Sefer Yechezkel, chapter 11: "A spirit lifted me and brought me to the eastern gate of the House of Hashem, the one that faces eastward, and behold at the entrance of the gate were twenty five men, and I saw among them Yaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, princes of the people."
The Malbim explains that this verse, which opens chapter 11, is a continuation of what was mentioned in chapter 9. In chapter 9 it is written about the... and even before that, perhaps still in chapter 8, it is written about what the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Yechezkel regarding the abominations that were being done in Jerusalem. Hashem carries him from Babylon and shows him what abominations they are committing there.
This appears in chapter 8, verse 16: "He brought me to the inner court of the House of Hashem, and behold, at the entrance of the Heichal of Hashem, between the Ulam and the altar, were about twenty five men, their backs to the Heichal of Hashem and their faces eastward, and they were bowing eastward to the sun." What this means is: if we set up the Beit HaMikdash, then the section of the Kodesh HaKodashim was on the western side. Yes? The opposite of what people are used to thinking. Not as we are accustomed to think, that the Heichal is on the eastern side, and so too we picture to ourselves the Kodesh HaKodashim on the eastern side; rather, the opposite is correct. The Kodesh HaKodashim within the Beit HaMikdash was on the western side, with the entrance of the Kodesh HaKodashim facing the Mount of Olives. The entrance of the Kodesh HaKodashim was on the eastern side.
And then, in the place where they should bow when you come from the direction of the Mount of Olives, instead of bowing westward toward the Kodesh HaKodashim, their backs were to the Heichal of Hashem and they were bowing eastward. Bowing eastward means their backs to the Kodesh HaKodashim and their faces toward the sun, toward the sunrise. Since they were sun worshippers, they would bow toward the idolatry. And there it is mentioned that he saw them from behind. That is to say, he saw their backs toward the Heichal of Hashem, and he saw 25 men. And since he saw them from behind, he did not see who those men were.
And here he identifies the names of two of them. He tells you, "and behold at the entrance of the gate were 25 men, and I saw among them Yaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, princes of the people." The Malbim says that at first he stood behind them and therefore he could not identify them. But now, when he comes and stands in front of them, facing them, then he identifies among them Yaazaniah and Pelatiah, who were princes and among the important people. He sees them as part of those same 25 wicked men who bow to the sun with their backs to the Heichal of Hashem.
The Malbim says, and this is what is written here: "A spirit lifted me and brought me to the eastern gate of the House of Hashem, the one that faces eastward." At first he stood in the Heichal, and therefore he saw them from behind. But now they take him outside to the eastern gate, and from there he can, as we said, see their faces.
"He said to me: Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and give wicked counsel in this city." He tells him, these are the men who devise iniquity. What is the meaning of "these are the men"? The Radak explains: since they were princes and the great ones of the city, therefore concerning them we can say that they are the men who devise iniquity and give wicked counsel. The counsel is in the hands of the princes, and all the plans of what to do with the people are in their hands; the entire city depends on them.
The Malbim explains that at first Hashem said to him, "Wail for the House of Judah, for they have filled the land with violence." Hashem tells him: come and see that they send the branch to their nose. "They send the branch to their nose" - there we explained, according to the Malbim, that the meaning is that they would murder one another by means of a small knife shaped like a branch, like a pruning hook. That is to say, a knife with which they would cut branches. With this knife they would walk alongside their fellow, hide the knife in his garment, and suddenly, as one reaches his fellow, he thrusts the knife into his belly and keeps walking. Now suddenly people see someone collapse. It is a marketplace, many people are walking, suddenly they see someone collapse. They begin to check, "help," and this begins... and that one in the meantime disappears. Thus, may the Merciful One save us, they would murder one another. This is the First Beit HaMikdash, about which it is written that there was idolatry, forbidden relations, and bloodshed. Indeed, Menashe filled Jerusalem with blood from end to end. So the matter of bloodshed was, to our sorrow, most widespread. They would murder one another. So He tells him: come and see that they send the branch in order to wipe out the people. These are the princes who devise iniquity and give wicked counsel. So know that everything begins and stems from them.
The Malbim says: it is written here "devise iniquity" and "give wicked counsel." What is the difference between "devise iniquity" and "give wicked counsel"? The Malbim explains that at first a person thinks about the matter. After the person has thought and has some idea, he now seeks counsel as to how to carry it out. So counsel always comes after thought. Thought is still something abstract, while counsel is already something operative, already some idea for practical action. The Malbim says: whenever we speak of evil, it is more accurate to say "evil" with respect to the deed. In contrast, with respect to thought we say "iniquity." Therefore he says: note, it is written here "give wicked counsel." Since counsel is already how to carry it out, therefore it is written "give wicked counsel." "Evil" pertains more to the deed. In contrast, with respect to thought they are "thoughts of iniquity." "He devises iniquity," "his heart gathers iniquity," "if I saw iniquity in my heart." "Those who devise iniquity and work evil." Here you see this quite explicitly. "Evil" is to act, while "iniquity" is in thought. So therefore it is written "who devise iniquity," which are evil thoughts, "and give counsel" how to carry the matters out, which is the aspect of actual evil.
