Midrash su Geremia 15:78

Aiphra Hurmiz, the mother of King Sabur, sent a purse with dinars to R. Joseph, saying: "This shall be used for the greatest charity." And he deliberated what kind of charity should be considered the greatest. Abaye then said to him: "Since R. Samuel said", 'Orphans must not be taxed even for the redeeming of prisoners,' it is to be inferred that redeeming of prisoners is considered the highest charity." (Ib. b) Raba said to Rabba b. Mari: "Whence do the Rabbis infer that redeeming of prisoners is the greatest charity?" He answered: "From the following passage (Jer. 15, 2) Such as are destined to death, to death; to the sword, to the sword; to famine, to famine; to captivity, to captivity, and R. Jochanan said: 'AH that is mentioned in this verse is the harder; as, for instance, to be killed by the sword is severer than to die a natural death. If you wish I will prove it by common sense and if you wish I will prove it by a passage: By common sense: The one [who is put to death by the sword] is disfigured, and the one [who dies naturally] is not disfigured. And if you wish it can be proved by a passage (Ps. 116, 15) Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the [natural] death of His pious. And that famine is worse than the sword, if you wish I will prove it by common sense, and if you wish I will prove it by a passage; as to common sense, this one [who dies of hunger] suffers long pain, and that one [who dies by sword] does not suffer long pains. As for a passage (Lam. 4) That happier are they that are slain by the sword than those slain by hunger. Captivity however, is harder than all of them, for in it all [the before-mentioned sufferings] are included.' "

There was an incident involving Miriam daughter of the baker, who was taken captive with her seven sons. The emperor took them and placed them behind seven partitions. He brought the first and said to him: ‘Prostrate yourself to the idol.’ He said to him: ‘God forbid, I will not prostrate myself to the idol.’ He said to him: ‘Why?’ [He responded:] ‘Because so it is written in our Torah: “I am the Lord your God”’ (Exodus 20:2). Immediately, he took him out and executed him.
He took out the second and said to him: ‘Prostrate yourself to the idol.’ He said to him: ‘God forbid, my brother did not prostrate himself and I will not prostrate myself.’ He said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to him: ‘Because so it is written in our Torah: “You shall have no other gods before Me”’ (Exodus 20:3). Immediately, he issued a decree against him and they executed him. He took out the third and said to him: ‘Prostrate yourself to the idol.’ He said to him: ‘I will not prostrate myself.’ He said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to him: ‘Because so it is written in our Torah: “For you shall not prostrate yourself to another god”’ (Exodus 34:14). Immediately, he issued a decree against him and they executed him. He took out the fourth and [the son] recited his verse: “One who sacrifices to gods shall be destroyed” (Exodus 22:19). He issued a decree against him and they executed him. He took out the fifth and he, too, recited his verse: “Hear Israel, the Lord is our God the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Immediately, he issued a decree against him and they executed him. He took out the sixth and he, too, recited his verse: “For the Lord your God is in your midst, a God great and awesome” (Deuteronomy 7:21). Immediately, he issued a decree against him and they executed him.
He took out the seventh, who was the youngest of them all. He said: ‘My son, prostrate yourself to the idol.’ He said to him: ‘God forbid.’ He said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to him: ‘Because so it is written in our Torah: “You shall know this day, and restore to your heart, that the Lord, He is the God in the heavens above and upon the earth below, there is no other” (Deuteronomy 4:39). Moreover, we took an oath to our God that we will not exchange Him for another God, as it is stated: “You have exalted the Lord today [to be your God]” (Deuteronomy 26:17). And just as we took an oath to Him, so He took an oath that He would not exchange us for a different nation, as it is stated: “The Lord has exalted you today [to be a people of distinction for Him]”’ (Deuteronomy 26:18).
The emperor said to him: ‘Your brothers had full days, full lives, and experienced goodness, but you are young, you have not had full days, you have not had a full life, and you have never experienced goodness. Prostrate yourself to the idol and I will do good things for you.’ He said to him: ‘It is written in our Torah: “The Lord will reign forever” (Exodus 15:18). And it says: “The Lord is king forever, nations have been eliminated from His land” (Psalms 10:16). You will cease and His enemies will cease. Flesh and blood lives today and dies tomorrow, is wealthy today and poor tomorrow; but the Holy One blessed be He lives and persists forever and for all time.’ The emperor said to him: ‘See your brothers slain before you. I am casting my ring to the ground before the idol, lift it so everyone will know that you heeded my voice.’ He said to him: ‘It is a shame for you, emperor; if you fear people, who are your equivalent, will I not fear the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, the eternal God?’ He said to him: ‘Is there a God in the world?’ He said to him: ‘Woe are you, emperor, have you seen a world without a master?’
He said to him: ‘Does your God have a mouth?’ He said to him: ‘Regarding your gods it is written: “They have a mouth but cannot speak” (Psalms 115:5). Regarding our God it is written: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made; [by the breath of His mouth, all their hosts]”’ (Psalms 33:6).
He said to him: ‘Does your God have eyes?’ He said to him: ‘Regarding your gods it is written: “They have eyes but cannot see” (Psalms 115:5). Regarding our God it is written: “They are the eyes of the Lord ranging throughout the land”’ (Zechariah 4:10).
He said to him: ‘Does your God have ears?’ He said to him: ‘Regarding your gods it is written: “They have ears but cannot hear” (Psalms 115:6). Regarding our God it is written: “The Lord listened and heard”’ (Malachi 3:16).
He said to him: ‘Does your God have a nose?’ He said to him: ‘Regarding your gods it is written: “They have a nose but cannot smell” (Psalms 115:6). Regarding our God it is written: “The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma”’ (Genesis 8:21).
He said to him: ‘Does your God have hands?’ He said to him: ‘Regarding your gods it is written: “They have hands but cannot feel” (Psalms 115:7). Regarding our God it is written: “My hand, too, laid the foundation”’ (Isaiah 48:13).
He said to him: ‘Does your God have feet?’ He said to him: ‘Regarding your gods it is written: “They have feet but cannot walk” (Psalms 115:7). Regarding our God it is written: “His feet will stand that day on the Mount of Olives”’ (Zechariah 14:4).
He said to him: ‘Does your God have a throat?’ He said to him: ‘Regarding your gods it is written: “They cannot produce sound with their throats” (Psalms 115:7). Regarding our God it is written: “Sound emerges from His mouth”’ (Job 37:2).
He said to him: ‘If there are all these attributes in your God, why does He not rescue you from my hand, like He rescued Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar?’ He said to him: ‘Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya were upright, and Nebuchadnezzar was a king worthy of having a miracle performed through him. But you are not worthy, and we have been condemned to death at the hand of Heaven. If you do not execute us, there are many executioners for the Omnipresent, many wolves, lions, snakes, leopards, and scorpions to attack us and kill us. But ultimately, the Holy One blessed be He is destined to exact retribution from you for our blood.’ Immediately, he issued a decree against him to execute him.
His mother said to him: ‘By the life of your head, emperor, give me my son and I will hug him and kiss him.’ He gave him to her, and she bared her breasts and nursed him with her milk. She said to him: ‘By the life of your head, emperor, execute me first and then execute him.’ The emperor said to her: ‘I will not heed you because it is written in your Torah: “An ox or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day”’ (Leviticus 22:28). She said to him: ‘You absolute fool, have you already fulfilled all the mitzvot and only this one remains?’ Immediately, he commanded to execute [the son]. His mother fell upon him and was hugging him and kissing him. She said to him: ‘My son, go to Abraham your patriarch and say to him: So said my mother: Do not be overly impressed with yourself and say: I built an altar and sacrificed Isaac, my son. My mother built seven altars and sacrificed seven sons on one day. Yours was an ordeal, mine was an action.’¹⁸¹Your was a test to see if you were willing to sacrifice your son, but you did not actually sacrifice him. My sons were actually killed. While she was hugging him and kissing him, he issued a decree against him and they executed him upon her. When he was executed, the Sages calculated the age of that child and it was discovered that he was two years, six months, and six and one half hours. At that moment, all the nations of the world screamed out and said: ‘What is the God of these people doing to them that they are killed on His behalf all the time?’ In their regard it is written: “For we are killed all day long for You” (Psalms 44:23).
Sometime later, that woman went mad and she fell from the roof and died, to realize what is stated: “She who bore seven is miserable” (Jeremiah 15:9). A Divine Voice was calling out, saying: “The mother of the children is joyful” (Psalms 113:9). The Divine Spirit was crying out and saying: “For these I weep.”

Rabbi Abba bar Kahana began: “I did not sit in the company of revelers and rejoice” (Jeremiah 15:17) – The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe: I have never entered the theaters and the circuses of the nations of the world and played and rejoiced with them.
“Because of Your hand I sat solitary” (Jeremiah 15:17) – the hand of Pharaoh touched me, and I did not sit solitary. The hand of Sennacherib touched me, and I did not sit solitary. When Your hand touched me, I sat solitary: “How does…sit solitary?” (Lamentations 1:1).

Rabbi Abbahu began: “But they, like men [ke’adam], have violated the covenant” (Hosea 6:7) – this is Adam the first man. The Holy One blessed be He said: I brought Adam the first man into the Garden of Eden, I commanded him, and he violated My command. I sentenced him to banishment and expulsion, and I lamented him with eikha. I brought him into the Garden of Eden, as it is stated: “He placed him in the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 2:15). I commanded him, as it is stated: “The Lord God commanded the man saying.… [but from the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat]” (Genesis 2:16–17). He violated My command, as it is stated: “Have [you eaten] from the tree from which I commanded you [not to eat?]” (Genesis 3:11). I sentenced him to banishment, as it is stated: “He banished the man” (Genesis 3:24). I sentenced him to expulsion, as it is stated: “The Lord [God] sent him from the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 3:23). I lamented him with eikha, as it is stated: “He said to him: Where are you [ayeka]” (Genesis 3:9); it is written eikha.¹¹Ayeka and eikha are each spelled alef, yod, kaf, heh. Thus, it is as though God used the word eikha, how, regarding Adam, as if to say: How did this come to be, just as the first word of Lamentations is how [eikha].
His descendants, too, I brought into the Land of Israel, as it is stated: “I brought you into a fruitful land” (Jeremiah 2:7). I commanded them, as it is stated: “Command the children of Israel” (Leviticus 24:2). They violated My command, as it is stated: “All Israel has violated your Torah” (Daniel 9:11). I sentenced them to banishment, as it is stated: “From My house I will banish them” (Hosea 9:15). I sentenced them to expulsion, as it is stated: “Send them from My presence and let them go” (Jeremiah 15:1). I lamented them with: “How does…sit solitary?” (Lamentations 1:1).

