חגי, פרק ב׳, פסוק י׳

A specific date marks a significant historical milestone, setting the stage for a new prophetic revelation. This event represents the fourth prophecy received by Haggai [אברבנאל]. The timing points to the ninth month of the calendar, known as Kislev [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. While some suggest this counting refers to the ninth month from the start of King Darius's reign, the primary approach among commentators rejects this view. Instead, the calculation begins from the month of Nissan, following the Israelite custom to number months according to the standard yearly calendar rather than the years of a king's rule [אבן עזרא].

The specific day, the twenty-fourth of the month, holds great importance in the process of building the Second Temple. Although preparations for the construction had already started earlier in the sixth month of Elul, the actual physical building of the Temple began on this very day. At this moment, the word of God came to Haggai, commanding him to question the priests regarding the complex laws of purity and impurity.

The timing of these questions carries a deeper significance. The returning exiles had already constructed an altar and offered sacrifices on it for nineteen years before the foundation of the Temple was ever laid. Yet, questions regarding the strict laws of purity are only raised now. As long as the construction of the Temple had not officially begun, the sacrificial service was not considered permanent. Only on this exact day, with the true commencement of the building, did the sacrifices finally achieve their permanent and formal status [רד״ק].