"Who say: It is not near; let us build houses; it is the pot and we are the flesh." What is the meaning here of "who say: it is not near; let us build houses"? There are two directions here and two entirely different explanations. Rashi explains that a comma must be placed: "who say: it is not near," meaning all that the prophets frighten with will not come soon, all that they speak of regarding the troubles, regarding what is destined to be - it is not near. "Who say: it is not near." And since so, "let us build houses." So you have nothing to worry about, so build a house. If we are about to be exiled and it is near, who would go build a house? But since they say, calming the people, telling them do not fear the words of the prophets, nothing will happen, then "who say: it is not near, let us build houses." Since the trouble will not be near, then let us build houses, we will not be exiled from this place. "It is the pot and we are the flesh." Just as the flesh does not come out of the pot until the completion of its cooking, so too we will not leave here until we die. Until 120. In short, they are not about to leave Jerusalem.
The Malbim explains further. The Malbim says that there was... Indeed, Nebuchadnezzar arrived here, and there were people who wanted to make peace with him so that it would not go badly for Israel. And as the Holy One, blessed be He, said, not to fight against him. And there were like Sicarii or militant elements who under no circumstances agreed to the decree of Hashem, to come and make peace with Nebuchadnezzar, since the decree is from Hashem and Nebuchadnezzar is in fact a servant of Hashem, designated to carry out the divine will. And since so, they rebelled against him. And among them was also Tzidkiyahu, for Tzidkiyahu too rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, which was against the divine command. So they would come and say not to make peace with Nebuchadnezzar. Wait, but the Holy One, blessed be He, is here uttering harsh prophecies, and He speaks of exile and so on. They would tell them: you have nothing to worry about, we have a wall. And this wall will protect us. And therefore they would compare the wall to a pot. As it is written in Yirmiyahu, "I see a boiling pot," as it is written further in chapter 24, "set on the pot, set it on." Just as the pot protects the flesh so that the flesh will not be burned by the fire, the pot protects it, so too the wall will protect us so that we are not burned, so that the enemy's fire will not take hold, so that Nebuchadnezzar will not do anything to us.
And therefore they say "it is not near, let us build houses." Listen to what a novel interpretation the Malbim explains. Indeed, if you place the flesh directly on the pot and apply high heat, the flesh will burn. What is it that keeps the flesh from burning? The broth, for in fact there is water, and the water keeps it away from the walls of the pot, and through this it will always cook and not reach the point of burning. It follows, then, that if you bring the flesh close to the walls of the pot it will burn. And this is what they say, "who say: it is not near, let us build houses." Do not go build houses right up against the wall. Because that is like taking the flesh and placing it right against the walls of the pot. Then it will burn there. So whoever builds his house adjacent to the wall may be harmed. Because the wall is now about to undergo a difficult war. So you altogether only need to build houses, but not near, not close to the wall. Build them more inward. And why? Because "it is the pot and we are the flesh." And if you place the flesh against the walls of the pot, the danger is to it. So too we need to distance ourselves from the wall. But beyond that we need not do anything, since we have the walls of the pot, which is the wall that protects us.
"Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, son of man." Since so, Hashem says, prophesy against them. They are, as it were, self assured; they are not troubled by the enemy, so that the Holy One, blessed be He, sends prophets and speaks of the trouble destined to come. He says: prophesy against them, and He repeats this twice to hurry him about the matter, since the trouble is near. "The spirit of Hashem fell upon me, and He said to me: Say, thus says Hashem: So you have said, House of Israel, and the things that rise in your spirit I know them." The Holy One, blessed be He, says: so you have said with your mouths. "And the things that rise in your spirit" means also what rises in your spirit, so too you think in your hearts. You rely on the wall. So it is written also in Yeshayahu 22, "and you demolished the houses to fortify the wall. But you did not look to its Maker," that is, you do not look at who brings the decree. You are sure that an iron wall will protect you. And note, my masters, that things have not changed. Once they would rely on an iron wall; today they rely on an iron dome. Today they rely on the atom and on planes and on an arsenal of weapons. In every generation there were the physical, material means upon which those lacking faith relied. But people of faith know that "if Hashem does not guard the city, the watchman keeps watch in vain." People of faith know that "not by might and not by power, but by My spirit, says Hashem." People of faith know "and I have made wars." So in fact this conception is a distorted conception that, to our sorrow, always constituted some factor that strengthened and emboldened the hearts of the wicked not to repent. We have a wall, we have strength with which we can contend against the enemies. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, tells them, "I know it." He says: do you think that I do not know what is in your hearts? I know also what is in your hearts. And therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, says: know that your plans will not be carried out.
