Zechariah Introduction

Note: for historical background information on Zechariah listen to Chaggai NachDaily Audio Introduction.

Demographic information

Zecharia is the eleventh of the Trey Asar prophets and is fourteen perakim long. Zechariah was the son of Berechyah, the son of Edo, from the tribe of Yessachar, and Chavakuk was his uncle. Rashi and Radak in Zechariah, perek 2 bring that Zechariah started to received prophecy in Bavel, where he lived, when he was still a young boy. Zechariah’s teacher was the either Yechezkel or Baruch ben Neriah, the scribe of Yirmiyahu. Zechariah was a contemporary of Chaggai and Malachi, and is counted with Chaggai and Malachi as one of the three last prophets to receive nevuah. Their deaths mark the end of the period of prophecy.

Megilah 15A brings that Zecharia lived at the beginning of the second Beis Hamikdash. Sanhedrin 93B brings that Zechariah was present with Chaggai and Malachi when Doniel saw his vision. The Yerushalmi in Brachos, perek beis brings that Zechariah was part of the Anshei Knesset Hagedolah – Men of the Great Assembly – that contained 120 elders, more than eighty of them prophets. Sanhedrin 96B explains that Zechariah was actually assassinated by his brethren inside the second Beis Hamikdash.

Zechariah – the name

On the simplest level, the name Zechariah is a compound word: Zechar-Ya’h. Zechar, meaning remember and Y’ah meaning Hashem. In other words, Zechariah prophesied about the final redemption, when Hashem will ultimately remember His nation, bring them back to Eretz Yisrael, and rebuild the Beis Hamikdash.

Alternatively, Hashem is going to Zocher – remember and recall all the cumulative good that every single Jew has done throughout the long, dark exile, and in a sense “jog His memory” and arouse His compassion for His nation. Because every Jew is filled with mitzvos like a pomegranate, Hashem focuses on the good inside each and every one of us and judges His nation favorably.

The Ramad Walli explains al pi kabbalah that the reason Zechariah is placed next to Chaggai is that Chaggai’s soul came from the Sitra D’Nukva – the feminine side, and he therefore cleared and prepared the way to allow the Divine influence to reenter this world.

The name Zechariah, on the other hand, comes from the word zachar, meaning masculine. Zechariah’s soul came from the Sitra D’Duchra – the masculine side, because the primary purpose of Zechariah’s prophecies was to make a tikkun D’Duchra, which was the drawing down of Hashem’s light into the world. In relation to Chaggai, Chaggai’s role was to pave the way and rid the world of negative forces that impeded God’s exalted light. Once the path was cleared, it was Zechariah who was to actually draw God’s light back into the world.

The Ramad Walli continues to explain: We know that blessing/ bracha only emanates from God’s Divine light in this world. That is why his name was Zechariah, the son of Berechyah, the son of Edo, meaning Zechariah, the son of blessing, and Edo means to testify, because it was Zechariah who testified that the whole world would be filled with God’s Divine blessing, which hints to the very point of Zechariah’s prophesy and his tikkun neshama.

Zechariah Overview

Zechariah is one of the more obscure prophets. The meanings of many of his prophesies are cryptic and remained concealed until today. Even Rashi, in sefer Zechariah says that we do not understand the meaning of this prophecy. There are many interpretations and levels of understanding of the pesukim in Zechariah.

Zechariah begins by warning the generation not to fall into the sins of their ancestors – idol worship and promiscuity. Zechariah rebukes the generation for their sins. We also get glimpse of what the Jewish community was like in Bavel at that time.

Interspersed throughout Zechariah are many cryptic prophesies: the downfall of Greece and Greek culture, prophesies about the war of Gog u’Magog, destruction of idols, and how “on that day” God will unleash His vengeance, and how the expanded boundaries of Eretz Yisrael will take place with the revelation of Mashiach ben Dovid.

Zechariah chapter 6 describes Zechariah’s vision of the chariot. Zechariah was one of three prophets, (including Yeshaya and Yechezkel,) who saw a deep vision of God’s chariot, known as the Ma’aseh Merkavah.

