Chagai

THE BOOK OF CHAGAI

Introduction:

The last three prophets whose prophecies are brought in Trei Asar prophesied in the time of the Second Temple, and their prophecies relate, accordingly to the situation at that time – the people of Israel trying to rebuild the Temple and resettle the land.

Chagai (a shortened form of Chagayah, a common name at the time) prophesied at the same time as Zecharyah. Chagai’s father’s name is not known, nor where he came from. Chagai is mentioned is the book of Ezra as well (See Ezra 5:1, 6:14), as a prophet who encouraged the people.

In reading these prophecies it is necessary to try and envision the situation of the people who returned to the Land of Israel: Coresh had indeed decreed that the Jews were to be allowed to return to the Land of Israel and to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. But once the few returnees arrived, they encountered difficulty after difficulty. There was no king, the building of the Temple stopped after a short while, and it was a far cry from the prosperity, joy and rapture envisioned by the prophets. The leaders who sought to change this had to overcome the great feelings of disappointment, and encourage the people to persevere and continue struggling. Chagai was one of the people who took part in awakening the people and urging them to build the Temple, the one part of the redemption that they could contribute to. (Da’at Mikra)

As background for Chagai, the students can read the book of Ezra, chapters 1, 3-6, and summarize the events described there.

A contemporary parallel to the times of Chagai, can be found in the Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik’s קול דודי דופק, in the section on “Six knocks”, in English translation in the book Theological and Halachic Reflections on the Holocaust (Ktav Publishers), p. 68. ( Note , this essay was just published by itself in a book by Ktav. )

Chapter 1

Verse 1:

בשנת שתיים לדרייווש המלך בחודש השישי ביום אחד לחודש היה דבר ה' ביד חגי הנביא אל זרובבל בן שאלתיאל פחת יהודה ואל יהושע בן יהוצדק הכהן הגדול לאמור

בשנת שתיים לדרייווש המלך

Darius was the son of Esther and Achashverosh. Eighteen years had elapsed since the rescinding of original decree of Coresh to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Chagai was told to urge the people to continue building the Temple, and that the king would not stop them from doing so. (Rashi)

בחודש השישי

The sixth month is the month of Elul. (Mahari Kra)

פחת יהודה

The rulers of the returnees during the Second Temple period were not kings but pachot – governors, since there was no independent Jewish state. Besides, many of the rulers were not from the tribe of Yehudah. (Radak)

יהושע בן יהוצדק הכהן הגדול

Yehotzadak was the father of both Yehoshua and Ezra. While Yehoshua came with Zerubavel, to try and rebuild the Temple, Ezra came only after the full 70 years had elapsed since the actual destruction of the Temple (See Ezra, chapter 7). (Radak)

Verse 2:

כה אמר ה' צבקות לאמור העם הזה אמרו לא עת בוא עת בית ה' להיבנות

העם הזה אמרו לא עת בוא עת בית ה' להיבנות

The people felt that the time had not yet come for the rebuilding of the Temple. Hashem is telling them that the time has indeed come. (Metzudat David)

Verse 3:

ויהי דבר ה' ביד חגי הנביא לאמור

ויהי דבר ה'...

The prophecy in verse 2 was meant for the leaders. The following prophecy was for the people. (Radak)

Verse 4:

העת לכם אתם לשבת בבתיכם ספונים והבית הזה חרב

העת לכם אתם לשבת בבתיכם...

1. This is a rhetorical question: Is this the time for the people to be sitting comfortably in their own homes, while the Temple remains desolate? (Metzudat David)

2. The people should be ashamed at the situation. (Radak)

Verse 5:

ועתה כה אמר ה' צבקות שימו לבבכם על דרכיכם

שימו לבבכם על דרכיכם

The people should examine their ways and see that this is not a time for sitting comfortably at home. (Metzudat David)

Verse 6:

זרעתם הרבה והבא מעט אכול ואין לשבעה שתו ואין לשכרה לבוש ואין לחום לו והמשתכר משתכר אל צרור נקוב

זרעתם הרבה והבא מעט

1. The people harvest much less food than the seeds they originally planted. (Metzudat David)

2. The failure of the crops is a punishment for not bringing the first fruits to the Temple. (Rashi)

אכול ואין לשבעה

1. It is as if their stomachs are cursed, and they are not satisfied with the food they eat. (Metzudat David)

2. The lack of sawith the food is a punishment for not bringing the meal-offerings to the Temple. (Rashi)

שתו ואין לשכרה

1. There is no point in getting drunk on wine, for it has lost its taste. (Metzudat David)

2. The lack of pleasure from the wine is a punishment measure for measure for not doing the wine libations in the Temple. (Rashi)

