Midrash su Esdra 1:78

“…who reigned from India to Kush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.” Rabbi Eliezer in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: Are there not two hundred and fifty-two provinces in the world? David ruled over them all; that is what is written: “David’s renown went out to all the lands” (I Chronicles 14:17). Solomon ruled over them all; that is what is written: “Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms...” (I Kings 5:1). Aḥav ruled over them all; that is what is written: “As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom [to where my lord did not send to seek you]” (I Kings 18:10). Does a person take an oath about a place that he does not rule? Additionally, from here: “He counted the young princes of the dominions, and they were two hundred and thirty-two…” (I Kings 20:15). Where were the rest?⁸Earlier it was said that there were two hundred and fifty-two provinces, and here there are representatives of only two hundred and thirty-two dominions. Rabbi Levi and the Rabbis: Rabbi Levi said: They ceased to exist in the famine during the days of Eliyahu. The Rabbis said that Ben Haddad came and took them. That is what is written: “Ben Haddad king of Aram gathered his entire army, and thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots; he went and besieged Samaria, and waged war against it” (I Kings 20:1). We need twenty, and you say thirty-two? Rather, there were provinces that were intractable, and he would take two [young princes] from them as hostages in his charge.
Rabbi Berekhya and the Rabbis [related to the verse: “He pierced my kidneys with the contents of his quiver [benei ashpato]” (Lamentations 3:13)]. Rabbi Berekhya said: These were the captives [benei ukaifi] and the hostages [benei emuryai].⁹These were the “contents of his quiver,” with which God pierced Israel’s kidneys. The Rabbis said: Benei ukaifi – as they were subjugated with manacles [arkof], and benei emuryai – as they were substitutes [temurot] for their fathers. And so it says: “And the hostages [benei hataaruvot]” (II Kings 14:14), they were guarantees [me’uravot] for their fathers.
Nebuchadnezzar ruled over them all; that is what is written: “Everywhere the sons of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens dwell, [He has given into your hand and set your rule over them all]” (Daniel 2:38). Cyrus ruled over them all; that is what is written: “The Lord…has given me all the kingdoms of the earth” (Ezra 1:2). Darius ruled over them all; that is what is written: “Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, [the nations, and the [speakers of different] languages that reside in the entire earth]” (Daniel 6:26). Aḥashverosh ruled over half of them. Why over half of them? Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Aḥa and the Rabbis, Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: You divided my kingdom, as you said: “He is the God, who is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:3); by your life, I am going to divide your kingdom. The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: You split My house, as you said: “Its height shall be sixty cubits¹⁰The height of the Sanctuary in Solomon’s Temple was one hundred and twenty cubits. and its width sixty cubits” (Ezra 6:3); by your life, I am going to split your kingdom.
Let it say one hundred and twenty-six, for what reason does the verse state “one hundred and twenty-seven provinces”? Rather, this is what the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You added one ascent [aliya]¹¹Aliya means both second floor and ascent. to My house from your own, as you said: “Any among you from His entire people, may his God be with him, and he may ascend” (Ezra 1:3); I, too, will provide you with an additional ascent from my own, so he added one province to the tally; that is what is written: “One hundred and twenty-seven provinces.”

“…who reigned from India to Kush, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.” Rabbi Eliezer in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: Are there not two hundred and fifty-two provinces in the world? David ruled over them all; that is what is written: “David’s renown went out to all the lands” (I Chronicles 14:17). Solomon ruled over them all; that is what is written: “Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms...” (I Kings 5:1). Aḥav ruled over them all; that is what is written: “As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom [to where my lord did not send to seek you]” (I Kings 18:10). Does a person take an oath about a place that he does not rule? Additionally, from here: “He counted the young princes of the dominions, and they were two hundred and thirty-two…” (I Kings 20:15). Where were the rest?⁸Earlier it was said that there were two hundred and fifty-two provinces, and here there are representatives of only two hundred and thirty-two dominions. Rabbi Levi and the Rabbis: Rabbi Levi said: They ceased to exist in the famine during the days of Eliyahu. The Rabbis said that Ben Haddad came and took them. That is what is written: “Ben Haddad king of Aram gathered his entire army, and thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots; he went and besieged Samaria, and waged war against it” (I Kings 20:1). We need twenty, and you say thirty-two? Rather, there were provinces that were intractable, and he would take two [young princes] from them as hostages in his charge.