Zechariah ends with a vision of what the world will look like when God reveals Himself, when the world will see the truth of God, Am Yisrael and His Torah. As Zechariah himself says in chapter 14:9 “And God will be King of all earth. On that day, God will be one and His Name will be one.”

As we learn Zechariah let us merit the ultimate day when God will truly remember His nation, when His compassion will override His anger, when the whole world, as one, will pronounce God’s name. Although it is taking so long, we still wait patiently for Mashiach to come and reveal himself to the entire world. The potential for Mashiach to reveal himself to the world exists every moment.

End of introduction. We will be starting perek aleph in the next shiur.

Thank you…

Zechariah Perek 1

Zechariah receives a prophecy to urge the nation to do teshuvah.

Hashem says, “If you return to Me, then I will return to you.”

Zechariah tells the nation not to follow in the ways of their evil ancestors.

“The way you treat Hashem is the way Hashem will treat you. Therefore, you should follow in His ways before you die.”

Zechariah receives another vision of a man on a red horse holding myrtle branches, with white horses in the background.

Zechariah engaged in conversation with the man on the red horse. Through the conversation emerges the fact that Zechariah was really looking at angels who roam the earth.

One of the angels told Zechariah that Hashem will take revenge on the nations of the world for Yerushalayim.

There will come a day, when Mashiach arrives, that God’s cities Yerushalayim and Tzion will be filled with people, and will swell with blessing.

Zechariah Perek 2

Note: This is just a description of what’s written. For further info listen to NachDaily Audio shiur on this perek.

Zechariah sees a vision of four horns. (Radak and Targum: The four horns represent the four kingdoms of Babylonia, Persia, Media and Greece, that ruled over Yisrael.)

Zechariah questioned the angel who spoke to him about what those horns represented.

The angel replied that they were the horns of Yisrael and Yehudah that were spread out among the nations in exile.

Zechariah is then shown four carpenters, and he asks what they are going to do.

Zechariah was told that the carpenters were coming to fix the horns of Yehudah that no one else was able to fix, and to terrify the horns of the nations of the world who attacked Yehudah. (Ramad walli explains that in the time of Mashiach, Hashem will first lower the horns of the resha’im and will then raise the horns of the tzaddikim.)

Sukkah 52B asks:Who are these craftsmen? Mashiach ben Dovid, Mashiach ben Yosef, Eliyahu and the righteous kohen.

Zechariah has another vision:

Zechariah looked up and saw a man holding a measuring tape.

Zechariah asked the man where is he was going. The man replied that he was going to measure Yerushalayim.

Then the first angel who spoke to Zechariah left and another angel spoke to him and told him in the name of Hashem that Yerushalayim will be repopulated as an unwalled city. Hashem will “personally” surround Yerushalayim like a wall of fire.

Meforshim explain that the first angel who went to measure Yerushalayim thought that Yerushalayim was not going to grow and be repopulated, and he therefore went to measure it to see its limitations. The second angel, however, wanted to stop the angel with the measuring stick because the borders of Yerushalayim will expand, in the time of Mashiach, like an unwalled city.

Hashem will protect His nation.

He will once again choose Yerushalayim.

Zechariah Perek 3

Note: For further information please listen to NachDaily Audio

Zechariah sees a vision of Yehoshua ben Yehotzedek being prosecuted by the Satan. Rashi explains: The Satan came to prosecute Yehoshua because he didn’t rebuke his children for marrying gentiles, as described in Ezra 10:18.

God silences the Satan.

An angel demands that Yehoshua’s dirty clothing be removed and replaced with clean clothes. This represents the cleaning of Yehoshua’s sins.

The angel testifies that if Yehoshua keeps the commandments and follows in God’s ways then Yehoshua will be permitted to walk amongst the angels.

Zechariah engraved a picture of seven eyes on a rock. Radak and Metsudos explain that this represents how God will watch over the Beis Hamikdash, which was made of stone.

Zechariah Perek 4

For further information on this perek listen to NachDaily Audio

An angel appears to Zechariah and wakes him up from his sleep.

The angel asks Zechariah what he sees.

Zechariah replies that he sees a golden menorah with a bowl on top. It has seven lamps and each lamp contains seven pipes. Near it are two olives trees, to the right and left of the bowl.

