Ezekiel 45:16-46:18

Sugya Map

• Issue: The nature and mechanism of the "contribution" (תרומה) specified in Yechezkel 45:16, to be made by "all the people of the land" (כל העם הארץ) for "the prince in Israel" (לנשיא בישראל). Specifically, what is the role of the נשיא in this arrangement, and how does this collective offering fund the communal sacrifices outlined in the subsequent verses?
• Nafka Mina(s):
  • Does the תרומה represent an actual transfer of ownership to the נשיא, or is he merely a trustee for communal hekdesh?
  • Is the נשיא obligated to contribute to this תרומה himself, or is it exclusively for his benefit/use?
  • What is the scope of the נשיא's responsibility for communal sacrifices, and are these תרומות the sole funding source?
  • How does this model of תרומה compare to other biblical communal funding mechanisms for עבודת המקדש?
• Primary Sources:
  • Ezekiel 45:13-15: Specifies the precise rates for various agricultural and animal products as a תרומה.
  • Ezekiel 45:16: "כל העם הארץ יהיו אל התרומה הזאת לנשיא בישראל."
  • Ezekiel 45:17: "ועל הנשיא יהיה העולות והמנחה והנסכים בחגים ובחדשים ובשבתות בכל מועדי בית ישראל הוא יעשה את החטאת ואת העולה ואת השלמים לכפר בעד בית ישראל."
  • Ezekiel 46:18: "ולא יקח הנשיא מנחלת העם להונות אותם מאחזתם מאחזתו ינחיל את בניו למען לא יפצו איש מאחזתו מעל עמי."

Text Snapshot

The focal point of our discussion is Ezekiel 45:16:

"כל העם הארץ יהיו אל התרומה הזאת לנשיא בישראל."¹

Dikduk and Leshon Nuance

1. כל העם הארץ: The phrase העם הארץ lacks smichut (construct state), which would typically be עם הארץ or עם הארץ. Radak and Malbim highlight this grammatical particularity. Radak notes it's a חסרון הסמיכות (lack of construct state) akin to הארון הברית (cf. Numbers 10:33) or האל בית אל (cf. Genesis 35:7).² Malbim expands on this, suggesting that the unusual phrasing implies the obligation is on "the people" (העם) and on "the land" (הארץ), such that even those exempt from personal taxes would be liable due to the land's obligation.³ This dikduk thus subtly expands the universality of the תרומה.
2. יהיו אל התרומה: The use of אל ("to" or "towards") with יהיו ("they shall be") indicates participation or inclusion in the תרומה. It doesn't necessarily mean they give the תרומה in the sense of transferring possession, but rather constitute or are part of the תרומה itself.
3. לנשיא בישראל: The preposition ל can denote "to," "for," "belonging to," or "on behalf of." This ambiguity is central to the Rishonim's dispute regarding the נשיא's role and ownership. Is the תרומה given to the נשיא as his personal property, for the benefit of the נשיא (e.g., to fund his expenses), or for the נשיא to administer on behalf of the people?

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¹ Ezekiel 45:16. ² Radak, Ezekiel 45:16 s.v. כל העם הארץ. ³ Malbim, Ezekiel 45:16 s.v. כל העם הארץ.

Readings

The precise relationship between "all the people of the land" (כל העם הארץ), the "contribution" (תרומה), and "the prince in Israel" (הנשיא בישראל) is a fascinating locus of exegetical inquiry. The Rishonim and Acharonim offer divergent perspectives on the nature of this תרומה and the נשיא's role.

Rashi: A Collective Oblation for the Prince to Administer

Rashi interprets לנשיא בישראל as indicating that the תרומה is given to the prince for the specific purpose of bringing the sacrifices mentioned previously. His chiddush is to frame the תרומה as an "oblation" (תרומה) that the people contribute, which is then managed by the נשיא.

"to give this oblation mentioned above; it will be [given] with the knowledge of all the people of the land."⁴ Rashi thus sees the נשיא as a conduit or administrator. The people's universal participation (כל העם הארץ) ensures collective ownership and responsibility for the offerings, which are then brought by the נשיא. The ל in לנשיא here signifies destination and purpose rather than personal possession. The נשיא acts as the agent (שליח) for the entire populace, executing the communal offerings funded by their contributions.

Metzudat David: Universal Participation, Even the Prince Contributes

Metzudat David offers a compelling chiddush by emphasizing the absolute universality of the obligation, extending even to the נשיא himself.

