ה֗וֹי מַגִּיעֵ֥י בַ֙יִת֙ בְּבַ֔יִת שָׂדֶ֥ה בְשָׂדֶ֖ה יַקְרִ֑יבוּ עַ֚ד אֶ֣פֶס מָק֔וֹם וְהֽוּשַׁבְתֶּ֥ם לְבַדְּכֶ֖ם בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ׃
가옥에 가옥을 연하며 전토에 전토를 더하여 빈 틈이 없도록 하고 이 땅 가운데서 홀로 거하려 하는 그들은 화 있을진저
Eikhah Rabbah
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin began in the name of Rabbi Levi: “Woe, those who join house to house” (Isaiah 5:8). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish: Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Woe, those who join house to house” – one who lends another on his house or lends another on his field in order to repossess it.61The reference is to one who loans another money in order to have a lien on the borrower’s house or field with the intention of repossessing it. The Holy One blessed be He says: What do you think, that you will inherit the land, that “you alone will be settled in the midst of the land” (Isaiah 5:8)? “In my ears, the Lord of hosts: If many houses will not be for desolation, great and excellent, without inhabitant” (Isaiah 5:9). Reish Lakish said: Like one who screams in the ear of another, not in one but in two, so, “in my ears, the Lord of hosts.”
Reish Lakish said: “Woe, those who join house to house” (Isaiah 5:8) – you have caused the first destruction to affect the second destruction. Just as in the first destruction, “Zion will be plowed like a field” (Jeremiah 26:18), so too, in the second destruction, “Zion will be plowed like a field.” “Until there is no room” (Isaiah 5:8) – what caused the place to be destroyed? It was because they did not leave any place where they did not engage in idol worship. Initially, they would worship it clandestinely. That is what is written: “He said to me: Have you seen, son of man, [what the elders of the house of Israel] are doing in the dark?” (Ezekiel 8:12). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so behind the door, as it is stated: “And behind the door and the doorpost you placed your commemoration” (Isaiah 57:8).62Your idol Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so on the roofs, as it is stated: “Those who prostrate themselves on the roofs to the hosts of the heavens” (Zephaniah 1:5). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so in the gardens, as it is stated: “Sacrificing in the gardens” (Isaiah 65:3). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so on the mountaintops, as it is stated: “They slaughter sacrifices on the mountaintops, and they burn incense on the hills” (Hosea 4:13). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so in the fields, as it is stated: “Their altars, too, will be as heaps on the furrows of the field” (Hosea 12:12). Rabbi Yudan, Rabbi Aivu, and Rabbi Tavi said in the name of Rabbi Yoshiya: On each and every furrow they would place an idol. Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiya said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: Each of them would plow his field on a diagonal and place the idol in the center so that all of the heads of the furrows would point to it.
Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so at the crossroads, as it is stated: “At every crossroad you built your shrine” (Ezekiel 16:25). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so in the squares, as it is stated: “You built for you a platform, and made for you a shrine in every square” (Ezekiel 16:24). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so in the cities, as it is stated: “For like the number of your cities were your gods, Judah…” (Jeremiah 2:28; 11:13). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so in the streets, as it is stated: “And like the number of streets of Jerusalem you placed altars to the shame” (Jeremiah 11:13).
How far did they go? It was to the extent that they introduced it into the Holy of Holies, as it is stated: “This image of infuriation babia” (Ezekiel 8:5). What is babia? Rabbi Aḥa said: Woe, woe [biya biya] to the lodger because of the Homeowner. Rabbi Berekhya said: “For the mat is too short for stretching” (Isaiah 28:20) – what is “for stretching [mehistare’a]”? For holding [shetaria] a woman [isha], her husband, and her counterpart [vere’ah]. “And the cover [masekha] is too narrow [tsara] for covering [kehitkanes]” (Isaiah 28:20) – you made a cast image [masekha] as a rival [tsara] to the One of whom it is written: “He gathers together [kones] the water of the sea like a mound” (Psalms 33:7). When they sinned they were exiled. When they were exiled, Jeremiah began lamenting over them, eikha.