Rabbi Berekhya and the Rabbis [related to the verse: “He pierced my kidneys with the contents of his quiver [benei ashpato]” (Lamentations 3:13)]. Rabbi Berekhya said: These were the captives [benei ukaifi] and the hostages [benei emuryai].⁹These were the “contents of his quiver,” with which God pierced Israel’s kidneys. The Rabbis said: Benei ukaifi – as they were subjugated with manacles [arkof], and benei emuryai – as they were substitutes [temurot] for their fathers. And so it says: “And the hostages [benei hataaruvot]” (II Kings 14:14), they were guarantees [me’uravot] for their fathers.
Nebuchadnezzar ruled over them all; that is what is written: “Everywhere the sons of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens dwell, [He has given into your hand and set your rule over them all]” (Daniel 2:38). Cyrus ruled over them all; that is what is written: “The Lord…has given me all the kingdoms of the earth” (Ezra 1:2). Darius ruled over them all; that is what is written: “Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, [the nations, and the [speakers of different] languages that reside in the entire earth]” (Daniel 6:26). Aḥashverosh ruled over half of them. Why over half of them? Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Aḥa and the Rabbis, Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: You divided my kingdom, as you said: “He is the God, who is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:3); by your life, I am going to divide your kingdom. The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: You split My house, as you said: “Its height shall be sixty cubits¹⁰The height of the Sanctuary in Solomon’s Temple was one hundred and twenty cubits. and its width sixty cubits” (Ezra 6:3); by your life, I am going to split your kingdom.
Let it say one hundred and twenty-six, for what reason does the verse state “one hundred and twenty-seven provinces”? Rather, this is what the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You added one ascent [aliya]¹¹Aliya means both second floor and ascent. to My house from your own, as you said: “Any among you from His entire people, may his God be with him, and he may ascend” (Ezra 1:3); I, too, will provide you with an additional ascent from my own, so he added one province to the tally; that is what is written: “One hundred and twenty-seven provinces.”

“That was in the Shushan citadel” – Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Ḥananel: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: Cyrus referred to the name of His city and the name of His province,¹⁹The name of God’s city and God’s province.as he said: “In Jerusalem, which is in Judah” (Ezra 1:2); I, too, will refer to the name of your city and the name of your province, as it is stated: “That was in the Shushan citadel which is in the province of Elam” (Daniel 8:2).

... Our teachers have said: Once, while Moses our Teacher was tending [his father-in-law] Yitro’s sheep, one of the sheep ran away. Moses ran after it until it reached a small, shaded place. There, the lamb came across a pool and began to drink. As Moses approached the lamb, he said, “I did not know you ran away because you were thirsty. You are so exhausted!” He then put the lamb on his shoulders and carried him back. The Holy One said, “Since you tend the sheep of human beings with such overwhelming love - by your life, I swear you shall be the shepherd of My sheep, Israel.”

“I arose to open for my beloved; my hands were dripping with myrrh, and my fingers with myrrh passing onto the handles of the latch” (Song of Songs 5:5).
“I arose to open for my beloved” – I arose, and not the nations of the world. Rabbi Yaakov bar Avuna interpreted before Rabbi Yitzḥak: It is written: “[Then arose] the heads of the patrilineal families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites…[to go up to build the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem]” (Ezra 1:5); “of Judah” – as he is king; “and Benjamin” – as the Temple is in his portion; the priests because of the Temple service; and the Levites because of the platform.²⁵The verse specifies these groups for the reasons mentioned above, but in fact Israelites of all types went up to build the Second Temple. This is in contrast to the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin (see Ezra 4:2), who presented themselves as wanting to assist in building the Temple but in fact had malicious intentions. “To open for my beloved” – in repentance.
