Zekharya's Visions

Found 11 Search results

Zechariah 1-2
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
The prophet Zechariah lived and prophesied in the early days of the Second Temple. His prophecies mention the prominent figures of his generation – Chaggai, Zerubavel, and Yehoshua the high priest. Zechariah’s first prophecy, in perek 1, was given two weeks after Chaggai called for the building of the Temple, and his last prophecy was given about two years later. Like Chaggai, Zechariah encouraged the building of the Temple- in his own unique prophetic style. The book of Zechariah is divided into two distinct sections- 1-8 and 9-14. The unique character of Zechariah’s prophecy is prominent in the first section in which we are presented with a series of exceptional prophetic visions seen by Zechariah, with prophecies interposed between them. The second section of the book has visions which are mostly about the fate of the nations of the world.
Zechariah 3-4
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
Perek 3: Central to Zechariah’s prophetic visions are two visions which parallel each other: the first focuses on Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak, the high priest, and the second deals with Zerubavel, the governor of Judah. These two people are mentioned together in several places in Sefer Chaggai as the two leaders, religious and political, of those who returned to Zion.

Perek 4 begins with a new vision which centers on a unique and wonderful description of the Menorah in the Temple. This is followed at first by a general explanation of the meaning of the vision (4-10) and then by a more detailed explanation (11-14). This vision is closely related to the previous vision and the symbolism of alluding to the stone and to Zerubavel in the previous perek is explained here.
The Haftara for Shabbat Hanukka - God's Promise to Restore the Shekhina
Rabbi David Silverberg
Zerubavel and the Menorah
Rabbi David Silverberg
Zechariah 5-6
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
Zechariah’s prophetic visions continue in these perakim. The two visions in perek 5 are similar in style and content, and they describe items which are in the air and going from place to place. In the first vision (1-4), Zechariah sees a “flying scroll”, which God sends out across the land. The second vision (5-11) is more complicated and enigmatic. It is comprised of three stages. It describes an ephah (a type of measure) with a woman inside it symbolizing evil, which is carried through the air to the Land of Shinar, another name for Babylonia. The two visions symbolize the eradication of evil in the new state, and the distancing of evil from Jerusalem and Israel. The visions of Yechezkel which described the destruction of the Temple and the exile are the background to these visions. Here, too, we can use allusions and parallel texts in Tanakh to understand the symbolic meaning of these enigmatic visions.

The first part of perek 6 (1-8) describes the last vision which Zechariah saw- the vision of the chariots. This vision parallels the first vision which he saw, the vision of the horses which symbolize God’s messengers on Earth. The second part (9-15) also includes a symbolic act, but here Zechariah himself is commanded to do it- to make crowns which symbolize the joint rule of Yehoshua, the high priest, and Zerubavel, the political leader- the tzemach, the scion of the House of David.
Zechariah 11-12
Matan Al Haperek
Rabbi David Sabato
The different prophecies in perek 11 have a common theme- the use of the shepherd and his flock in their imagery. The first part (1-3) describes the difficult sounds and visions of the fire and destruction. Afterward two symbolic acts are described, each one of them an unfavorable description of different types of shepherds. In the first act (4-14), God commands the prophet to herd the “flock of slaughter”, a flock which is intended for slaughter. The prophet herds the sheep and then abandons them; this is symbolized by the cutting off of the two shepherd’s crooks. In the end he receives his reward and throws it to the “keeper of the treasury”. In the second act the prophet is commanded to act as a “foolish shepherd” as a symbol of the corrupt rule. The prophecies in this perek and in the following perek are full of hints and obscure symbols. The commentators explained these hints in different ways, but even so it is difficult to understand their meaning.

