Chaggai 1 | Perfect is The Enemy of Good

We now leap forward several decades to the last three prophets of the Tanakh — those who prophesied during the early years of the return to Zion. A brief historical overview, primarily based on Ezra chapters 1–6: After the Persian Empire establishes control over the region, Koresh, king of Persia, issues the “Edict of Koresh,” allowing the people of Yehuda to return from Babylonia and rebuild the Temple. The initial wave of enthusiasm quickly fades, as the local non-Jewish inhabitants send accusatory letters to the Persian authorities in an effort to halt construction, and they succeed. The momentum of aliyah is slowed, and the Jewish settlement in the Land becomes weak, impoverished, and sparse. The prophecies of Chaggai and Zekharya begin twenty-two years after Koresh’s declaration, in the second year of King Daryavesh.

Chaggai rebukes the people for failing to rebuild the Temple: “Is it the time for you yourselves to sit under roofs in your homes while this House lies desolate?” (1:4) He explains that the people's misfortunes stem from this neglect. If they would only rebuild the Temple, the drought would cease, and the situation would improve.

Why have they not rebuilt it? The prophet presents a reason: “This people says, ‘The time has not come – the time for the Lord's House will be built.’” (1:2) There may be many rationales the people offer themselves for why the time is not right to rebuild the Temple. Yet, from the solution the prophet proposes, it appears that their hesitation, or at least what they tell themselves, is not entirely baseless. Chaggai urges them to build quickly: “Go up onto the mountain, bring wood, and build My House. I will desire it and be glorified by it, says the Lord.” (1:8) Build it with whatever wood you have — and that will be enough — as long as you build it. It seems the people, still clinging to the image of Shlomo’s magnificent Temple, are unwilling to settle for anything less. They want cedar wood from Lebanon (see Ezra 3:7), and when that fails to arrive, they postpone construction entirely. The prophet emphasizes what the philosopher Voltaire would later turn to be the expression: “Perfect is The Enemy of Good.” If they are afraid to act, and reject every solution because somewhere out there they imagine a better one exists – if they dismiss each option because of its flaws, yet are unable to choose a realistic alternative – then they become paralyzed. They make no progress, achieve nothing, and remain stuck.

At a deeper level, Chaggai offers another critique. He accuses the people: “Because of My House which remains desolate while each of you keeps running back to his own house.” (1:9) Even if they offer excuses for their delay, the prophet sees them for what they are: excuses. The real reason they are not building the Temple is that they have 'more important' things to deal with. They are preoccupied with their own homes and priorities, convincing themselves that the time has not yet come, because they lack the ideal woods from Lebanon. That may also explain the difference between Chaggai’s account and the story as it appears in Ezra. Chaggai omits the letters of accusation sent by the adversaries of Yehuda to the Persian authorities, because ultimately, even that is just an excuse. If the people truly wished to build, God would assist them.

This failure exists in our own lives as well. It is always easier to stay at home and wait for the perfect solution to arrive. But the real question we must ask ourselves is: How can we move forward with the tools we have right now?