“My hands were dripping with myrrh [mor]” – bitterness [merarim]. Cyrus issued a decree: Whoever has crossed the Euphrates has crossed, and whoever has not crossed shall not cross. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “The sun will be dark when it rises” (Isaiah 13:10) – if only it had been dark on that day and did not shine. Cyrus emerged to walk in the province, and he saw that the province was deserted. He said: Why is this province deserted? Where are the goldsmiths, where are the silversmiths? They said to him: Are you not the one who decreed and said: Let all the Jews go out and build the Temple? It was they who were the goldsmiths and the silversmiths, and they have ascended to build the Temple. At that moment he decreed: Whoever has crossed the Euphrates has crossed, and whoever has not crossed shall not cross.
Daniel and his associates and his comrades ascended. At that time they said: It is preferable for us to eat a meal of the Land of Israel and recite the blessing of the Land of Israel. Ezra and his associates and his comrades did not ascend at that time. Why did Ezra not ascend at that time? It was because he needed to clarify his studies before Barukh ben Neriya. So let Barukh ben Neriya ascend. Rather, they said: Barukh ben Neriya was a large, elderly man, and he could not even be loaded onto a sedan chair.
Reish Lakish said: It was due to the sanctity of the Temple that Ezra did not ascend at that time, as had Ezra ascended at that time, the accuser would be able to incite strife and say, it would be preferable to have Ezra serve in the High Priesthood rather than have Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak serve as the High Priest.²⁶The heavenly accuser was already accusing Yehoshua (see Zechariah 3:1), and this would have added to his accusations. But Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak was a High Priest son of a High Priest, and although Ezra was a righteous man, he was not as worthy to serve in the High Priesthood as [Yehoshua] was. Rabbi Simon said: Abolishing hereditary rights is problematic before the Holy One blessed be He. “Onto the handles of the latch” – it was from there that the Euphrates was blocked before them.
Another matter: “I arose to open for my beloved” – I arose and not the nations of the world. “To open for my beloved” – in repentance. “My hands were dripping with myrrh [mor]” – bitterness [merarim], this is the sin of the Golden Calf, “this is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). “And my fingers with myrrh passing” – nevertheless “myrrh passing [mor over],” He overlooked my bitterness [avar al merari], as it is stated: “The Lord reconsidered the evil…” (Exodus 32:14). “Onto the handles of the latch” – it was from there that it was locked before them so that they would not enter the Land of Israel.

Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “With the rise of the righteous the people rejoice, and with the rule of the wicked the people sigh.” (Proverbs 29:2). When the righteous achieve prominence, there is joy and happiness in the world; there is joy [va]¹⁰The word king [melekh] is preceded with the prefix vav heh. Va is an expression of joy. in the world: “And the King [vehamelekh] David” (II Samuel 3:31), va that David reigned; “and the King [vehamelekh] Solomon” (I Kings 2:45) va that Solomon reigned; “and the King [vehamelekh] Asa” (I Kings 15:22), va that Asa reigned. This is regarding kings of Israel; from where [do we know] regarding kings of the nations of the world? As it is stated: “And Cyrus the King [vehamelekh]” (Ezra 1:4), va that Cyrus reigned.
But when the wicked achieve prominence, woe [vai],¹¹The word reign [yimlokh] is preceded with the prefix vav yod. Vai is an expression of woe. sighing, and enflamed wrath are in the world. “Ahab son of Omri reigned [vayimlokh] over Israel” (I Kings 16:29), vai that Ahab son of Omri reigned. “Hoshe’a son of Ela…reigned [vayimlokh]” (II Kings 15:30), vai that Hoshe’a son of Ela reigned. “Zedekiah son of Yoshiyahu reigned [vayimlokh]” (Jeremiah 37:1), vai that Zedekiah son of Josiah reigned. Regarding kings of the nations of the world, it is as it is written: “It was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1), vai that Aḥashverosh reigned.

Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ada began: [“The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace, and the lips of a fool will swallow him” (Ecclesiastes 10:12).] “The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace” – that is Cyrus, as it is stated: “So said Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has commanded me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah” (Ezra 1:2). “And the lips of a fool will swallow him” – as he (Cyrus) said: “He is the God who is in Jerusalem”¹²The implication being that He is only the god of Jerusalem, which demonstrates Cyrus’ foolishness. (Ezra 1:3).
“The beginning of the words from his mouth is foolishness and the result from his mouth is evil debauchery” (Ecclesiastes 10:13). What is the foolishness? “Any of you from all His people, may his God be with him…”¹³“His God,” implying that other nations have their own gods. (Ezra 1:3). “The result from his mouth is evil debauchery,” as he decreed, saying: Whoever crossed the Euphrates, crossed; and whoever has not crossed, shall not cross.
Another matter: “The beginning of the words...” that is Aḥashverosh, as it is stated: “In the reign of Aḥashverosh, at the beginning of his reign, they wrote a libel against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem.” (Ezra 4:6). “The result from his mouth is evil debauchery,” as he went up and cancelled the work on the Temple. When everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1).

Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ada began: [“The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace, and the lips of a fool will swallow him” (Ecclesiastes 10:12).] “The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace” – that is Cyrus, as it is stated: “So said Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has commanded me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah” (Ezra 1:2). “And the lips of a fool will swallow him” – as he (Cyrus) said: “He is the God who is in Jerusalem”¹²The implication being that He is only the god of Jerusalem, which demonstrates Cyrus’ foolishness. (Ezra 1:3).
“The beginning of the words from his mouth is foolishness and the result from his mouth is evil debauchery” (Ecclesiastes 10:13). What is the foolishness? “Any of you from all His people, may his God be with him…”¹³“His God,” implying that other nations have their own gods. (Ezra 1:3). “The result from his mouth is evil debauchery,” as he decreed, saying: Whoever crossed the Euphrates, crossed; and whoever has not crossed, shall not cross.
Another matter: “The beginning of the words...” that is Aḥashverosh, as it is stated: “In the reign of Aḥashverosh, at the beginning of his reign, they wrote a libel against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem.” (Ezra 4:6). “The result from his mouth is evil debauchery,” as he went up and cancelled the work on the Temple. When everyone saw that it was so, they began screaming: ‘Woe [vai];’ “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1).

[(Exod. 3:1:) NOW MOSES WAS TENDING <THE FLOCK>.] This text is related (to Ps. 11:4): THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE….⁴⁴Cf. Hab. 2:20. R. Samuel bar Nahman said: Before the destruction of the Sanctuary, the Divine Presence was situated in the Temple, as stated (Ps. 11:4): THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE;⁴⁵Exod. R. 2:2; M. Pss. 11:3. but, after the Temple was destroyed, (ibid. cont.:) THE LORD'S THRONE IS IN THE HEAVENS. He had removed his Divine Presence to the heavens. R. Eleazar ben Pedat said: Whether the Temple is destroyed or not destroyed, the Divine Presence has not moved from its place, as stated (in Ps. 11:4): THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE. And where is it shown? Where it is stated (in I Kings 9:3): MY EYES AND MY HEART SHALL BE THERE FOR ALL TIME. It also says so (in Ps. 3:5 [4]): I RAISE MY VOICE UNTO THE LORD, AND HE ANSWERS ME FROM HIS HOLY HILL. SELAH. For even though it is <only> a hill,⁴⁶Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem: Eshkol: n.d.), vol. 1, appendix, p. 90, n. 2, suggests emending