וַיֵּאָסְפוּ כָל־הָעָם כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד אֶל־הָרְחוֹב אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי שַׁעַר־הַמָּיִם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לְעֶזְרָא הַסֹּפֵר לְהָבִיא אֶת־סֵפֶר תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה ה' אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל

All the people gathered as one man to the plaza that was before the Water Gate, and they said to Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Torah of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. It seems that Ezra was not serving in an active leadership role at that time but was mainly a scholar and spiritual figure. As a scribe who would write copies of the Torah, he had a Torah scroll in his possession.

וַיָּבִיא עֶזְרָא הַכֹּהֵן אֶת־הַתּוֹרָה לִפְנֵי הַקָּהָל מֵאִישׁ וְעַד־אִשָּׁה וְכֹל מֵבִין לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּיוֹם אֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי

Ezra the priest brought the Torah before the congregation, including men and women and everyone who could hear to understand, who could comprehend the text, on the first day of the seventh month, Rosh HaShana.

וַיִּקְרָא־בוֹ לִפְנֵי הָרְחוֹב אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי שַׁעַר־הַמַּיִם מִן־הָאוֹר עַד־מַחֲצִית הַיּוֹם נֶגֶד הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַמְּבִינִים וְאָזְנֵי כָל־הָעָם אֶל־סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה

He, Ezra, read from it before the plaza that was before the Water Gate, from dawn until midday, facing the men and the women, and all those who understand. And all the people’s ears were to the Torah scroll. They all listened to the words he read aloud.

וַיַּעֲמֹד עֶזְרָא הַסֹּפֵר עַל־מִגְדַּל־עֵץ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂוּ לַדָּבָר וַיַּעֲמֹד אֶצְלוֹ מַתִּתְיָה וְשֶׁמַע וַעֲנָיָה וְאוּרִיָּה וְחִלְקִיָּה וּמַעֲשֵׂיָה עַל־יְמִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ פְּדָיָה וּמִישָׁאֵל וּמַלְכִּיָּה וְחָשֻׁם וְחַשְׁבַּדָּנָה זְכַרְיָה מְשֻׁלָּם

The event was organized as follows: Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden tower, which they had made especially for the matter, this event, so that all those assembled could hear him; and Matitya, Shema, Anaya, Uriya, Hilkiya, and Maaseya stood by him on his right, and on his left were Pedaya, Mishael, Malkiya, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zekharya, and Meshulam. He was flanked on both sides by his disciples and colleagues. These were the most prominent scribes, who probably served as members of the court that later became known as the Great Assembly.

וַיִּפְתַּח עֶזְרָא הַסֵּפֶר לְעֵינֵי כָל־הָעָם כִּי־מֵעַל כָּל־הָעָם הָיָה וּכְפִתְחוֹ עָמְדוּ כָל־הָעָם

Ezra opened the scroll before the eyes of all the people, for all could see him as he was above all the people, on the wooden tower, and when he opened it, the Torah scroll, all the people stood as a demonstration of reverence.

וַיְבָרֶךְ עֶזְרָא אֶת־ה' הָאֱלֹהִים הַגָּדוֹל וַיַּעֲנוּ כָל־הָעָם אָמֵן אָמֵן בְּמֹעַל יְדֵיהֶם וַיִּקְּדוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַה' אַפַּיִם אָרְצָה

Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, before he began to read. All the people answered: Amen, amen, with a hand upraised heavenward, a form of salute at the time; and they bowed and prostrated themselves to the Lord with their faces to the ground.

וְיֵשׁוּעַ וּבָנִי וְשֵׁרֵבְיָה יָמִין עַקּוּב שַׁבְּתַי הוֹדִיָּה מַעֲשֵׂיָה קְלִיטָא עֲזַרְיָה יוֹזָבָד חָנָן פְּלָאיָה וְהַלְוִיִּם מְבִינִים אֶת־הָעָם לַתּוֹרָה וְהָעָם עַל־עָמְדָם

Some of those present had spoken only Aramaic while in exile. Consequently, it is likely that those individuals did not understand the Hebrew text, and required assistance: Yeshua, Bani, Sherevya, Yamin, Akuv, Shabetai, Hodiya, Maaseya, Kelita, Azarya, Yozabad, Hanan, Pelaya, and the Levites explained the Torah that was read to the people, and the people stood in their place.

וַיִּקְרְאוּ בַסֵּפֶר בְּתוֹרַת הָאֱלֹהִים מְפֹרָשׁ וְשׂוֹם שֶׂכֶל וַיָּבִינוּ בַּמִּקְרָא

They read in the scroll, in the Torah of God, by translating the text, and perhaps also by commenting on its meaning while elucidating certain words and terms; and with the appropriate elocution; they read with the correct vowels, and with precise punctuation and intonation, and they, those present, understood the reading, all that was read.

וַיֹּאמֶר נְחֶמְיָה הוּא הַתִּרְשָׁתָא וְעֶזְרָא הַכֹּהֵן הַסֹּפֵר וְהַלְוִיִּם הַמְּבִינִים אֶת־הָעָם לְכָל־הָעָם הַיּוֹם קָדֹשׁ־הוּא לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אַל־תִּתְאַבְּלוּ וְאַל־תִּבְכּוּ כִּי בוֹכִים כָּל־הָעָם כְּשָׁמְעָם אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה

Nehemiah, he was the Tirshata, a Persian title of honor, and Ezra the priest, the scribe, and the Levites who explained the Torah to the people, said to all the people: Today, Rosh HaShana, is sacred to the Lord your God; do not mourn, and do not weep, for all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the Torah. Apparently, Ezra read aloud sections from the book of Deuteronomy, which includes many passages of rebuke and retribution that those present had not heard before, as even before they were exiled from Jerusalem not all of them had been familiar with the Written Law. Upon hearing the commandments of the Torah that they had not fulfilled up to that point, they were distraught about their wrongdoings.

וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם לְכוּ אִכְלוּ מַשְׁמַנִּים וּשְׁתוּ מַמְתַקִּים וְשִׁלְחוּ מָנוֹת לְאֵין נָכוֹן לוֹ כִּי־קָדוֹשׁ הַיּוֹם לַאֲדֹנֵינוּ וְאַל־תֵּעָצֵבוּ כִּי־חֶדְוַת ה'הִיא מָעֻזְּכֶם

He, Nehemiah and Ezra, said to them, the people, at midday: Go to your homes, eat rich foods, delicacies, and drink sweet beverages. Enjoy your festive meals. And send gifts of food to whomever does not have anything prepared, as this day is holy to our Lord. Sending food to the poor, which is performed in a somewhat ritual manner on Purim, was an accepted custom on festivals in general, as no one should be left without food on a festival. Not only are the people to rejoice on a festival themselves, they must also gladden the hearts of the needy. Do not be saddened over your concerns about possible improper behavior in the past, as joy in the Lord, your delight in God, is your strength and source of protection.

וְהַלְוִיִּם מַחְשִׁים לְכָל־הָעָם לֵאמֹר הַסּוּ כִּי הַיּוֹם קָדֹשׁ וְאַל־תֵּעָצֵבוּ

The Levites were quieting all the people, saying: Hush, cease your crying and mourning, for the day is holy; do not be sad. Although this gathering was similar to the solemn assemblies held on fast days, it was designed for a very different purpose, so that the people would hear the words of the Torah before departing to celebrate the festival.

וַיֵּלְכוּ כָל־הָעָם לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וּלְשַׁלַּח מָנוֹת וְלַעֲשׂוֹת שִׂמְחָה גְדוֹלָה כִּי הֵבִינוּ בַּדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר הוֹדִיעוּ לָהֶם

All the people went to eat and drink, to send gifts, and to make great rejoicing, because they understood the matters that they had related to them.

וּבַיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי נֶאֶסְפוּ רָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת לְכָל־הָעָם הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם אֶל־עֶזְרָא הַסֹּפֵר וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל אֶל־דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה

On the second day, the following day, only the heads of the patrilineal houses of all the people, as well as the priests and the Levites, gathered, but not all the people, to Ezra the scribe, and they gathered to become wise in the matters of the Torah.

וַיִּמְצְאוּ כָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר יֵשְׁבוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּסֻּכּוֹת בֶּחָג בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי

They found written in the Torah that the Lord had commanded by means of Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the festival of Sukkot in the seventh month. Many of them were unfamiliar with the festival of Sukkot or had forgotten it. When they now listened to the reading of the Torah, they learned about this festival, which is celebrated in the seventh month, Tishrei.

ואֲשֶׁר יַשְׁמִיעוּ וְיַעֲבִירוּ קוֹל בְּכָל־עָרֵיהֶם וּבִירוּשָׁלִַם לֵאמֹר צְאוּ הָהָר וְהָבִיאוּ עֲלֵי־זַיִת וַעֲלֵי־עֵץ שֶׁמֶן וַעֲלֵי הֲדַס וַעֲלֵי תְמָרִים וַעֲלֵי עֵץ עָבֹת לַעֲשֹׂת סֻכֹּת כַּכָּתוּב

And the leaders of the people further commanded that they, messengers, should announce and circulate a proclamation in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying: Go out to the highlands, and bring olive branches, pine branches, myrtle branches, date palm branches, and branches of a leafy tree, in order to make booths, as it is written in the Torah. At least two of the four species that are taken on the festival of Sukkot come from these trees: the lulav, which is a palm branch, and the myrtle. It seems that these branches served a double purpose: Some of them were used for the four species, while those that were less beautiful or less suitable were placed on the booths, the sukkot, as sekhakh, the roofing of the booths.

וַיֵּצְאוּ הָעָם וַיָּבִיאוּ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם סֻכּוֹת אִישׁ עַל־גַּגּוֹ וּבְחַצְרֹתֵיהֶם וּבְחַצְרוֹת בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים וּבִרְחוֹב שַׁעַר הַמַּיִם וּבִרְחוֹב שַׁעַר אֶפְרָיִם

The people went out and brought them, and made themselves booths, each on his roof and in their courtyards, and in the courtyards of the House of God, and in the plaza of the Water Gate, and in the plaza of the Ephraim Gate. It seems that these plazas in front of city gates were used for markets and gatherings.

וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כָל־הַקָּהָל הַשָּׁבִים מִן־הַשְּׁבִי סֻכּוֹת וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בַסֻּכּוֹת כִּי לֹא־עָשׂוּ מִימֵי יֵשׁוּעַ בִּן־נוּן כֵּן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד הַיּוֹם הַהוּא וַתְּהִי שִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד

The entire congregation of those who returned from the captivity made booths, and they lived in the booths, for the children of Israel had not done so from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. It is possible that over the years only certain lone individuals celebrated the festival, but the nation of Israel as a whole had forgotten it, and now all the people participated together in the festivities. And the rejoicing was very great.

וַיִּקְרָא בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרַת הָאֱלֹהִים יוֹם בְּיוֹם מִן־הַיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן עַד הַיּוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־חָג שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת כַּמִּשְׁפָּט

He, Ezra or his representative, read from the Torah of God day by day, from the first day of the festival until the last day. This indicates that our practice of reading from the Torah on festivals is a very ancient custom. They observed the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day was an assembly, in accordance with the ordinance, as written in the Torah.