(ז) הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֜ם בְּנ֤וֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ בִּצְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּאַיְל֣וֹת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה אִם־תָּעִ֧ירוּ ׀ וְֽאִם־תְּע֥וֹרְר֛וּ אֶת־הָאַהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ׃ {ס}
(7) I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem,By gazelles or by hinds of the field:Do not wake or rouseLove until it please!
(ב) בִּצְבָאוֹת אוֹ בְּאַיְלוֹת. שֶׁתִּהְיוּ הֶפְקֵר וּמַאֲכָל כִּצְבָיִים וְאַיָּלִים:
(2) By the gazelles and the does. That you will be abandoned and preyed upon like gazelles and does.
הפעם הג'אמרו הנביאים לכנסת ישראל השבעתי [אתכם] בצבאות שהם מותרות לשחיטה שלא תתעוררו עד שיגיע הקץ [כ]אשר העתיקו חז״ל שיצאו בני אפרים קודם הקץ [וזהו ענין עד שתחפץ] ונהרגו ועליהם נאמ׳ בדברי הימים ויתאבל עליהם אפרים אביהם:
This time the prophets said to the assembly of Israel, "I have sworn [you] by the armies that are permitted for slaughter, that you will not awaken until the Ketz (end of days) comes, as the Sages have said, that some members of the Tribe of Ephraim went out (from Egypt) before the Ketz ["until you desire"] and were killed, and it is said about them in the Divrei Hayamim, "and Ephraim their father mourned for them:"
הִשְׁבַּ֨עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֜ם בְּנ֤וֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ בִּצְבָא֔וֹת א֖וֹ בְּאַיְל֣וֹת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה אִם־תָּעִ֧ירוּ ׀ וְֽאִם־תְּע֥וֹרְר֛וּ אֶת־הָאַהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ׃ {ס}
I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem,By gazelles or by hinds of the field:Do not wake or rouseLove until it please!
הִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּנ֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם מַה־תָּעִ֧ירוּ ׀ וּֽמַה־תְּעֹ֥רְר֛וּ אֶת־הָאַהֲבָ֖ה עַ֥ד שֶׁתֶּחְפָּֽץ׃ {ס}
I adjure you, O maidens of Jerusalem:Do not wake or rouseLove until it please!
(א) הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם. עַכְשָׁיו כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מְסַבֶּבֶת דִּבּוּרָהּ כְּלַפֵּי הָאֻמּוֹת, "אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנִי קוֹבֶלֶת וּמִתְאוֹנֶנֶת, דּוֹדִי מַחֲזִיק בְּיָדִי וְהוּא לִי לְמִשְׁעָן בְּגָלוּתִי. לְפִיכָךְ 'הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם'":
(1) I bind you under oath. Now the congregation of Yisroel addresses the nations, “Even though I complain and lament, my Beloved holds my hand, and He is my support in my exile; therefore, ‘I bind you under oath.’”
רַבִּי זֵירָא הֲוָה קָמִשְׁתְּמִיט מִינֵּיהּ דְּרַב יְהוּדָה דִּבְעָא לְמִיסַּק לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: כׇּל הָעוֹלֶה מִבָּבֶל לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבֵר בַּעֲשֵׂה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בָּבֶלָה יוּבָאוּ וְשָׁמָּה יִהְיוּ עַד יוֹם פׇּקְדִי אוֹתָם נְאֻם ה׳״.
וְרַבִּי זֵירָא — הָהוּא בִּכְלֵי שָׁרֵת כְּתִיב.
וְרַב יְהוּדָה? כְּתִיב קְרָא אַחֲרִינָא: ״הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַים בִּצְבָאוֹת אוֹ בְּאַיְלוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה וְגוֹ׳״.
וְרַבִּי זֵירָא — הָהוּא שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחוֹמָה.
וְרַב יְהוּדָה? ״הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי״ אַחֲרִינָא כְּתִיב.