HR (“hill”) to HRB (“destroyed”) so that the clause would read in agreement with Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34 and Exod. R. 2:2: “For even though it is destroyed.” here he remains in his holiness. R. Eleazar ben Pedat said: See what is written (in Ezra 1:3): AND LET HIM BUILD THE HOUSE OF THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL. HE IS THE GOD WHO IS IN JERUSALEM. He has not moved from there. R. Aha said: The Divine Presence has never moved from the West Wall (i.e., the Wailing Wall) of the Sanctuary. Thus it is stated (in Cant. 2:9): THERE HE STANDS BEHIND OUR WALL. Ergo (in Ps. 11:4): THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE. R. Jannay said: Although they said (in Ps. 11:4): THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE; THE LORD HAS HIS THRONE IN THE HEAVENS; < nevertheless > (the verse continues), HIS EYES BEHOLD, HIS EYELIDS TEST THE CHILDREN OF ADAM. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had an orchard⁴⁷Pardes. Cf. the Gk.: paradeisos, i.e., “paradise.” and brought in the workers. Now by the orchard gate there was a certain storehouse full of everything good. The king said: Whoever does his work wholeheartedly will receive his reward from here, but whoever does not do his work wholeheartedly, him I shall return to my palace⁴⁸Lat.: palatium. and judge. Who is this king? This is the Supreme King of Kings, the Holy One. And what is the garden? It is this world. Within it the Holy One has put the children of Adam so that they may observe the Torah. But he has made a stipulation with them and said to them: For everyone who truly observes the Torah, here is paradise < lying > before him; but for everyone who does not truly observe the Torah, here is Gehinnom < lying > before him. The Holy One said: Although I seemed to have removed my Divine Presence from the Sanctuary, still (in Ps. 11:4): MY EYES BEHOLD, <MY EYELIDS TEST THE CHILDREN OF ADAM >.⁴⁹The Masoretic Text of this verse reads “his” for MY in both places. Whom does he test? (According to vs. 5:) THE LORD TESTS THE RIGHTEOUS. And why does he not test the wicked? R. Jannay said: When the flax worker is pounding away and sees that the flax is good, he pounds it a lot; but, when he sees that it is not good, he does not pound on it, lest it be spoiled.⁵⁰Gen. R. 32:3; 34:2; 55:2; Cant. R. 2:16:2. Ergo (in Ps. 11:4:) HIS EYES BEHOLD, HIS EYELIDS TEST THE CHILDREN OF ADAM. [And whom does he test? The righteous, as stated (in vs. 5):] THE LORD TESTS THE RIGHTEOUS.

“The words of the mouth of the wise are grace; but the lips of the fool will swallow him” (Ecclesiastes 10:12).
“The words of the mouth of the wise are grace” – this is Cyrus, king of Persia, who said: “Any among you from His entire people, may his God be with him, and he may go up [to Jerusalem]” (Ezra 1:3). “But the lips of the fool will swallow him” – as he recanted his words and retracted them.⁶⁵Cyrus initially allowed the rebuilding of the Temple, but he is also identified with Artaḥshasta, who ordered that the construction of the Temple be stopped (see Ezra, chap. 4; Esther Rabba 1:3).

“My beloved spoke up, and he said to me” (Song of Songs 2:10). He answered me by means of Daniel, and said to me by means of Ezra. What did He say to me? “Rise, my love, my fair one” (Song of Songs 2:10). “For, behold, the winter is past” (Song of Songs 2:11), these are the seventy years that Israel spent in the Diaspora. “The rain is over and gone” (Song of Songs 2:11), these are the fifty-two years from when the Temple was destroyed until the kingdom of the Chaldeans was uprooted. But were they not seventy years? Rabbi Levi said: Subtract the eighteen years during which a Divine Voice was thundering and saying to Nebuchadnezzar: ‘Bad slave, rise up and destroy the house of your Master because the children of your Master do not heed Him.’¹¹²Although the Chaldeans, also known as the Babylonians, ruled for seventy years, only fifty-two of those years were after the destruction of the Temple. “The blossoms have appeared in the land” (Song of Songs 2:12), like Mordekhai and his associates and Ezra and his associates.
