Chapter 3 in the Book of Zecharya presents a complete prophetic vision: the prophet sees Yehoshua the Kohen Gadol standing in judgment before the angel of Hashem, with the Satan standing by to accuse him. From this vision unfolds a wide canvas: an accusation against the Kohen Gadol and his sons, salvation from the fiery furnace, the removal of the filthy garments and dressing in festive robes, a promise regarding the future of the priesthood and the coming of "My servant the Tzemach" (the sprout), and finally a vision of the cornerstone and the seven eyes. We will follow the sequence of the verses, primarily following the Malbim, alongside the words of Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and Abarbanel.
The Vision: Yehoshua Stands in Judgment with the Satan at His Right
וַיַּרְאֵנִי אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל עֹמֵד לִפְנֵי מַלְאַךְ ה' וְהַשָּׂטָן עֹמֵד עַל־יְמִינוֹ לְשִׂטְנוֹ׃ - "And he showed me Yehoshua the Kohen Gadol standing before the angel of Hashem, and the Satan was standing at his right hand to accuse him."
"And he showed me" - Ibn Ezra writes: in the manner of night visions. This refers to a prophetic vision. The prophet sees Yehoshua the Kohen Gadol standing before the angel of Hashem, and opposite him sees that there is an accusation against him: the Satan is standing at his right hand to accuse him.
Who is this Satan? Our Sages expounded - and we will elaborate later - that Yehoshua's sons were married to foreign women, and this was the blemish because of which he was accused. Ibn Ezra explains according to the plain sense of the verse (peshat) that "satan" here means an adversary and harasser, as in "And Hashem raised up an adversary (satan) against Shlomo, Hadad." That is to say: the enemies who obstructed the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash. For if the Temple were built, Yehoshua would serve in it as Kohen Gadol, and those who opposed this were Sanballat and the adversaries of Yehudah, who wrote letters of accusation and delayed the construction. According to peshat, "the Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him" refers to Sanballat and his associates, who prevented the rebuilding of the Temple.
The Malbim explains that the prophet sees in prophecy Yehoshua standing trial for his actions, with the accuser standing at his right hand. This is puzzling: after all, the defense advocate stands at the right, whereas the Satan, the force of strict judgment and ritual impurity, belongs to the left. How did the Satan move to the right side? The Malbim offers a wonderful explanation: the defendant stands in judgment facing the judge, face-to-face. The prosecutor stands to the judge's left, and since the defendant is standing opposite him, the judge's left is the defendant's right. Therefore, it is precise to say "and the Satan was standing at his right hand to accuse him" - at the right hand of Yehoshua, who was standing on trial.
And what was the trial about? The Malbim explains that there were two matters here. The first judgment was regarding himself: there was an accusation against him at the time he was cast into the fiery furnace, and he stood trial as to whether he was worthy of having a miracle performed for him by an angel or not. This is what we see here: the Satan stands and prosecutes, arguing that Yehoshua does not deserve to have a miracle performed for him and be saved from the furnace.
Hashem's Rebuke of the Satan - "A Brand Plucked from Fire"
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל־הַשָּׂטָן יִגְעַר ה' בְּךָ הַשָּׂטָן וְיִגְעַר ה' בְּךָ הַבֹּחֵר בִּירוּשָׁלִָם הֲלוֹא זֶה אוּד מֻצָּל מֵאֵשׁ׃ - "And Hashem said to the Satan: Hashem rebuke you, O Satan! May Hashem, Who chooses Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from fire?"
Following the line of Ibn Ezra, that the Satan refers to Sanballat and his associates who opposed the rebuilding of the Temple, the verse means: Hashem will remove every adversary who seeks to prevent the Temple's construction, and then the House will be built speedily. "Is this not a brand plucked from fire?" - as if to say, the suffering that Yehoshua and those accompanying him endured, having been saved from exile, is enough. The fire here represents anguish and harm, and he was saved from it without it harming him. If so, how can you now come to accuse and prevent him from rebuilding the Temple? There is an element of prayer and rebuke toward the Satan here, as the Holy One, Blessed be He, rebukes them to nullify their scheme.