Reish Lakish said: “Woe, those who join house to house” (Isaiah 5:8) – you have caused the first destruction to affect the second destruction. Just as in the first destruction, “Zion will be plowed like a field” (Jeremiah 26:18), so too, in the second destruction, “Zion will be plowed like a field.” “Until there is no room” (Isaiah 5:8) – what caused the place to be destroyed? It was because they did not leave any place where they did not engage in idol worship. Initially, they would worship it clandestinely. That is what is written: “He said to me: Have you seen, son of man, [what the elders of the house of Israel] are doing in the dark?” (Ezekiel 8:12). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so behind the door, as it is stated: “And behind the door and the doorpost you placed your commemoration” (Isaiah 57:8).62Your idol Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so on the roofs, as it is stated: “Those who prostrate themselves on the roofs to the hosts of the heavens” (Zephaniah 1:5). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so in the gardens, as it is stated: “Sacrificing in the gardens” (Isaiah 65:3). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so on the mountaintops, as it is stated: “They slaughter sacrifices on the mountaintops, and they burn incense on the hills” (Hosea 4:13). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so in the fields, as it is stated: “Their altars, too, will be as heaps on the furrows of the field” (Hosea 12:12). Rabbi Yudan, Rabbi Aivu, and Rabbi Tavi said in the name of Rabbi Yoshiya: On each and every furrow they would place an idol. Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiya said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: Each of them would plow his field on a diagonal and place the idol in the center so that all of the heads of the furrows would point to it.
Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so at the crossroads, as it is stated: “At every crossroad you built your shrine” (Ezekiel 16:25). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so in the squares, as it is stated: “You built for you a platform, and made for you a shrine in every square” (Ezekiel 16:24). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so in the cities, as it is stated: “For like the number of your cities were your gods, Judah…” (Jeremiah 2:28; 11:13). Since no one reprimanded them, they began doing so in the streets, as it is stated: “And like the number of streets of Jerusalem you placed altars to the shame” (Jeremiah 11:13).
How far did they go? It was to the extent that they introduced it into the Holy of Holies, as it is stated: “This image of infuriation babia” (Ezekiel 8:5). What is babia? Rabbi Aḥa said: Woe, woe [biya biya] to the lodger because of the Homeowner. Rabbi Berekhya said: “For the mat is too short for stretching” (Isaiah 28:20) – what is “for stretching [mehistare’a]”? For holding [shetaria] a woman [isha], her husband, and her counterpart [vere’ah]. “And the cover [masekha] is too narrow [tsara] for covering [kehitkanes]” (Isaiah 28:20) – you made a cast image [masekha] as a rival [tsara] to the One of whom it is written: “He gathers together [kones] the water of the sea like a mound” (Psalms 33:7). When they sinned they were exiled. When they were exiled, Jeremiah began lamenting over them, eikha.
Bereshit Rabbah
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi interpreted the verse regarding the exile. “Jacob departed [vayetze] from Beersheba” (Genesis 28:10) – just as it says: “Send them from My presence, and let them go [veyetze’u]” (Jeremiah 15:1). “And went to Ḥaran” (Genesis 28:10) – just as it says: “With which the Lord has tormented me on the day of His enflamed wrath [ḥaron apo]” (Lamentations 1:12).
“He encountered the place” (Genesis 28:11) – “until there is no more place” (Isaiah 5:8). “And stayed the night there because the sun had set” (Genesis 28:11) – “the one who bore seven is miserable…[her sun set while still day]” (Jeremiah 15:9). “He took from the stones from the place” (Genesis 28:11) – “The sacred stones are spilled at the head of every street” (Lamentations 4:1). “Which he placed beneath his head” (Genesis 28:11) – “[splendor] has come down from your heads” (Jeremiah 13:18). “And lay in that place” (Genesis 28:11) – “we will lie in our shame, and our humiliation will cover us” (Jeremiah 3:25).