וְרַבִּי זֵירָא — הָהוּא מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לְכִדְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא, דְּאָמַר: שָׁלֹשׁ שְׁבוּעוֹת הַלָּלוּ לָמָּה? אַחַת שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחוֹמָה, וְאַחַת שֶׁהִשְׁבִּיעַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹּא יִמְרְדוּ בְּאוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, וְאַחַת שֶׁהִשְׁבִּיעַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת הַגּוֹיִם שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ בָּהֶן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי.
וְרַב יְהוּדָה — ״אִם תָּעִירוּ וְאִם תְּעוֹרְרוּ״ כְּתִיב.
וְרַבִּי זֵירָא — מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לְכִדְרַבִּי לֵוִי, דְּאָמַר: שֵׁשׁ שְׁבוּעוֹת הַלָּלוּ לָמָּה? תְּלָתָא — הָנֵי דַּאֲמַרַן, אִינָךְ: שֶׁלֹּא יְגַלּוּ אֶת הַקֵּץ, וְשֶׁלֹּא יְרַחֲקוּ אֶת הַקֵּץ, וְשֶׁלֹּא יְגַלּוּ הַסּוֹד לַגּוֹיִם.
״בִּצְבָאוֹת אוֹ בְּאַיְלוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה״, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אִם אַתֶּם מְקַיְּימִין אֶת הַשְּׁבוּעָה — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — אֲנִי מַתִּיר אֶת בְּשַׂרְכֶם כִּצְבָאוֹת וּכְאַיְלוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה.
Rabbi Zeira was avoiding Rav Yehuda, as Rabbi Zeira sought to ascend to Eretz Yisrael, As Rav Yehuda said: Anyone who ascends from Babylonia to Eretz Yisrael transgresses a positive mitzva, as it is stated: “They shall be taken to Babylonia and there they shall remain until the day that I recall them, said the Lord” (Jeremiah 27:22). And Rabbi Zeira? that verse is written about service vessels. And Rav Yehuda? another verse is written: “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the hinds of the field, that you not awaken or stir up love, until it please” (Song of Songs 2:7). And Rabbi Zeira? that verse means that the Jews should not ascend to Eretz Yisrael as a wall, (i.e., en masse, whereas individuals may immigrate as they wish.) And Rav Yehuda? another verse in which “I adjure you” (Song of Songs 3:5) is written. And Rabbi Zeira? That verse is necessary for that which was taught by Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, who said: Why are these three oaths (Song of Songs 2:7, 3:5, 8:4)? One, that the Jews should not ascend to Eretz Yisrael as a wall. And another one, that the Holy One, Blessed be He, adjured the Jews that they should not rebel against the rule of the nations of the world. And the last one is that the Holy One, Blessed be He, adjured the nations of the world that they should not subjugate the Jews excessively. And Rav Yehuda? It is written: “That you not awaken or stir up love” (Song of Songs 2:7), which serves to amplify and include a prohibition against Jews immigrating to Eretz Yisrael. And how does Rabbi Zeira (explain the extra emphasis of this phrase)? He needs it for that which was taught by Rabbi Levi, who said: These six oaths, (i.e., the aforementioned three verses containing oaths, each of which contains the phrase “That you not awaken or stir up,”) why? Three are those that we said. The other three oaths are as follows: That those who know should not reveal the end of days; and that they should not distance the end (of days by saying that it is still distant); and that they should not reveal the secret of the Jews to the nations. “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the hinds of the field” (Song of Songs 2:7). Rabbi Elazar said: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to the Jewish people: If you fulfill the oath, it is good, and if not, I will abandon your flesh and all will devour you like the gazelles and like the hinds of the field.
I want to note the final teaching. It's admittedly intense. The Talmud says in no uncertain terms: Shall the Jews attempt to push for the "Ketz" - the end of days, or if we shall "go up to the Land as a wall" AKA, to establish a State. "I will free your flesh to be hunted and killed like the gazelles of the field."
In the Hasidic Anti-Zionist community I was raised in, this was used, often, as the spiritual explanation for the Holocaust. Where was God during the Holocaust? One of the answers I got was "he abandoned us to be killed because of Zionism." A horrible thought on its own. As I rejected the beliefs I was raised with, this one made no sense to me:
"So Hashem was angry at Zionism, and that's why six million Jews, including many anti-Zionists were killed?" I asked my dad. His answer: Yes. My response: "So let me get this straight. Before the Holocaust, Zionism seemed like a far away project, one that will maybe succeed in a century. There was one thing that could happen to speed up the process: a mass murder of Jews that the European powers would feel guilty about." That's exactly what happened, and barely 2 years after the Holocaust ended, the UN voted to establish a Jewish State.