The Malbim explains that the prophet hears how the Holy One, Blessed be He, Master of Mercy, tells the Satan that he will be rebuked for two reasons. First: "Hashem rebuke you, O Satan" - by virtue of the Tetragrammaton, the attribute of mercy. Therefore, it does not say "I rebuke you," but rather "Hashem rebuke you," hinting that the rebuke comes from the Divine Name of mercy, whose way is to tilt creatures toward merit and judge them with loving-kindness. Second: "May Hashem, Who chooses Jerusalem, rebuke you" - because Hashem chooses Jerusalem and the priestly tribe, it is fitting that He save the Kohen Gadol whose ancestors served in the Beit HaMikdash. Through this, it is established that he is worthy of a miracle.
And regarding this it is said, "Is this not a brand plucked from fire?": Although he was not worthy of absolute salvation like Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah, over whom the fire had no power whatsoever, not even over their clothes, whereas with Yehoshua the hem of his garments was singed - nevertheless, he is an "ud" (a brand), a stick or coal over which fire had only slight control. The merit of Hashem choosing Jerusalem and of his ancestors who ministered before Him is sufficient for him to be a brand plucked from fire: slightly singed, yet the fire did not consume him.
The Filthy Garments
וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ הָיָה לָבֻשׁ בְּגָדִים צוֹאִים וְעֹמֵד לִפְנֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ׃ - Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
What are these filthy garments? The Ibn Ezra cites an opinion that one of Joshua's sons was a son-in-law of Sanballat - the very Sanballat who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem - but he rejects this, writing: "And this sin is not Joshua's, for this did not occur in his days." He finds it difficult to accept that Joshua would be held accountable for what was to happen in the subsequent generation. Therefore, he interprets it differently: "filthy garments" means that Joshua did not have garments of honor and glory. It is evident that this is a metaphor according to the other interpretations as well; it does not mean that his clothing was literally soiled.
What, then, is the metaphor? At that time, they possessed only an altar, upon which they offered burnt offerings, but there was no Temple building, no curtain (parochet), no ark-cover (kaporet), no Golden Altar, and no golden garments of the High Priest, as the Temple had not yet been built. The halachah is that one may offer sacrifices upon the altar even in the absence of a Temple building, as the Gemara states. Consequently, the High Priest stood to perform the sacrificial service upon the altar without the proper dignity, lacking the full honor due to the Temple service. This is what is meant by "clothed with filthy garments" - the lack of honor is expressed through filthy garments.
The Malbim continues along the line he began: this represents the second judgment regarding Joshua - whether he should serve as High Priest, given that his sons married foreign women. While the Ibn Ezra objected that this occurred only in the next generation, the Malbim finds no difficulty: the mention in Nechemiah that some of the sons of Elyashiv - descendants of Joshua - had married foreign women means that they had already married them long before, during Joshua's own lifetime. The event is recorded later, but describes what had already taken place earlier. With this, the Ibn Ezra's difficulty is resolved.
This is the meaning of the parable of the filthy garments: instead of priestly garments, he is wearing garments that signify sins. This also explains why later his garments were singed: he himself was worthy of a miracle and was rescued from the fiery furnace, but the garments, which symbolized the sins, were not worthy of a miracle, and therefore they were scorched.
The Gemara in Sanhedrin: Achav, Tzidkiyahu, and the Fiery Furnace
Rashi cites here the Gemara in Tractate Sanhedrin (page 93a). We have previously discussed this passage at length in our study of Ein Yaakov, and here we will review its essence to grasp the matter. It says: "Thus said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Achav the son of Kolayah and concerning Tzidkiyahu the son of Maaseyah, who prophesy a lie to you in My name," and it is written, "And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah that are in Babylon, saying" - whoever wishes to curse his fellow will say: "May the Lord make you like Tzidkiyahu and like Achav, whom the king of Babylon roasted (kalam) in the fire." The Gemara asks: It does not say "whom he burned (serafam)," but rather "whom he roasted (kalam)." Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: This teaches that he made them like roasted grain (kaliyot) - they were parched and scorched on the outside, though on the inside they were not completely consumed.
And for what were they punished? "Because they have committed villainy in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives." The incident unfolded as follows: They approached the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar. Achav said to her: Thus said the Lord, submit yourself to Tzidkiyahu - that is, lie with him. And Tzidkiyahu said to her: Thus said the Lord, submit yourself to Achav. One hand washes the other, so that she would commit adultery with both of them. She went and told her father. He said to her: The God of these people detests promiscuity; is it possible that they would say such a thing to you, and in the name of the Lord? When they come to you, send them to me. And so she did.
