spiritual satisfaction as its predecessor\u2014at least, according to Maimonides, who, drawing upon an independent tradition unattested to elsewhere, remarked that \u201cduring the Second Temple, although they had the right to refrain from fasting on the 9<\/span>th<\/span> of Av, they nevertheless fasted on account of the tragedies that befell them on that day\u201d (Commentary to the Mishnah, Rosh Hashanah 1:3, based, apparently, on Zechariah 7:3).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Indeed, despite the prophet Haggai\u2019s promise that \"the glory of this latter House shall be greater than that of the former one\u201d (2:9), it is likely that the only measure in which it was greater was its longevity.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98021,"alt":"","title":"ez1-temple","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple.jpg","width":1920,"height":1277,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-768x511.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":511,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-1024x681.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":681,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1022,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1277,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-1200x798.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":798,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-631x420.jpg","home_baner-width":631,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Welcome to Bayit Sheni, The Second Commonwealth","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"It may have lasted longer, but it hardly outshined its predecessor","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98021,"alt":"","title":"ez1-temple","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple.jpg","width":1920,"height":1277,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-768x511.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":511,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-1024x681.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":681,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1022,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1277,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-1200x798.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":798,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-temple-631x420.jpg","home_baner-width":631,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ezra","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"842","date":"20281120","wall_id":"842"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":3,"id":"98023","color":"#f6f5de","size":"1","name":"Modern-Day Cyrus? ","post_title":"Modern-Day Cyrus?","slug":"modern-day-cyrus","old_id":"98023","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":92960,"post_title":"Calev Ben-Dor","slug":"calev-ben-dor","old_id":"92960","first_name":"Calev ","last_name":"Ben-Dor ","description":"Having grown up in London, Calev Ben-Dor now lives in Jerusalem with his family. He writes and teaches about Israel and Judaism and is involved in a Whatsapp facilitated 929 learning group with members from across the world.","short_description":"Calev Ben-Dor lives in Jerusalem and writes and teaches about Israel and Judaism.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":92962,"alt":"","title":"calev ben dor","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","width":428,"height":414,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1-300x290.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":290,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","medium_large-width":428,"medium_large-height":414,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","large-width":428,"large-height":414,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":428,"1536x1536-height":414,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":428,"2048x2048-height":414,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","post_full_size-width":428,"post_full_size-height":414,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/calev-ben-dor-1.jpg","home_baner-width":428,"home_baner-height":414}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"842","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Harry Truman\u2019s role in the founding of the State of Israel\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The seminal meeting in Tel Aviv on the 12<\/span>th<\/span> May 1948 was to last for 14 hours and have historic consequences. In a scribbled note to David Ben Gurion, Golda Meir had warned that there would be war. She had recently returned from a meeting with King Abdullah of Transjordan to discuss keeping him out of a potential Arab invasion. But it had come to naught.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Reports then reached those assembled that Abdullah\u2019s Arab Legion had attacked an isolated village between Jerusalem and Hebron called Kfar Etzion, killing 120.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Military commander Yigal Yadin and acting chief of staff Yisrael Galili offered their assessments, raising serious questions over whether the Yishuv could withstand a multifront war. When pressed, Yadin admitted the Arabs had a \u2018considerable advantage\u2019<\/span><\/p>\r\n