לבוש ואין לחום לו

The fact that the clothes do not provide warmth is a punishment measure for measure for not having made the clothes of the Kohen Gadol. (Rashi)

והמשתכר משתכר אל צרור נקוב

Businesses do not make profits. Putting money into a business is like putting money into a pocket full of holes. (Metzudat David)

Verse 7:

כה אמר ה' צבקות שימו לבבכם על דרכיכם

שימו לבבכם על דרכיכם

The people should examine their ways, in order to change them. (Metzudat David)

Verse 8:

עלו ההר והבאתם עץ ובנו הבית וארצה בו ואכבד (כתיב) /ואכבדה (קרי) אמר ה'

עלו ההר והבאתם עץ ובנו הבית

The people should climb the mountains and get wood with which to build the Temple. (Metzudat David)

וארצה בו ואכבדה אמר ה'

1. Although this Temple will be small, Hashem will be satisfied with it, and will be honored by it. (Metzudat David)

2. The word אכבד is missing a Heh. This signifies the five things that existed in the First Temple, but were missing from the Second Temple: The Holy Ark, the Urim V’Tumim, the Divine fire, the Shechinah (Divine Presence), and Ru’ach Hakodesh (prophecy; it stopped in the fourth year of Darius – see Yoma 21b, and Rashi there). (Rashi)

The students should draw the five things. This exercise should help them to remember this information.

Verse 9:

פנה אל הרבה והנה למעט והבאתם הבית ונפחתי בו יען מה נאום ה' צבקות יען ביתי אשר הוא חרב ואתם רצים איש לביתו

פנה אל הרבה והנה למעט

At present the people anticipate much, and receive very little. If they build the Temple, the curse will be lifted from them. (Radak)

והבאתם הבית ונפחתי בו

When they will bring the produce to the house, a slight breath of wind from Hashem will be enough to make it all disappear. This imagery shows the futility of their efforts. (Metzudat David)

יען מה

And if you may ask, What is the cause of all of this? (Metzudat David)

יען ביתי אשר הוא חרב ואתם רצים איש לביתו

The reason is that the people run to their homes, ignoring the desolation of Hashem’s “home”. (Metzudat David)

Verse 10:

על כן עליכם כלאו שמים מטל והארץ כלאה יבולה

על כן עליכם כלאו שמים מטל...

It was only in Israel there was no dew, and the earth did not produce fruits; in other lands, there was dew. (Metzudat David)

Verse 11:

ואקרא חורב על הארץ ועל ההרים ועל הדגן ועל התירוש ועל היצהר ועל אשר תוציא האדמה ועל האדם ועל הבהמה ועל כל יגיע כפיים

ואקרא חורב על הארץ ועל ההרים

The dryness was decreed on all the fields, and on the hills, where fruits and grasses grow. (Radak)

ועל הדגן ועל התירוש ועל היצהר ועל אשר תוציא האדמה

The verse spells out the three staples – grain, wine and oil – and then adds that everything will be affected. (Radak)

ועל האדם ועל הבהמה

The dry air will cause disease among the people and the animals. (Radak)

ועל כל יגיע כפיים

1. Those who try and draw water from the wells will not be successful (Ibn Ezra, Radak)

2. All types of endeavors will be unsuccessful. (Metzudat David)

The students should note the ambiguity in this last phrase – it is not clear what it adds to what was said before. The students should note that the Ibn Ezra sees it as continuing the discussion of food and drink being affected. The students should pay attention to the parallel that the Metzudat David sees between this verse and verse 6.

Verse 12:

וישמע זרובבל בן שלתיאל ויהושע בן יהוצדק הכהן הגדול וכל שארית העם בקול ה' אלוקיהם ועל דברי חגי הנביא כאשר שלחו ה' אלוקיהם וייראו העם מפני ה'

בקול ה' אלוקיהם...

