Midrash sobre Miqueas 7:1

MISHNAH: Since murderous acts were increased, the law concerning the heifer was abolished. This refers to the time of Elazar b. Dinai, who was nicknamed Techana b. P'risha, and who was later named Ben Haratzchan (the murdered). Since it increased adulterous acts the bitter water was stopped and R. Jochanan b. Jochai was the one to stop it, as he based his action on the following passage (Hos. 4, 14) I cannot inflict punishment on your daughters when they play the harlot, nor on your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; for they themselves associate with lewd women. Since the death of Jose b. Joezer of Zerida. and of Joseph b. Jochanan of Jerusalem, the clusters (great men) were destroyed, as it is said (Micha 7, 1) It is no cluster to eat, no first ripe fruit for which my soul longeth. Jochanan, the High-priest, stopped the chapter of the confession of Tithes, he also abolished certain songs of the Levites with the sounding of the fingers. (Ib; b) Until his days the striking of the hammer was heard in Jerusalem, [during the Moed week], when he stopped it. During all his life-time no man ever asked whether he has to give tithes from grain he bought or not, for it was a sure thing that its tithes were separated. (Fol. 48) Since the Sanhedrin were abolished together with it were the songs which were accustomed to be heard in the winehouses concerning which this passage said (Is. 24, 9) Amidst singing shall they no more drink wine; bitter shall be the strong drink to him who drinketh it. Since the death of the first prophets, the Urim and Tummim were abolished. Since the destruction of the Temple, the Samir and the sweet honey were destroyed and trustworthy men disappeared, as it is said (Ps. 12, 2) Help, O Lord! for the pious have ceased to be; for the truthful have failed from among the children of man. R. Simon b. Gamaliel says in the name of R. Simon, the associate of the High-priest, "Since the destruction of the Temple there is not a single day without a curse and blissful dew did not come from heaven, the real taste of the fruit was removed." R. Simon says: "Also the fruit lost its richness."

Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Yudan said: “Little foxes,” these are Esau and his noblemen, just as it says: “Behold, I made you small among the nations” (Obadiah 1:2).¹⁴⁷This prophecy is said regarding Edom, the descendants of Esau. The Sages identified Edom with Rome. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: This is analogous to a province that would produce great swordsmen for the king. There was a certain woman there who gave birth to a puny son, and she would call her son: Tall and Quick. She said to them: ‘My son is tall and quick and you do not make him a great swordsman?’ They said to her: ‘If, in your eyes, he is tall and quick, in our eyes he is puniest of the puny.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘This wicked Esau, his father called him great [gadol],’ as it is stated: “He called Esau, his elder [hagadol] son” (Genesis 27:1). His mother called him great, as it is stated: “The garments of Esau, her elder [hagadol] son (Genesis 27:15). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘If, in your eyes, he is great, in My eyes, he is small,’ as it is stated: “Behold, I made you small among the nations” (Obadiah 1:2). And if he is great, the slaughterer corresponds to the bull. That is what is written: “There is a sacrifice for the Lord in Botzra and a great slaughter in the land of Edom” (Isaiah 34:6). “That ruin the vineyards,” this is Israel, as it is written: “For the house of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 5:7). “As our vineyards are in bloom,” just as it says: “There is no cluster to eat, or a first fruit that my soul desires” (Micah 7:1).¹⁴⁸The Romans are able to persecute Israel, compared to a vineyard, because the fruits of the vineyard are just beginning to bloom, but there are none that are fully formed yet. This represents the fact that the Jews were not sufficiently righteous.
Rabbi Berekhya said: “Little foxes,” these are the four kingdoms, as it is stated: “There are four upon earth that are little” (Proverbs 30:24). “That ruin the vineyards,” this is Israel, as it is written: “For the house of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 5:7). “As our vineyards are in bloom,” who caused our vineyards to be in bloom?¹⁴⁹The midrash should read: What caused our vineyard to be damaged? The fact that they are [merely] in bloom (Rabbi David Luria). “I sought from among them a man who builds a fence [and stands in the breach before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it,] but I did not find” (Ezekiel 22:30); were it not for Noah, Daniel, and Job.¹⁵⁰This phrase should be interpreted as though it continued: Were it not for Noah, Daniel, and Job, no one would have been left. There was no one righteous enough to save the generation from destruction, but these individuals and people like them were righteous enough to at least save themselves (Maharzu; see Ezekiel 14:13-14).

"Bitter clusters ('ashkeloth') are theirs": your great men, whose awe "hangs" over you as a cluster. ("eshkol" connotes "greatness," as in (Michah 7:21) "There is no eshkol to eat, no 'ripe one' that my soul desires. The saint is vanished from the land, etc."

"Bitter clusters are theirs": Your (the nations') great ones — their fear hangs over them (the Jews) as (the venom of) a snake. ("eshkol" connotes "greatness," as in (Michah 7:1-2) "There is no eshkol to eat, etc."