With the British due to leave Mandatory Palestine, and the UN having approved a plan to partition the territory, one key question was whether the United States would support a Jewish declaration of independence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Moshe Sharett summarised a candid discussion with Secretary of State George Marshall. Marshall wanted the Yishuv to postpone declaring a state, agree to a 3 month truce, and for a UN trusteeship to be established. Sharett said the Americans \u201cbelieve the declaration [of statehood] will be a [catastrophe] that must be averted.\u201d Marshall was so opposed to immediate independence that he told President Truman that he might not vote for his re-election if Truman were to support independence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Yet Truman became the first world leader to recognize the Jewish state.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Several years later, in a meeting with Jewish dignitaries, Truman was introduced as \" the man who helped create the State of Israel.\" Truman retorted, \"What do you mean, 'helped to create'? I am Cyrus. I am Cyrus.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Cyrus. The Persian Emperor and the hero of Chapter 1 of the Book of Ezra. \u2018Roused by the spirit of the Lord\u2019 he issued a proclamation that allowed the Jews to return to Zion.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Yet while Cyrus\u2019 role is obviously key in facilitating the return of the Jews, it\u2019s not enough.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When Ezra arrives in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes - 80 years later! \u2013 the small community is still deeply disorganised. When Nehemiah arrives 13 years after Ezra, he also finds a mess \u2013 the walls of the city are full of holes. The people, who have taken foreign wives, are unaware of the Torah laws.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Building a prosperous state takes more than official proclamations from the superpower of the day. As the books of Ezra and Nehemiah demonstrate, it requires visionaries such as Ben Gurion, military men like Yadin and Galili, and diplomats and politicians such as Sharett and Meir.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And thousands of people with courage and willingness to sacrifice, people \u2013 whose spirits are perhaps roused by God \u2013 to leave their comfortable homes and move to the Holy Land.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Even then, as we will learn, it\u2019s not always enough.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: P.M. David Ben Gurion Accompanied By Mr. Abba Eban Israel Ambassador To The U.S.A. Visits President Harry Truman During Thier Visit To The States (01\/05\/1951). Photographer: Fritz Cohen \/ wikimedia (Israel GPO)<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98024,"alt":"","title":"ez1-harry truman and david ben gurion","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion.jpg","width":799,"height":535,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion-300x201.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":201,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion-768x514.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":514,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion.jpg","large-width":799,"large-height":535,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion.jpg","1536x1536-width":799,"1536x1536-height":535,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion.jpg","2048x2048-width":799,"2048x2048-height":535,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion.jpg","post_full_size-width":799,"post_full_size-height":535,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion-627x420.jpg","home_baner-width":627,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Modern-Day Cyrus?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Harry Truman\u2019s role in the founding of the State of Israel","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98024,"alt":"","title":"ez1-harry truman and david ben gurion","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion.jpg","width":799,"height":535,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion-300x201.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":201,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion-768x514.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":514,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion.jpg","large-width":799,"large-height":535,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion.jpg","1536x1536-width":799,"1536x1536-height":535,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion.jpg","2048x2048-width":799,"2048x2048-height":535,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion.jpg","post_full_size-width":799,"post_full_size-height":535,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-harry-truman-and-david-ben-gurion-627x420.jpg","home_baner-width":627,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ezra","chapter":"1","chapter_main_number":"842","date":"20281120","wall_id":"842"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":4,"id":"98051","color":"#efefef","size":"1","name":"Cats! ","post_title":"Cats!","slug":"cats","old_id":"98051","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":64450,"post_title":"David Curwin","slug":"david-curwin","old_id":"64450","first_name":"David ","last_name":"Curwin ","description":"David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat, and the author of the Balashon blog www.balashon.com","short_description":"David Curwin is a writer living in Efrat, and the author of the Balashon blog www.balashon.com","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":64452,"alt":"","title":"david curwin","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","width":427,"height":464,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-276x300.png","medium-width":276,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","medium_large-width":427,"medium_large-height":464,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","large-width":427,"large-height":464,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","1536x1536-width":427,"1536x1536-height":464,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","2048x2048-width":427,"2048x2048-height":464,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin.png","post_full_size-width":427,"post_full_size-height":464,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/david-curwin-387x420.png","home_baner-width":387,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"843","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Where are they?\u00a0 Are they hiding in this chapter?