“The time of the nightingale [zamir] has arrived” (Song of Songs 2:12), the time for the foreskin to be cut off [shetizamer] has arrived, the time for the wicked to be broken has arrived, as it is stated: “The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked” (Isaiah 14:5). The time has arrived for the Babylonians to be destroyed. The time has arrived for the Temple to be built, as it is stated: “Saviors will ascend Mount Zion” (Obadiah 1:21), and it is written: “The glory of this [latter] house will be greater [than that of the first]” (Haggai 2:9).
“The sound of the turtledove [hator] is heard in our land” (Song of Songs 2:12), Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The voice of a good explorer [tayar] was heard in our land. Who is that? It is Cyrus; that is what is written: “So said Cyrus king of Persia…all the kingdoms of the earth [has the Lord, God of heaven, given me, and He has commanded me to build Him a Temple in Jerusalem...] Any of you from His entire people…[may go up]” (Ezra 1:2–3). “The fig tree has formed its unripe figs” (Song of Songs 2:13), these are the baskets of first fruits. “The vines in blossom emitted fragrance” (Song of Songs 2:13), these are the libations.

[Another interpretation (of Numb. 19:2): <A RED HEIFER WITHOUT BLEMISH, IN WHICH THERE IS NO DEFECT, ON WHICH THERE HAS BEEN NO YOKE>. (Ibid.:) HEIFER. This is Israel, since it is written (in Hos. 4:16): ISRAEL HAS BALKED LIKE A BALKY HEIFER.¹³⁸PRK 4:10; PR 14:15. (Numb. 19:2:) RED. This is Israel, of whom it is written (in Lam. 4:7): THEIR LIMBS WERE REDDER THAN CORAL. (Numb. 19:2, cont.:) WITHOUT BLEMISH (rt.:TMM). This is Israel, of whom it is written (in Cant. 6:9): <ONLY ONE IS> MY DOVE, MY PERFECT ONE (rt.: TMM). (Numb. 19:2, cont.:) IN WHICH THERE IS NO DEFECT. This is Israel, of whom it is written (in Cant. 4:7): AND THERE IS NO BLEMISH IN YOU. (Numb. 19:2, cont.:) ON WHICH THERE HAS BEEN NO YOKE. This is the generation of Jeremiah, which did not take the yoke of the Holy One upon themselves. (Numb. 19:3:) THEN YOU SHALL GIVE IT UNTO ELEAZAR THE PRIEST. This is Jeremiah, of whom it is written (in Jer. 1:1): ONE OF THE PRIESTS THAT WERE IN ANATHOTH.¹³⁹According to Josh. 21:13–19 and I Chron. 6:35–45 [50–60], Anathoth is part of the heritage of the children of Aaron, and Anathoth was also the home of Abiathar the descendant of Eli (I Kings 2:26–27), who in turn was descended from Eleazar, according to 4 Ezra 1:2–3. see Exod. 6:23–25. Against this view, cf. Josephus, Ant. 5:361–362; also I Chron 24:3, according to whom Eli was descended from Ithamar. So also TDER 12 (11), p. 58 (Friedmann); TDEZ, p. 191 (Friedmann). (Numb. 19:3, cont.:) AND HE SHALL TAKE IT OUTSIDE THE CAMP. (Ezra 5:12:) AND HE DEPORTED THE PEOPLE TO BABYLON. (Numb. 19:3, cont.:) AND HE SHALL