{"id":98315,"date":"2018-07-09T18:02:14","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T15:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-863\/"},"modified":"2021-11-01T16:12:42","modified_gmt":"2021-11-01T14:12:42","slug":"wall-863","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-863\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Writings-Nehemiah-12"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"863","date":"20281219","book":"Nehemiah","chapter":"12","chapter_main_number":"863","books_group":"Writings","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"98373","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"JPS Audio Bible Nehemiah 12 ","post_title":"JPS Audio Bible Nehemiah 12","slug":"jps-audio-bible-nehemiah-12","old_id":"98373","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"863","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","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":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"Nehemiah 12","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"Hear the daily chapter","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-753876298\/jps_audio_bible_Nehemiah_12","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":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Nehemiah","chapter":"12","chapter_main_number":"863","date":"20281219","wall_id":"863"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"98709","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"A Wall Is A Wall Is A Wall ","post_title":"A Wall Is A Wall Is A Wall","slug":"a-wall-is-a-wall-is-a-wall","old_id":"98709","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":"863","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Or is it? Hebrew actually has three terms....\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 12 of Nehemiah describes the Levites who returned to Zion. After listing the various Levite families, the book tells us how the Levites were involved in the dedication of Jerusalem\u2019s wall:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cAt the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites, wherever they lived, were sought out and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate a joyful dedication with thanksgiving and with song, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres\u201d (12:27).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The word used for wall here is <\/span>choma<\/span><\/em>. That is one of the three common words for \u201cwall\u201d in Hebrew. Let\u2019s take a look at them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Choma<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>is generally used to describe the protective wall around a city. Scholars say it derives from the root <\/span>chama<\/span><\/em>\u00a0meaning \u201cto see, protect.\u201d That root is common in Aramaic, and is used in the declaration made when disowning any <\/span>chametz<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>before Passover \u2013 <\/span>kol chamira ... d'chamitey u'dlo chamitey<\/span><\/em>\u00a0- \"any chametz ... that I saw or did not see\".<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The most common word for wall in Modern Hebrew is <\/span>kir<\/span><\/em>. Some sources say it may be related to <\/span>kora<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u2013 \u201cbeam.\u201d Others say it is related to the Akkadian word <\/span>qiru<\/span><\/em>\u00a0and the Arabic <\/span>qir<\/span><\/em>, both meaning asphalt. So the original meaning may have been \"something paved or painted with asphalt.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One interesting verse that uses both <\/span>kir<\/span><\/em>\u00a0and <\/span>choma<\/span><\/em>\u00a0is Joshua 2:15. Here is the translation with the words for walls transliterated:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cShe let them down by a rope through the window\u2014for her dwelling was at the outer side of the city wall (<\/span>b'kir hachoma<\/span><\/em>) and she lived in the actual wall (<\/span>bachoma<\/span><\/em>).\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In this translation <\/span>kir<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>means \u201cside\u201d and <\/span>choma<\/span><\/em>\u00a0means \u201cwall.\u201d According to this opinion, <\/span>kir<\/span><\/em>\u00a0referred to the outside surface of the wall.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Others translate the verse as \u201cfor her house was in a wall of the fortification, and she lived in the fortification.\" So in this case <\/span>kir<\/span><\/em>\u00a0means wall, and <\/span>choma<\/span><\/em>\u00a0means fortification. This theory points out that in order to save on construction material it was common to include houses inside the city wall, and sometimes these houses would share their walls with the city walls.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The last word for wall is <\/span>kotel<\/span><\/em>. It only appears once in the Bible, in Song of Songs 2:9. It has origins in Aramaic, and may be related to the Akkadian <\/span>kutallu<\/span><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 \u201cback side.\u201d It became more popular in Rabbinic Hebrew, and today it's generally reserved to describe the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount - the <\/span>kotel hamaaravi<\/span><\/em>. Since the destruction of the Temple, it is one of the last remnants of that holy sanctuary.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So while in Nehemiah\u2019s day the wall associated with Jerusalem was a <\/span>choma<\/span><\/em>, today it is the <\/span>Kotel<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0Photo taken by Noam Chen for the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, 2012 \/ flickr<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98716,"alt":"","title":"neh12-walls","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls.jpg","width":2048,"height":1350,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-300x198.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":198,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-768x506.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":506,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-1024x675.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":675,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1013,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1350,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-1200x791.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":791,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-637x420.jpg","home_baner-width":637,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"A Wall Is A Wall Is A Wall","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Or is it? Hebrew actually has three terms....","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98716,"alt":"","title":"neh12-walls","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls.jpg","width":2048,"height":1350,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-300x198.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":198,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-768x506.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":506,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-1024x675.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":675,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1013,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1350,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-1200x791.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":791,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/neh12-walls-637x420.jpg","home_baner-width":637,"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":"Nehemiah","chapter":"12","chapter_main_number":"863","date":"20281219","wall_id":"863"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":3,"id":"98713","color":"#f6f5de","size":"1","name":"Remembering How To Be Happy ","post_title":"Remembering How To Be Happy","slug":"remembering-how-to-be-happy","old_id":"98713","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":"863","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"An important skill, forgotten in Exile...\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In Nehemiah 12, after many of the Jews exiled to Babylonia, returned to Jerusalem, the biblical text describes the celebrations that were conducted as a result.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

