Midrash su Geremia 52:6
בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ הָֽרְבִיעִי֙ בְּתִשְׁעָ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ וַיֶּחֱזַ֥ק הָרָעָ֖ב בָּעִ֑יר וְלֹא־הָיָ֥ה לֶ֖חֶם לְעַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Nel quarto mese, nel nono giorno del mese, la carestia era dolorante in città, quindi non c'era pane per il popolo della terra.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
We are taught in a Baraitha, R. Simeon b. Jochai said: "There are four matters that R. Akiba expounded, but which I interpret differently. The fast of the fourth, means the seventeenth of Tamuz, on which the city was broken in; as it is said (Jer. 52, 6, 7) In the fourth month, in the ninth when the famine was severe, and further it is written, The city was broken. And why is it called the fourth? Because it is the fourth month. The fast of the fifth, means the ninth of Ab, on which the Temple of our Lord was burnt. And why is it called the fifth? Because it is the fifth month. The fast of day on which Gedaliah, the son of Achikam, was slain. Who killed him? Ishmael ben Nethania murdered him. This is to teach that the death of the righteous is equal to the loss of the house of our Lord. And why is it called the seventh? Because it happened in the seventh mouth. The fast of the tenth, means the tenth of Tebeth, the day on which the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem. As it is said (Ezek. 24, 1, 2) And the word of the Lord came unto me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, saying: Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this self-same day. This selfsame day the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem. And why is it called the tenth? Because it occurred in the tenth month. Actually this last event should have been placed first [since it occurred first]; but why is it placed last? In order to mention the months in their regular order. [This is the opinion of R. Akiba.] I, however, do not think so; but that the fast of the tenth refers to the fifth of Tebeth, on which day the news came to the exiles that the city was smitten; as it is said (Ezek. 33, 21) And it came to pass on the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth (month), in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, saying, 'The city is smitten.' They considered the day on which they received the news equal to the day [on which the Temple] was burnt. And I prefer my opinion, for I explain the first, first, and the last, last; while he explains the last, first and the first, last. Again, while I mention them in accordance with both, the order of the occurrences, as well as the order of the months, he mentions them only in accordance with the order of the months."
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Ein Yaakov
(22) We are taught in a Baraitha, R. Simeon b. Jochai said: "There are four matters that R. Akiba expounded, but which I interpret differently. The fast of the fourth, means the seventeenth of Tamuz, on which the city was broken in; as it is said (Jer. 52, 6, 7) In the fourth month, in the ninth when the famine was severe, and further it is written, The city was broken. And why is it called the fourth? Because it is the fourth month. The fast of the fifth, means the ninth of Ab, on which the Temple of our Lord was burnt. And why is it called the fifth? Because it is the fifth month. The fast of day on which Gedaliah, the son of Achikam, was slain. Who killed him? Ishmael ben Nethania murdered him. This is to teach that the death of the righteous is equal to the loss of the house of our Lord. And why is it called the seventh? Because it happened in the seventh mouth. The fast of the tenth, means the tenth of Tebeth, the day on which the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem. As it is said (Ezek. 24, 1, 2) And the word of the Lord came unto me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, saying: Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this self-same day. This selfsame day the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem. And why is it called the tenth? Because it occurred in the tenth month. Actually this last event should have been placed first [since it occurred first]; but why is it placed last? In order to mention the months in their regular order. [This is the opinion of R. Akiba.] I, however, do not think so; but that the fast of the tenth refers to the fifth of Tebeth, on which day the news came to the exiles that the city was smitten; as it is said (Ezek. 33, 21) And it came to pass on the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth (month), in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, saying, 'The city is smitten.' They considered the day on which they received the news equal to the day [on which the Temple] was burnt. And I prefer my opinion, for I explain the first, first, and the last, last; while he explains the last, first and the first, last. Again, while I mention them in accordance with both, the order of the occurrences, as well as the order of the months, he mentions them only in accordance with the order of the months."