Nebuchadnezzar asked them: Who told you this? They answered him: The Holy One, blessed be He; we are prophets. He said to them: But I asked Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah, and they told me it is forbidden! They said to him: "Do you pit one man against another?" - we too are prophets like them; to them it was not said, but to us it was said. Indeed, along the path a person wishes to go, he is led: they were corrupt, and therefore a command of corruption came to them. He said to them: I wish to test you just as Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah were tested by me - at high temperatures. They passed the test and emerged righteous; let us see if you emerge as well. They said to him: They were three, and we are only two; we do not have enough merit. He said to them: Choose for yourselves a third. They said: Let Joshua the High Priest be the third - confident that his immense merit would protect them.
They cast them into the fiery furnace. The two were burned, and regarding Joshua - "his garments were singed," as it is stated, "And he showed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the angel of the Lord," and it is written, "And the Lord said to Satan: The Lord rebuke you." Afterwards, Nebuchadnezzar asked him: I know that you are a righteous man; why did the fire harm you even a little, whereas Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah were not harmed at all? He replied to him: They were three, and I was one. He said to him: But Abraham was an individual and was saved! (We already asked there in the sugya: Why did Nebuchadnezzar not reply this initially to those two false prophets? The answer is: they had compared themselves to Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah, not to Abraham. Had they claimed to be like Abraham, his counter would have applied; but they argued they were no less than Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah, and thus requested a third be added to them.) Joshua answered him: That is not comparable; in Abraham's case, there were no wicked men cast in with him, and permission was not given to the fire - from the outset the furnace was cooled. But here, wicked men were with me, and the fire was commanded to burn them while preserving me; therefore, it also scorched my garments. The Gemara adds: This is what people say - "Two dry logs and one wet one; the dry ones ignite the wet one." Thus, the fire caught onto Joshua as well.
The Gemara then asks: For what reason was he truly punished? For the answer he gave to Nebuchadnezzar was not the core of the matter. Rav Pappa said: Because his sons were marrying women who were unfit for the priesthood, and he did not protest against them, as it is stated, "Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments." Was it Joshua's manner to wear filthy garments? Rather, this teaches that his sons were marrying women who were unfit for the priesthood, and he did not protest against them. This concludes the account in the Gemara in Sanhedrin 93a.
Removing the Filthy Garments and Dressing in Fine Robes
וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הָעֹמְדִים לְפָנָיו לֵאמֹר הָסִירוּ הַבְּגָדִים הַצֹּאִים מֵעָלָיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו רְאֵה הֶעֱבַרְתִּי מֵעָלֶיךָ עֲוֺנֶךָ וְהַלְבֵּשׁ אֹתְךָ מַחֲלָצוֹת׃ - And he spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, "Remove the filthy garments from upon him." And he said to him, "See, I have removed your iniquity from upon you, and clothed you in fine robes."
The angel speaks to those appointed under him, whose task is to remove transgression and atone for sin: Remove from him the transgression and the sin, represented by the filthy garments - meaning that he will not bear punishment for the sin of his sons who went astray. The Malbim adds another possibility: the removal of the filthy garments indicates that his sons also divorced their foreign wives and rectified their deeds, in which case there is an actual, literal removal of sin.
Then the deeper meaning of the allegory is explained: "See, I have removed your iniquity from upon you" - the iniquities that cling to you from the outside through your sons, just like garments worn on the outside, those I am removing from upon you. "And clothed you in fine robes" - you will wear clean garments, meaning merits in their stead. Just as sins are likened to filthy garments, so too the mitzvot are fine robes, beautiful and clean garments.
As has been discussed several times, the observance of mitzvot and merits is expressed in the Upper Worlds as clean, radiant garments. This is the "chaluka deRabbanan" (the spiritual robe of the scholars) mentioned in the Zohar: one who acquires mitzvot possesses a spiritual robe in Heaven. One who does not - as noted earlier, appears in a dream naked or in torn garments, signaling that he lacks mitzvot and has not yet acquired enough. His garments appear soiled and filthy, because mitzvot find spiritual expression in the form of clothing.
