Midrash su Gioele 1:8
אֱלִ֕י כִּבְתוּלָ֥ה חֲגֻֽרַת־שַׂ֖ק עַל־בַּ֥עַל נְעוּרֶֽיהָ׃
Lament come una vergine cinta di tela di sacco Per il marito della sua giovinezza.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
(Lam. 1, 2) Weeping, are they weeping. Why two weepings? Rabba said in the name of R. Jochanan: "One for the first Temple, and the other for the second Temple." In the night; i.e., because of what happened in a [former] night, as it is said (Num. 14, 1) And the people wept that night, and Rabba in the name of R. Jochanan, said: "This was the ninth of Ab, and the Holy One, praised be He! said: 'Ye have cried on this night in vain, and I shall decree it that your following generations shall lament on this night forever'." According to others, In the night, because at night a voice is heard better. According to still others, In the night, because for him who weeps in the night, it seems that the stars and planets are weeping with him. Others again say, because he who hears one weeping in the night, weeps with him, as it happened with a woman, a neighbor of Rabban Gamaliel, who wept because her son died, and he wept with her until his eyelids fell off. On the morrow his disciples discovered this, and they made her move away from his neighborhood. (Ib.) And her tears are on her cheeks. Rabba in the name of R. Jochanan, said: "Just like a woman weeps for the husband of her youth, as it is said (Joel 1, 8) Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the betrothed of her youth." (Lam.) Her adversaries are become chiefs. Rabba said in the name of R. Jochanan: "Every one who oppresses Israel becomes a chief, as it is said (Isa. 8, 3) For no fatigue befalleth him that oppresseth them." Rabba said further in the name of R. Jochanan: "Everyone who oppresses Israel never becomes tired."
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Pesikta Rabbati
... Teach us o teacher: toward where should one who prays orient his heart? This is what our Rabbis taught: one should orient his heart toward the place of the Holy of Holies (Berachot 4:5). R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov says: if one is praying outside of the land, he should orient his heart to the land of Israel. If one is praying within the land of Israel, he should orient his heart to Jerusalem. If one is praying in Jerusalem, he should orient his heart to the Holy Temple. If one is praying in the Holy Temple, he should orient his heart to the Holy of Holies. R’ Avin the Levi said: “our neck is like the Tower of David, built as a model (talpiyot)…” (Song of Songs 4:4) What does talpiyot mean? The hill (tel) toward which all turns (peniyot) are directed. And after all this praise, it is written “Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume your cedars.” (Zechariah 11:1) And so too they said “He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) Israel said to Him: Master of the World! How long will it be like this? Did You not write in Your Torah “…the one who ignited the fire shall surely pay” (Exodus 22:5)? And You are the one who ignited the fire, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) You need to rebuild it and to console us, not at the hands of an angel but You in Your glory. The Holy One said to them: by your life, so I will do! As it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) And I am the one who consoles you. From where do we learn this? From that which they read in the prophets “I, yea I am He Who consoles you…” (Isaiah 51:12)
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