"You have multiplied your slain in this city and filled its streets with the slain." Through this, "you have multiplied your slain in this city." What this means is: many wished to make peace with Nebuchadnezzar, as we said. And those in whose eyes the matter did not find favor would kill them. And this was exactly like what happened with the Dahan murder, for those who remember. When there were some of the heads of the Zionists here who did not care for the fact that there was someone about to make peace, someone who wanted to say "enough" to the conflict, they sent and murdered him. After years the penny dropped, and today those same elements in fact seek every way to make peace, and are ready even to murder us in order to make peace. Yes? Ready to bring terrorists here from Tunis and give them everything for peace. There was someone there who was about to make peace, and you murdered him. And it says: here you see that those who, on the contrary, wanted to reach some arrangement with Nebuchadnezzar, they fought against them and murdered them. So it was also in the Second Beit HaMikdash. We see that Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai greatly feared to go out and speak with the emperor, lest they harm him. And we saw that they even wanted to stab him when they saw that the bier was not moving. And they told them: let them say that their master stabbed him, and only because of this they did not harm him. But we see that there was some sort of move here to negotiate with the enemy so that some of the people of Israel would not die. And those among us, those militant elements, would not agree under any circumstances, and whoever was willing to do this they would go and murder him. So he says, "you have multiplied your slain in this city and filled its streets with the slain."
What is "you filled its streets with the slain"? The Malbim always explains that the "outside" is behind the houses. The "streets" always appear together with it, "outside" and "streets" in many places. So he says: the "outside" is what is behind the houses, and the "streets" is what is in front of the houses. So he says here: you went and filled its outsides with the slain, that is behind the houses. In those places where you feared to kill in public, so you filled its outsides with the slain. You killed in secret, without anyone knowing, without the matters being noticed.
"Therefore thus says Hashem Elokim: Your slain whom you have placed in its midst, they are the flesh and it is the pot, but you He shall bring out of its midst." Therefore thus says Hashem: your slain, they are the flesh. What you say, that the city will be like a pot, it is not as you think, that it will be like a pot and that just as the walls of the pot protect the flesh within it, so too the walls of the city will protect you. He says: no, know that this pot will be a kind of protection only for the slain within it. In simple words, whoever remains in the pot is only the slain. But not you. Hashem tells them: you He shall bring out of its midst. Upon you I will perform an action that will bring you out of its midst. "This I will endeavor to bring out" - yes, this is the meaning of "bring out" with the letter hei.
"You have feared the sword, and a sword I will bring upon you, says Hashem Elokim." "You have feared the sword" - when they turned for help to the king of Egypt, as is written concerning Tzidkiyahu, "and he rebelled against him by sending his messengers to Egypt," we will see this later in chapter 17. Hashem tells them: you have feared the sword, you went to make peace with Egypt in order to nullify the counsel of Hashem, who sent Nebuchadnezzar. The Holy One, blessed be He, tells them: a sword I will bring upon you. The wall will not protect you, and the pot will not protect you from the enemy's sword.
"And I will bring you out of its midst and give you into the hand of strangers, and I will execute judgments upon you." "And I will bring you out of its midst" - not as you think, that you will remain there until the day of your death as we saw above; no, I will bring you out of its midst. And not only that: the Malbim says, do not think that "I will bring you out of its midst" means you will not be here but you will be able to flee wherever you wish. He brings you out of its midst, but you will remain free. And indeed we saw that Tzidkiyahu tried at night to flee between the walls, and he had an underground tunnel in order to flee. But He tells them: know, "and I will give you into the hand of strangers, and I will execute judgments upon you." And this is exactly what happened there to Tzidkiyahu. "And they overtook Tzidkiyahu in the plains of Jericho," "and I will execute judgments upon you." There it is written, "and he spoke judgments with him." "And he put out his eyes," and his sons they killed. We see that Hashem executed judgments upon him. Here is the prophecy that warns: do not think that you can contend against the decree of Hashem except through repentance. But any other way ends in failure.
"By the sword you shall fall; at the border of Israel I will judge you, and you shall know that I am Hashem." "By the sword you shall fall; at the border of Israel I will judge you." There are two explanations here. Rashi says that "at the border of Israel" means at the end of the border. This speaks of Rivlah, which is the land of Chamat, which is Antioch. There Tzidkiyahu was judged by Nebuchadnezzar. And there it is written that he slaughtered his sons, and there also, as we said, he put out his eyes. And this is at the end of the border. Yes? The Malbim explains "by the sword you shall fall" as it is written, "and the king of Babylon struck them at Rivlah." And concerning this it is written "at the border of Israel I will judge you," this was at the border of Israel. The meaning is at the border itself. And soon we will see the significance of the matters of the border, why he emphasizes this.
