{"id":97921,"date":"2018-07-09T18:01:56","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:01:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-1169\/"},"modified":"2022-02-02T19:45:21","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T17:45:21","slug":"wall-1169","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-1169\/","title":{"rendered":"weekend-from-20250427-to-20250503"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"weekend","wall_id":"1169","date_from":"20250427","date_to":"20250503","book":"Ezra","books_group":"Writings","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"98125","color":"#f7f7f5","size":"2","name":"Parashat Noah: What Is Our Ark?","post_title":"Parashat Noah: What Is Our Ark?","slug":"parashat-noah-what-is-our-ark","old_id":"98125","type":"song","iframe":"","writer":{"id":98126,"post_title":"Robin Damsky","slug":"robin-damsky","old_id":"98126","first_name":"Robin ","last_name":"Damsky","description":"Rabbi Robin Damsky has recently launched Limitlesss Judaism\u2122 a project connecting Body-Spirit-Gaia: enhancing our physical and spiritual well-being as we heal and grow our planet. She is a licensed medical massage practitioner and offers sessions in Spiritual Guidance. Rabbi Robin was ordained by American Jewish University and earned her MA in Jewish education from the Jewish Theological Seminary. She lives in the Durham Triangle in NC.\r\n","short_description":"Rabbi Robin Damsky has recently launched Limitlesss Judaism\u2122 a project connecting Body-Spirit-Gaia: enhancing our physical and spiritual well-being as we heal and grow our planet. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":98127,"alt":"","title":"robin_damsky","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/robin_damsky.jpg","width":225,"height":225,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/robin_damsky-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/robin_damsky.jpg","medium-width":225,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/robin_damsky.jpg","medium_large-width":225,"medium_large-height":225,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/robin_damsky.jpg","large-width":225,"large-height":225,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/robin_damsky.jpg","1536x1536-width":225,"1536x1536-height":225,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/robin_damsky.jpg","2048x2048-width":225,"2048x2048-height":225,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/robin_damsky.jpg","post_full_size-width":225,"post_full_size-height":225,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/robin_damsky.jpg","home_baner-width":225,"home_baner-height":225}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"1169","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Perhaps in this shmitah year, we are all Noah. Perhaps it is for each of us to construct an ark, however figurative, that preserves creation in our own yard or across the globe. ","post_main_content_content":"

\u201cShabbat Shabbaton\u201d are the words Leviticus 25:4 uses to describe the shmitah year \u2013 \u201cA sabbath of complete rest for the land.\u201d In today\u2019s world, can we even imagine what that would look like, feel like, smell like?\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

The laws of the shmitah year were established for \u201cha-aretz<\/em>\u201d \u2013 the Land of Israel. Yet many choose to observe this holy practice around the globe. Now that the High Holy Day season is complete and we are settling into our fall rhythm, we in the diaspora may be asking ourselves, How can I make the practice of shmitah real for me in my life?<\/em><\/p>\r\n

It seems clear that to understand rest for the land, we must understand rest for ourselves. As adam<\/em> \u2013 the human, created from adamah <\/em>\u2013 the soil, we are one and the same. In today\u2019s busy culture, mid-pandemic, do we know how to rest ourselves? In this year of Shabbat Shabbaton, to heal the earth our rest must extend beyond the Sabbath day into every day. True, deep rest can bring us to a sense of wholeness, taking us beyond our fear and knee-jerk reactions to a place of possibility. This is the stuff of which shmitah is made: rest, which offers release. Release, in turn, restores balance.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

My personal practice is meditation. In about twelve minutes of sitting quietly, my mind stills. Continuing, I begin to let go of my conscious self and settle into a deeper place. There, I recover possibility \u2013 for healing and regeneration of myself, and as an extension, for healing and regeneration of the earth.<\/p>\r\n

Rest is not idle, rather active and creative.\u00a0 I refuel myself through my meditation practice, The winter rest fuels the earth, plants and animals for spring rebirth.<\/p>\r\n

\u00a0What will your rest bring forth? Here are a few ideas for how our rest can fuel regeneration for our precious earth which in turn continues to fuel our own well-being: Composting, mushroom remediation for a toxic site, a container garden, a soil regeneration project, climate activism\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

