Destruction of Jerusalem

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The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Fate of Yirmiyahu
Rabbi David Sabato
The account of the capture and the destruction of Jerusalem parallel – both linguistically and substantively – Yirmiyahu's prophecy of consecration, in which he predicted the destruction already at the beginning of his mission. This parallel indicates that Nevukhadnetzar's rebuke of Tzidkiyahu for rebellion and treachery represents, as it were, God's rebuke of him for his spiritual rebellion.

Chapter 39 is the direct continuation of chapter 38, and it describes the fulfillment of Yirmiyahu's prophecy in two directions. It emphasizes the contrast between the fate of the heads of the kingdom – Tzidkiyahu and his princes who failed to heed Yirmiyahu's prophecy and even tried to kill him – to the fate of Yirmiyahu, the prophet who remained faithful to God's word. Yirmiyahu was saved by Nevuzar'adan on the direct order of Nevukhadnetzar himself and Tzidkiyahu and his princes are severely punished. Therefore in this chapter the remaining of Yirmiyahu in Eretz Yisrael is not described as his choice.

In the account in chapter 40, Yirmiyahu chooses to remain in Eretz Yisrael and not be under Nevukhadnetzar’s care in Babylon. This action clarifies the fact that Yirmiyahu's support for surrender did not stem from political motives or from excessive closeness to Babylon, but was rather a result of his prophecy. It seems that after the destruction, Yirmiyahu thinks that that there is hope for reestablishing national life in Eretz Yisrael through Gedalya. Therefore, it is stressed in this chapter that the remaining of Yirmiyahu in Eretz Yisrael was by his choice.

Insisting upon the honor due to the Father and the honor due to the son characterizes the entire length of Yirmiyahu's mission. This duality underlies the two accounts of Yirmiyahu's fate: On the one hand, chapter 39 describes Yirmiyahu's rescue at the hand of the king of Babylon owing to his "pro-Babylonian" loyalty, as it were, and his prophecies of calamity and rebuke of the people – and his call for surrender. All these are the result of his prophetic mission from God. On the other hand, chapter 40 emphasizes that Yirmiyahu tied his fate of his own free will to the fate of the nation that he so greatly loved.
Yehezkel's Symbolic Actions and their Meaning
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Generally speaking, the Latter Prophets, unlike the Earlier Prophets, do not perform miracles. Therefore, in order to convey their messages effectively, they must employ both elevated speech and symbolic acts. Perhaps for this reason Yehezkel only conveys his prophecies after a series of symbolic actions performed at the beginning of his prophetic career. Indeed, the difficulty of convincing the nation of the authenticity and reliability of God’s prophets is clearly demonstrated in Yirmiyahu’s struggle against the false prophets. In Sefer Yehezkel too – even in the prophecies that follow the Destruction – the prophet’s audience treats his words as mere poetry and they continue sinning.

Yehezkel’s symbolic acts are a step-by-step demonstration of what is yet to happen due to the sins of the nation: first the siege with no response from God; the unbearable hunger and thirst; and finally – annihilation of most of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, only a few of whom will escape and be saved.
The Beginning of the End
God’s Sword in the Hand of the King of Babylon (Part 1)
Dr. Tova Ganzel
Chapter 21 mentions God’s Name fifteen times in different forms. This emphasis is meant to counter the popular perception – prevalent in pagan thought – that God would not destroy His own land, and to emphasize the events will come about by God’s will.

Jerusalem will not be saved; not only that but the city is about to suffer a large-scale massacre, and the sword that slaughters will do so in the agency of God.

