Midrasch zu Nachum 1:3

“How does the greatly crowded city sit alone? She has become like a widow. Great among the nations, a princess among the states: She has become a vassal” (Lamentations 1:1).
“How [eikha] does…sit [alone].” Three prophesied with the term eikha: Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. Moses said: “How [eikha] can I bear alone…” (Deuteronomy 1:12). Isaiah said: “How [eikha] did [the faithful city] become a harlot?” (Isaiah 1:21). Jeremiah said: “How [eikha] does [the greatly crowded city] sit alone?” Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a noblewoman who had three friends. One saw her in her tranquility, one saw her in her debauchery, and one saw her in her disgrace. So, Moses saw them in their glory and their tranquility and said: “How [eikha] can I bear alone your troubles?” Isaiah saw them in their debauchery and said: “How [eikha] did [the faithful city] become a harlot?” Jeremiah saw them in their disgrace and said: “How [eikha] does [the greatly crowded city] sit [alone]?”
They asked ben Azai, saying to him: ‘Our teacher, expound for us one matter from the scroll of Lamentations.’ He said to them: ‘Israel was exiled only after they denied the Unique One of the world, circumcision that was given after twenty generations, the Ten Commandments, the five books of the Torah; the numerical value of eikha.’¹Alef—the Unique One of the world; yod—the Ten Commandments; kaf—twenty generations; heh—five books of Moses.
Rabbi Levi said: Israel was exiled only after they denied the thirty-six instances of karet in the Torah and the Ten Commandments, the numerical value of “how does…sit solitary [eikha yasheva badad]?”²Eikha: Alef -1, yod – 10, kaf – 20, heh – 5 = 36. Badad: Beit – 2, dalet – 4, dalet – 4 = 10.
Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Avdimai of Haifa: [This is analogous] to a king who had a son. When he would perform his father’s will, [the king] would clothe him in fine silk, and when he would not perform his will, he would clothe him in the garments of an olive-press worker [badad]. So too Israel, as long as they would perform the will of the Holy One blessed be He, it is written: “I clothed you in embroidery” (Ezekiel 16:10). Rabbi Sima said: Purple garments. Onkelos translated: Embroidered garments. But when they do not perform the will of the Holy One blessed be He, He clothes them in the garments of olive-press workers. That is what is written: “How does…sit solitary [badad]?”
Rav Naḥman said that Shmuel said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The Holy One blessed be He summoned the ministering angels and said to them: ‘A flesh and blood king, when a relative of his dies and he mourns, what does he typically do?’ They said to Him: ‘He hangs sackcloth on his entrance.’ He said to them: ‘I, too, will do so.’ That is what is written: “I clothe the heavens in blackness and I place sackcloth as their garment” (Isaiah 50:3). ‘A flesh and blood king, what [else] does he typically do?’ They said to Him: ‘He extinguishes the lamps.’ He said to them: ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “The sun and the moon darkened and the stars withdrew their shining” (Joel 4:15). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He overturns the beds.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “Until thrones were set in place and the Ancient One sat” (Daniel 7:9), [implying,] as it were, that they had been overturned.³Beds were a general term for anything one would sit on. The fact that the thrones, in this verse, were set in place, implies that previously they had been overturned as a sign of mourning. ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He walks barefoot.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “His path is in tempest and in storm, and clouds are the dust of His feet” (Nahum 1:3). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He rends his purple garments.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “The Lord accomplished what He devised; He implemented [bitza] His statement [emrato]” (Lamentations 2:17). Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanan explained it: What is bitza emrato? It is that He rent His purple garments.⁴The word rent, or tear, in Aramaic, biza, is similar to bitza. The word emrato is spelled the same as imrato, which in rabbinic parlance means the edge of one’s garment (Matnot Kehuna). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He sits in silence.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “Let him sit alone and be silent” (Lamentations 3:28). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He sits and weeps.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation and for baldness” (Isaiah 22:12).