"It shall not be a pot for you, and you shall not be flesh within it; at the border of Israel I will judge you." "It shall not be a pot for you" means: you think that the wall will be a pot that will keep the pieces until the completion of the cooking, that is, nothing will happen to you. He tells them: you shall be flesh within it. Like flesh that is cut up within the cauldron, like flesh in a pot. "At the border of Israel I will judge you." According to Rashi the meaning is at the border of Israel but from outside. Not within it but outside. In contrast, the Malbim explains that "at the border of Israel" means you will be within the border of Israel. He will not bring you out of the border; rather, you are, as it were, within it. So that is to say, you think you will have protection; He tells you "at the border of Israel," you will supposedly remain within it and be like the flesh that is cooked and rots within the cauldron; so it will be for you, and you think the pot will be protection for you, but it will not protect you, because truly there inside you will in the end fall into the hand of the enemy.
"And you shall know that I am Hashem, for in My statutes you did not walk, and My judgments you did not perform, and according to the judgments of the nations around you, you have done." "And you shall know" - so you will know that I am Hashem, for I will punish you because "in My statutes you did not walk." When Hashem exacts retribution from the wicked, then "they shall know that I am Hashem." "And according to the judgments of the wicked nations you have done." The meaning of "according to the judgments of the nations around you, you have done" is: like their corrupt practices. Seemingly this is puzzling. After all, it is written "and according to the judgments of the nations you did not do." That is what we saw above. The Sages say: like the corrected ones among them you were not, but like the corrupt ones among them you acted. If you already want to learn from the gentile, well, fine, if you had learned from him both his corrected judgments and his corrupt ones. Well then, all right, you still want to resemble the gentile. But if we say, if we see that you learn from the gentile only the corrupt matters, but in contrast the manners the gentile has, in matters in which they are not corrupt, this you did not learn from them. So then this is what is written here. "And according to the judgments of the nations around you, you have done" means like the wicked judgments of the nations. And what is written, "and according to the judgments of the nations you did not do," means like the just judgments of the nations, in matters in which they were not wicked, this you did not learn from them. But the wicked matters of the nations, this you did learn from them. And the Radak explains that the meaning is to worship idolatry as they worship and to spill innocent blood as they spill. The corrupt judgments of the nations you adopted with joy.
"And it came to pass, as I prophesied, that Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. And I fell upon my face and cried out with a loud voice and said: Alas, Hashem Elokim, are You making a complete end of the remnant of Israel?" "And it came to pass, as I prophesied" - while I am prophesying, I see that Pelatiah son of Benaiah dies. And then he asks: are You making a complete end of the remnant of Israel? Seemingly it is not understood. Over whose death does he cry out? After all, a moment ago we saw that this Pelatiah son of Benaiah was one of the 25 men who bowed with their backs to the Heichal of Hashem and their faces eastward to the sun. And if he is among the wicked and among those who break the covenant, what is there to cry "alas" over this? What is there to mourn over this? "And are You making a complete end of Israel?" Is this Israel? This is the mixed multitude. Over him you grieve? Over his death you are pained? The Radak explains that he sees how suddenly one of the heads of the people dies in a single moment. And this thing frightened him, because he believed that the Holy One, blessed be He, is uttering the prophecy here so that they will repent. And he believed that he would repent. This is the meaning of the whole prophecy and rebuke - so that they will change their way. And behold, suddenly he sees that immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, begins, as it were, with targeted eliminations. And therefore over this he asks: are You making a complete end of Israel? I thought that You sent me to give a prophecy so that they would change their way, so that they would repent. And I see that You are not giving it a chance, but immediately You begin to destroy Israel. So he is not pained here over the death of that Pelatiah himself. He has a fear here that there is a complete end for the entirety of Israel, and the Holy One, blessed be He, begins with him, but in fact there is no waiting here until they all repent.
The Malbim explains; he has a different explanation. The Malbim says: he saw that Pelatiah died, and then he fell upon his face. And the reason for this: at first he thought that what Hashem told him, that they would fall by the sword, He was prophesying about the 25 men whom he had seen earlier bowing to the sun. And these men would fall by the sword. Concerning them was the prophecy, and thus He said explicitly, "you have feared the sword, and a sword I will bring upon you," and concerning this He said "by the sword you shall fall." An explicit prophecy that their death would be by the sword. But not all of Judah, only they, the 25 men who are traitors against Hashem, would die by the sword. Note, he suddenly sees that Pelatiah did not die by the sword. Even before the enemy arrived at all, Pelatiah died within Jerusalem. Even before the enemy conquered the city at all. So if so, he understands that the prophecy of "by the sword they shall fall" was not said about these 25 men. He understands, then, that the prophecy will not be fulfilled in this way, but that there is here a decree of death upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And therefore he cries out: are You making a complete end of the remnant of Israel? If you say that this was spoken of the 25 men, then it would not have been fitting that he die here in the Land of Israel; it would have been fitting that he die by the sword. Not within the pot, but afterward. So from here you see that in fact this prophecy was not said only about these 25 men, but the prophecy here is about the entire people. And if the prophecy here is about the entire people, then he fears that Pelatiah is only the symptom, but soon there will come here some plague that will destroy them all. And by this he was terrified. He says: are You making a complete end of the remnant of Israel? There is here a decree of death upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who are those who remained of all Israel here.
