What is the significance of cutting the second staff?
Rashi: I exiled Tzidkiyah.
Radak: This refers to the Churban, in which Tzidkiyah was cut off. He was the ultimate destroyer 1 . The Bayis was destroyed and Yisrael were exiled.
Radak citing his father: This refers to Agripas [the last king in Bayis Sheni]. In his days, Titus exiled them.
Radak citing R. Avraham ha'Levi: This is uprooting Malchus Beis Chashmona'i in the days of ha'Chovelim ? Hurkenus, Aristoblus and his sons.
Malbim: This was via the Tzedukim, who increased among them. The staff of Chovelim was to conduct them according to creed and etiquette. The Tzedukim and Perushim consumed each other, and the kings were pressured from both factions, like is known from the events in Bayis Sheni.
Refer to 11:14:2:1*.
What do we learn from "ha'Chovelim"?
Rashi: They are the Resha'im of his generation ? [Tzidkiyah] was a Tzadik, and his generation were evil 1 .
Radak citing his father: This refers to the king. He is like Rav ha'Chovel 2 (the captain) of a boat. Even though I tended the flock via these two staffs, and removed from them other shepherds (Nochri kings), they did not repent.
Sanhedrin 103a: Hashem was ready to destroy the world due to his generation; He looked at Tzidkiyah, and retracted. Sukah 52b ? he is among the eight Nesichei Adam (Michah 5:4), which include Shmuel ha'Navi, Mashi'ach and Eliyahu! These forced Rashi to say that he was a Tzadik, even though the Navi commanded him to submit to Nebuchadnetzar, and he rebelled against him! Radak considers him a Rasha. His text in Sukah is like Ein Yakov; it lists Chizkiyah in place of Tzidkiyah. Perhaps Sanhedrin 103a discusses before Tzidkiyah rebelled. (PF)
Even Shleimah 11:6: The Erev Rav are the heads of the nation in Galus, just like the captain is called Rav ha'Chovel. Our verse hints to this.
What annulled the brotherhood between them?
Rashi: Hashem annulled it, for Bnei Yehudah and Binyamin became brotherly with Yisrael, and clung to the abominations of Malchei Yisrael.
Radak: The brotherhood between Yehudah and Yisrael in idolatry was annulled then. Once Yehudah was exiled, there were no idolaters left in Yisrael. Until Yisrael were exiled, they did not cease to serve idolatry, [in spite of] all the afflictions that came upon them. Once they were exiled, and they saw that the Nevi'im's words were Emes, they did not serve idolatry again. Also Yehoshua served until they were exiled. Then, idolatry ceased from them, and the brotherhood of idolatry ceased. So Yonason translates.
Radak citing R. Avraham ha'Levi: It means, Asher Omed Lehafer (it is destined to annul). Also "u'Tzvi Edyo l'Ga'on Samahu" (Yechezkel 7:20, Asher is omitted) means Asher l'Ga'on Samahu. They split Yisrael into two kingdoms, like Yaravam ben Nevat divided the kingdom and annulled the love between Yehudah and Yisrael.
Malbim: The increase of the Tzedukim ceased the inner Shalom. The Chachamim are called Yehudah, and the commoners are called Yisrael. So in Bayis Rishon, Bnei Yehudah served Hashem opposite Bnei Yisrael (the 10 tribes). In Bayis Sheni, [initially] there was Shalom between them without breaches in Emunah and leaving the creed. Now this was annulled, and there was breach on breach.
