Yechezkel 4:13

13 And Hashem said, Even thus shall the Bnei Yisroel eat their lechem tameh among the Goyim, whither I will drive them.

Yechezkel 4:13 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 4:13

And the Lord said, even thus shall the children of Israel,
&c.] Not the ten tribes only, or those who were among the other two, but all the Jews in captivity: eat the defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them;
so called, not because mixed, but baked in the above manner; which was a symbol of the defilements which they should contract upon various accounts, by dwelling among the Gentiles; so that this foretells their captivity; their pollution among the nations of the world; and that they should not be the holy people to the Lord they had been, and had boasted of. The Jews ^F11 cite this passage to prove that he that eats bread without drying his hands is as if he ate defiled bread.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 T. Bab. Sota, fol, 4. 2.

Yechezkel 4:13 In-Context

11 Thou shalt drink also mayim by measure, the sixth part of a hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.

12 And thou shalt eat it as cakes of se’orim, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of ha’adam, in their sight.

13 And Hashem said, Even thus shall the Bnei Yisroel eat their lechem tameh among the Goyim, whither I will drive them.

14 Then said I, Not so Adonoi Hashem! Hinei, my nefesh hath not been made tuma’ah for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten nevelah or trefah; neither came there basar piggul into my mouth.

15 Then He said unto me, Behold, I have given thee cattle dung instead of dung of adam, and thou shalt prepare thy lechem therewith.