"כל העם וגו׳. אין מי נקי מהם כולם יתנו התרומה הזאת ואף על הנשיא בישראל גם עליו לתת התרומה הזאת." (All the people, etc. No one is exempt from them; all shall give this contribution, and even upon the prince in Israel, it is also upon him to give this contribution.)⁵ This reading suggests that לנשיא בישראל does not mean the נשיא receives the תרומה as a distinct entity, but rather that the תרומה is destined for the purposes of the נשיא's responsibilities, and he, too, is a part of the contributing "people." The chiddush here lies in asserting that the נשיא is not above the communal obligation but rather participates in it, blurring the lines between recipient and contributor. This universal participation underscores the collective nature of atonement and divine service.

Radak: Reciprocal Obligation and Atonement

Radak provides a profound chiddush by interpreting לנשיא בישראל as בעבור הנשיא (for the sake of the prince), implying a reciprocal relationship between the people and their leader.

"יהיו אל התרומה הזאת לנשיא בישראל. בעבור הנשיא שבישראל יעשו כל ישראל זאת התרומה כלומר בעבור עצמם כמו שאמר לכפר עליהם ובעבור הנשיא גם כן יעשו זאת התרומה כי קרבן הכהנים כבר זכר למעלה אלה חקות המזבח ביום העשותו ועתה זכר קרבן העם ומנחתם והנשיא לא יצטרך לעשות בעד עצמו כל ישראל יעשו בעבורו וכן הנשיא יעשה בעבור ישראל בחגים ובמועדים כמו שאמר." (They shall be for this contribution for the prince in Israel. For the sake of the prince who is in Israel, all Israel shall make this contribution, meaning for themselves, as it says "to make expiation for them," and also for the sake of the prince they shall make this contribution. For the offering of the priests was already mentioned above "these are the statutes of the altar on the day it is made." And now it mentions the offering of the people and their meal-offering, and the prince will not need to make [an offering] for himself, [as] all Israel will make [it] for him. And likewise, the prince will make [offerings] for Israel on festivals and new moons, as it says.)⁶ Radak's chiddush is multi-faceted:

1. Mutual Atonement: The people contribute for their own atonement and for the נשיא's. This implies a recognition of the נשיא's unique spiritual burden and his role as a representative whose spiritual state impacts the entire nation.
2. Reciprocal Service: The נשיא then reciprocates by bringing specific offerings for כל בית ישראל on festivals, new moons, and Sabbaths (Ezekiel 45:17). This establishes a dynamic partnership in divine service. The תרומה is not merely a tax, but a collective investment in the spiritual well-being of both the populace and its leader, enabling both to fulfill their respective roles in עבודת המקדש.

Malbim: A Land-Based Obligation

While not a direct commentary on לנשיא, Malbim's chiddush on כל העם הארץ significantly impacts our understanding of the תרומה's universality.

"כל העם הארץ. כמו הארון הברית, ויל"פ שיהיה החיוב על העם, ועל הארץ, עד שגם הפטורים ממסים ישלמו זאת מצד חיוב הארץ." (All the people of the land. Like "the ark of the covenant," and it can be explained that the obligation is on the people, and on the land, such that even those exempt from taxes shall pay this by virtue of the land's obligation.)⁷ Malbim's chiddush is that the obligation for this תרומה is not merely personal (חובת גברא) but also חובת קרקע (an obligation tied to the land). This ensures that everyone connected to the land, regardless of their personal tax status, contributes. This reinforces the idea that the תרומה is fundamental to the very existence and spiritual health of the land and its inhabitants, transcending individual fiscal standing.

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⁴ Rashi, Ezekiel 45:16:1 s.v. כל העם הארץ. ⁵ Metzudat David, Ezekiel 45:16:1 s.v. כל העם וגו׳. ⁶ Radak, Ezekiel 45:16:2 s.v. יהיו אל התרומה הזאת לנשיא בישראל. ⁷ Malbim, Ezekiel 45:16:1 s.v. כל העם הארץ.

Friction

The primary kushya arising from Ezekiel 45:16 is the precise nature of the relationship between the people's תרומה and the נשיא. Specifically, how can we reconcile the notion that "all the people of the land" contribute to the נשיא (לנשיא בישראל) with the subsequent verse (45:17) stating that "upon the prince shall be the burnt offerings and the meal offerings and the libations on festivals, new moons, Sabbaths—all fixed occasions—of the House of Israel; he shall provide the purgation offerings... to make expiation for the House of Israel"? If the נשיא is obligated to bring these sacrifices, is the תרומה his personal property to fund his obligations, or is he merely a custodian of hekdesh? This tension is heightened by Metzudat David's assertion that even the נשיא contributes to this תרומה. If he contributes, how can he simultaneously be the recipient?