“The name of the man was Elimelekh, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Maḥlon and Khilyon, Efratites of Bethlehem in Judah. They came to the field of Moav, and they were there” (Ruth 1:2).
“The name of the man was Elimelekh” – once trouble came, you went and abandoned them. “A man from Bethlehem of Judah” (Ruth 1:1) – that is what the verse says: “Our oxen [alufeinu]¹⁴The word aluf can also mean leader. The midrash is reading the verse to refer to Elimelekh as a leader of the people. are laden [mesubalim]; [there is no breach, none have gone out; there is no outcry in our plazas]” (Psalms 144:14). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: It is not written here: Bearing [sovelim],¹⁵As in, the leaders bear the burdens of the people. but rather: “Are laden [mesubalim].” When the lesser bear the burden [sovelim] of the greater, “there is no breach [peretz]” – there is no outbreak [pirtza] of plague, as you say: “A plague broke out among them” (Psalms 106:29). “None have gone out [yotzet]” (Psalms 144:14) – there is no emergence of a plague, as you say: “Fire emerged [vatetzeh] from before the Lord” (Leviticus 9:24). “There is no outcry” (Psalms 144:14) – there is no outcry of plague, as you say: “All Israel that were around them fled at their cry” (Numbers 16:34).¹⁶This verse appears in the story of Koraḥ, which concludes with a plague (Numbers 16–17). Reish Lakish reverses the order of the verse: When the greater tolerate¹⁷He reads alufeinu mesubalim to mean, ‘our leaders bear [tolerate].’ the lesser there is no breach of exile, as it is written: “Through breaches they will go out” (Amos 4:3). “None have gone out” – to exile, as it is written: “Cast them from before Me and let them go out” (Jeremiah 15:1). “There is no outcry” – of exile, as it is written: “Behold the sound of the outcry of the daughter of my people” (Jeremiah 8:19), and it is written: “And the outcry of Jerusalem has risen up” (Jeremiah 14:2). Rabbi Luliani said: When the lesser heed the greater, but the greater do not bear the burden of the lesser, about them Scripture states: “The Lord will enter into judgment” (Isaiah 3:14). “The name of the man was Elimelekh” – when trouble came, you [Elimelekh] went and abandoned them: “A man from Bethlehem of Judah went” (Ruth 1:1).

6) (Vayikra 26:33) "And you will I scatter among the nations": These are bad tidings for Israel. For when all the inhabitants of a country are exiled into one place, they see each other and are (somewhat) consoled thereby. But it shall not be so with you. I am destined to scatter you among all of the nations, as one scatters barley with a winnowing fan, no (kernel) adhering to the other, as it is written (Jeremiah 15:7) "I will scatter them with a winnowing fan through the gates of the earth. I have bereaved, I have destroyed My people, for they have not turned back from their ways."

(Numb. 5:13, cont.:) “And it is hidden from her husband's eyes,” [is to] exclude one who is blind.³⁹Sifre, Numb. 5:13 (7); Sot. 27a. Cf. Numb. R. 9:10, which explains the exception as referring to a husband just pretending to be blind to his wife’s adultery, so that he can use the rite of the bitter water for killing his wife. Another interpretation (of Numb. 5:13, cont.), “and it is hidden from her husband's eyes.” [These words mean to exclude the case in which] her husband saw [her transgression] and overlooked [it]. (Ibid., cont.:) “So that she is secluded.” We have not yet heard of a specific length of time for her to be in seclusion (with her lover) [in order to cause defilement]. R. Eleazer says, “[The time needed] for a palm tree to sway back.”⁴⁰See TSot. 1:2; Sot. 4a; Sifre, Numb. 5:13 (7). R. Joshua says, “For mixing the cup.” Ben 'Azzay says, “For drinking it.” R. Aqiva says, “For roasting an egg.” R. Judah says, “For eating three eggs one after the other.” R. Eleazar ben Pinhas says, “For a weaver⁴¹Gk.: gerdios. to knot the thread.”⁴²Gk.: nema. R. Hanin says, “For her to put her finger in her mouth.” Pelimo says, “For his (sic) hand⁴³Cf. the parallel in Numb. R. 9:10, which reads, “her hand.” to reach over the basket and take a loaf of bread. And even though there is no evidence for [this understanding], there is a hint [that it is correct], where it is stated (in Prov. 6:26), ‘For on behalf of a woman playing the harlot [one will be reduced] to a loaf of bread.’” (Numb. 5:13, cont.:) “And there is no witness against her.” Although she has no [witness against her] now, she will have one at another time.⁴⁴In addition to Numb. R. 9:10, see Gen. R. 38:14; PRK 18:3; PR 32:2. In a similar usage⁴⁵Kayyotse badavar. This repetitive use of kayyotse b… indicates that the sixth of the seven exegetical rules (middot) attributed to Hillel is being used here. you say (in Gen. 11:30), “Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.” Although [Sarai] had no [child] then, she would have one at another time, as stated (in Gen. 21:1), “Then the Lord visited Sarah […].” In a similar usage you say (in Esth. 2:10), “Esther had not disclosed her people [and her native land].” Although she had not disclosed them to him then, she did disclose them to him at another time, as stated (in Esth. 8:1), “then Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had disclosed what relationship he had to her.” And here also (in Numb. 5:13), “and there is no witness against her.” Although she has no [witness against her] now, she will have one at another time, as stated (in Mal. 3:5), “and I will be a swift witness [against sorcerers, against adulterers].” Our masters have said, “When a woman is alone with her husband and he is having sexual intercourse with her, if she sets her eyes on another at the time of [their] sexual intercourse, there is no greater adultery for her than this.⁴⁶Numb. R. 9:34. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 16:32), “The adulterous woman [receives strangers] instead of her husband (literally: under her husband).” Is there a woman who commits adultery [while] under her husband?⁴⁷Cf. Numb. 5:19. It is simply that this is [the kind of woman] who encounters a certain man and sets her eyes on him. Then she has sexual intercourse with her husband while her heart is on him. [There is] a story about the king of the Arabs, who asked R. Aqiva, “I am black and my wife is black, but she has borne me a white son. Shall I kill her because she has played the harlot while under me?” He said to him, “Are the images within your house white or black?” He said to him, “White.” He said to him, “When you were busy with her, she set her eyes on the images and bore [a child] like them. Now if you are surprised over this matter, learn from the Jacob's flock. They were conceived from the sticks, as stated (in Gen. 30:39), ‘Since the flock conceived by the sticks, [the flock bore streaked, speckled, and spotted young].’” Then the king of the Arabs thanked R. Aqiva. Thus, when any woman is alone with her husband in holiness, in the end he produces righteous children from her. Thus we find it so in the case of Hannah, who was alone with her husband in holiness, and [so] the Holy One, blessed be He, did not deprive her of her reward. Rather he gave her a righteous son like Moses, as stated (in Jer. 15:1), “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me.” It also says (in Ps. 99:6), “Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who call upon His name.” So also did Hannah say (in I Sam. 1:27), “For this child did I pray, [and the Lord has granted me my petition].” Why? Because he was sown in holiness. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world I abhor all those peoples, because they are from unclean seed; but I have chosen you, because you are from true seed, as stated (in Jer. 2:21), ‘And I planted you as a choice vine, all of it from true seed.’ It is also written (in Deut. 7:6), ‘and the Lord your God has chosen you […].’ And also in the future to come I am choosing only you, because you are a holy seed, as stated (in Is. 65:23), ‘They shall not labor in vain, nor bear children in terror, because they are a seed blessed of the Lord, [and their offspring along with them].’”

Rabbi once happened to come to the city where R. Tarphon used to dwell, and asked: "Has the man who used to swear by his children left a son?" And he was told that he had left no son, but a grandson of his daughter, and that he was so beautiful that even prostitutes whose price was two dinars would pay four to him. He sent for him, and said: "If you will repent, I shall give you my daughter." And he did so. According to some, he married Rabbi's daughter, but divorced her afterwards; and according to others, he did not marry her at all, so that people should not say that he repented only for the sake of this woman. But what was the reason that Rabbi troubled himself so much in such cases? R. Juda said in the name of Rab, according to others, R. Chiya b. Abba said in the name of R. Jochanan, and according to still others, R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said in the name of R. Jonathan: "He who teaches the Torah to the son of his neighbor will be rewarded with a seat in the heavenly college; as it is said (Jer. 15, 19) Behold, thus said the Lord… . Thou shalt stand before me, and if thou bring forth the precious from the vile, thou shall be as my mouth. And he who teaches the Torah to the son of an Am Ha'aretz, even if the Holy One, praised be He, ordained an evil decree against the world. He will abolish it [for the sake of this meritorious act]; as it is said (Ib.) And if thou bring forth the precious from the vile."

“There is no man who rules the spirit to retain the spirit, and there is no rule over the day of death. There is no release in war, and wickedness will not rescue its owner” (Ecclesiastes 8:8).
“There is no man who rules the spirit.” The Rabbis say: “There is no man who rules the spirit” of the angel of death, to prevent him from taking him. From where is it derived that angels are called spirits? As it is stated: “He makes his angels spirits” (Psalms 104:4). “And there is no rule over the day of death,” a person cannot say to the angel of death: ‘Wait for me until I make my accounting, and then I will come.’ “There is no release in war,” a person cannot say: ‘My son, my servant, or a member of my household will take my place.’ “And wickedness will not rescue its owner” – one cannot commute his sentence and one cannot appeal his conviction.
Rabbi Neḥemya said: “There is no man who rules the spirit” – there is no prophet of Israel who controls the spirit of the Holy One blessed be He, to prevent Him from [conveying prophesy through] him, as it is stated: “I would say: I will not mention Him, [and I will not speak anymore in His name, but in my heart it would be as a burning fire]” (Jeremiah 20:9). “And there is no rule over the day of death,” [as it is written:] “Those who are to death, to death…” (Jeremiah 15:2).²⁵The prophet cannot refrain from conveying his prophecy even if it is a prophecy of death and destruction. “There is no release in war,” [as it is written:] “Send them from My presence and let them go” (Jeremiah 15:1). “And wickedness will not rescue its owner.” Rabbi Ḥagai in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: The cynics of that generation were muttering with their mouths, pointing with their fingers, and were saying: “The vision that he is foretelling [is for many days to come]” (Ezekiel 12:27). The prophet said to them: “For it is in your days, defiant house” (Ezekiel 12:25).
Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: There is no man who rules the spirit of the kingdoms, to prevent their [rule] over him. “And there is no rule over the day of death,” as it is stated: “Snares of death confronted me” (Psalms 18:6). “There is no release [mishlaḥat] in war,” as it is written: “A band [mishlaḥat] of destroying animals” (Psalms 78:49).²⁶One cannot escape the retribution of God by waging war against those He sends against Israel (Midrash HaMevoar). “And wickedness will not rescue its owner” – but had they repented, they would have mitigated it.²⁷Attempting to emulate the wicked nations will not spare them; repentance will.
The Rabbis say: There is no man who rules his own spirit to bring about its termination from him. Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is written: “And fashions [veyotzer] the spirit of man within him” (Zechariah 12:1) – [God] bound [tzar] the spirit of man within him, as were it not so, when trouble would come, he would take it and cast it from within him. Rabbi Levi said: Approximately fifty-two times “King David” is written; when he was close to death, it is written: “The days of David drew near to die” (I Kings 2:1) because “there is no rule over the day of death.” Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: The two trumpets that were [used] in the days of Moses were interred. One verse says: “They shall sound them…and they shall congregate to you” (Numbers 10:3), and one verse says: “Assemble to me all the elders of your tribe” (Deuteronomy 31:28); where were the trumpets?²⁸Moses asked the Levites to assemble the people for him instead of blowing the trumpets himself and thereby calling them to assembly. Say that they had already been interred in the days of Moses. The Holy One blessed be He said: Why should it be that he will die and his sons will be sounding the trumpets?²⁹As a sign of honor for him upon his death, as is done for kings. No, because “there is no rule over the day of death.” Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Simon: The Holy One blessed be He accorded great honor to Moses, as He said to him: “Craft for you two trumpets” (Numbers 10:2), but not for Joshua.³⁰The phrase “for you” is understood to mean that the trumpets were to be used only by Moses.