Another matter: Eikha, Jeremiah said to them: ‘What did you see in idol worship that you are so enthusiastic to follow it? If it had a mouth to engage in debate, we would have said this.⁵We would have proven the falseness of idolatry and the idols themselves would have had to concur. The word eikha is being interpreted as two words: Ei, ka, “if…this” (Etz Yosef). Instead, we will speak of it and we will speak of Him.’ We will speak of it, “So said the Lord: Do not learn the way of the nations, and from the signs of the heavens do not be frightened, though the nations are frightened by them” (Jeremiah 10:2). We will speak of Him: “Tell them this: The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall vanish from the earth and from under these heavens. [He makes the earth with His might]” (Jeremiah 10:11–12). “The Portion of Jacob is not like these, for He is the one who forms everything, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance, the Lord of hosts is His name” (Jeremiah 10:16).
Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: The term eikha is nothing other than an expression of reproof. That is what is written: “How [eikha] can you say: We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us...”? (Jeremiah 8:8). Rabbi Neḥemya says: The term eikha is nothing other than an expression of lamentation. That is what is written: “The Lord God called to the man, and said to him: Where are you [ayeka]?” (Genesis 3:9), woe are you [oy lekha]. When was the scroll of Lamentations composed? Rabbi Yehuda says: It was composed in the days of Yehoyakim.⁶This was before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. This is consistent with Rabbi Yehuda’s view that the term eikha is a term of reproof. In his view, Lamentations, or Eikha, was composed as a warning before the destruction. Rabbi Neḥemya said to him: ‘Does one weep over the dead before he dies? Rather, when was it composed? After the destruction of the Temple. This is its solution: “How [eikha] does…sit solitary?”’⁷This phrase implies that Jerusalem was already desolate.

“Let him sit alone and be silent, because He has laid it upon him” (Lamentations 3:28).
“Let him sit alone and be silent” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The Holy One blessed be He summoned the ministering angels and said to them: ‘A mourning king of flesh and blood, what does he do?’ They said to Him: ‘He dons black and covers his head with sackcloth.’ He said: ‘I, too, will do so.’ That is what is written: “I clothe heavens with blackness and I make sackcloth their garment” (Isaiah 50:3).
Moreover, He asked them: ‘A mourning king of flesh and blood, what [else] does he do?’ They said to him: ‘He extinguishes the lights.’ He said to them: ‘I, too, will do so.’ That is what is written: “The sun and the moon darkened, and the stars withdrew their shine” (Joel 2:10).
Moreover, He asked them: ‘A mourning king of flesh and blood, what [else] does he do?’ They said to him: ‘He walks barefoot.’ He said to them: ‘I, too, will do so.’ That is what is written: “The Lord, in a tempest and in a storm is His way, and clouds are the dust of His feet” (Nahum 1:3).
Moreover, He asked them: ‘A mourning king of flesh and blood, what [else] does he do?’ They said to him: ‘He sits and is silent.’ He said to them: ‘I, too, will do so.’ That is what is written: “Let him sit alone and be silent, because He has laid it upon him.”⁵⁷The verse is understood to mean that God will be silent because He has brought the mourning upon Himself.
“Let him put his mouth in the dust, perhaps there is hope. Let him offer his cheek to one who strikes him; let him be filled with disgrace” (Lamentations 3:29–30).
