Save
Copy
Add to Collection
Export to Google Docs
Share(א) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ נִיסָ֗ן שְׁנַ֥ת עֶשְׂרִ֛ים לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥סְתְּא הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יַ֣יִן לְפָנָ֑יו וָאֶשָּׂ֤א אֶת־הַיַּ֙יִן֙ וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְלֹא־הָיִ֥יתִי רַ֖ע לְפָנָֽיו׃
"After having rewarded him with a present of money, as soon as he received some from his friends at Athens and from his secret hoards at Argos, Themistocles started inland with one of the coast Persians, and sent a letter to King Artaxerxes, Xerxes’s son, who had just come to the throne. Its contents were as follows: “I, Themistocles, am come to you, who did your house more harm than any of the Hellenes, when I was compelled to defend myself against your father’s invasion—harm, however, far surpassed by the good that I did him during his retreat, which brought no danger for me but much for him. For the past, you are a good turn in my debt”—here he mentioned the warning sent to Xerxes from Salamis to retreat, as well as his finding the bridges unbroken, which, as he falsely pretended, was due to him—“for the present, able to do you great service, I am here, pursued by the Hellenes for my friendship for you. However, I desire a year’s grace, when I shall be able to declare in person the objects of my coming.”
It is said that the King approved his intention, and told him to do as he said." Thucydides, The History of the Peloponnesian War (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/7142/7142-h/7142-h.htm), circa 431 BCE.
It also begs the question of what did Hanani and his cohort do - wait in Susa? Return to Jerusalem? Pester Nechemia for updates?
As an aside, Nechemia does not report discussing the situation with anyone. Was he not married (never mentioned in the sefer)? Consider all of the examples of husbands consulting with wives in Tanach (Adam/Chava, Avraham/Sara, Yaacov/Rachel and Leah, Elkanah/Chana, Manoah (Shimson's father)/wife, Haman/Zeresh - why not Nechemia? Maybe he was a eunuch - we will see below that he was with the queen and the Greek translation of the Septuagint describes him as eunochos (eunuch), rather than oinochoos (wine-cup-bearer). No close confidants (ala Moshe/Yitro, David/Yonatan, etc.)?
חֲלָלֵי. עַל שֵׁם וּמִבְּנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי חֲבַיָּה בְּנֵי הַקּוֹץ אֵלֶּא בִּקְשׁוּ כְתָבָם הַמִּתְייַחֲשִׂים וְלֹא נִמְצָאוּ וַיְגוֹאֲלוּ מִן הַכְּהוּנָּה. וַיֹּאמֶר הַתִּרְשָׁתָא לָהֶם. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ הַתִּרְשָׁתָא. שֶׁהִתִּירוּ לוֹ לִשְׁתוֹת בַּיַּיִן. הַתִּרְשָׁתָא. וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי מַשְׁקֶה לַמֶּלֶךְ. אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֹאכְלוּ מִקָּדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים. הָא בְקָדְשֵׁי הַגְּבוּל יֹאכֵלוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. גְּדוֹלָה הִיא הַחֲזָקָה. מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּחְזְקוּ שָׁם לִהְיוֹת אוֹכְלִין אַף כָּאן אוֹכְלִין. נִיחָא תַּמָּן דִּכְתִיב הַצִּיבִי לָךְ צִיּוּנִים. הָכָא מָה אִית לָךְ. כְּמָאן דְּאָמַר. מֵאֵילֵיהֶן קִיבְּלוּ אֶת הַמַּעְשְׂרוֹת. עַד עֲמוֹד כֹּהֵן לְאוּרִים וְתוּמִּים. וְכִי אוּרִים וְתוּמִּים הָיוּ בְאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה בַּבַיִת שֵׁנִי. אֶלָּא כְאָדָם שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר. עַד שֶׁיִּחְיוּ הַמֵּתִים. עַד שֶׁיָּבוֹא בֶּן דָּוִד.
“Desecrated priest.” Following “from the sons of Cohanim, the family Ḥavaya, the family Haqqoṣ . . . they tried to find their genealogical documents; but they were not found and they were freed from priesthood. And the tiršata told them.” Why was he called hattiršata? Because they permitted him to drink of the wine. Hatiršata, “I was the king’s cup bearer.” “That they should not eat from what was dedicated as holy.” Therefore, from outside holy food they might eat? Rebbi Yose said, great is the permanence of the status quo ante Since they were used to eat there, they may also eat here. One understands there, as it is written: “Put up signposts for yourself.” What can one say here? Following him who said, they accepted tithes voluntarily. “Until a priest will be appointed for urim and tummim.” But were there any urim and tummim then, in the Second Temple? But [he is] like a person who says until the dead will be resurrected, until David’s son will come.