A curious turn-of-phrase appearing in v. 43 - \u201cOn that day, they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God made them rejoice greatly\u201d - appears to attribute the deep joy of these celebrations to God. Malbim explains this, naturally and logically, that the joy emanated from the hearts of the people:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

There was no joy resulting directly from the festive meals that were prepared. But rather it was due to <\/span>rejoicing in God<\/span><\/em>, to the point where even the children shared in the communal happiness.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Metzudat David, however, suggests a more metaphysical reading of the text: \u201cGod placed the rejoicing within their hearts.\u201d This biblical commentator understands the rejoicing as supernatural, and the result of God\u2019s direct intervention in the emotional lives of His people.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

One wonders why, according to Metzudat David, would God \u201ccare\u201d if due to His own intercession, the people rejoiced? Two sources in the book of Exodus could offer a precedent for Metzudat David\u2019s interpretation:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

1) God manipulates the responses of the Egyptian ruler during the last of the plagues: \u201cBut <\/span>the LORD stiffened the heart of Pharaoh<\/span><\/em>, and he would not heed them, just as the LORD had told Moses\u201d (Ex. 9:12 - similar terminology is used in Ibid. 10:1, 20, and 27).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, one could say that there is a difference between God intervening with rulers whose policies affect God\u2019s plans for His creation, and the \u201ceveryday\u201d people that comprise Nehemiah\u2019s masses.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

2) With respect to the construction of the Tabernacle the Torah depicts God as inspiring the artistic abilities of the artisans: \u201cNext you shall instruct all who are <\/span>wise of heart, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom<\/em> <\/span>to make Aaron\u2019s vestments, for consecrating him to serve Me as priest\u201d<\/span> (<\/span>Ex 28:3 - <\/span>similar assertions are made in Ibid. 31:3,6; and 35:31).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While the individuals who made the Tabernacle and the priests\u2019 special clothing were more \u201crun-of-the-mill\u201d than a ruler like Pharaoh, one continues to wonder why rejoicing over the return to Jerusalem was apparently so important?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Perhaps, just as enslaving the Jewish people in Egypt had deprived them of fine arts, and therefore Divine encouragement had to be forthcoming in order that they be able to execute the jewelry, weaving, woodworking skills, etc. necessary to create the Tabernacle and its vessels, the exile in Babylonia had created a state of deep depression that people literally no longer knew how to rejoice. Verses in Psalms 137:1-4 reflect this state of affairs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