"And the word of Hashem came to me, saying: Son of man, your brothers, your brothers, the men of your redemption, and all the House of Israel entirely, of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem said: Keep far from Hashem, to us the land was given as an inheritance." "And the word of Hashem came to me, saying: Son of man, your brothers, your brothers, the men of your redemption." Hashem tells him: not from the people of Jerusalem will there be a remnant and a survivor of Israel. The Holy One, blessed be He, tells him: these here will be destroyed. And this we saw in other prophecies, where it was said there to Yirmiyahu in the parable of the two baskets of figs, "like the figs of the keepers." And He tells him: know that those who will endure are among the exiles. Those who were exiled to Babylon with Yechoniah, from them will be a remnant. From them will be a survivor. From them Israel will later be rebuilt. And this is what He tells him, "your brothers, your brothers." The meaning is: your brothers are your brothers, those who are in the exile in Babylon. After all, the whole prophecy began from Babylon. From there Yechezkel was taken and brought here to the Land of Israel so that Hashem could show him all that is happening here in the Land. And we will see later that with the same line by which they took him, with the same line they also returned him. We will see this later. That is to say, they brought him here in order to see what is happening here. So who are "your brothers"? "Your brothers" are those who are with you. These are those who are in fact in Babylon. The exile in Babylon, He tells him, they will improve their way. They are the men of your redemption. What you prophesied would be redeemed, this was said about them. Not about those who remain here in Jerusalem. And He tells him, "and all the House of Israel entirely, of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem said: Keep far from Hashem, to us the land was given as an inheritance." The meaning is: also the Ten Tribes who were exiled by Sancheriv, who were exiled first. He tells him: also from them will be a remnant. Also from them will be a survivor. For even though in the Second Beit HaMikdash they were not redeemed - those who returned here in the Second Beit HaMikdash were only from the inhabitants of Babylon, and not from those who went to Chalach and Chavor, the river Gozan, and so on, those who were exiled by Sancheriv - but know that they will return at the end of days. Even though the people of Jerusalem relate to them as those who kept far from Hashem, since they are on foreign soil, so they say these will never return. Only "to us the land was given as an inheritance." We will inherit the land. Their hope is already lost, they have no measure, they have no survival. The Holy One, blessed be He, tells him: do not relate to what they say. Because know that the survival will truly be for those who are now in exile. Both the people of Babylon and those who are in the other places, who were exiled by Sancheriv, that is, the Ten Tribes, also for them there will in the end be a survivor. But when I spoke of a remnant, I was not speaking of those who dwell here in Jerusalem.
"Therefore say: Thus says Hashem Elokim: Though I have sent them far among the nations and though I have scattered them among the lands, yet I have been for them a small sanctuary in the lands to which they have come." Against what the inhabitants of Jerusalem say, relating with a kind of haughtiness of spirit, having some sort of pride, we are still here, they are already exiled, they are already far from Hashem - He says: tell them that on the contrary, Hashem is specifically close to them. "Thus says Hashem Elokim: Though I have sent them far among the nations and though I have scattered them among the lands" - in any case, know that although I sent them far from the nations and although I scattered them from the nations to the lands - and soon we will understand the difference between "I sent far" and "I scattered" - He tells him: but they are not far from Me. They are perhaps far from Jerusalem, but they are not far from Me. The Holy One, blessed be He, says, "yet I have been for them a small sanctuary." For although they do not have the great Sanctuary, they do have a small sanctuary. "Yet I have been for them" - I will be for them there in exile a small sanctuary. Although the Shechinah will not dwell openly, in revelation, yet still the Shechinah will dwell in concealment. The meaning is that the Holy One, blessed be He, will watch over them and accompany them also there in exile. They will have individual providence also there in exile. And this is what the Sages say: "yet I have been for them a small sanctuary" - these are the synagogues and study halls. That the synagogues and study halls in the lands of their dispersion, this is the small sanctuary. And the Holy One, blessed be He, will continue to rest His Shechinah upon them also there. And indeed, throughout all the days of the exile of Israel, "and even this too, when they are in the land of their enemies, I have not despised them and I have not abhorred them, to destroy them, to break My covenant with them." The Holy One, blessed be He, watched over the people of Israel also in the lands of their dispersion. And the Holy One, blessed be He, accompanied them with individual providence, for otherwise almost nothing would have remained, "like Sodom we would have been, to Gomorrah we would have been likened," nothing would have remained of them. How is it that the people of Israel, the only people at whom historians stand agape, how can it be that a people scattered so much among the nations and still preserved its nationhood, still connected as one mother, as one body, and in the end after 2000 years still returns to their land. There is nothing comparable to this in any historical example. And there were those who defined it as an accident of history. And we have already read here once the words that Mark Twain and other people wrote, who stood astonished before the supernatural reality of the people of Israel. So the Holy One, blessed be He, says: how do you think they exist? "Yet I have been for them a small sanctuary in the lands to which they have come." So although they do not have the Sanctuary in the revelation of the resting of the Shechinah as there was in the Sanctuary openly, but at any rate a small sanctuary, yes. So I accompany them also in those places where they are. So there is no room for feelings of pride of those who dwell in Jerusalem, who say they are far from Hashem. On the contrary, to them I am close, and they will return. And those whom you see here in Jerusalem, they will in the end be destroyed.