(א) שאלה עוד ילמדנו רבינו על עכו"ם היושבים במסיבה לשתות יין נסך או סתם יינם אם מותר לישראל לישב עמהם להשקותם והוא אינו שותה:
(ב) תשובה ודאי דבר זה אסור שהרי העכו"ם מחזיקין לו טובה על ככה וטובת הנאה ממון חשוב גבי איסורי הנאה כדתנן ע"ז שיש לה מרחץ או גנה נהנין בה שלא בטובת העובדים כלומר להחזיקם לטובה מפני שאסור לההנות פירוש רש"י ז"ל השני וכן הסכים ר"ת ז"ל. ותו דכיון דמחזיקין לו טובה רוצה הוא בקיומו ואסור. ועוד שראוי לישראל להתרחק ממסיבה של עכו"ם שותי יין שהרי יבא ללמוד ממעשיהם וכמה היזקים ועבירות נמשכים מזה וע"כ ראוי לגעור בישראל העושה כך ולמונעו מזה אפילו שאין מחזיקין לו טובה. והנראה לע"ד כתבתי:
(ג) שוב מצאתי שכתב הרמב"ם ז"ל וז"ל. ולפיכך אסור לישראל להיות מוזג כוס של יין נסך או סתם יינם לעכו"ם ע"כ. והר"ן ז"ל כתב שבזמן הזה יש להקל ולומר דסתם יינם מותר בהנאה וכל שכן דאיכא למימר דרוצה בקיומו מותר ע"כ. וראוי להחמיר וכ"ש להסב עמהן מהטעם שכתבתי. ואם תאמר והלא נחמיה בן חכליה היה משקה למלך פרס. וי"ל דלאו עכו"ם הוה ועדיין לא גזרו על סתם יינם. אי נמי הורמנותא דמלכא שאני:
(ד) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לִי֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עַל־מַה־זֶּ֖ה אַתָּ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ וָֽאֶתְפַּלֵּ֔ל אֶל־אֱלֹהֵ֖י הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (ה) וָאֹמַ֣ר לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ט֔וֹב וְאִם־יִיטַ֥ב עַבְדְּךָ֖ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ אֲשֶׁ֧ר תִּשְׁלָחֵ֣נִי אֶל־יְהוּדָ֗ה אֶל־עִ֛יר קִבְר֥וֹת אֲבֹתַ֖י וְאֶבְנֶֽנָּה׃ (ו) וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ לִ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וְהַשֵּׁגַ֣ל ׀ יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶצְל֗וֹ עַד־מָתַ֛י יִהְיֶ֥ה מַֽהֲלָכְךָ֖ וּמָתַ֣י תָּשׁ֑וּב וַיִּיטַ֤ב לִפְנֵֽי־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֔נִי וָֽאֶתְּנָ֥ה ל֖וֹ זְמָֽן׃ (ז) וָאוֹמַר֮ לַמֶּ֒לֶךְ֒ אִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ט֔וֹב אִגְּרוֹת֙ יִתְּנוּ־לִ֔י עַֽל־פַּחֲו֖וֹת עֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֑ר אֲשֶׁר֙ יַעֲבִיר֔וּנִי עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־אָב֖וֹא אֶל־יְהוּדָֽה׃ (ח) וְאִגֶּ֡רֶת אֶל־אָסָף֩ שֹׁמֵ֨ר הַפַּרְדֵּ֜ס אֲשֶׁ֣ר לַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתֶּן־לִ֣י עֵצִ֡ים לְ֠קָר֠וֹת אֶת־שַׁעֲרֵ֨י הַבִּירָ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־לַבַּ֙יִת֙ וּלְחוֹמַ֣ת הָעִ֔יר וְלַבַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁר־אָב֣וֹא אֵלָ֑יו וַיִּתֶּן־לִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כְּיַד־אֱלֹהַ֖י הַטּוֹבָ֥ה עָלָֽי׃
(4) The king said to me, “What is your request?” With a prayer to the God of Heaven, (5) I answered the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, to rebuild it.” (6) With the consort seated at his side, the king said to me, “How long will you be gone and when will you return?” So it was agreeable to the king to send me, and I gave him a date. (7) Then I said to the king, “If it please the king, let me have letters to the governors of the province of Beyond the River, directing them to grant me passage until I reach Judah; (8) likewise, a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the King’s Park, directing him to give me timber for roofing the gatehouses of the temple fortress and the city walls and for the house I shall occupy.” The king gave me these, thanks to my God’s benevolent care for me.