The prophet addresses the sword of the king of Babylon. The proximity of these two units highlights the idea that the sword of the king of Babylon is none other than the sword of God, in whose agency the king is acting.
The Beginning of the End
God’s Sword in the Hand of the King of Babylon - Part 2
Dr. Tova Ganzel
This article provides historical background about the king of Babylonia, Nevukhadnetzar and contrasts how he was seen by the two major prophets of his time, Yirmiyahu and Yehezkel. Additionally, this article examines life in the Babylonian exile, based on extra-biblical sources.
Chapters 39 and 40: Yirmiyahu's Fate and Free Will
Rabbi David Sabato
Introduction to Eikha
Rabbi Noam Shapiro
Rachel's Prayer
HaTanakh.com Staff
Politics and Murder: the Assassination of Gedalya
Rabbi David Sabato
Answers for Self Study Questions
"Houses and fields and vineyards shall yet again be bought in this land" (Jer. 32:15)
Rabbi Dr. Yehoshua Reiss
Please see the attached answers for the self study questions for Tisha B'Av.

The chart below displays the story of Am Yisrael during the last 300 years of the Biblical era. It depicts the dramatic story of the transition between the destruction of the kingdoms of Israel and Yehuda and the Temple to the return to Zion and the building of the second Temple. The optimistic conclusion of the Tanakh reflects the prophetic perception of the revival and rebuilding of Am Yisrael in its land.
Yirmiyahu 9-10
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
Perek 9 opens with Yirmiyahu's painful wish to abandon the immoral and corrupt nation (1-8). In the pesukim that follow, Yirmiyahu laments the land's destruction which will take place as a result of the nation's abandonment of God and His Torah.

Perek 10 focuses on the comparison between the futility of idol worship and the eternal nature of God. It has been suggested that these prophecies addressed the inhabitants of Yehuda who had been displaced by the first wave of the Babylonian exile during the reign of Yehoyachin. Living in a completely pagan society, the exiles find themselves seduced by the surrounding culture. Yirmiyahu tried to strengthen their resolve and their belief in God. The second section of the prophecy (17-25), discusses the coming destruction and concludes with Yirmiyahu's request for God to have mercy on His nation.
Yirmiyahu 39-40
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
Perek 39 describes the bitter end of Jerusalem, when after a prolonged siege of about a year and a half the walls are breached. Yirmiyahu's attempts to convince the nation to surrender, to accept the yoke of Babylonia and to save the city from destruction have been unsuccessful, and the city has fallen to the hands of the Babylonians. Yirmiyahu's prophecies have been fulfilled: the city, and within it the Temple, have been burnt and destroyed, the remainder of the residents of Jerusalem who were in the besieged city have been exiled to Babylonia, and Tzidkiyahu, who tried to escape the Babylonians, has been caught and punished cruelly. But even within the harsh description of destruction we can see signs of hope: Nevuzaradan leaves a remnant of the nation under the authority of Gedalyahu ben Achikam (10), and by command of Nevuchadnezzar saves Yirmiyahu (11-14). The perek ends with a prophecy of rescue about Eved-Melech the Kushi who saved him from death in the mud pit which Yirmiyahu prophesied before the destruction, in the court of the guard (15-18).

Perek 40 describes what happens among those left in the land after the destruction. The perek opens with the story of Yirmiyahu, who chooses to stay in the land after the destruction and join forces with Gedalyahu ben Achikam, who is appointed by the king of Babylonia over the meager group of people who are left in the land (1-6). Perakim 40-43 deal with the gloomy story of this group led by Gedalya, which was the hope for reconstruction after the destruction; a hope which disappeared with the murder of Gedalya.
Yirmiyahu 41-42
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
The appointing of Gedalya as governor over Judah gave hope for a renewal of life after the destruction. With the assassination of Gedalya by Yishmael ben Netanya and his men, this hope was cut off, and the destruction and the exile became an indisputable fact. Gedalya refuses to hear the warnings of Yochanan ben Kareach and his soldiers (in perek 40) and is caught in the trap set for him by Yishmael ben Netanya and his men, who murder him in Mitzpa during the Rosh Hashana meal. In addition to this foul murder, there is a massacre of the pilgrims to Jerusalem who came from the Shomron area. Gedalya's murder has an immediate effect on the small Jewish population remaining in Israel, who are hesitant to stay in Israel and want to emigrate to Egypt because they are afraid of the Babylonians taking revenge on them.

