Daily Tanach – Yechezkel Chapter 37: The Valley of Dry Bones and the Future Unity of Israel (Tuesday, 30th Shevat)

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Daily Tanach – Yechezkel Chapter 37: The Valley of Dry Bones and the Future Unity of Israel

  1. The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones (Verses 1–10)

The hand of Hashem lifts Yechezkel and sets him in a valley full of extremely dry human bones. Hashem asks him whether these bones can live; Yechezkel answers that only Hashem knows.
Hashem commands Yechezkel to prophesy to the bones. As Yechezkel speaks, the bones come together, bone to its bone; sinews, flesh, and skin cover them, but they have no breath.
Hashem then instructs him to prophesy to the spirit. The spirit enters the bodies, and they rise to their feet—an overwhelming, mighty army.

  1. Interpretation: The House of Israel Will Rise Again (Verses 11–14)

Hashem explains that the bones represent the entire house of Israel, who say, “Our bones are dried, our hope is lost.”

Hashem promises:

  • He will open their graves,
  • bring them up from those graves,
  • return them to the Land of Israel,
  • place His spirit within them,
  • and they will live again. Through this, Israel will know that Hashem has spoken and faithfully performed His word.

  1. The Two Sticks: Judah and Ephraim Become One (Verses 15–22)
  • Hashem commands Yechezkel to take two sticks: One labeled for Judah and the tribes with him.
  • One labeled for Joseph/Ephraim and the tribes with him.
  • He is to hold them together until they become one stick in his hand.
    This symbolizes the future unification of the Jewish people: Hashem will gather them from all nations, bring them to their land, and make them one nation with one king—never again divided into two kingdoms.

  1. Cleansing, Renewal, and a Davidic King (Verses 23–25)
  • Hashem promises that Israel will no longer defile themselves with idols and sins. He will save them, purify them, and they will truly be His people.
  • “My servant David”—a future descendant of David—will be king over them, serving as their single shepherd.
  • Israel will live forever in the land given to Yaakov, generation after generation, with David as their prince forever.

  1. The Everlasting Covenant and Hashem’s Sanctuary (Verses 26–28)
  • Hashem will make an everlasting covenant of peace with Israel.
  • He will multiply them, establish them, and place His Sanctuary in their midst forever.
  • His presence (“My dwelling place”) will rest over them; they will be His people, and He will be their God.
  • The nations will recognize that Hashem sanctifies Israel when His Sanctuary stands among them forever.

Key Themes of the Chapter

  • National resurrection: Israel’s revival from hopelessness to life.
  • Unity: Ephraim and Judah become one people under one king.
  • Messianic leadership: A Davidic ruler shepherds a unified nation.
  • Spiritual transformation: Purity, obedience, and a new spirit from Hashem.
  • Divine presence: Hashem’s Sanctuary returns permanently.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.