Sefer Nechemia Ch.

8 - Spiritual Revival 
Source Sheet by ​Tavi Koslowe 
   
Nehemiah 8:1-3   ‫ג׳‬-‫א׳‬:‫נחמיה ח׳‬
(1) The entire people assembled as one man in the   ‫ל־ה ְרח֔וֹב‬
֣ ָ ‫ל־ה ָעם֙ ְכּ ִא֣ישׁ ֶא ָח֔ד ֶא‬ ָ ‫ֵאָספ֤וּ ָכ‬ ְ ‫)א( וַיּ‬
square before the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra  ְ ֹ‫ר־ה ָמּ֑יִם וַיּ‬
 ‫ֽאמרוּ֙ ְל ֶעְז ָר֣א‬ ַ ‫שׁ ַע‬ ַֽ ‫ִפנֵ֣י‬
ְ ‫שׁ֖ר ל‬
ֶ ‫ֲא‬
the scribe to bring the scroll of the Teaching of   ‫שׁ֔ה‬ֶ ֹ‫ס ֶפר֙ תּוֹ ַר֣ת מ‬ ֙ ֵ ‫ַהסֵֹּפ֔ר ְל ָה ִב֗יא ֶאת־‬
Moses with which the LORD had charged Israel. (2)  ִ ‫ִשׂ ָר ֵֽאל׃ )ב( וַיּ‬
 ‫ָב֣יא‬ ְ ‫שׁר־ ִצוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה ֶאת־י‬ ֶ ‫ֲא‬
On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest   ‫ִפנֵ֤י ַה ָקּ ָהל֙ ֵמ ִא֣ישׁ‬
ְ ‫ת־התּוֹ ָר֞ה ל‬ ַ ‫ֶעְז ָר֣א ַה֠כֹּ ֵהן ֶֽא‬
brought the Teaching before the congregation, men   ‫ִשׁמַֹ֑ע ְבּי֥וֹם ֶא ָח֖ד‬ְ ‫שּׁ֔ה וְכֹ֖ל ֵמ ִב֣ין ל‬ ָ ‫ד־א‬
ִ ‫וְ ַע‬
and women and all who could listen with   ‫ִפנֵ֨י ָה ְרח֜וֹב‬ְ ‫ִק ָרא־בוֹ֩ ל‬ ְ ‫יעי׃ )ג( וַיּ‬
ִֽ ‫שּׁ ִב‬ ְ ‫ַחֶֹדשׁ ַה‬
֥ ‫ל‬
understanding. (3) He read from it, facing the square   ֙‫ן־האוֹר‬ָ ‫ר־ה ַמּ֗יִם ִמ‬ ַ ‫שׁ ַע‬ ַֽ ‫ִפנֵ֣י‬
ְ ‫שׁ֣ר ׀ ל‬
ֶ ‫ֲא‬
before the Water Gate, from the first light until   ‫שׁ֖ים‬ ִ ָ‫שׁ֥ים וְ ַהנּ‬
ִ ָ‫ד־מ ֲח ִצ֣ית ַהיּ֔וֹם ֛נֶ ֶגד ָה ֲאנ‬
ַ ‫ַע‬
midday, to the men and the women and those who   ‫ל־ה ָע֖ם ֶאל־ ֵס֥ ֶפר ַהתּוֹ ָרה׃‬ ָ ‫וְ ַה ְמּ ִביִנ֑ים וְאְָזנֵ֥י ָכ‬
could understand; the ears of all the people were 
given to the scroll of the Teaching. 
 

 
 
 
What do you notice, in terms of the speaker, about the opening to this 8th chapter? 
It’s very abrupt. It seems to come out of nowhere. Also, it focuses on Ezra for some reason. 
What do you think is the significance of that? 
We can’t really say as of yet. We need more context, but perhaps he just wants the Israelites to 
learn a little Torah. Beit Midrash time! 
 