After the Assassination, those remaining in Judah are at a loss as to what to do. In their distress, they turn to Yirmiyahu, and ask to hear the word of God from him. Yirmiyahu encourages them to stay in Israel and to continue Gedalyahu's work to rebuild the nation. He warns them not to go to Egypt, despite their fear of revenge by the Babylonians for murdering the governor whom they had placed in the land. But their fear of revenge overcomes their commitment to God and the remaining people, under the leadership of Yochanan ben Kareach and his officers, decide to go to Egypt and request refuge there.
The Idea of Shabbat in the Book of Yechezkel
Dr. Tova Ganzel | Hour and 8 minutes
What is the status of Shabbat observance during the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash and the Babylonian exile? This shiur traces the records of Shabbat observance in the Tanakh, and particularly in the book of Yechezkel, and highlights the crucial nature of Shabbat - its desecration ultimately lead to the destruction, and its observance signifies the eternal relationship between God and Israel.
Can There Be a Third Destruction? A Reading of the Curses in Light of Ramban’s Commentary
Rabbi Dr. Yoel Bin Nun
Ramban’s commentary on the Torah features systematically historical exegesis. We shall examine a few citations that demonstrate this point and then focus more closely on the curses in our parasha and their implications for us.

Ramban presents his unique exegetical approach: the rebuke in Vayikra is a prophecy concerning the destruction of the First Temple, while the rebuke in Devarim foretells the destruction of the Second Temple. The most important implication of Ramban’s interpretation is that there can be no third destruction. After the ingathering of the exiles described in Parashat Nitzavim, there may be terrible suffering – as foretold in the song of Haazinu – but there is no room for a third destruction, as the Torah offers no third set of curses.
The Five Fast Days of Tevet
Rabbi Dr. Aharon Adler
תאריך פרסום: 5777 | | Hour
What are the "five fast days of Tevet?" Well, there are at least four possible dates in traditional Jewish sources, as well as a fifth idea. We examine some of them, and explore the different aspects of the Fast of Tevet.

We begin with an unusual phenomenon in Tanakh: a Halakhic question and answer. The question is posed to the prophet Zechariah: is it proper to cry and fast for the four Fast Days of mourning once the second Beit HaMikdash is being built? Zechariah's answer is not clear, and neither are the dates of the fasts.

When is the Fast of Tevet meant to be, and what is it really marking? Aside from signifiying another stage of the protracted Destruction of Jerusalem, the Fast of Tevet also marks the time when the Jewish community already in Babylonia heard that Jerusalem was destroyed in the time of the prophet Yehezkel - months after the burning of the Beit HaMikdash! This and other events linked to the Fast of Tevet lead us to identify another dimension what this fast may be mourning: assimilation of the Jewish people.
Eikha: Theology and Human Suffering (Part II)
Shiur #06
Dr. Yael Ziegler
Eikha’s presentation of this complexity produces a jarring but magnificent portrait of humans who struggle mightily to balance fidelity to God with recognition of a cruel and unjust world. To the extent that Eikha provides a theodicy, we can discern it in the literary artistry of the book. Eikha incorporates numerous linguistic parallels to Devarim 28, a chapter commonly termed a “tokhacha,” which establishes a covenant between God and His nation.

By entwining expressions from the covenant into Eikha’s literary construct, the book imposes responsibility upon Israel for these events, in her failure to uphold her end of the bargain.
Eikha: Chapter 1
Shiur #09
Dr. Yael Ziegler
The opening of the book of Eikha reveals a melancholic scene. Formerly a bustling metropolis, Jerusalem is desolate; the sound of the priests mourning and the young women grieving eerily echo in the abandoned city.