If the Holocaust is God's "spiritual" punishment for the Zionist project, God needs better hindsight.
So, let me be as clear as I can: I do not think the Holocaust was in any way a "Punishment of God." Frankly, I don't believe in a god that punishes people, at all, especially not like this.
I rarely thought about this again, till I watched the horrible clips and videos of the October 7th attacks. Along with crying, these final words from the Talmud kept jumping into my mind. "I will abandon you to be hunted like animals in the field." I am NOT a believer in literal punishment by God, or any Divine presence. I HATE victim blaming in any way or form. This however, was too much. If this is God, if the participants of the Nova Festival literally being hunted is God's doing, then I don't want to have anything to do with any version, mystical, literal, or even a humanistic secular reinterpretation of that God. It didn't help that I then saw some Hasidic anti-Zionist rabbis, including my father and grandfather, alluding or straight up using this piece of Talmud in the context of those horrible attacks.
Once again, to avoid any confusion: I do not think October 7th was a punishment from God.
I then set out to try to understand where the Talmud was coming from. If I don't believe in these teachings as a literal divine punishment or inspiration, I am left with two options: The rabbis of the Talmud lied/made it up/were blinded by faith, or alternatively, in the way I see most Jewish texts, they looked on the world around them, they saw how the world works in reality, and they attached biblical teachings to them.
That is where my understanding was that these teachings were not some spiritual warnings or punishment, but rather their understanding and reality of how empires react when threatened with nationalism as a whole, and specifically Jewish nationalism. Not as a spiritual obligation, but as a sad reality. One they would like for future generations to avoid. They knew the dangers of Jewish militarism based on the Bible, as many scholars agree that these "Three Oaths" were a response to mass murder of Jews following the Bar Kokhba Revolt in 135 CE.
The rabbis were not justifying the killings of innocent people. They were just terrified of Jewish nationalism, and tried to warn us not to repeat the mistakes of the Messianic militaristic nationalism of the 1st and 2nd centuries.
אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה קְצוּצֵי תְפִילִּין נִמְצְאוּ בְּרָאשֵׁי הֲרוּגֵי בֵיתֵּר.
רַבִּי יַנַּאי בְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אָמַר: שָׁלֹשׁ קוּפּוֹת שֶׁל אַרְבָּעִים אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה.
בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: אַרְבָּעִים קוּפּוֹת שֶׁל שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁלֹשׁ סְאִין.
וְלָא פְּלִיגִי: הָא דְּרֵישָׁא, הָא דִּדְרָעָא.
אָמַר רַבִּי אַסִּי: אַרְבָּעָה קַבִּין מוֹחַ נִמְצְאוּ עַל אֶבֶן אַחַת. עוּלָּא אָמַר: תִּשְׁעַת קַבִּין. אָמַר רַב כָּהֲנָא וְאִיתֵּימָא שֵׁילָא בַּר מָרִי: מַאי קְרָאָה? ״בַּת בָּבֶל הַשְּׁדוּדָה, אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם לָךְ וְגוֹ׳, אַשְׁרֵי שֶׁיֹּאחֵז וְנִפֵּץ אֶת עוֹלָלַיִךְ אֶל הַסָּלַע״.
Rabba bar bar Ḥana says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Forty se’a of tefillin boxes were found on the heads of those killed in Beitar. Rabbi Yannai, son of Rabbi Yishmael, says: three large baskets of forty se’a. And it was taught in a baraita: forty large baskets each holding three se’a. And these Sages do not disagree: This Sage is referring to the head, whereas this to the arm. Rabbi Asi says: Four kav of brains were found on one stone. Ulla says: Nine kav. Rav Kahana said, and some say Sheila bar Mari said: What is the verse? “O daughter of Babylon, marked for devastation; happy is he who shall repay you your recompense for what you have done to us. Happy is he who shall seize and dash your little ones against the rock” (Psalms 137:8–9).