   
Nehemiah 8:4-8   ‫ח׳‬-‫ד׳‬:‫נחמיה ח׳‬
 (4) Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden tower made   ֮‫ל־מְגדַּל־ ֵעץ‬ ִ ‫ַעמֹ֞ד ֶעְז ָר֣א ַהסֹּפֵ֗ר ַֽע‬ ֲ ‫)ד( וַֽיּ‬
for the purpose, and beside him stood Mattithiah,   ‫שׁ֣ר ָעשׂ֣וּ ַל ָדּ ָבר֒ וַיַּֽ ֲעמֹ֣ד ֶא ְצל֡וֹ ַמ ִתּ ְתיָ֡ה‬ ֶ ‫ֲא‬
Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah at his   ‫שׂיָ֖ה‬ ֵ ‫וּמ ֲע‬ַ ‫שׁ ַ֡מע וַ ֲ֠ענָיָה וְאוּ ִריָּ֧ה וְ ִח ְל ִקיָּ֛ה‬ ֶ ְ‫ו‬
right, and at his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah,   ‫ישׁ ֵא֧ל‬ָ ‫וּמ‬ ִֽ ‫פּ ָדיָה‬ ֠ ְ ‫שּׂמֹאל֗וֹ‬ ְ ‫וּמ‬ִ ‫ְמינ֑וֹ‬ ִ ‫ַעל־י‬
Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam. (5)   ‫שׁ ָֽלּם׃‬ ֻ ‫דּנָה ְז ַכ ְריָ֥ה ְמ‬ ֖ ָ ‫שׁ ַבּ‬
ְ ‫שׁ֥ם וְ ַח‬ֻ ‫וּמ ְל ִכּיָּ֛ה וְ ָח‬ ַ
Ezra opened the scroll in the sight of all the people,   ‫סּ ֶפר֙ ְל ֵעינֵ֣י‬
֙ ֵ ‫ִפ ַתּ֨ח ֶעְז ָר֤א ַה‬ ְ ‫)פ( )ה( וַיּ‬
for he was above all the people; as he opened it, all   ‫ל־ה ָע֖ם ָהיָ֑ה וּ ְכ ִפ ְתח֖וֹ‬ ָ ‫י־מ ַע֥ל ָכּ‬ ֵ ‫ל־ה ָע֔ם ִֽכּ‬ ָ ‫ָכ‬
the people stood up. (6) Ezra blessed the LORD, the   ‫ל־ה ָֽעם׃ )ו( וַיְ ָב֣ ֶר ְך ֶעְז ָר֔א ֶאת־יְהוָ֥ה‬ ָ ‫ָֽע ְמד֥וּ ָכ‬
great God, and all the people answered, “Amen,   ‫אָמ ֙ן‬
ֵ ‫אָמ֤ן ׀‬ ֵ ‫ל־ה ָע֜ם‬ ָ ‫ָה ֱאלִֹה֖ים ַה ָגּד֑וֹל וַיַּֽ ֲענ֨וּ ָכ‬
Amen,” with hands upraised. Then they bowed their   ‫אַפּיִם‬
֥ ַ ‫ִשׁ ַתּ ֲח ֛וֻּ לַיהוָ֖ה‬ ְ ‫ִקּד֧וּ וַיּ‬ ֶ ‫ְבּמַֹ֣על יְד‬
ְ ‫ֵיה֔ם וַיּ‬
heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD   ‫ָמ֡ין‬
ִ ‫שׁ ֵר ְ֥ביָ֣ה ׀ י‬ ֵ ְ‫֡וּע וּ ָבִנ֡י ו‬
ַ ‫ֽאָ ְר ָצה׃ )ז( וְיֵשׁ‬
with their faces to the ground. (7) Jeshua, Bani,   ‫ִיט֣א‬
ָ ‫שׂיָ֡ה ְקל‬ ֵ ‫שׁ ְבּ ַת֣י ׀ ֽהוֹ ִדיָּ֡ה ַמ ֲע‬ ַ ‫ַעקּ֡וּב‬
Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah,   ‫ֲעַז ְריָה֩ יוֹ ָז ָב֨ד ָחנָ֤ן ְפּ ָלאיָה֙ וְ ַה ְלוִיִּ֔ם ְמ ִביִנ֥ים‬
Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah,   (‫ת־ה ָע֖ם לַתּוֹ ָר֑ה וְ ָה ָע֖ם ַעל־ ָע ְמ ָֽדם׃ )ח‬ ָ ‫ֶא‬
ֹ ֹ
 ‫סּ ֶפר ְבּתוֹ ַר֥ת ָה ֱאל ִה֖ים ְמפ ָר֑שׁ‬ ֛ ֵ ‫ִק ְרא֥וּ ַב‬
and the Levites explained the Teaching to the people,  ְ ‫וַֽיּ‬
while the people stood in their places. (8) They read   (‫ָב֖ינוּ ַבּ ִמּק ָרא׃ )ס‬ ִ ‫שׂ ֶכל וַיּ‬֔ ֶ ‫וְשׂ֣וֹם‬
from the scroll of the Teaching of God, translating it 
and giving the sense; so they understood the reading. 
 

 
 
 
Why do you think there is such an emphasis on who attended and the many ways that the Torah 
was explained to them? 
It’s because credit should be given to those who showed up: Ezra. Also, the Tanakh usually 
exaggerates things to make them seem more exciting.  
   
