Midrasz do Jeremiasza 31:78

(Deut. 14:22:) YOU SHALL SURELY TITHE <ALL>. Moses said: Sovereign of the World, does it follow from here that one takes out a tithe? The Holy One said to him (in Job 8:8, 10): SO PLEASE ASK A FORMER GENERATION, AND CONFIRM THE RESEARCH OF THEIR ANCESTORS…. WILL THEY NOT INSTRUCT YOU AND TELL YOU….? How so? (I Chron. 1:1:) ADAM, SETH, ENOSH. From Adam up to Noah there are ten generations,¹I.e., Adam, 2. Seth, 3. Enosh, 4. Kenan, 5. Mahalalel, 6. Jared, 7. Enoch, 8. Methuselah, 9. Lamech, and 10. Noah. See Tanh., Gen. 9:1; TDER (16), p. 80 (Friedmann). and I took the tenth.²Probably Noah (Gen. 6:9), but possibly Enoch (Gen. 5:21). See PRK 23:10. From Noah to Abraham there are ten generations,³I.e., 1. Noah, 2. Arpachshad, 3. Shelah, 4. Eber, 5. Peleg, 6. Reu, 7. Serug, 8. Nahor, 9. Terah, 10. Abraham. and I took the tenth, which was Abraham. So it is therefore written (in Job 8:10): WILL THEY NOT INSTRUCT YOU AND TELL YOU to take out one tenth? (Deut. 15:20:) YEAR BY YEAR. If you have taken out a tithe during a given year, you gain merit for another year. R. Abba bar Kahana said: The importance of tithes is <mentioned> throughout all the Torah (in the Law, in the Prophets, and in the Writings). It is written (in Deut. 6:16): DO NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST <AS YOU PUT HIM TO THE TEST THROUGH A TAX (MSH)>.⁴So the midrash understands this verse. Since Deut. 6:16 refers to an incident at Massah (MSH) in Exod. 17:1–7, biblical translations render the bracketed clause to mean, AS YOU PUT HIM TO THE TEST AT MASSAH. Exod. 17:1–7 also explains in vs. 7 that MASSAH means “test.” The midrash, however, either revowels MSH as MISSAH, a word which means “tribute,” “contribution,” or “quota,” in this case the tithe, or perhaps understands the name as a form of mas, which had come to mean “tax.” Also in reference to tithes it is written (in Mal. 3:10): [BRING ALL THE TITHE <INTO THE STOREHOUSE, THAT THERE MAY BE FOOD IN MY HOUSE>]. SO PLEASE TEST ME IN THIS, <SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS>. And who tested the tithes? The generation of Hezekiah, as stated (in II Chron. 31:9–10): THEN HEZEKIAH {THE KING} QUESTIONED <THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES> ABOUT THE HEAPS (of produce). SO THE CHIEF PRIEST AZARIAH OF THE HOUSE OF ZADOK SPOKE [UNTO HIM] <AND SAID: EVER SINCE PEOPLE BEGAN TO BRING THE TERUMAH (i.e., the priestly tithe on produce) TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD,> WE HAVE EATEN {AND HAVE DRUNK} [AND HAVE BEEN SATISFIED], WHILE LEAVING OVER <FOOD IN GREAT AMOUNTS>. Why? (Ibid., cont.:) BECAUSE THE LORD HAS BLESSED HIS PEOPLE. The Holy One said: In this world I have blessed one generation, but hereafter in the world to come, I am blessing <all the generations of> Israel, as stated (in Jer. 31:22 [23]): AGAIN THEY SHALL SAY THIS THING {ON THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD, IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL THE CITIES OF JUDAH} [IN THE LAND OF JUDAH AND ITS CITIES, WHEN I RESTORE THEM AS BEFORE]: MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU, O HABITATION OF {RIGHTEOUS HOLINESS} [RIGHTEOUSNESS], O HOLY MOUNTAIN.

(Deut. 14:22:) YOU SHALL SURELY TITHE <ALL>. Moses said: Sovereign of the World, does it follow from here that one takes out a tithe? The Holy One said to him (in Job 8:8, 10): SO PLEASE ASK A FORMER GENERATION, AND CONFIRM THE RESEARCH OF THEIR ANCESTORS…. WILL THEY NOT INSTRUCT YOU AND TELL YOU….? How so? (I Chron. 1:1:) ADAM, SETH, ENOSH. From Adam up to Noah there are ten generations,¹I.e., Adam, 2. Seth, 3. Enosh, 4. Kenan, 5. Mahalalel, 6. Jared, 7. Enoch, 8. Methuselah, 9. Lamech, and 10. Noah. See Tanh., Gen. 9:1; TDER (16), p. 80 (Friedmann). and I took the tenth.²Probably Noah (Gen. 6:9), but possibly Enoch (Gen. 5:21). See PRK 23:10. From Noah to Abraham there are ten generations,³I.e., 1. Noah, 2. Arpachshad, 3. Shelah, 4. Eber, 5. Peleg, 6. Reu, 7. Serug, 8. Nahor, 9. Terah, 10. Abraham. and I took the tenth, which was Abraham. So it is therefore written (in Job 8:10): WILL THEY NOT INSTRUCT YOU AND TELL YOU to take out one tenth? (Deut. 15:20:) YEAR BY YEAR. If you have taken out a tithe during a given year, you gain merit for another year. R. Abba bar Kahana said: The importance of tithes is <mentioned> throughout all the Torah (in the Law, in the Prophets, and in the Writings). It is written (in Deut. 6:16): DO NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST <AS YOU PUT HIM TO THE TEST THROUGH A TAX (MSH)>.⁴So the midrash understands this verse. Since Deut. 6:16 refers to an incident at Massah (MSH) in Exod. 17:1–7, biblical translations render the bracketed clause to mean, AS YOU PUT HIM TO THE TEST AT MASSAH. Exod. 17:1–7 also explains in vs. 7 that MASSAH means “test.” The midrash, however, either revowels MSH as MISSAH, a word which means “tribute,” “contribution,” or “quota,” in this case the tithe, or perhaps understands the name as a form of mas, which had come to mean “tax.” Also in reference to tithes it is written (in Mal. 3:10): [BRING ALL THE TITHE <INTO THE STOREHOUSE, THAT THERE MAY BE FOOD IN MY HOUSE>]. SO PLEASE TEST ME IN THIS, <SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS>. And who tested the tithes? The generation of Hezekiah, as stated (in II Chron. 31:9–10): THEN HEZEKIAH {THE KING} QUESTIONED <THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES> ABOUT THE HEAPS (of produce). SO THE CHIEF PRIEST AZARIAH OF THE HOUSE OF ZADOK SPOKE [UNTO HIM] <AND SAID: EVER SINCE PEOPLE BEGAN TO BRING THE TERUMAH (i.e., the priestly tithe on produce) TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD,> WE HAVE EATEN {AND HAVE DRUNK} [AND HAVE BEEN SATISFIED], WHILE LEAVING OVER <FOOD IN GREAT AMOUNTS>. Why? (Ibid., cont.:) BECAUSE THE LORD HAS BLESSED HIS PEOPLE. The Holy One said: In this world I have blessed one generation, but hereafter in the world to come, I am blessing <all the generations of> Israel, as stated (in Jer. 31:22 [23]): AGAIN THEY SHALL SAY THIS THING {ON THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD, IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL THE CITIES OF JUDAH} [IN THE LAND OF JUDAH AND ITS CITIES, WHEN I RESTORE THEM AS BEFORE]: MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU, O HABITATION OF {RIGHTEOUS HOLINESS} [RIGHTEOUSNESS], O HOLY MOUNTAIN.

“I said in my heart: Come now, I will experiment in joy, and see goodness; and, behold, it too is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 2:1).
“I said in my heart: Come now, I will experiment in joy” – Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥizkiyya in the name of Rabbi Simon bar Zavdi: Rabbi Pinḥas said: “I will experiment [anasekha]” and I will experiment;¹The midrash is interpreting the word anasekha to mean anaseh ko, I will experiment with this, and when experimenting one generally investigates different options (Matnot Kehuna). I will try matters of Torah and I will try matters of heresy. I will flee [anusa] from matters of heresy to matters of Torah, “and see goodness,” the goodness of Torah. “And, behold, it too is vanity” – the verse should have said only: “And behold, it too is joy,”²As the verse states “I will experiment in joy.” and you say: “And, behold, it too is vanity”? Rabbi Ḥizkiyya said in the name of Rabbi Simon bar Zavdi: All the Torah that you study in this world is vanity relative to the Torah in the World to Come, as in this world, a person studies Torah and forgets. But, regarding the World to Come, what is written there? “I placed My Torah in their midst” (Jeremiah 31:32).
And the Rabbis say: The evil inclination will melt before the good inclination.³They interpret the word anasekha to mean “will melt” [yinatekh] (Matnot Kehuna). “And see goodness” – the goodness of the World to Come. Rabbi Yona in the name of Rabbi Simon bar Zevid: Any serenity that a person sees in this world is vanity relative to the serenity of the World to Come, as in this world, a person dies and bequeaths his serenity⁴His prosperity, which facilitates his serenity in this world. to another, but regarding the World to Come it is written: “They will not build and another inhabit” (Isaiah 65:22).