In this week\u2019s parashah Noah is commanded by the Creator to save the animal species of our planet from a deadly climate shift. Divine wrath brought forty days and nights of rain. Today we are enduring torrential rains, earth-parching droughts, and impossible-to-imagine fires. This time, however, the events are precipitated by human behavior. Perhaps in this shmitah year, we are all Noah. Perhaps it is for each of us to construct an ark, however figurative, that preserves creation in our own yard or across the globe. In order to do this, I ask us all to find our rest. Ask it to show us your best care for the earth and go forth and build.<\/p>\r\n

The shmita year began on Rosh Hashanah 2021<\/span>! Shmita means a sabbatical year for the Earth but also for ourselves, our communities, and our world. Each week we continue to share thoughts on how the weekly parsha can help guide our thinking around shmita themes of work and rest, wealth and debt, responsible land use, fair labor practices, private and public property ownership, and physical and spiritual revitalization.<\/em><\/p>\r\n

See here for more information on the Hazon Shmita project, and its blogs.<\/a><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":81608,"alt":"","title":"shmita","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","width":711,"height":708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","medium_large-width":711,"medium_large-height":708,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","large-width":711,"large-height":708,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","1536x1536-width":711,"1536x1536-height":708,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","2048x2048-width":711,"2048x2048-height":708,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","post_full_size-width":711,"post_full_size-height":708,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-422x420.jpg","home_baner-width":422,"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":"A Weekly Series: The \"Shmitah Parasha\" Blog","tile_main_caption":"Parashat Noah: What Is Our Ark?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"in conjunction with Hazon.org","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":81608,"alt":"","title":"shmita","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","width":711,"height":708,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","medium_large-width":711,"medium_large-height":708,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","large-width":711,"large-height":708,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","1536x1536-width":711,"1536x1536-height":708,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","2048x2048-width":711,"2048x2048-height":708,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita.jpg","post_full_size-width":711,"post_full_size-height":708,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/shmita-422x420.jpg","home_baner-width":422,"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":false,"chapter_main_number":false,"date":false,"wall_id":"1169"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"98020","color":"#f8ebe3","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":"#e2f4fa","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":"98057","color":"#efefef","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":5,"id":"98052","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"Was This THE Mordecai? ","post_title":"Was This THE Mordecai?","slug":"was-this-the-mordecai","old_id":"98052","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":"843","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"If so - he was a bridge from the old to the new\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\"Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, <\/span>Mordecai<\/span><\/i>, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah\/The list of the men of the people of Israel\" (verse 1). Some of the commentators believe this was Mordecai from the Purim story.\u00a0 But besides the same name, what proof do we have that this was Mordecai?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The answer may lie in the beginning of the first chapter. After seventy years of exile, the Jews are finally allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Thus said King Cyrus of Persia: \u2018The LORD God of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has charged me with building Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah\/ Anyone of you of all His people\u2014may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem that is in Judah and build the House of the L<\/span>ORD<\/span> God of Israel, the God that is in Jerusalem\u2019 (verses 2-3).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Cyrus sends out an edict that the Jews may return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. However, a closer look at who actually returns reveals a slight edit to the edict.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So the chiefs of the clans of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites, all whose spirit had been roused by God, got ready to go up to build the House of the LORD that is in Jerusalem (verse 5).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Not only does Judah return, but also the leaders of the tribe of Benjamin. Judah was in fact the tribe that was exiled by Nebuchadnezzer, so it makes sense that Cyrus would make a proclamation that centers around Judah. Why then does the text have to add the tribe of Benjamin? Perhaps this is the hint that the Mordecai in the next chapter is the Mordecai of the Purim story. Mordecai is introduced as both a Jew and a member of the tribe of Benjamin. \"In the fortress Shushan lived a Jew by the name of Mordecai, son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite\" (Esther 2:5).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

