Midrash for Lamentations 3:44

(Ib. b) R. Elazar said: "Great is prayer, even more than good deeds; for there is none bigger in the performance of good deeds than our teacher Moses, still he was answered through prayers only; as it is said (Ib. ib. 26.) Let it suffice thee; do not continue to speak unto me any more of this matter; Immediately following it is said Get thee up unto the fop of Pisgah." R. Elazar also said: "Prayer is even more efficacious than sacrifice; "for it is said (Is. 1, 11.) For what serveth me the multitude of your sacrifice? Saith the Lord, and it is written further, And when you spread your hands, I shall withdraw my eyes from you." R. Elazar also said: "Since the day of the destruction of the Temple, the gates of prayer were locked up, as it is said (Lam. 3, 8.) Also when I cry aloud and make entreaty, He shutteth out my prayer; and even though the towers of prayer were locked up still the towers of tears are not locked, as it is said (Ps. 39, 13.) Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; at my tears Thou wilt surely not be silent." Further said R. Elazar: "Since the day of the destruction of the Temple, an iron wall separates Israel and the Heavenly Father, as it is said (Ezek. 4, 3.) Moreover take thou unto thyself an iron pan and set it up as a wall between thee and the city." R. Channin in the name of R. Chanina said: "He who prolongs in prayer will not return void (his prayers unfulfilled). Whence do we infer this? From our teacher Moses, for it is said (Deu. 9, 18.) And I threw myself down before the Lord; and it is further written And the Lord hearkened unto me also at that time." Is this so? Behold R. Chiya b. Abba in the name of R. Jochanan said: "Whoever prolongs in prayer and speculates on it (expecting its fulfillment as a reward for making it long) will, at the end, come to a heart sickness; for it is said (Pr. 13, 12.) Long deferred expectation maketh the heart sick. What is its remedy? Let him study the Torah, for close to it is said But a tree of life is a desire which is fulfilled; By a tree of life is meant nothing else but the Torah, for it is said (Ib. 3, 18.) A tree of life is she (the Torah) to those who lay hold on her." This is not difficult to explain; the latter deals with staying long in prayer and speculating on it, and the former deals with one who stays long in prayer but does not speculate on it. R. Chama b. Chanina said, "Although a man sees that his prayers are not answered, let him continue to pray; for it is said (Ps. 27, 14.) Wait on the Lord; be strong and let thy heart he of good courage; wait, I say, on the Lord." Our Rabbis taught: "Four things require fortitude in their observance: The Torah, good deeds, prayer, and social duties." The Torah and good deeds, whence do we know? It is said (Jos. 1, 7.) Be thou strong and firm that thou mayest observe to fulfill all the Torah; Be strong, refers to the Torah, And firm, refers to good deeds. Whence do we infer that prayer needs fortitude? It is said (Ps. 27, 14.) Wait on the Lord, be strong and He shall make thy heart firm; wait, I say, upon the Lord. 'Whence do we know that social duties require fortitude? It is said (II. Sam 10, 12.) Be strong and let us strengthen ourselves for our people and for the cities of our God. R. Elazar said: "Fasting is even more meritorious than charity for the former is performed with the body and the latter is performed only with money." Raba never ordered a fast on a cloudy day; for it is said (Lam. 3, 44.) Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud that no prayer may pass through.