The Malbim says: it is written "I have sent them far among the nations, I have scattered them among the lands." The Malbim says that every place we see here in the book where "nations" and "lands" come as parallels, as two synonymous words, then the "lands" are always farther than the "nations." At first they were exiled among the nations, and they are already far. But afterward they distance themselves further and are dispersed to the lands, which are farther lands. "Therefore say: Thus says Hashem Elokim: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the lands in which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel." Therefore Hashem tells him: against what the inhabitants of Jerusalem say to the Ten Tribes, "to us the land was given as an inheritance" - they think that those who were driven off there are entirely lost and will never return - Hashem tells them: on the contrary, "I will gather you from the peoples." The meaning is from the nearby peoples, I will gather them. And this was in the exile of the Second Beit HaMikdash. The exiles of Babylon were gathered and returned to the Land. "And I will assemble" - this is already for the future, that is, in the complete redemption speedily, Hashem says "and I will assemble you from the lands." I will assemble the Ten Tribes who are already in the lands, for we said that the lands are farther, they did not yet return in the Second Beit HaMikdash but are still there. The Holy One, blessed be He, says: I will assemble you from the lands and give you the land of Israel. Not as the people of Jerusalem claim, "to us the land was given as an inheritance," but "and I will give you." You will receive the land as an inheritance, and not those who dwell here, who are destined to be destroyed.
The Malbim explains: there is a difference in the Holy Tongue between "assemble" and "gather." What is the difference? The Malbim says: "to assemble" means something that was far, and I brought it here. Like "He assembles the driven away." There is something driven off, and they assemble it here. "He shall be assembled home." "He assembled his feet into the bed." Yes? Something that was distant, and I brought it near. In contrast, whenever we speak of "gathering," it is to make a gathering of things that come as individuals, I gather them. I make them be together. The Malbim says: the lands are farther than the peoples, as we saw above. The peoples are the near ones, and the lands are already the farther ones. In the lands they were more scattered. All the far places, there the dispersion was greater. And this too is reasonable. When you take something and fling it, then closer there will be a greater concentration, and farther they will be more solitary. So it is naturally. So it was too. When they were exiled to the near places, they remained in larger groupings. And in contrast, when they went from there and were exiled to farther places, then they were already more as individuals, they were more solitary, not as whole and large groups. So it follows, then, that in the lands they were more scattered. And this is as it is written, "and I will scatter them among the nations and winnow them among the lands." "To scatter" is to disperse. "To winnow" is greater dispersion. It is like winnowing to the wind. So "I have scattered them among the nations" is near, they are merely dispersed. And in contrast, in the lands there will be winnowing. And therefore he says here "from the lands in which you have been scattered." There in the lands you are scattered, truly dispersed. Only that in the lands, besides needing to gather the scattered, one also needs to assemble. Because as we said, assembling is to assemble the individuals. And therefore he says, as it is written, "and He shall assemble the driven away of Israel and gather the dispersed of Judah." That there is here the matter of assembling from afar, and the second matter is to gather the individuals into one whole gathering.
"And they shall come there and remove all its detestable things and all its abominations from it." "And they shall come there and remove all its detestable things" means the exiles will return to Jerusalem and remove its detestable things. About when does this speak? The Malbim says: this speaks of the redemption of the Second Beit HaMikdash. After all, the Men of the Great Assembly nullified the inclination for idolatry. So it follows that in the redemption of the Second Beit HaMikdash they removed all its detestable things. There were no detestable idols in the Second Beit HaMikdash. So they will be redeemed and remove its detestable things. "And all its abominations from it." All its abominations from it - after all, even today not all its abominations have been removed from it. So about when is he speaking here? The Malbim says: this speaks of the future redemption, when also the Ten Tribes will come. And in the future redemption also all its abominations from it, also the inclination for forbidden relations, also all the other abominations, also pride parades, nothing will be anymore. "All its abominations from it" - this will be removed in the future, when the Mashiach comes and purifies the Land of Israel. And then, "and I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh."