(ד) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֶסְתֵּ֔ר אִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ ט֑וֹב יָב֨וֹא הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְהָמָן֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶל־הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתִי לֽוֹ׃
What are we to make of these striking similarities? Three observations may be offered.
First, the larger picture that emerges is one of appreciation for the support of the Persian monarchs. As opposed to the Babylonians, the Persian kings were supportive toward the Jews and ensured their security. Cyrus, Darius, Artaxerxes, and, ultimately, even the knave Achashverosh were critically important in ensuring the security and success of the Jewish communities under their rule.
Second, Esther, who lived shortly before Nechemia, is presented as a model for later Jewish leaders. Nechemia is following not only in the footsteps of Moshe, Aaron, David, and Shlomo, all of whom his prayer invokes in chapter 1, but also Esther. Esther is not merely the hero of her own work; she casts a wide shadow over the entire era of Shivat Tzion.
In what respect does Nechemia follow her model? One might argue that Esther’s greatest legacy is her personal commitment to sacrificial national service. At the key juncture in the Megilla, Esther answers Mordekhai’s call to leadership:
Do not imagine that you, of all the Jews, will escape with your life by being in the king’s palace. On the contrary, if you keep silent in this crisis, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, while you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows, perhaps you have attained to royal position for just such a crisis. (Esther 4:13-14)
In many respects, Nechemia (along with Ezra) lived his life in Esther’s image. He too, time and again, exposed himself to extraordinary personal risk in acting on behalf of the Jewish People’s interests. By presenting Nechemia’s approach to the king in highly similar language to that of Esther, the text hints that the Shivat Tzion community was saved not only due to the magnanimity of gentile emperors, but also due to the sacrificial action of outstanding Jewish leaders such as Esther, Ezra, and Nechemia.
Finally, despite the similarities between the two stories, there are two obvious differences. Nechemia regularly invokes God’s name, whereas His name is famously absent in Esther. Our story, moreover, concerns the Jewish community in Israel, whereas Esther’s centers on Shushan. Arguably, these two observations are two sides of the same coin. While God will come to the rescue of any Jewish community, whether in Israel or the diaspora, the nature of His presence necessarily will be different. In the diaspora, He remains obscure; in Israel, His name is omnipresent.
Focus on graves of forefathers - played upon the sympathy and respect for ancestral tombs. And, not just enough to have Jerusalem rebuilt, Nechemia asked to be sent to do it (cf. Yosef being put in charge of grain in Mitzrayim).
וְהַשֵּׁגַ֣ל - The term connotes "first wife" in Assyrian and Sumerian.
(ל) אִשָּׁ֣ה תְאָרֵ֗שׂ וְאִ֤ישׁ אַחֵר֙ (ישגלנה) [יִשְׁכָּבֶ֔נָּה] בַּ֥יִת תִּבְנֶ֖ה וְלֹא־תֵשֵׁ֣ב בּ֑וֹ כֶּ֥רֶם תִּטַּ֖ע וְלֹ֥א תְחַלְּלֶֽנּוּ׃
Nechemia asked for the letters to assure safe passage on the way, and also from the governing groups in Yehuda.
So, while asking, he also asked for timber. Who was Asaph? A Hebrew name - we shouldn't be too surprised that Artaxerxes had more than one Jewish advisor/official. But, note that Nechemia does not credit any other Jewish officials with assisting in his task.
But, can we accept gifts from gentiles for repairs to the Beit HaMikdash? There may be nefarious motives....see Abaye below
In the second half of our chapter, Nechemia moves at lightning speed. Within three days of his arrival, he arranges a clandestine tour of the city walls, convinces the people to follow his lead and complete the construction, and, shortly thereafter, rebuffs the Jews’ enemies. In doing so, Nechemia both picks up on a strand of Ezra and parts ways. Nechemia invokes the terminology “like the good hand of God” (2:18), which echoes a regular motif in Ezra (7:9, 7:28, 8:18, 8:31). Also noteworthy is the fact that Nechemia uses the term “sover,” “analyze” to describe his examination of the walls. This echoes the trend toward intellectualization that is present throughout Ezra. Both these comparisons strengthen the view that Ezra and Nechemia are to be viewed as fundamentally a single work.
