Comentario sobre II Reyes 12:23

All his days, as Yehoyoda the kohein instructed him. But after Yehoyoda died, the officers of Yehudah came to prostrate themselves before the king, and they deified him. They said to him, “One who enters the Holy of Holies for only a moment is in danger of dying, yet were hidden there for six years, so you are fit to be a deity.” Then the king listened to them.¹Shemos Rabboh 8:2.²Accordingly, the meaning of the verse is “all his days as Yehoyada the kohein instructed him,” i.e., as long as Yehoyada was alive.—Radak Or, “all his days” refers to Yehoyada’s days. After Yehoyada died, Yoash began to worship asheirohs and other idols. When Zecharyoh prophesied against him, Yoash had him killed, and the following year Arom attacked Yerusholayim.

The half-shekel [given by every male over twenty,] and donations representing the value of one’s age. Two types of money are mentioned here. “Everyone who passes the numbering,”³Shemos 30:13-14. [The first type is] the money of anyone who passes the numbering, i.e., the money of the annual shekalim, about which it is stated, and [the second type is] anyone who volunteers his own value, i.e., one who says, “My value shall be incumbent upon me [to donate].”⁴See Vayikra 27:1-8.

All monies that [a person’s heart] inspires him, etc. E.g., one who says, “I obligate myself to donate a maneh for making repairs to the Beis [Hamikdosh],

Let take [the money] for themselves—the kohanim. [I.e.,] it will be theirs, and [in return] they will obligate themselves to make the [necessary] repairs to the Beis [Hamikdosh] from their own [funds] .

From his friend. From his acquaintance who frequently visits him.

Restoration. Split[s] and crack[s] in the wall.⁵בֶּדֶק means “examination.” One must examine splits and cracks to determine their method of repair.—Radak

And now do not take the money. Anymore, and do not repair the Beis [Hamikdosh] with your money.⁶Although the Beis Hamikdosh was only 155 years old at the time, it was in need of extensive repair because Atalyoh and her sons made breaches in its wall. See II Divrei Hayomim 24:7.—Radak

But for the restoration of the Beis [Hamikdosh]—you should give it over Whether it will be less [than needed], let it be less, and if it will be more [than needed], let it be left over.

Near the altar. In the [Temple] Court.

To the right, as a person enters. On the right [side] where the people come in.

The guards of the threshold. The thresholds of the [Temple] Court, [i.e.,] those in charge of the keys of the [Temple] Court,⁷Alternatively, these were the custodians of the Temple’s vessels.—Ralbag for [Targum] Yonoson rendered it as, “אֲמַרְכְּלַיָּא [=custodian of the keys],” and there were seven אֲמַרְכָּלִים, for the seven gates of the [Temple] Court. [This is stated in] Tosefta of [Maseches] Shekalim.⁸2:15.

Whenever. A daily occurrence (constantly).⁹I.e., when they saw that the boxes were full they would “bag and count the money.”—Radak They saw that there was much money in the box, and they would go up—the king’s scribe [and the Kohein Gadol] etc.

They gave the counted money. They would give the counted money, i.e., after it was taken out of the chest and weighed¹⁰Alternatively, the money was “minted and counted,” i.e., the coins without a stamp were minted so that they could be spent.—Metzudas Dovid and counted, they would give it into the hands of the treasurers who were in charge of the workers.

The counted. [מְתֻכָּן is] an expression of a number, as in, “and the number [=וְתוֹכֵן] of bricks you shall give.”¹¹Shemos 5:18.

Who were [thus] appointed. Who were appointed.

They paid. [וַיּוֹצִיאֻהוּ is] an expression of spending, for the purpose of hiring carpenters.

And the builders. They are the architects, the stone smiths, whose colleagues worked under their orders, [i.e., בּוֹנִים were] the supervisors of the craftsmen.

And the masons. The builders of the wall, the architects’ apprentices.

And for the stone cutters. From the mountain.

Silver pitchers, musical instruments. They are musical instruments.¹²Although Scripture in II Divrei Hayomim 24:14 indicates that they used this money for making ministering vessels, the Gemara in Maseches Kesubos 106b explains that the primary purpose of this money was for repairs. However, if there was money left over, it could be used for making utensils, instruments, etc. for the Temple.—Radak¹³Rashi maintains that סִפּוֹת are musical instruments in accordance with his view in I Melochim 7:50. Alternatively, they are vessels used to receive blood of sacrifices or wine of libations.—Ralbag

They did not demand and accounting from the men. The supervisors would not make an accounting with the treasurers that the supervisors would give the money—continually—into whose hand to give it to the workers, because they were not suspect in their eyes, for they worked with integrity.

Money for guilt-offerings and money for sin-offerings. If one sets aside money for his sin-offering or for his guilt-offering, and purchased the animal, and there was money left over.

Was not brought to the Beis [Hamikdosh] of Adonoy. For repairing the damage of the Beis [Hamikdosh].

It was for the kohanim. And they would [use the funds to] buy burnt-offerings, “fruit” for the altar; the flesh was for a burnt-offering and the hides were theirs [the kohanim’s]. Thus we learned in [Maseches] Temurah.¹⁴23b. Yehoyoda the kohein expounded on this as follows: Everything that comes from the remainder of a sin-offering and of a guilt-offering should be used to purchase burnt-offerings.¹⁵See Maseches Zevachim 103a.

Then Chazoeil [the king of Arom] went up. After the death of Yehoyoda, Yoash made himself for a god.

At Beis Millo. In that place.

Millo. The name of a place.

Selo. The name of a place.¹⁶Scripture describes the location of Beis Millo, “that leads down to Selo” which was near Yerusholayim, because there was another Beis Millo near Shechem mentioned in Shoftim 9:6, 20.—Malbim

Yozochor the son of Shimos, and Yehozovod the son of Shomeir. In Divrei Hayomim it is written, “[Zovod, son of] Shimos the Amonite and Yehozovod, son of Shimris the Moavite.”¹⁷II Divrei Hayomim 24:26. These men are listed as the ones who rebelled against Yehoash. Why did Scripture specify? To teach us that the Holy One, Blessed Is He, requited him through people with traits similar to his. Let the ungrateful Amonites and Moavites, who ignored our father Avrohom’s favor, which he did for Lot, (that he fought with the kings to rescue him, yet they hired Bilaam to curse his descendants), and he will requite Yoash who ignored the favor of Yehoyoda, and killed Zecharyohu his son, as it is explained [in Scripture].¹⁸Ibid. v. 21-22. This Midrash is in Sifrei.