“There is no man who rules the spirit to retain the spirit, and there is no rule over the day of death. There is no release in war, and wickedness will not rescue its owner” (Ecclesiastes 8:8).
“There is no man who rules the spirit.” The Rabbis say: “There is no man who rules the spirit” of the angel of death, to prevent him from taking him. From where is it derived that angels are called spirits? As it is stated: “He makes his angels spirits” (Psalms 104:4). “And there is no rule over the day of death,” a person cannot say to the angel of death: ‘Wait for me until I make my accounting, and then I will come.’ “There is no release in war,” a person cannot say: ‘My son, my servant, or a member of my household will take my place.’ “And wickedness will not rescue its owner” – one cannot commute his sentence and one cannot appeal his conviction.
Rabbi Neḥemya said: “There is no man who rules the spirit” – there is no prophet of Israel who controls the spirit of the Holy One blessed be He, to prevent Him from [conveying prophesy through] him, as it is stated: “I would say: I will not mention Him, [and I will not speak anymore in His name, but in my heart it would be as a burning fire]” (Jeremiah 20:9). “And there is no rule over the day of death,” [as it is written:] “Those who are to death, to death…” (Jeremiah 15:2).²⁵The prophet cannot refrain from conveying his prophecy even if it is a prophecy of death and destruction. “There is no release in war,” [as it is written:] “Send them from My presence and let them go” (Jeremiah 15:1). “And wickedness will not rescue its owner.” Rabbi Ḥagai in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: The cynics of that generation were muttering with their mouths, pointing with their fingers, and were saying: “The vision that he is foretelling [is for many days to come]” (Ezekiel 12:27). The prophet said to them: “For it is in your days, defiant house” (Ezekiel 12:25).
Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: There is no man who rules the spirit of the kingdoms, to prevent their [rule] over him. “And there is no rule over the day of death,” as it is stated: “Snares of death confronted me” (Psalms 18:6). “There is no release [mishlaḥat] in war,” as it is written: “A band [mishlaḥat] of destroying animals” (Psalms 78:49).²⁶One cannot escape the retribution of God by waging war against those He sends against Israel (Midrash HaMevoar). “And wickedness will not rescue its owner” – but had they repented, they would have mitigated it.²⁷Attempting to emulate the wicked nations will not spare them; repentance will.
The Rabbis say: There is no man who rules his own spirit to bring about its termination from him. Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is written: “And fashions [veyotzer] the spirit of man within him” (Zechariah 12:1) – [God] bound [tzar] the spirit of man within him, as were it not so, when trouble would come, he would take it and cast it from within him. Rabbi Levi said: Approximately fifty-two times “King David” is written; when he was close to death, it is written: “The days of David drew near to die” (I Kings 2:1) because “there is no rule over the day of death.” Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: The two trumpets that were [used] in the days of Moses were interred. One verse says: “They shall sound them…and they shall congregate to you” (Numbers 10:3), and one verse says: “Assemble to me all the elders of your tribe” (Deuteronomy 31:28); where were the trumpets?²⁸Moses asked the Levites to assemble the people for him instead of blowing the trumpets himself and thereby calling them to assembly. Say that they had already been interred in the days of Moses. The Holy One blessed be He said: Why should it be that he will die and his sons will be sounding the trumpets?²⁹As a sign of honor for him upon his death, as is done for kings. No, because “there is no rule over the day of death.” Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Simon: The Holy One blessed be He accorded great honor to Moses, as He said to him: “Craft for you two trumpets” (Numbers 10:2), but not for Joshua.³⁰The phrase “for you” is understood to mean that the trumpets were to be used only by Moses.

(Fol. 88) R. Joshua b. Levi said: "The land of Israel was not destroyed until the seven Judicial courts served idolatry, and these are: Jeroboam, the son of Nebat; Bashah, the son of Achiyah; Achab, the son of Omri; Jehu, the son of Nimshi; Pekach, the son of Remalyahu; Menachem, the son of Gadi, and Hoshea, the son of Elah. As it is said: (Jer. 15, 9) "She that hath born seven languisheth; her spirit droppeth; her sun is gone down while it was yet day, etc." Said R. Ami: "Where is the passage to prove that idolatry would cause destruction? (Deut. 4, 25) When thou begettest children, and children's children." R. Cahana and R. Assi said unto Rab: "It is written concerning Hoshea b. Elah (11 Kings 17, 2) And he did what is evil in the eyes of the Lord but not like the kings of Israel; and immediately thereafter it is written Against him came up Shalmanesser, etc. [It is because he was not as bad as the former kings that he was punished?"] He replied then: This refers to the guards which Jeroboam stationed to watch Israel not to go up to Jerusalem was removed by Elah; and nevertheless the Israelites did not go up unto Jerusalem. The Holy One, praised be He! then said the number of years which Israel neglects to visit Jerusalem the same number should they suffer in captivity. "

Manasseh, means he has forgotten the Lord. According to others it means that he made Israel forget their Heavenly Father. And whence do we know that he has no share in the world to come? From the following passage (II Kings 21, 3) And he built up again the high places which Hezekiah hath destroyed and he reared up altars for Baal and made a grove as Achab the king of Israel hath done. As Achab has no share in the world to come, so is the case with Manasseh. R. Juda said: "Manasseh has a share, etc." R. Jochanan said: "Both infer their theory from one and the same passage, for it is said (Jer. 15, 4) And I will cause them to become a horror unto all the kingdoms of the earth on account of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah. According to one: Because Manasseh had repented and the other kings have not. And according to others: (Fol. 103) Because he himself had not repented." R. Jochanan said: "He who said that Manasseh has no share in the world to come laxes the hands of those who [desire to] repent, for a disciple taught before R. Jochanan: Manasseh repented thirty-three years, as it is wriitten (II Kings 21, 1-3) And he reigned five and fifty years in Jerusalem … and made an Asherah, as did Achab. How long did Achab rule? Twenty-two years; deduct the twenty-two from the fifty-five years which Manasseh reigned, there remains thirty-three years." R. Jochanan said in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai: "What is the meaning of the passage (II Chr. 33, 13) And he prayed unto Him, and he was entreated of him (vayechtar). It should have been vayethar, instead of vayechtar? Infer from this that the Lord made an opening for him in the Heaven to receive him; because of the [opposition] of the Divine Attribute of Justice."