Yet there is one key difference. Ezra goes out of his way to emphasize that he had not procured military accompaniment for his trip. Nechemia, without even so much as making the request, receives exactly that. This underscores their respective strengths. Ezra was a first-rate scholar but likely a political novice; Nechemia was highly experienced in matters of state. As noted previously, Ezra requires the urging of his supporters to rise and take action against intermarriage; Nechemia moves immediately to survey the wall and begin to fills its breaches. Nechemia’s decisive actions foreshadow the steps taken by early Zionists in particular, especially between 1945 and 1948, who resorted to highly aggressive tactics in working to ensure the founding of the State.
7. Now when he was come to Babylon, and had taken with him many of his countrymen, who voluntarily followed him, he came to Jerusalem in the twenty and fifth year of the reign of Xerxes.
2. Now when John had departed this life, his son Jaddua succeeded in the high priesthood. He had a brother, whose name was Manasseh. Now there was one Sanballat, who was sent by Darius, the last king [of Persia], into Samaria. He was a Cutheam by birth; of which stock were the Samaritans also. This man knew that the city Jerusalem was a famous city, and that their kings had given a great deal of trouble to the Assyrians, and the people of Celesyria; so that he willingly gave his daughter, whose name was Nicaso, in marriage to Manasseh, as thinking this alliance by marriage would be a pledge and security that the nation of the Jews should continue their good-will to him.
Horonite may indicate that he was born in one of the Beit-Horon towns northwest of Jerusalem.
He may have seen himself as Jewish .... by adopting Jewish customs.
(יג) כְּשֶׁגָּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשֹּׁמְרוֹן, שָׁלַח סַנְחֵרִיב אֶת עֲבָדָיו וְהוֹשִׁיבָן בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן לְהַעֲלוֹת מַס לַמַּלְכוּת. שִׁלַּח הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּהֶן אֶת הָאֲרָיוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי בִּתְחִלַּת שִׁבְתָּם שָׁם לֹא יָרְאוּ אֶת ה' וַיְשַׁלַּח ה' בָּהֶם אֶת הָאֲרָיוֹת. שָׁלְחוּ וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ: הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הִגְלִיתָ וְגוֹ' וַיְשַׁלַּח בָּם אֶת הָאֲרָיוֹת וְהִנָּם מְמִיתִים אוֹתָם וְגוֹ' (מלכים ב יז, כה-כו). שָׁלַח וְקָרָא לְכָל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר לָהֶם כָּל הַשָּׁנִים שֶׁהֱיִיתֶם בְּאַרְצְכֶם לֹא שִׁכְּלָה אֶתְכֶם חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה וּמָה עֶסְקָהּ עַכְשָׁו. אָמְרוּ נֹאמַר לוֹ דָבָר אֶחָד, אוּלַי יָשִׁיב אוֹתָנוּ לְאַרְצֵנוּ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: הָאָרֶץ אֵינָהּ מְקַבֶּלֶת גּוֹי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה וְלֹא נִמּוֹל. אָמַר לָהֶן, תְּנוּ לִי שְׁנַיִם מִכֶּם שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ לְשָׁם וִילַמְּדוּ אוֹתָם, וּדְבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵין לְהָשִׁיב. מִיָּד שָׁלְחוּ לְשָׁם אֶת רַבִּי דוֹסְתַּאי בַּר יַנַּאי וְאֶת רַבִּי סָבַיָּא, וְלִמְּדוּ אוֹתָם בִּכְתַב סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה נוֹטָרִיקוֹן וּבוֹכִין.
