{"id":97922,"date":"2018-07-09T18:01:57","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-845\/"},"modified":"2021-10-07T11:30:30","modified_gmt":"2021-10-07T08:30:30","slug":"wall-845","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-845\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Writings-Ezra-4"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"845","date":"20281123","book":"Ezra","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"845","books_group":"Writings","hide_acf":true,"home_image":{"ID":86627,"id":86627,"title":"\u05e2\u05d6\u05e8\u05d0 \u05d3","filename":"\u05e2\u05d6\u05e8\u05d0-\u05d3.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05e2\u05d6\u05e8\u05d0-\u05d3.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-845\/%d7%a2%d7%96%d7%a8%d7%90-%d7%93\/","alt":"","author":"80312","description":"\u05d0\u05d9\u05d5\u05e8: \u05de\u05e0\u05d7\u05dd 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Not-So-Good Samaritans","post_title":"The Not-So-Good Samaritans","slug":"the-not-so-good-samaritans","old_id":"98117","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":"845","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Allies of Haman, of all people?\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In this chapter we read about the extent of the local opposition to the rebuilding of the Temple and of the several attempts to sabotage it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cThe adversaries of Judah and Benjamin\u201d <\/span>(1) <\/span>were the Samaritans, a patchwork of peoples who were brought by the Assyrian conquerors from Asia Minor to the Land of Israel in 721 BCE to replace the exiled ten northern tribes. When the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were exiled to Babylonia in 586 BCE, they were, effectively, the sole remaining population, hence their description here as <\/span>\u201c<\/span>the people of the land\u201d (4).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

2 Kings (17:25-26) reports that after their arrival in the land they were set upon by lions. They interpreted this event as a sign that they were not paying sufficient respect to the local gods, whereupon they devised an amalgamated form of worship, called \u201csyncretistic\u201d by scholars, that the Tanakh describes as: \u201cThey worshiped the L<\/span>ORD<\/span>, while serving their own gods according to the practices of the nations from which they had been deported\u201d (2 Kings 17:33). They were centered around Shechem, capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, and built their own temple atop the adjacent Mt. Gerizim, a site that had been singled out by Moses in the Torah as a place for blessings (Deut. 11:29).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Now, with the incipient Temple emerging, they likely felt their status eroding and hastened to share in the project that seemed to be the new favorite of the Persian authorities. Their offer to assist in the building: \u201cLet us build with you, since we too worship your God, having offered sacrifices to Him since the time of King Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here\u201d<\/span> (2), was rejected and countered by the claim of the returned exiles that \u201cwe alone (<\/span>yachad<\/span><\/em>) will build it\u201d (3, understanding <\/span>yachad<\/span><\/em> as a form of <\/span>echad<\/span><\/em>, implying exclusivity).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Yet, the Samaritans persisted and even \u201cbribed ministers\u201d (<\/span>yo`atzim<\/span><\/em>, counselors) in order to thwart their plans all the years of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia\u201d (5), perhaps the first recorded case of hiring lobbyists. It is at this juncture that we encounter the bald statement: \u201cAnd in the reign of Ahasuerus, at the start of his reign, they drew up an accusation (<\/span>sitnah<\/span><\/em>) against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem\u201d (6<\/span>). <\/span>Put Ahasuerus and an anti-Jewish accusation in the same sentence and it commonly yields \u201cPurim.\u201d Is that the case here?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Pseudo-Rashi, for one, did not think so, explaining that the accusation was most likely one of fomenting insurrection through the diversion of allegiance from Persia to Jerusalem. Other exegetes, however, combined this with the edict of destruction around which the Book of Esther is focused, forging yet another possible link between the events described there and those appearing in the Book of Ezra. (<\/span>See our remarks on Chapter 2<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":64269,"alt":"","title":"2kings17-Samaritans","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans.jpg","width":800,"height":531,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans-300x199.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":199,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans-768x510.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":510,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":531,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":531,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":531,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":531,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans-633x420.jpg","home_baner-width":633,"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 Not-So-Good Samaritans","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Allies of Haman, of all people?\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":64269,"alt":"","title":"2kings17-Samaritans","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans.jpg","width":800,"height":531,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans-300x199.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":199,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans-768x510.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":510,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":531,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":531,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":531,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":531,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/2kings17-Samaritans-633x420.jpg","home_baner-width":633,"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":"4","chapter_main_number":"845","date":"20281123","wall_id":"845"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":3,"id":"98111","color":"#efefef","size":"1","name":"Wolf In Sheep\u2019s Clothing ","post_title":"Wolf In Sheep\u2019s Clothing","slug":"wolf-in-sheeps-clothing","old_id":"98111","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":"845","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Fifth column, false friends, motivated by spite and malice\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 4 continues the unfortunate theme of the Books of Daniel and Esther. Jews in exile are beholden to outside rulers and these can easily be swayed by the enemies of the Jews.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The timeline of chapter 4 is also a little confusing. It begins with the adversaries of the Jews offering to assist in the building of the Temple. This must have taken place in the same time period as the first three chapters, that is, at the beginning of the great return in the kingdom of Cyrus. These foreigners confirm that they only live in Israel due to the practice of the Assyrian empire of exiling and resettling their conquests. That means that these people had been in the land since the expulsion of the northern tribes and most of the tribe of Judah. In this long period they adopted some of the practices of the locals, the Israelites\/Jews.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Zerubbabel rebuffs them. In response, they begin a lobbying campaign against the Jews during the entire rebuilding period.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The text then jumps ahead in time to the time of Artaxerxes. The group drafts a letter that tries a different tact. In Esther and Daniel the attacks were against the Jews in particular. Daniel and his compatriots were undermined for praying to God or failing to bow down to a statue. Mordecai and the Jews of Shushan were attacked by failure to bow down to Haman. In Ezra 4, the enemies of the Jews attack the city itself. They argue that the city is a bastion of rebellion. Whenever Jerusalem is rebuilt, the people end up rebelling against the prevailing empire. Artaxerxes confirms these \u201crebellions,\u201d most likely referring to the defeat of Sennacherib and the revolts against Babylon. He then halts construction of the Temple and city of Jerusalem.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Zerubbabel could not have known this response many years later. But did he make the right choice in not allowing these inhabitants to help with building the Temple? The text itself seems to take sides immediately. \u201cWhen the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple\u2026\u201d(verse 1). It is easy to look at the end result and lament Zerubbabel's decision. But these were not innocent offers of assistance. Ezra makes clear that despite their apparent alliance, these were enemies of the Jews, wolves in sheep\u2019s clothing. Any assistance they offered would have brought even more disaster to the Jews rebuilding the Temple.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":66575,"alt":"","title":"is32-wolf sheep","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","width":529,"height":327,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep-300x185.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":185,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","medium_large-width":529,"medium_large-height":327,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","large-width":529,"large-height":327,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","1536x1536-width":529,"1536x1536-height":327,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","2048x2048-width":529,"2048x2048-height":327,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","post_full_size-width":529,"post_full_size-height":327,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","home_baner-width":529,"home_baner-height":327}},"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":"Wolf In Sheep\u2019s Clothing","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Fifth column, false friends, motivated by spite and malice","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":66575,"alt":"","title":"is32-wolf sheep","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","width":529,"height":327,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep-300x185.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":185,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","medium_large-width":529,"medium_large-height":327,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","large-width":529,"large-height":327,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","1536x1536-width":529,"1536x1536-height":327,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","2048x2048-width":529,"2048x2048-height":327,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","post_full_size-width":529,"post_full_size-height":327,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/is32-wolf-sheep.png","home_baner-width":529,"home_baner-height":327}},"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":"4","chapter_main_number":"845","date":"20281123","wall_id":"845"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":4,"id":"98114","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"Zerubbabel","post_title":"Zerubbabel","slug":"zerubbabel","old_id":"98114","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":"845","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The phoenix of Jerusalem still lives\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\" \u2026 but we ourselves together will build [the house of God] for the Lord, the God of Israel\u2026\" (Ezra 4:3)<\/p>\r\n

