עזרא, פרק ג׳, פסוק ז׳

Preparing to build the Second Temple required a massive logistical effort, closely mirroring the grand construction of the First Temple during the days of Solomon. To gather the necessary raw materials, resources were distributed among various craftsmen and neighboring nations, all operating under the legal protection of the Persian Empire.

Compensation was handed out based on the specific type of labor performed. Money was given to the stone cutters who carved rock from the quarries, as well as to the skilled artisans who worked with hard materials, sculpted stones, prepared timber, and constructed walls [רלב״ג, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. In contrast, a different form of payment consisting of food, drink, and oil was provided to the people of Tyre and Sidon [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. These neighboring nations were specifically hired for the project because they were the absolute experts in logging and construction. Their unmatched skill was a deeply rooted tradition, passed down since the era of the First Temple [רש״י, רלב״ג, מצודת דוד].

The primary role of the workers from Tyre and Sidon was to supply cedar trees from Lebanon. To transport these massive logs, they moved them by sea, floating them along the water all the way south to the port city of Jaffa. Once the wood arrived at the coast, it was carried inland and brought up to Jerusalem [רש״י, מצודת דוד].

This entire complex operation was only possible through the official authorization of King Cyrus. The primary approach among commentators is that the builders operated under a formal royal charter from the Persian king, granting them explicit permission to construct the Temple [רב סעדיה גאון, אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון, רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Mentioning this royal decree is essential because the forests of Lebanon were the personal property of the Persian king, meaning no timber could be harvested without his direct consent. Furthermore, the builders did not actually need to purchase the wood with their own funds. The royal charter explicitly stated that the construction expenses would be covered by the royal treasury, allowing them to acquire the materials entirely on the authority of the king [מלבי״ם].