Zechariah then questions the angel about what he is seeing.

The angel tells him “You certainly do know!” to which Zechariah retorts “No, I don’t know!”

Note: Alshich Hakdosh explains: The menorah represents Am Yisrael at the time of the final redemption. Just as the seven lamps are joined at one base, so too Am Yisrael will be completely united. People will put aside their differences and all will get along. The gold of the menorah represents the pure state that Yisrael will be in. The bowl represents the crown of Mashiach and the seven lamps represent the three Avos and four Emahos.

Zechariah then asks the angel “What are the two olive trees on the right and left side of the menorah? What are the two clusters of olives inside the two golden flasks that are pouring out?

The angel replies “You already know!”

Zecharah then replies “No I don’t!” to which the angel responds “They are the two anointed ones who attend the Master of the earth.”

Zechariah Perek 5

Note #1: These are just the dry facts. For further information listen to NachDaily Audio.

Note #2: the Radak on pasuk gimmel explains that the scroll seen in this perek was indeed the same scroll that Yechezkel had seen. This scroll contained descriptions of the suffering and tragedies of the nation. Yechezkel was able to make out what was written on it and actually read it and Zechariah wasn’t able to. The reason that Zechariah wasn’t able to read the letters on the scroll indicates that prophecy was winding down and was no longer as strong and clear as it had been in generations past. Indeed, prophecy ended with Zechariah, Chaggai and Malachi, which is the reason that the prophecies contained in Zechariah are more cryptic and obscure than the rest of the Navi.

Zechariah looked up and saw a flying scroll.

The angel asked Zechariah what he sees.

Zechariah responded that he can see a scroll that is ten cubits long and twenty cubits wide.

The angel proceeded to tell Zechariah what was written on the scroll.

One side of the scroll contained all of the curses that would come upon someone who steals, while the other side contained the curses on someone who swears falsely in Hashem’s name.

Hashem then declares, “I’ve taken the scroll out and the curse will come to the home of whoever steals or swears falsely in My name.”

The angel spoke again and showed Zechariah another image.

Zechariah again asked what he was being shown.

The angel replied that it’s an eifa measurement, which is the eyes of the world.

A lead weight was being lifted and a woman was sitting on the eifa measurement.

The angel told Zechariah that the woman is “evil”.

He then proceeded to push into the opening of the eifa measurement and threw the lead weight on top of the woman.

“Then I looked up again and saw two women appearing with the wind in their wings – they had wings like the wings of a stork – and they suspended the eifa measure between earth and heaven.”

The angel told Zechariah that the woman was being brought to her permanent home in Shinar.

Zechariah Perek 6

Zechariah saw a vision of God’s chariots.

Zechariah saw four chariots emerging from between the two mountains of copper.

The first chariot’s horses were red. The second chariot’s horses were black, the third’s were white and the fourth’s were spotted like grey ash.

Zechariah questioned the angel about what he’s looking at.

The angel tells Zechariah that they are the four corners of the heavens that are emerging from their appearance before God.

The chariot with the black horses goes to the north of the country, while the white one follows it.

The chariot with spotted horses goes to the south of the country.

And the chariot with the horses that are grey like ash roams the earth.

Zechariah calls out upon seeing the horses and chariots go to the north and then is calmed down.

The navi continues to relate how Zechariah will make crowns for Yehoshua ben Yehotzedek by taking silver and gold from certain specific nations.

A man from the descendants of Tsemach will rebuild the Beis Hamikdash and God’s throne will be reestablished.

Zechariah Perek 7

A word on the history to make this perek more understandable:

Most meforshim explain that the reason that most of the Jews in Bavel didn’t return to Eretz Yisrael with Zechariah, Chaggai and Malachi is that they were skeptical of the permission Koresh had given to build the second Beis Hamikdash. They were sure that the enemies of Yisrael would destroy it.

The Jews in Bavel were also cautious because seemingly none of the prophecies regarding the final redemption and Mashiach were happening. Therefore they saw no reason to move back to Eretz Yisrael.