How will Jerusalem rebuild her nest?
\r\nHow will she fly again? How will she sing
\r\nHer songs at dawn once more, when everything
\r\nShe treasured has been burnt? How will she rest
\r\nBeneath a branch's shade when leaves she blessed
\r\nAre fallen, singed and scorched? How will she bring
\r\nRedemption to a desert where the spring
\r\nIs but a memory that heat suppressed?<\/p>\r\n

Great flames attack this bird and fire assaults
\r\nHer feathers, as our nightmares had foretold.
\r\nYet look \u2014 the hawk of history forgives
\r\nHer past mistakes, her errors and her faults,
\r\nAllowing desert falcons to behold
\r\nThe phoenix of Jerusalem still lives.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98115,"alt":"","title":"ez4-phoenix","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix.jpg","width":1528,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-239x300.jpg","medium-width":239,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-768x965.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":965,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-815x1024.jpg","large-width":815,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix.jpg","1536x1536-width":1222,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix.jpg","2048x2048-width":1528,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-955x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":955,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-334x420.jpg","home_baner-width":334,"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":"Zerubbabel","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The phoenix of Jerusalem still lives","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98115,"alt":"","title":"ez4-phoenix","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix.jpg","width":1528,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-239x300.jpg","medium-width":239,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-768x965.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":965,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-815x1024.jpg","large-width":815,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix.jpg","1536x1536-width":1222,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix.jpg","2048x2048-width":1528,"2048x2048-height":1920,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-955x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":955,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez4-phoenix-334x420.jpg","home_baner-width":334,"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":"4","chapter_main_number":"845","date":"20281123","wall_id":"845"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":5,"id":"98081","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Reading Aloud ","post_title":"Reading Aloud","slug":"reading-aloud","old_id":"98081","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. 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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":"845","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"One of the jobs of the turgeman","post_main_content_content":"