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Many animals appear in the Bible. But one is notably missing. Where is the cat? The Hebrew word for cat, <\/span>chatul<\/span><\/em>, first appears in post-biblical Hebrew. Is it possible there were no cats in Biblical times?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Well, there weren\u2019t domesticated house cats in the Land of Israel at that time. They were domesticated in Egypt, where they were viewed as divine beings. The domesticated cat only spread out of Egypt at a later period.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There were, however, wild cats. They weren\u2019t called <\/span>chatulim<\/span><\/em>, however. They had other names, including <\/span>tziyim<\/span><\/em>\u00a0and <\/span>iyim<\/span><\/em>\u00a0that are mentioned in Isaiah 13:21-22. The <\/span>tziyim<\/span><\/em>\u00a0may have got their name from <\/span>tziya<\/span><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 \u201cdesert,\u201d since that is where they lived. And as we discussed in an<\/span> earlier post<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>tziya<\/span><\/em>\u00a0also gave its name to Tziyon, the Jerusalem fortress that eventually became the name for all of the land of Israel. As far as <\/span>iyim<\/span><\/em>, they are generally identified as \u201cjackals,\u201d but the ancient Aramaic Targum translates the words as <\/span>chatulin<\/span><\/em>. That would indicate <\/span>chatul<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>could refer to a wild cat as well.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, there are scholars who do find a hint of the word <\/span>chatul<\/span><\/em>\u00a0in Biblical Hebrew, and they do so in our chapter in Ezra. Included in the list of the people who returned to the land with Zerubbabel are \u201cthe sons of Solomon\u2019s servants\u201d (Ezra 2:55). One of those families are \u201cthe sons of Hattil.\u201d The etymology of \u201cHattil\u201d is unclear, but some say that it is related to an Arabic word meaning \u201cto prattle.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This sense of \u201cprattle\u201d \u2013 unintelligible talk \u2013 may have also been the source of the word <\/span>chatul<\/span><\/em>, presumably recalling the meows and purrs cats make. And while <\/span>chatul<\/span><\/em>\u00a0is spelled with a <\/span>tav<\/span><\/em>\u00a0and Hattil with a <\/span>tet<\/span><\/em>, presumably during the transfer from one Semitic language to another, the letters were interchanged.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Today Israel has a huge population of feral cats. But unlike the family of Hattil, who came in the Persian period, these cats are said to have been brought by the British to control the rat population. The connection between cats and Zion goes back a very long time\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98055,"alt":"","title":"ez2-cats","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats.png","width":1920,"height":1318,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-300x206.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":206,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-768x527.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":527,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-1024x703.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":703,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1054,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1318,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-1200x824.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":824,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-612x420.png","home_baner-width":612,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Cats!","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Where are they?\u00a0 Are they hiding in this chapter?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98055,"alt":"","title":"ez2-cats","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats.png","width":1920,"height":1318,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-300x206.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":206,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-768x527.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":527,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-1024x703.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":703,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats.png","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1054,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats.png","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1318,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-1200x824.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":824,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez2-cats-612x420.png","home_baner-width":612,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ezra","chapter":"2","chapter_main_number":"843","date":"20281121","wall_id":"843"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":5,"id":"98057","color":"#f2e9df","size":"1","name":"How Many Exactly Came Back? ","post_title":"How Many Exactly Came Back?","slug":"how-many-exactly-came-back","old_id":"98057","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":62571,"post_title":"Yaakov Bieler","slug":"yaakov-bieler","old_id":"62571","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Bieler ","description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University in 1974. He has lectured and written extensively on Modern Orthodoxy, and blogs daily at https:\/\/yaakovbieler.wordpress.com ","short_description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":62572,"alt":"","title":"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","width":141,"height":180,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler-141x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":141,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium-width":141,"medium-height":180,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium_large-width":141,"medium_large-height":180,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","large-width":141,"large-height":180,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","1536x1536-width":141,"1536x1536-height":180,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","2048x2048-width":141,"2048x2048-height":180,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","post_full_size-width":141,"post_full_size-height":180,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","home_baner-width":141,"home_baner-height":180}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"843","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"And what does that say about them and their identity? And those who stayed behind?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

