The Sons of Zadok () or Zadokites is a lineage of priests (kohanim) descended from Zadok that is described in the prophecies of Ezekiel.
Zadok himself was the first high priest in Solomon's Temple (10th century BCE). His descendants were high priests in that temple until its destruction in 587 BCE. Ezekiel's prophecy came several decades after that destruction and describes the Zadokite family's loyalty to God while the rest of the nation rebelled against God.
The sons of Zadok are mentioned four times in the Hebrew Bible as part of the Third Temple prophecy in the final chapters of the Book of Ezekiel (chapters 40:46, 43:19, 44:15, and 48:11). They are a theme in Jewish and Christian interpretation of these chapters.
Hebrew Bible Ezekiel 44:5-15 describes the "rebellion" of the Israelite people and of the Levites. The sins involved in this rebellion include idol worship in verses 10 and 12 and the offering of sacrifices by uncircumcised foreigners in verse 7. As punishment, the "Levites" (including non-Zadokite priests, who are not called priests because they have lost their priestly role according to verse 11, will be demoted from the sacrificial service and will only perform everyday tasks in verses 11-14.
In contrast, the "Levite priests, sons of Zadok," remained loyal to God when the remainder of the people strayed. Therefore, they will be entitled to perform the future sacrificial service in verses 15-16. The passage then continues with a series of laws the sons of Zadok must keep in verses 17-31.
Rabbinical commentary Choice of Zadok Aaron received a perpetual priestly covenant by which his descendants, and only his descendants, would be priests, according to Exodus 29:9, Numbers 18:19, and 1 Chronicles 23:13.
According to some commentaries, the priesthood was further restricted to descendants of Aaron's son Eleazar after Eleazar inherited Aaron's priestly robes (), and further restricted to descendants of Eleazar's son Pinchas after Pinchas performed his act of zealotry.Yosef Karo, Maggid Meisharim, p. 55b; Rashi to Zevachim 101b interpreting the "covenant of eternal priesthood" ()
Nevertheless, later on the high priesthood was held by Eli, a descendant of Itamar (Eleazar's brother). Torah commentators attribute this to Pinchas' later sins (not instructing the masses in the leadup to the Battle of Gibeah, and not relieving Jephthah of his vow).Yalkut Shimoni, 19,19; Genesis Rabbah 60:3 But upon the sin of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, a "man of God" prophesied the extinction of their priesthood:
This prophecy was fulfilled when Zadok, who was descended from Eleazar and Pinchas, was appointed as high priest.See "Torath HaKohanim", Mnachem Risikoff, Minor Chap. 200
Rashi comments that since Zadok was the first high priest to serve in Solomon's Temple (as opposed to the mobile tabernacle), and also busied himself with establishing the twenty-four priestly divisions, he merited that the preferred lineage of Eleazar be called by his name, "the sons of Zadok" (as opposed to being titled the sons of Eleazar), and the entire concept of the twenty-four divisions be attributed to him.; Midrash HaBiur (Sadya Al-Dmari) to Haphtorah Parshat Emor
Choice of Zadok's descendants Ezekiel records the general rebellion of the children of Israel against God.Malbim to Ezekiel chap. 2 Rabbinic commentators understood this general rebellion as referring to that of Jeroboam and the Ten Tribes against the Kingdom of David and the priesthood of Zadok. According to Malbim, the period of idol worship initiated from the rebellion of Jeroboam up until the destruction of the First Temple.Malbim on Ezekiel 4:5
As recognition for not participating in idol worship and for actively and publicly sanctifying God's name, the sons of Zadok were granted numerous benefits in the Third Temple.Malbim to Malachi 3:3 Several commentators liken this to the case of a king, who after suppressing a rebellion, rewards those individuals who stood firm and did not join the rebellion.Isaac Abrabanel on Ezekiel 44:18, Chafetz Chaim to the Torah, Haftorah to Parshat Emor
Asher ben Jehiel likens the public actions of the sons of Zadok to those of the Tribe of Levi at the time of the sin of the Golden Calf.Rosh to Deuteronomy 10:8 In describing the uniqueness of the sons of Zadok, Rabbinic commentators liken their ability to reject Idol worship to that of a person with immunity against a plague, thus allowing them to function normally while others succumb to its undesirable results.Elef HaMagen (Elishevitz) to Haphtorah Parshat Emor
Koheleth Rabbah relates how Zadok and offspring were righteous in their personal actions and Temple service, to the point that were Aaron and his sons present at the era of Zadok and sons, Zadok and sons would supersede them in quality.Koheleth Rabbah Chap. 1
Priestly role The book of Ezekiel details that the family line of priests, sons of Zadok, will execute the primary services in the Third Temple, that is the services of the altar of the burnt-offering. Similarly, the High Priest must be a descendant of Zadok.Midrash ha-Gadol to Genesis 6:4 etc.
Malbim comments that non-Zadokite priests, who submitted to idol worship, are not eligible to Temple service, but they will be allowed to consume terumah and kodesh (sacrificial meat).
