עַוָּ֥ה עַוָּ֖ה עַוָּ֣ה אֲשִׂימֶ֑נָּה גַּם־זֹאת֙ לֹ֣א הָיָ֔ה עַד־בֹּ֛א אֲשֶׁר־ל֥וֹ הַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט וּנְתַתִּֽיו׃ (פ)
네가 불에 섶과 같이 될 것이며 네 피가 나라 가운데 있을 것이며 네가 다시 기억되지 못할 것이니 나 여호와가 말하였음이니라 하라
Eikhah Rabbah
“He fenced me in that I will not emerge; He made my fetters heavy” (Lamentations 3:7).
“He fenced me in that I will not emerge” – Rabbi Aivu said: This is the enclosure of the Arabs. Rabbi Berekhya said: This is the fortress of the Persians.12The “enclosure of the Arabs” and the “fortress of the Persians” were locations where Jews were imprisoned. The Rabbis say: This is the strip of land of the Cuthites.13The Cuthites inhabited a strip of land in the Land of Israel that separated between the Jewish communities of Judea and the Galilee, and they would not permit Jews to travel between the two Jewish areas (see Ḥagiga 25a). “He made my fetters heavy” – He burdened me with land tax, state tax, and poll tax.
“Even when I cry and plead, He blocks my prayer” (Lamentations 3:8).
“Even when I cry and plead” – Rabbi Aḥa said: Anyone who prays with the congregation, to what is he comparable? It is to people who crafted a crown for the king. A poor man comes and donates his portion of it. What does the king say? Shall I not accept it because of this poor person?14The translation is in accordance with the Hebrew textual emendation of Rabbi David Luria. Immediately, the king accepts it and places it on his head. Likewise, if there were ten righteous men standing in prayer and there is a wicked man standing in their midst, what does the Holy One blessed be He say? Shall I not accept their prayer because of this wicked person? The Rabbis said: One who comes after the congregation, his actions are scrutinized. To what is he comparable? It is to a king whose sharecroppers and the members of his household entered to honor him. One came late. The king said: ‘Let his barrel be sealed.’15He brought a barrel of wine or other goods for the king, but the king does not accept the gift (Matnot Kehuna). What caused this for him? It is because he came late. So too, anyone who prays after the community, his actions are scrutinized. That is why it is stated: “Even when I cry and plead, He blocks [satam] my prayer.” Satam is written with a sin,16It is not written here with a samekh, which would have been the conventional spelling. Thus, the word can be vocalized shetam, which means “because it has concluded.” because the prayer of the congregation has concluded.
“He fenced my ways with hewn stone, distorted my paths” (Lamentations 3:9).
“He fenced my ways with hewn stone” – the daughters of Lod would knead their doughs, ascend and pray [in Jerusalem], and descend before they leavened. The daughters of Tzippori would ascend and praise [God] in the Temple, and there was no one who harvested the fig tree before them.17They would leave early in the morning and return early in the morning as well. Some assert that the text should state that they would stay for Shabbat [shavtan] rather than that they would praise God [shabḥan]. Nonetheless, they were able to return home so early on Sunday morning that they were the first to harvest the figs (Matnot Kehuna). The scribe of Migdal would prepare his lamps every Friday, would ascend [to the Temple], praise, and descend and kindle them. Some say that every Friday the scribe would ascend, review his [Torah] portion in the Temple, descend, and observe Shabbat in his home.
There was an incident involving a certain person who was standing and plowing. His ox fled. He went and told people what [had occurred]. They said to him: ‘On which thoroughfare did you come?’18Apparently, he had lost his way and did not know how to get home. Alternatively, they asked him which way his ox had taken so that they could help him find it. He began showing them but could not find the way. They applied to him the verse: “He fenced my ways with hewn stone, distorted [iva] my paths.” He rendered [the paths] ruins, just as it says: “A ruin [ava], a ruin, a ruin I will render it” (Ezekiel 21:32).
“He fenced me in that I will not emerge” – Rabbi Aivu said: This is the enclosure of the Arabs. Rabbi Berekhya said: This is the fortress of the Persians.12The “enclosure of the Arabs” and the “fortress of the Persians” were locations where Jews were imprisoned. The Rabbis say: This is the strip of land of the Cuthites.13The Cuthites inhabited a strip of land in the Land of Israel that separated between the Jewish communities of Judea and the Galilee, and they would not permit Jews to travel between the two Jewish areas (see Ḥagiga 25a). “He made my fetters heavy” – He burdened me with land tax, state tax, and poll tax.
“Even when I cry and plead, He blocks my prayer” (Lamentations 3:8).
