The Ascent of Ezra the Scribe and the Renewal of Torah

Ezra son of Seraiah was of high-priestly descent and, in the words of Scripture, 'a scribe skilled in the Torah of Moses.' He remained in Babylon while his teacher Baruch son of Neriah was alive, and went up to the Land a year after the Temple's dedication, leading roughly fifteen hundred men with their families. The king's letter gave him broad authority: to appoint judges, exempt Temple servants from taxes, and draw silver and gold for the offerings.

What he found was grim. The Temple stood, but the people had intermarried with the surrounding nations — priests and Levites among them. Ezra tore his garments and prayed aloud until a weeping crowd gathered; a general assembly was convened in the rain and the matter was resolved family by family over months.

His more lasting work was making Torah public. On the first day of the seventh month he stood on a wooden platform before the Water Gate and read aloud 'from dawn until midday,' with Levites explaining so the people could understand. Sukkot, nearly forgotten, was restored. The sages credit Ezra with ten enactments (Bava Kamma 82a), including Torah reading on Mondays, Thursdays and Shabbat afternoon. The adoption of the square Assyrian script, still used for scrolls today, is a separate discussion (Sanhedrin 21b–22a) and not part of that list.