Listen, heavens and I will speak: Happy is the one born of a woman who says like this to the creation of the Heavens. As a king would say to his servants, "Listen and hear my words"; so did he say to the heavens and the earth, "Be quiet until all of my words are finished." "Listen, heavens": This is what is stated in the verse (Jeremiah 32:36) - "If the heavens above could be measured, and the foundations of the earth below could be fathomed, then would I also reject all the seed of Israel." Since they exist forever and Israel exists forever, they were summoned to testify that Israel is observing the Torah and the commandments. But if, God forbid, they negate them, the hand of the witnesses will be the first against them, to kill them. It is written (Deuteronomy 11:17), "and He will shut up the skies and there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its produce." Hence, he summoned them to testify when Israel is observing the Torah and the commandments. But if, God forbid, they refuse, the hand of the witnesses will be the first against them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 31:28), "and I will bring the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you." And this is why he brought them for testimony - as it is [found] in the Pesikta [that] man is compared to the twelve constellations: At the beginning when he is born, he is compared to a lamb, as he is soft, but he grows up to be like an ox. When he grows [older], he becomes twins, meaning to say complete, and the evil impulse grows in him. And at the beginning, it is weak like a crab; but afterwards when it grows, it becomes strong like a lion. And if he sins, it becomes like a virgin. And if he adds [more] transgressions, they are measured in the scales. And if he continues in his rebellion, he is brought down to the pit below, to the pit and Geihinom - like a scorpion placed in the earth and in ditches. But if he repents, he is thrown out - like one who slings his arrows with a bow. That is why we are accustomed to mention the dead on Shabbat, so that they do not return to Geihinom. As so is it [found] in Torat Kohanim (on Deuteronomy 21:8), "'Atone for your people' - those are the living; 'that You have redeemed' - those are the dead. From here, [we learn] that the living redeem the dead." Hence we are accustomed to mention the dead on Yom Kippur and to distribute charity for their sake. As so did we learn in Torat Kohanim, "It is possible that from when they died, charity does not help them. [Hence] we learn to say, 'that You have redeemed.'" From here, [we learn] that when we distribute charity for their sake, we take them out and bring them up like an arrow from the bow. He [then] immediately becomes soft like a goat and is rendered pure like the time that he was born, and we pour pure water from a pail upon him. And he grows with great pleasure like a fish enjoying the water. So does he immerse at all times in the rivers of afarsimon and milk, and oil and honey; and he always eats from the tree of life that is planted inside the partition of the righteous, and its branches leans over the table of each and every righteous one. And he lives forever. To here is new. But from here and onward is from the old.

(Exodus 15:1) "Az yashir Mosheh": Az ("then") sometimes signals the past and sometimes signals the future. The past: (Genesis 4:26) "Az men began", (Exodus 4:26) "Az she said", (Exodus 15:1) "Az Moses sang", (Numbers 21:17) "Az Israel sang", (Joshua 10:12) "Az Joshua spoke", (I Chronicles 15:2) "Az David said", (I Kings 8:12) "Az Solomon said." And sometimes "Az" signals the future, viz.: Isaiah 60:5) "Az you will see and flow", (Ibid. 58:8) "Az your light shall break forth as the morning", "Then there shall be opened", (Ibid. 35:6) "Az the lame man shall leap as a hart", (Ibid. 5) (Jeremiah 31:12) "Az the virgin will rejoice in the dance", (Psalms 126:2) "Az our mouth will be filled with laughter", (Ibid.) "Az they will say among the nations." Variantly: It is not written "Then Moses sang," but then Moses will sing" — whence we derive the resurrection from Scripture. (Exodus 15:1) "Moses and the children of Israel": Moses was equivalent to all of Israel, and all of Israel, to Moses, when they sang the song. Variantly: "Moses and the children of Israel": We are hereby apprised that Moses chanted the song opposite all of Israel (i.e., that his voice was over and against those of all of Israel.) "this song": There are ten "songs." The first, that sung in Egypt, viz. (Isaiah 30:29) "The song (of Sancherev's destruction [on Pesach night]) will be to you as that of the night on which you sanctified the festival (Pesach [in Egypt]), etc." The second, that of the sea — "Then Moses sang." The third, that of the well (Numbers 21:17) "Then Israel sang." The fourth, that of Moses, viz. (Devarim 31:22) "And Moses wrote this song (32:1-43). The fifth, that of Joshua, viz. (Joshua 10:12) "Then Joshua spoke to the L rd on the day the L rd delivered, etc." The sixth, that of Devorah and Barak, viz. (Judges 5:1) "And Devorah and Barak the son of Avinoam sang, etc." The seventh, that of David, viz. (II Samuel 22:1) "And David spoke to the L rd the words of this song, etc." The eighth, that of Solomon, viz. (Psalms 30:1) "A psalm, a song of the inauguration of the Temple of David." Now did David built it? Did not Solomon build it? viz. (I Kings 6:14) "And Solomon built the Temple." Why, then, is it written "A psalm, a song of the inauguration of the Temple of David? But because David devoted his life to building it, it was called by his name. Similarly, (Psalms 132:1-6) "Remember, O L rd, unto David, al of his tribulation (in seeking a place for Your sanctuary), which, (to find the place,) he swore to the L rd, vowed to the Strength of Jacob: Forefend that I came to the test of my habitation (my palace), that I go up on the bed spread out before me, that I give (superfluous) sleep to my eyes or slumber to my lids, before I find the (fore-ordained) place for (the Temple of) the L rd, the habitation of the Strength of Jacob. We had heard it (that place) to be in Efrat (the most select of places), and, lo, we have found it in the fields of the forest (in the boundary of Benjamin, who is likened to a beast of the forest" [viz. Genesis 49:27]). And what is written afterwards? (I Kings 12:16) "See your house, O David." Because David devoted his life to it, it was called by his name. And thus you find that whatever a man devotes his life to is called by his name. Moses devoted his life to three things, and they were (all) called by his name. He devoted his life to Torah and it was called by his name, viz. (Malachi 3:22) "Remember the Torah of Moses, My servant." Now is it not the Torah of G d? viz. (Psalms 19:8) "The Torah of the L rd is whole, restoring the soul." How, then, are we to understand "the Torah of Moses, My servant"? Because he devoted his life to it, it is called by his name. And whence do we find that he gave his life for Torah? In (Exodus 34:28) "And he was there with the L rd (to receive the Torah) … Bread he did not eat, etc." And it is written (Devarim 9:10) "And I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights, etc." — Because he devoted his life to Torah, it was called by his name. Because he devoted his life to Israel, they were called by his name, viz. (Exodus 32:7) "Go, descend, for your people have wrought corruptly." Now are they not the people of the L rd? viz. (Devarim 9:29) "For they are Your people and Your inheritance," and (Ezekiel 36:20) "… when it was said of them: These are the people of the L rd, and they came out of His land." How, then, are we to understand "Go, descend, for your people have wrought corruptly"? Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. And whence do we find that he devoted his life to them? In (Exodus 2:11) "And it was in those days that Moses grew, and he went out to his brothers and he saw their toils," and (bid. 12) "And he turned here and there (… and he smote the Egyptian, etc.") Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. He devoted his life to the judges, and they were called by his name, viz. (Devarim 16:18) "Judges and officers shall you appoint for yourself in all of your gates." Now is justice not the L rd's? How, then, are we to understand "shall you appoint for yourself"? Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. And whence is it derived that he devoted his life to them? From (Exodus 2:13-17) "And he went out on the second day … and he said "Who made you an officer and a judge over us? … And Pharaoh heard … And the priest of Midian had seven daughters … And the shepherds came and drove them away. Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. The ninth (song): (II Chronicles 20:21) "And he (Yehoshafat) took counsel with the people, and he set up singes to the L rd and lauders of (His) majestic holiness. When they went out before the vanguard (of the army) they said; 'Give thanks to the L rd, for His lovingkindness is forever!'" Why is this thanksgiving different from all the other sin the Torah, where it is written "Give thanks to the L rd for (the good, for His lovingkindness is forever"? __ It is to say, as it were, that there is no rejoicing before Him over the destruction of the wicked. If over that of the wicked there is no rejoicing, how much more so (is there grief) over that of the righteous, one of whom is over and against the entire world, viz. (Mishlei 10:25) "And the righteous one is the foundation of the world." The tenth (song) in time to come, viz. (Isaiah 42;10) "Sing to the L rd a new song, His praise from the end of the earth (Ibid. 48:42) "Say: The L rd has redeemed His servant Jacob. All of the (other) songs are denominated in the feminine ("zoth"). Just as a female bears (and then travails again), so, the past salivations were followed by subjugation. But the future (ultimate) redemption will not be followed by subjugation — wherefore it is denominated in the masculine ("zeh" [viz. Isaiah 26:1]). As it is written (Jeremiah 30:6) "Ask now and see if a male has ever given birth. Why, then, do I see that every man puts his hands upon his loins (as a woman giving birth?") For just as a male does not bear (and thus travail), so, the future redemption will not be followed by subjugation. As it is written (Isaiah 45:17) "Israel will be saved by the L rd, an eternal salvation. You will not be ashamed or abashed forever."