4:7 \u201cAnd in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the epistle was written in Aramaic and read out in Aramaic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The text seems to say \u201cand translated into Aramaic,\u201d which makes no sense (the Septuagint lacks the second verb here). This could be a scribal error, but there are some grounds for concluding that the verb <\/span>targem<\/span><\/em> (a loanword related to \u201cturkemen\u201d) meant not only \u201cto translate\u201d but also \u201cto read out in public,\u201d which is precisely what the <\/span>turgeman<\/em> <\/span>in the early synagogues did as he rendered the Hebrew of the Torah into Aramaic. At this point, the language of Ezra switches from Hebrew to Aramaic. Aramaic, in fact, was the common official language of the Persian empire, so a letter to the emperor such as this would have been written in Aramaic. It is unclear whether the actual original Aramaic document has been inserted in the text or whether--perhaps more likely--the author has composed an Aramaic letter conveying the substance of the original document.<\/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.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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    \r\n\t
  1. Royal timeline<\/em>. These are the kings of Persia under whose reigns took place the events related in the books of Ezra and Nechemiah: Cyrus - Darius I - Ahasuerus - Artaxerxes. The delays in the building of the Temple that are described in the first part of the chapter occurred from the time of Cyrus to Darius. The epistle which led to stopping the building of the walls of Jerusalem was in the days of Artaxerxes, when Ezra was already in Jerusalem, as we shall see in chapter 7.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. The \u2018adversaries\u2019 of Judah and Benjamin<\/em>. In verse 2, they say that they are servants of God \u201csince the time of King Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here.\u201d The full story is to be found in II Kings 17, where it is told that in the course of the substitution of rebellious populations, Assyria exiled the residents of the kingdom of Israel, and replaced them with a different population, who were idol worshippers, who learned the details of the Temple cult in order to get on with \u201cthe local god.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. The subtext of the text<\/em>. Verse 2 quotes the words of the adversaries in two different versions. The <\/span>keri<\/span><\/em> (the version meant to be read) tells what they (apparently) said, that they sacrifice to the God of the Jews. The <\/span>ketiv<\/span><\/em>, however (the written version), seems to reflect a sort of editorial comment, that the redactor felt: \u201cwe too worship your God, having offered sacrifices to Him, (<\/span>lo<\/span><\/em>, <\/span><\/i>\u05dc\u05d5)\u201d vs. \u201cwe too worship your God, but don\u2019t (<\/span>lo\u2019<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/i> \u05dc\u05d0<\/span>)<\/span><\/i> offer sacrifices.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. Hebrew - Aramaic<\/em>. The language changes right in the middle of the chapter, a phenomenon we\u2019re familiar with from 14 chapters ago in Daniel. Why does this happen? Is it because the letter they are discussing was written in Aramaic? Can this alternation teach us something about how the book was written?<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  5. Brute force<\/em>. Verse 23 relates that the building was stopped by physical force. What did this entail? 7 chapters from now, in Nehemiah 1, we will read about burnt gates, and Jews abducted and sold into slavery.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","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":"Ezra 4","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder ","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"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":"4","chapter_main_number":"845","date":"20281123","wall_id":"845"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":7,"id":"97985","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Sefaria Source Sheets - Ezra 4 ","post_title":"Sefaria Source Sheets - Ezra 4","slug":"sefaria-source-sheets-ezra-4","old_id":"97985","type":"song","iframe":"","writer":{"id":42228,"post_title":"Sefaria","slug":"sefaria","old_id":"42228","first_name":"","last_name":"Sefaria","description":"Sefaria is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the future of Jewish learning in an open and participatory way. 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    \u201cConversion in the Bible\u201d<\/a> by Larry Solomon: Cases of conversion in the Jewish sources.<\/p>\r\n

    \u201cBabylonian and Persian Exile\u201d<\/a> by Jeremy Wexler: History and sources regarding the exiles.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":42232,"alt":"","title":"sefaria-words-sunburst","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","width":608,"height":395,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-300x195.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":195,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","medium_large-width":608,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","large-width":608,"large-height":395,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","1536x1536-width":608,"1536x1536-height":395,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","2048x2048-width":608,"2048x2048-height":395,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","post_full_size-width":608,"post_full_size-height":395,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","home_baner-width":608,"home_baner-height":395}},"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":"Go deeper into the chapter....","tile_main_caption":"Source Sheets - Ezra 4","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Links to learning resources","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":42232,"alt":"","title":"sefaria-words-sunburst","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","width":608,"height":395,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst-300x195.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":195,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","medium_large-width":608,"medium_large-height":395,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","large-width":608,"large-height":395,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","1536x1536-width":608,"1536x1536-height":395,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","2048x2048-width":608,"2048x2048-height":395,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","post_full_size-width":608,"post_full_size-height":395,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sefaria-words-sunburst.png","home_baner-width":608,"home_baner-height":395}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"Sefaria word sunburst visualization","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":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Ezra","chapter":"4","chapter_main_number":"845","date":"20281123","wall_id":"845"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/97922"}],"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=97922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}