Nehemiah 8:9-12   ‫י״ב‬-‫ט׳‬:‫נחמיה ח׳‬
(9) Nehemiah the Tirshatha, Ezra the priest and   ‫֡תא וְ ֶעְז ָר֣א‬ ָ‫שׁ‬ ָ ‫֣אמר ְנ ֶח ְמיָ֣ה ה֣וּא ַה ִתּ ְר‬ ֶ ֹ‫)ט( וַיּ‬
scribe, and the Levites who were explaining to the  ָ ‫ַהכֹּ ֵה֣ן ׀ ַהסֵֹּפ֡ר וְ ַה ְלוִיִּם֩ ַה ְמּ ִביִנ֨ים ֶא‬
 ‫ת־ה ָע֜ם‬
people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the   ‫ֽשׁ־הוּא֙ לַיהוָ֣ה‬ ֹ‫ל־ה ָע֗ם ַהיּ֤וֹם ָקד‬ ָ ‫ְל ָכ‬
LORD your God: you must not mourn or weep,” for   ֙‫אַל־תּ ְבכּ֑וּ ִכּ֤י בוֹכִים‬ ִ ְ‫אַבּל֖וּ ו‬ְ ‫אַל־תּ ְת‬ִֽ ‫ֱאלֹ ֵהי ֶכ֔ם‬
all the people were weeping as they listened to the   (‫ִב ֵר֥י ַהתּוֹ ָֽרה׃ )י‬ ְ ‫שׁ ְמ ָע֖ם ֶאת־דּ‬ ָ ‫ל־ה ָע֔ם ְכּ‬
ָ ‫ָכּ‬
words of the Teaching. (10) He further said to them,   ‫וּשׁת֣וּ‬ ְ ‫שׁ ַמִנּ֜ים‬ ְ ‫֣אמר ָל ֶה֡ם ְלכוּ֩ ִא ְכל֨וּ ַמ‬ ֶ ֹ‫וַיּ‬
“Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks and   ‫שׁ ְלח֤וּ ָמנוֹת֙ ְל ֵא֣ין נָכ֣וֹן ל֔וֹ‬ ִ ְ‫ַֽמ ְמ ַת ִקּ֗ים ו‬
send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for   ‫אַל־תּ֣ ָע ֵצ֔בוּ‬
ֵ ְ‫ַאדֹנֵ֑ינוּ ו‬
ֲ ‫י־קד֥וֹשׁ ַהיּ֖וֹם ל‬ ָ ‫ִֽכּ‬
the day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for your   ‫י־ח ְדוַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה ִה֥יא ָֽמ ֻע ְזּ ֶֽכם׃ )יא( וְ ַה ְלוִיִּ֞ם‬ ֶ ‫ִֽכּ‬
rejoicing in the LORD is the source of your   ‫ל־ה ָעם֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר ַה֔סּוּ ִכּ֥י ַהיּ֖וֹם‬ ָ ‫שׁ֤ים ְל ָכ‬ ִ ‫ַמ ְח‬
strength.” (11) The Levites were quieting the people,  ָ ‫אַל־תּ ָע ֵֽצבוּ׃ )יב( וַיְֵּלכ֨וּ ָכ‬
 ‫ל־ה ָע֜ם‬ ֵ ְ‫ָקדֹ֑שׁ ו‬
saying, “Hush, for the day is holy; do not be sad.”   ‫ַעשׂ֖וֹת‬ ֲ ‫שׁ ַלּ֣ח ָמנ֔וֹת וְל‬ ַ ‫ִשׁתּוֹת֙ וּ ְל‬ ְ ‫ֶל ֱאכֹ֤ל וְל‬
(12) Then all the people went to eat and drink and   ‫שׁ֥ר‬ ֶ ‫שׂ ְמ ָח֣ה ְגדוֹ ָל֑ה ִכּ֤י ֵה ִב֙ינוּ֙ ַבּ ְדּ ָב ִר֔ים ֲא‬ ִ
send portions and make great merriment, for they   (‫הוֹ ִד֖יעוּ ָל ֶהם׃ )ס‬
understood the things they were told. 
 

 
 
 
Why do you think the people felt so sad at this event? 
They finally had something to follow and were upset they hadn’t considered the joy Judaism 
would bring them before. They’re both tears of joy and sadness.  
What differences do you notice between the three illustrations above of this scene? 
In the third one, Nechemia is up on the altar with everyone else who was leading the Torah 
learning. In the first one, the people of Jerusalem are not bowing as much as it suggests in the 
text and certainly not as much as in the other two illustrations. In the second illustration, we 
don’t get to see the Israelites’ faces and thus their weeping, a key component of these verses. 
Also what’s interesting is that in the second illustration Ezra is all alone on the podium, the star 
of the show, and yet Nechemia’s wall line the backdrop of the drawing.  
   