אבל מה שזכרת מעסק האיש שהוא אומר שהוא משיח בערי תימן. דע שלא תמהתי ממנו, ולא מן המאמינים בו, לפי שהוא משגע בלי ספק, ואין על החולה אשמה ופשע אם לא יסבב הוא חוליו. וכן איני תמה מן המאמינים בו מקצר רוחם, ושאינם יודעים מקום המשיח ומעלתו הגדולה שעלה בדעתם זה. אבל אני תמה ממך שאתה מבני תורה, ועמדת על ספרי החכמים, האינך יודע אחי שהמשיח נביא גדול מאוד וגדול מכל הנביאים מלבד משה רבינו ע"ה.
....
ולפי שידע שלמה ע"ה ברוח הקודש שהאומה הזאת בארך זמן גלותם תפצר להתנועע בלא עתה הראויה ויאבדו בשביל זה ויבואו עליהם צרות והזהיר מלעשות זה והשביע האומה על דרך משל ואמר השבעתי אתכם בנות ירושלים בצבאות או באילות השדה אם תעירו ואם תעוררו את האהבה עד שתחפץ ואתם אחינו אהובינו קבלו עליכם שבועתו ואל תעירו את האהבה עד שתחפץ ובורא העולם במדת רחמים יזכור אותנו ואתכם לקבץ גליות נחלתו וחבלו לחזות בנועם יהוה ולבקר בהיכלו ויוציאנו מגיא הצלמות אשר הושיבנו בו ויסיר מחשך עינינו ומאפל לבנו ויקיים בימינו ובימיכם העם ההולכים בחושך ראו אור גדול ישבי בארץ צלמות אור נגה עליהם ויחשיך באפו ובעברתו על כל הקמים עלינו ויאיר מחשכינו כאשר הבטיחנו כי הנה החשך יכסה ארץ וערפל לאומים ועליך יזרח יהוה וכבודו עליך יראה ושלום עליך ידידנו יקירנו בעל החכמות אוסף התבונות ועל כל התלמידים אחינו ועל כל עם הארץ שלום באור וזרח ורב שלום עד בלי ירח אמן סלה ואנא בבקשה ממך שתשלח העתקת האגרת הזאת לכל קהל וקהל לחכמים ולזולתם לחזק אמונתם ולהעמיד רגלם לבל תמעד ותקרא אותה על הקהל ועל היהודים כדי שתהיה ממצדיקי הרבים אחר שתזהר ותשמר תכלית ההזהרה והשמירה משום רשע שלא יפרסם ולא יגלה הדבר לאומות הישמעאלים שמא יתחדש דבר שיצילנו השם ברחמיו ממנו ואף על פי שכתבתי אותו הייתי מתירא מזה הרבה מאוד אבל ראיתי שהצדקת הרבים דבר שאין ראוי לפחד עליו מן הסכנה ואף בכל זה ששגרתי אותו לכם סוד יהוה אל יראיו וכבר הבטיחונו החכמים שקבלו מן הנביא עליו השלום ואמרו שלוחי מצוה אינן ניזוקין ואין לנו מצוה גדולה מזו ושלום על כל ישראל אמן:
You mention that a certain man in one of the cities of Yemen pretends that he is the Messiah. As I live, I am not surprised at him or at his followers, for I have no doubt that he is mad and a sick person should not be rebuked or reproved for an illness brought on by no fault of his own. Neither am I surprised at his votaries, for they were persuaded by him because of their sorry plight, their ignorance of the importance and high rank of the Messiah, and their mistaken comparison of the Messiah with the son of the Mahdi [the belief in] whose rise they are witnessing. But I am astonished that you, a scholar who has studied carefully the doctrines of the rabbis, are inclined to repose faith in him. Do you not know, my brother, that the Messiah is a very eminent prophet, more illustrious than all the prophets after Moses?
You know that the Christians falsely ascribe marvelous powers to Jesus the Nazarene, may his bones be ground to dust, such as the resurrection of the dead and other miracles. Even if we would grant them for the sake of argument, we should not be convinced by their reasoning that Jesus is the Messiah. For we can bring a thousand proofs or so from the Scripture that it is not so even from their point of view. Indeed, will anyone arrogate this rank to himself unless he wishes to make himself a laughing stock?
