By addressing the immediate concern of the mediocre Temple service while nostalgically hearkening back to a golden age, Malakhi hews to his mandate of...

The Return to Zion End of the Era of Prophecy Tithes - Maaser End of the Days Eliyahu's Role in the Future Covenant of Circumcision Idolatry Morality Family father and son Eliyahu and Pinhas

Harsher Criticism

28Shivat Tzion Malakhi 2.pdf (format PDF / 239 KB)

Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky Source:

Malachi 2, 1 - 17

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Numbers 25, 12

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Deuteronomy 34, 8 - 11

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Deuteronomy 7, 2

Echoing the covenant of peace forged with Pinhas, and especially Moshe’s blessings before his death, in this passage Malakhi castigates the priests for...

The Return to Zion Critique of the Kohanim The Kohanim in the Beit HaMikdash Responsibilities of the Levites Kohanim and Levites Moshe's Blessings End of the Era of Prophecy Biblical Text as Source for Rabbinic Law Intermarriage Family Betrayal The Marital Relationship

Malakhi’s Opening Chapter

27Shivat Tzion Malakhi 1.pdf (format PDF / 234 KB)

Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky Source:

Malachi 1, 1 - 14

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Psalms 113, 3

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Malachi 2, 6

Malakhi structures his prophecy as an ongoing series of dialogues between God and the Jewish People, forming the backbone of the book and as well as its...

The Return to Zion Prophetic Visions Edom and Israel Yaakov and Esav Family Comparing the First Mikdash to the Second Mikdash The Second Beit HaMikdash State of Israel The Kohanim in the Beit HaMikdash Critique of the Kohanim

The End of Nehemya

26Shivat Tzion Nechemia 11-13.pdf (format PDF / 239 KB)

Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky Source:

Nehemiah 11 - 13, 31

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Zechariah 1, 3 - 6

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Jeremiah 17, 19

Chapter 11 reports that a tenth of the Jewish population of Judea was selected by lottery to live in Jerusalem, with an eye toward ensuring the city’s...

The Return to Zion The Lottery Haman's Lottery Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem Intermarriage Foreign Wives Torah Reading Tithes - Maaser Prohibition of Melakha on Shabbat Shabbat Prohibition of Commerce on Shabbat End of the Era of Prophecy Comparing the First Mikdash to the Second Mikdash

The Oath

25Shivat Tzion Nechemia 10.pdf (format PDF / 200 KB)

Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky Source:

Nehemiah 10, 1 - 40

Nechemia chapter 10, perhaps the climax of the nation’s renewed commitment to Torah, summarizes the binding oath accepted by the community. In many...

The Return to Zion Renewal of the Covenant Intermarriage Shabbat Shemitta - The Seventh Year Half Shekel Donation Bikkurim - First Fruit Tithes - Maaser The Firstborn The Convert Intra-Textual Exegesis End of the Era of Prophecy Biblical Text as Source for Rabbinic Law Prohibition of Commerce on Shabbat Levites and the Return to Zion

The Great Prayer and Confession

24Shivat Tzion Nechemia 9.pdf (format PDF / 285 KB)

Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky Source:

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After reading the Torah and celebrating Sukkot in spectacular fashion, the people remain behind, mourning and fasting for their sins. Those who had...

The Return to Zion Prayer Confession Fasting History Selective History Biblical History Intermarriage Foreign Wives Isru Chag Torah Reading Biblical Text as Source for Rabbinic Law Integration of Earlier Scriptural Sources Biblical Text as a Source for Prayer End of the Era of Prophecy

The Teshuva Revolution

23Shivat Tzion Nechemia 8 part 2.pdf (format PDF / 273 KB)

Part 2

Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky Source:

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Consistent with the transition detailed from a Temple-based Judaism to a Torah-centered lifestyle, the emphasis in this chapter is decidedly not on the...

The Return to Zion Rosh Hashana Sukkot Mishloah Manot Gedalya's Murder Social Commandments Caring for Needy Commandment to Rejoice on Holidays Social Injustice Sukka Lulav - Four Species Generation Entering the Land Returning to the Land of Israel The Land of Israel - Compared to the Desert Eretz Yisrael Yovel Comparing Entering the Land in the time of Yehoshua to the time of Ezra Biblical Text as Source for Rabbinic Law

The Teshuva Revolution

22Shivat Tzion Nechemia 8 part 1-final.pdf (format PDF / 258 KB)

Part 1

Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky Source:

Nehemiah 8, 1 - 18

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Deuteronomy 31, 10 - 13

The events of Shivat Tzion are cyclical. Although three different sets of events are recorded in our sefer, each mirrors the others. The similarity...

The Return to Zion Torah Reading Timetable of Persian Empire and Second Beit HaMikdash - Rabbinic vs. Scholarly Approaches Talmud Torah Hakhel Moshe and Ezra Ma'amad Har Sinai Political Leadership Religious Leadership

Nehemya Wards Off his Enemies

21Shivat Tzion Nechemia 6-7.pdf (format PDF / 243 KB)

Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky Source:

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Prophecy is on the wane. In this transitional moment, the book of Nehemya invokes the term “navi” in both ambiguous and shifting ways. Prophecy still...

The Return to Zion False Prophets End of the Era of Prophecy Prophecy Role of the Prophet Avraham and Avimelekh Prophecy and Prayer Reward and Punishment

Nehemya Fights for the Poor

20Shivat Tzion Nechemia 5.pdf (format PDF / 253 KB)

Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky Source:

Nehemiah 5, 1 - 19

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Nehemiah 13, 14 - 31

The Return to Zion Social Commandments Social Justice Slavery End of the Era of Prophecy Political Leadership Religious Leadership Humility

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