At this stage in the exile, the Israelites have become \u201cthe Jews,\u201d descendants of the tribe of Judah. However Mordecai still retained his household lineage to the tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin was also the location of the Temple itself, even though the rest of Jerusalem was in the location of the tribe of Judah. Mordecai symbolizes the new dual reality for the Jews of exile: he is both a (new) \"Jew\" but is also connected to the old land. Now, in the decree to return to rebuild the Temple, Mordecai as a leader of Benjamin, returns with the leaders of Judah (and the priests and Levites) to help make the old country new again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":97199,"alt":"","title":"est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai.jpg","width":800,"height":519,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai-300x195.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":195,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai-768x498.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":498,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":519,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":519,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":519,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":519,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai-647x420.jpg","home_baner-width":647,"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":"Was This THE Mordecai?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"If so - he was a bridge from the old to the new","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":97199,"alt":"","title":"est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai.jpg","width":800,"height":519,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai-300x195.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":195,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai-768x498.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":498,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":519,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":519,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":519,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":519,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/est3-Paul_Alexander_Leroy_-_Haman_and_Mordecai-647x420.jpg","home_baner-width":647,"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":"98051","color":"#f7e9e9","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":7,"id":"98074","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Builders ","post_title":"Builders","slug":"builders-2","old_id":"98074","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36669,"post_title":"Yakov Azriel","slug":"yakov-azriel","old_id":"36669","first_name":"Yakov ","last_name":"Azriel","description":"Yakov Azriel, who lives in Israel, has published five books of poetry in the USA and hundreds of poems in journals and magazines. His poems have won twenty-two prizes in international poetry competitions, and he has twice been awarded fellowships from the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.","short_description":"Yakov Azriel is an English language poet who lives in Israel","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36670,"alt":"","title":"Yakov.Azriel.Photo","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","width":1099,"height":1519,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-217x300.jpg","medium-width":217,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":741,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","large-width":741,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","1536x1536-width":1099,"1536x1536-height":1519,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","2048x2048-width":1099,"2048x2048-height":1519,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-868x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":868,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-304x420.jpg","home_baner-width":304,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"844","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"the sages built a sukkah, \/ Four cubits high and four cubits wide, \/ Of cloth woven from verses\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\"And they observed the holiday of Sukkot, as it is written\u2026<\/em>\u00a0\" (Ezra 3:4)<\/p>\r\n

Bezalel erected a tabernacle of dyed goatskins;
\r\nKing Solomon constructed a temple of cedar-wood;
\r\nAnd Jerusalem arose as a sacred city of polished white stone.<\/p>\r\n

But the sages built a sukkah,
\r\nFour cubits high and four cubits wide,
\r\nOf cloth woven from verses.<\/p>\r\n

Their fingers and minds pulled needles,
\r\nSewing together a phrase from here,
\r\nAn expression from there;<\/p>\r\n

And behold their brocade, which makes the sukkah\u2019s walls;
\r\nHow it shimmers
\r\nWith threads of black and golden letters.<\/p>\r\n

Their fabric \u2014 thin as paper,
\r\nYet sturdier than bricks,
\r\nAnd stronger than tempest-winds.<\/p>\r\n

Bezalel\u2019s tabernacle was plundered;
\r\nKing Solomon\u2019s temple \u2014 burnt;
\r\nAnd Jerusalem \u2014 twice razed.<\/p>\r\n

But the sukkah of the sages still wanders with us,
\r\nAs we gaze through its roof\u2019s lattice
\r\nAt the stars.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":80735,"alt":"","title":"ps13-sukkah","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah.jpeg","width":801,"height":598,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah-150x150.jpeg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah-300x224.jpeg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":224,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah-768x573.jpeg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":573,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah.jpeg","large-width":801,"large-height":598,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah.jpeg","1536x1536-width":801,"1536x1536-height":598,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah.jpeg","2048x2048-width":801,"2048x2048-height":598,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah.jpeg","post_full_size-width":801,"post_full_size-height":598,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah-563x420.jpeg","home_baner-width":563,"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":"929 Poetry Corner","tile_main_caption":"Builders","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"the sages built a sukkah, \/ Four cubits high and four cubits wide, \/ Of cloth woven from verses","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":80735,"alt":"","title":"ps13-sukkah","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah.jpeg","width":801,"height":598,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah-150x150.jpeg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah-300x224.jpeg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":224,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah-768x573.jpeg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":573,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah.jpeg","large-width":801,"large-height":598,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah.jpeg","1536x1536-width":801,"1536x1536-height":598,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah.jpeg","2048x2048-width":801,"2048x2048-height":598,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah.jpeg","post_full_size-width":801,"post_full_size-height":598,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/ps13-sukkah-563x420.jpeg","home_baner-width":563,"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":"3","chapter_main_number":"844","date":"20281122","wall_id":"844"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/97921"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}