Welcome back to another episode of NachDaily with the 8th chapter in Ezra.

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

The main theme is this chapter is Ezra’s Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael.

As we are now in the three weeks, I would like to summarize the words of Rav Schwab Zatsal. As we have been learning, most people did not return with Ezra, who was deeply disappointed. As Koresh, the mightiest King in the world had invited the Jews to return to Eretz Yisrael, Ezra had expected people to leave their homes in galus and return with pride and honor.

The Messianic era would have been ushered in had we heeded the call. Zerubavel, who came from Dovid Hamelech, would have been Mashiach, alluded to by Chaggai HaNavi.

Rav Schwab continues to explain that they remained behind for economic reasons. Over 70 years the Jews had become quite comfortable and wealthy in Bavel and were more than happy to let a few pioneers return to our land.

Rav Schwab explains this on a deeper level. The Jews in Bavel felt it was not time for Mashiach. They had imagined that someone like Dovid and Shlomo HaMelech, who had no level of subservience to any other nation, would lead them back to Eretz Yisrael. As permission was given by Koresh, a non-Jewish King, it could not have been the redemption because the Jews were still subservient. In fact, one of the gates at the Beis Hamikdash was called the “Shushan Gate” to give tribute to the Persian Empire.

Rav Schwab says that tragically the Jews at that time were wrong and failed their test of emunah. Not only did they not have proper emunas chachomim but they failed to see that Hashem was bringing the geulah through the hands of a gentile King, something they thought was impossible. Had they had proper emunas

chachochim they would have trusted Ezra, who was compared to Moshe Rabbanu, and returned.

Is this really different than our present situation? Are we making the same mistake the Jews did in the times of Ezra? Are we failing to recognize the Hand of God in our history with the return of the Jewish nation to Eretz Yisrael and the establishment of a government run by Jews in our Land? Today we are also reliant on politics and foreign nations, but is this so different than the times of Ezra when they could have brought Mashiach anyway?

We need to see Hashem’s Hand in history and fully acknowledge the revolution which is happening now. As we know, all the books of Nach were given for future generations for us to learn from. They are not just history. If anything, this is one of the main lessons of Sefer Ezra.

Now let’s begin the chapter.

The perek opens with Ezra listing the names of 12 large clans who followed him to Eretz Yisrael. He includes a number of their male relatives who could trace their genealogy to those tribes.

Ezra encamped on the river of Ahava for 3 days. The Ramad Walli notes that the river Ahava is spelled Aleph, Hey, Vav, Aleph, which in gamatria is 13, the same numerical value as the word Echad which means one and unity. They were all united to make Aliyah to Eretz Yirael

Ezra gathered together all the Leviim with him to see who would be fitting to serve in the newly built Beis Hamikdash. To his surprise, none of them were fitting. Apparently, they were all missing their thumbs, which made them unfit for service.

Rashi in Kedushin 69b explains that 70 years prior, when Nevuchadnetzer conquered Eretz Yisrael, he ordered the Leviim to play the musical instruments from the Beis Hamikdash while he marched them to Bavel. They all bit off their thumbs so as not to play for the rasha.

Ezra sent his trusted students to go to the house of Iddo and tell him the problem. Iddo sent back close to 30 Leviim all from one prestigious family.

Prior to their long difficult journey, Ezra had his men fast to ask Hashem for protection on their way to Eretz Yisrael. Ezra was embarrassed to ask the King for help and preferred to rely only on Hashem. They fasted on the river banks of Ahava prior to embarking on their journey.

During this time, Ezra set aside gold and silver to be dedicated at the

Beis Hamikdash upon their arrival.

It took them 3 days to reach Yerushalayim. When they arrived they brought Korbonos to Hashem and gave over the gold and silver which they had set aside for Him.

Stay tuned to the next episode of NachDaily. Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.