“Let him put his mouth in the dust, perhaps there is hope. Let him offer his cheek to one who strikes him; let him be filled with disgrace” – Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] was interpreting verses and when he reached the following verses, he would weep: “Samuel said to Saul: Why did you disturb me to bring me up?” (I Samuel 28:15).⁵⁸The Gemara in Ḥagiga (4b) indicates that Samuel thought he was being summoned to a heavenly judgement and was scared. If Samuel, the great prophet, was scared of heavenly judgement, all the more so those of lesser stature should be scared. This is why Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi cried when reading this verse. And it is written: “For behold, He forms mountains and creates winds; He recounts to a person what were his deeds [seḥo]” (Amos 4:13) – even matters lacking substance are written for a person in his ledger.⁵⁹This is derived from the term seḥo, which can be interpreted to mean speech [siḥo]; God keeps track even of every frivolous comment a person might make (see Ḥagiga 5b). Who writes them? “He who turns dawn into darkness…[the Lord, the God of hosts, is His name]” (Amos 4:13). “Seek the Lord all you humble of the earth…” (Zephaniah 2:3). And it is written: “Hate evil, and love good, [and display justice at the gate; perhaps the Lord, God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph]” (Amos 5:15).⁶⁰Despite there being an abundance of virtue, nevertheless, only perhaps “He will be gracious”? Why? “For every action God will bring to judgment [for every unknown]” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).⁶¹God will bring judgment even for unknown, that is, unwitting, transgressions. And this, “let him put his mouth in the dust [perhaps there is hope].”⁶²Only perhaps there is hope? And it is written: “Let him offer his cheek to one who strikes him; let him be filled with disgrace.”⁶³After all this, the end result could very well be disgrace.

“Like columns of smoke.” Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: When Israel was wandering from journey to journey, the pillar of cloud would descend and the pillar of fire would ascend, and the smoke from the arrangement of wood [on the altar] would ascend like two sparks of fire.⁴⁴From the two altars, the copper altar used for sacrificial offerings and the gold altar used for incense. They would emerge from between the two staves of the Ark and burn before them snakes, fiery serpents, and scorpions. The nations of the world would see and say: ‘They are gods and all their actions are performed with fire.’ Due to their terror of Israel, fear and trembling would beset them. That is what is written: “Terror and fear will beset them” (Exodus 15:16). “Beset them” is not written, but rather “will beset them”—from here and on.
“Perfumed with myrrh,” this is our patriarch Abraham. Just as myrrh is the first of all the spices,⁴⁵See Exodus 30:23. so too, Abraham our patriarch was the first of all the righteous. Just as myrrh, anyone who gathers it, his hands have a bitter residue, so too, Abraham our patriarch would embitter and torment himself with suffering. Just as myrrh emanates its fragrance only in fire, so Abraham divulged his good deeds only in the fiery furnace.⁴⁶Abraham was thrown into a fiery furnace due to his rejection of idolatry (see Bereshit Rabba 38:13).
“And frankincense,” this is our patriarch Isaac, who was sacrificed like a handful of frankincense on the altar. “With all the powders of the merchant,” this is Jacob our patriarch, whose bed was unflawed and no waste was found among them.⁴⁷In contrast to Abraham and Isaac, all of Jacob’s sons were righteous.
Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Just as there are all kinds of spices in the peddler’s box, so too, priesthood is from Jacob, and Levites and royalty from Jacob. Isaac, Abraham gave him everything that was his, as it is stated: “Abraham gave everything that was his to Isaac” (Genesis 25:5). However, all of Jacob’s wares were only from the dust that was beneath his feet.⁴⁸He solidified his hold on the blessings he received only in the aftermath of his struggle with Esau’s angel, symbolized by dust [avak], as the verse states: “A man wrestled [vaye’avek] with him there” (Genesis 32:25). See Genesis 32:25–30. (Matnot Kehuna).
Rabbi Yudan said two [statements]. Rabbi Yudan said: All the wares with which Israel engages and is successful in this world are due to the merit of that dust of Jacob our patriarch. Rabbi Yudan said another: All the merchandise⁴⁹The midrash is using the term merchandise to refer to large-scale business, as opposed to “wares,” which is seen as small-scale peddling. that Israel produces and succeeds with in this world are due to the merit of that dust of Jacob our patriarch. Rabbi Azarya said two [statements]: All the wars in which Israel engages and succeeds are due to the merit of that dust of Jacob our patriarch. Rabbi Azarya said another: All the Torah that Israel performs in this world is due to the merit of Jacob our patriarch. Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Abahu: That dust, the Holy One blessed be He took it and placed it under His throne of glory. That is what is written: “The Lord, his way is in the tempest and in the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet” (Nahum 1:3).