(יד) וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן, אֶת ה' הָיוּ יְרֵאִים וְאֶת אֱלֹהֵיהֶם הָיוּ עֹבְדִים. עַד שֶׁעָלָה עֶזְרָא מִבָּבֶל וּזְרֻבָּבֶל וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק וְהִתְחִילוּ בוֹנִין בַּהֵיכָל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בֵּאדַיִן קָמוּ זְרֻבָּבֶל בַּר שַׁלְתִּיאֵל וְיֵשׁוּעַ בַּר יוֹצָדָק וְשָׁרִיו לְמִבְנֵא בֵּית אֱלָהָא וְגוֹ' (עזרא ה, ב). בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה בָּאוּ עֲלֵיהֶן הַשֹּׁמְרוֹנִים לַמִּלְחָמָה מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים אֶלֶף. וְכִי שֹׁמְרוֹנִים הָיוּ, וַהֲלֹא כּוּתִיִּים הָיוּ. אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם הָעִיר שֹׁמְרוֹן נִקְרְאוּ שֹׁמְרוֹנִים. וְעוֹד בִּקְשׁוּ לַהֲרֹג אֶת נְחֶמְיָה בְּמִרְמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לְכָה וְנִוָּעֵדָה יַחְדָּו בַּכְּפִרִים בְּבִקְעַת אוֹנוֹ וְגוֹ' (נחמיה ו, ב). וּבִטְּלוּ מְלֶאכֶת בֵּית ה' שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בֵּאדַיִן בְּטֵלַת עֲבִידַת בֵּית אֱלָהָא דִי בִּירוּשְׁלֵם וַהֲוָת בָּטְלָא עַד שְׁנַת תַּרְתֵּין לְמַלְכוּת דָּרְיָוֶשׁ מֶלֶךְ פָּרָס (עזרא ד, כד).
(טו) מֶה עָשָׂה עֶזְרָא וּזְרֻבָּבֶל וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ. קִבְּצוּ אֶת כָּל הַקָּהָל אֶל הֵיכַל ה', וְהֵבִיאוּ שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת כֹּהֲנִים וּשְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שׁוֹפָרוֹת וּשְׁלֹש מֵאוֹת סִפְרֵי תוֹרָה וּשְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת תִּינוֹקוֹת, וְהָיוּ תוֹקְעִין וְהַלְוִיִּם הָיוּ מְשׁוֹרְרִין וּמְזַמְּרִין וּמַחֲרִימִין וּמְשַׁמְּתִין וּמְנַדִּין אֶת הַכּוּתִיִּים בְּסוֹד שֵׁם הַמְּפֹרָשׁ וּבִכְתָב הַנִּכְתָּב עַל הַלּוּחוֹת, וּבְחֵרֶם בֵּית דִּין הָעֶלְיוֹן וּבְחֵרֶם בֵּית דִּין הַתַּחְתּוֹן, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאכַל אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל פַּת כּוּתִי. מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ, הָאוֹכֵל פַּת כּוּתִי, כְּאוֹכֵל בְּשַׂר חֲזִיר. וְאַל יִתְגַּיֵּר כּוּתִי בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַל יְהֵא לָהֶם חֵלֶק בִּתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לֹא לָכֶם וָלָנוּ לִבְנוֹת בַּיִת לֵאלֹהֵינוּ (עזרא ד, ג). וּכְתִיב: וְלָכֶם אֵין חֵלֶק וּצְדָקָה וְזִכָּרוֹן בִּירוּשָׁלָיִם (נחמיה ב, כ). וְכָתְבוּ וְחָתְמוּ וְשָׁלְחוּ אֶת הַחֵרֶם לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבְּבָבֶל, וְהֵם הוֹסִיפוּ עֲלֵיהֶם חֵרֶם עַל חֵרֶם. וְהַמֶּלֶךְ כּוֹרֶשׁ קָבַע עֲלֵיהֶם חֵרֶם עוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וֵאלָהָא דִּי שַׁכִּן שְׁמֵהּ תַּמָּה יְמַגַּר כָּל מֶלֶךְ וְעַם דִּי יִשְׁלַח יְדֵהּ לְהַשְׁנָיָא וְגוֹ' (עזרא ו, יב).
(13) After the Israelites were expelled from Samaria, Sennacherib stationed his officers there to collect taxes for his government from those he had settled there. The Holy One, blessed be He, sent lions among them, as it is said: Therefore the Lord hath sent lions among them, which killed some of them (II Kings 17:25). The tax collectors sent a message to him, saying: The nations which thou hast carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land; therefore He hath sent lions among them, and behold, they slay them (ibid., vv. 26–27). Whereupon he summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them: “During the years in which you dwelt in your land, wild beasts never devoured you; why is this happening now?” They whispered to each other: “Let us all give the same answer and perhaps he will permit us to return.” They told him: “That land welcomes no one who does not occupy himself with the Torah and is uncircumcised.” “Then select two men from among you,” he replied, “to go there and instruct them.” Since a king’s command may not be rescinded, they sent R. Dostai the son of Yannai and R. Sabaya there. They taught them the written Torah in abbreviated form.