Solomon, of blessed memory, inspired by the holy spirit, foresaw that the prolonged duration of the exile would incite some of our people to seek to terminate it before the appointed time, and as a consequence they would perish or meet with disaster. Therefore he admonished and adjured them in metaphorical language to desist, as we read, "I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor stir up love, until it please." (Song of Songs 2:7, 8:4). Now, brethren and friends, abide by the oath, and stir not up love until it please (Ketubot 111a).
I beg you to send a copy of this missive to every community in the cities and hamlets, in order to strengthen the people in their faith and to put them on their feet. Read it at public gatherings and in private, and you will thus become a public benefactor. Take adequate precautions lest its contents be divulged to the Gentiles by an evil person and mishap overtake us (God spare us therefrom). When I began writing this letter I had some misgivings about it, but they were overruled by my conviction that the public welfare takes precedence over one's personal safety. Moreover, I am sending it to a personage such as you, "and the secret of the Lord may be entrusted to those who fear Him." Our sages, the successors of the prophets, assured us that persons engaged in a religious mission will meet with no disaster (Pesahim 8b). What more important religious mission is there than this. Peace be unto all Israel. Amen.
(א) שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לִשְׁלֹ֫מֹ֥ה אִם־יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ לֹא־יִבְנֶ֬ה בַ֗יִת שָׁ֤וְא עָמְל֣וּ בוֹנָ֣יו בּ֑וֹ אִם־יְהֹוָ֥ה לֹא־יִשְׁמׇר־עִ֝֗יר שָׁ֤וְא ׀ שָׁקַ֬ד שׁוֹמֵֽר׃
(1) A song of ascents. Of Solomon.Unless if Hashem builds the house,its builders labor in vain on it;unless Hashem watches over the city,the watchman keeps vigil in vain.
רִבִּי יוּדָן נְשִׂייָא שְׁלַח לְרִבִּי חִייָה וּלְרִבִּי אַסִּי וּלְרִבִּי אִמִּי לְמִיעֲבוֹר בַּקִּרֵייָתָא דְּאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לִמְתַקְנָא לוֹן סָֽפְרִין וּמַתְנִייָנִין. עֲלוֹן לְחַד אֲתַר וְלָא אַשְׁכְּחוֹן לָא סְפַר וְלָא מַתְנִייָן. אָֽמְרִין לוֹן. אַייתוֹן לָן נְטוּרֵי קַרְתָּא. אַייְתוֹן לוֹן סַנְטוּרֵי קַרְתָּא. אָֽמְרוּן לוֹן. אֵילֵּין אֵינּוּן נְטוּרֵי קַרְתָּא. לֵית אֵילֵּין אֶלָּא חָרוּבֵי קַרְתָּא. אָמְרִין לוֹן. וּמָאן אִינּוּן נְטוּרֵי קַרְתָּא. אָֽמְרוּן לוֹן. סַפְרַייָא וּמַתְנִייָנַיָּא. הָדָא הִיא דִּכְתִיב אִם י֙י לֹא־יִבְנֶ֬ה בַ֗יִת וגו׳.
Rebbi Judah the Prince sent Rebbi Ḥiyya, Rebbi Assi, and Rebbi Immi to tour the towns of the Land of Israel in order to give them Bible and Mishnah teachers. They came to one place where they found neither Bible nor Mishnah teacher. They said to them, bring us the watchmen of the town. They brought them the stewards of the town. They told them, these are not the watchmen of the town, they are the destroyers of the town. They asked them, and who would be the Naturei Karta watchmen of the town? They told them, the Bible and Mishnah teachers. That is what is written, if the Eternal would not build the house, etc.
(א) כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יהוה הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם כִּסְאִ֔י וְהָאָ֖רֶץ הֲדֹ֣ם רַגְלָ֑י
אֵי־זֶ֥ה בַ֙יִת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּבְנוּ־לִ֔י וְאֵי־זֶ֥ה מָק֖וֹם מְנוּחָתִֽי׃
(1) Thus said GOD:The heaven is My throneAnd the earth is My footstool:Where could you build a house for Me,What place could serve as My abode?