"This is the law of the burnt offering" (Leviticus 6:2): And what is [the meaning of] burnt offering (olah, literally that which rises)? Rather, it is that it rises in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, and atones for the iniquities of Israel. Since at the time that Avraham made the sacrifice of the ram - as it is stated (Genesis 22:13), "And Avraham raised his eyes and he saw, and behold there was a ram after" - what is [the meaning of] "after?" Rather, [it is to say that] after the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that [Avraham] came to sacrifice his son, Yitzchak, as a burnt-offering with all of his heart and with all of his soul, He sent him a ram [as a replacement]. The Sages said that the ram to be offered instead of Yitzchak was created from the six days of creation. And that is [the meaning of] that which is written, "and behold there was a ram after, etc." "And he took the ram, etc." (Genesis 22:13) - there the Holy One, blessed be He, promised him that at the time when his children would offer burnt-offerings, they would be immediately accepted. The Sages, may their memory be blessed, said, "Were it not that Avraham delayed to check the knife, Yitzchak would have been slaughtered. But he did delay to check the knife. Immediately, the mercy of the Holy One, blessed be He, was aroused for Yitzchak. And the Holy One, blessed be He, said to His retinue, 'See how alacritous this righteous one is to fulfill the words of My statement.' Immediately, He told an angel to rescue him, as it is stated (Genesis 22:11), 'And he said, "Avraham, Avraham," and he said, "Here I am."'" And why did he say, "Avraham, Avraham," twice? Since it was [Avraham's] will to slaughter him and do the will of his Maker, the angel was hurrying and said, "Avraham, Avraham." And from where [do we know] that he checked the knife? As it is stated (Genesis 22:10), "and he took the knife." Count the letters of "and he took the knife" (in Hebrew), and you will find twelve, like the tally of examinations that one does on the knife - upon the flesh, the fingernail and on the three sides (of the knife). And from where [do we know this]? As it is stated (I Samuel 14:34), "and you shall slaughter with this (zeh)" - zeh has a numerical value (gematria) of twelve. And what is [the meaning of] (Leviticus 6:1), "And the Lord spoke to Moshe, saying?" [That it should be said] to Aharon. From here we learn that Moshe only said that which the Holy One, blessed be He, would tell him. And therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to his credit (Numbers 12:7), "Not so My servant Moshe; in all of My house, he is faithful." And so does it state to Shmuel's credit (I Samuel 3:20), "And all of Israel, from Dan to Beersheva, knew that Shmuel was faithful as a prophet for the Lord." You find that [prophecy] began to come to him when the sons of Eli sinned in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (I Samuel 3:3), "The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Shmuel was laying in the chamber of the Lord." And was he [really] laying in the chamber of the Lord? Rather this is its explanation: The lamp of God had not yet gone out in the chamber of the Lord in which was the ark of the Lord, and Shmuel was laying in his place, [which was] in a different place. "And the Lord called to Shmuel, and he said, 'Here I am'" (I Samuel 3:4) - but he did not understand who was calling him, since he was [still] a youth, as it is stated (I Samuel 2:26), "And Shmuel the youth proceeded to grow in favor with the Lord, as well as with people." "And he ran to Eli and he said, 'Here I am, as you have called me'" (I Samuel 3:5) - as he thought that [it was Eli that] had called him - "and he said, 'I did not call you my son, return and lay down.'" "And the Lord called Shmuel again, a third time, and he rose and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, as you have called me'; and Eli understood that the Lord was calling to the youth. And Eli said to Shmuel, 'Go lay down, and if He calls to you, say, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening"'" (I Samuel 3:8-9) - but he did not say, "Speak, Lord," but [only] (I Samuel 3:10), "Speak." As he said in his heart, "I do not know if it is the Lord or an angel or something else." And he is equated with Moshe: [About] Moshe, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, (Numbers 12:7), "Not so My servant Moshe; in all of My house, he is faithful"; and [about] Shmuel He said (I Samuel 3:20), "And all of Israel, from Dan to Beersheva, knew that Shmuel was faithful as a prophet for the Lord." Therefore the verse states (Jeremiah 15:1), "Even if Moshe and Shmuel would stand in front of me, My soul would not be towards this people." And he was equated to Moshe and Aharon [together], as stated (Psalms 99:6), "Moshe and Aaron among His priests, and Shmuel among those who call His name." [Shmuel] would brighten the eyes of Israel, as it is stated (I Samuel 3:3), "The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Shmuel was laying in the chamber of the Lord." Moshe and Shmuel were not like Yechezkel, as he said everything that he saw, and as it is stated [it appears that the next section is corrupted, and that the reference is meant to be from Ezekiel 1 - see Etz Yosef] (Isaiah 6:1), "In the year that King Uzziah died, I beheld the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne; and the skirts of His robe filled the Temple." And therefore Scripture calls him, "Son of Man." Four are living but Scripture calls them dead, and these are them: the destitute, the metsora (one stricken with a spiritual skin disease), the blind and one with no children. From where [do I know this about] the metsora? As it is stated, "In the year that King Uzziah died." And why does the verse call him dead (given that he had not yet died)? Rather, because he had become a metsora. As it is stated, "In the year that King Uzziah died," [meaning] that he had become a metsora. "Seraphs stood above Him" (Isaiah 6:2) - in the heavens to serve Him - ["Each of them had six wings:] with two he covered his face" - from modesty that his body should not show before His body - "with two he covered his legs" - so that he not see and peer towards the side of the Divine Presence - "and with two he would fly." And does he [really] fly with the wings? Rather, it is as a result of this that they, may their memory be blessed, ordained that a man should hover on his feet when the prayer leader says (Isaiah 6:3), "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts." And Tanchuma said, "The covering of the feet was because their heel is like the heel of the calf, such that they would not remind [God] about Israel's sin with the calf." "And one called to the other and said" (Isaiah 6:4) - they would get permission from one another, so that one not preempt the other and begin [alone], and [so] become liable for burning; rather they all started as one, and answered, etc. - "and the measure of the doorposts shook" - these were the doorposts of the chamber - "from the voice of the caller" - from the voice of the angels calling. This was the day of the earthquake, about which it is stated (Zechariah 14:5), "it shall be stopped up as it was stopped up as a result of the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, the king of Yehudah." As on the day that Uzziah stood to offer incense in the [Temple] chamber, the heavens and the earth shook and the Seraphs came to burn him (lesorfo) with burning (serefah), as it is stated (Numbers 16:35), "And fire went out from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense," because they offered a foreign fire. And this is [why] it calls them Seraphs, as they came to burn him. And the heavens also came to burn him. And the earth [came] to swallow him, as it thought that his judgement was to be swallowed like Korach, who dissented about the priesthood. [So] a heavenly voice emerged and said, "A reminder for the Children of Israel [...], and not be like Korach and like his assembly who dissented about the priesthood" (Numbers 17:5) - "not be like Korach," with swallowing; "and not like his assembly," with burning. But rather "like the Lord spoke through the hand of Moshe, saying to him" - through the hand of Moshe at the bush, as it is stated (Exodus 4:6), "'Put your hand into your bosom and take it out,' and behold his hand was afflicted with tsaraat like snow." [This is] meaning to say that the dissenter be afflicted with tsaraat. And the tsaraat even broke out on his forehead. And [so] he was considered as if he were dead. And so [too,] do you find with Miriam, as it is stated, "Go out, the three of you" (Numbers 12:4). There was no need for Moshe to go out, as he did not say anything to [Aharon]. Rather it was so that he would be available to pray for Miriam, [in order] to heal her. "And He called Aharon and Miriam" (Numbers 12:5) - why did He call them and leave Moshe. As we [only] say part of a person's praise in front of them, but all of it not in front of him. And so [too,] do we find with Noach. Not in front of him, [God] said, "A perfectly righteous man" (Genesis 6:9); but in front of him, He said, "as I have seen you to be righteous in front of Me" (Genesis 7:1). Another interpretation of [why Moshe was not called]: So that he not hear the redressing of Aharon. He said, "Hear nah My words" (Numbers 12:6) - nah is always an expression of pleading - "if you have a prophet of God, I will make Myself known to him though a vision to him" - My Divine Presence will not be revealed to him through a clear lens, but rather through a dream or a trance." And why [were they disciplined]? Because they spoke [badly] about Moshe, as it is stated (Numbers 12:6), "And Miriam and Aharon spoke (tedaber) about Moshe." And dibbur is only a harsh expression in each place." And so it states (Genesis 42:30), "The man, the master of the land spoke (deeber) harsh things to us." [Whereas] ameera is only an expression of supplication. And so it states (Genesis 19:7), "And He said (vayomer), 'Do not act evilly, my brothers.'" "And He said, 'Hear nah My words'" (Numbers 12:6) - all nah is an expression of pleading. And why did it say Miriam first and Aharon afterwards? However it was because she started first, and therefore the verse mentioned her first. And what did they say? "But was it only to Moshe that God spoke?" (Numbers 12:2) That is to say did He only speak to Moshe, that he separated from his wife? "Did he not also speak to us?" (Numbers 12:2) In the same way did He speak to us and we have not separated from the way of the world (marital relations). And how did Miriam know that Moshe separated from the woman? Rabbi Natan said, "Miriam was alongside Tsipporah when they said to Moshe, 'Eldad and Meidad are prophesying in the camp' (Numbers 11:27); and when Tsipporah heard, she said, 'Woe to the wives of these [men]!' And from what time did Moshe separate? In fact, when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe at Sinai before the giving of the Torah that he should sanctify the people, and say to them, 'for three days do not come close to a woman' (Exodus 19:15). They [then] separated from their wives and Moshe separated from his wife. And after the giving of the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Go tell them, "You return to your tents," but you stay here with me' (Deuteronomy 5:27-28) - and do not go back to the way of the world. And [so Miriam knew] when Tsipporah said, 'Woe to the wives of these - they are called to prophecy [and] will be separating from their wives just like my husband separated from me.' And from then, Miriam knew and told Aharon. And if Miriam who did not have intention to disgrace Moshe was punished, all the more so with one who recounts the disgrace of his fellow with evil speech, will that person be punished with tsaraat." "As he took a Cushite (Ethopian) woman" (Numbers 12:1) - the numerical value of Cushite is [equal to that of] beautiful looks. The tally of this one is like the tally for that one. "The Cushite woman" tells [us] that everybody concedes about her beauty, in the same way as everyone speaks about the blackness of a Cushite. "About the matter of the woman" (Numbers 12:1) - about the matter of her divorce. "As he took a Cushite woman" (Numbers 12:1) - what do we learn to say [from here]? Rather, there is a woman who is pleasant in her looks but unpleasant in her deeds, or pleasant in her deeds but unpleasant in her looks, but this one was pleasant in everything. And now he divorced her? And she is called a Cushite because of her pleasantness; in the same way as a man will call his pleasant son, Cushite, so that the [evil] eye not [come to] overpower him. "And the man Moshe was very humble (anav)" (Numbers 12:3) - humble, [meaning] lowly and patient. Another interpretation: "Very anav" is from the expression of answering (oneh), meaning to say that if he had heard these words, he would have known to answer and respond with appropriate arguments. "And the Lord said suddenly" (Numbers 12:4) - when he revealed Himself to them suddenly and they were impure [as a result of] the way of the world, they yelled out, "Water, water." [This was] to show that Moshe acted properly when he separated from his wife, since the Divine Presence was constantly revealed to him, and there was no set time for speaking [with God]. And so did He say to them, "I speak to him face to face" (Numbers 12:8) - face to face did I tell him to separate from the woman - "and a (clear) vision and not with riddles" - and this vision is a vision of speech. And perhaps it is a vision of the Divine Presence? [Hence] we learn to say (Exodus 33:20), "You are not able to see My face." And if you ask, "Behold, it is written (Numbers 12:8), 'and he sees the picture of the Lord?'" [The answer is] that is a vision 'from the back,' like the matter that is stated (Exodus 33:23), "and you shall see My back." "Why were you not afraid to to speak about My servant, about Moshe?" (Numbers 12:8) It does not state, "about My servant, Moshe," but rather "about My servant, about Moshe." [This is] meaning to say, about My servant, even if it is not Moshe; and about Moshe, even if he is not My servant - it would be worthwhile to be afraid in front of him. And all the more so, since he is My servant, and the servant of a king is [like] the king. And you should have said, "The King does not love him for nothing." And if you say that [the King] does not know about [Moshe's] deeds, that is more grievous than the first [mistake of not associating him with the King]! "And the Lord waxed angry at them and left" (Numbers 12:9) - teaches that [only] after He let them know their foulness did He proclaim their excommunication. All the more so with flesh and blood, should a person not get angry with his fellow until after he makes [the other's] foulness known to him. "And the cloud left the tent" - and afterwards - and behold, Miriam was inflicted with tsaraat like snow" (Numbers 12:10). There is a [relevant] parable about a king who said to [his son's] pedagogue, "Strike my child, but do not strike him until I go away from you, as my mercy is upon him." "Please do not place the sin upon us that we sinned and that we blundered. Let her not be like a dead" (Numbers 12:11-12) - just like a dead body transmits impurity through intercourse, so does a metsora transmit impurity through intercourse. "About which upon its exit from its mother's womb" (Numbers 12:12) - it should have stated, "from our mother's womb," but so did Scripture phrase it. And so [too, instead of] "half of its flesh," it should have stated, "half of our flesh." But according to its understanding, it appears to me thus: It is not fitting to leave our sister to be like the dead. Since she exited the womb of the mother of this one (Moshe) that has it in his ability to help, and [yet] doesn't help, behold half of his flesh will be eaten away - as [Aharon's] brother is his flesh. Another interpretation: "Let her not be like the dead" - if you do not heal her with prayer, who will quarantine her, and who will render her impure? As it is impossible for me to observe her, since I am a relative - and a relative may not examine scabs - and there is no other priest in the world. This is [the meaning of] that which is stated, "about which upon its exit from its mother's womb." "God, please, heal her please" (Numbers 12:12) - the verse came to teach you the way of the world (manners), such that one requesting a thing must first say two or three words of supplication, and then make his requests afterwards. "Saying" - what do we learn to say [from here]? [Moshe] said to Him, "Answer me if You will heal her or not," so that He answered him, "And if her father spit in her face [...]" (Numbers 12:14). And why did Moshe not prolong this prayer? So that Israel not say, "His sister is given over to distress and he prolongs his prayer?" "Let her be quarantined for seven days and afterwards she will be gathered" (Numbers 12:14) - and I say that all expressions of gathering that exist with a metsora are because he is sent out from the camps. And when he is healed, he is gathered to the camp; [and] all gathering is an expressions of bringing in. "And the people did not travel until Miriam was gathered" (Numbers 12:15) - the Omnipresent awarded her this honor for the sake of one hour that she delayed for Moshe, when he was sent out to the Nile, as it is stated (Exodus 2:4), "And his sister stood from a distance." She delayed for an hour and all of Israel delayed for her sake for seven days. [The comparison that the Torah nonetheless makes between Miriam when she is struck by tsaraat and a dead body shows that] a metsora is considered like dead. And from where [do we know] that one who does not have children [is considered like dead]? From Rachel, as she said to Yaakov (Genesis 30:1), "Give me children or I am dead." And from where [do we know] that one blind is considered like dead? As it is stated (Lamentations 3:6), "He has made me sit in the darkness, like the dead of yore." And from where [do we know] that one destitute [is considered like dead]? As it is stated (Exodus 4:19), "for all of the men that are seeking your soul (to kill you) are dead." Another interpretation: "This is the law of the burnt-offering, etc." So did our Rabbis teach: The burnt-offering was complete holiness, as it did not come for iniquities. The guilt-offering was brought for thefts. But the burnt-offering was not brought for a sin nor for theft, but it rather came for a thought of the heart. And so one who would have a thought in his heart about something would bring a sacrifice of a burnt-offering, as it is stated (Ezekiel 20:32), "And what goes up (which can also be read as a burnt-offering) upon your spirits."And know that a burnt-offering only comes for a thought of the heart. You learn it from Job, who would sacrifice for his sons, as it is stated (Job 1:5), "And after a round of feasting days, Job sent and prepared them; and rising early in the morning, he would offer burnt-offerings." They said to him, "Job, why are you doing this?" And he would say (Job 1:5), "Perhaps my children have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts." Hence you find that he arranged atonement for them for the thought of the heart. And this is [how to understand] the sacrifice of the burnt-offering.