King Cyrus, the Persian monarch who defeated the Babylonians, authorized the return to Israel not only of the wealthy classes who could afford to travel back to their homeland, but even the poor, whom he decreed should be helped by their neighbors to be able to go back and build the Second Jerusalem Temple (Ezra 1:4). However, the number of people who actually uprooted themselves to return, was only approximately 50,000 (2:64-5). The academic estimation of the total population of Jews at the time of the Babylonian exile is 1.8 million, thus not more than 3% of the Jews actually went back to Israel, once given the opportunity to do so by the authorities.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Despite the royal decree to extend financial assistance to whomever would require it, some probably were still unable to leave because of their inordinate poverty, while there must have been many others who had made a life for themselves in the Diaspora, and were not sufficiently ideologically-driven to abandon everything and begin again in a new country.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The negative response of a great number of Babylonian Jews is reminiscent of the vast majority of Jews during the Exodus, who despite the slavery and persecutions directed against them by the Egyptians, could not bring themselves to follow Moses into the desert (see Rashi on Exodus 10:22 and his final comment on 13:18). While Rashi only mentions one view, others contend that in addition to 1\/5<\/span>th<\/span> , perhaps only 1\/50<\/span>th<\/span>, or even 1\/500<\/span>th<\/span> of the Jewish population left Egypt,\u00a0 the latter view resulting in the conclusion that\u00a0 over 3,000,000 perished during the Plague of Darkness. Naturally it is possible to view these fractions as reflections of a qualitative, rather than quantitative, assessment.)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What Ezra 2 does record is the names of the various groups of individuals that managed to return. By not being worthy of mention, those who remained behind, it is implied, despite being located in the capital city of the empire, assimilated all too easily and were no longer remembered, not only as individuals, but even as families. We can infer, though, that for those who returned, their Jewish identity was more important to them than their personal success and comfort. And if Ezra himself railed against the high percentage of intermarriage among the returnees to Israel (see chapters 9 and 10), one can only imagine the extent to which those committed to remaining in Babylonia had married non-Jewish women, expressing their lack of interest in a Jewish future.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Sanhedrin 11a notes that Shechaniah ben Jechiel, one of the leaders of the Jews who supported Ezra, speaks in Ezra 10:2-4 as if he too had intermarried, when in fact he had not. The Talmud compliments him, that as a leader, he took seriously the responsibility that if even one of his constituency was guilty of some infraction, he too was guilty and therefore spoke as such. It is a standard of leadership that appears not to be aspired to in this day and age.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":69453,"alt":"","title":"jer7-crowd","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"How Many Exactly Came Back?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"And what does that say about them and their identity? And those who stayed behind?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":69453,"alt":"","title":"jer7-crowd","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd.jpg","width":1920,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jer7-crowd-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ezra","chapter":"2","chapter_main_number":"843","date":"20281121","wall_id":"843"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":6,"id":"98201","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"He Is Ezra The Priest, The Scholar, The Scribe ","post_title":"He Is Ezra The Priest, The Scholar, The Scribe","slug":"he-is-ezra-the-priest-the-scholar-the-scribe","old_id":"98201","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"848","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"His resum\u00e9 tops them all\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Ezra finally appears on the scene seven chapters into his eponymous book. At first he is introduced with a dramatic lineage - sixteen generations - all the way back to Aaron the Priest. But this is not the most interesting introduction he receives. Three times in this chapter he is given another quite an extensive title- Ezra the priest, the scholar, or scribe (verses 11, 12, and 21).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The position of scribe appears to have been a member of the royal court (e.g., II Samuel 8:17, Isaiah 36:3, II Kings 22:8). It is unclear exactly what the scribe\u2019s position was in the royal court; he seems to have been part of the inner circle. Hezekiah sends Shebna the scribe along with the head of the palace and the recorder to confront the general of Sanchereb (II Kings 18:18). The recorder, according to Rashi, is the one in charge of organizing the court docket, but he does not explain what the scribe does (the head of the palace is self-explanatory).