Perek 12 describes the war of the nations on Jerusalem and Judah in the End of Days. In the first section the enemy’s failed attempt at placing a siege on Jerusalem is described (2-9). The second section describes the great mourning which will be in Jerusalem after the war (10-14). The perek is divided into sections which open with the words “On that day”, and which list the various events in the End of Days. The background to this prophecy is other prophecies of the End of Days – the rescue of Jerusalem from the Assyrian army in the days of Chizkiyahu, the vision of the war of Gog and Magog, and others.
The Satan in Zekharya's Vision of Yehoshua
Rabbi David Silverberg
Haggai: The Practical Prophet
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
As opposed to many other prophets, Haggai describes no visions. Instead, he conveys a plain, clear message to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash. This stands in sharp contrast to Haggai’s colleague Zekharia who witnesses numerous visions conveying obscure meanings. Zekharia writes in poetry, Haggai in prose. For this reason, Haggai is called “the Navi” - God’s mouthpiece.

Haggai tells the people that if they abandon the building of God’s house, they cannot expect material comfort and success in their own homes. Whereas most prophets emphasize personal repentance from moral shortcomings, Haggai calls for a national return to the task of rebuilding the Temple.

The disparity in message between Haggai and earlier prophets – Haggai being a more practical book with more modest aims and a relatively upbeat message – is reinforced by another key distinction: the people actually obey Haggai’s prophecy! Precisely because Haggai’s message was more specific and optimistic, less radical and cataclysmic, his message was more readily embraced by the people than the doomsday scenarios prognosticated by his predecessors.
Zekharya: Spiritual Visionary
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
Haggai and Zekharya, while radically different – Haggai is straightforward and political, Zekharya quasi-mystical and spiritual – can in fact be seen as two sides of the same coin. Similar to Haggai, Zekharya’s message says that while things may appear grim at present, in the long run they will turn around dramatically. However, while Haggai calls for the Jews to roll up their sleeves and begin the work. Zekharya cries for repentance, suggesting that the rebuilding of Jerusalem will materialize regardless. Throughout Zekharya, the Jews’ role is to strive in matters of spirituality, and God will take care of the rest.

Jerusalem will be so expansive that it will not be able to contain its population with walls. The expansive nature of the city is, of course, in sharp contrast to the meager numbers that plagued the community of returnees.

God commands the Jews of Babylonia that the exile has ended, and they must now return to the holy city of Jerusalem. Eventually, the other nations will join the Jews in worshipping God in Jerusalem.
Sefer Zekharya: Optimistic Visions
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
Yehoshua, the Kohen Gadol is a survivor who has returned to lead his people in the service of the Temple that had been destroyed. Despite his imperfections, Yehoshua is appointed to a prominent position due to this status as a survivor.

Like Yehoshua, the people are perhaps not fully innocent and worthy. Still, just as in the high priest’s poignant story, they are all deserving of consolation after the trauma they have endured. Therefore, God will ensure the success of their endeavors.

As in the imagery of the rock, the seven-pronged menora indicates that God’s providence will ensure the success of the rebuilding. Once again, as opposed to Haggai, Zekharya’s message is not an instruction to build, but that the project will succeed. Despite its humble start, no one should “scorn a day of small beginnings.” The method for achieving those steps is not by military might, but through spirituality.

The olive trees would appear to signal the durability of Zerubavel and Yehoshua’s leadership. God’s eyes will watch over the community and its leaders, ensuring the survival of the imperiled community.
Obscure Reveries
Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky
Anyone who steals the Temple’s materials or otherwise defiles the holy house will be cursed. All this refers to the Jews’ enemies, who seek to stifle the Jews’ attempts to build the Temple by way of theft and any other means possible. Their end, hints the prophecy, will be that of curse and failure.

The appointment of multiple leaders without a clear hierarchy is generally a recipe for disaster. The prophecy predicts that despite the potential for tension, Yehoshua and Zerubavel will cooperate peaceably. The Hasmoneans acted contrary to the spirit of this prophecy.

Zekharia transitions to an uplifting messianic vision depicting the old and young flourishing in the streets of Jerusalem. He concludes, all the fasts associated with the destruction of the Mikdash will be transformed into joyous occasions.

Whereas at the beginning of the sefer the prophet presents repentance as a necessary precondition for the Jews to receive Divine reward, by the end of the eighth chapter, the two appear to have been disentangled from one another. Certainly the Jews are required be righteous. Still, the simple reading of our chapter indicates that the salvation will be forthcoming whether or not the Jews follow God’s word.