יחזקאל, פרק י״א, פסוק י״ח

The return from exile to the land of Israel is not merely a physical journey, but a profound process of spiritual and practical purification. As the exiles gather from across the diaspora to reclaim their homeland [ביאור שטיינזלץ], they are tasked with cleansing the land of its deeply rooted impurities and improper practices, ultimately restoring its original holiness. Upon arriving, the returning Israelites will actively rid the land of all the evil actions that had taken place there, ensuring that such deeds are never repeated [מצודת דוד]. This cleansing specifically targets practices that evoke intense disgust and revulsion [מצודת ציון].

When considering the exact nature of these abominations and the timeline for their removal, two distinct perspectives emerge. One approach suggests that the purification focuses on the physical idols and statues that foreign nations set up in the land during their rule, which corrupted Israel prior to the redemption [רד"ק].

Another approach views this process through a historical and spiritual lens, dividing the cleansing into two separate eras of redemption. In this view, the initial removal of detestable practices already took place at the beginning of the Second Temple period, when the Men of the Great Assembly successfully eradicated the national desire for idolatry. However, the promise to remove every remaining abomination points toward a future, ultimate redemption. In that future time, the urge for sexual immorality and all other corrupt behaviors will be completely and permanently abolished [מלבי"ם].