Even if Chagai had not come with this prophecy, the people should have come to this conclusion themselves, for when troubles come up, one is obligated to look into one’s actions and see what needs improvement. (Radak)

Verse 13:

ויאמר חגי מלאך ה' במלאכות ה' לעם לאמור אני אתכם נאום ה'

ויאמר חגי מלאך ה' במלאכות ה'

Chagai was the messenger of Hashem, sent on a mission to the people. (Metzudat David)

אני אתכם נאום ה'

Since the people were still afraid to build without the explicit permission of the king, Hashem had to reassure them that He would be with them. (Metzudat David)

Verse 14:

ויער ה' את רוח זרובבל בן שלתיאל פחת יהודה ואת רוח יהושע בן יהוצדק הכהן הגדול ואת רוח כל שארית העם ויבואו ויעשו מלאכה בבית ה' צבקות אלוקיהם

ויער ה' רוח זרובבל

1. Hashem aroused within Zerubavel a spirit, to begin rebuilding the Temple. (Metzudat David)

2. Since there were so many factors preventing both the leaders and the people from building, they all needed a special strengthening of spirit. (Radak)

Verse 15:

ביום עשרים וארבעה לחודש בשישי בשנת שתיים לדרייווש המלך

ביום עשרים וארבעה לחודש בשישי

They began collecting the materials on the 24^th day of the sixth month. The actual building did not begin until the 24^th day of the ninth month, as mentioned in chapter 2, verse 18. (Metzudat David)

Chapter 2

Verses 1-2

בשביעי בעשרים ואחד לחודש היה דבר ה' ביד חגי הנביא לאמור

אמור נא אל זרובבל בן שלתיאל פחת יהודה ואל יהושע בן יהוצדק הכהן הגדול ואל שארית העם לאמור

אמור נא אל זרובבל... ואל יהושע... ואל שארית העם

The order of speech should be first to the king, who deserves the most honor, and then to the priest or prophet. (Ibn Ezra)

Verse 3:

מי בכם הנשאר אשר ראה את הבית הזה בכבודו הראשון ומה אתם רואים אותו עתה הלוא כמוהו כאין בעיניכם

מי בכם הנשאר אשר ראה את הבית הזה בכבודו הראשון

Those among you who are old enough to have been among the people exiled after the destruction of the First Temple (and who therefore had seen the First Temple in all its glory). (Metzudat David)

ומה אתם רואים אותו עתה הלוא כמוהו כאין בעיניכם

Compared with the First Temple, which was built with the wealth of Shlomo Hamelech, this Second Temple is like nothing in your eyes. (Metzudat David)

The students can be referred to the section in Ezra 3:12-13, which describes how the people who had seen the First Temple cried when they saw the roughness and simplicity of the Second Temple.

Verse 4:

ועתה חזק זרובבל נאום ה' וחזק יהושע בן יהוצדק הכהן הגדול וחזק כל עם הארץ נאום ה' ועשו כי אני אתכם נאום ה' צבקות

ועתה חזק... כי אני אתכם נאום ה' צבקות

Although the Second Temple cannot compare to the First, the people should not be dissuaded from working to build it. Hashem promises that He will bestow His blessing on them, through the Temple that they will build. (Metzudat David)

Verse 5:

את הדבר אשר כרתי אתכם בצאתכם ממצרים ורוחי עומדת בתוככם אל תיראו

את הדבר אשר כרתי אתכם בצאתכם ממצרים

This connects to the word ועשו in the previous verse – “Do the things about which I made a covenant with you”. The Jews should adhere to the Torah and mitzvot, as they were commanded when they left Egypt. (Metzudat David)

ורוחי עומדת בתוככם אל תיראו

1. Ru’ach Hakodesh (prophecy) is still present in the people, so they should not be concerned. (Metzudat David)

2.* The presence of Ru’ach Hakodesh is dependent on the people keeping Torah and mitzvot. Since the people were lax in that area, Ru’ach Hakodesh was removed from them after the times of Zecharyah and Malachi. (Radak)

Verse 6:

כי כה אמר ה' צבקות עוד אחת מעט היא ואני מרעיש את השמיים ואת הארץ ואת הים ואת החרבה

כי כה אמר ה' צבקות עוד אחת מעט היא

At the completion of Persia’s rule, another nation (Yavan – Greece) will rule the Land of Israel, but only for a short time. (Rashi)

ואני מרעיש את השמיים ואת הארץ

1. Miracles will happen to the Hasmoneans. (Rashi)

2. The nations will recognize the presence of Hashem in the Temple, and will bring gifts of gold and silver to it. (Rashi)

Verse 7:

והרעשתי את כל הגויים ובאו חמדת כל הגויים ומילאתי את הבית הזה כבוד אמר ה' צבקות

והרעשתי את כל הגויים ובאו חמדת כל הגויים

1. The nations of the world will be so moved, they will come to see the glory of the Temple, and will bring their precious possessions with them. (Radak)

2. This prophecy refers to the campaign of Alexander the Great against Jerusalem. He gathered all his troops to conquer the most precious land on earth. Before the battle he had a dream in which Yehoshua, the Kohen Gadol, to him and dissuaded him from carrying out his plan. The next day, as he approached Jerusalem, he met the Kohen Gadol, who had gone out to greet him, and recognized him from the dream. Alexander then got down from his chariot and bowed down to Yehoshua. Alexander then agreed to let the Temple stand, if a statue of himself were erected there. Yehoshua then replied, “Take the gold and silver that you would have put into that statue, and give it to the poor.” And that year all the boys born were named Alexander in his honor. (Mahari Kra, based on Sefer Yosippon)

The students should differentiate between the two different understandings of the phrase חמדת כל הגויים – the precious possessions of the nations, or the Land of Israel.

