28 Elul 5770 |
September 7 2010 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
.jpg)
Ezra
Ezra, also referred to as “Ezra, the scribe”, is the Biblical figure most famous for leading the Jews out of exile back to the land of Israel in 458 B.C.E. [1] His title “the scribe” was owed to his assessment of all Biblical texts, which led him to institute certain modifications which continue to this very day. For example, it was Ezra who instituted that Torah scrolls were to be written in the square-like “Ashurit” script and no longer in the ancient Hebrew script as was the practice. He also wrote down the book of Chronicles, as well as his book, the book of Ezra[2].
Little do many know, this “great” return of the Babylonian exiles to the land of Israel was not very popular and did not enjoy much of a following. Of the entire nation that was in exile in the area of Babylon, only 1,500 Jews chose to heed Ezra’s call and return home - a true Nefesh B’Nefesh nightmare! The rest seemed to have gotten ‘comfortable’ to the lifestyle of the exile, as is unfortunately, the case today. As in almost every age of Jewish history, intermarriage was a serous problem in the days of Ezra and he forced all men to divorce their non-Jewish wives.
Ezra’s most significant contribution, at least from the rabbinic perspective, was “the ten enactments”[3] that he set into place, many of which continue to this day. Some of his enactments are so routine that many do not even realize that they were instituted by Ezra, and not any earlier.
Among Ezra’s ten enactments is the well known practice of reading the Torah on Monday and Thursday mornings, as well as on Shabbat afternoons. Although this practice may have actually begun some time earlier, it is attributed to Ezra as he is the one who had formally solidified the practice. The Shabbat afternoon Torah reading was actually instituted on behalf of shopkeepers who may not make it to synagogue services on Monday and Thursday morning.
He also established that the Beit Din, Jewish court, should meet for trials on Mondays and Thursdays. This was deemed a logical convenience since once people were making the extra effort to attend the synagogue for the Torah reading on these days, then they might as well be able to tend to any Beit Din related issues as well.
Ezra also decreed that clothes, especially those needed for Shabbat, should be washed on Thursdays and not be left for Friday, in order to allow for Friday to be used for other Shabbat related errands. Ezra also shaped the Shabbat evening menu decreeing that garlic be consumed on Friday nights. It was believed that garlic increased a man’s fertility in preparation for the customary Friday night intimacy. Actually, while on the topic of garlic, it was also known to satiate, keep one warm, brighten one’s face, and disinfect one’s bowels[4].
Believe it or not, it was none other than Ezra who decreed that women must comb their hair prior to immersion in the mikvah. He also instituted that women always wear a “sinnar” belt - but scholars are not really sure what this garment actually is. He also decreed that men should immerse in a mikvah after seminal emissions, a custom which had a large following in ancient times, but hardly practiced today[5]. Little do many know, a good shower[6] is in most cases an acceptable alternative to this decree of Ezra[7].
There is a “Tomb of Ezra” in Iraq, as well as one in Jerusalem, reflecting the different traditions as to where he was buried.
This site is powered by PBCSTechnology.