1The words of Nekhem-Yah Ben Khakhal-Yah. Now it came to pass in the month Kislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the castle, 2that Khanani, one of my brethren, came out of Yehudah, he and certain men; and I asked them concerning the Yehudim that had escaped, that were left of the captivity, and concerning Yerushalayim. 3And they said unto me, “The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach; the wall of Yerushalayim also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.” 4And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the Elohim of heaven, 5and said, “I beseech you, O יהוה , the Elohim of heaven, the great and awesome Elohim, that keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His Mitzvot; 6let Your ear now be attentive, and Your eyes open, that You may hearken unto the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you at this time, day and night, for B’nei Yisra’el your servants, while I confess the sins of B’nei Yisra’el, which we have sinned against you; yes, I and my father’s house have sinned. 7We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the Mitzvot, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You did command your servant Moshe. 8Remember, I beseech you, the word that You did command your servant Moshe, saying, ‘If you deal treacherously, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples; 9but if you return unto Me, and keep My Mitzvot and do them, though your dispersed were in the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to cause My Name to dwell there’. 10Now these are your servants and your people, whom You have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand. 11O Adonai, I beseech you, let now Your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who delight to fear Your Name; and prosper, I pray, your servant this day, and grant him mercies in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.
אדִּבְרֵי נְחֶמְיָה בֶּן חֲכַלְיָה: וַיְהִי בְחֹדֶשׁ כִּסְלֵו שְׁנַת עֶשְׂרִים וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה. בוַיָּבֹא חֲנָנִי אֶחָד מֵאַחַי הוּא וַאֲנָשִׁים מִיהוּדָה; וָאֶשְׁאָלֵם עַל הַיְּהוּדִים הַפְּלֵיטָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאֲרוּ מִן הַשֶּׁבִי וְעַל יְרוּשָׁלִָם. גוַיֹּאמְרוּ לִי הַנִּשְׁאָרִים אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאֲרוּ מִן הַשְּׁבִי שָׁם בַּמְּדִינָה בְּרָעָה גְדֹלָה וּבְחֶרְפָּה; וְחוֹמַת יְרוּשָׁלִַם מְפֹרָצֶת וּשְׁעָרֶיהָ נִצְּתוּ בָאֵשׁ. דוַיְהִי כְּשָׁמְעִי אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה יָשַׁבְתִּי וָאֶבְכֶּה וָאֶתְאַבְּלָה יָמִים; וָאֱהִי צָם וּמִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם. הוָאֹמַר אָנָּא יהוה אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא: שֹׁמֵר הַבְּרִית וָחֶסֶד לְאֹהֲבָיו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו. ותְּהִי נָא אָזְנְךָ קַשֶּׁבֶת וְעֵינֶיךָ פְתוּחוֹת לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה עַל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדֶיךָ; וּמִתְוַדֶּה עַל חַטֹּאות בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר חָטָאנוּ לָךְ וַאֲנִי וּבֵית אָבִי חָטָאנוּ. זחֲבֹל חָבַלְנוּ לָךְ; וְלֹא שָׁמַרְנוּ אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת וְאֶת הַחֻקִּים וְאֶת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָ אֶת מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ. חזְכָר נָא אֶת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָ אֶת מֹשֶׁה עַבְדְּךָ לֵאמֹר: אַתֶּם תִּמְעָלוּ אֲנִי אָפִיץ אֶתְכֶם בָּעַמִּים. טוְשַׁבְתֶּם אֵלַי וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם מִצְוֹתַי וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם: אִם יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲכֶם בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם מִשָּׁם אֲקַבְּצֵם והבואתים (וַהֲבִיאֹתִים) אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי לְשַׁכֵּן אֶת שְׁמִי שָׁם. יוְהֵם עֲבָדֶיךָ וְעַמֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדוֹל וּבְיָדְךָ הַחֲזָקָה. יאאָנָּא אֲדֹנָי תְּהִי נָא אָזְנְךָ קַשֶּׁבֶת אֶל תְּפִלַּת עַבְדְּךָ וְאֶל תְּפִלַּת עֲבָדֶיךָ הַחֲפֵצִים לְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ וְהַצְלִיחָה נָּא לְעַבְדְּךָ הַיּוֹם וּתְנֵהוּ לְרַחֲמִים לִפְנֵי הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה; וַאֲנִי הָיִיתִי מַשְׁקֶה לַמֶּלֶךְ.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 