(14) Even though the inhabitants of Samaria feared God, they also worshipped their own gods. They did so until Ezra returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his officers to build the Temple, as it is said: Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Sheatiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build (Ezra 5:2). Soon thereafter, one hundred and eighty thousand Samaritans attacked them. Were they actually Samaritans? Indeed not. They were, in fact, Cuthites, who were called Samaritans only because they lived in Samaria. Furthermore, they conspired to kill Nehemiah, as it is said: Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of One (Neh. 6:2). They halted the work of rebuilding the Temple of the Holy One, blessed be He, for two years, as is said: Then ceased the work of the House of God that was in Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia (Ezra 4:24).
(15) What did Ezra, Zerubbabel, and Jeshua do? First, they summoned the entire community to the House of the Lord. They brought there three hundred priests, three hundred books of the law, three hundred shofars, and three hundred children. The children blew the shofars, and the Levites chanted and sang. After that, they proclaimed the ban, the curse, and the excommunication against the Samaritans with the secret of the ineffable Name and the writing used on the tablets (of the Decalogue), and the excommunication of the heavenly and earthly courts, so that no Israelite would henceforth eat the bread of a Cuthite. As a result of this episode, our sages said that anyone who ate the bread of a Cuthite would be considered as eating the meat of a pig, and that no Cuthite could be admitted into the ranks of Israel, nor could they participate in the resurrection of the dead, as it is said: It is not for you, but for us, to build the house of God (Ezra 4:3), And ye have no portion, no right, no memorial in Jerusalem (Neh. 2:20). They wrote out the ban, sealed it, and sent it to the Israelites who were in Babylon, and these added other decrees against them. King Cyrus also established an everlasting ban against them, as it is said: May the God who has caused His name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples that shall put forth their hand to alter the same (Ezra 6:12).
(יז) וָאוֹמַ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם אַתֶּ֤ם רֹאִים֙ הָרָעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲנַ֣חְנוּ בָ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ חֲרֵבָ֔ה וּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָ נִצְּת֣וּ בָאֵ֑שׁ לְכ֗וּ וְנִבְנֶה֙ אֶת־חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם וְלֹא־נִהְיֶ֥ה ע֖וֹד חֶרְפָּֽה׃ (יח) וָאַגִּ֨יד לָהֶ֜ם אֶת־יַ֣ד אֱלֹהַ֗י אֲשֶׁר־הִיא֙ טוֹבָ֣ה עָלַ֔י וְאַף־דִּבְרֵ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽמַר־לִ֑י וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ נָק֣וּם וּבָנִ֔ינוּ וַיְחַזְּק֥וּ יְדֵיהֶ֖ם לַטּוֹבָֽה׃ {פ}
(יט) וַיִּשְׁמַע֩ סַנְבַלַּ֨ט הַחֹרֹנִ֜י וְטֹבִיָּ֣ה ׀ הָעֶ֣בֶד הָֽעַמּוֹנִ֗י וְגֶ֙שֶׁם֙ הָֽעַרְבִ֔י וַיַּלְעִ֣גוּ לָ֔נוּ וַיִּבְז֖וּ עָלֵ֑ינוּ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים הַעַ֥ל הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אַתֶּ֥ם מֹרְדִֽים׃ (כ) וָאָשִׁ֨יב אוֹתָ֜ם דָּבָ֗ר וָאוֹמַ֤ר לָהֶם֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם ה֚וּא יַצְלִ֣יחַֽ לָ֔נוּ וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ עֲבָדָ֖יו נָק֣וּם וּבָנִ֑ינוּ וְלָכֶ֗ם אֵֽין־חֵ֧לֶק וּצְדָקָ֛ה וְזִכָּר֖וֹן בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ {פ}
But, not from all, as Sanballat and Tobiah mocked Nechemia when they heard the news. They accused him of leading a revolt against Artaxerxes. (Similarly, that allegation was also made by the opponents of Jewish migration to manadatory Palestine, which arguably led to the White Paper of 1939.)