SLAUGHTER IT IN HIS PRESENCE. (II Kings 25:7:) THEY SLEW THE CHILDREN OF ZEDEKIAH BEFORE HIS EYES. (Numb. 19:5:) AND HE SHALL BURN THE HEIFER <BEFORE HIS EYES>. (II Kings 25:9 = Jer. 52:13:) HE ALSO BURNED THE HOUSE OF THE LORD AND THE HOUSE OF THE KING. (Numb. 19:5, cont.:) TOGETHER WITH ITS SKIN, <ITS FLESH, AND ITS BLOOD>. (II Kings 25:9, cont. = Jer. 52:13, cont:) AND ALL THE HOUSES OF JERUSALEM, EVEN {THE GREAT HOUSE} [ALL THE GREAT ONE'S HOUSE] DID HE BURN WITH FIRE. Now why does <Scripture> call <the heifer> a GREAT ONE'S HOUSE? It is simply that this was the house of study (bet midrash) that belonged to R. Johanan ben Zakkay, for there they taught the greatness of the Holy One.¹⁴⁰Rabbinic tradition tended to regard the Temple destruction under Nebuchadnezzar as closely paralleling the destruction under Titus. It is therefore possible to understand a description of the first destruction as a prophecy of the second, when R. Johanan ben Zakkay was teaching. (Numb. 19:6:) <AND THE PRIEST SHALL TAKE CEDAR WOOD, HYSSOP, AND CRIMSON STUFF, AND CAST THEM INTO THE MIDST OF THE BURNING HEIFER.> (Ibid.:) AND <HE> SHALL TAKE. This refers to Nebuchadnezzar. [(Ibid.:) THE PRIEST. This is Jeremiah, of whom it is stated (in Jer. 39:12, where Nebuchadnezzar gave the order): TAKE HIM AND LOOK AFTER HIM.] (Numb. 19:6, cont.:) CEDAR WOOD, HYSSOP, AND CRIMSON STUFF. These are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. (Ibid., cont.:) AND CAST THEM INTO THE MIDST OF THE BURNING HEIFER. (Dan. 3:22): THE FLAME OF THE FIRE SLEW THEM (i.e., their executioners). (Numb. 19:9:) THEN <SOMEONE CLEAN> SHALL GATHER <THE ASHES OF THE HEIFER>. This refers to the Holy One, of whom it is stated (in Is. 11:12): SO HE SHALL RAISE UP A SIGNAL FOR THE NATIONS AND GATHER THE OUTCASTS OF ISRAEL. (Numb. 19:9:) SOMEONE (ish). This is the Holy One, of whom it is stated (in Exod. 15:3): THE LORD IS A MAN (ish) OF WAR. (Numb. 19:9, cont.:) CLEAN (rt.: THR). This is the Holy One, of whom it is stated (in Hab. 1:13): YOUR EYES ARE TOO PURE (rt.: THR) <TO BEHOLD EVIL>. (Numb. 19:9, cont.:) THE ASHES OF THE HEIFER. These are the dispersed people of Israel. (Ibid., cont.:) AND DEPOSIT THEM OUTSIDE THE CAMP IN A CLEAN (rt.: thr) PLACE. This <place> is Jerusalem, in that it is clean. (Ibid., cont.:) AND IT SHALL BE KEPT FOR THE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, because in this world things are <pronounced> unclean and clean from the mouth of a priest; however, in the world to come it shall not be so. Rather the Holy One is going to do the cleansing (rt.: THR), as stated (in Ezek. 36:25): I WILL SPRINKLE PURE (rt.: THR) WATER UPON YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE PURE (rt.: THR); I WILL PURIFY (rt.: THR) YOU FROM ALL YOUR UNCLEANNESSES AND FROM ALL YOUR IDOLS.