Eikha’s initial chapter attempts to grasp the reason for this calamity.

Erratic movement between one notion and its opposite illustrates the chapter’s frenzied churn of emotions. Jerusalem is shattered. It is no wonder that this chapter fluctuates wildly between perceptions, experiences, and emotions.

Nevertheless, the acrostic structure allows for a measure of order and even progression in this chapter. Indeed, we will see that the chapter moves steadily towards assuming responsibility for the events, towards admission of sin, which will allow Jerusalem to make sense of the roiling madness that has engulfed her.
Eikha: Chapter 1 (continued)
Shiur #10
Dr. Yael Ziegler
Although Eikha lacks actual comfort, in recalling the greatness of this city, the initial verse makes the present situation slightly more bearable. It allows the inhabitants to retain a sense of self-worth and may even provide the reader with a flash of hope, however miniscule.

This opening verse does not consciously foster optimism. Its primary intention is to utilize the contrast between past and present to magnify Jerusalem’s improbable plummet. Nevertheless, by recalling Jerusalem’s past, the book offers a snippet of dignity – miniscule, but perhaps sufficient to allow biblical readers to glimpse a modicum of hope in the undercurrents of the book.
Eikha: Chapter 2
Shiur #21
Dr. Yael Ziegler
Chapter 2 opens by offering the reader eyewitness access to the obliteration of the city.
Eikha 2:2
Shiur #23
Dr. Yael Ziegler
While the previous verse had a vertical movement, which directs the reader’s gaze up (clouds, heaven, God) and down (Zion, earth, God’s footstool), this verse offers us a horizontal landscape of destruction. God swallows, demolishes, and profanes a broad swathe of Judah: houses and fortresses, kingdom, and officers. The verse moves from the common habitations to those protected by fortresses. It also contains the first indication of the special attention that this chapter gives to the destruction of the royal elite of the city: “[God] profaned the kingdom and her officers.”
Eikha Chapter 2 (continued)
Shiur #24
Dr. Yael Ziegler
God comes into focus, bow in right hand, poised to smite Israel. A powerful, invincible foe – God is twice designated enemy in this verse, followed by a third in the following verse – God carefully arranges and unleashes devastation. The same right hand from the previous verse, formerly taut and held in a willfully inactive posture, now releases and swings into controlled action, smiting Jerusalem’s precious inhabitants.
Eikha Chapter 2 (continued)
Shiur #25
Dr. Yael Ziegler
In its use of the word garden in this obscure metaphor, Eikha 2:6 subtly alludes to the disastrous end of the original story in which humankind resided in its idyllic Garden, a story that anticipates and foreshadows the destruction of the Temple.
Eikha Chapter 2 (continued)
Shiur #26
Dr. Yael Ziegler
Jerusalem’s destruction does not result in her demise, nor does it return her to her natural state as an inanimate city of stones and material, lacking personality and vitality. By preserving Jerusalem’s human persona, even as she mourns and ceases to function effectively, the city continues to exist. Her walls and ramparts remain as alive in destruction as they were in their heyday. Thus, Israel can retain its emotional attachment to its vibrant city, despite the fact that the city lies in ruins.

