The Tanakh Podcast

The enemies of Judah see that the building of Jerusalem's city wall is progressing. They threaten military action. As a result, Nehemiah has to divide the human resources - half the people will be on guard duty and half will continue to build: "Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. "

Nehemiah divides the building of the wall between various villages, groups, families and guilds. In this way, each group works autonomously while everyone is coordinated into a national project. This is a great example of a successful collaboration.There is much that can be learned from this chapter. We will spend some time speaking about the location of King David's tomb.

Nehemiah receives a royal commission and is posted as governor of Yehud. As soon as he arrives, he goes out alone at night to survey the city walls, embarking on his most important project - rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

We jump 13 years forward and meet Nehemia, a devout Jews in Shushan who works for the king. He hears about the derelict state of Jerusalem and the low situation of the Jews living there, he prays and resolves to do something to rectify the situation.

Ezra is looking for a solution to the rampant intermarriage within the community.He calls the community to a summit in Jerusalem. But it all goes rather wrong when they gather in a winter rainstorm. They take some measures to resolve the issue, but the impression is that the response is merely cosmetic. We leave Ezra with the feeling that this challenge is far from resolved.

No sooner has Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, he is informed that the community is intermarrying at a rapid rate; the leaders are the greatest culprits. Ezra falls to his knees in prayer.In this podcast we will speak about the novel philosophical perception of intermarriage offered by Ezra, something quite different from that which we see in the Torah.

Ezra makes Aliyah with an entourage of approximately 10,00 people. This group consists of Kohanim (priests), Leviin, Israelites, and Netinim - a non-Jewish group who were adjunct to the Temple. Ezra brings teachers. He brings silver and gild and sacrifices. This is an Aliyah that seeks to boost Jerusalem's central institution, it seeks to bolster Jerusalem numerically, financially, spiritually and to raise the morale of the returnees.

This chapter introduces Ezra as a religious figure, recognized by Persian royalty and government, who sets his heart on boosting and rehabilitating religious life in Jerusalem.

In ch.6 we read Cyrus' original memorandum giving the Jews permission to build the Temple. We shall focus on some of the unique features of this document.The Temple is completed on the 3rd Adar in the 6th year of Darius. It took 4 years to complete.The Jews - who still describe themselves as the "Captives of Yehudah" or possibly the "Returnees of Yehudah " - engaged in a celebratory Pesach and dedicated the Temple in a 7-day celebration.

It is the 2nd year of Darius.After a 15 year hiatus, the prophets Hagai and Zecharia encourage the Jews to renew the building of the Temple.The Persan governor Tattenai hears of this and enquires whether they have a permit.Most of our chapter is a letter that Tetennai sends back to central government in Persia relaying what the Jews have told him, and asking that the facts be verified.Chapter 6 will bring the royal response.