The Pure Turban
וָאֹמַר יָשִׂימוּ צָנִיף טָהוֹר עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וַיָּשִׂימוּ הַצָּנִיף הַטָּהוֹר עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁהוּ בְּגָדִים וּמַלְאַךְ ה' עֹמֵד׃ - And I said, "Let them place a pure turban upon his head." And they placed the pure turban upon his head, and clothed him in garments; and the angel of Hashem was standing by.
When the prophet sees that Yehoshua's sins have been removed, he pleads on his behalf that they place a pure turban upon his head - that he be restored to the stature of the High Priesthood, for the turban is the hallmark of the Kohen Gadol. The prophet then recounts: My words were accepted, "And they placed the pure turban upon his head," and they also dressed him in the rest of the High Priest's vestments. "And the angel of Hashem was standing by" - all of this took place while the angel of Hashem stood present.
The Warning and the Promise: "I Will Grant You Free Access"
וַיָּעַד מַלְאַךְ ה' בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ לֵאמֹר׃ - And the angel of Hashem admonished Yehoshua, saying:
That same angel of Hashem who stood by in the previous verse now testifies and cautions Yehoshua in the Name of Hashem.
כֹּה־אָמַר ה' צְבָאוֹת אִם־בִּדְרָכַי תֵּלֵךְ וְאִם אֶת־מִשְׁמַרְתִּי תִשְׁמֹר וְגַם־אַתָּה תָּדִין אֶת־בֵּיתִי וְגַם תִּשְׁמֹר אֶת־חֲצֵרָי וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ מַהְלְכִים בֵּין הָעֹמְדִים הָאֵלֶּה׃ - Thus said Hashem of Hosts: If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My charge, and you will also judge My House and also guard My courtyards, then I will grant you free access among these who stand here.
"If you walk in My ways" - that he conduct himself according to the attributes of the Holy One, blessed be He, as Chazal expound on "and you shall walk in His ways": just as He is merciful, so too you shall be merciful; just as He is gracious, so too you shall be gracious. "And if you keep My charge" - guarding the Torah of Hashem and His mitzvot. "And you will also judge My House" - overseeing the service of the Temple and the laws of the sacrifices, ensuring they are performed properly. "And you will also guard My courtyards" - the courtyards of the Beit HaMikdash, overseeing all other matters pertaining to the upkeep and charge of the Temple in all its details, not only the sacrifices.
And as a reward for this: "and I will give you free access among these who stand by." Targum Yonatan explains that he will rise at the resurrection of the dead: while many will remain "standing," that is, static in their graves, you will be walking and rising in resurrection. The Malbim, however, explains differently: even though the Kohanim in this era are human beings, dwellers in houses of clay with physical bodies whose level is lower than that of the angels, the Holy One, blessed be He, gives him a future promise - that a branch will come forth from him in the future, Kohanim who will serve in the Third Temple and will be as holy as angels.
And who are "those who stand"? These are the angels, who exist in a static state. A human being experiences ups and downs, spiritual ascent in the service of Hashem and times of falling, but angels are fixed. Of them it is said, "and their feet were a straight foot," and the Targum and Midrash note that they have no "joints" - angels do not have the flexible, bending joints in their legs. They stand permanently, and one whose nature is such cannot walk, meaning he cannot achieve spiritual advancement; that exists only in man. The Holy One, blessed be He, tells him: You will have free movement among the eternal angels who stand before Hashem, and your descendants will walk among them in their lifetime - and this will be in the Third Temple.
A General Prophecy for the Line of the Kohanim
The Malbim explains that this prophecy, beyond being a personal prophecy about Yehoshua, is also a general one concerning all his descendants, all Kohanim until the Third Temple. From this perspective, the prophet sees "Yehoshua" - meaning his descendants who bear his name - standing in judgment at times, with the Satan prosecuting against them so that they might be consumed by fire. When? During the decrees of persecution in the days of Antiochus, who sought to annihilate the Kohanim of Hashem; then Hashem rebuked the Satan, and they were like a brand plucked from the fire. And at times, as in the era of the Chashmonaim, who were miraculously saved through divine providence like a brand plucked from the fire; then too, there was an accusation against their priesthood, but Hashem forgave their iniquity and dressed them in robes of state.