The Strongest Kushya

The strongest kushya is the apparent conflict between the נשיא as recipient/beneficiary of the תרומה (לנשיא בישראל) and his independent obligation to fund and offer communal sacrifices (45:17). Furthermore, if the תרומה is for "expiation for them" (לכפר עליהם) (45:15), implying the people's atonement, does the נשיא truly "own" these funds? This raises critical questions about ba'alut (ownership) and shlichut (agency) in hekdesh. If the נשיא has full ownership, it opens the door to potential misuse, yet Ezekiel 46:18 explicitly warns the נשיא not to dispossess the people. This implies the תרומה is not for his personal enrichment.

Best Terutz

A comprehensive terutz can be constructed by synthesizing Radak's reciprocal model with Malbim's concept of חובת קרקע, filtered through the lens of hekdesh.

1. Radak's Reciprocal Mandate: The ל in לנשיא בישראל is best understood as בעבור הנשיא – for the sake of the prince, or to enable the prince. As Radak explains, the people contribute for their own atonement and for the prince's, recognizing his pivotal role in national spiritual well-being.⁸ Simultaneously, the prince, empowered and funded by this collective תרומה, then brings the specified sacrifices for the entire House of Israel. This is not a personal gift to the נשיא for his private use, but rather a national endowment to facilitate his avodat hakodesh. The נשיא acts as the primary שליח ציבור (communal agent) for קרבנות ציבור.

2. Malbim's חובת קרקע and Universal Participation: Malbim's insight that העם הארץ implies an obligation tied to the land ensures that the תרומה is truly universal and foundational. This reinforces that the תרומה is not a voluntary donation but a binding national requirement for the upkeep of the Mishkan and its avodah. Even the נשיא contributes because he is part of העם הארץ and shares in the land's obligation, as per Metzudat David. His contribution is conceptually distinct from his role as administrator of the collective תרומה.

3. Hekdesh, Not Personal Property: Crucially, the תרומה specified in 45:13-15 (grain, oil, flock) is explicitly for "grain offerings, burnt offerings, and offerings of well-being, to make expiation for them" (45:15). This immediately designates the תרומה as hekdesh – consecrated for Temple service. The נשיא, therefore, does not "own" these funds in a personal sense. He is a גזבר (treasurer) or ממונה (appointed official) over hekdesh funds, responsible for their proper allocation towards the communal sacrifices for which they are designated. Ezekiel 46:18, which warns the נשיא against dispossessing the people, further solidifies this understanding: his personal property is distinct from the national תרומה. The תרומה is for hekdesh, and his role is to administer it faithfully, not to appropriate it.

This terutz reconciles the roles by viewing the נשיא as a divinely appointed administrator and שליח of the people, funded by a universal, land-based תרומה that retains its hekdesh status. His personal obligation (45:17) is an extension of his unique leadership role, fulfilled using resources consecrated by the entire nation for this sacred purpose.

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⁸ Radak, Ezekiel 45:16:2 s.v. יהיו אל התרומה הזאת לנשיא בישראל.

Intertext

The concept of a universal national contribution for the maintenance of sacred service and communal offerings is not unique to Yechezkel's vision. The most prominent parallel in Torah Shebichtav is the מחצית השקל (half-shekel) contribution.

Machatzit HaShekel (Exodus 30:11-16)

In Parashat Ki Tisa, the Torah commands:

"זה יתנו כל העבר על הפקדים מחצית השקל בשקל הקדש עשרים גרה השקל מחצית השקל תרומה ליהוה." (This they shall give, everyone who passes through the counting, half a shekel by the shekel of the sanctuary – twenty gerahs the shekel – half a shekel as a terumah to Hashem.)⁹ This מחצית השקל was explicitly for the אדני המשכן (sockets of the Tabernacle) and later, in the Second Temple era (Nehemiah 10:33), for the purchase of קרבנות ציבור (communal sacrifices). The parallels to Yechezkel 45:16 are striking:

1. Universality: "כל העבר על הפקדים" (everyone who passes through the counting) mirrors "כל העם הארץ." Both mandate a universal obligation, transcending socio-economic status. Just as the rich may not give more and the poor not less for the מחצית השקל (Exodus 30:15), the תרומה in Yechezkel is a fixed proportion for all.
2. Terumah la'Hashem: The מחצית השקל is explicitly called a "תרומה ליהוה" (a contribution to Hashem). While Yechezkel 45:16 states לנשיא בישראל, the context of 45:15 ("for grain offerings, burnt offerings, and offerings of well-being, to make expiation for them") strongly implies that the ultimate destination and purpose of the תרומה is קדש (for Hashem), with the נשיא serving as the designated administrator.
3. Atonement: Both contributions are explicitly linked to atonement. The מחצית השקל is for "לכפר על נפשתיכם" (to make atonement for your souls) (Exodus 30:15-16), and Yechezkel's תרומה is "לכפר עליהם" (to make expiation for them) (Ezekiel 45:15). This reinforces that these are not mere taxes, but sacred obligations with spiritual efficacy.

Rambam and Communal Offerings

Rambam, in Hilchot Shekalim, further elucidates the nature of the מחצית השקל:

"מצות עשה על כל איש מישראל ליתן בכל שנה ושנה מחצית השקל... ובכסף זה קונין קרבנות ציבור." (It is a positive commandment upon every man in Israel to give a half-shekel every year... And with this money, communal sacrifices are purchased.)¹⁰ Rambam's formulation highlights the chova (obligation) and the direct link between the communal contribution and the funding of קרבנות ציבור. This mirrors the function of Yechezkel's תרומה: a mandatory contribution from the entire populace to enable the נשיא to bring קרבנות ציבור that achieve national atonement. The prince in Yechezkel's vision thus fulfills a role akin to the גזברין (treasurers) or אמרכלים (stewards) of the Temple, responsible for managing hekdesh funds for their designated holy purpose. The נשיא does not own the תרומה any more than the גזברים owned the שקלי קודש; both are custodians of קדשי שמים.

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⁹ Exodus 30:13. ¹⁰ Rambam, Hilchot Shekalim 1:1.

Psak/Practice

The halachot described in Yechezkel's vision of the Third Temple, including the precise dimensions, offerings, and administrative structures, are generally considered נבואת הלכה (prophetic law). As such, they are not halacha l'ma'aseh (practical law) binding today, nor were they during the Second Temple period (which largely followed Mosaic and Rabbinic law).

Status of Nevuat Halacha

Rambam, in his Introduction to the Mishneh Torah, discusses the authority of prophets to legislate. He states that a prophet cannot add to or subtract from Torah Shebichtav in perpetuity. However, prophets can issue temporary decrees (הוראת שעה) or explain existing halachot. The halachot of Yechezkel regarding the Temple are largely seen as descriptions of the future ideal state, a blueprint for the Beit HaMikdash HaShlishi when it will be built, or aggadic in nature, offering spiritual insights rather than immediate legal directives.¹¹

Meta-Psak Heuristics

Despite not being immediately binding, Yechezkel's vision provides crucial meta-psak heuristics and foundational principles:

1. Communal Responsibility for Avodah: The emphasis on "כל העם הארץ" contributing underscores the principle that the avodah of the Beit HaMikdash is a collective responsibility, requiring universal participation and funding. This principle is halacha l'ma'aseh regarding קרבנות ציבור (e.g., מחצית השקל).
2. Leadership as Administrator of Hekdesh: The נשיא's role highlights that leadership in Kedusha (holiness) often involves administering communal hekdesh rather than personal ownership. This is a fundamental principle in halachot related to hekdesh and tzedaka, where trustees manage funds for their designated holy purposes.
3. Ethical Governance: The strict warnings against the נשיא defrauding the people (45:9, 46:18) provide an enduring ethical framework for leadership, emphasizing justice, fairness, and the protection of individual property rights within the context of communal obligations. These ethical principles are universally binding.

Thus, while we don't currently collect ששית האיפה of wheat per חומר from כל העם הארץ for the נשיא, the underlying yesodot (foundational principles) concerning collective avodah, dedicated leadership, and ethical governance remain profoundly relevant in halacha and communal practice.

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¹¹ Rambam, Introduction to Mishneh Torah; also see Hilchot Melachim U'Milchamoteihem for the role of a king/prince.

Takeaway

Yechezkel's תרומה delineates a profound vision of קרבנות ציבור funded by universal communal responsibility, administered by a just and accountable נשיא, underscoring that עבודת ה' is a collective national endeavor aimed at universal atonement. This prophetic blueprint, though not immediately binding halacha, provides enduring principles for the ideal spiritual and ethical functioning of the Jewish polity.