Also news sources then were not as accurate as they are now. Therefore, when they heard that the second Beis Hamikdash was almost completed, the Jews in Bavel devised a plan to be sure that the news that they were hearing about the construction of the second Beis Hamikdash was accurate. Their plan was to send a halachic question to the halachic authorities in Yerushalayim about whether or not they should fast in the ninth of Av. The answer to this question would indeed indicate whether or not the ultimate redemption was occurring and they should leave their homes and return to Eretz Yisrael.

Zechariah received a prophecy on the fourth of Kislev during the fourth year of the reign of King Darius. Two residents of Bavel, Sharetser and Regem-Melech, sent a question to Chaggai, Zechariah and Malachi:

“Should we still fast on the ninth day of Av, which commemorates the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash since the second one is currently being built?”

Zechariah’s answer was, “If you would actually do teshuvah you would no longer need to fast!”

Hashem says, “Act with justice and be kind to one another. Do not oppress the widow or orphan. Treat the poor fairly. And stop the evil in your hearts. Just as I called out to you and you didn’t listen, so, too, you will call out to Me and I won’t listen. By not returning to Me, you turned Eretz Yisrael, which is the most desirable land of all, into something undesirable. “

Zechariah perek 8

This perek is about the time and process of the final redemption.

Hashem is going to avenge Tzion.

God is going to restore His presence in Yerushalayim.

There is going to come a time when old men and women will fill the streets of Yerushalayim.

The old men will have canes in their hands.

The streets of Yerushalayim will be filled with boy and girls laughing in her streets!

Note: These are one of the signs of the final redemption. Thank you Hashem. No matter where you look in Yerushalayim you see young children laughing and elderly men walking with canes filling the streets of Yerushalayim, just as Zechariah prophesied over 2,000 years ago!

Hashem will return His people from the east and the west.

There will be in an ingathering of the exiles.

Whoever builds the third Beis Hamikdash will need to be strong and courageous.

Am Yisrael will give blessings to the nations of the world.

Eventually, at the end of the final redemption God is going to abolish all of the current fast days. The fast days will turn into happy days.

During the time of Mashiach the gentiles will want to come and pray at the Beis Hamikdash on the temple mount.

Each Jew will have 2,800 gentiles holding on to the corner of his tzitzis. (Rashi)

Zechariah Perek 9

The boundaries of Eretz Yisrael will expand in the time of Mashiach.

Tyre, Ashkelon, Gaza and Ekron will all fear God.

Gaza will no longer have a king and Ashkelon will be deserted.

A stranger will come from Ashdod. He will have blood in his mouth but will eventually come to Hashem. He will be like a chief of Judah. (Rashi explains: The stranger from Ashdod with blood in his mouth is a reference to the Plishtim who are soaked in blood from Idol worship. They, too, will come close to Hashem and recognize God as Master of the World.)

God will protect the armies of Yisrael, because God has seen what has happened to His nation.

Yerushalayim should sing and be happy!

Mashiach is going to be a humble man riding on a donkey. (most meforshim.)

“I will remove all of the enemies of Yisrael and Mashiach.”

War will be unnecessary. Mashiach will speak words of peace to all the nations.

Mashiach will rules over the entire world.

All imprisoned people will be set free. God will reveal Himself like a flash of lightning.

The shofar will be blown.

God will tend to His lost sheep, Yisrael, like crown jewels.

Zechariah Perek 10

This perek is a prophecy about the final redemption.

Zechariah urges Yisrael to test God by praying for rain, to demonstrate to them that God listens to their prayers. (Metsudos)

The nation was swayed by false beliefs and idolaters, which resulted in a lack of prayer to Hashem.

God will bring back the houses of Yosef and Yehudah.

Yisrael will be militarily strong.

God will take pity on His nation and heal them as if they had never suffered.

There will be an ingathering of the exiles.

People in distant places will want to come close to God.

God will once again make His nation strong.

Zechariah Perek 11

This perek contains a prophecy of the destruction of the second Beis Hamikdash.

The doors of Lebanon will be burned down with fire. (Metsudos and the Malbim explain that this refers to the destruction of the second Beis Hamikdash, which is called Levanon. Zechariah was telling the people about the future destruction in the hope that they would be motivated to do teshuvah.)

