Midrasch zu Jechezkiel 21:1

The prince of the exile said to R. Huna: "Whence do we know that the wearing of the wreath is prohibited nowadays?" The latter replied: "This is merely prohibited by the Rabbis, as we are taught in the following Mishnah: During the Vespasian War, the Rabbis decreed not to wear bridal wreaths nor to exercise betrothal ceremonies." Meanwhile R. Huna, who went out to R. Chisda then said to the exilarch: "It is from the following passage (Ez. 21 21) Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, remove the mitre and take off the crown; this shall not always be so. Exalt him that is low and make him low that is high. What relation has the mitre to the crown? We must therefore say that while the mitre is on the head of the High-priest, the crown may be on the head of every man (at festivals); but as soon as the mitre was removed from the head of the High-priest, then the crown of every man should be removed." Meantime R. Huna returned and found them discussing it. Whereupon he said to them: "I can swear to you that it is only a Rabbinical enactment; however, Chisda (grace) is your name and Chisdai (graceful) are your words." Rabbina met Mar b. Ashi when he was preparing a wreath for his daughter [at her wedding.] The former said to the latter: "Does not the master hold the comparison, Remove the mitre and take of the crown?" Whereupon the latter answered: "It should be compared unto the High-priest, which refers merely to men and not to women." What is the meaning of This shall not he always so? R. Avira expounded, sometimes in the name of R. Ami and at other times in the name of R. Assi: "When the Holy One, praised be He! said unto Israel: 'Remove the mitre and replace the crown,' the ministering angels said unto the Holy One, praised be He! 'Sovereign of the Universe, is this the reward to Israel, because they have spoken the words Na'asse (we shall fulfill) before V'nihsma (we shall hearken) while on Mt. Sinai.' Whereupon the Lord said to them: 'This was not always so with Israel, who made low the High and exalted him that was low.' "

And in the first Temple, you say there was no gratuitous hatred? Behold! It is written (Ez. 21, 17) … brought together for the sword are they with my people; therefore strike [your hand] upon thy thigh. And R. Elazar said: "This alludes to those people who ate and drank together, but who would pierce one another with the swords of their tongues." [Hence gratuitous hatred prevailed also in the first Temple.] This [hatred] refers only to the princes of Israel, as it is said (Ib.) Cry aloud and wail, O son of man, for it cometh against my people, etc. And we were taught about this one might think. Cry aloud and wail, refers to the entire nation, therefore it is said. It comes against all princes of Israel, brought together for the sword are they with my people; therefore strike [your hand] upon thy thigh. R. Jochanan and R. Elazar both said: "The sins of the prophet of the first Temple were public (they did not hide them), therefore the end [of their captivity] has likewise been revealed [through prophecy]; but the sins of the people of the second Temple were not public, therefore the end [of their captivity], was also not revealed."

“Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried; so may the Lord do to me, and so may He continue, as death will separate between you and me” (Ruth 1:17).
That¹²³Referring to the previous passage, that good deeds and righteous actions must be accomplished in this world. is what the verse said: “Small and great are there; and a servant is free from his master” (Job 3:19) – Rabbi Simon said: This is one of four verses that are similar to one another. “Small and great are there” – in this world, one who is small can become great, and one who is great can become small. But in the future,¹²⁴In the World to Come. one who is small cannot become great and one who is great cannot become small. “And a servant is free of his master” – that is, he does the will of his Maker [yotzero], angers his [evil] inclination [yitzro]; when he dies, he goes free, as it is stated: “And a servant is free of his master.”
Rabbi Meyasha, grandson of Rabbi Yehoshua, was gravely ill for three days. After three days he recovered. His father said to him: ‘Where have you been?’ He said to him: ‘I was in a chaotic world.’ He said to him: ‘What did you see there?’ He said to him: ‘I saw many people who are respected here and disgraced there.’ When Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish heard, they went to visit him. His father said to them: ‘Have you heard what this child said?’ They said to him: ‘What did he say?’ He related the matter to them. Reish Lakish said: ‘Is it not an explicit verse? “So said the Lord God: Remove the mitre, and lift the crown; this shall no longer be; exalt the abased, and abase the exalted”’ (Ezekiel 21:31). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Had I come up only to hear this matter, it would have sufficed. Rav Huna the Exilarch asked Rabbi Ḥisdai: What is this that is written: “Remove the mitre, and lift the crown?” He said to him: “Remove the mitre” from our rabbis, and “lift the crown” from the nations of the world. He said to him: You are kindness,¹²⁵This is based on his name. You, Ḥisdai, are kindness, ḥesed. and what is yours is kindness.