3.* This verse, and the following verses are referring to the future redemption, and not to the Second Temple period. (Metzudat David)

Verse 8:

לי הכסף ולי הזהב נאום ה' צבקות

לי הכסף ולי הזהב...

All material wealth ultimately belongs to Hashem; He can therefore take it from one person and give it to another. He will inspire the nations of the world to bring their material wealth to the Temple. (Radak)

Verse 9:

גדול יהיה כבוד הבית הזה האחרון מן הראשון אמר ה' צבקות ובמקום הזה אתן שלום נאום ה' צבקות

גדול יהיה כבוד הבית הזה האחרון מן הראשון

1. There are two ways to understand this statement, that the Second Temple will be greater than the First: a) that physically the Temple was more beautiful. According to Josephus the Temple built by Herod was the most beautiful building ever; b) that the Second Temple stood for longer than the First – 420 years, as opposed to 410. (Radak)

2. The Third Temple will be greater than the First. (Metzudat David)

The students should note how each commentator understands the word אחרון.

ובמקום הזה אתן שלום נאום ה' צבקות

Although there were wars during the Second Temple period, it was a relatively quiet time. (Radak)

Verse 10:

בעשרים וארבעה לתשיעי בשנת שתיים לדרייווש היה דבר ה' ביד חגי הנביא לאמור

בעשרים וארבעה לתשיעי

The ninth month is the month of Tevet. (Metzudat David)

Verse 11:

כה אמר ה' צבקות שאל נא את הכהנים תורה לאמור

שאל נא את הכהנים תורה לאמור

Hashem instructed Chagai to ask the priests questions concerning the Temple service, to see whether they still remembered the laws connected with the Temple, after all those years of exile. (Metzudat David)

Verse 12:

הן יישא איש בשר קודש בכנף בגדו ונגע בכנפו אל הלחם ואל הנזיד ואל היין ואל שמן ואל כל מאכל היקדש ויענו הכהנים ויאמרו לא

הן ישא איש בשר קודש בכנף בגדו...

The questions concerned the laws of purity and impurity. (Radak)

הן ישא איש בשר קודש בכנף בגדו ונגע בכנפו אל הלחם... היקדש

Chagai was asking the priests whether there is a revi’i letum’a – whether a food distanced from impurity by four intermediaries becomes impure. The example given involves a dead animal – which is the av hatum’a – the source of the impurity – touching the coat of the person. The coat then becomes rishon letum’a. The coat touches bread – the sheni letum’a; the bread touches a pot – the shlishi letum’a. The pot then touches wine, oil or other food, which would become revi’i letum’a. (Metzudat David)

To assist the students, the teacher can draw the sequence on the board, or demonstrate the situation with real objects.

ויענו הכהנים ויאמרו לא

The priests answered that the wine, oil or other food do not become impure, but their answer was incorrect; for with materials used in the Temple there is a concept of revi’i letum’a. (Metzudat David)

Verse 13:

ויאמר חגי אם ייגע טמא נפש בכל אלה היטמא ויענו הכהנים ויאמרו יטמא

אם יגע טמא נפש בכל אלה היטמא

Chagai then went on to see whether they knew the laws of shlishi letum’a. He presented them with a different situation: that of a dead body of a person (which is avi avot hatum’a – a higher level of impurity than that of an animal) touching the coat (which becomes av hatum’a). The coat then touches bread, making it rishon letum’a, the bread touches the pot of food, making it sheni letum’a, and then wine touches the pot of food and becomes shlishi letum’a. (Metzudat David)

ויאמרו יטמא

They answered correctly, that the wine or other food would become impure.