R. Yudan asked: When is a son most beloved by his father? When he commences to talk. That is what Scripture says: Is Ephraim a darling son unto me? Is he a child that is a delight?¹Or: that is dandled. See Leviticus Rabbah 2:3. (Jer. 31:20). When does a child become a delight? At the age of three or four years, when he begins to chatter, he becomes a source of delight to his father.

R. Yudan asked: When is a son most beloved by his father? When he commences to talk. That is what Scripture says: Is Ephraim a darling son unto me? Is he a child that is a delight?¹Or: that is dandled. See Leviticus Rabbah 2:3. (Jer. 31:20). When does a child become a delight? At the age of three or four years, when he begins to chatter, he becomes a source of delight to his father.

We are taught concerning the passage (Lev. 1, 2) From the cattle, this means to include such men who are like cattle. From here it is inferred that it is permissible to accept sacrifices from Jewish apostates, that they may repent, but not from a convert, who practices idolatrous libation, and who profanes the Sabbath pubicly. (Ib. b) Is this a general rule that whenever the word cattle is mentioned that it refers to an objectionable thing? Behold it is written (Ps. 36, 7) Man and beast Thou preservest, O Lord; and R. Juda said in the name of Rabbi: "This refers to men who are devoid of wisdom and who make themselves like beasts [hence it is a praise?]. There it is written 'man and beast,' but here it is written, 'beast' alone. And wherever it is written man and beast do you say that it means for improvement (perfection)? Behold it is written (Jer. 21, 27) And I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Juda with the seed of man and with the seed of beast. [Hence beast refers to a disadvantage?] There it is different, for the passage makes a separation between the seed of man and the seed of beast."

The Torah served as an artisan in all the work of creation, as it is said: Then I was with Him, as a nursling (amon) (Prov. 8:3). However, you do not read the word as amon (“nursling”), but as uman (“artisan”), since it was with the assistance of the Torah that God stretched out the heavens and established the earth, as it is said: If My covenant be not with day and night, if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth (Jer. 33:25). With it, He bound up the sea lest it should go forth and overflow the world, as it is said: Fear ye not Me? saith the Lord; nor will ye not tremble at My presence who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea (ibid. 5:22). With it, also, He locked up the deep so that it might not inundate the world, as is written: When He set a circle on the face of the deep (Prov. 8:27). Similarly, He fashioned with it the sun and the moon, as is said: The Lord giveth the sun to light the day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars to light the night. Who stirreth up the sea, that the waves thereof roar, the Lord of hosts is His name (Jer. 31:35). Hence, you learn that the world was founded upon the Torah.

The Torah served as an artisan in all the work of creation, as it is said: Then I was with Him, as a nursling (amon) (Prov. 8:3). However, you do not read the word as amon (“nursling”), but as uman (“artisan”), since it was with the assistance of the Torah that God stretched out the heavens and established the earth, as it is said: If My covenant be not with day and night, if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth (Jer. 33:25). With it, He bound up the sea lest it should go forth and overflow the world, as it is said: Fear ye not Me? saith the Lord; nor will ye not tremble at My presence who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea (ibid. 5:22). With it, also, He locked up the deep so that it might not inundate the world, as is written: When He set a circle on the face of the deep (Prov. 8:27). Similarly, He fashioned with it the sun and the moon, as is said: The Lord giveth the sun to light the day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars to light the night. Who stirreth up the sea, that the waves thereof roar, the Lord of hosts is His name (Jer. 31:35). Hence, you learn that the world was founded upon the Torah.

And his sister stood from afar... - Why did Miriam stand from afar? Rabbi Amram said in the name of Rav: Because Miriam prophesied and said "In the future, Mother will give birth to a child that will be the savior of the Jewish people." When Moshe was born, the entire house was filled with light. [Miriam's] father arose and kissed her on the head. He [Amram] said to her [Miriam]: "My daughter, your prophecy has been fulfilled". That is what is said (Exodus 15:20) "And Miriam the Prophetess, the brother of Aharon, took the tambourine..." Was she only the brother of Aharon and not the brother of Moshe? Rather, she had stated that prophecy while she was the sister of Aharon and not (yet) the sister of Moshe. When they put him (Moshe) in the river, her mother arose and hit her on the head and said to her daughter: "My daughter, where is your prophecy!?" And this is why the verse says "And his sister stood by from afar", for she wanted to know what would be the results of her prophecy. And the Rabbis say the entire verse was said with the Divine Spirit. "And she stood" similar to (Samuel I 3:10) "And G-D came and stood". "His Sister" similar to (Proverbs 7:4) "Say to wisdom, she is your sister". "From afar" similar to (Jeremiah 31:2) "From afar G-D is seen to me". "To know what will happen to him" similar to (Samuel I 2:3) "For G-D is all knowing".

"And his sister stood back" - Why did Miriam stand back? Rabbi Amram said in the name of Rav: "Because Miriam had prophesied: 'In the future, my mother will give birth to a son who will save Israel'. When Moses was born, the whole house was filled with light; her father rose and kissed her on the head. He said to her: 'My daughter! Your prophecy has come to pass' - as it is written [Exodus 15:20]: 'And Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aaron, took up the timbrel.' [Why was she called] 'Sister of Aaron,' and not 'sister of Moses'?! Because when she issued her prophecy, she was [only] the sister of Aaron - Moses had not been born yet. When she cast him into the Nile, her mother rose and struck her on the head. She said: 'My daughter! What has become of your prophecy?!' This is why it is written 'his sister stood back etc.': in order to know would become of her prophecy. And our rabbis taught: This entire verse speaks [not of Miriam, but] of the Holy Spirit. 'And she stood...' refers to 'The LORD came and stood...' [I Samuel 3:10]; '[His] sister' refers to 'Say to Wisdom: "You are my sister"' [Proberbs 7:4]. 'Back' refers to 'The Lord appeared to me from far back' [Jeremiah 31:3]. 'In order to know what would happen to him' refers to 'For the LORD is a God of knowledge.' [I Samuel 2:3]".

And his sister stood from afar... - Why did Miriam stand from afar? Rabbi Amram said in the name of Rav: Because Miriam prophesied and said "In the future, Mother will give birth to a child that will be the savior of the Jewish people." When Moshe was born, the entire house was filled with light. [Miriam's] father arose and kissed her on the head. He [Amram] said to her [Miriam]: "My daughter, your prophecy has been fulfilled". That is what is said (Exodus 15:20) "And Miriam the Prophetess, the brother of Aharon, took the tambourine..." Was she only the brother of Aharon and not the brother of Moshe? Rather, she had stated that prophecy while she was the sister of Aharon and not (yet) the sister of Moshe. When they put him (Moshe) in the river, her mother arose and hit her on the head and said to her daughter: "My daughter, where is your prophecy!?" And this is why the verse says "And his sister stood by from afar", for she wanted to know what would be the results of her prophecy. And the Rabbis say the entire verse was said with the Divine Spirit. "And she stood" similar to (Samuel I 3:10) "And G-D came and stood". "His Sister" similar to (Proverbs 7:4) "Say to wisdom, she is your sister". "From afar" similar to (Jeremiah 31:2) "From afar G-D is seen to me". "To know what will happen to him" similar to (Samuel I 2:3) "For G-D is all knowing".

"And his sister stood back" - Why did Miriam stand back? Rabbi Amram said in the name of Rav: "Because Miriam had prophesied: 'In the future, my mother will give birth to a son who will save Israel'. When Moses was born, the whole house was filled with light; her father rose and kissed her on the head. He said to her: 'My daughter! Your prophecy has come to pass' - as it is written [Exodus 15:20]: 'And Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aaron, took up the timbrel.' [Why was she called] 'Sister of Aaron,' and not 'sister of Moses'?! Because when she issued her prophecy, she was [only] the sister of Aaron - Moses had not been born yet. When she cast him into the Nile, her mother rose and struck her on the head. She said: 'My daughter! What has become of your prophecy?!' This is why it is written 'his sister stood back etc.': in order to know would become of her prophecy. And our rabbis taught: This entire verse speaks [not of Miriam, but] of the Holy Spirit. 'And she stood...' refers to 'The LORD came and stood...' [I Samuel 3:10]; '[His] sister' refers to 'Say to Wisdom: "You are my sister"' [Proberbs 7:4]. 'Back' refers to 'The Lord appeared to me from far back' [Jeremiah 31:3]. 'In order to know what would happen to him' refers to 'For the LORD is a God of knowledge.' [I Samuel 2:3]".