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Jeremiah 36:12 we learn that the palace had a chamber of the scribes where multiple people worked. When Jeremiah has his prophecy transcribed onto a scroll, they bring it to this chamber to have it read to the scribes. This chamber of scribes includes the chief scribe. It seems like the scribe is somewhat of a religious advisor in between the recorder and the high priest. The high priest is clearly also part of the royal court and a trusted advisor of the king (see II Samuel 8:17 etc.).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When Ezra appears on the scene, the kingship is no more. Instead, the returnees are under the patronage of the Persian emperor and local governor.\u00a0 Ezra is introduced as a scribe and a priest because he takes on the role of both of these leaders. Absent a king, these two positions remain from the earlier days of the court. Taken a step further, the extended lineage is a way to link him back to Aaron the high priest for family pedigree and the emphasis on him being a scribe knowledgeable in the Torah is a way to link him to Moses as well. Ezra has the resume to be the one to help lead the group of exiles in their return to Jerusalem.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98202,"alt":"","title":"ez7-resume cv","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv.png","width":1280,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-300x300.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-768x768.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-1024x1024.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-1200x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-420x420.png","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"He Is Ezra The Priest, The Scholar, The Scribe","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"His resum\u00e9 tops them all","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98202,"alt":"","title":"ez7-resume cv","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv.png","width":1280,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-300x300.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-768x768.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-1024x1024.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-1200x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-resume-cv-420x420.png","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ezra","chapter":"7","chapter_main_number":"848","date":"20281128","wall_id":"848"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":7,"id":"98206","color":"#e0e9ef","size":"1","name":"The Origin And Evolution Of Midrash ","post_title":"The Origin And Evolution Of Midrash","slug":"the-origin-and-evolution-of-midrash","old_id":"98206","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33877,"post_title":"Marc Bregman","slug":"marc-bregman","old_id":"33877","first_name":"Marc","last_name":"Bregman","description":"Marc Bregman received his Ph.D. from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1991. He taught at the Hebrew Union College (Jerusalem), The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Schechter Institute for Judaic Studies in Jerusalem, and at the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba, Israel. During 1993 he was Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, and during 1996 he was the Stroum Professor of Jewish Studies and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Washington in Seattle. During 2005, Bregman served as the Harry Starr Fellow in Judaica at Harvard University and was awarded a Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has served as Forchheimer Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Tanhuma-Yelammedenu Literature: Studies in the Evolution of the Versions (Gorgias Press, 2003). In 2006, Bregman was appointed the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he also headed the program in Jewish Studies, until 2013. Bregman retired from UNCG as of July 31, 2017. He has now returned to Jerusalem where he is continuing his research and teaching activities.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Marc Bregman is the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies emeritus, at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33878,"alt":"Marc Bregman","title":"Marc Bregman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","width":361,"height":488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":488,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":488,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":488,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":488,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":488,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"848","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Seeking, inquiring, demanding, interpreting - creatively\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\u201cEzra prepared his heart to interpret the Torah of the Lord to observe and to teach laws and rules among Israel\u201d (verse 10). The phrase translated here \u201cto interpret the Torah of the Lord \u2013 <\/span>li-drosh et Torat-Ha-Shem<\/span><\/em>\u201d seems to preserve the Biblical origin of what became \u201cmidrash,\u201d the primary means of interpreting Scripture from Biblical and Rabbinic times until our day. A parallel formulation is found in<\/span> 2 Chronicles 30:18-19<\/b><\/a>, <\/b>where we are told that: \u201c\u2026the good Lord will provide atonement for everyone who has prepared his heart to seek,\u00a0<\/span>li-drosh<\/span><\/em>\u00a0the Lord God of his fathers\u2026\u201d. <\/span>Li-drosh<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/i> here meaning \u201cto seek\u201d, recalls<\/span> Genesis 25:22<\/span><\/a> where the matriarch Rebecca, suffering from the two fetuses said to be \"struggling within her\", cries out in anguish: \"if it be so, why is it this way with me?!\" And then we are told that: \"she went to seek the Lord -- <\/span>va-telekh li-drosh et ha-Shem.<\/span><\/em>\u201d It should be noted that here, early in the biblical narrative, the root <\/span>darash<\/span><\/em> is used to describe a direct, unmediated relationship between an individual human and God.