One verse states "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you," and another, (Devarim 10:17) "who does not lift the countenance" (i.e., who does not forgive) and who does not take a bribe." How are these two verses to be reconciled? When Israel do the L-rd's will — "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you"; when they do not do the L-rd's will — "who does not lift the countenance." Variantly: Before the decree has been sealed — "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you"; after the decree has been sealed — "who does not lift the countenance." One verse states (Psalms 65:3) "O, heeder of prayer, to You does all flesh come," and another, (Eichah 3:44) "You have covered Yourself with a cloud against the passing of prayer." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "heeder of prayer"; after the decree has been sealed — "You have covered Yourself with a cloud." One verse states (Psalms 145:18) "Close is the L-rd to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth," and another, (Ibid. 10:1) "Why, O L-rd, do You stand afar?" How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed" — "Close is the L-rd to all who call upon Him"; after the decree has been sealed, He is "afar." One verse states (Eichah 3:28) "From the mouth of the Most High there shall not issue forth the evils and the good," and another, (Daniel 9:14) "and the L-rd was anxious for the evil (to materialize)." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "From the mouth of the Most High there shall not issue forth the evils and the good"; after the decree has been sealed — "and the L-rd was anxious for the evil." One verse states (Jeremiah 4:14) "Wash your heart of evil, O Jerusalem, so that you be saved," and another, (Ibid. 2:22) "Though you wash yourself with niter and add borax, your sin is an (indelible) stain before Me." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "Wash your heart of evil, O Jerusalem"; after the decree has been sealed — "Though you wash yourself with niter and add borax, your sin is an (indelible) stain before Me." One verse states (Ibid. 3:22) "Return, you wayward sons," and another, (Ibid. 8:4) "If they (wish to) return, He will not return" (to accept them.) How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "Return, you wayward sons"; after the decree has been sealed — "If they return, He will not return." One verse states (Isaiah 55:6) "Seek the L-rd when He is found," and another, (Ezekiel 20:3) "As I live (says the L-rd), will I be sought out for you?" How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "Seek the L-rd when He is found"; after the decree has been sealed — "Will I be sought out for you?" One verse states (Ibid. 18:32) "For I do not desire the death of the dead one," and another (I Samuel 2:25) "… for the L-rd desired to kill them." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "For I do not desire the death of the dead one"; after the decree has been sealed — "for the L-rd desired to kill them." Variantly: One verse states "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you," and another (Devarim 10:17) "who does not lift the countenance." How are these two verses to be reconciled? "The L-rd lift His countenance" — in this world; "who does not lift the countenance" — in the world to come. Variantly: "The L-rd lift His countenance" — (Let Him) remove His anger from you. "and grant you peace": peace in your coming in and peace in your going out and peace with all men. R. Chanina, the adjutant high-priest says: "and grant you peace" — in your house. R. Nathan says: This is the peace of the Davidic kingdom, of which it is written (Isaiah 9:6) (the king) "who increases the governance (of the L-rd), and his peace will be endless. Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom" (shall this peace be). Variantly: This is the peace of Torah, of which it is written (Psalms 29:11) "The L-rd gives strength (Torah) to His people; the L-rd blesses His people with peace." Great is peace, the Holy One Blessed be He deviating from the truth for its sake in the instance of Sarah, who said "I am old" (see Bereshit 18:12-13). Great is peace, the angel deviating from the truth for its sake in the instance of Manoach for its sake (viz. Judges 13). Great is peace, the Name written in holiness being erased by the bitter waters (of the sotah) to make peace between a man and his wife. R. Elazar says: Great is peace, the prophets having exhorted all men for its sake. R. Shimon b Chalafta says: Great is peace, it being the only vessel which contains all of the blessings, it being written "The L-rd gives strength to His people; the L-rd blesses His people with peace." R. Elazar Hakappar says: Great is peace, all of the blessings being sealed with peace, viz.: "The L-rd bless you and keep you. The L-rd cause His countenance to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The L-rd lift His countenance unto you and grant you peace." R. Elazar the son of R. Elazar Hakappar says: Great is peace, for even if the idolators live in peace, the Holy One, as it were, does not "touch" them, as it is written (Hoshea 4:17) "Ephraim (Yisrael) has bound himself (in friendship to serve) idols — Let him be." But when they were divided amongst themselves, what is written of them? (Ibid. 10:2) "Their hearts are divided — Now they will be laid waste!" How great is peace! — How abhorrent is contention! Great is peace, for even in time of war, peace is needed, viz. (Devarim 20:10) "If you draw near a city to do battle with it, then you shall call out to it for peace," (Ibid. 2:26) "And I sent messengers from the desert of Kedemoth to Sichon, king of Moav, (with) words of peace," (Judges 11:12) "And Yiftach sent messengers …" What did he (the king of Ammon) say? (13) "And now, return them (the lands you took from us) in peace." Great is peace, for even the dead need peace, as it is written (Bereshit 15:13) "And you will come to your fathers in peace," and (Jeremiah 34:5) "In peace will you die, and as the burnings of your fathers, etc." Great is peace, which is given to the penitent, as it is written (Isaiah 57:19) "(I will) create (for him [the penitent a new]) expression of the lips:" Shalom Shalom! (And both will be alike, both) the far (i.e., one who had served the L-rd from his youth) and the near (i.e., one who had sinned and had just repented), etc." Great is peace, which was given in the portion of the righteous, as it is written (Ibid. 2) "Let him (the righteous one) come in peace (to the grave). Let them (the men of lovingkindness) rest (peacefully) where they lie." Great is peace, which was not given in the portion of the wicked, viz. (Ibid. 21) "There is no peace, says the L-rd, for the wicked." Great is peace, which was given to the lovers of Torah, viz. (Psalms 119:165) "Peace in abundance for the lovers of Your Torah." Great is peace, which was given to the humble, viz. (Ibid. 37:11) "and the humble will inherit the land and rejoice in an abundance of peace." Great is peace, which was given to the learners of Torah, viz. (Isaiah 59:13) "And all your children will be (as if) taught by the L-rd, and (there will be) an abundance of peace (among) your children." Great is peace, which is given to the doers of righteousness, viz. (Ibid. 32:7) "And the reward of righteousness will be peace." Great is peace, for the name of the Holy One Blessed be He is "Peace," viz. (Judges 6:24) "and he called it (the altar) 'the L-rd is Peace.'" R. Chanina, the adjutant high-priest says: Great is peace, which is over and against the entire creation, as it is written "who makes peace … and creates all" (viz. Isaiah 45:7). Great is peace, which is needed (even) by the celestial creations, viz. (Job 25:22) "Governance and fear is with Him: He makes peace in His heights." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If in a place where there is no enmity, or rivalry, or hatred, or hostility, peace is needed — how much more so, in a place where all of these obtain!

When they went out of Egypt, Moses said ‘and the cloud of God was on them by day’ (Numbers 10:34); and when they went out of Jerusalem, Jeremiah said ‘[You have screened Yourself off] with a cloud, that no prayer may pass through.’ (Lamentations 3:44)