Welcome back to another episode of NachDaily with Nechemiah chapter 12, the 2nd to last in the sefer.

[May this segment be a merit for the aliyas neshamos of Raizel bas Moshe, Avraham Aharon ben Yisroel Yitzchok, and Refael ben Yehoshua Falek.]

Rav Shwab explains that this is the final list of Sefer Yuchsin, Jewish genealogy, listed in Tanach. After Nechemiah finished registering the leaders of the Jewish people and the places in Eretz Yisrael where the Jews lived, he recorded the names of those who came there with Ezra during the 1st Aliyah.

During the times of Dovid Hamelech the Kohanic and Levidic families were split into 24 mishmaros, groups to serve in the Beis Hamikdash. This chapter records 22 of the 24 groups. Rav Shwab explains that it’s really all 24 because 2 of the family names are subdivided.

It’s noteworthy to mention that many of the names listed here make up the part of the Anshei K’nneses HaG’dolah, Men of the Great Assembly, which was formed by Ezra at that time.

In the second half of the chapter, from pessukim 27 through 43, the ceremony mentioned is not there just for its historical significance.

There are halachic ramifications to this event as it defines the borders of Yerushalayim and what is called proximity to the Beis Hamikidash. There is a special kedusha in the walls of Yerushalayim called “Chatzros Kadshecha, Hashem’s Holy environs.” Light sacrificial food known as kadshim kalim, which included the korban Pessach and ma’aser sheini, could be eaten within the courtyards.

The Ramad Walli explains the deeper significance: the chomos Yerushalayim, the holy walls which surrounded the Beis Hamikdash, are the “ohr makif Ha’Elyon,” the special Divine light which surrounds and encompasses all things within it. Even just walking into Yerushalayim’s walls brought a person to a sense of Kedusha and Tahara, feelng uplifted and in the presence of God.

Yerushalayim in those days was primarily what we now call the old city. We should not take for granted that we are able to come and go from there, with many Jewish families actually having the awesome privilege of living in the Old City.

The word Yerushalayim comes from the words Yira Shalem, complete vision. On entering Yerushalayim one could already sense the Kedusha. This is something we can even feel in our time, walking through the old city or even in modern Yerushalayim, the holiness and history of the streets, stones, and walls.

The Gemarah in Shevuos 14b explains that there were two processions, the first led by Ezra and the second by Nechemia. Each carried two korbanei toda. Ezra went to the southern part of the wall, then to its extensions on West and East. Nechemia led the second procession to the northern part of the wall, then walked to the west and east.

Both groups met at the main entrance of the Beis Hamikdash with the Leviim blowing trumpets and the people singing and dancing with tremendous simcha.

May we again merit singing and dancing in the streets of Yerushalayim with the dedication of the 3rd Beis Hamikdash speedily in our days. We await the day of the complete restoration of the Beis Hamikdash, when Hashem’s Shechina will descend upon Har Habayis for all to experience.

Stay tuned to the next episode of NachDaily when we’ll actually be finishing Tanach!

There are big plans for NachDaily, be”’H, as we continue to grow with thousands of listeners throughout the globe. They include a virtual siyum, starting a 2nd cycle of Nach, and working on a comprehensive website.