“He dreamed, and behold, a ladder [sulam]” (Genesis 28:12) – this is Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. “Behold, a ladder” – this is Nebuchadnezzar’s idol; it is a symbol [semel], and it is a [sulam] – The letters of this are the letters of that.31Sulam – samekh, lamed, mem. Semel - samekh, mem, lamed. “Was set on the earth” (Genesis 28:12) – “he erected it in the valley of Dura” (Daniel 3:1). “Its top was reaching the heavens” – “its height was sixty cubits, and its width six cubits. He erected it in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylonia” (Daniel 3:1). “And behold, the angels of God” – this is Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya. “Were ascending and descending on it” – they were exalting his32Nebuchadnezzar’s. honor and denigrating his honor;33They said to him: ‘You are our king for taxes and land taxes, but as far as engaging in idol worship, you and a dog are equal’ (Bemidbar Rabba 15:14). dancing and leaping before him and denigrating: “Let it be known to you, king, that we will not worship your gods, and we will not prostrate ourselves to the golden image that you have erected” (Daniel 3:18). “Behold, the Lord was standing over him” (Genesis 28:13) – he said to Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya: “Servants of God Most High, emerge and come” (Daniel 3:26).
Another matter, “and behold, the angels of God” (Genesis 28:12) – this is Daniel. “Were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12) – he ascended and removed what it had swallowed from its mouth. That is what is written: “I will reckon with Bel in Babylon, and I will remove what it swallowed from its mouth” (Jeremiah 51:44). Nebuchadnezzar had a serpent and it would swallow everything that was cast before it. Nebuchadnezzar said to Daniel: ‘How great is its power, in that it swallows everything that is cast before it.' Daniel said to him: 'Give me permission and I will exhaust it.' He gave permission. What did he do? He took straw, concealed nails in it, cast it before it, and the nails perforated its innards. That is what is written: “I will remove what it swallowed from its mouth.”
“He encountered the place” (Genesis 28:11) – “until there is no more place” (Isaiah 5:8). “And stayed the night there because the sun had set” (Genesis 28:11) – “the one who bore seven is miserable…[her sun set while still day]” (Jeremiah 15:9). “He took from the stones from the place” (Genesis 28:11) – “The sacred stones are spilled at the head of every street” (Lamentations 4:1). “Which he placed beneath his head” (Genesis 28:11) – “[splendor] has come down from your heads” (Jeremiah 13:18). “And lay in that place” (Genesis 28:11) – “we will lie in our shame, and our humiliation will cover us” (Jeremiah 3:25).
“He dreamed, and behold, a ladder [sulam]” (Genesis 28:12) – this is Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. “Behold, a ladder” – this is Nebuchadnezzar’s idol; it is a symbol [semel], and it is a [sulam] – The letters of this are the letters of that.31Sulam – samekh, lamed, mem. Semel - samekh, mem, lamed. “Was set on the earth” (Genesis 28:12) – “he erected it in the valley of Dura” (Daniel 3:1). “Its top was reaching the heavens” – “its height was sixty cubits, and its width six cubits. He erected it in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylonia” (Daniel 3:1). “And behold, the angels of God” – this is Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya. “Were ascending and descending on it” – they were exalting his32Nebuchadnezzar’s. honor and denigrating his honor;33They said to him: ‘You are our king for taxes and land taxes, but as far as engaging in idol worship, you and a dog are equal’ (Bemidbar Rabba 15:14). dancing and leaping before him and denigrating: “Let it be known to you, king, that we will not worship your gods, and we will not prostrate ourselves to the golden image that you have erected” (Daniel 3:18). “Behold, the Lord was standing over him” (Genesis 28:13) – he said to Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya: “Servants of God Most High, emerge and come” (Daniel 3:26).
Another matter, “and behold, the angels of God” (Genesis 28:12) – this is Daniel. “Were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12) – he ascended and removed what it had swallowed from its mouth. That is what is written: “I will reckon with Bel in Babylon, and I will remove what it swallowed from its mouth” (Jeremiah 51:44). Nebuchadnezzar had a serpent and it would swallow everything that was cast before it. Nebuchadnezzar said to Daniel: ‘How great is its power, in that it swallows everything that is cast before it.' Daniel said to him: 'Give me permission and I will exhaust it.' He gave permission. What did he do? He took straw, concealed nails in it, cast it before it, and the nails perforated its innards. That is what is written: “I will remove what it swallowed from its mouth.”