“Even when I cry and plead” – Rabbi Aḥa said: Anyone who prays with the congregation, to what is he comparable? It is to people who crafted a crown for the king. A poor man comes and donates his portion of it. What does the king say? Shall I not accept it because of this poor person?14The translation is in accordance with the Hebrew textual emendation of Rabbi David Luria. Immediately, the king accepts it and places it on his head. Likewise, if there were ten righteous men standing in prayer and there is a wicked man standing in their midst, what does the Holy One blessed be He say? Shall I not accept their prayer because of this wicked person? The Rabbis said: One who comes after the congregation, his actions are scrutinized. To what is he comparable? It is to a king whose sharecroppers and the members of his household entered to honor him. One came late. The king said: ‘Let his barrel be sealed.’15He brought a barrel of wine or other goods for the king, but the king does not accept the gift (Matnot Kehuna). What caused this for him? It is because he came late. So too, anyone who prays after the community, his actions are scrutinized. That is why it is stated: “Even when I cry and plead, He blocks [satam] my prayer.” Satam is written with a sin,16It is not written here with a samekh, which would have been the conventional spelling. Thus, the word can be vocalized shetam, which means “because it has concluded.” because the prayer of the congregation has concluded.
“He fenced my ways with hewn stone, distorted my paths” (Lamentations 3:9).
“He fenced my ways with hewn stone” – the daughters of Lod would knead their doughs, ascend and pray [in Jerusalem], and descend before they leavened. The daughters of Tzippori would ascend and praise [God] in the Temple, and there was no one who harvested the fig tree before them.17They would leave early in the morning and return early in the morning as well. Some assert that the text should state that they would stay for Shabbat [shavtan] rather than that they would praise God [shabḥan]. Nonetheless, they were able to return home so early on Sunday morning that they were the first to harvest the figs (Matnot Kehuna). The scribe of Migdal would prepare his lamps every Friday, would ascend [to the Temple], praise, and descend and kindle them. Some say that every Friday the scribe would ascend, review his [Torah] portion in the Temple, descend, and observe Shabbat in his home.
There was an incident involving a certain person who was standing and plowing. His ox fled. He went and told people what [had occurred]. They said to him: ‘On which thoroughfare did you come?’18Apparently, he had lost his way and did not know how to get home. Alternatively, they asked him which way his ox had taken so that they could help him find it. He began showing them but could not find the way. They applied to him the verse: “He fenced my ways with hewn stone, distorted [iva] my paths.” He rendered [the paths] ruins, just as it says: “A ruin [ava], a ruin, a ruin I will render it” (Ezekiel 21:32).
Bereshit Rabbah
“The giants were on the earth in those days, and also thereafter, when the children of the great ones consorted with the daughters of man, and they bore them children; they are the mighty who were from ancient times, the men of renown” (Genesis 6:4).
“The giants were on the earth in those days.” They were called by seven names: Eimim, Refa’im, Giborim, Zamzumim, Anakim, Avim, Nefilim. Eimim – as anyone who saw them, fear of them [eimatan] would descend upon them. Refa’im – as anyone who saw them, his heart would become soft [rafeh] like wax. Giborim58Meaning, mighty men. – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said, in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: The marrow of the femur of one of them measured eighteen cubits. Zamzumim – Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: Intimidating military commanders.59Zamzumim is because they would be constantly ready [mezumanim] for battle. Anakim – the Rabbis and Rabbi Aḥa, the Rabbis say: They would wear numerous necklaces upon necklaces [anakim].60This is an indication of their wealth – anak is one of the words for necklace. Rabbi Aḥa said: It was as though they wore the sun as a necklace,61They lifted up their heads arrogantly towards the sun. and said: ‘[Go away and] let the rain fall upon us.’ Avim – as they brought annihilation upon the world and were themselves annihilated from the world, as they caused the world to be annihilated, just as it says: “A ruin, a ruin, a ruin [ava] I will render it” (Ezekiel 21:32). Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon said: Because they were as expert in soil as snakes, as in the Galilee they call snakes avya. Nefilim – as they toppled [hipilu] the world, fell from the world, and filled the world with stillborns [nefalim] with their immorality.62It was common for immoral women to abort their illegitimate fetuses.
“And also thereafter,” Yehuda bar Rav Ami said: The later [generations] did not learn from the earlier ones; the generation of the Flood did not learn from the generation of Enosh, and the generation of the Dispersion did not learn from the generation of the Flood.
“And also thereafter, when the children of the great ones consorted with the daughters of man,” Rabbi Berekhya said: A woman would go out to the marketplace and would see a young man and desire him. She would go and engage in intercourse and would produce a young man like him.
“The men of renown [shem]”63Literally, ‘name.’ – Rabbi Aḥa said: [Job said, of the wicked:] “They are loathsome people and also people without name ” (Job 30:8), and here you say, [of the generation of the Flood:] “The men of name”? However, it is because they brought desolation [hishimu] to the world, they were annihilated [hushamu] from the world, and they caused the world to become desolate [yishom]. Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Men whose names were articulated above. It is as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said; all these names are expressions of rebellion: “Irad” (Genesis 4:18) – ‘I will expel [ored] them from the world’; “Meḥuyael” (Genesis 4:18) – ‘I will eradicate [moḥeh] them from the world’; “Metushael” (Genesis 4:18) – ‘I will uproot [matish] them from the world’; [“Lemekh” (Genesis 4:18)] – ‘What do I have to do with Lemekh64Lemekh is an acronym for ma li valakh – what need do I have of you? and his offspring?’