“I remember my song in the night; I meditate with my heart, and my spirit searches” (Psalms 77:7). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Aivu.⁵⁸The text of the midrash appears to be cut off. The statement of these Sages will be cited below.
The Rabbis say:⁵⁹This is a continuation of Chapter 21. Because they sinned from alef through tav, they are consoled from alef through tav. Likewise, you find that for all the harsh prophecies that Jeremiah prophesied regarding Israel, Isaiah preceded him and brought a remedy for them. Jeremiah said: “How [eikha] does…sit solitary”? (Lamentations 1:1). Isaiah said: “You will say in your heart: who bore me these.” (Isaiah 49:21).⁶⁰This is what Israel will say when its children return and it will no longer sit solitary. The verse stated by Jeremiah begins with the word “how” [eikha], which starts with an alef. The verse stated by Isaiah foresees the time when Jeremiah’s verse will be undone. Jeremiah said: “She weeps [bakho] bitterly at night” (Lamentations 1:2).⁶¹This verse starts with the word bakho, which begins with a bet. Isaiah said: “You will weep no longer, He will show you grace…” (Isaiah 30:19). Jeremiah said: “Judah was exiled [galta] due to affliction” (Lamentations 1:3).⁶²In Hebrew, the first word of this verse is galta, which begins with a gimmel. Isaiah said: “He will gather the dispersed of Israel…” (Isaiah 11:12). Jeremiah said: “The ways [darkhei] of Zion are in mourning” (Lamentations 1:4). Isaiah said: “A voice calls in the wilderness, clear the way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3). Jeremiah said: “Her adversaries have become [hayu] the head” (Lamentations 1:5). Isaiah said: “The sons of your tormentors will come to you, bowed” (Isaiah 60:14). Jeremiah said: “Gone [vayetze] from the daughter of Zion is all [her splendor] (Lamentations 1:6). Isaiah said: “A redeemer will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20). Jeremiah said: “Jerusalem remembered [zakhra] […all her delights]” (Lamentations 1:7). Isaiah said: “For, behold, I am creating new heavens and a new earth and the former will not be remembered and will not come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17). Jeremiah said: “Jerusalem has comitted a sin [ḥet]” (Lamentations 1:8). Isaiah said: “I have wiped away your transgressions like a cloud” (Isaiah 44:22). Jeremiah said: “Her impurity [tumatah] is on the edges of her skirts” (Lamentations 1:9). Isaiah said: “When the Lord will have washed the filth of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 4:4). Jeremiah said: “The adversary extended his hand [yado]” (Lamentations 1:10). Isaiah said: “The Lord will once again show His hand” (Isaiah 11:11). Jeremiah said: “All her [kol] people are sighing, [seeking bread]…” (Lamentations 1:11). Isaiah said: “They will not hunger and they will not thirst” (Isaiah 49:10). Jeremiah said: “May it not [lo] befall you, all wayfarers” (Lamentations 1:12) Isaiah said: “Until a spirit will be poured upon us from on high” (Isaiah 32:15).⁶³Maharzu amends the text such that the verse cited here is Isaiah 57:15, whereas Isaiah 32:15 is cited below after Lamentations 1:13. Accordingly, the midrash is understood as follows: Lamentations states “Is there any pain like my pain” (Lamentations 1:12) while Isaiah speaks of healing, as it is stated: “to revive the spirit of the humble and revive the heart of the downtrodden” (Isaiah 57:15). Jeremiah said: “From on high [mimarom] He sent fire into my bones” (Lamentations 1:13). Isaiah said: “Exalted and holy I will rest, and the despondent…” (Isaiah 57:15).⁶⁴According to the Maharzu,the verse cited here should be Isaiah 32:15, which more directly parallels Lamentations 1:13. Jeremiah said: “The yoke of my transgressions is preserved [niskad] in His hand” (Lamentations 1:14). Isaiah said: “Undo the restraints on your neck” (Isaiah 52:2). Jeremiah said: “[The Lord] trampled [sila] all my mighty” (Lamentations 1:15). Isaiah said: “Pave [solu] the highway, clear it of stones” (Isaiah 62:10). Jeremiah said: “For [al] these I weep; […my eye sheds water]” (Lamentations 1:16). Isaiah said: “With their eyes they will see [the Lord returning to Zion]” (Isaiah 52:8). Jeremiah said: “Zion spread [persa] her hands, [there was no comforter for her]” (Lamentations 1:17). Isaiah said: “I, it is I, who am your Comforter” (Isaiah 51:12). Jeremiah said: “The Lord is righteous [tzadik]” (Lamentations 1:18). Isaiah said: “Your people they are all righteous” (Isaiah 60:21). Jeremiah said: “I called [karati] to my lovers; they deceived me” (Lamentations 1:19). Isaiah said: “You will call Your walls salvation” (Isaiah 60:18). Jeremiah said: “See [re’e], Lord, for I am in distress” (Lamentations 1:20). Isaiah said: “You will see and your heart will be gladdened” (Isaiah 66:14). Jeremiah said: “They heard [shamu] that I sigh” (Lamentations 1:21). Isaiah said: “Comfort, comfort My people” (Isaiah 40:1). Jeremiah said: “Let all their wickedness come [tavo] before You” (Lamentations 1:22) Isaiah said: “I will bring them to the mountain of My holiness” (Isaiah 56:7).
Another matter, “I remember my song [neginati] in the night” (Psalms 77:7). Rabbi Aivu and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Aivu says: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘I remember how I was broken before You in the night of the kingdoms,⁶⁵The times during which Israel suffered persecution at the hands of foreign nations is are referred to here as night. just as it says: “Blessed is God, the Most High, who broke [migen] your enemies into your hand”’ (Genesis 14:20). Rabbi Yehuda says: I remember the songs that I sang before You in the nights, just as it says: “[The Lord is to save me] and we will play my songs all the days of our lives” (Isaiah 38:20), this is the night of Pharaoh, as it is written: “It was at midnight” (Exodus 12:29). And the night of Gideon who smote the Midianite and Amalekite camp, as it is written: “It was on that night” (Judges 7:9). And the night of Sennacherib, in whose regard it is written: “It was on that night, and the angel of God emerged” (II Kings 19:35).⁶⁶According to Rabbi Yehuda, the reference is to the songs Israel sang when they experienced salvation at night. Each of the three verses cited refers to an event in which an enemy of Israel was defeated at night.
“I meditate with my heart” (Psalms 77:7), I speak with my heart. “And my spirit searches” (Psalms 77:7), I examine my actions. And it says: “Will the Lord forsake forever? Will He never again appease?” (Psalms 77:8). God forbid, He has not abandoned and will not abandon, as it is written: “For the Lord will not forsake forever” (Lamentations 3:31).
“Will He never again appease [lirtzot]” or be appeased [leratzot]? In the past He would appease others. When Moses was angry, it says: “And he returned [veshav] to the camp” (Exodus 33:11). Read it as: And return [veshuv].⁶⁷Despite Moses’s anger in the wake of the sin of the Golden Calf, God implores him to return to the camp. When Elijah was angry, it says: “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus” (I Kings 19:15); but now, He does not appease, and is not appeased.
“Has His kindness come to an end [he’afes] forever, [is His decision final for all generations]?” (Psalms 77:9). What is he’afes? Rabbi Reuven said: It is a Greek term, just as it says: “He will say none [afes]” (Amos 6:10).⁶⁸The word afes is a Greek term meaning “let go,” similar to the usage of the term in Amos, where one is asked if there is anyone with him and he says “none,” meaning dismiss the thought from your mind. Thus, It is not God’s kindness that has ceased, but He has let go of it in the sense that He has ceased to implement His kindness in the world. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa and Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Ḥanina said: Has the matter that the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses, “I will favor whom I favor” (Exodus 33:19), concluded? Rabbi Simon says: It has already been concluded, and this was confirmed by means of Jeremiah: “For I have withdrawn My peace [and kindness and mercy from this people]” (Jeremiah 16:5).
“Has God forgotten to be gracious [ḥanot]” (Psalms 77:10), has God forgotten His encampment [ḥanoto] in the wilderness, “According to the word of God they would encamp” (Numbers 9: 20). Has He forgotten “God, merciful and gracious [veḥanun]”? (Exodus 34:6). “Has He closed in anger His mercy? Sela” (Psalms 77:10); even though He is angry, His mercy is near. Yet Zion said: ‘The Lord has forsaken me and my Lord has forgotten me,’ as it is written: “Zion said: The Lord has forsaken me [and the Lord has forgotten me]” (Isaiah 49:14).⁶⁹However, God responds: “Yet I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).
“Then I said: This is my weakness [ḥaloti], [the right hand of the Most High has changed]” (Psalms 77:11). Rabbi Alexandrai said: Because we did not entreat [ḥilinu] You in repentance, the right hand has changed.⁷⁰The right hand signifies God’s support and giving. This has changed from supporting Israel to supporting its enemies (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: The oath that He made with us at Ḥorev⁷¹This is another name for Sinai. has been violated [nitḥalela], and so the right hand has changed.
Rabbi Simon said: Have you ever heard that the orb of the sun is ill and unable to rise and serve? For His servants there are no illnesses, but before Him there is illness?⁷²The term ḥaloti is expounded to mean illnesses [ḥolayin], such that the verse reads “this is my illness.” As the midrash explains, it cannot be that God’s providence has changed due to His illness, as that is impossible. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: [This is analogous] to a mighty person who was there in a province, and all the residents of the province relied on him and would say: ‘No troops will come here. If troops came to the city, once he would emerge and show his face, they would flee immediately.’ One time the troops came, and he said to them: ‘My right hand hurts.’⁷³Since he is not ready for battle, the enemies are no longer afraid of him. However, the Holy One blessed be He is not so, but rather, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save…” (Isaiah 59:1).
“The right hand of the Most High has changed.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: If it is due to illnesses, there is hope, for one who is hurt will ultimately heal. But if it has changed, there is no hope.⁷⁴In the case of the change to God’s right hand, as it were, there is hope, because the change is based on something akin to illness. The verse from Isaiah cited above is followed by the following: “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God” (Isaiah 59:2) (Matnot Kehuna). That is the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi <who said:="" “for="" you="" have="" despised="" us,="" [you="" were="" exceedingly="" angry="" at="" us]”="" (lamentations="" 5:22).="" if="" it="" is="" despising,="" there="" is="" no="" hope.="" if="" it="" is="" anger,="" there="" is="" hope,="" as="" who="" is="" angry="" will="" ultimately="" be="" appeased.="">
Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘You wept a gratuitous weeping; ultimately, you will weep a weeping of substance.’ Where did Israel weep a gratuitous weeping? “Moses heard the people weeping according to its families” (Numbers 11:10). “The entire congregation raised and sounded their voice [and the people wept that night]” (Numbers 14:1). Where did Israel weep a weeping of substance? Rabbi Aivu and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Aivu said: Once in Rama and once in Babylon. In Rama, as it is written: “So said the Lord: A voice is heard in Rama, wailing, bitter weeping, [Rachel weeping for her children]” (Jeremiah 31:15). In Babylon, as it is written: “By the rivers of Babylon, [there we sat and also wept]” (Psalms 137:1). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: One in the “province of Judah” (Ezra 5:8) and one in Babylon. In the province of Judah, “she weeps bitterly at night” (Lamentations 1:2). In Babylon, “by the rivers of Babylon.”
Rabbi Aivu said: So said the Holy One blessed be He to Israel: ‘As a reward for that weeping, I will gather in your exiles.’ That is what is written: “So said the Lord, restrain your voice from weeping…there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:16–17).
“She weeps bitterly [bakho tivkeh],” she will weep [bakho] due to one calf; she will weep [tivkeh] due to two calves.⁷⁵The midrash expounds the doubled Hebrew expression bakho tivkeh (in which the root bet-kaf-heh is used twice consecutively) to refer to two sins: The sin of the Golden Calf in the wilderness and Jeroboam’s two golden calves in the Land of Israel (see I Kings 12:26–30). Another matter, over Judah, and over Zion and Jerusalem.⁷⁶Zion and Jerusalem count as one. Alternatively, they are separate and there is a third source of weeping expressed in the verse in Lamentations, which continues: “her tears are on her cheeks” (Lamentations 1:2). Another matter, she will weep [bakho] over the exile of the Ten Tribes; she will weep [tivkeh] over the exile of Judah and Benjamin. Another matter, she weeps and causes others to weep with her, she weeps and causes the Holy One blessed be He to weep with her, as it is written: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation” (Isaiah 22:12). She weeps and causes the ministering angels to weep with her, as it is written: “Behold, their angels cry out outside [ḥutza], [the messengers of peace weep bitterly]” (Isaiah 33:7). Rabbi Ze’eira said: Ḥitza is written,⁷⁷The word ḥutza is written without a vav, such that it can be read ḥitza. it is unnatural [ḥitza] for him to slaughter him.⁷⁸Rabbi Ze’eira interprets this verse as pertaining to God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. The angels responded that this was a command that violated human nature. Rabbi Berekhya said: Just as it says: “He took him outside [haḥutza] [and said: Look now toward the heavens]” (Genesis 15:5).⁷⁹Rabbi Berekhya cites this verse to demonstrate that ḥutza refers to the heavens. Thus, he interprets the verse in Genesis to mean that God took Abraham outside and directed him to look toward the heavens, and he interprets the verse in Isaiah to mean that the angels cry in the heavens.
“She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the heavens and the earth to weep with her. That is what is written: “The sun and the moon darkened” (Joel 2:10). “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the mountains and the hills to weep with her. That is what is written: “I saw the mountains [they are quaking, and all the hills have disintegrated]” (Jeremiah 4:24). “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the seventy nations to weep with her. Rabbi Pinḥas said: The seventy bulls that Israel would sacrifice on the festival of Sukkot correspond to the seventy nations, so that the world would not be vacant of them. “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and casues the congregation of Israel to weep with her. That is what is written: “The entire congregation raised [vatisa]…[and the people wept that night]” (Numbers 14:1). Rabbi Ḥunya taught it in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: Vatisa is written, they left a bad debt for the generations, just as it says: “When you lend [tasheh] to your neighbor” (Deuteronomy 24:10).