Our masters have said: When a woman is alone with her husband and he is having sexual intercourse with her, if she sets her eyes on another at the time of <their> sexual intercourse, no adultery for her is greater than this.⁵³Tanh., Numb. 2:7, cont.; Numb. R. 9:34; cf. Matthew 5:28. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 16:32): THE ADULTEROUS WOMAN [RECEIVES STRANGERS] INSTEAD OF HER HUSBAND (literally: UNDER HER HUSBAND). Is there a woman who commits adultery <while> under her husband?⁵⁴Cf. Numb. 5:19. It is simply that this is <the kind of woman> who encounters a certain man and sets her eyes on him. Then she has sexual intercourse with her husband while her heart is on him. The king of the Arabs asked R. Aqiva: I am black and my wife is black, but she has borne me a white son. Shall I kill her because she has played the harlot while under me? He said to him: Do you have images within your house? He said to him: Yes. He said to him: Are your household images white or black? He said to him: White. He said to him: When you were busy with her, she set her eyes on the images and bore <a child> like them. Now if you are surprised over this matter, learn from the Jacob's flock. They were conceived from the sticks, as stated (in Gen. 30:39): SINCE THE FLOCK CONCEIVED BY THE STICKS, <THE FLOCK BORE STREAKED, SPECKLED, AND SPOTTED YOUNG>. Then the king of the Arabs thanked R. Aqiva. Thus, when any woman is alone with her husband in holiness, in the end he produces righteous children from her. Thus we find it so in the case of Hannah. When she was alone with her husband in holiness, the Holy One did not deprive her of her reward. Rather he gave her a righteous son like Moses, as stated (in Jer. 15:1): EVEN IF MOSES AND SAMUEL STOOD BEFORE ME. It also says (in Ps. 99:6): MOSES AND AARON WERE AMONG HIS PRIESTS, AND SAMUEL WAS AMONG THOSE WHO CALL UPON HIS NAME. So also did Hannah say (in I Sam. 1:27): FOR THIS CHILD DID I PRAY, AND THE LORD HAS GRANTED ME MY PETITION. Why? Because he was sown in holiness. The Holy One said: In this world I abhor all those peoples, because they are from unclean seed; but I have chosen you, because you are from true seed, as stated (in Jer. 2:21): AND I PLANTED YOU AS A CHOICE VINE, ALL OF IT FROM TRUE SEED. It is also written (in Deut. 7:6): THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU. And also in the age to come I am choosing only you, because you are a holy seed, as stated (in Is. 65:23): THEY SHALL NOT LABOR IN VAIN, NOR BEAR CHILDREN IN TERROR>, [BECAUSE THEY ARE A SEED BLESSED OF THE LORD,] <AND THEIR OFFSPRING ALONG WITH THEM>.

(Numbers 35:11:) “You shall provide yourselves with places to serve you as cities of refuge.” And it is written (in Numbers 35:13-14), “six cities of refuge shall there be for you. The three cities.” The three in the Land of Israel were in the West; and the three that were across the Jordan in the East were in the Land of the Children of Reuben, in the Land of the Children of Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh, as stated (in Deut. 4:43), “Bezer, in the desert [...].” R. Johanan said, (Ibid.,) “’Bezer, in the desert [...],’ see, there were three in the East. And the three in the West were in Hevron of Judah, and Shechem of Ephraim, which is Napolin (Nablus), and Kadesh in the Galilee from the tribe of Naphtali.” Moshe only apportioned [land] for the Reubenites, the Gadites and for the half tribe of Manasseh, and he set aside three cities from them, as stated (in Deut. 4:41), “Then Moses set aside three cities.” But Joshua apportioned [land] to all of the tribes, and they took [it] according to their lots, and they gave forty-eight cities to the Levites; the priests took thirteen, and the rest went to the [other] Levites, and the three cities of refuge came into their lot. And the tribe of Levi did not take a portion in the land, as stated (Jos. 12:33), “But no [portion] was assigned by Moses to the tribe of Levi.” Why? [Because (as in Deut. 18:2),] “the Lord is his portion, as He spoke to him.” You find that Sennacherib exiled Israel in three exiles.⁴³Numb. R. 23:14; cf. Lam. R. Proem 5. First, he exiled the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh. Second, [came] the tribe of Zebulon and the tribe of Naphtali, as stated (in Is. 8:23), “in the former time he abased the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali.” Third, he exiled the rest of the tribes, as stated (ibid., cont.), “and later he afflicted (hikhbid).”⁴⁴Translations of this verse vary, but the translation given here fits the sense of the midrash. He swept (hikhbid) them as [with] a broom (makhbed). Nebuchadnezzar also carried out three exiles with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. In the first he exiled Jehoiakim [and] in the second, Jehoiachin. What did he do? He bound him in his carriage⁴⁵Lat.: carruca; Gk.: karrouchion. and [there] he became dear to him.⁴⁶Buber suggests a translation such as, “and it was his favorite.” Thus it is stated, “Behold, I am sending you away like a queen mother.”⁴⁷The text is not in Scripture, but cf. Jer. 29:2. Just as one honors the queen mother, so did Nebuzaradan act toward him. [Then] Nebuzaradan exiled Zedekiah, for a total of three exiles. From where do we know that Nebuchadnezzar was a world emperor? As he exiled these to here and those to there, and he exiled Israel to Babylon, and those in Babylon to the Land of Israel. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world Israel has gone into exile and spread among the gates of the world, because of iniquities, as stated (Jer. 15:7), “And I will scatter them with a winnowing fork to the gates of the world”; but in the future to come (according to Deut. 30:4), “If your banishment is to the end of the heavens, from there will the Lord your God gather you, even from there will He bring you back.” It also says (in Is. 11:12), “and he shall gather the dispersed of Judah […].” And it says (in Is. 31:11), “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing. Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, while sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” And so may it be His will. Amen and Amen!