if the city still breathes, then so does Israel, whose immutability remains connected to that of her eternal city. The city’s continued existence ultimately serves as a basis for Israel’s continued existence, boosting the nation’s hopes and aspirations to rebuild the city.
Eikha Chapter 2 (continued)
Shiur #27
Dr. Yael Ziegler
After eight active verses of destruction, God begins to recede into the background. The physical city has been obliterated, Jerusalem’s gates sunk deeply into the ground, her defensive fortifications annihilated. Having completed His task, God issues one final blow, shattering the locks of the city, rendering her exposed and defenseless. God exits the scene, abandoning Jerusalem to her fate, with no further instruction. The verse closes by focusing our attention upon the loss of direction or guidance for the nation. Bereft of political leadership, religious instruction, or prophetic visions, Jerusalem’s inhabitants appear rudderless and disoriented.
Eikha Chapter 2 (continued)
Shiur #28
Dr. Yael Ziegler
The second part of this chapter shifts noticeably from an objective, detached third-person description of a ravaged city to a first-person description of human casualties. Jerusalem now tells the story not of ravaged buildings, but of human victims, of the brokenness of her nation.
Eikha Chapter 2 (continued)
Shiur #29
Dr. Yael Ziegler
The narrator steps in to fill the hollow chasm carved out by Jerusalem’s silence. Speaking directly to Jerusalem, the narrator presents a series of rhetorical questions. Will I bear witness to Jerusalem’s suffering? Can anything be compared to Jerusalem’s pain? Is there anything that can console the ruined city? The answer implied by these rhetorical questions is a resounding no. These events seem unprecedented, the suffering incomparable. A barrage of rhetorical questions conveys the narrator’s profound sense of helplessness, his inability to provide consolation or a path to recovery.
Eikha Chapter 2 (continued)
Shiur #30
Dr. Yael Ziegler

As Jerusalem persists in her muteness, the narrator fills the silence by peering outward, scrutinizing the surroundings for reactions to Jerusalem’s downfall. Some scholars read these verses as the narrator’s continued (futile) search for someone who can heal Jerusalem. More likely, the narrator looks outward because he cannot bear to look inward at the frightful sights that pervade the ruined city.

Two remarkably parallel verses direct our gaze away from Jerusalem’s populace to observe how outsiders respond to her wretched state. Each of these verses name a different group (passersby and enemies), noting their physical non-verbal gestures (clapping, whistling, head-wagging, teeth-gnashing), followed by a direct citation of their speech.
Eikha Chapter 2 (continued)
Shiur #31
Dr. Yael Ziegler
Having completed his panoramic exploration of those who stand outside of Jerusalem, the narrator’s attention finally rests on God, the actual architect of these events.
Eikha Chapter 2 (continued)
Shiur #32
Dr. Yael Ziegler
The narrator has achieved his aim, and Jerusalem at last resumes her speech. Tears are absent and the tone of her response is more outrage than supplication, but Jerusalem finally summons up her energy to address God: “Look God and see! To whom have You done this?” Hostile words, unyielding in their steely fury, these words are not designed to elicit divine sympathy but to express Jerusalem’s anger at the atrocities in her midst. Jerusalem’s pent-up pain surges and overflows, bursting forth with a harsh indictment generated by unadulterated horror. She demands that God witness the ghastly sights, remonstrates with Him over the death of helpless children and religious leaders. Yet, Jerusalem’s aim is not merely for God to recognize the grim reality. Instead, she hurls these sights at God as an accusation (“To whom have You done this?”), implicitly challenging God regarding the way that He runs His world.
Chapter Two: In Summation
Shiur #33
Dr. Yael Ziegler
In this concluding article for chapters 1 and 2 of Eicha we explore the thematic, linguistic, and technical/structural similarities, which suggest a strong connection between both chapters.
Eicha's Hidden Messages of Consolation
Tanach Study
Dr. Yael Ziegler | 58 minutes
Is there any consolation in the book of Eicha? At first glance, the book of Eicha does not seem to contain any messages of strength or recovery from the devastation of the destruction of Jerusalem. However, upon a deeper analysis of the language in the book, we find hidden allusions that contain within them elements of consolation. Through an examination of the past, present, and future in the Megilla, we find the secret to Am Yisrael’s survival.

Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com
The Spiritual Rehabilitation of Bat Zion in Eichah 1
Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman | 57 minutes
What is the purpose of Megillat Eicha? This lecture analyses the first perek of Eicha by defining two distinct voices throughout the perek, and highlights the 7-stage spiritual awakening that the characters experience. This allows us to attempt to come to an understanding of the destruction and exile, and brings to light a new interpretation of Megillat Eicha.