By God instilling in Jewish hearts the ability to rejoice, He was teaching the people yet another skill that circumstances had driven underground, and that had to flourish once again.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":90853,"alt":"","title":"ps137-by the rivers of babylon-Gebhard_Fugel","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel.jpg","width":800,"height":546,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel-300x205.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":205,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel-768x524.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":524,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":546,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":546,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":546,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":546,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel-615x420.jpg","home_baner-width":615,"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":"Remembering How To Be Happy","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"An important skill, forgotten in Exile...","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":90853,"alt":"","title":"ps137-by the rivers of babylon-Gebhard_Fugel","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel.jpg","width":800,"height":546,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel-300x205.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":205,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel-768x524.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":524,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":546,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":546,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":546,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":546,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ps137-by-the-rivers-of-babylon-Gebhard_Fugel-615x420.jpg","home_baner-width":615,"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":"Nehemiah","chapter":"12","chapter_main_number":"863","date":"20281219","wall_id":"863"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":4,"id":"98711","color":"#efefef","size":"1","name":"The Family Business\u00a0 ","post_title":"The Family Business\u00a0","slug":"the-family-business","old_id":"98711","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":"863","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"When they come - they will build it\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In chapter 8 of Ezra, Ezra is traveling to Israel with a new influx of returnees. He reaches the borderlands and realizes that there are no Levites in his group. \u201cThese I assembled by the river that enters Ahava, and we encamped there for three days. I reviewed the people and the priests, but I did not find any Levites there\u201d (Ezra 8:15). Ezra sends messengers to the house of Mahli and Merari, and they send 38 Levites to join the group.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In chapter 12 of Nehemiah, we have a list of the Levites that served in the Temple. The named heads of the families, Sherebiah and Hashabiah are mentioned showing the continuity of this family during the return to Zion time-period.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Who was Merari? Merari was a son of Levi and Mahli was Merari\u2019s son (Exodus 6:19). This tells us that the Levites who came with Ezra, and were there at the time of Nehemiah, were members of one family of Levites. The Merari family had the job of carrying the building materials for the Tabernacle (Numbers 7:7). It makes sense that this family was then called on during the time of Nehemiah. The essence of the building project at this time was the walls of Jerusalem. The family of Merari had the ancient task of carrying and building the walls of the Tabernacle. Perhaps their inclusion here is an ode to their menial-seeming yet very important task in the wilderness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":98031,"alt":"","title":"ez1-rebuilding the temple","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","width":476,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple-238x300.jpg","medium-width":238,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","medium_large-width":476,"medium_large-height":600,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","large-width":476,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","1536x1536-width":476,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","2048x2048-width":476,"2048x2048-height":600,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","post_full_size-width":476,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple-333x420.jpg","home_baner-width":333,"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 Family Business\u00a0","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"When they come - they will build it","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":98031,"alt":"","title":"ez1-rebuilding the temple","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","width":476,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple-238x300.jpg","medium-width":238,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","medium_large-width":476,"medium_large-height":600,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","large-width":476,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","1536x1536-width":476,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","2048x2048-width":476,"2048x2048-height":600,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple.jpg","post_full_size-width":476,"post_full_size-height":600,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ez1-rebuilding-the-temple-333x420.jpg","home_baner-width":333,"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":"Nehemiah","chapter":"12","chapter_main_number":"863","date":"20281219","wall_id":"863"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":5,"id":"98707","color":"#f2e9df","size":"1","name":"That Was One Heckuva Party! ","post_title":"That Was One Heckuva Party!","slug":"that-was-one-heckuva-party","old_id":"98707","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":"863","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Joyful dedication with thanksgiving and with song, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The previous chapter concluded: \u201cSome of the Judahite divisions of Levites were [shifted] to Benjamin\u201d (11:36), so this chapter begins: \u201cThese are the priests and the Levites\u201d (12:1), offering us a list of the priestly heads of families starting with the first <\/span>aliyah<\/em> <\/span>of Zerubbabel and Jeshua (1-7), the first divisions of the Levites (8-9), the pedigrees of the High Priests (10-11), the priestly family heads during the tenure of the High Priest Joiakim (12-21), and the heads of the Levitical families (22-26).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Most of the balance of the chapter is devoted to the dedication (<\/span>chanukah<\/span><\/em>, 27) of the walls of Jerusalem\u2014linked to the previous portion of the chapter though the participation of the Levites, who \u201cwherever they lived, were sought out and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate a joyful dedication with thanksgiving and with song, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres\u201d (27). Nehemiah\u2019s first-person narrative\u2014\u201cI had\u2026 I appointed\u201d (31), \"and I and half the prefects with me\u201d (40)\u2014continues where Chapters 7-9 left off, indicating that the dedication took place in the month of Tishrei, soon after the completion of the walls on 25 Elul.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Of singular note, is the verse: \u201cOn that day, they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God made them rejoice greatly; the women and children also rejoiced, and the rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard from afar\u201d (43), in which the verb <\/span>s-m-ch<\/span><\/em>, to rejoice, is repeated five times (the English \u201cmade them rejoice\u201d renders the Hebrew cognate accusative <\/span>simcham<\/span> simchah<\/span><\/em>). The stipulation of \u201cheard from afar\u201d is reminiscent of \u201cthe people raised a great shout, the sound of which could be heard from afar\u201d (Ezra 3:13), in the description of the dedication of the Temple.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Malbim took advantage of \u201cI [Nehemiah] had the officers of Judah go up <\/span>me`al hachomah<\/span><\/em>\u201d (31) to explain an otherwise abstruse halakhic issue.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This can be interpreted as [either] literally \u201con the wall\u201d or \u201calongside the wall\u2026 Indeed, Ritba [R. Yom Tov ben Al-Sevili, Spain 1260-1330] was uncertain of this in his novella and sought to prove that they walked on the wall in order to sanctify its portals and its width, supporting the position that maintains that the width of the walls is treated as within the walls.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In other words, someone standing in the walls of Jerusalem is inside the city, so any religious activity that must be performed inside the city\u2014such as eating <\/span>ma`aser sheni<\/span><\/em>\u2014could be done on the walls.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":97708,"alt":"","title":"dan3-ancient instruments","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments.jpg","width":1273,"height":811,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-300x191.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":191,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-768x489.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":489,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-1024x652.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":652,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments.jpg","1536x1536-width":1273,"1536x1536-height":811,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments.jpg","2048x2048-width":1273,"2048x2048-height":811,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-1200x764.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":764,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-659x420.jpg","home_baner-width":659,"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":"That Was One Heckuva Party!","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Joyful dedication with thanksgiving and with song, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":97708,"alt":"","title":"dan3-ancient instruments","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments.jpg","width":1273,"height":811,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-300x191.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":191,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-768x489.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":489,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-1024x652.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":652,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments.jpg","1536x1536-width":1273,"1536x1536-height":811,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments.jpg","2048x2048-width":1273,"2048x2048-height":811,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-1200x764.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":764,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/dan3-ancient-instruments-659x420.jpg","home_baner-width":659,"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":"Nehemiah","chapter":"12","chapter_main_number":"863","date":"20281219","wall_id":"863"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":6,"id":"98703","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"The Joy Of Jerusalem ","post_title":"The Joy Of Jerusalem","slug":"the-joy-of-jerusalem","old_id":"98703","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":"863","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"in the silence of Jerusalem\u2019s Friday dusk \/ Sanctity descends\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\" \u2026 and they rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy, and the women and children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.\"<\/em> (Nehemiah 12:43)<\/p>\r\n

