Midrash su Lamentazioni 4:15

“Turn away, impure, they called to them. Turn away, turn away, do not touch, because they were loathsome, and also wandering; they said among the nations: They will not continue to reside here” (Lamentations 4:15).
“Turn away, impure, they called to them.” Rabbi Ḥanina interpreted the verse regarding the daughters of Zion. That is what is written: “The Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and they walk with outstretched necks [and painted eyes; they walk with dainty steps and tinkling with their feet]” (Isaiah 3:16). They would extend themselves to their full height and walk haughtily. “They walk with outstretched necks.” When one of them would wear her jewelry, she would turn her neck from side to side to display her jewelry. “And painted eyes,” Rabbi Asi of Caesarea said: They would paint their eyes with red paint. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: With a red eye salve. “They walk with dainty steps [halokh vetafof].” When one of them was tall, she would bring two short ones, one on this side and one on that side, so that she would appear floating [tafa] over them. When one of them was short, she would wear high wooden heels so she would look tall. “And tinkling [te’akasna] with their feet,” Rabbi Yosei said: They would craft the form of a serpent on their shoes.⁴¹This was an idolatrous symbol. A serpent can be referred to as aknha in Aramaic, which is related to the term te’akasna (Etz Yosef). The Rabbis say: She would bring the crop of a rooster, fill it with balsam, and place it between her heel and her shoe. When she would see a band of young men, she would stomp on it, and the fragrance would infuse them like the venom of a serpent.
Jeremiah would say to them: ‘Repent before the enemies come.’ They said to him: ‘If the enemies come against us, what can they do to us?’ That is what is written: “Who say: Let Him hurry, let Him hasten His action, so that we will see it; let the plans of the Holy One of Israel approach and be realized, and we will know it [veneda’a]” (Isaiah 5:19). A government official will see me, take me, and seat me with him in the carriage. She said to Jeremiah: ‘Let us see [neda] whose will be realized, ours or His.’ When their sins caused and their enemies came, they would adorn themselves and go out before them. A government official would see her and seat her in the carriage. A governor would see her and seat her in the carriage. A commander would see her and seat her in the carriage. The Holy One blessed be He said: Mine was not realized but theirs was realized.
What did He do? “The Lord will afflict with scabs [vesipaḥ] the heads of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 3:17). Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina, Rabbi Elazar said: He afflicted them with leprosy. This is as it says: “For the spot, for the scab [velasapaḥat], and for the bright spot” (Leviticus 14:56). Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: He placed on their heads swarms upon swarms of lice. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: He rendered them mekhudaniyot maidservants. What is mekhudaniyot? It is enslaved maidservants. Rabbi Berekhya and Ḥalafi bar Zevid [said] in the name of Rabbi Isi: What is vesipaḥ? He caused a flow [veshipa], in order to protect sacred offspring so that they would not assimilate among the peoples of the land. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I know that idolaters do not distance themselves from leprosy.’ What did he do? “The Lord will bare their private parts” (Isaiah 3:17). The Holy One blessed be He would hint to their uterus and it would discharge blood until it filled the entire carriage. The official would stab her with a spear and place her before the carriage and run her over and split her. That is what Jeremiah says: “Turn away [suru suru], impure, they called to them. Turn away, turn away, do not touch.” Rabbi Abba said: It is in the Greek language, stench [siron siron].⁴²Because of her foul odor the official cast her from the carriage.
“Because they were loathsome [natzu] and also wandering.” Rabbi Ḥanina said: Israel was not exiled until they blasphemed [niatzu] the Holy One blessed be He. Rabbi Simon said: Israel was not exiled until they became nemeses [baalei matzut] to the Holy One blessed be He.

(Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh.” Why do the plagues come?⁵⁰Cf. Lev. R. 17:3. Because of harlotry. And so you find in Jerusalem, that because they were absorbed in harlotry, they were afflicted with leprosy. What is written there (in Is. 3:16)? “Moreover, the Lord said, ‘Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with extended neck [and roving eyes] ….’” What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do to them? He struck them with leprosy, as stated (in vs. 17), “And the Lord will smite with sores (sph) the scalps of the daughters of Zion.” Smite with sores (sph) must mean "with leprosy," since it is stated (with reference to leprosy in Lev. 13:2), “a swelling or a sore (rt.: sph) […].” Hence it says (Lev. 13: 2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh a swelling or a sore (rt.: sph) […. (Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh a swelling or a sore or a bright spot, and it becomes… the plague of leprosy.”] The verse is speaking about [the four] empires.⁵¹Lev. R. 15:9. The swelling (s't) represents Babylon, since it is stated (in Is. 14:4), “And you shall take up (ns't) this song of scorn against the king of Babylon….” The sore (rt.: sph) represents Media, because Haman conspired (rt.: sph) with Ahasuerus (Esth. 3:18), “to devastate, kill, and destroy.” The bright spot represents the Greek empire, because it “lorded” it (rt.: bhr) over Israel and said, “Whoever has an ox, let him write on the horns of the ox that he has no share in the God of Israel.” ⁵²So also Lev. R. 15:9; Gen. R. 2:4; cf. 16:4. And if [they did] not [do so], they would sentence them to death. The plague of leprosy represents the empire of Edom (i.e., of Rome), because the Holy One, blessed be He, afflicted it and its guarding angel with leprosy, as stated (in Jer. 46:15), “Why has abbireka been washed away? Because the Lord has pushed him away.”⁵³See Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 3:19, and the note there. In the world to come the Holy One, blessed be He, shall sit in judgment over the empire of Edom. He will say to them, “Why did you oppress My children?” They will say, “Was it not You that delivered them into our hands?” Then the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to them, “Because (to paraphrase Is. 47:6) I delivered them into your hands, did you [see fit to] not show them mercy?” [Instead (according to Is. 47:6, cont.),] “upon the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.” This [aged one] is Rabbi Aqiva, whom the empire oppressed, [the empire] which has no end.⁵⁴Gen. R. 13:5. Another interpretation (of Is. 47:6, cont.), “upon the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy”: Because they made their yoke as heavy on the aged as upon the youth. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Babylon, “By your life, I am sitting over you in judgment to judge you and convict you.” Thus it is stated (in Is. 47:1), “Come down and sit upon the dust, O maiden daughter of Babylon; sit on the earth, not a throne.” Since she formerly sat upon a throne, now [she is told,] “Sit on the earth, not a throne; (Is. 47:1, cont.) for you shall no more be called [tender and delicate].” What shall I do to you? I will exact retribution from your guarding angel first and smite him with leprosy. Then after that, I will exact retribution from you. You should not say, “On this empire [only]”; but even upon Gog, since he vaunts himself upward in the world. I will smite him with leprosy, as stated (in Zech. 14:12) “And this shall be the plague [with which the Lord will smite all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem]: their flesh shall rot away while they stand on their feet.” For what reason? Because they engaged in battle with Israel. And so is it stated (Zech 14:12), “and this shall be the plague,” because they came against Israel. And do not be surprised, as behold the Lord exacts heavy retribution in leprosy from those who hate them even in this world. And who was [such a one]? This was Naaman, of whom it is stated (in II Kings 5:1), “Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram…; but the man, though a valiant warrior, was a leper.” For what reason was he a leper? Because he had taken a little girl captive from the Land of Israel. In this world He struck the idolaters with leprosy. And also in the world to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will afflict them with leprosy, as stated (in Zech. 14:12), “And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will smite ….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Because you have called my children unclean, I am making you unclean with a great uncleanness through leprosy.” Where is it shown that they called Israel unclean? Where it is stated (in Lam. 4:15) “Away, unclean, they cried at them….” [So] you will be leprous and impure, but Israel, I will sanctify, purify, and redeem them from among you, as stated (in Is. 62:12), “And they shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called, sought out, a city not forsaken.” So also King Solomon has said (in Cant. 4:7), “You are beautiful all over, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you.”

Another interpretation (of Is. 47:6, cont.): UPON THE AGED YOU MADE YOUR YOKE EXCEEDINGLY HEAVY. Because they made their yoke as heavy on the aged as upon the youth, the Holy One said to them: By your life, I am sitting over you in judgment to judge you and convict you. Thus it is stated (in Is. 47:1): COME DOWN AND SIT UPON THE DUST, O MAIDEN DAUGHTER OF BABYLON; SIT ON THE EARTH, NOT A THRONE, O CHALDEAN DAUGHTER…. It is calling Edom the DAUGHTER OF BABYLON, and it is calling Edom the CHALDEAN DAUGHTER. So what is the meaning of DAUGHTER OF BABYLON? Babylon's twin sister. Just as Babylon destroyed my house, so also has this one destroyed my house. Ergo (in Is. 47:1): O DAUGHTER OF BABYLON, SIT ON THE EARTH, NOT A THRONE. Since she formerly sat upon a throne, now < she is told > SIT ON THE EARTH, NOT A THRONE, < … > FOR YOU SHALL NO MORE BE CALLED {THE TENDER AND DELICATE ONE} [TENDER AND DELICATE]. Since she pampered herself over against my children, therefore < she is told > YOU SHALL NO MORE BE CALLED TENDER AND DELICATE. What shall I do to you? I will exact retribution from your prince and smite him with leprosy. Then after that, I will exact retribution from you. You should not say: In this empire < only >, but even upon Gog, since he vaunts himself upward in the world. I will smite him with leprosy, as stated (in Zech. 14:12): AND THIS SHALL BE THE PLAGUE WITH WHICH THE LORD WILL SMITE ALL THE PEOPLES WHO HAVE WARRED AGAINST JERUSALEM: < THEIR FLESH SHALL ROT AWAY…. > For what reason? Because they engaged in battle with Israel. AND THIS SHALL BE THE PLAGUE. For what reason? Because they WARRED AGAINST JERUSALEM. And do not be surprised that the Lord exacts retribution in leprosy from those who hate them even in this world. And who was < such a one >? This was Naaman, of whom it is stated (in II Kings 5:1): NOW NAAMAN, THE COMMANDER OF THE ARMY OF THE KING OF ARAM…; BUT THE MAN, THOUGH A VALIANT WARRIOR, WAS A LEPER. For what reason was he a leper? Because he had taken a little girl captive from the land of Israel. And also in the world to come the Holy One will afflict them with leprosy, as stated (in Zech. 14:12): AND THIS SHALL BE THE PLAGUE. The Holy One said: Because you have called my children unclean, I am making you unclean with a great uncleanness through leprosy. Where is it shown that they called Israel unclean? Where it is stated (in Lam. 4:15) AWAY, UNCLEAN, THEY CRIED AT THEM. In the case of Israel, however, I will sanctify, purify, and redeem them from among you, as stated (in Is. 62:12): AND THEY SHALL CALL THEM THE HOLY PEOPLE, THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD. So also Solomon has said (in Cant. 4:7): YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL ALL OVER, MY BELOVED, AND THERE IS NO BLEMISH IN YOU.

When Israel went out of Egypt, Moses said ‘Judah became His -holy one, Israel, His dominion’ (Psalms 114:2); and when Israel went out of Jerusalem, Jeremiah said ‘“Away! Unclean!” people shouted at them, “Away! Away!”’ (Lamentations 4:15)