The Malbim explains that in fact the processes by which the mental faculties of a person operate - the Malbim says the spirit raises the imaginings from the soul to the heart. Such is the order of things. The Malbim says, "and I will give them one heart, and a new spirit." Until now the causes of sin were the spirit and the heart. Since the spirit is the one that raises the images and imaginings from the depth of the soul onto the surface of the heart. Most of a person's images and imaginings, the Malbim says, incline toward evil. Envy, pride, vengeance, bearing a grudge, and so on. Most of the images of the heart - the images of the heart are the imaginings of the heart, the thoughts of the heart - most of them incline toward evil. As it is written, "for the inclination of a man's heart is evil from his youth." The Malbim says: and then the heart is in fact the faculty that rules in the soul, and it has a battle. And why? Because the heart also has another force that influences it. There are the images of the intellect, of thought, of contemplation, which incline more toward the good. A person in his intellect knows excellently what is good to do. Excellently. What is the problem? The problem of the heart. The problem of the heart is that the spirit comes and raises all the images and imaginings in the soul, raises them to the heart, in order to bring the heart, to draw the heart, to incline the heart toward the desires of the soul that is drawn to the evil things, to envy, pride, vengeance, lust, and so on. It follows, then, that in the end before the heart stand two hearts, let us define it thus. There are two hearts. There is one heart that receives the images, as we said, from the soul by means of the spirit that raises the images to the heart, and this is a drawing toward evil; and there is something that receives from the intellect, which is from understanding, which is the drawing toward good. And this creates a state of two hearts, or if you will, a divided heart. Why? Because the heart, the Malbim explains, is always the ruling faculty. The heart is the ruling faculty, "the mighty of heart," always the heart is the ruling faculty. But the ruling faculty is divided. It has a drawing toward evil and a drawing toward good. It follows, then, that every person, if we wish to use a somewhat crude expression, has two hearts. There is the heart that draws toward evil and the heart that draws toward good. He is ultimately the one who is supposed to decide where to go, yes? Which is simple to do. And then He says: in the future they will not have it thus, but "I will give them one heart." The meaning is that the faculty that rules the soul, which is in fact the heart, will be aroused only toward good. It will go only according to the counsel of the intellect and of understanding, and will not go according to the counsel of the spirit that raises from the soul all sorts of evil imaginings and evil thoughts; it will not go in this direction. And then "I will put within you a new spirit." The spirit will not raise all sorts of evil images and imaginings, but only matters of holiness, of love of Hashem, of the service of Hashem, of the fear of Heaven. This is what will rise from the spirit, from the soul below, this is what the spirit will raise to the heart. And through this, "and I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh." Until now they had a heart of stone. And what is the problem with a heart of stone? A heart of stone is hard to engrave impressions upon. It is hard to perform actions upon it, it is hard as stone. It is not willing to receive the divine impressions and the images of morality and wisdom. It is stiff-necked. It has a heart of stone that is not impressed by anything. In contrast, Hashem says: I will give them a heart of flesh. A heart of flesh, the Malbim says, is soft to receive upon it the writing of Elokim and the images of holiness and spirituality. The heart of flesh is a heart that is moved, it is a heart that is influenced by matters of holiness. A soft heart, easy to submit. But when there is a heart of stone, you can give rebuke, you can show things that horrify every heart, but the heart is stone. When the heart is stone, then nothing is influenced, nothing is moved, one is no longer stirred by anything. And we have already spoken about this several times, that we in fact live in this reality of a heart of stone. We live in this reality where a person finds it hard to be moved in prayer, in Torah study, finds it hard to be stirred by the service of Hashem. This is a reality of a heart of stone. And it is written that in the future, so it is brought in the holy books, that toward the coming of the Mashiach the souls will come that are from the heel of Adam. And the least sensitive place, the lowliest souls, and the place least sensitive in the human body, is the heel. And therefore we are in a generation devoid of feelings. We are in a generation in which it is very hard to activate feeling, very hard to be moved in the service of Hashem, in Torah study, to reach some sort of stirring and enthusiasm in the service of Hashem. The heart is lacking. We have a heart of stone instead of a heart of flesh. The Holy One, blessed be He, says: then I will put within you that you should have a heart of flesh. A heart that truly, from prayer, from the service of Hashem, from Torah study, from a class, from an idea, from a novel insight, will have being moved; a person will have enthusiasm and feeling, a holy flame for His service, blessed be He.