“I remember my song in the night; I meditate with my heart, and my spirit searches” (Psalms 77:7). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Aivu.⁵⁸The text of the midrash appears to be cut off. The statement of these Sages will be cited below.
The Rabbis say:⁵⁹This is a continuation of Chapter 21. Because they sinned from alef through tav, they are consoled from alef through tav. Likewise, you find that for all the harsh prophecies that Jeremiah prophesied regarding Israel, Isaiah preceded him and brought a remedy for them. Jeremiah said: “How [eikha] does…sit solitary”? (Lamentations 1:1). Isaiah said: “You will say in your heart: who bore me these.” (Isaiah 49:21).⁶⁰This is what Israel will say when its children return and it will no longer sit solitary. The verse stated by Jeremiah begins with the word “how” [eikha], which starts with an alef. The verse stated by Isaiah foresees the time when Jeremiah’s verse will be undone. Jeremiah said: “She weeps [bakho] bitterly at night” (Lamentations 1:2).⁶¹This verse starts with the word bakho, which begins with a bet. Isaiah said: “You will weep no longer, He will show you grace…” (Isaiah 30:19). Jeremiah said: “Judah was exiled [galta] due to affliction” (Lamentations 1:3).⁶²In Hebrew, the first word of this verse is galta, which begins with a gimmel. Isaiah said: “He will gather the dispersed of Israel…” (Isaiah 11:12). Jeremiah said: “The ways [darkhei] of Zion are in mourning” (Lamentations 1:4). Isaiah said: “A voice calls in the wilderness, clear the way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3). Jeremiah said: “Her adversaries have become [hayu] the head” (Lamentations 1:5). Isaiah said: “The sons of your tormentors will come to you, bowed” (Isaiah 60:14). Jeremiah said: “Gone [vayetze] from the daughter of Zion is all [her splendor] (Lamentations 1:6). Isaiah said: “A redeemer will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20). Jeremiah said: “Jerusalem remembered [zakhra] […all her delights]” (Lamentations 1:7). Isaiah said: “For, behold, I am creating new heavens and a new earth and the former will not be remembered and will not come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17). Jeremiah said: “Jerusalem has comitted a sin [ḥet]” (Lamentations 1:8). Isaiah said: “I have wiped away your transgressions like a cloud” (Isaiah 44:22). Jeremiah said: “Her impurity [tumatah] is on the edges of her skirts” (Lamentations 1:9). Isaiah said: “When the Lord will have washed the filth of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 4:4). Jeremiah said: “The adversary extended his hand [yado]” (Lamentations 1:10). Isaiah said: “The Lord will once again show His hand” (Isaiah 11:11). Jeremiah said: “All her [kol] people are sighing, [seeking bread]…” (Lamentations 1:11). Isaiah said: “They will not hunger and they will not thirst” (Isaiah 49:10). Jeremiah said: “May it not [lo] befall you, all wayfarers” (Lamentations 1:12) Isaiah said: “Until a spirit will be poured upon us from on high” (Isaiah 32:15).⁶³Maharzu amends the text such that the verse cited here is Isaiah 57:15, whereas Isaiah 32:15 is cited below after Lamentations 1:13. Accordingly, the midrash is understood as follows: Lamentations states “Is there any pain like my pain” (Lamentations 1:12) while Isaiah speaks of healing, as it is stated: “to revive the spirit of the humble and revive the heart of the downtrodden” (Isaiah 57:15). Jeremiah said: “From on high [mimarom] He sent fire into my bones” (Lamentations 1:13). Isaiah said: “Exalted and holy I will rest, and the despondent…” (Isaiah 57:15).⁶⁴According to the Maharzu,the verse cited here should be Isaiah 32:15, which more directly parallels Lamentations 1:13. Jeremiah said: “The yoke of my transgressions is preserved [niskad] in His hand” (Lamentations 1:14). Isaiah said: “Undo the restraints on your neck” (Isaiah 52:2). Jeremiah said: “[The Lord] trampled [sila] all my mighty” (Lamentations 1:15). Isaiah said: “Pave [solu] the highway, clear it of stones” (Isaiah 62:10). Jeremiah said: “For [al] these I weep; […my eye sheds water]” (Lamentations 1:16). Isaiah said: “With their eyes they will see [the Lord returning to Zion]” (Isaiah 52:8). Jeremiah said: “Zion spread [persa] her hands, [there was no comforter for her]” (Lamentations 1:17). Isaiah said: “I, it is I, who am your Comforter” (Isaiah 51:12). Jeremiah said: “The Lord is righteous [tzadik]” (Lamentations 1:18). Isaiah said: “Your people they are all righteous” (Isaiah 60:21). Jeremiah said: “I called [karati] to my lovers; they deceived me” (Lamentations 1:19). Isaiah said: “You will call Your walls salvation” (Isaiah 60:18). Jeremiah said: “See [re’e], Lord, for I am in distress” (Lamentations 1:20). Isaiah said: “You will see and your heart will be gladdened” (Isaiah 66:14). Jeremiah said: “They heard [shamu] that I sigh” (Lamentations 1:21). Isaiah said: “Comfort, comfort My people” (Isaiah 40:1). Jeremiah said: “Let all their wickedness come [tavo] before You” (Lamentations 1:22) Isaiah said: “I will bring them to the mountain of My holiness” (Isaiah 56:7).
Another matter, “I remember my song [neginati] in the night” (Psalms 77:7). Rabbi Aivu and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Aivu says: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘I remember how I was broken before You in the night of the kingdoms,⁶⁵The times during which Israel suffered persecution at the hands of foreign nations is are referred to here as night. just as it says: “Blessed is God, the Most High, who broke [migen] your enemies into your hand”’ (Genesis 14:20). Rabbi Yehuda says: I remember the songs that I sang before You in the nights, just as it says: “[The Lord is to save me] and we will play my songs all the days of our lives” (Isaiah 38:20), this is the night of Pharaoh, as it is written: “It was at midnight” (Exodus 12:29). And the night of Gideon who smote the Midianite and Amalekite camp, as it is written: “It was on that night” (Judges 7:9). And the night of Sennacherib, in whose regard it is written: “It was on that night, and the angel of God emerged” (II Kings 19:35).⁶⁶According to Rabbi Yehuda, the reference is to the songs Israel sang when they experienced salvation at night. Each of the three verses cited refers to an event in which an enemy of Israel was defeated at night.
“I meditate with my heart” (Psalms 77:7), I speak with my heart. “And my spirit searches” (Psalms 77:7), I examine my actions. And it says: “Will the Lord forsake forever? Will He never again appease?” (Psalms 77:8). God forbid, He has not abandoned and will not abandon, as it is written: “For the Lord will not forsake forever” (Lamentations 3:31).
“Will He never again appease [lirtzot]” or be appeased [leratzot]? In the past He would appease others. When Moses was angry, it says: “And he returned [veshav] to the camp” (Exodus 33:11). Read it as: And return [veshuv].⁶⁷Despite Moses’s anger in the wake of the sin of the Golden Calf, God implores him to return to the camp. When Elijah was angry, it says: “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus” (I Kings 19:15); but now, He does not appease, and is not appeased.
“Has His kindness come to an end [he’afes] forever, [is His decision final for all generations]?” (Psalms 77:9). What is he’afes? Rabbi Reuven said: It is a Greek term, just as it says: “He will say none [afes]” (Amos 6:10).⁶⁸The word afes is a Greek term meaning “let go,” similar to the usage of the term in Amos, where one is asked if there is anyone with him and he says “none,” meaning dismiss the thought from your mind. Thus, It is not God’s kindness that has ceased, but He has let go of it in the sense that He has ceased to implement His kindness in the world. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa and Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Ḥanina said: Has the matter that the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses, “I will favor whom I favor” (Exodus 33:19), concluded? Rabbi Simon says: It has already been concluded, and this was confirmed by means of Jeremiah: “For I have withdrawn My peace [and kindness and mercy from this people]” (Jeremiah 16:5).
“Has God forgotten to be gracious [ḥanot]” (Psalms 77:10), has God forgotten His encampment [ḥanoto] in the wilderness, “According to the word of God they would encamp” (Numbers 9: 20). Has He forgotten “God, merciful and gracious [veḥanun]”? (Exodus 34:6). “Has He closed in anger His mercy? Sela” (Psalms 77:10); even though He is angry, His mercy is near. Yet Zion said: ‘The Lord has forsaken me and my Lord has forgotten me,’ as it is written: “Zion said: The Lord has forsaken me [and the Lord has forgotten me]” (Isaiah 49:14).⁶⁹However, God responds: “Yet I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).
“Then I said: This is my weakness [ḥaloti], [the right hand of the Most High has changed]” (Psalms 77:11). Rabbi Alexandrai said: Because we did not entreat [ḥilinu] You in repentance, the right hand has changed.⁷⁰The right hand signifies God’s support and giving. This has changed from supporting Israel to supporting its enemies (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: The oath that He made with us at Ḥorev⁷¹This is another name for Sinai. has been violated [nitḥalela], and so the right hand has changed.
Rabbi Simon said: Have you ever heard that the orb of the sun is ill and unable to rise and serve? For His servants there are no illnesses, but before Him there is illness?⁷²The term ḥaloti is expounded to mean illnesses [ḥolayin], such that the verse reads “this is my illness.” As the midrash explains, it cannot be that God’s providence has changed due to His illness, as that is impossible. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: [This is analogous] to a mighty person who was there in a province, and all the residents of the province relied on him and would say: ‘No troops will come here. If troops came to the city, once he would emerge and show his face, they would flee immediately.’ One time the troops came, and he said to them: ‘My right hand hurts.’⁷³Since he is not ready for battle, the enemies are no longer afraid of him. However, the Holy One blessed be He is not so, but rather, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save…” (Isaiah 59:1).
“The right hand of the Most High has changed.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: If it is due to illnesses, there is hope, for one who is hurt will ultimately heal. But if it has changed, there is no hope.⁷⁴In the case of the change to God’s right hand, as it were, there is hope, because the change is based on something akin to illness. The verse from Isaiah cited above is followed by the following: “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God” (Isaiah 59:2) (Matnot Kehuna). That is the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi <who said:="" “for="" you="" have="" despised="" us,="" [you="" were="" exceedingly="" angry="" at="" us]”="" (lamentations="" 5:22).="" if="" it="" is="" despising,="" there="" is="" no="" hope.="" if="" it="" is="" anger,="" there="" is="" hope,="" as="" who="" is="" angry="" will="" ultimately="" be="" appeased.="">
Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘You wept a gratuitous weeping; ultimately, you will weep a weeping of substance.’ Where did Israel weep a gratuitous weeping? “Moses heard the people weeping according to its families” (Numbers 11:10). “The entire congregation raised and sounded their voice [and the people wept that night]” (Numbers 14:1). Where did Israel weep a weeping of substance? Rabbi Aivu and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Aivu said: Once in Rama and once in Babylon. In Rama, as it is written: “So said the Lord: A voice is heard in Rama, wailing, bitter weeping, [Rachel weeping for her children]” (Jeremiah 31:15). In Babylon, as it is written: “By the rivers of Babylon, [there we sat and also wept]” (Psalms 137:1). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: One in the “province of Judah” (Ezra 5:8) and one in Babylon. In the province of Judah, “she weeps bitterly at night” (Lamentations 1:2). In Babylon, “by the rivers of Babylon.”
Rabbi Aivu said: So said the Holy One blessed be He to Israel: ‘As a reward for that weeping, I will gather in your exiles.’ That is what is written: “So said the Lord, restrain your voice from weeping…there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:16–17).
“She weeps bitterly [bakho tivkeh],” she will weep [bakho] due to one calf; she will weep [tivkeh] due to two calves.⁷⁵The midrash expounds the doubled Hebrew expression bakho tivkeh (in which the root bet-kaf-heh is used twice consecutively) to refer to two sins: The sin of the Golden Calf in the wilderness and Jeroboam’s two golden calves in the Land of Israel (see I Kings 12:26–30). Another matter, over Judah, and over Zion and Jerusalem.⁷⁶Zion and Jerusalem count as one. Alternatively, they are separate and there is a third source of weeping expressed in the verse in Lamentations, which continues: “her tears are on her cheeks” (Lamentations 1:2). Another matter, she will weep [bakho] over the exile of the Ten Tribes; she will weep [tivkeh] over the exile of Judah and Benjamin. Another matter, she weeps and causes others to weep with her, she weeps and causes the Holy One blessed be He to weep with her, as it is written: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation” (Isaiah 22:12). She weeps and causes the ministering angels to weep with her, as it is written: “Behold, their angels cry out outside [ḥutza], [the messengers of peace weep bitterly]” (Isaiah 33:7). Rabbi Ze’eira said: Ḥitza is written,⁷⁷The word ḥutza is written without a vav, such that it can be read ḥitza. it is unnatural [ḥitza] for him to slaughter him.⁷⁸Rabbi Ze’eira interprets this verse as pertaining to God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. The angels responded that this was a command that violated human nature. Rabbi Berekhya said: Just as it says: “He took him outside [haḥutza] [and said: Look now toward the heavens]” (Genesis 15:5).⁷⁹Rabbi Berekhya cites this verse to demonstrate that ḥutza refers to the heavens. Thus, he interprets the verse in Genesis to mean that God took Abraham outside and directed him to look toward the heavens, and he interprets the verse in Isaiah to mean that the angels cry in the heavens.
“She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the heavens and the earth to weep with her. That is what is written: “The sun and the moon darkened” (Joel 2:10). “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the mountains and the hills to weep with her. That is what is written: “I saw the mountains [they are quaking, and all the hills have disintegrated]” (Jeremiah 4:24). “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the seventy nations to weep with her. Rabbi Pinḥas said: The seventy bulls that Israel would sacrifice on the festival of Sukkot correspond to the seventy nations, so that the world would not be vacant of them. “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and casues the congregation of Israel to weep with her. That is what is written: “The entire congregation raised [vatisa]…[and the people wept that night]” (Numbers 14:1). Rabbi Ḥunya taught it in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: Vatisa is written, they left a bad debt for the generations, just as it says: “When you lend [tasheh] to your neighbor” (Deuteronomy 24:10).

