“And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.”
Nehemiah appeals to the historical memory of redemption: "And I held a great assembly against them, and said to them, 'As far as we were able, we have bought back our Jewish kin who had been sold to the nations; but now you are selling your own kin, and they are being sold back to us!' They were silent and could not find a word to say." The historical reference to redemption of exiled Jews purchased from foreign captivity establishes the principle that the community has an obligation to preserve the freedom and dignity of its own members. The comparison between redeeming Jews from foreign masters and the leaders' exploitation of their own kin creates a powerful moral indictment; the leaders are betraying the very solidarity that characterizes Jewish identity. The leaders' silence indicates recognition of their moral failure; they cannot defend their conduct in light of the covenant's demands for justice.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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