"So that in My statutes they may walk and My judgments they may keep and perform them, and they shall be a people to Me and I will be a God to them." "So that in My statutes they may walk" - so that the evil inclination will not hinder them. When the evil inclination turns the heart into stone, it is hard for them to walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and perform them. But when the heart becomes flesh, then a person does accept rebuke and does change his ways. So consequently "My judgments they may keep and perform them, and they shall be a people to Me and I will be a God to them," I will rest My Shechinah upon them. "And to the heart of their detestable things and their abominations their heart goes; their way upon their own head I have placed, says Hashem Elokim." He returns, the Malbim explains, to what he spoke of above in verse 12. Above in verse 12 it is written, "and you shall know that I am Hashem, for in My statutes you did not walk, and My judgments you did not perform, and according to the judgments of the nations around you, you have done." And here suddenly he cuts in, "and it came to pass, as I prophesied, that Pelatiah son of Benaiah died." He returns to relate what happened, that suddenly he is surprised to see that as it were the decree already begins to be fulfilled immediately upon the people dwelling in Jerusalem. The Malbim says: in this matter he asked Hashem, what, are You making a complete end in Jerusalem? And Hashem answered him. "And the word of Hashem came to me, saying," verse 14, "Son of man, your brothers, your brothers, the men of your redemption," and so on. Up to here is Hashem's answer. From here onward, note, he returns to what was earlier in verse 12. "And you shall know that I am Hashem, for in My statutes you did not walk, and My judgments you did not perform, and according to the judgments of the nations around you, you have done." The Holy One, blessed be He, says, "and to the heart of their detestable things and their abominations their heart goes." He continues what he spoke of before. He says: in My statutes you did not walk, you go only to the detestable things and to the abominations, there their heart goes. They go to cleave to idolatry, which is called "detestable thing." As it is written, that they placed in Jerusalem "the appalling abomination." They go to cleave to forbidden relations, which is called "abomination." And therefore Hashem says, "their way upon their own head I have placed, says Hashem Elokim." "Their way upon their own head I have placed" - I repay them according to their way, they are in fact guilty of the matter. In simple words, when a trouble befalls a person, then "the folly of a man distorts his way, and against Hashem his heart rages." He turns to Hashem and says, why do You do this to me? Do I do it to You? You did it to yourself. Do not put your hand into the fire, will it not be burned? So here too He says, "their way upon their own head I have placed." The Holy One, blessed be He, says: they themselves are guilty, for I repaid them according to their way. That is to say, this is not an external punishment, but "your own evil shall chastise you." The evil that a person himself creates through the transgressions he commits, the corruptions he corrupts, the destroyers he creates, they are the ones who chastise him.
The Malbim explains what "and to the heart of their detestable things and their abominations their heart goes" means. What is "the heart of their detestable things"? There are detestable things and there is "the heart of the detestable things." The Malbim says: yes. A detestable thing is a detestable thing. The heart of the detestable thing is the essence of the matter, it is the center of the thing. In simple words, a person can worship idolatry as what is called "holding to the practice of their fathers in their hands." A commandment of men learned by rote. But a person can worship idolatry with all his heart. With all the fervor, with all the... with all the enthusiasm, he is what is called devoted to it. He is attached to idolatry. The Holy One, blessed be He, says: with you it was not external. This is "and to the heart of their detestable things and their abominations their heart goes." They - the heart is the essence of the matter, they make this thing the heart and essence. They do not worship idolatry out of love and out of fear, but they cleaved to the idolatry itself, they feel part of the idolatry.
"And the cherubim lifted their wings, and the wheels alongside them, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them from above." After Hashem finished His words to me here, Hashem, as it were, departs. He sees the Shechinah journeying from the city, and the glory of Hashem moving away. "And the glory of Hashem went up from within the city and stood upon the mountain which is to the east of the city." We saw that from the gate of the House of Hashem the glory of Hashem journeyed into the city. From there, above the city, it goes up, it stands upon the mountain which is to the east of the city. What mountain is there to the east of the city? This is the Mount of Olives. As the Targum says, "and it rested upon the Mount of Olives." This is the mountain which is to the east of the city. I see it, how as it were the Shechinah goes and rises up, as it said, "and they rose up from the earth before my eyes." I see this before my eyes how the Shechinah rises up and stands above within the city, and afterward upon the mountain which is to the east of the city. "And a spirit lifted me and brought me to Chaldea, to the exile, in a vision by the spirit of Elokim, and the vision that I had seen went up from upon me." And then it seemed to him, so he sees in his imagination, that the spirit that brought him to Jerusalem is the one that carries him to the exile. And then also the Shechinah goes with him. And there he sees the vision, as we said, from upon him. "And the vision that I had seen went up from upon me" means the glory of Hashem that spoke with him earlier. "And I spoke to the exile all the words of Hashem that He had shown me." Since Hashem took him to Jerusalem in order to show him this, and now returned him to the exile, then all these matters are meant to be as rebuke for the people. And therefore he says, "I spoke to the exile all the words of Hashem that He had shown me." To comfort them, to tell them that the Shechinah is with them and that the Holy One, blessed be He, promised me that you will be redeemed and will yet return to your land, and also the Ten Tribes will return. All these words of consolation I told them, for they are in fact the essence of the matters that concern them. As for those, there is no purpose in telling them what will happen to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. That will only break them; it may be that they have relatives there, it will depress them, what will it give? I speak an evil prophecy to people who need to hear evil so that they will repent. But to come and tell those who dwell in Babylon what will be with the inhabitants of Jerusalem? Why, what do they care about this? Therefore, "and I spoke to the exile," the Malbim says, to them I told the words of their consolation, which do concern them. These are matters that touch upon you, that you are destined to return back to Jerusalem and Hashem will redeem you.