“I remember my song in the night; I meditate with my heart, and my spirit searches” (Psalms 77:7). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Aivu.⁵⁸The text of the midrash appears to be cut off. The statement of these Sages will be cited below.
The Rabbis say:⁵⁹This is a continuation of Chapter 21. Because they sinned from alef through tav, they are consoled from alef through tav. Likewise, you find that for all the harsh prophecies that Jeremiah prophesied regarding Israel, Isaiah preceded him and brought a remedy for them. Jeremiah said: “How [eikha] does…sit solitary”? (Lamentations 1:1). Isaiah said: “You will say in your heart: who bore me these.” (Isaiah 49:21).⁶⁰This is what Israel will say when its children return and it will no longer sit solitary. The verse stated by Jeremiah begins with the word “how” [eikha], which starts with an alef. The verse stated by Isaiah foresees the time when Jeremiah’s verse will be undone. Jeremiah said: “She weeps [bakho] bitterly at night” (Lamentations 1:2).⁶¹This verse starts with the word bakho, which begins with a bet. Isaiah said: “You will weep no longer, He will show you grace…” (Isaiah 30:19). Jeremiah said: “Judah was exiled [galta] due to affliction” (Lamentations 1:3).⁶²In Hebrew, the first word of this verse is galta, which begins with a gimmel. Isaiah said: “He will gather the dispersed of Israel…” (Isaiah 11:12). Jeremiah said: “The ways [darkhei] of Zion are in mourning” (Lamentations 1:4). Isaiah said: “A voice calls in the wilderness, clear the way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3). Jeremiah said: “Her adversaries have become [hayu] the head” (Lamentations 1:5). Isaiah said: “The sons of your tormentors will come to you, bowed” (Isaiah 60:14). Jeremiah said: “Gone [vayetze] from the daughter of Zion is all [her splendor] (Lamentations 1:6). Isaiah said: “A redeemer will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20). Jeremiah said: “Jerusalem remembered [zakhra] […all her delights]” (Lamentations 1:7). Isaiah said: “For, behold, I am creating new heavens and a new earth and the former will not be remembered and will not come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17). Jeremiah said: “Jerusalem has comitted a sin [ḥet]” (Lamentations 1:8). Isaiah said: “I have wiped away your transgressions like a cloud” (Isaiah 44:22). Jeremiah said: “Her impurity [tumatah] is on the edges of her skirts” (Lamentations 1:9). Isaiah said: “When the Lord will have washed the filth of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 4:4). Jeremiah said: “The adversary extended his hand [yado]” (Lamentations 1:10). Isaiah said: “The Lord will once again show His hand” (Isaiah 11:11). Jeremiah said: “All her [kol] people are sighing, [seeking bread]…” (Lamentations 1:11). Isaiah said: “They will not hunger and they will not thirst” (Isaiah 49:10). Jeremiah said: “May it not [lo] befall you, all wayfarers” (Lamentations 1:12) Isaiah said: “Until a spirit will be poured upon us from on high” (Isaiah 32:15).⁶³Maharzu amends the text such that the verse cited here is Isaiah 57:15, whereas Isaiah 32:15 is cited below after Lamentations 1:13. Accordingly, the midrash is understood as follows: Lamentations states “Is there any pain like my pain” (Lamentations 1:12) while Isaiah speaks of healing, as it is stated: “to revive the spirit of the humble and revive the heart of the downtrodden” (Isaiah 57:15). Jeremiah said: “From on high [mimarom] He sent fire into my bones” (Lamentations 1:13). Isaiah said: “Exalted and holy I will rest, and the despondent…” (Isaiah 57:15).⁶⁴According to the Maharzu,the verse cited here should be Isaiah 32:15, which more directly parallels Lamentations 1:13. Jeremiah said: “The yoke of my transgressions is preserved [niskad] in His hand” (Lamentations 1:14). Isaiah said: “Undo the restraints on your neck” (Isaiah 52:2). Jeremiah said: “[The Lord] trampled [sila] all my mighty” (Lamentations 1:15). Isaiah said: “Pave [solu] the highway, clear it of stones” (Isaiah 62:10). Jeremiah said: “For [al] these I weep; […my eye sheds water]” (Lamentations 1:16). Isaiah said: “With their eyes they will see [the Lord returning to Zion]” (Isaiah 52:8). Jeremiah said: “Zion spread [persa] her hands, [there was no comforter for her]” (Lamentations 1:17). Isaiah said: “I, it is I, who am your Comforter” (Isaiah 51:12). Jeremiah said: “The Lord is righteous [tzadik]” (Lamentations 1:18). Isaiah said: “Your people they are all righteous” (Isaiah 60:21). Jeremiah said: “I called [karati] to my lovers; they deceived me” (Lamentations 1:19). Isaiah said: “You will call Your walls salvation” (Isaiah 60:18). Jeremiah said: “See [re’e], Lord, for I am in distress” (Lamentations 1:20). Isaiah said: “You will see and your heart will be gladdened” (Isaiah 66:14). Jeremiah said: “They heard [shamu] that I sigh” (Lamentations 1:21). Isaiah said: “Comfort, comfort My people” (Isaiah 40:1). Jeremiah said: “Let all their wickedness come [tavo] before You” (Lamentations 1:22) Isaiah said: “I will bring them to the mountain of My holiness” (Isaiah 56:7).
Another matter, “I remember my song [neginati] in the night” (Psalms 77:7). Rabbi Aivu and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Aivu says: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘I remember how I was broken before You in the night of the kingdoms,⁶⁵The times during which Israel suffered persecution at the hands of foreign nations is are referred to here as night. just as it says: “Blessed is God, the Most High, who broke [migen] your enemies into your hand”’ (Genesis 14:20). Rabbi Yehuda says: I remember the songs that I sang before You in the nights, just as it says: “[The Lord is to save me] and we will play my songs all the days of our lives” (Isaiah 38:20), this is the night of Pharaoh, as it is written: “It was at midnight” (Exodus 12:29). And the night of Gideon who smote the Midianite and Amalekite camp, as it is written: “It was on that night” (Judges 7:9). And the night of Sennacherib, in whose regard it is written: “It was on that night, and the angel of God emerged” (II Kings 19:35).⁶⁶According to Rabbi Yehuda, the reference is to the songs Israel sang when they experienced salvation at night. Each of the three verses cited refers to an event in which an enemy of Israel was defeated at night.
“I meditate with my heart” (Psalms 77:7), I speak with my heart. “And my spirit searches” (Psalms 77:7), I examine my actions. And it says: “Will the Lord forsake forever? Will He never again appease?” (Psalms 77:8). God forbid, He has not abandoned and will not abandon, as it is written: “For the Lord will not forsake forever” (Lamentations 3:31).
“Will He never again appease [lirtzot]” or be appeased [leratzot]? In the past He would appease others. When Moses was angry, it says: “And he returned [veshav] to the camp” (Exodus 33:11). Read it as: And return [veshuv].⁶⁷Despite Moses’s anger in the wake of the sin of the Golden Calf, God implores him to return to the camp. When Elijah was angry, it says: “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus” (I Kings 19:15); but now, He does not appease, and is not appeased.
“Has His kindness come to an end [he’afes] forever, [is His decision final for all generations]?” (Psalms 77:9). What is he’afes? Rabbi Reuven said: It is a Greek term, just as it says: “He will say none [afes]” (Amos 6:10).⁶⁸The word afes is a Greek term meaning “let go,” similar to the usage of the term in Amos, where one is asked if there is anyone with him and he says “none,” meaning dismiss the thought from your mind. Thus, It is not God’s kindness that has ceased, but He has let go of it in the sense that He has ceased to implement His kindness in the world. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa and Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Ḥanina said: Has the matter that the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses, “I will favor whom I favor” (Exodus 33:19), concluded? Rabbi Simon says: It has already been concluded, and this was confirmed by means of Jeremiah: “For I have withdrawn My peace [and kindness and mercy from this people]” (Jeremiah 16:5).
