Midrasz do Ezechiela 24:10

R. Jochanan (and according to others, R. Elazar), said: "The wife of a man does not die [frequently] unless he is requested to pay [his donation] and has not to pay, as it is said (Prov. 22, 27) If thou have nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?" R. Jochanan said again: "To him whose first wife dies, it is as if the Temple had been destroyed in his days, as it is said (Ezek. 24, 10) I will take away from thee the desire of thy eyes, etc., and (Ib.) And when I had spoken unto the people in the morning, my wife died at evening; and (Ib. 21) I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the desire of your eyes." R. Alexandrai said: "To him whose wife dies, the world around him is dark, as it is said (Job 18, 6) The light becometh dark in his tent, and his lamp will be quenched above him." R. Jose b. Chanina said: Also his steps become shortened, as immediately it reads: The steps of his strength shall be narrowed. And R. Abahu said: "Also his advice is no more of use; as the end of the verse cited reads: And his own counsel shall cast him down." Rabba b. b. Chana said in the name of R. Jochanan: "Joining couples is as difficult as the dividing of the Red Sea, as it is said (Ps. 68, 7) God places those who are solitary in the midst of their families: He bringeth out those who are bound unto happiness. Do not read Motzi Assirim (bringeth out those who are bound), but read it K' motzi Assirim (like bringing out those who are bound). Do not read Bakosharoth (into happiness), but read B'chi V'shiruth (weeping and singing); i.e., at the Red Sea they wept first and then sang." Is this so? Has not R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "Forty days before the embryo is formed, a heavenly voice goes forth and says: 'This and that daughter to this and that son.'" This is not difficult to explain. The latter deals with the first marriage, and the former with the second marriage. R. Samuel b. Nachman said: "For everything there may be an exchange, but not for the wife of one's youth, as it is said (Is. 54, 6) And as a wife of one's youth that was rejected." R. Juda taught to his son, R. Isaac: "One can find pleasure only in his first wife, as it is said (Prov. 5, 18) Thy fountain will be blessed; and rejoice with the wife (Ib. b) of thy youth." "Whom do you mean?" his son asked, and he answered: "Your mother." Is that so? Did not R. Juda teach to R. Isaac his son (Ecc. 7, 26) And I find as more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, etc? And the latter asked him: "Who, for an example?" He answered: "Like your mother." True, she was irascible, but was easily appeased with a word. R. Samuel b. Unya said in the name of Rab: "A woman [unmarried] is an unfinished vessel, and she makes a covenant with [cares for] none but him who made her a vessel; as it is said (Is. 54, 5) For thy husband is thy master," etc. There is a Baraitha; No one feels the death of a man more than his wife, and no one feels the death of a woman more than her hushaud. No one feels the death of a man more than his wife, as it is said (Ruth 1, 3) Thereupon died Elimelcch, Naomi's husband; and no one feels the death of a woman more than her husband, as it is said (Gen. 48, 7) And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me.

Rabbi Abbahu in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina began: “Therefore, so said the Lord [God]: Woe, city of bloodshed, [the pot whose filth is in it, and its filth has not gone out of it. Take it out piece by piece; no lot has been drawn over it]” (Ezekiel 24:6) – woe to the city in which blood has been shed. “The pot whose filth is in it” – whose filth is in it;¹²The midrash is translating the Hebrew phrase into Aramaic, which was the commonly spoken language when the midrash was composed. “and its filth has not gone out of it” – its filth has not gone out of it; “take it out piece by piece” – they would be exiled in increments.
How were they exiled? Rabbi Elazar says: The tribe of Reuben and the tribe of Gad were exiled first. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The tribe of Zebulun and the tribe of Naphtali were exiled first; that is what is written: “The first [ka’et] has dealt lightly with the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali” (Isaiah 8:23).¹³The phrase “has dealt lightly” is interpreted to mean lightened the population by exiling these tribes. How does Rabbi Elazar interpret the verse of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Like the time [ka’et] that the tribes of Reuben and Gad were exiled, so were the tribe of Zebulun and the tribe of Naphtali exiled. “But the latter has dealt severely [hikhbid]” (Isaiah 8:23) – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: He dragged them as with a broom [makhbid]. That is what is written: “I will sweep it with a broom of destruction” (Isaiah 14:23).
“No lot has been drawn over it” (Ezekiel 24:6) – Rabbi Naḥman said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: What is “no lot has been drawn over it”? The Holy One blessed be He said: When I drew lots over the nations of the world to exile them, they were not exiled. Why, then, were you exiled? “For its blood was within it” (Ezekiel 24:7).¹⁴This is a reference to the blood of Zekharia, the High Priest and prophet who was killed in the Temple, as the midrash will discuss. Why to that extent? It was “to arouse fury” (Ezekiel 24:8).¹⁵They left the blood of Zekharia uncovered in order to arouse God’s fury.
Rabbi Yudan asked Rabbi Aḥa, he said to him: Where did Israel kill Zekharia, in the Israelite courtyard or in the women’s courtyard? He said to him: Neither in the Israelite courtyard nor in the women’s courtyard, but rather in the priestly courtyard. And they did not treat his blood like the blood of a deer nor like the blood of a gazelle. Regarding the blood of a gazelle and the blood of a deer it is written: “He shall pour out its blood and cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13). But here it is written: “For its blood was within it; on a bare rock it placed it. It did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dirt” (Ezekiel 24:7).
Another matter: “Therefore, so said the Lord [God]: Woe, city of bloodshed” (Ezekiel 24:9) – woe to the city in which blood has been spilled. “I too will increase the conflagration” (Ezekiel 24:9) – I will increase the punishment. “Increase the wood” (Ezekiel 24:10) – these are the legions; “ignite the fire” (Ezekiel 24:10) – these are the kings; “consume the flesh” (Ezekiel 24:10) – this is the public. “Blend the mixture” (Ezekiel 24:10) – Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Neḥemya said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: Because all Israel were saying: Nebuchadnezzar has gathered all the wealth in the world, and he needs our wealth?¹⁶They assumed that Nebuchadnezzar would have no reason to attack them and they would remain safe. The Holy One blessed be He said: As you live, I will render your wealth dear to him like those spices that are served at a feast.¹⁷It was customary to burn incense at the end of a feast. Although all the food had already been consumed, this was considered a significant and desirable addition. Similarly, Nebuchadnezzar will seek your wealth in addition to all he has already amassed (Maharzu). “The bones will be charred” (Ezekiel 24:10) – you find that when Israel were exiled, their bodies became heated like a spiced dish.
“Place it empty upon its coals” (Ezekiel 24:11) – Rabbi Elazar said: Had it been stated [that it was] broken, there could have been no remedy forever, but it says “empty,” and any empty vessel will ultimately be filled. Why to that extent? ¹⁸Why was Israel made to suffer so much? “So that it will be heated and its bottom will burn, [and its impurity] will be melted within it, [that its filth may be consumed]” (Ezekiel 24:11).¹⁹God carried out all this punishment in order to ultimately purify Israel rather than to destroy Israel. Because they sinned they were exiled, and once they were exiled, Jeremiah began lamenting over them, eikha.