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Eikhah Rabbah
“All its people are sighing, seeking bread; they have given their delights for food to restore life. See, Lord, and look, for I have become abject” (Lamentations 1:11).
“All its people are sighing.” It is written: “In the fourth month, on the ninth of the month, the famine intensified in the city [and there was no bread for the people of the land]” (Jeremiah 52:6). “For the people of the land” there was no bread, but for the residents of Judah there was bread.145This is a reference to the aristocracy, who still had stores of bread. That was in the first destruction. However, in the second destruction: “All its people are sighing, seeking bread…” Initially, they would lower them a basket of gold and they would give them a basket of wheat.146The wealthy residents of Jerusalem would lower baskets of gold over the wall and enemy soldiers would give them baskets of wheat in exchange. Subsequently, they would lower them a basket of gold and they would give them a basket of barley. Subsequently, they would lower them a basket and they would give them a basket of straw. What would they do? They would boil it and drink its broth. Subsequently, they would lower them a basket of gold, and they would give them nothing. Rabbi Yehuda ben Sigena said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: If, regarding one who could give but did not take, it says: “You shall give him” (Deuteronomy 15:10), one who takes and does not give, all the more so.147The verse cited requires one to give charity to the needy, and follows a verse that states that if one fails to do so, it is considered a sin (Deuteronomy 15:9). How much more so, one who takes from the needy and does not even give anything in return (Rabbi David Luria).
“To restore life,” with how much is life restored? Rabbi says: A date-bulk. Rabbi Ḥananya said: A dried fig-bulk.
“See, Lord, and look.” Rabbi Pinḥas said: There was an incident involving two women, prostitutes, who were fighting with one another. One said to her counterpart while they were fighting with one another: ‘Won’t you go away from here, as your face appears like that of a Jewess.’ Some time later they reconciled. She said to her: ‘I pardon and forgive you for everything, but for the fact that you said to me: Your face appears like that of a Jewess, I will not pardon and I will not forgive you.’ That is why it is stated: “For I have become abject.”
“All its people are sighing.” It is written: “In the fourth month, on the ninth of the month, the famine intensified in the city [and there was no bread for the people of the land]” (Jeremiah 52:6). “For the people of the land” there was no bread, but for the residents of Judah there was bread.145This is a reference to the aristocracy, who still had stores of bread. That was in the first destruction. However, in the second destruction: “All its people are sighing, seeking bread…” Initially, they would lower them a basket of gold and they would give them a basket of wheat.146The wealthy residents of Jerusalem would lower baskets of gold over the wall and enemy soldiers would give them baskets of wheat in exchange. Subsequently, they would lower them a basket of gold and they would give them a basket of barley. Subsequently, they would lower them a basket and they would give them a basket of straw. What would they do? They would boil it and drink its broth. Subsequently, they would lower them a basket of gold, and they would give them nothing. Rabbi Yehuda ben Sigena said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: If, regarding one who could give but did not take, it says: “You shall give him” (Deuteronomy 15:10), one who takes and does not give, all the more so.147The verse cited requires one to give charity to the needy, and follows a verse that states that if one fails to do so, it is considered a sin (Deuteronomy 15:9). How much more so, one who takes from the needy and does not even give anything in return (Rabbi David Luria).
“To restore life,” with how much is life restored? Rabbi says: A date-bulk. Rabbi Ḥananya said: A dried fig-bulk.
“See, Lord, and look.” Rabbi Pinḥas said: There was an incident involving two women, prostitutes, who were fighting with one another. One said to her counterpart while they were fighting with one another: ‘Won’t you go away from here, as your face appears like that of a Jewess.’ Some time later they reconciled. She said to her: ‘I pardon and forgive you for everything, but for the fact that you said to me: Your face appears like that of a Jewess, I will not pardon and I will not forgive you.’ That is why it is stated: “For I have become abject.”
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