“And in the first year of Cyrus, the king of Persia, at the completion of the word of the Lord from the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord aroused… So said Cyrus, the king of Persia… Who is among you of all His people… And the heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose…” (Ezra 1:1-5) “…forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty. Besides their slaves…” (Ezra 2:64-65) This was the overall count, but in specifics of the count they are only thirty thousand three hundred and sixty. Where did the other twelve thousand go? These are the members of the other tribes who went up. “And they set the altar on its bases… And they gave money to the quarries…” (Ezra 3:1-7) Cyrus reigned for three truncated years. “And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign… Then the work of the House of God, which was in Jerusalem, was stopped…” (Ezra 4:6-24) “In the third year of his reign, he made a banquet…” (Esther 1:3) Esther was hidden in Shushan the capitol for four years, “So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus…” (Esther 2:16) Haman gathered spoils against Mordecai for five years, “In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus…” (Esther 3:7) On the thirteenth of Nisan Haman wrote the letters “…to destroy, kill, and cause to perish all the Jews…” (Esther 3:13) On the fifteenth of Nisan Esther went in to the king. On the sixteenth of Nisan they hung Haman. On the twenty-third of Nisan Mordecai wrote letters to contradict Haman’s decree. On the thirteenth of Adar “And the Jews smote all their enemies…” (Esther 9:5) They killed five hundred in Shushan, and they hung the ten sons of Haman because “…they wrote an accusation against the dwellers of Judea and Jerusalem.” (Ezra 4:6) “On that day, the number of those slain in Shushan the capital came before the king.” (Esther 9:11) And at that time in the coming year, it says “Now, Queen Esther, the daughter of Avichayil, and Mordecai the Jew wrote down…” (Esther 9:29) Behold, it says “For at the completion of seventy years of Babylon…” (Jeremiah 29:10) and “…since the destruction of Jerusalem seventy years.” (Daniel 9:2) Israel spent fifty-two years after the destruction of the Temple under the rule of the Chaldeans, and then they went up. Three years of Cyrus, fourteen of Ahasuerus, two of Darius. In the second year of Darius, the Temple was rebuilt. So Zechariah said “And the angel of the Lord replied and said, ‘O Lord of Hosts! How long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and upon the cities of Judah, upon whom You are wroth for seventy years already?’” (Zechariah 1:12) The Temple stood for four years, as it says “And the completion of this House…” (Ezra 6:15) And at that time in the coming year Ezra came up from Babylon with a new group of exiles, as it says “Ezra ascended from Babylon… And there ascended from the Children of Israel… in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes… For on the first of the first month… For Ezra had prepared his heart…” (Ezra 7:6-10) He came and separated Israel from the foreign women.

... Teach us oh, teacher: once the Ninth of Av has ended, is everything permitted? R’ Chiyah the Great taught like this: once the Ninth of Av has ended, one is permitted to do anything. Why? Because it is like the case of a person whose dead is laid out before him, who is forbidden to eat meat or drink wine. Once the dead is buried, the mourner is permitted to do so. So to on the Ninth of Av one is a mourner – once the day has ended one is permitted to do anything. Even though we are permitted, we must always have a sigh in our hearts until the Holy One returns to her. The Holy One said to them: by your lives! I burnt her, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) I will build her, as it says “Yet again will I rebuild you, then you shall be built, O virgin of Israel…” (Jeremiah 31:3) Zion said to Him: Behold, I have been sitting thus for many years! I have counted the days from old and I have not been redeemed, therefore I have despaired. She said that my master has abandoned me. And from where do we learn that Zion said this? From that which is written regarding it “And Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.’” (Isaiah 49:14) ... Another explanation. “And Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me…” (Isaiah 49:14) What is written before this? “Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, and mountains burst out in song, for the Lord has consoled His people, and He shall have mercy on His poor.” (Isaiah 49:13) Once Zion saw that the prophet recalled His people and His poor, but did not mention Zion or Jerusalem she said ‘the Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.’ Immediately the Holy One replied and said to her: just as it is impossible for a woman to forget her sucking child, so to I am not able to forget you, “Shall a woman forget her sucking child, from having mercy on the child of her womb?” (Isaiah 49:15) She said to Him: Master of the world! How is that possible? There is no end to the evils I have done! I caused Your Holy Temple to be destroyed and I killed the prophets. R’ Berachia the Kohen said in the name of Rebbe: the Holy One said to her, I will forget your evil but I will not forget your good. “…These too shall forget, but I will not forget you.” (ibid.) I have forgotten “"These are your gods, O Israel…” (Exodus32:4) but “I am the Lord, your God…” (Exodus 20:2) I will not forget.