Ezekiel describes the sons of Zadok as conducting the main sacrificial services in the Third Temple, particularly animal sacrifices ("bring to me fat and blood") and organizing the showbread ("come close to my table"). Jonathan Eybeschutz ascribes a symbolic meaning to this terminology. "Fat and blood" symbolizes the union of spirituality and physicality, as opposed to the word mincha (offering) which usually connotes a vegetable offering. Additionally, the showbread table is placed to the North side of the Temple, symbolizes monetary control (according to kaballah, north is synonymous with monetary issue), suggesting that the sons of Zadok will not fall temptation to bribery or similar corruption.Ahavath Yonathan to Haftarah Emor reading in Leviticus
As semi-high priests Rabbinic commentators on Ezekiel 44, such as Jonathan Eybeschutz, Isaac Abrabanel, Malbim, argue that after the coming of the Messiah, all sons of Zadok will have the status of "semi" high priests. This is alongside the choice of one of the sons of Zadok to be the full high priest. One source describes the future high priest from the sons of Zadok as being equal in certain ways to the future Jewish Messiah King.Divrei Tovah to 1 Samuel 2:37
One commonality between the High Priest and the Sons of Zadok appears in the listing of family members for whom they may or may not become defiled. In both cases, the father is listed before the mother,, in contrast to the standard priest, where the mother is listed before the father.Yehoshua Rokeach to Haftarath Emor in Leviticus Another commonality is the animal used for the inauguration by the sons of Zadok of the altar of burnt offering; this animal should be a bull, the same animal typically reserved as a sacrifice of the high priest.
Garments of linen
The sons of Zadok are instructed to don priestly clothing exclusively made of linen when performing the Temple service and to refrain entirely from using wool, commonly used in the standard priestly sash.
Commentators write that wearing exclusively linen clothing is considered haughty and showy. The sons of Zadok are permitted to wear woolen clothes when mingling with the nation."Ronni VeSimchi" vol. 4, as quoted from Chasam Sofer to Orach Chayim chap. 15 (second count) An additional explanation to refraining from wool during service in the inner court is the nature of sheep to graze in any field they find – even one that the owner does not specifically permit (i.e. theft), whereas linen – as a crop – grows where the sustenance-source of the crop is taken by and with the will of the field owner.Elef HaMagen to Haftarah Emor
Some kabbalists state that the spiritual source of the Sons of Zadok is that of the sitra of Cain (In the Kabbalah Cain's soul belongs to the Sitra Ahara, the demonic side),The Jewish religion: a companion, page 61. Louis Jacobs; 1995. "The name Cain, in Hebrew kayin, is said to have been given by Eve because she declared: 'I have gotten kaniti. where Cain's spiritual source will be elevated to goodness in the messianic era, and therefore are instructed to don linen for the temple service, as it was the fruit of the linen crop that Cain chose to sacrifice to God.Nethaneel Weil to Haftarath Emor
Marriage prohibitions
Ezekiel 44 prohibits "priests, Levites, sons of Zadok" from certain marriages:
The priestly prohibition on marrying divorcees is already known from . However, the inclusion of forbidding a widow, which was usually permitted to a common priest, is a subject of Rabbinic debate. The Talmud Bavli reads that the earlier part of Ezekiel 44 relates to the sons of Zadok, whereas 44:22 relates to priests who are not of Zadokite descent, meaning that the Zadokites, like the high priest, were forbidden from marrying a widow.Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 78b This explanation is echoed by the Malbim, Jonathan Eibshitz, and other commentators who see the future status of the sons of Zadok in a Third Temple as quasi-high priests.
Jonathan Eybeschutz explains that the widow of a priest is instructed by Ezekiel to marry another priest so as not be demoted from eating terumah, but she is nonetheless forbidden from marrying the sons of Zadok. Similarly, others explain that since the sons of Zadok are ordered by Ezekiel to be active in the Torah instruction of the Kohanim, the need to have a positive public image is crucial and marrying a widow may cause gossip and rumor that the Zadokite priest had transgressed forbidden relationships in Judaism.Aaron Zakkai, Torath HaParsha to Haftarath Emor Similarly, there is the concern that the widow of a non-priest was initially a divorcee, and over time this fact was forgotten, whereas the widow of a priest is likely not a divorcee since all priests are forbidden from marrying divorcees.Chaim ibn Attar on Ezekiel, as quoted in "Bechor Yaakov" of Rabbi Ya'akov HaCohen zl from Djerba Jonathan Eybeschutz argues is the marital life with a widow is not one of full tranquility. As well, the wording of Ezekiel directs the Zadokite priest to marry a virgin, as he is to maintain a disposition of peace.Yom-Tov Lipmann Heller to Leviticus 21:14 (quoted in chumash Otzar Rishonim) Malbim favors the initial marriage of the sons of Zadok with the daughter of a priest.Malbim to Ezekiel 44:15-22
Others understand the ending part of the verse to concern the Sons of Zadok as well (i.e. a Son of Zadok is permitted to marry the widow of another priest). The Chasam Sofer reasons that only the widow of the priest is permitted to the Sons of Zadok, since the purity (marital integrity) level of the former wife of a priest is of greater quality than that of the standard daughter of Israel.Chasam Sofer to Kiddushin 78b based on Radak Along this style of reasoning, others explain that the turmoil of the Jewish diaspora is cause for loss of marital integrity amongst the greater Jewish population whereas the Kohanim are more apt at maintaining an above-average standard of integrity for their spouses -thus the widow of a priest is permitted to the sons of Zadok."Mincha Belula to Vayikra 21:14 (printed in Chumash "Otzar HaRishonim")
Torah instruction The sons of Zadok are directed to provide Torah instruction to the people.