Another interpretation (of Gen. 29:31): WHEN THE LORD SAW THAT LEAH WAS HATED. This text is related (to Jer. 12:8): MY HERITAGE HAS BECOME FOR ME LIKE A LION IN THE FOREST … [THEREFORE I HAVE HATED IT (literally: HER)]. How so? The Holy One saw that wicked children were going to issue from her; so he called her HATED. Now the wicked ones are these: Jehoram, Jehoash, Ahaz, Manasseh, Amon, Jehoiakim, < and > Zedekiah. About Jehoram, it is written (in II Kings 8:18): AND HE WALKED IN THE WAY OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL AS THE HOUSE OF AHAB HAD DONE. About Ahaz, it is written (in II Kings 16:2): AND HE DID NOT DO WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THE EYES OF THE LORD [HIS GOD] AS HIS ANCESTOR DAVID < HAD DONE >. Isaiah had said to him (according to Is. 7:11): ASK A SIGN FROM THE LORD YOUR GOD. MAKE IT AS DEEP AS SHEOL, for the dead to live again or for Korah to rise from Sheol. (Ibid., cont.:) OR AS HIGH AS ABOVE. You may ask for Elijah to descend from the heavens. He said to him: I know that he has power to do < such things >, but I do not want the name of names to be sanctified at my hands. Thus it is stated (in vs. 12): I WILL NOT ASK, NOR PUT THE LORD TO THE TEST. About Jehoash, it is written (in II Kings 12:3 [3]): AND JEHOASH DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THE EYES OF THE LORD ALL HIS DAYS AS THE PRIEST JEHOIADA INSTRUCTED HIM. But when Jehoiada died, evil occurred, as stated (in II Chron. 24:17): NOW {IT CAME TO PASS} AFTER THE DEATH OF JEHOIADA, < THE PRINCES OF JUDAH CAME AND BOWED LOW TO THE KING. THEN THE KING HEARKENED UNTO THEM >…. See what is written about Manasseh (in II Chron. 33:6-7): < HE DID MUCH EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD TO ANGER HIM >, AND HE SET UP A SCULPTURED IMAGE, WHICH HE HAD MADE, IN THE HOUSE OF GOD. About Amon, it is written (in II Chron. 33:22-23): AND HE DID WHAT WAS EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD…. AND TO ALL THE IMAGES WHICH HIS FATHER MANASSEH HAD MADE < AMON SACRIFICED >…. [MOREOVER, HE DID NOT HUMBLE HIMSELF BEFORE THE LORD…. FOR AMON INCURRED A LOT OF GUILT]. About Jehoiakim, it is written (in II Chron. 36:8): NOW AS FOR THE REST OF THE ACTS OF JEHOIAKIM, [THE ABOMINATIONS WHICH HE DID], AND WHAT WAS FOUND AGAINST HIM < HERE THEY ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH >. Thus he repudiated circumcision, extended the foreskin (to disguise circumcision), and entered the orifice through which he had come out.⁴⁰I.e., he had sexual intercourse with his mother. So Lev. R. 19:6; cf. 1 Corinthians 5:1. The text might possibly mean that he had entered the orifice through which one empties the bowels. About Zedekiah, it is written (in II Chron. 36:12): AND HE DID WHAT WAS EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD HIS GOD…. Here are the seven wicked men; therefore, the prophet < Jeremiah > cries and says (in Jer. 15:9): SHE WHO BEARS SEVEN IS WRETCHED. Therefore, (in Gen. 29:31): WHEN THE LORD SAW THAT LEAH WAS HATED….

Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa began: “One who admonishes a cynic takes disgrace upon himself” (Proverbs 9:7). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who produces a wicked disciple will ultimately be disgraced by him, as it is stated: “One who admonishes a cynic takes disgrace upon himself.” This is the opinion of Rabbi Yitzḥak, as Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who produces a wicked disciple in the Land of Israel it is as though he produces a robber, and outside of the Land of Israel [it is as though] he produces a slave. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: It is written: “Refraining from a quarrel is honor for a man” (Proverbs 20:3) – the Holy One blessed be He said: It would have been honorable for Me had I not engaged with this nation. You find that when Israel was exiled among the nations, the Holy One blessed be He was circulating among the doorways of the nations of the world to hear what they were saying. What were they saying? The God of this nation exacted retribution from Pharaoh, from Sisera, and from Sennacherib, and the like. But then they say: Is He forever young? As it were, the matters have gotten old.⁴³He no longer has the strength to punish us like He punished them. That is what is written: “They came [vayavo] to the nations to which they came, and they profaned My holy name” (Ezekiel 36:20). The verse should have said vayavo’u, but it says “vayavo”;⁴⁴The verse uses the singular term vayavo, which is ordinarily translated “he came,” rather than the plural term vayavo’u. it is as though it was He Himself. That is what is written: “He came [vayavo] to the nations.”⁴⁵The midrash has asserted that the verse should be understood to mean, “He came to the nations,” referring to God, rather than “They came to the nations,” referring to Israel. What did they say? If “these are the people of the Lord” (Ezekiel 36:20), why is it that “they went out from His land” (Ezekiel 36:20)?
Another matter: “Admonishes” (Proverbs 9:7) – this is Jeremiah. “Cynic” (Proverbs 9:7) – this is his generation. “Takes disgrace upon himself” (Proverbs 9:7) – as they would curse him, as it is written: “I did not demand repayment, and others did not demand repayment from me, yet everyone curses me” (Jeremiah 15:10). “And rebukes the wicked for his shortcomings” (Proverbs 9:7) – he would rebuke Israel and say in their regard, eikha.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 34:27): WRITE DOWN THESE WORDS devarim. In every place where "word of" (devar), "words of" (divre), <and> "words" (devarim) are used, they signify rebukes.⁸³This indication of rebuke only appears in reference to the second tablets, which were written after the incident of the golden calf. It is written (in Hos. 1:1): THE WORD OF (devar) THE LORD WHICH CAME UNTO HOSEA. What <else> is written there (in vs. 9)? FOR YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE. It is written (in Jer. 1:1): THE WORDS OF (divre) JEREMIAH. What <else> is written there (in Jer. 15:2): THOSE WHO ARE DESTINED FOR DEATH < SHALL GO FORTH > TO DEATH. It is written there (in Deut. 1:1): THESE ARE THE WORDS (devarim).⁸⁴Sifre to Deut. 1:1 (1). What <else> is written there (in Deut. 32:24): WASTING HUNGER… <I WILL SEND AGAINST THEM>.