This is especially true according to the Abarbanel, who writes that the filthy garments allude to the generation of the Chashmonaim. A flaw arose in the priesthood there: they unlawfully took the monarchy for themselves, even though kingship was given exclusively to the line of Yehudah. Aristobulus and Hyrcanus fought each other, and ultimately nothing was left of them. The Gemara states: Anyone who says, "I come from the house of the Chashmonaim" is a slave. Herod, who had been a slave to the house of the Chashmonaim, killed all the descendants of the Chashmonaim and took the throne. Why did this terrible tragedy befall those who had brought such great salvation to Israel, until no name or remnant remained of them? Because they stepped into a domain where they did not belong. Your role is the priesthood, servants of the House of Hashem; yet they thought: Salvation came through us, the kingship is already in our hands, should we give it up? And so they unlawfully assumed the monarchy.
Consider what happened to a king who unlawfully took the priesthood for himself: King Uziyahu went to offer incense - the wrath of Hashem broke out against him, tzara'at erupted on his forehead, and he sat in quarantine, banished from his kingdom, outside the city near the cemetery. Each person has his own role and designated calling. You Kohanim - your destiny is exalted: to serve in the House of Hashem.
The Abarbanel explains: The Kohanim took royal garments for themselves, donning clothing that did not belong to them. These are the "filthy garments" - royal robes that are unfitting for a Kohen Gadol serving in the Sanctuary of Hashem. The Holy One, blessed be He, stripped these from them in the days of Herod, thereby removing the pride of kingship and arrogance from them. This is alluded to in the clean turban placed upon their heads, since the mitznefet (turban) atones for arrogance - ensuring they would not wear the crown of kingship, but only the crown of the priesthood, which is the turban. He promises him that in the future he will have descendants who walk among the angels in the Eternal House; unlike today, in the future he will have children on par with angels.
"Men of Wonder" and "My Servant Tzemach"
שְׁמַע־נָא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל אַתָּה וְרֵעֶיךָ הַיֹּשְׁבִים לְפָנֶיךָ כִּי־אַנְשֵׁי מוֹפֵת הֵמָּה כִּי־הִנְנִי מֵבִיא אֶת־עַבְדִּי צֶמַח׃ - "Hear now, O Yehoshua the Kohen Gadol, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are men of wonder; for behold, I am bringing My servant, Tzemach [the Shoot]."
Who are "your companions"? Rashi cites the words of Chazal that they are Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah. And they are "men of wonder" - men for whom miracles and wonders were performed, "righteous men for whom miracles are wrought," for they too were brands plucked from the fire. Indeed, in their case the miracle was even greater: Yehoshua was slightly singed by the fire, like a brand, whereas they were completely untouched by the fire.
"Behold, I am bringing My servant Tzemach" - Rashi explains that this refers to Zerubavel, the governor of Yehudah (from the term "pechah"), who is currently of modest standing in the royal court, but I will cause greatness to sprout for him and grant him favor in the eyes of the king. The king will then fulfill his request and he will rebuild the city, as stated in the Book of Ezra: "The words of Nechemiah son of Chachalyah." And what is the connection between Zerubavel and Nechemiah? Chazal taught: Zerubavel is Nechemiah. Thus, Zerubavel, though small now, will rise and become the architect of the redemption alongside Ezra; Nechemiah and Ezra were both the redeemers in the return to Zion during the Second Temple era.
Nevertheless, it is important to emphasize the words of the Abarbanel. He cites the words of Chazal - and this also appears in the Genizah midrashim in Sefer Zerubavel - that Zerubavel was a youth in the royal court and later found favor in the king's eyes until he granted him permission to ascend and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and that he is Nechemiah ben Chachalyah. Regarding this, the Abarbanel notes that "this is the way of derash," and not the literal meaning of Scripture (peshuto shel mikra). Often, when Chazal say "So-and-so is such-and-such," they do not mean that he is literally the very same person, but rather one of two aspects: if generations separate them, it can be understood as gilgul (reincarnation); and at times it is not necessarily gilgul but the same soul-root, meaning that both performed the same action and their rectification was identical. When Chazal state "he is Bil'am, he is Kushan Rish'atayim," the intent is that both had the same effect in the world - both sought to destroy Israel.