Jerusalem \u2014<\/p>\r\n

More yearning than a bride
\r\nDressed in a white gown of satin and silk
\r\nWho sits on a bamboo chair decorated with white peonies
\r\nAnd raises her eyes, waiting for her groom<\/p>\r\n

To come and raise her veil \u2014
\r\nAscends yet higher;<\/p>\r\n

Jerusalem \u2014<\/p>\r\n

More resplendent than a princess
\r\nEnrobed in a heavy purple cape trimmed with black fur,
\r\nA diadem of diamonds and rubies on her head,
\r\nSitting on a sapphire-studded throne with a scepter on her knees,
\r\nSurrounded by twelve ladies-in waiting \u2014<\/p>\r\n

Ascends yet higher;<\/p>\r\n

Jerusalem \u2014<\/p>\r\n

More venerable than a high-priestess
\r\nAdorned with a miter of golden leaves<\/p>\r\n

Standing imperially alone atop a high tower of white marble,
\r\nGazing upon the multitudes of worshipers in the vast plaza below
\r\nWho sing hymns of praise, then kneel in awe \u2014
\r\nAscends yet higher;<\/p>\r\n

For Jerusalem<\/p>\r\n

Is a new-born infant sleeping quietly in her crib
\r\nWho must be awakened in order to be fed;
\r\nWhen she finishes nursing, I gently stroke her cheek;
\r\nHer eyes seem to focus on me; she seems to smile;
\r\nAnd in the silence of Jerusalem\u2019s Friday dusk<\/p>\r\n

Sanctity descends.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":91747,"alt":"","title":"ps149-jerusalem sunrise","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":864,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"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 Joy Of Jerusalem","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"in the silence of Jerusalem\u2019s Friday dusk \/ Sanctity descends","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":91747,"alt":"","title":"ps149-jerusalem sunrise","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":864,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/ps149-jerusalem-sunrise-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"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":"Nehemiah","chapter":"12","chapter_main_number":"863","date":"20281219","wall_id":"863"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":7,"id":"98675","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"David The Godly ","post_title":"David The Godly","slug":"david-the-godly","old_id":"98675","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":54356,"post_title":"Robert Alter","slug":"robert-alter","old_id":"54356","first_name":"Robert ","last_name":"Alter","description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, where he has taught since 1967. He has written over twenty books, focusing on such topics as the European novel from the 18th century to the present, contemporary American fiction, and modern Hebrew literature. He has also written extensively on the literary aspects of the Bible. His most recent work is his monumental three volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019 - from which the selections in 929 are taken. ","short_description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, and author of the three-volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":54357,"alt":"","title":"robert alter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","width":184,"height":275,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium-width":184,"medium-height":275,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium_large-width":184,"medium_large-height":275,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","large-width":184,"large-height":275,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","1536x1536-width":184,"1536x1536-height":275,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","2048x2048-width":184,"2048x2048-height":275,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","post_full_size-width":184,"post_full_size-height":275,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","home_baner-width":184,"home_baner-height":275}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"863","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Seriously!?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