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “They are the mighty who were from ancient times, the men of renown” – who detailed their actions? It was [Job’s friends,] Elifaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Tzofar the Naamatite. Rabbi says: Had the book of Job come to the world only to detail for us the deeds of the [generation of the] Flood, it would have been sufficient. Rabbi Ḥanin said: Had Elihu65Job’s fourth friend. come to the world only to explain to us the process of rainfall, it would have been sufficient, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every time “ora” is mentioned by Elihu it refers only to rainfall.66See Job 36:30; 36:32; 37:3; 37:11. Rabbi Hoshaya Rabba said: It refers only to the giving of the Torah, just as it says: “For the commandment is a lamp and the Torah is light [or]” (Proverbs 6:23).
Rabbi Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Contention is as troublesome as the generation of the Flood. Here “men of renown” is stated, and elsewhere [concerning Koraḥ’s rebellion]: “Distinguished of the convocation, men of renown” (Numbers 16:2) is stated. Just as “men of renown” stated there refers to contention, so, too, “men of renown” stated here refers to contention.
“The giants were on the earth in those days.” They were called by seven names: Eimim, Refa’im, Giborim, Zamzumim, Anakim, Avim, Nefilim. Eimim – as anyone who saw them, fear of them [eimatan] would descend upon them. Refa’im – as anyone who saw them, his heart would become soft [rafeh] like wax. Giborim58Meaning, mighty men. – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said, in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: The marrow of the femur of one of them measured eighteen cubits. Zamzumim – Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: Intimidating military commanders.59Zamzumim is because they would be constantly ready [mezumanim] for battle. Anakim – the Rabbis and Rabbi Aḥa, the Rabbis say: They would wear numerous necklaces upon necklaces [anakim].60This is an indication of their wealth – anak is one of the words for necklace. Rabbi Aḥa said: It was as though they wore the sun as a necklace,61They lifted up their heads arrogantly towards the sun. and said: ‘[Go away and] let the rain fall upon us.’ Avim – as they brought annihilation upon the world and were themselves annihilated from the world, as they caused the world to be annihilated, just as it says: “A ruin, a ruin, a ruin [ava] I will render it” (Ezekiel 21:32). Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon said: Because they were as expert in soil as snakes, as in the Galilee they call snakes avya. Nefilim – as they toppled [hipilu] the world, fell from the world, and filled the world with stillborns [nefalim] with their immorality.62It was common for immoral women to abort their illegitimate fetuses.
“And also thereafter,” Yehuda bar Rav Ami said: The later [generations] did not learn from the earlier ones; the generation of the Flood did not learn from the generation of Enosh, and the generation of the Dispersion did not learn from the generation of the Flood.
“And also thereafter, when the children of the great ones consorted with the daughters of man,” Rabbi Berekhya said: A woman would go out to the marketplace and would see a young man and desire him. She would go and engage in intercourse and would produce a young man like him.
“The men of renown [shem]”63Literally, ‘name.’ – Rabbi Aḥa said: [Job said, of the wicked:] “They are loathsome people and also people without name ” (Job 30:8), and here you say, [of the generation of the Flood:] “The men of name”? However, it is because they brought desolation [hishimu] to the world, they were annihilated [hushamu] from the world, and they caused the world to become desolate [yishom]. Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Men whose names were articulated above. It is as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said; all these names are expressions of rebellion: “Irad” (Genesis 4:18) – ‘I will expel [ored] them from the world’; “Meḥuyael” (Genesis 4:18) – ‘I will eradicate [moḥeh] them from the world’; “Metushael” (Genesis 4:18) – ‘I will uproot [matish] them from the world’; [“Lemekh” (Genesis 4:18)] – ‘What do I have to do with Lemekh64Lemekh is an acronym for ma li valakh – what need do I have of you? and his offspring?’
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “They are the mighty who were from ancient times, the men of renown” – who detailed their actions? It was [Job’s friends,] Elifaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Tzofar the Naamatite. Rabbi says: Had the book of Job come to the world only to detail for us the deeds of the [generation of the] Flood, it would have been sufficient. Rabbi Ḥanin said: Had Elihu65Job’s fourth friend. come to the world only to explain to us the process of rainfall, it would have been sufficient, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every time “ora” is mentioned by Elihu it refers only to rainfall.66See Job 36:30; 36:32; 37:3; 37:11. Rabbi Hoshaya Rabba said: It refers only to the giving of the Torah, just as it says: “For the commandment is a lamp and the Torah is light [or]” (Proverbs 6:23).
Rabbi Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Contention is as troublesome as the generation of the Flood. Here “men of renown” is stated, and elsewhere [concerning Koraḥ’s rebellion]: “Distinguished of the convocation, men of renown” (Numbers 16:2) is stated. Just as “men of renown” stated there refers to contention, so, too, “men of renown” stated here refers to contention.