Verse 14:

ויען חגי ויאמר כן העם הזה וכן הגוי הזה לפני נאום ה' וכן כל מעשה ידיהם ואשר יקריבו שם טמא הוא

ויען חגי ויאמר כן העם הזה וכן הגוי הזה... וכן כל מעשה ידיהם

Chagai then berated the priests that they do not know the laws, and just as they made a mistake in this area, they make many more mistakes in other areas of Torah law. (Metzudat David)

ואשר יקריבו שם טמא הוא

Therefore, all the sacrifices they offer are to be considered impure, since they do not know the laws well. (Metzudat David)

Verse 15:

ועתה שימו נא לבבכם מן היום הזה ומעלה מטרם שום אבן אל אבן בהיכל ה'

ועתה שימו נא לבבכם... מטרם שום אבן אל אבן בהיכל ה'

Now, before they continue to build on the foundations laid in the times of Coresh, they should learn the laws that apply to the priests. (Rashi)

Verse 16:

מהיותם בא אל ערמת עשרים והיתה עשרה בא אל היקב לחשוף חמישים פורה והיתה עשרים

מהיותם בא אל ערמת עשרים והיתה עשרה

Until now it was clearly recognizable that Hashem had cursed their produce. When they anticipated finding twenty parts of some grain, they would only find ten. (Radak)

בא אל היקב לחשוף חמישים פורה והיתה עשרים

When they anticipated having fifty measures from a vat of wine, they would only find twenty. (Metzudat David)

Verse 17:

הכיתי אתכם בשדפון ובירקון ובברד את כל מעשה ידיכם ואין אתכם אלי נאום ה'

הכיתי אתכם בשדפון ובירקון ובברד...

1. Although their produce was struck by many different plagues, the people still did not return to Hashem.

2. The reason Hashem sent all the plagues was because they performed the mitzvot without the proper intention and spirit. (Malbim)

The teacher should write on the board the phrases of the Malbim:

מעשה בלא כוונה, גוף בלא נשמה, מקדש אבנים בלא לבבות. The students should discuss the meaning and nuances of each phrase, and relate them to their own performance of mitzvot.

Verse 18:

שימו נא לבבכם מן היום הזה ומעלה מיום עשרים וארבעה לתשיעי למן היום אשר יוסד היכל ה' שימו לבבכם

למן היום אשר יוסד היכל ה' שימו לבבכם

The people should note carefully the changes that will occur once the building of the Temple is resumed. (Metzudat David)

Verse 19:

העוד הזרע במגורה ועד הגפן והתאנה והרימון ועץ הזית לא נשא מן היום הזה אברך

העוד הזרע במגורה ועד הגפן והתאנה... מן היום הזה אברך

There are no more seeds in the storehouses, but once they begin building the Temple, their produce will be blessed. (Metzudat David)

Verse 20:

ויהי דבר ה' שנית אל חגי בעשרים וארבעה לחודש לאמור

ויהי דבר ה' שנית אל חגי

On the same day he received a second prophecy (see verse 10). (Metzudat David)

Verse 21:

אמור אל זרובבל פחת יהודה לאמור אני מרעיש את השמים ואת הארץ

אני מרעיש את השמים ואת הארץ

1. This is a reference to the wars that will plague Persia. These wars will not harm Zerubavel – he will emerge from them greater than before (see verse 23). (Radak)

2. This might be referring to the turnover from Persian to Greek rule. Chazal note the different rulers during the Second Temple period: Persia ruled for 34 years, Greece – 180 years, the Hasmoneans – 103 years, and Herod’s dynasty – also 103 years. (Radak)

Verse 22:

והפכתי כיסא ממלכות והשמדתי חוזק ממלכות הגויים והפכתי מרכבה ורוכביה וירדו סוסים ורוכביהם איש בחרב אחיו

והפכתי כיסא ממלכות והשמדתי חוזק ממלכות הגויים

Persia, the ruler at that time, would be destroyed. (Rashi)

Verse 23:

ביום ההוא נאום ה' צבקות אקחך זרובבל בן שאלתיאל עבדי נאום ה' ושמתיך כחותם כי בך בחרתי נאום ה' צבקות

אקחך זרובבל בן שאלתיאל עבדי... ושמתיך כחותם

Zerubavel, the governer of Yehudah, will be raised to an even higher position. He will be surrounded by constant Divine Providence, like a ring that one wears constantly. (Radak)

Zerubavel was the descendant of Yechonyah, the king of Yehudah. Yechonyah was originally supposed to die childless because of his evil ways (see Yirmiyahu 22:30). But he did teshuva when he was in prison in Babylonia, and merited having a descendant who would rule over Israel. From this we learn that גדולה תשובה שמקרעת גזר דין – teshuva has the power to change a decree that has been made against a person. See Rambam, Hilchot Teshuva, 7:6. (Radak)