Indeed, if we wish to adhere to the peshat - and note the principle: a verse never departs from its literal meaning; one may expound homilies beyond the peshat, but the peshat itself must remain intact - the Abarbanel cites an explicit verse at the end of Ezra, namely the Book of Nechemiah 12:47: "And all Israel in the days of Zerubavel and in the days of Nechemiah." This explicitly shows that they were two distinct individuals. And when Chazal said "Zerubavel is Nechemiah," their intent was homiletical, in accordance with the explanations we have set forth.
The Malbim explains that here the text clarifies to him when he will have children who walk among the eternal stationary ones, that is, among the angels: when the Third Temple will be built - in the Messianic era. And who are "your companions who sit before you"? According to the Malbim, these are Torah scholars who are his disciples, men of renown worthy of prophecy; he also mentions the words of Chazal that they are Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah.
"Behold, I am bringing My servant, Tzemach (the Shoot)" - in the End of Days I will bring the King Messiah. And why is he called "Tzemach"? To hint that now he is like the hidden shoot of Yishai. The shoot of Yishai is the sprout emerging from the tree, from which the branch grows - this is the Davidic dynasty. Currently, the shoot has been cut down and lies buried in the earth, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: I will make it sprout. This is what we say in prayer, "The sprout of David Your servant quickly cause to flourish" - the shoot is still concealed in the ground, and we pray that Hashem cause it to spring forth.
The name "Zerubavel" also hints at this: nizra be-Vavel, sown in Babylon, like a seed in the earth from which growth will emerge when the redemption arrives. Chazal expounded "Zerubavel" from the root of scattering (zoru) in Babylon, as in the phrase "they were not dressed (zoru) nor bound up" (Yeshayahu 1:6), referring to the scattering of medicinal powders over a wound. Yet the Malbim explains that it also hints at "the seed of Babylon" (zera Bavel), to tell you that from this seed the shoot of Yishai will blossom. And the Ibn Ezra discovered a wonderful allusion: Chazal taught that the Messiah's name is Menachem, and "Menachem" shares the numerical value (gematria) of "Tzemach" (138) - hence, "Behold, I am bringing My servant, Tzemach."
The Stone and the Seven Eyes
כִּי הִנֵּה הָאֶבֶן אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לִפְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ עַל־אֶבֶן אַחַת שִׁבְעָה עֵינָיִם הִנְנִי מְפַתֵּחַ פִּתֻּחָהּ נְאֻם ה' צְבָאוֹת וּמַשְׁתִּי אֶת־עֲוֺן הָאָרֶץ־הַהִיא בְּיוֹם אֶחָד׃ - For behold, the stone that I have set before Yehoshua; upon one stone are seven eyes; behold, I will engrave its engraving, says the Lord of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
Rashi explains: "The stone that I have set before Yehoshua" - this is the foundation of the Temple, the cornerstone that they laid in the days of Cyrus, after which work on this stone ceased. That foundation and the thickness of the wall were deemed insignificant, as though nothing had been accomplished. Hashem says to them: Know that "upon one stone are seven eyes" - ultimately it will expand sevenfold. Furthermore, Rashi explains that "seven eyes" refers to the eyes of the Holy One, Blessed be He, for Hashem casts His eyes upon it - and "eyes" are always an expression of Divine providence - to watch over it and make seven out of one stone. We will see further on that he sees the plumb line in the hand of Zerubavel, and the "seven eyes" are the eyes of Hashem ranging throughout the earth to supervise and fulfill His word.
"Behold, I will engrave its engraving (mefate'ach pitucheha)" - Rashi explains: I am untying its knots, from the root of loosening/opening (pituchei hachaluk, the fastenings of a garment). We have seen that the adversaries formed a conspiracy and plotted slander to halt the building of the Temple, and Hashem says: I am untying the knot they tied. "And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day" - I will remove the sin of the land in a single day. Rashi writes, "I do not know which day," and there is an addition in parentheses (not from Rashi himself): on the day they begin to resume the construction, the iniquity of the land will depart and there will be blessing in its fruit, for presently there is a curse, as stated in the prophecy of Chaggai. We have already seen in Chaggai, who rebuked them because the land was not yielding its fruit and a blight was cast upon the produce because they were indolent regarding the building of the Temple; but once they begin to build, the land will yield its produce and there will be great abundance. This is the meaning of "and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day": on the day you begin engaging in the rebuilding, it is guaranteed that blessing will rest upon the produce.