“Has God forgotten to be gracious [ḥanot]” (Psalms 77:10), has God forgotten His encampment [ḥanoto] in the wilderness, “According to the word of God they would encamp” (Numbers 9: 20). Has He forgotten “God, merciful and gracious [veḥanun]”? (Exodus 34:6). “Has He closed in anger His mercy? Sela” (Psalms 77:10); even though He is angry, His mercy is near. Yet Zion said: ‘The Lord has forsaken me and my Lord has forgotten me,’ as it is written: “Zion said: The Lord has forsaken me [and the Lord has forgotten me]” (Isaiah 49:14).⁶⁹However, God responds: “Yet I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).
“Then I said: This is my weakness [ḥaloti], [the right hand of the Most High has changed]” (Psalms 77:11). Rabbi Alexandrai said: Because we did not entreat [ḥilinu] You in repentance, the right hand has changed.⁷⁰The right hand signifies God’s support and giving. This has changed from supporting Israel to supporting its enemies (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: The oath that He made with us at Ḥorev⁷¹This is another name for Sinai. has been violated [nitḥalela], and so the right hand has changed.
Rabbi Simon said: Have you ever heard that the orb of the sun is ill and unable to rise and serve? For His servants there are no illnesses, but before Him there is illness?⁷²The term ḥaloti is expounded to mean illnesses [ḥolayin], such that the verse reads “this is my illness.” As the midrash explains, it cannot be that God’s providence has changed due to His illness, as that is impossible. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: [This is analogous] to a mighty person who was there in a province, and all the residents of the province relied on him and would say: ‘No troops will come here. If troops came to the city, once he would emerge and show his face, they would flee immediately.’ One time the troops came, and he said to them: ‘My right hand hurts.’⁷³Since he is not ready for battle, the enemies are no longer afraid of him. However, the Holy One blessed be He is not so, but rather, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save…” (Isaiah 59:1).
“The right hand of the Most High has changed.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: If it is due to illnesses, there is hope, for one who is hurt will ultimately heal. But if it has changed, there is no hope.⁷⁴In the case of the change to God’s right hand, as it were, there is hope, because the change is based on something akin to illness. The verse from Isaiah cited above is followed by the following: “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God” (Isaiah 59:2) (Matnot Kehuna). That is the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi <who said:="" “for="" you="" have="" despised="" us,="" [you="" were="" exceedingly="" angry="" at="" us]”="" (lamentations="" 5:22).="" if="" it="" is="" despising,="" there="" is="" no="" hope.="" if="" it="" is="" anger,="" there="" is="" hope,="" as="" who="" is="" angry="" will="" ultimately="" be="" appeased.="">
Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘You wept a gratuitous weeping; ultimately, you will weep a weeping of substance.’ Where did Israel weep a gratuitous weeping? “Moses heard the people weeping according to its families” (Numbers 11:10). “The entire congregation raised and sounded their voice [and the people wept that night]” (Numbers 14:1). Where did Israel weep a weeping of substance? Rabbi Aivu and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Aivu said: Once in Rama and once in Babylon. In Rama, as it is written: “So said the Lord: A voice is heard in Rama, wailing, bitter weeping, [Rachel weeping for her children]” (Jeremiah 31:15). In Babylon, as it is written: “By the rivers of Babylon, [there we sat and also wept]” (Psalms 137:1). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: One in the “province of Judah” (Ezra 5:8) and one in Babylon. In the province of Judah, “she weeps bitterly at night” (Lamentations 1:2). In Babylon, “by the rivers of Babylon.”
Rabbi Aivu said: So said the Holy One blessed be He to Israel: ‘As a reward for that weeping, I will gather in your exiles.’ That is what is written: “So said the Lord, restrain your voice from weeping…there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:16–17).
“She weeps bitterly [bakho tivkeh],” she will weep [bakho] due to one calf; she will weep [tivkeh] due to two calves.⁷⁵The midrash expounds the doubled Hebrew expression bakho tivkeh (in which the root bet-kaf-heh is used twice consecutively) to refer to two sins: The sin of the Golden Calf in the wilderness and Jeroboam’s two golden calves in the Land of Israel (see I Kings 12:26–30). Another matter, over Judah, and over Zion and Jerusalem.⁷⁶Zion and Jerusalem count as one. Alternatively, they are separate and there is a third source of weeping expressed in the verse in Lamentations, which continues: “her tears are on her cheeks” (Lamentations 1:2). Another matter, she will weep [bakho] over the exile of the Ten Tribes; she will weep [tivkeh] over the exile of Judah and Benjamin. Another matter, she weeps and causes others to weep with her, she weeps and causes the Holy One blessed be He to weep with her, as it is written: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation” (Isaiah 22:12). She weeps and causes the ministering angels to weep with her, as it is written: “Behold, their angels cry out outside [ḥutza], [the messengers of peace weep bitterly]” (Isaiah 33:7). Rabbi Ze’eira said: Ḥitza is written,⁷⁷The word ḥutza is written without a vav, such that it can be read ḥitza. it is unnatural [ḥitza] for him to slaughter him.⁷⁸Rabbi Ze’eira interprets this verse as pertaining to God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. The angels responded that this was a command that violated human nature. Rabbi Berekhya said: Just as it says: “He took him outside [haḥutza] [and said: Look now toward the heavens]” (Genesis 15:5).⁷⁹Rabbi Berekhya cites this verse to demonstrate that ḥutza refers to the heavens. Thus, he interprets the verse in Genesis to mean that God took Abraham outside and directed him to look toward the heavens, and he interprets the verse in Isaiah to mean that the angels cry in the heavens.
“She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the heavens and the earth to weep with her. That is what is written: “The sun and the moon darkened” (Joel 2:10). “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the mountains and the hills to weep with her. That is what is written: “I saw the mountains [they are quaking, and all the hills have disintegrated]” (Jeremiah 4:24). “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the seventy nations to weep with her. Rabbi Pinḥas said: The seventy bulls that Israel would sacrifice on the festival of Sukkot correspond to the seventy nations, so that the world would not be vacant of them. “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and casues the congregation of Israel to weep with her. That is what is written: “The entire congregation raised [vatisa]…[and the people wept that night]” (Numbers 14:1). Rabbi Ḥunya taught it in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: Vatisa is written, they left a bad debt for the generations, just as it says: “When you lend [tasheh] to your neighbor” (Deuteronomy 24:10).