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In<\/span> Exodus 18:15<\/span><\/a>, Moses explains that the people come to him \"to inquire of God -- <\/span>li-drosh et ha-Elohim<\/span><\/em>. Here the root <\/span>darash<\/span><\/em> is beginning to indicate a less direct, more mediated relation between the assembled people and God. In<\/span> Isaiah 34:16<\/span><\/a> the word <\/span>darash<\/span><\/em> is applied to a written text of divine origin. The prophet cries out to the people of his generation: \"Inquire of the book of the Lord and read -- <\/span>Dirshu me-'al sefer ha-Shem u-qera'u.<\/span><\/em>\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Significantly, the actual noun <\/span>midrash<\/em> <\/span>is found twice in the text of the Hebrew Bible, both times in clearly late passages.<\/span> 2 Chronicles 13:22<\/span><\/a> refers to a \"midrash of the prophet Iddo\", while<\/span> 2 Chronicles 24:27<\/span><\/a> refers to a \"midrash of the book of the kings\". Whatever these Biblical \u201cmidrashic\u201d texts may have been, they seem to refer to some kind of written documents.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

It is interesting to note that the biblical books of Chronicles, in their entirety, are regarded by the Rabbinic Sages as midrashic material. This is reflected in<\/span> Ruth Rabbah 2:1<\/span><\/a>: \"The Books of Chronicles were given only for interpretation -- <\/span>Lo' nitnah Divrey ha-Yamim \u2018ela\u2019 le-hidaresh.<\/span><\/em>\" A remarkably similar attitude is found in contemporary Biblical scholarship, which regards the biblical Books of Chronicles as inner-biblical interpretation of earlier parts of the Bible. See for example<\/span> 2 Chronicles 3:1<\/span><\/a> which identifies the site of the Solomonic Temple in Jerusalem as one of the mountains in the Land of Moriah on which Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son, Isaac (<\/span>Genesis 22:2<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Many attempts have been made to define and translate the Hebrew term \u201cMidrash\u201d. In line with Isaac Heinemann\u2019s classic discussion of Midrash Aggadah in <\/span>Darkhey Ha-Aggadah<\/em> <\/span>as \u201ccreative historiography\u201d and \u201ccreative philology\u201d, the term \u201cMidrash\u201d, as it evolved from Biblical to modern times, may be usefully referred to as \u201ccreative interpretation of Scripture\u201d by Rabbinic and other students of the Bible.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: the word \"midrash,\" from the cover of\u00a0Midrash Rabbah<\/em> (Warsaw, 1925) \/ 929<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98207,"alt":"","title":"ez7-midrash","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash.jpeg","width":1361,"height":1116,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-150x150.jpeg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-300x246.jpeg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":246,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-768x630.jpeg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":630,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-1024x840.jpeg","large-width":1024,"large-height":840,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash.jpeg","1536x1536-width":1361,"1536x1536-height":1116,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash.jpeg","2048x2048-width":1361,"2048x2048-height":1116,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-1200x984.jpeg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":984,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-512x420.jpeg","home_baner-width":512,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Origin And Evolution Of Midrash","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Seeking, inquiring, demanding, interpreting - creatively","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98207,"alt":"","title":"ez7-midrash","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash.jpeg","width":1361,"height":1116,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-150x150.jpeg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-300x246.jpeg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":246,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-768x630.jpeg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":630,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-1024x840.jpeg","large-width":1024,"large-height":840,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash.jpeg","1536x1536-width":1361,"1536x1536-height":1116,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash.jpeg","2048x2048-width":1361,"2048x2048-height":1116,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-1200x984.jpeg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":984,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez7-midrash-512x420.jpeg","home_baner-width":512,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ezra","chapter":"7","chapter_main_number":"848","date":"20281128","wall_id":"848"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":8,"id":"98227","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"The Dawn Of A New Leadership Model ","post_title":"The Dawn Of A New Leadership Model","slug":"the-dawn-of-a-new-leadership-model","old_id":"98227","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":46656,"post_title":"Molly Morris","slug":"molly-morris","old_id":"46656","first_name":"Molly ","last_name":"Morris ","description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Her particular area of interest is biblical leadership. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","short_description":"Molly Morris holds a Masters degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. Molly participates in the 929 initiative with a dedicated group from the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto congregation. \r\n\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":92561,"alt":"","title":"molly morris","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","width":2192,"height":2488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-264x300.jpg","medium-width":264,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-768x872.