The Malbim explains: when they founded the construction of the Temple through Zerubavel, they prepared the "headstone" (even hareishah). The cornerstone was regarded as the most prominent stone and was therefore called "the head." In fact, a massive stone was laid in the foundation - anyone who has visited the archaeological park at the entrance to the Kotel on the right side has seen the largest hewn stone in the world there, which is a corner stone. This stone was placed at the base because it had to support both walls, from the right and from the left; it had to serve as a sturdy foundation upon which to build the walls and later a tower above. This is the cornerstone termed the headstone, the primary stone of the building. And Zerubavel handed this stone over to Yehoshua to lay it in the foundation.
Yehoshua, the Malbim explains, engraved upon the stone an image of seven eyes, alluding to the seven eyes of Hashem that range throughout the earth. And why are Hashem's eyes spoken of in terms of seven? Because there is natural governance, and above it spiritual governance, and both are divided into seven. The natural governance operates through the celestial bodies (the planets) that guide the world. In Judaism as well, we believe that the planets influence the world, except we believe that they receive their power from the spiritual governance. Abundance descends and flows through the mazal, which is why it is called mazal - through which water flows from its buckets (yizal mayim midalyav); the bounty descends and trickles down from the spiritual influences.
Thus, the seven eyes within natural governance correspond to the seven classical planets, known in the language of Chazal by the acronym ShaTZaM ChaNKaL - representing Saturn (Shabbetai), Jupiter (Tzedek), Mars (Ma'adim), and so on. These are the celestial bodies through which creation is governed; nevertheless, Israel is above the mazal, and through prayer and other spiritual means they possess the power to transcend the governance of the stars. The nations worshipped the stars, which is why they were termed idolaters (worshippers of stars and constellations): they knew when Saturn ruled and when Jupiter ruled, and by serving that planet they foolishly thought they could draw down abundance from it to fulfill their desires.
The seven eyes engraved on the stone allude to the Holy One, blessed be He, directing the natural order - the celestial governance arranged from the seven days of Creation - through which He watches over His world. From now on, this would be engraved upon the stone in the Temple: that the providence of the Holy One, blessed be He, will function through the Temple; for through the power of the Temple, the House of Hashem and the dwelling place of the Shechinah, the Holy One, blessed be He, will channel His bounty and providence to the entire world.
The Malbim adds: those seven celestial bodies draw their influence from seven higher, loftier eyes above them - one higher than the other - which are the seven sefiros known as the sefiros of the "structure" (binyan). As discussed previously, there are ten sefiros - Keter, Chochmah, Binah, Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferes, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, Malchus. The lower seven are the foundations of the structure, and the three above them are called the mochin ("intellects"). When dividing the sefiros according to their configuration, known as the division into partzufim, the three upper ones are Keter, Chochmah, and Binah (or at times counted as Chochmah, Binah, and Da'as; when Keter is counted, Da'as is omitted, and vice versa), and they constitute the mochin - the supreme emanations from Above.
The governance of the world, on the other hand, stems from the lower seven, referred to in kabbalistic texts as "Zayin Tachtonos" (the seven lower sefiros). They are therefore mapped in correspondence to the human body: the mochin correspond to the head and the brain, and the lower sefiros correspond to the body - Chesed is the right arm, Gevurah is the left arm, Tiferes is the torso, Netzach and Hod are the two legs, Yesod is the holy sign of the covenant, and Malchus is the crown of Yesod. These are the seven sefiros that govern the lower world, and therefore everything in the physical realm revolves around seven: seven sabbatical cycles (shemitot), seven years, seven times seven - forty-nine, the counting of the Omer as seven times seven, the days of the week, the festivals - seven days each, and so on endlessly, because seven is the number of the governance of Creation.
As noted previously, six represents the physical realm, since six represents the four cardinal directions plus up and down, which is purely an expression of matter. Seven represents the spirituality within the physical. Eight is higher still, expressing spirituality that transcends the physical. Therefore, seven (sheva) is related to satiety (sevi'ah) and fulfillment, representing the fulfillment of purpose, while eight (shemonah) is related to richness (shemen) - above and beyond. Because of this, circumcision (milah) is exceptionally elevated, even higher than Shabbos: when a bris milah falls on Shabbos, milah overrides Shabbos, because milah is on the level of eight, whereas Shabbos is on the level of seven. Milah is an exalted spiritual level that transcends the mundane affairs of this world, which are characterized by seven.
