Midrasch zu Ejchah 4:13

“It was due to the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst” (Lamentations 4:13).
“It was due to the sins of her prophets.” Rabbi Yudan asked Rabbi Aḥa: ‘Where did they kill Zekharya, in the Israelite courtyard or the women’s courtyard?’³⁶The midrash interprets the verse as referring not to the sins of prophets and priests, but rather to the great sin of the murder of Zekharya, who was a prophet and a priest. He said to him: ‘Neither in the Israelite courtyard nor in the women’s courtyard, but rather in the priestly courtyard.’ They did not treat his blood like the blood of a gazelle, nor like the blood of a deer. There it is written: “And any man from the children of Israel…who shall hunt game of a beast or a bird…[he shall pour out its blood], and cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13). However, here it is written: “For her blood was within her; on a bare rock she placed it. She did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dirt” (Ezekiel 24:7). Why to that extent? “To arouse fury to take vengeance, I placed her blood upon the bare rock…” (Ezekiel 24:8).³⁷God brought about that Zekharya’s blood would not be covered in order to motivate the Babylonians to take vengeance upon the Israelites in order to assuage Zekharya’s blood.
Israel committed seven transgressions on that day. They killed a priest, a prophet, and a judge, spilled innocent blood, desecrated the Name, brought impurity to the Temple courtyard, and it was Shabbat and Yom Kippur.³⁸Shabbat and Yom Kippur are considered one, as both are described as a day of sabbatical rest [Shabbat shabbaton] (see, e.g., Exodus 31:15 and Leviticus 16:31) (Etz Yosef). When Nevuzaradan ascended, he saw that the blood of Zekharya was boiling. He said to them: ‘What is this?’ They said to him: ‘It is the blood of bulls and sheep.’ He brought the blood of offerings but it did not resemble it. He brought all kinds of blood but it did not resemble it. He said to them: ‘If you tell me, fine, but if not, I will comb the flesh of these people with iron combs.’³⁹The meaning is: I will comb your flesh with iron combs. It is common in rabbinic literature for people to address others in third person, or to refer to themselves in third person. They did not tell him, but once he said that to them, they said to him: ‘What can we hide from you? We had a prophet-priest who would reprimand us in the name of Heaven, but we did not accept it. We rose against him and killed him.’ He said to them: ‘I will assuage him.’ He brought the Great Sanhedrin and slaughtered them onto it, but it did not rest. He slaughtered the lesser Sanhedrin onto it, but it did not rest. He brought young priests and slaughtered them onto it, but it did not rest. He slaughtered schoolchildren onto it, but it did not rest. He bent over it and said: ‘Zekharya, I have eliminated the best of your people, do you wish me to eradicate all of them?’ It immediately rested. At that moment he contemplated repenting and said: ‘If for one who eliminates the life of one person of Israel it is so, this man,⁴⁰Nevuzaradan was referring to himself. who eliminated many lives, all the more so.’ The Holy One blessed be He became filled with mercy and He intimated to the blood, and it was absorbed in its place. Regarding that moment, it says: “It was due to the sins of its prophets, the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in its midst.”

... The angels said before the Holy One, ‘Master of the World! Isn’t this Jerusalem?!’ as it is said “This is Jerusalem; in the midst of the nations I have placed her…” (Yechezkel 5:5) He replied to them, “But she exchanged My judgments for wickedness more than the nations…” (Yechezkel 5:6) They said to Him, “But they are Your people and Your inheritance, which You brought out with Your great strength…” (Devarim 9:29) He replied to them, “For My people have forgotten Me; they burn incense to vanity…” (Yirmiyahu 18:15) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the forefathers!’ He replied to them, “…the fathers are kindling fire…” (Yirmiyahu 7:18) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the children!’ He replied to them, “But they rebelled against Me and would not consent to hearken to Me…” (Yechezkel 20:8) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribe of Yehudah!’ “And Judah did what displeased the Lord…” (Melachim I 14:22) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the leaders!’ He replied to them, “Its heads judge for bribes…” (Micha 3:11) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribes!’ He replied to them, ‘and Gad, and Reuven and the half tribe of Menashe…’ They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribe of Dan!’ He replied to them, “And the children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image.” (Shoftim 18:30) They said to Him,’ act for the sake of the students!’ He replied to them, “…And those who hold onto the Torah did not know Me…” (Yirmiyahu 2:8) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the prophets!’ He replied to them, “[It was] for the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests…” (Eicha 4:13) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the kings!’ He replied to them, “And the altars that were on the roof, [the roof of] Ahaz's upper chamber, which the kings of Judah had made…” (Melachim II 23:12) The ministering angels said to Him, ‘act for our sake!’ He replied to them, “But they mocked the messengers of God…” (Divre HaYamim II 36:16) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of Your name which is called upon them!’ He replied to them, ‘they have profaned My holy name.’ They said to Him, ‘You do not want to be appeased, what is the image of their father doing by You?’ “He has cast down from heaven to earth the glory of Israel…” (Eicha 2:1) This statement with which they clothed You, what has it done to You?! If the thing were not written, it would be impossible to say “The Lord has done what He devised, He has carried out His word…” (Eicha 2:17) They said to Him, ‘Master of the World! Is this not Jerusalem about whom you wrote “Behold on [My] hands have I engraved you…”’ (Yeshayahu 49:16) He replied to them, “I, too, shall clap My hands, one upon the other, and I shall put My fury to rest…” (Yechezkel 21:22) Since Zion saw that He did not want to be appeased, she started up and said “The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me." (Yeshayahu 49:14) May it be Your will Lord our God and God of our fathers that Your Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days, that your Presence return within it, that You gather my exiles from the four corners of the world, that they rebuild the cities of Yehudah and settle Shechem and inherit it speedily. Amen.

... Teach us o teacher: toward where should one who prays orient his heart? This is what our Rabbis taught: one should orient his heart toward the place of the Holy of Holies (Berachot 4:5). R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov says: if one is praying outside of the land, he should orient his heart to the land of Israel. If one is praying within the land of Israel, he should orient his heart to Jerusalem. If one is praying in Jerusalem, he should orient his heart to the Holy Temple. If one is praying in the Holy Temple, he should orient his heart to the Holy of Holies. R’ Avin the Levi said: “our neck is like the Tower of David, built as a model (talpiyot)…” (Song of Songs 4:4) What does talpiyot mean? The hill (tel) toward which all turns (peniyot) are directed. And after all this praise, it is written “Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume your cedars.” (Zechariah 11:1) And so too they said “He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) Israel said to Him: Master of the World! How long will it be like this? Did You not write in Your Torah “…the one who ignited the fire shall surely pay” (Exodus 22:5)? And You are the one who ignited the fire, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) You need to rebuild it and to console us, not at the hands of an angel but You in Your glory. The Holy One said to them: by your life, so I will do! As it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) And I am the one who consoles you. From where do we learn this? From that which they read in the prophets “I, yea I am He Who consoles you…” (Isaiah 51:12)