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin began in the name of Rabbi Levi: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth [beḥurotekha]” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Solomon⁶³Solomon is considered the author of Ecclesiastes. said to Israel: “Remember your Creator” – remember your Creator while your chosenness is intact. While the covenant of priesthood is intact, as it is stated: “And I choose him from all the tribes of Israel for Me as a priest” (I Samuel 2:28). While the Levite covenant is intact, as it is stated: “For the Lord your God has chosen him from all the tribes” (Deuteronomy 18:5). While the covenant of the kingdom of the house of David is intact, as it is stated: “He chose David his servant” (Psalms 78:70). While the covenant of Jerusalem is intact, as it is stated: “The city that I have chosen” (I Kings 11:32). While the covenant of the Temple is intact, as it is stated: “Now I have chosen and sanctified this House” (II Chronicles 7:16). While you are intact, as it is stated: “The Lord your God has chosen you” (Deuteronomy 7:6). “Before the evil days come,” (Ecclesiastes 12:1) – these are the days of the exile. “And the years arrive when you will say: I have no desire in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1) – neither good nor bad.⁶⁴This phrase is difficult to understand, and commentaries suggest that the text is not be accurate (see Etz Yosef; Maharzu). A parallel text in Kohelet Rabba (12:7) reads: “Until the years arrive when you will say: The merit of the patriarchs has ceased.”
“Before the sun…will darken” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) for the kingdom of the house of David, in whose regard it is written: “And His throne as the sun before Me” (Psalms 89:37). “The light” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – this is the Torah, in whose regard it is written: “For the mitzva is a lamp, the Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23). “The moon” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – this is the Sanhedrin, as it is taught: The Sanhedrin was configured like a semi-circle.⁶⁵Mishna Sanhedrin 4:3. “And the stars” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – these are the Rabbis, as it is written: “Those who lead the multitudes to righteousness, like the stars, forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3). “And the clouds will return after the rain” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – you find that all the harsh and dire prophecies that Jeremiah prophesied in their regard came upon them only after the destruction of the Temple.
“On the day that the guards of the house will tremble” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the priestly and Levite watches. “The men of valor will be bent” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the priests. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Aaron waved twenty-two thousand Levites on a single day, as it is stated: “Aaron waved them as a wave offering before the Lord” (Numbers 8:21). Rabbi Ḥanina said: This crop is very light, but the priest would throw it onto the ramp thirty-two cubits backhanded.⁶⁶The crop of a bird is light, and therefore it is difficult to throw it a long distance, yet the priests would easily do so because of their great strength.
“The grinders will cease” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the great compilations [of tannaitic traditions], like the compilation of Rabbi Akiva, the compilation of Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Hoshaya, and the compilation of bar Kappara. “Because they have dwindled” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – this is the Talmud that is included in them. “It will be dark for those who gaze” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – you find that when Israel was exiled among the nations of the world, there was not one of them who could remember his studies.
“The doors to the street will be shut” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – these are the doors of Neḥushta bar Elnatan,⁶⁷This should read bat, daughter of Elnatan. She was the mother of Yehoyakhin, king of Judah (see II Kings 24:8). Her door was open to all those in need, but this was no longer the case after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. which had been wide open. “With the fading of the sound of the mill” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – [the destruction occurred] because they were indolent in the study of Torah. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Israel were likened to millstones; just as millstones are never idle, so too, Israel is never idle from Torah study, neither during the day nor at night, as it is stated: “You shall contemplate it day and night” (Joshua 1:8).
“One will arise from the voice of a bird” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – this is the wicked Nebuchadnezzar. Rabbi said: For eighteen years, a Divine Voice would call out in Nebuchadnezzar’s palace and say: ‘Wicked slave, go destroy the house of your Master, because His children do not heed Him.’ “And all the sources of music will be lowered” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – he ascended and did away with all the song from the house of feasting. That is what is written: “They will not drink wine with song” (Isaiah 24:9).
“They will also fear heights” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – he feared the exalted One of the world and did not wish to do so. He said: He wishes to entrap me in order to do to me what He did to my grandfather.⁶⁸This is a reference to Sennacherib, king of Assyria, whose downfall came about due to his siege of Jerusalem. See II Kings 19:32–37.
“There will be obstacles on the way” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Levi: Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Fear of the way fell over him. Rabbi Levi said: He began divining along the way:⁶⁹He did so to determine whether or not he should ascend to wage war against Jerusalem. “For the king of Babylon stood at the crossroads [at the head of the two roads, to practice divination; he shot arrows, consulted the terafim, and examined the liver]” (Ezekiel 21:26) – at the point where the road splits. “At the head of the two roads” – which is midway between two roads, one leading to the wilderness and one leading to Jerusalem. “To practice divination” – he began divining. “He shot arrows” – he began shooting arrows; in the name of Rome, but it was unsuccessful, in the name of Alexandria, but it was unsuccessful, in the name of Jerusalem, and it was successful.⁷⁰He shot arrows straight up into the air and watched to see in which direction they would fall. When he shot with the intention to receive a sign about Jerusalem, the arrow sailed in the direction of Jerusalem. He sowed plants and planted trees in the name of Rome, but it was unsuccessful, in the name of Alexandria, but it was unsuccessful, in the name of Jerusalem, and it was successful, and they grew. He kindled lamps and lanterns, in the name of Rome, but they did not illuminate, in the name of Alexandria, but they did not illuminate, in the name of Jerusalem, and they were illuminating. He consulted his terafim, his idol worship, just as it says: “Wrongdoing is like the idol worship of terafim” (I Samuel 15:23). “He examined the liver” (Ezekiel 21:26) – Rabbi said: Like an Arab who slaughters a lamb and examines its liver.⁷¹This is a form of divination.
“In his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem” (Ezekiel 21:27) – the divination for Jerusalem appeared in his right hand. “To place the battering rams” (Ezekiel 21:27) – provincial rulers; “to call for murder” – executioners; “to raise the voice with shouting” (Ezekiel 21:27) – trumpets; “to place battering rams against the gates” (Ezekiel 21:27) – soldiers to surround the wall; “to cast up mounds” (Ezekiel 21:27), [from which they would] catapult stones; “to build a siege tower” (Ezekiel 21:27) – ramps. Regarding all of these [it could have been said]: “But it will be for them like a vain divination in their eyes, who have weeks upon weeks” (Ezekiel 21:28). The prophet said to Israel: Had you been worthy, you would have read the Torah that is expounded in seven times seven ways.⁷²This is alluded to in the phrase “weeks upon weeks,” as a week has seven days. Now that you were not worthy, Nebuchadnezzar will divine seven times seven divinations upon you. That is what is written: “Who have weeks upon weeks.”
“And it invokes iniquity for them to be captured” (Ezekiel 21:28) – this is the iniquity of Zekharia.⁷³See Kohelet Rabba 3:16, where the story is told of Zekharia, a prophet and priest, who was murdered in the Temple. This terrible act caused the Israelites to be punished with great bloodshed and suffering at the time of the destruction of the Temple. That is what is written: “The spirit of God clothed Zekharia son of Yehoyada the priest, and he stood above the people” (II Chronicles 24:20). Was he in fact above the heads of the people, that it says “above the people”? Rather, he saw himself as more elevated than all the people. He was a son-in-law of the king,⁷⁴In fact, it was Zekharia’s father, Yehoyada, who was a son-in-law of King Yehoram. The king at the time of Zekharia’s death, Yoash, was a grandson of Yehoram and a first cousin of Zekharia (see II Chronicles 22:11). a High Priest, a prophet, and a judge. He began speaking condescendingly. That is what is written: “He said to them: So said God: Why are you transgressing the commandments of the Lord, and you will not succeed? Since you have forsaken the Lord, He has forsaken you. They conspired against him and stoned him with stones [at the command of the king in the courtyard of the House of the Lord]” (II Chronicles 24:20–21). They did not treat his blood like the blood of a gazelle nor like the blood of a deer, as it is written: “He shall pour out its blood and cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13). However, here, “For its blood was in its midst” (Ezekiel 24:7). Why to that extent? “To arouse fury to take vengeance, [I placed its blood upon the bare rock so it would not be covered]” (Ezekiel 24:8).⁷⁵God brought about that Zekharia’s blood would not be covered in order to motivate the Babylonians to take vengeance upon the Israelites in order to assuage Zekharia’s blood.
Rabbi Yudan asked Rabbi Aḥa: Where did they kill Zekharia, in the women’s courtyard or the Israelite courtyard? He said to him: Neither in the women’s courtyard nor in the Israelite courtyard, but rather in the priestly courtyard. And they did not treat his blood like the blood of a gazelle, nor like the blood of a deer. There it is written: “He shall pour out its blood and cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13). However, here: “[For its blood was in its midst; I placed its blood] on a bare rock. [It was not poured upon the ground to cover it with dirt]” (Ezekiel 24:7). Why to that extent? “To arouse fury to take vengeance, I placed its blood upon the bare rock [so it would not be covered]” (Ezekiel 24:8).
Israel performed seven transgressions on that day. They killed a priest, a prophet, and a judge, they spilled innocent blood, they desecrated the Name, they brought impurity to the Temple courtyard, and it was Shabbat and Yom Kippur.⁷⁶The violation of Yom Kippur is not counted as a separate sin from the violation of Shabbat, and therefore the midrash states that they committed seven sins. This is because violation of Yom Kippur is punishable by karet, whereas violation of Shabbat carries the death penalty (see Etz Yosef). When Nevuzaradan⁷⁷The Babylonian executioner. ascended, the blood of Zekharia began seething. He said to them: ‘What is the nature of this blood?’ They said to him: ‘It is the blood of bulls, rams, and sheep that we were slaughtering.’ He sent and brought the blood of offerings but it did not resemble it. He said to them: ‘If you tell me, fine, but if not, I will comb the flesh of these people with iron combs.’⁷⁸The meaning is: I will comb your flesh with iron combs. It is common in rabbinic literature for people to address others in third person or to refer to themselves in third person. They said to him: ‘What can we say to you? There was a prophet who would reprimand us, and we rose against him and killed him, and it is now many years that his blood has not rested.’ He said to them: ‘I will assuage it.’ He brought the Great Sanhedrin and the lesser Sanhedrin and killed them until their blood reached the blood of Zekharia, to realize what is stated: “They have broken out, and blood touches blood” (Hosea 4:2). But the blood was still seething. He brought lads and maidens and killed them onto it, but it did not rest. He brought schoolchildren and killed them onto it, but it did not rest. He brought eighty thousand young priests and killed them until their blood reached the blood of Zekharia, but the blood was still seething. He said: ‘Zekharia, Zekharia, I have eliminated all the good ones among them, would you be content if I eradicate all of them?’ When he said that, it immediately rested. At that moment he contemplated repenting and said: If for one life it is so, this man who killed all those lives, all the more so.⁷⁹If Israel was punished so terribly for having killed Zekharia, how much more will I suffer for having killed so many people. He deserted, sent a gift to his household, and converted.
“The almond tree will blossom” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the prophecy of Jeremiah; that is what is written: He said to me: “What do you see, [Jeremiah]? I said: I see a branch of an almond tree” (Jeremiah 1:11). Rabbi Elazar said: What is the distinguishing mark of an almond tree? From the moment that it buds until it ripens, it is twenty-one days; so too, from the seventeenth of Tammuz until the ninth of Av it is twenty-one days.⁸⁰The walls of Jerusalem were breached on the seventeenth of Tammuz, and the Temple was destroyed on the ninth of Av (Mishna Taanit 4:6).
“The grasshopper will be burdened” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the idol of Nebuchadnezzar, as it is written: “King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold; its height was sixty cubits, and its width six cubits” (Daniel 3:1). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Anything whose height is sixty and its width is six, can it stand? If its breadth is not one-third of its height it cannot stand, and you say: “He erected it in the plain of Dura” (Daniel 3:1)? Rabbi Levi said: They would erect it like a reed and it would fall, they would erect it and it would fall. Until when? Rabbi Ḥagai in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Until they brought all the silver and gold that they took out of Jerusalem and they poured a base at its feet, to realize what is stated: “They will throw their silver in the streets, and their gold will become repulsive” (Ezekiel 7:19).
“The caper berry [ḥaaviyona] will fail” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the merit of the patriarchs.⁸¹The word aviyona is expounded to mean father of a dove [avi yona], as the Jewish people are likened to a dove. “For the man goes to his eternal home” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – they were from Babylon,⁸²Abraham was originally from the area that would become Babylon. and there they returned. “And the mourners will circle in the streets” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the exile of Yekhonya. You find that when Nebuchadnezzar descended from Jerusalem and the exiles of Zedekiah were under his control,⁸³The exile of Zedekiah, which took place in the wake of the destruction of the Temple, was eleven years after the exile of Yekhonya. the exiles of Yekhonya emerged to greet him. They were covered in black on the inside, and clad in white on the outside.⁸⁴They were secretly mourning the destruction of the Temple, but as residents of Babylon they had to outwardly celebrate their king’s victory. They were lauding [Nebuchadnezzar] as they met him: The barbarians have been conquered! They would ask:⁸⁵They would ask those who had now been exiled with Zedekiah. ‘What happened to my father, what happened to my brother, what happened to my son?’ They would say to him: “Those who are to death, to death, and those who are to the sword, to the sword” (Jeremiah 15:2). They would laud with one hand and lament with one hand, to realize what is stated: “Your splendor will be upon your heads…[you will not lament and you will not weep]” (Ezekiel 24:23).⁸⁶Although the exiles were inwardly mourning, they could not express that outwardly, as foretold by this verse.
“Before the silver cord is severed” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – this is the genealogical chain.⁸⁷Families of impeccable lineage kept meticulous genealogical records and were careful to marry only families with similarly impeccable lineage. This ability, and certainly the records, were lost during the period of destruction and exile. “And the golden bowl is shattered” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – these are matters of Torah, which are “more desirable than gold and much fine gold” (Psalms 19:11). “The pitcher is smashed at the spring” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – two amora’im, one says: The pitcher of Barukh at the spring of Jeremiah,⁸⁸Barukh ben Neriya was the disciple of Jeremiah. The transmission from master to disciple was disrupted. and one says: The pitcher of Jeremiah at the spring of Barukh. That is what is written: “[Then Barukh answered them:] From his mouth he would recite [all these words] to me [and I would write on the scroll with the ink]” (Jeremiah 36:18).⁸⁹In this verse, Barukh copied down what Jeremiah said. The midrash may be alluding to the fact that Jeremiah was dependent upon Barukh’s skill as a scribe, which was enhanced by Divine inspiration (Maharzu); alternatively, Jeremiah the teacher was enriched by his student’s insights and questions (Etz Yosef). “And the wheel is shattered into the cistern” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – this is Babylon, which is the low point of the world. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Who says to the depths [letzula]: Be dry” (Isaiah 44:27) – [the depths] are Babylon. Why is it called “the depths”? Because the waters of the Flood were submerged [tzalelu] there,⁹⁰Some emend the text to read: Those who died in the Flood were submerged there (Etz Yosef). as it is written: “As Babylon caused the dead of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the dead of all the land” (Jeremiah 51:49).
Reish Lakish said: It is written: “They found a valley in the land of Shinar, and they settled there” (Genesis 11:2). Why is it called Shinar? Because the generation of the Flood was emptied [sham ninar] there. Alternatively, Shinar, because they are emptied of all of the mitzvot,⁹¹The Jews who were exiled there no longer fulfilled the agricultural mitzvot, which apply only in the Land of Israel. the mitzvot of terumot and tithes. Alternatively, [it is called] Shinar because [its inhabitants] die in deprivation, without a lamp and without a bathhouse.⁹²Shinar is thus understood to mean she’ein ne’or, “no one is awake” at night because they have no candles (Midrash HaMevo’ar). Alternatively, Shinar, because they die as lads [ne’arim]. Alternatively, Shinar, it is a city whose princes are lads and reject the Torah. Alternatively, Shinar, because it produced an enemy and a foe [soneh ve’er] of the Holy One blessed be He. Who was this? This was Nebuchadnezzar.
“And the dust returns to the earth as it had been” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) – they were from Babylon, and there they returned. “And the spirit returns to God, [who bestowed it]” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) – this is the Divine Spirit. When the Divine Spirit departed, they were exiled. Once they were exiled, Jeremiah would lament over them: How [eikha] does…sit solitary?” (Lamentations 1:1).