To return to our subject: from the seven sefiros of the structure, divine influence and providence descend through the lower eyes, which are the seven planets through which bounty flows down here below. When Yehoshua engraved seven eyes on the stone, his intention was to draw toward this stone the eyes of providence that stand at the head - the seven upper eyes - so that they would bestow influence upon the cornerstone (even haroshah). What is the cornerstone? The Malbim explains: the attribute of Malchus, "the stone that the builders rejected." This is the meaning of "upon one stone are seven eyes": for according to the kabbalists, the sefirah of Malchus "has nothing of its own" (leis lah migarma klum), possessing no independent power and referred to as empty - yet this is its very virtue, that it receives from the six sefiros above it and channels downward. It is called the "mainstay of the home" (akeres habayis), and is also called the cornerstone, the stone rejected by the builders, which, being the lowest of the sefiros, receives everything above it and channels it further. All divine flow descends to the lower realm through the sefirah of Malchus. As explained previously, this occurs through the unions of the higher attributes: Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah), which give rise to the Son and Daughter (Ze'eir Anpin and Nukva), and the union of Z"A and Nukva brings forth the flow that descends into our reality.
Concerning this, the prophet states: behold, the seven eyes that Yehoshua engraved on the stone, which were the work of human hands, will be fulfilled. For at this present time, who rules? The celestial bodies, which represent the power of the lower eyes. But the Holy One, blessed be He, says: when I bring forth My servant Tzemach - "behold, I will engrave its inscription," I will engrave with seal-engravings the design of these eyes, in the sense of "and engrave upon them the names of the children of Israel." Through this, providence will be supreme, coming directly from the seven upper sefiros, neither mediated by the stars nor through the coarse physical reality below, but as a direct flow from Him, blessed be He.
"And I will remove the iniquity of that land" - through this, the iniquity of the land will depart and be removed; there will be no more sins, and the previous iniquities will be forgiven as well. Then "He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord Hashem will wipe away tears from all faces," and "they shall neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain."
"You Shall Invite One Another"
בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא נְאֻם ה' צְבָאוֹת תִּקְרְאוּ אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ אֶל־תַּחַת גֶּפֶן וְאֶל־תַּחַת תְּאֵנָה׃ - "On that day, declares the Lord of Hosts, you shall invite one another under the vine and under the fig tree."
The Malbim explains: when they laid the foundation, they brought grapevines and fig branches to create shade, and under that shade the builders and founders stood with honor, gathering as a celebrating multitude - for they needed some kind of canopy so as not to stand in the blazing sun. The prophet says: when the engraving of the eyes comes to pass and there is peace in the land, then "you shall invite one another under the vine and under the fig tree," and there will be a joyful multitude, peace, and blessing, unlike the present reality.
Summary: The chapter opens with the vision of Yehoshua the Kohen Gadol standing in judgment before the angel of Hashem, with Satan prosecuting at his right hand - according to the Ibn Ezra, this represents Sanballat and the adversaries of Judah who hindered the rebuilding of the Temple; according to the Malbim, it was a twofold accusation: whether he was worthy of a miracle to be saved from the fiery furnace, and whether he was worthy of serving in the High Priesthood given the sin of his sons who married foreign women and he did not protest. The Holy One, blessed be He, rebukes Satan out of the attribute of mercy and His choosing of Jerusalem, and Yehoshua is spared as "a brand plucked from the fire," with only his garments singed - these being the filthy garments that symbolize sins. Once the garments are removed and he is clothed in robes of state and a pure turban, he is given a promise: if he walks in the ways of Hashem, keeps His charge, judges His House, and guards His courtyards, he will have free movement among the standing angels - priests serving like angels in the Third Temple. From there, the prophecy extends across the generations: to the eras of persecution and the Hasmonean period, when the priesthood was compromised by taking the kingship, all the way to "My servant Tzemach," who is the King Messiah ("Menachem" having the same numerical value as "Tzemach"). At that time, Hashem will engrave the engravings of the stone, divine providence will descend directly from the upper realms rather than through the stars, the iniquity of the land will be wiped away, and people will invite one another under the vine and under the fig tree in an abundance of peace and blessing.