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":872,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-902x1024.jpg","large-width":902,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","1536x1536-width":1353,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris.jpg","2048x2048-width":1804,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-1057x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1057,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/molly-morris-370x420.jpg","home_baner-width":370,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"849","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Ezra\u2019s participatory leadership perpetuates shared responsibility\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

We have only recently been introduced directly to the eponymous character of the Book of Ezra. The first six chapters provided the genealogical and historical context for Ezra\u2019s leadership of the Jewish nation, but Ezra himself only entered the narrative in Chapter 7 as the recipient of the incredible letter from King Artaxerxes granting him broad powers, supported by a multitude of resources, to return to the newly built Second Temple in Jerusalem and reimplement the Temple services.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

That the early chapters of Ezra focus on his ancestry is consistent with what we now learn about his leadership style. The Talmud, in Kiddushin 69b, teaches us that when Ezra was still in Babylonia, he took it upon himself to begin a laborious process of researching and chronicling the lineage of every Jewish family and recording detailed lists that identified family groups and tribal lines. Individuals were critical to Ezra\u2019s mission.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The importance of the makeup of the returnees is emphasized again in the first half of Ezra 8, where Ezra enumerates those who were accompanying him back to Jerusalem (well, the males at least, but that\u2019s another discussion), and notices who is missing. (The Levites, it turns out, but their whereabouts is also another discussion). What is significant in this discussion is that Ezra immediately engages the community in the work to be done.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

For the question of the missing Levites, Ezra dispatches other leaders among the nation to help find and bring the Levites back into service at the Temple. He then goes on to appoint twelve priests, even though he himself is a priest and could have fulfilled this task himself. These twelve other priests are charged with safeguarding the vast amounts of gold and silver donated by the king for Temple purposes, as well as the vessels from the First Temple that God had commanded the king to return.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ezra had been granted unprecedented authority by King Artaxerxes and he chose to use it to develop and leverage leadership potential in others and engage his community. Rabbi Dr. Zvi Ron, in his essay \u201cEzra, the first Rabbi\u201d points out that this new era in the history of the Jewish people heralds the waning days of prophecy, when accounts of overt miracles have become far fewer.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As the nations\u2019 spirituality necessarily shifts to a more natural rhythm, Ezra\u2019s mode of leadership is what is needed. The paternalistic leadership of Moses, the mainly military leadership of kings, and the intermediary leadership of prophets is making way for participatory leadership that will be sustainable precisely because it perpetuates shared responsibility.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":56233,"alt":"","title":"jud16-leadership","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership.png","width":1280,"height":963,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-300x226.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":226,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-768x578.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":578,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-1024x770.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":770,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":963,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":963,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-1200x903.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":903,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-558x420.png","home_baner-width":558,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Dawn Of A New Leadership Model","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Ezra\u2019s participatory leadership perpetuates shared responsibility","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":56233,"alt":"","title":"jud16-leadership","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership.png","width":1280,"height":963,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-300x226.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":226,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-768x578.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":578,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-1024x770.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":770,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":963,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":963,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-1200x903.