יחזקאל, פרק ל״ז, פסוק י״ב

A profound promise of revival and return bridges the gap between utter despair and complete redemption. Addressed to a nation at its absolute lowest, the message offers a miraculous escape from the depths of ruin to a renewed life in the homeland.

Commentators present two main ways to understand the nature of this dramatic revival. One approach views the imagery symbolically, where the graves represent the lands of exile. In these foreign lands, the people are enslaved and effectively buried as a nation. Escaping these graves signifies lifting the heavy burden of oppression and redeeming the nation from its state of ruin [רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Conversely, a literal approach understands this as a genuine promise for the resurrection of the dead at the end of days [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. The miraculous revival of dry bones acts as a clear sign that God will eventually raise the dead, fully alive and whole, so they can witness the future redemption with their own eyes [מצודת דוד].

While the initial opening of the graves might seem to encompass everyone, the actual ascent from the depths is selective. Whether the promise refers to a physical resurrection for eternal life or a national return from exile to the Land of Israel, this privilege is reserved exclusively for the righteous. They alone are recognized as God's true people, while those who sin and rebel against Him will not be part of this process [מלבי״ם].

A final question arises regarding those who are buried outside the Land of Israel. One perspective suggests that the dead will be brought back to life exactly where they rest in exile, as the sequence of events first describes rising from the earth and only afterward speaks of being brought to the Land of Israel [רד״ק]. However, an ancient tradition maintains that the actual resurrection will only take place within the Land of Israel itself. According to this view, God will form underground tunnels for the righteous buried in foreign lands. Their bodies will travel through these hidden pathways until they reach the homeland. Only when they finally arrive on the soil of Israel will their souls return to them, bringing them back to life [מלבי״ם, מנחת שי].