Nehemiah 8:13-16   ‫ט״ז‬-‫י״ג‬:‫נחמיה ח׳‬
(13) On the second day, the heads of the clans of all   ‫אשׁ֨י ָהאָב֜וֹת‬ ֵ ‫שִּׁנ֡י נֶ ֶא ְספוּ֩ ָר‬ ֵ ‫וּביּ֣וֹם ַה‬ ַ (‫)יג‬
the people and the priests and Levites gathered to   ‫ֽהנִים֙ וְ ַה ְלוִיִּ֔ם ֶאל־ ֶעְז ָר֖א‬ ֲֹ‫ל־ה ָע֗ם ַהכּ‬ ָ ‫ְל ָכ‬
Ezra the scribe to study the words of the Teaching.   (‫ִב ֵר֥י ַהתּוֹ ָֽרה׃ )יד‬ ְ ‫שׂ ִכּ֖יל ֶאל־דּ‬ ְ ‫ַהסֵֹּפ֑ר וּ ְל ַה‬
(14) They found written in the Teaching that the   ֙‫שׁ֨ר ִצוָּ֤ה יְהוָה‬ ֶ ‫ִמ ְצא֖וּ ָכּת֣וּב ַבּתּוֹ ָר֑ה ֲא‬ ְ ‫וַֽיּ‬
LORD had commanded Moses that the Israelites  ְ ‫ֵשׁב֨וּ ְבנֵֽי־י‬
 ‫ִשׂ ָר ֵא֧ל‬ ְ ‫שׁר֩ י‬ ֶ ‫שׁ֔ה ֲא‬ ֶ ֹ‫ְבּיַד־מ‬
must dwell in booths during the festival of the   ‫שׁ֣ר‬
ֶ ‫ַא‬ ֲ ‫יעי׃ )טו( ו‬ ְ ‫חֶֹדשׁ ַה‬
ִֽ ‫שּׁ ִב‬ ֥ ‫ַבּ ֻסּכּ֛וֹת ֶבּ ָח֖ג ַבּ‬
seventh month, (15) and that they must announce   ֮‫ֵיהם‬
ֶ ‫ַע ִב֨ירוּ ק֥וֹל ְבּ ָכל־ ָער‬ ֲ ‫ַשׁ ִמ֗יעוּ וְי‬ ְ‫י‬
and proclaim throughout all their towns and   ֙‫ירוּשׁ ַלִ֣ם לֵאמֹר֒ ְצא֣וּ ָה ָה֗ר וְ ָה ִב֙יאוּ‬ ָ ‫וּב‬ ִ
Jerusalem as follows, “Go out to the mountains and   ‫ַע ֵל֣י‬
ֲ ‫ַע ֵל֤י ֲה ַדס֙ ו‬
ֲ ‫שׁ ֶ֔מן ו‬
ֶ ‫ַעלֵי־ ֵע֣ץ‬ ֲ ‫ֲעלֵי־ַ ֙זיִת֙ ו‬
bring leafy branches of olive trees, pine trees,   ‫ַעשׂ֥ת ֻסכֹּ֖ת‬ ֹ ֲ ‫ַע ֵל֖י ֵע֣ץ ָעבֹ֑ת ל‬ ֲ ‫ְת ָמ ִר֔ים ו‬
myrtles, palms and [other] leafy trees to make   ֒‫ָביאוּ‬ ִ ‫תוּב׃ )פ( )טז( וַיְֵּצא֣וּ ָה ָעם֮ וַיּ‬ ֽ ‫ַכּ ָכּ‬
booths, as it is written.” (16) So the people went out   ‫ַעשׂוּ֩ ָל ֶה֨ם ֻסכּ֜וֹת ִא֤ישׁ ַעל־גַּגּ ֙וֹ‬ ֲ ‫וַיּ‬
and brought them, and made themselves booths on  ֹ
 ‫וּב ַח ְצר֖וֹת ֵבּ֣ית ָה ֱאל ִה֑ים‬ ְ ‫יה֔ם‬ֶ ‫֣ת‬ ֵ ֹ‫וּב ַח ְצר‬
ְ
their roofs, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of   ‫שׁ ַ֥ער‬ַ ‫וּב ְרח֖וֹב‬ ִ ‫מּיִם‬ ֔ ַ ‫שׁ ַ֣ער ַה‬ַ ֙‫וּב ְרחוֹב‬ ִ
the House of God, in the square of the Water Gate   ‫ֶא ְפ ָריִם׃‬
and in the square of the Ephraim Gate. 
 

 
 
 
What, do you think, is the significance of the description of their observance of Sukkot? 
The Israelites have rediscovered a less well-known Jewish celebration. There is something 
special about this observation of Sukkot this year compared to others. The phrase “they found” 
is really powerful. 
 
Source Sheet created on Sefaria by T ​ avi Koslowe