יחזקאל, פרק כ״ח, פסוק כ״ה

A profound historical and spiritual reversal awaits the Israelites and the surrounding nations. Following a prolonged period of rivalry, where the downfall of Jerusalem was celebrated as a victory by neighboring powers, God promises an era of restoration and security. The gathering of the Israelites from their exile and their renewed independence will serve as a living testimony to the entire world, demonstrating God's power and glorifying His name [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The process of redemption begins with gathering the dispersed nation [מצודת ציון]. This exile is not merely a geographic punishment but a profound spiritual mission. The Israelites were scattered among the nations to sift through and retrieve lost sparks of holiness embedded within the world. Their physical ingathering represents the successful completion of this spiritual harvest. Additionally, their time in exile under the dominion of foreign powers reflects a period where the celestial princes of those nations held sway over them, a dynamic that God will ultimately overturn when He calls those powers to account [חומת אנך].

Through this ingathering, God's name is sanctified. The primary approach among commentators is that this sanctification occurs openly before the eyes of the world, driven by the visible signs, wonders, and the miraculous national rebirth of His people [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, צאינה וראינה].

Commentators offer different perspectives on when this promise is fulfilled. One approach identifies this prophecy with the era of the Second Temple, initiated when Cyrus permitted the return to the land [מלבי״ם]. During this period, the public sanctification of God's name was actually more powerful than during the First Temple. While the miracles of the First Temple were largely witnessed only by the Israelites, the events of the Second Temple drew the nations of the world, who saw God's deeds firsthand and believed [אהבת יהונתן]. Another perspective views this as a promise for the ultimate future redemption. This future era is compared to a renewed, unbreakable marriage between God and the Israelites. Unlike the original covenant, which functioned as a conditional betrothal that was eventually broken, this future union will be absolute and eternal [חומת אנך].

The culmination of this redemption is the return to the land specifically promised to Jacob. Invoking Jacob highlights that the land was given to him as an inheritance without borders or limits, reflecting the promise that his descendants would spread out in all directions [רש״י]. Furthermore, just as the First Temple was established in the merit of Abraham, the second redemption and the renewed settlement of the land were made possible by the merit of Jacob [אהבת יהונתן]. On a deeper spiritual level, the land itself represents the Divine Presence. It is to this sacred destination that all the sparks of holiness, carefully extracted from the depths of exile, will ultimately ascend and return [חומת אנך].