השמים כסאי. איני צריך לבית המקדש שלכם:
The heavens are My throne I do not need your Temple.
(ז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י בֶּן־אָדָם֙ אֶת־מְק֣וֹם כִּסְאִ֗י וְאֶת־מְקוֹם֙ כַּפּ֣וֹת רַגְלַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֶשְׁכׇּן־שָׁ֛ם בְּת֥וֹךְ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְעוֹלָ֑ם וְלֹ֣א יְטַמְּא֣וּ ע֣וֹד בֵּֽית־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵ֠ל שֵׁ֣ם קׇדְשִׁ֞י הֵ֤מָּה וּמַלְכֵיהֶם֙ בִּזְנוּתָ֔ם וּבְפִגְרֵ֥י מַלְכֵיהֶ֖ם בָּמוֹתָֽם׃
(7) It said to me:
O mortal, this is the place of My throne and the place for the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people Israel forever. The House of Israel and their kings must not again defile My holy name by their apostasy and by the corpses of their kings at their death.
(א) בִּשְׁנַ֤ת שְׁתַּ֙יִם֙ לְדָרְיָ֣וֶשׁ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בַּחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ הַשִּׁשִּׁ֔י בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הָיָ֨ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֜ה בְּיַד־חַגַּ֣י הַנָּבִ֗יא אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶ֤ל בֶּן־שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל֙ פַּחַ֣ת יְהוּדָ֔ה וְאֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֧עַ בֶּן־יְהוֹצָדָ֛ק הַכֹּהֵ֥ן הַגָּד֖וֹל לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת לֵאמֹ֑ר הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ אָֽמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א עֶת־בֹּ֛א עֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָ֖ה לְהִבָּנֽוֹת׃ {פ}
(1) In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, this word of GOD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: (2) Thus said GOD of Hosts: These people say, “The time has not yet comeaThe time has not yet come Lit. “It is not time for the coming of the time.” for rebuilding the House of GOD.”
(ד) הַעֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אַתֶּ֔ם לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בְּבָתֵּיכֶ֣ם סְפוּנִ֑ים וְהַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה חָרֵֽב׃
(4) Is it a time for you to dwell in your paneled houses, while this House is lying in ruins?
Ideological Debate
Although Haggai 1:4 (quoted above) implies that the project was delayed out of laziness, I submit that there were plenty of righteous individuals, such as the author of Isaiah 66, within the community whose priorities were not mercenary. Rather they were restrained by serious theological reservations about the acceptability of a fixed address on earth to house their deity. P, who was likely writing at this time, would have been a major source for feeding those reservations.
(https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-tabernacle-a-post-exilic-polemic-against-rebuilding-the-temple)
(כא) כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר יהוה צְבָא֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עֹלוֹתֵיכֶ֛ם סְפ֥וּ עַל־זִבְחֵיכֶ֖ם וְאִכְל֥וּ בָשָֽׂר׃ (כב) כִּ֠י לֹֽא־דִבַּ֤רְתִּי אֶת־אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א צִוִּיתִ֔ים בְּי֛וֹם (הוציא) [הוֹצִיאִ֥י] אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם עַל־דִּבְרֵ֥י עוֹלָ֖ה וָזָֽבַח׃ (כג) כִּ֣י אִֽם־אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַ֠זֶּ֠ה צִוִּ֨יתִי אוֹתָ֤ם לֵאמֹר֙ שִׁמְע֣וּ בְקוֹלִ֔י וְהָיִ֤יתִי לָכֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וְאַתֶּ֖ם תִּֽהְיוּ־לִ֣י לְעָ֑ם וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֗ם בְּכׇל־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲצַוֶּ֣ה אֶתְכֶ֔ם לְמַ֖עַן יִיטַ֥ב לָכֶֽם׃
(21) Thus said GOD of Hosts, the God of Israel: Add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat! (22) For when I freed your ancestors from the land of Egypt, I did not speak with them or command them concerning burnt offerings or sacrifice. (23) But this is what I commanded them: Do My bidding, that I may be your God and you may be My people; walk only in the way that I enjoin upon you, that it may go well with you.