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":903,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/jud16-leadership-558x420.png","home_baner-width":558,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ezra","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"849","date":"20281129","wall_id":"849"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":9,"id":"98234","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"A New Take On Intermarriage ","post_title":"A New Take On Intermarriage","slug":"a-new-take-on-intermarriage","old_id":"98234","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":54356,"post_title":"Robert Alter","slug":"robert-alter","old_id":"54356","first_name":"Robert ","last_name":"Alter","description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, where he has taught since 1967. He has written over twenty books, focusing on such topics as the European novel from the 18th century to the present, contemporary American fiction, and modern Hebrew literature. He has also written extensively on the literary aspects of the Bible. His most recent work is his monumental three volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019 - from which the selections in 929 are taken. ","short_description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, and author of the three-volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":54357,"alt":"","title":"robert alter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","width":184,"height":275,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium-width":184,"medium-height":275,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium_large-width":184,"medium_large-height":275,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","large-width":184,"large-height":275,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","1536x1536-width":184,"1536x1536-height":275,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","2048x2048-width":184,"2048x2048-height":275,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","post_full_size-width":184,"post_full_size-height":275,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","home_baner-width":184,"home_baner-height":275}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"850","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Is this new rationale racist?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

9:2 \u201c\u2018For from their daughters they have taken as wives for themselves and for their sons, and the holy seed has mingled with the peoples of the lands, and the hand of the nobles and the officers was first in this betrayal.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The traditional reason for avoiding intermarrying was to keep apart from pagan practices. Although Ezra still has this rationale in mind, here he adds what amounts to a racist view: the people of Israel are a \u201choly seed\u201d and hence should avoid contamination by alien genetic stock.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From: Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible<\/em>, vol. 3: Writings, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019, ad loc. By permission of the author.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"A New Take On Intermarriage","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Is this new rationale racist?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ezra","chapter":"9","chapter_main_number":"850","date":"20281130","wall_id":"850"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":10,"id":"98294","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"They\u2019re Quaking Now! ","post_title":"They\u2019re Quaking Now!","slug":"theyre-quaking-now","old_id":"98294","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"851","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Ezra lays down the law\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In response to Ezra\u2019s distress over their infidelity, the people swear an oath to \u201cexpel\u201d their foreign wives\u00a0 and \u201cthose who have been born to them\u201d citing, once again, the counsel of the <\/span>charedim<\/span><\/em>, i.e., those \u201cconcerned with\u201d (JPS) or \u201ctrembling for\u201d (Alter) the Torah (3). To publicize the matter further and to give it greater legal standing, \u201cA proclamation was issued in Judah and Jerusalem that all who had returned from the exile should assemble in Jerusalem, and that anyone who did not come in three days would, by decision of the officers and elders, have his property confiscated and himself excluded from the congregation of the returning exiles\u201d (7-8).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The three-day solemn convocation was intended to give the force of a public enactment to what would otherwise have been a unilateral move on the part of Ezra. Malbim wrote:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Since he knew that many would oppose him and decline to expel their wives, and since he had no power to punish them other than by Torah law [that they had clearly rejected], he had to frighten them with even more serious consequences. The collective, having the right to impose the matter by oath, assumes the authority of a king who can impose extralegal penalties\u2026 By virtue of the covenant they made and the oath they took to uphold it, the collective assumed the right to impose punishment as they had [previously] in penalizing the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead who also violated a public oath [see Judges 21].<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The convocation was held \u201con the 20<\/span>th<\/span> day of the 9<\/span>th<\/span> month\u201d (9), Kislev, probably December, which explains the following observation: \u201cAll the people sat in the square of the House of God, trembling on account of the event and because of the rains\u201d (ibid). JPS, which avoided \u201ctrembling\u201d as the translation of <\/span>chared<\/span><\/em>, uses it here to render <\/span>mar`idim<\/span><\/em> (from the verb <\/span>R`D<\/span><\/i>), while Alter, who had been using \u201ctremble\u201d all along, rendered this as \u201cshaking.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Quakers, founded in 17<\/span>th<\/span> century England, were so named, <\/span>\u201c<\/b>because we bid them tremble at the word of God,\u201d and the Shakers are a break-off group from the Quakers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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