What do we learn from "va'Yeshevu... b'Areihem"?
Refer to Ezra 2:70:1:1.
Who are "ha'Sho'arim"?
Refer to Ezra 2:70:2:1 and the note there.
It says "va'Yiga ha'Chodesh ha'Shevi'i" also in Ezra (3:1), at the end of the list of families that came. Is this the same episode?
Malbim #1: Some say yes 1 . Also here was in the days of Koresh. Nechemyah found a Sefer of lineage (5) containing all these matters, until "v'Goralos Hipalnu Al Korban ha'Etzim" (10:35). If so, Ezra ascended twice - in the days of Koresh, with Zerubavel, and also Nechemyah ascended then - "va'Yomer Nechemyah Hu ha'Tirshasa" (8:9), "v'Al ha'Chasumim Nechemyah ha'Tirshasa ben Chachalyah" (10:2). Also Ezra (2:63) implies that Nechemyah went with Zerubavel. Below (12:1) Ezra is listed with those who ascended with Zerubavel; we can say that it is Ezra ha'Sofer. This resolves what it says below (8:17) that they dwelled in Sukos for the first time since Yehoshua bin Nun, with Ezra 3:4, which says that they dwelled in Sukos (for they are the same episode).
Malbim #2: Some say that it is not 2 . Here was after the wall was completed. There it discusses afterwards Binyan ha'Mikdash, and here it discusses Kri'as ha'Torah. Because there the list concluded with "va'Yiga ha'Chodesh ha'Shevi'i", and this occurred also now, it concludes with that verse to draw after it what happened then. Ezra 3:4 says they did Sukos, i.e. with Hallel, Simchah, Olos Re'iyah, Shalmei Chagigah and the four Minim, but they did not fulfill Mitzvas Sukah properly. That verse primarily discusses Korbanos ha'Chag - "v'Olas Yom b'Yom." This opinion resolves the order of the verses better.
