Midrash su Ezechiele 33:21

We are taught in a Baraitha, R. Simeon b. Jochai said: "There are four matters that R. Akiba expounded, but which I interpret differently. The fast of the fourth, means the seventeenth of Tamuz, on which the city was broken in; as it is said (Jer. 52, 6, 7) In the fourth month, in the ninth when the famine was severe, and further it is written, The city was broken. And why is it called the fourth? Because it is the fourth month. The fast of the fifth, means the ninth of Ab, on which the Temple of our Lord was burnt. And why is it called the fifth? Because it is the fifth month. The fast of day on which Gedaliah, the son of Achikam, was slain. Who killed him? Ishmael ben Nethania murdered him. This is to teach that the death of the righteous is equal to the loss of the house of our Lord. And why is it called the seventh? Because it happened in the seventh mouth. The fast of the tenth, means the tenth of Tebeth, the day on which the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem. As it is said (Ezek. 24, 1, 2) And the word of the Lord came unto me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, saying: Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this self-same day. This selfsame day the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem. And why is it called the tenth? Because it occurred in the tenth month. Actually this last event should have been placed first [since it occurred first]; but why is it placed last? In order to mention the months in their regular order. [This is the opinion of R. Akiba.] I, however, do not think so; but that the fast of the tenth refers to the fifth of Tebeth, on which day the news came to the exiles that the city was smitten; as it is said (Ezek. 33, 21) And it came to pass on the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth (month), in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, saying, 'The city is smitten.' They considered the day on which they received the news equal to the day [on which the Temple] was burnt. And I prefer my opinion, for I explain the first, first, and the last, last; while he explains the last, first and the first, last. Again, while I mention them in accordance with both, the order of the occurrences, as well as the order of the months, he mentions them only in accordance with the order of the months."

(22) We are taught in a Baraitha, R. Simeon b. Jochai said: "There are four matters that R. Akiba expounded, but which I interpret differently. The fast of the fourth, means the seventeenth of Tamuz, on which the city was broken in; as it is said (Jer. 52, 6, 7) In the fourth month, in the ninth when the famine was severe, and further it is written, The city was broken. And why is it called the fourth? Because it is the fourth month. The fast of the fifth, means the ninth of Ab, on which the Temple of our Lord was burnt. And why is it called the fifth? Because it is the fifth month. The fast of day on which Gedaliah, the son of Achikam, was slain. Who killed him? Ishmael ben Nethania murdered him. This is to teach that the death of the righteous is equal to the loss of the house of our Lord. And why is it called the seventh? Because it happened in the seventh mouth. The fast of the tenth, means the tenth of Tebeth, the day on which the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem. As it is said (Ezek. 24, 1, 2) And the word of the Lord came unto me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, saying: Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this self-same day. This selfsame day the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem. And why is it called the tenth? Because it occurred in the tenth month. Actually this last event should have been placed first [since it occurred first]; but why is it placed last? In order to mention the months in their regular order. [This is the opinion of R. Akiba.] I, however, do not think so; but that the fast of the tenth refers to the fifth of Tebeth, on which day the news came to the exiles that the city was smitten; as it is said (Ezek. 33, 21) And it came to pass on the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth (month), in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, saying, 'The city is smitten.' They considered the day on which they received the news equal to the day [on which the Temple] was burnt. And I prefer my opinion, for I explain the first, first, and the last, last; while he explains the last, first and the first, last. Again, while I mention them in accordance with both, the order of the occurrences, as well as the order of the months, he mentions them only in accordance with the order of the months."

Michael came and told Abraham, as it is said, "And there came one who had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew" (Gen. 14:13). He is the prince of the world, he was the one who told, as it is said, "Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought;… he who hath wings shall tell the matter" (Eccles. 10:20). Why was his name called "Paliṭ" ("One who had escaped")? Because in the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, caused Sammael and his band to descend from heaven from their holy place, he caught hold of the wings of Michael to make him fall with himself, and the Holy One, blessed be He, saved him from his power; therefore was his name called "The one who had escaped." Concerning him Ezekiel said, "One who had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, saying, The city is smitten" (Ezek. 33:21).