... Jeremiah said: when I was coming up to Jerusalem, I lifted up my eyes and saw a woman sitting on the mountaintop, her clothes were black and her hair unkempt. She cried: I am seeking who will comfort me! And I cried: I am seeking who will comfort me! I came near and spoke with her, and I said to her: if you are a woman, then speak with me. If you are a spirit, then go away from me. She answered and said to me: Do you not recognize me? I am the one who had seven children. Their father went away to a land across the sea and as I was going up to cry for him, a prophet said to me ‘the house collapsed on your seven children and killed them.’ I do not know for whom I am crying and for whom my hair is unkempt.I answered and said to her: you are no better than my mother Zion, who was made a pasture for the beasts of the field. She answered and said to me: I am your mother Zion, I am she – the mother of seven, so it is written “She who bore seven has been cut off…” (Jeremiah 15:9) Jeremiah said to her: the blows you have received are like those of Job. Job’s sons and daughters were taken from him, your sons and daughters were taken from you. From Job I took his silver and gold, from you I have taken your silver and gold. I cast Job into the trash heap, you I have made into a heap of trash. And just as I came back and consoled Job, so too in the future I will return and console you. I doubled Job’s sons and daughters, and in the future I will double your sons and daughters. I doubled Job’s gold and silver, and in the future I will do so for you. I shook the trash from Job, and of you it is said “Shake yourselves from the dust, arise, sit down, O Jerusalem…” (Isaiah 52:2) Flesh and blood built you and flesh and blood destroyed you. But In the time to come I will build you, because thus it is written “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) Amen! May the Holy One fulfill what is written about us speedily and in our day “And the redeemed of Zion shall return, and they shall come to Zion with song, with joy of days of yore shall be upon their heads; they shall achieve gladness and joy, and sadness and sighing shall flee.” (Isaiah 35:10)

Rav Naḥman began: “Oh, Ariel, Ariel” (Isaiah 29:1) – lion, mighty lion.¹¹⁰He understands the term Ariel to mean mighty lion [ari el]. “The city where David encamped” (Isaiah 29:1) – the city in which David encamped, a city in which no one other than David encamped,¹¹¹The city became the everlasting capital city of the Davidic kingdom. the city that David made his royal fortress. “Add year to year, festivals [ḥagim] will come around [yinkofu]” (Isaiah 29:1) – a year began and a year departed, but they did not ascend on the pilgrimage festivals. The roads were growing thorn bushes [higim]. That is what is written: “Ḥagim yinkofu.”¹¹²Ḥagim yinkofu is expounded to mean that travelers would have to remove the thorns [yinkofu higim]. “I will distress Ariel” (Isaiah 29:2) – Rabbi Nisa of Caesarea said: From here, that it had been a place of contentment for Israel. “There will be mourning and moaning” (Isaiah 29:2) – mortification upon mortification. “It will be for Me like Ariel” (Isaiah 29:2) – the second destruction will be like the first destruction. When they sinned they were exiled. When they were exiled, Jeremiah began lamenting over them, eikha.

... The angels said before the Holy One, ‘Master of the World! Isn’t this Jerusalem?!’ as it is said “This is Jerusalem; in the midst of the nations I have placed her…” (Yechezkel 5:5) He replied to them, “But she exchanged My judgments for wickedness more than the nations…” (Yechezkel 5:6) They said to Him, “But they are Your people and Your inheritance, which You brought out with Your great strength…” (Devarim 9:29) He replied to them, “For My people have forgotten Me; they burn incense to vanity…” (Yirmiyahu 18:15) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the forefathers!’ He replied to them, “…the fathers are kindling fire…” (Yirmiyahu 7:18) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the children!’ He replied to them, “But they rebelled against Me and would not consent to hearken to Me…” (Yechezkel 20:8) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribe of Yehudah!’ “And Judah did what displeased the Lord…” (Melachim I 14:22) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the leaders!’ He replied to them, “Its heads judge for bribes…” (Micha 3:11) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribes!’ He replied to them, ‘and Gad, and Reuven and the half tribe of Menashe…’ They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribe of Dan!’ He replied to them, “And the children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image.” (Shoftim 18:30) They said to Him,’ act for the sake of the students!’ He replied to them, “…And those who hold onto the Torah did not know Me…” (Yirmiyahu 2:8) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the prophets!’ He replied to them, “[It was] for the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests…” (Eicha 4:13) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the kings!’ He replied to them, “And the altars that were on the roof, [the roof of] Ahaz's upper chamber, which the kings of Judah had made…” (Melachim II 23:12) The ministering angels said to Him, ‘act for our sake!’ He replied to them, “But they mocked the messengers of God…” (Divre HaYamim II 36:16) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of Your name which is called upon them!’ He replied to them, ‘they have profaned My holy name.’ They said to Him, ‘You do not want to be appeased, what is the image of their father doing by You?’ “He has cast down from heaven to earth the glory of Israel…” (Eicha 2:1) This statement with which they clothed You, what has it done to You?! If the thing were not written, it would be impossible to say “The Lord has done what He devised, He has carried out His word…” (Eicha 2:17) They said to Him, ‘Master of the World! Is this not Jerusalem about whom you wrote “Behold on [My] hands have I engraved you…”’ (Yeshayahu 49:16) He replied to them, “I, too, shall clap My hands, one upon the other, and I shall put My fury to rest…” (Yechezkel 21:22) Since Zion saw that He did not want to be appeased, she started up and said “The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me." (Yeshayahu 49:14) May it be Your will Lord our God and God of our fathers that Your Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days, that your Presence return within it, that You gather my exiles from the four corners of the world, that they rebuild the cities of Yehudah and settle Shechem and inherit it speedily. Amen.

Rabbi Pinḥas began: “If after these you will not heed Me…” (Leviticus 26:18). Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua: Rabbi Eliezer says: The Holy One blessed be He does not bring punishment upon Israel until He first warns them. That is what is written: “If after these.” Rabbi Yehoshua says: So Israel would not say: The blows have ceased; He has no others to bring upon us, the verse states: “If after these [ad],” if there are more [od] of these, He has other [punishments] and more like these to bring [upon you]. “I will punish you further, seven ways for your sins” (Leviticus 26:18) – You violated seven transgressions before Me; come and accept upon yourselves seven punishments. You violated seven transgressions before Me, so Jeremiah comes to recite lamentations over you which are seven alphabetic [acrostics], eikha.¹¹³The book of Lamentations contains three alphabetical acrostics, in chapters 1,2, and 4, each beginning with the word eikha. Additionally, chapter 3 contains a triple alphabetical acrostic. Chapter 5 is not written in an acrostic, but since it has twenty-two verses, which are the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, the midrash refers to this too as alphabetical in the sense that it corresponds to the number of letters in the alphabet (Matnot Kehuna).

Variantly: "and the wrath of the L-rd will burn against you, and He will hold back the heavens and there will not be rain … then you will go lost quickly (into exile)." After all the afflictions that I bring upon you, I will exile you. Sore is exile over and against all, as it is written (Ibid. 29:27) "And the L-rd drove them off from their land in wrath and fury and great rage, and He cast them into a different land as this day." And (Jeremiah 15:2) "And it shall be, if they say to you: Where shall we go? Then you shall say: Thus said the L-rd: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such are for famine, to famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity." And (Amos 7:17) "Therefore, thus says the L-rd: Your wife will be a harlot in the city, and your sons and your daughters will fall by the sword, and your lands will be divided by line, and you will die in an unclean land, and Israel will go into captivity from off his land." And (Jeremiah 22:10) "Do not weep for the dead one, and do not bemoan him. But weep for the one that goes (into exile), for he will return no more to see the land of his birth." "Do not weep for the dead one": This is Yehoyakim, king of Judah. What is written of him? (Ibid. 22:19) "The burial of an ass will he be buried, dragged and cast beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

...And he dreamed and behold there was a ladder -- Rabbi Abuhu said: The words of dreams do not ascend and do not descend. Once a man went before Rabbi Yossi bar Halafta. He said: I saw in my dream, they said to me, "?????" He [Rabbi Yossi] said: "????". He said to him: "No! He said to him: "..." He said to him: "I don't have 20!" He said to him: "And if you don't have 20, count from their heads to their tails, and from...".... Bar Kapra taught: There is no dream that does not have an interpretation. Behold a ladder, this is a sheep. Placed on the earth, that is the altar (Exodus 20), Make me an altar of earth. And it's head reaches the heavens, those are the offerings, whose scent rises to the heavens. And behold the angels of God, those are the high priests. Rising and descending on it, that rise and descend with a sheep. And behold God is standing on it, (Amos 9): I have seen God standing on the altar. The rabbis interpret it as Sinai: He dreamed and behold there was a ladder, that is Sinai. Resting on the ground, (Exodus 19) and they stood at the bottom of the mountain. And its head reached the heavens, (Deuteronomy 4) And the mountain burned with fire unto the heart of heavens.....

...And he dreamed and behold there was a ladder -- Rabbi Abuhu said: The words of dreams do not ascend and do not descend. Once a man went before Rabbi Yossi bar Halafta. He said: I saw in my dream, they said to me, "?????" He [Rabbi Yossi] said: "????". He said to him: "No! He said to him: "..." He said to him: "I don't have 20!" He said to him: "And if you don't have 20, count from their heads to their tails, and from...".... Bar Kapra taught: There is no dream that does not have an interpretation. Behold a ladder, this is a sheep. Placed on the earth, that is the altar (Exodus 20), Make me an altar of earth. And it's head reaches the heavens, those are the offerings, whose scent rises to the heavens. And behold the angels of God, those are the high priests. Rising and descending on it, that rise and descend with a sheep. And behold God is standing on it, (Amos 9): I have seen God standing on the altar. The rabbis interpret it as Sinai: He dreamed and behold there was a ladder, that is Sinai. Resting on the ground, (Exodus 19) and they stood at the bottom of the mountain. And its head reached the heavens, (Deuteronomy 4) And the mountain burned with fire unto the heart of heavens.....

(Ibid.) "And Israel dwelt … alone": Not "alone" as in (Jeremiah 15:19) "Because of Your hand I sat alone." And not "alone" as in the words of that wicked one (Bilam, Bamidbar 23:9) "Lo, the people (Israel) shall dwell alone" (in the world). But as "alone" in the words of Moses (Devarim 32:12) "The L-rd alone led them, no strange god with Him."