Zechariah continues to relate the destruction that will come upon Yisrael.

The nations of the world will celebrate Yisrael’s downfall.

Yisrael is like a flock of sheep destined to be slaughtered.

Their shepherd will have no mercy on them.

Their land will be completely destroyed.

“I tried using my two staffs named Noam and Chavolim to prod my people.” (The Radak explains that these two staffs represent Hashem’s two different ways of relating to the Jewish people. Noam means pleasant. When Yisrael did the will of Hashem, God acted in a pleasant manner to them. However, when the nation began to sin, God used His staff of Chavolim , meaning destruction, to prod His nation to doing teshuvah.)

God then told Zechariah to take thirty pieces of silver and put them away for the future. (Metsudos explains that this represents the thirty righteous individuals who will exist in the time of the third Beis Hamikdash. Malbim explains that Zechariah was told to mint coins with pictures of thirty righteous individuals dying in order to sanctify God’s name.)

The Navi relates how the false leaders of Yisrael acted foolishly.

They lost their lamb and didn’t take proper care of it.

Zechariah Perek 12

This perek is a prophecy about the time of the final redemption.

Zechariah speaks about God’s greatness and omnipotence.

God will protect Yerushalayim and punish the nations of the world.

Yerushalayim will be like poison to the nations of the world.

On that day Yerushalayim will turn into a heavy stone for Yisrael’s enemies. Whoever touches it will be severely injured.

On that day Gd will watch over Yerushalayim and the house of Judah.

The leaders of Yehudah will see how God has protected Yerushalayim and will feel empowered to fight Hashem’s war.

On that day, Gd will make the leaders of Yehuda like a bonfire that will burn up any enemies that step in its way, just like trees.

On that day, the weakest of members of Yisrael will be as strong as Dovid Hamelech!

The Navi describes how there will be national mourning and lamentation in Eretz Yisrael for all the people who had died during the war of Gog uMagog.

Zechariah Perek 13

In the time of Mashiach, healing waters will emanate from beneath the Temple Mount.

On that day God will remove all false ideologies and idols.

There will never again be false prophets.

Anyone who claims to have prophecy in the name of another god will be killed by one’s own parents because it will be so self-evident that the claim is fraudulent.

People who deliver false prophecies will be covered in wounds and it will therefore be evident that their prophecies are fake.

In the days of Mashiach the sword of a man who claims He’s God’s shepherd will be raised. Malbim explains that this man refers to Mohammad and the nation of Yishmael, who will claim that God has sent Mohammad to rule over the entire world.

Death will be so prevalent that one third of the world’s population will die.

Hashem will purify the remaining population, like a goldsmith purifies gold. (Most meforshim explain that this refers to Am Yisrael whom Hashem will protect at the end of days.)

“You will be My people and I will be your God.”

Zechariah Perek 14 – You finished!

Note: we will be starting Malachi, the last of the Trey Asar and the end of Nevi’im in the next shiur!

This perek is another prophecy about the war of Gog u’Magog and the final redemption.

The ‘ultimate day’ will be special to God and He will return all of the stolen possessions of Yisrael that were taken from them throughout the exile. (Rashi and Metsudos)

A great war will take place in Yerushalayim.

God will reveal Himself and fight the battle for His nation.

On that day, Har Hazaisim, the Mount of Olives, will split open, and one will be able to run through it. Meforshim explain that Bnei Yisrael will run away just like they did when they left Egypt and Hashem split the sea for them.

Then Hashem will protect them with ‘holy beings’. The meforshim explain that the Divine presence and all the holy angels that are in Yerushalayim will actually come and help Yisrael in battle, and protect them.

Healing waters will emerge from the Temple Mount, as described in Yechezkel 47.

“And God will be king of the entire earth. On that day God will be one and His name will be one.”

A horrible plague will come upon the nations of the world who tried to harm Yerushalayim. Their flesh, eyes and tongues will begin to rot.

Sukkos time there will be a universal pilgrimage to Eretz Yisrael.

The entire world will come to greet and bow to Mashiach annually.

Any nation that fails to show up will be punished by God.

Yerushalayim will become the world center for serving God.