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.