What was the purpose of the Second Temple?

The book of Haggai has only two chapters that we have to read and only the book of Obadiah is shorter than him. However, the number of verses won’t decide what is more important and what is less. Every word that is written in the Holy Language is pure gold for us, his readers. Therefore, I wanted to share with you my thoughts about few verses from Haggai 2. When the people of Israel returned from Babylon to the Promised Land it wasn’t easy for them as people might think. They needed the encouragement of G-d and in chapter 2 we can see how G-d’s words try to help their leaders build the Second Temple, as written:

“וְעַתָּה חֲזַק זְרֻבָּבֶל נְאֻם-יְהוָה וַחֲזַק יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן-יְהוֹצָדָק הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל וַחֲזַק כָּל-עַם הָאָרֶץ, נְאֻם-יְהוָה–וַעֲשׂוּ: כִּי-אֲנִי אִתְּכֶם, נְאֻם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת. אֶת-הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר-כָּרַתִּי אִתְּכֶם, בְּצֵאתְכֶם מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְרוּחִי, עֹמֶדֶת בְּתוֹכְכֶם–אַל-תִּירָאוּ”

“But nowtake courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ‘As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; Do not fear!”(Haggai 2:4-5)

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What is the best jewelry for the neck?

In the book of Proverbs the good woman appears as a metaphor of wisdom.it was and still is customary for a woman to put necklaces or other jewelries around her neck. The passage that you are about to read is one of my favorites in the Hebrew Bible, as written:

” בְּנִי תּוֹרָתִי אַל-תִּשְׁכָּח; וּמִצְו‍ֹתַי, יִצֹּר לִבֶּךָ.
כִּי אֹרֶךְ יָמִים, וּשְׁנוֹת חַיִּים– וְשָׁלוֹם, יוֹסִיפוּ לָךְ.
חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת, אַל-יַעַזְבֻךָ:
קָשְׁרֵם עַל-גַּרְגְּרוֹתֶיךָ; כָּתְבֵם, עַל-לוּחַ לִבֶּךָ”

” My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments. For length of days and years of life .And peace they will add to you. Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.”(Proverbs 3:1-3) Continue reading →

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How to avoid a battle?

Abraham our father was a man of peace, a man who believed that before you fight about territory or property, you should try to prevent it. In Genesis 13, after returning from Egypt with a big flock, gold and other things, Abraham needed to decide what to do with Lot, who had also a lot of property, as written:

 

” וְאַבְרָם, כָּבֵד מְאֹד, בַּמִּקְנֶה, בַּכֶּסֶף וּבַזָּהָב.  וַיֵּלֶךְ, לְמַסָּעָיו, מִנֶּגֶב, וְעַד-בֵּית-אֵל–עַד-הַמָּקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר-הָיָה שָׁם אָהֳלֹה בַּתְּחִלָּה, בֵּין בֵּית-אֵל, וּבֵין הָעָי.  אֶל-מְקוֹם, הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה שָׁם, בָּרִאשֹׁנָה; וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם אַבְרָם, בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה.  וְגַם-לְלוֹט–הַהֹלֵךְ, אֶת-אַבְרָם:  הָיָה צֹאן-וּבָקָר, וְאֹהָלִים.  וְלֹא-נָשָׂא אֹתָם הָאָרֶץ, לָשֶׁבֶת יַחְדָּו:  כִּי-הָיָה רְכוּשָׁם רָב, וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לָשֶׁבֶת יַחְדָּו”

“Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD. Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.  But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together” (Genesis 13:2-6) Continue reading →

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Present and future in Hosea’s prophecy

The book of Hosea is the first time that we can see the beautiful metaphor of relationship between G-d and his people , as the love of a man to his wife. In the third chapter there is a description of two situations in this relationship: The first was in the days of the prophet, the days of treason, the days when the people of Israel looked for other gods and G-d; The second are the days in the future when there is going to be love in the air as written in Hosea 3:1-5-

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