12:24 \u201cAnd the heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel and their brothers were opposite them to praise, to give thanks, by the command of David man of God, one watch relieving another.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This recurring epithet reflects the \u201ccanonical\u201d version of David that emerged in the return to Zion. He is never called this in the original narrative in the Book of Samuel, and much of his behavior there is by no means godly.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From: Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible<\/em>, vol. 3: Writings, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019, ad loc. By permission of the author.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"David The Godly","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Seriously!?","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Writings","book":"Nehemiah","chapter":"12","chapter_main_number":"863","date":"20281219","wall_id":"863"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":8,"id":"98676","color":"#eceffa","size":"1","name":"Points to Ponder - Nehemiah 12 ","post_title":"Points to Ponder - Nehemiah 12","slug":"points-to-ponder-nehemiah-12","old_id":"98676","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":38102,"post_title":"929-English","slug":"929-english","old_id":"38102","first_name":"","last_name":"929-English","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":38333,"alt":"","title":"\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","width":1513,"height":860,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-300x171.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":171,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-768x437.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":437,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1024x582.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","1536x1536-width":1513,"1536x1536-height":860,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5.png","2048x2048-width":1513,"2048x2048-height":860,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-1200x682.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":682,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/\u05dc\u05d5\u05d2\u05d5-739x420.png","home_baner-width":739,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"863","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

    \r\n\t
  1. Familiar, recurrent names<\/em>. The lists of priests in the chapter repeat previous ones, but also have some new names. These lists are a great source for anyone who wants to know who were the \u201cwho\u2019s who\u201d of ancient Jerusalem\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. The big wide wall<\/em>. Just how wide? Wide enough that a procession of distinguished leaders could walk upon it easily (verses 31, 37-39).<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Joy carries far and wide<\/em>. 19 chapters ago, in Ezra 3, we read of the shouts of the people, which could be heard from afar during the dedication of the Temple. But what sort of shouts were they? Mixed, it seems: \u201cThe people could not distinguish the shouts of joy from the people\u2019s weeping, for the people raised a great shout, the sound of which could be heard from afar\u201d (Ez. 3:13). Here, in verse 43, the loud noises are clearer: \u201cOn that day, they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God made them rejoice greatly; the women and children also rejoiced, and the rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard from afar.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. Renewing our days as of old<\/em>. The Temple regulations are all familiar, no innovations here. At least according to verses 45-46, everything is \u201cin accord with the ordinance of David and Solomon his son\u2026 [which] already existed in the time of David and Asaph\u2026\u201d<\/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":"Nehemiah 12","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":"Nehemiah","chapter":"12","chapter_main_number":"863","date":"20281219","wall_id":"863"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":9,"id":"98542","color":"#effaea","size":"1","name":"Sefaria Source Sheets - Nehemiah 12 ","post_title":"Sefaria Source Sheets - Nehemiah 12","slug":"sefaria-source-sheets-nehemiah-12","old_id":"98542","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. We are assembling a free living library of Jewish texts and their interconnections, in Hebrew and in translation. With these digital texts, we can create new, interactive interfaces for Web, tablet and mobile, allowing more people to engage with the textual treasures of our tradition.","short_description":"Sefaria is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the future of Jewish learning in an open and participatory way. \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":42230,"alt":"","title":"Sefaria Logo2","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2.png","width":1200,"height":1200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2-300x300.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2-768x768.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2-1024x1024.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2.png","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":1200,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2.png","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":1200,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Sefaria-Logo2-420x420.png","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"863","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

    \u201cThe Miracle(s) of Chanuka\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/a> by Avi Baumol: Exploring Chanukah from many different aspects including history, outside sources, Biblical and Rabbinic connections.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

    \u201cTorah as Constitution and Tanakh as Anthology\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/a> by Jeffrey Spitzer: Using Biblical Criticism to understand significant passages in the Torah.<\/span><\/span><\/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 - Nehemiah 12","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":"Nehemiah","chapter":"12","chapter_main_number":"863","date":"20281219","wall_id":"863"},"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\/98315"}],"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=98315"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}