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Ezra was a priest who, when the Persians conquered the Babylonian empire and allowed the Jews to return, led the Jews to Israel and in rebuilding the Temple. He instituted a series of reforms meant to bring the Jewish people back to their religion.
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Genealogical Integrity in the Time of Ezra
COMMENTARY
Ezra traced and recorded the genealogies of the returning exiles. This Mishnah text categorizes the returning exiles into genealogical classes, and this contemporary explication of the Mishnah discusses Ezra's goals and approaches within his historical context.
Renewing the Sanctity of Eretz Yisrael
TALMUD
Ezra played a pivotal role in renewing religious practices and sanctifying Eretz Yisrael upon the return from Babylonia. The Gemara debates whether the initial consecration of Eretz Yisrael was temporary or eternal, highlighting Ezra's role in re-establishing key observances and sanctifications.
Reconnecting Through Torah
COMMENTARY
Ezra's public reading of the Torah was a pivotal moment in re-establishing the Jewish people's connection to their religious laws. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks explores the significance of this event, where Levites explained the Torah to the people, leading to a collective commitment to follow God's Law.
Enhancing Community Welfare through Ordinances
TALMUD
Ezra's ordinances aimed to improve community welfare and adherence to religious practices by enhancing education and ensuring access to essential goods. The Talmudic tractate Bava Batra discusses these reforms, highlighting the importance of multiple teachers to raise educational standards and the free movement of perfume salesmen to ensure the availability of cosmetics for Jewish women.
Ezra's Mission to Rebuild
TANAKH
Ezra's expertise in the Torah and the divine favor he received enabled him to secure the king's support for his mission. The book of Ezra recounts his journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, highlighting his role in the Jewish return to Israel and the rebuilding of the Second Temple.
Ezra's Unfulfilled Promise
COMMENTARY
The migration led by Ezra was not as spectacular as the one described in the book of Joshua. Rashi, the renowned 11th-century French biblical commentator, explains the reasons behind this discrepancy.
Ezra's Reforms
TALMUD
Ezra the Scribe instituted specific ordinances and reforms to enhance both communal and individual religious observance. The Talmudic tractate Bava Kamma lists ten ordinances by Ezra, covering areas such as Torah readings, court sessions, personal hygiene, and community regulations.
Ezra's Crusade Against Intermarriage
COMMENTARY
In the community that returned to the land of Israel from exile, intermarriage with the local peoples was common, a behavior that Ezra condemned. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s modern translation and commentary on the Hebrew Bible explains a verse from one of the assemblies that Ezra held to address this issue.
The Six Readers of Yom Kippur
TALMUD
The Torah reading on Yom Kippur is divided into six aliyot, six sections which could be read by different people. The Talmud in Tractate Megillah, in seeking an explanation for this number, associates it with the six individuals who stood to each side of Ezra as he read the Torah.
The Men of the Great Assembly
HALAKHAH
The Knesset HaGedolah, led by Ezra, was the largest and most influential court in Jewish history, shaping Jewish liturgy and law during the early Second Temple period. Peninei Halakhah, a contemporary halakhic work, quotes the Rambam to describe the makeup and activities of the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah.
A Moment of Renewal on Rosh Hashanah
MUSAR
Ezra's act of reading the Torah on Rosh Hashanah was an emotional moment for the community after the Babylonian exile. This twentieth century ethical text discusses the meanings behind the event and how it is described in the book of Nehemiah, and its significance for the holiday Rosh Hashanah.
Reviving Jewish Religious Life
TANAKH
Ezra played a crucial role in reviving Jewish religious life by emphasizing Torah study and education. Ezra gathered the leaders and religious figures to study the Torah, as described in the book of Nehemiah.
 Ezra reading the Law for the people. Nehemiah 8:5-6. Gustave Doré's illustrations for La Grande Bible de Tours, 1866
Ezra reading the Law for the people. Nehemiah 8:5-6. Gustave Doré's illustrations for La Grande Bible de Tours, 1866
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