(Fol. 11) "And so also do we find concerning good deeds — Miriam," etc. How do you compare both things? Miriam was waiting only a short time while Israel waited seven days. Said Abaye [read the Mishnah] and concerning good deeds it is not so [because it is paid more than deserving.] "But the Mishnah reads and so also concerning good deeds," Raba objected. "We must therefore read," said he: "So also concerning good deeds [that with the same measure one measures to others, who will receive it in reward]; however, there is a rule that the measure of good reward is far superior to the measure of evil dispensation." (Ex. 2, 4) And his sister placed herself afar off, to ascertain what would he done to him. The entire passage refers to the Shechina, and she placed herself, as it is written (I Sam. 3, 10) And the Lord came and placed Himself, and called as at previous times: His sister, as mentioned (Pr. 7, 4) Say unto wisdom thou art my sister: From afar is the Lord appeared to me; to ascertain herself, as it is written (I Sam. 2, 3) for a God [De'oth] knowledge is the Lord: Mah, as it is written (Deut. 10, 12) What [Mah] doth the Lord thy God require of thee; would be done. Ya'asse, as it is said (I Sam. 25, 28) Will certainly make (Ya'asse) for my Lord an enduring house to him. — Loh, as it is written (Jud. 6, 23) And he called it loh Adonei Shalom.

“Zion spread her hands, there was no comforter for her; the Lord has commanded for Jacob that her adversaries surround her. Jerusalem has become like a pariah among them” (Lamentations 1:17).
“Zion spread her hands.” It is written: “Would that my head was water and my eyes a source of tears, [and I would weep day and night]” (Jeremiah 8:23). Who said this verse? If you say it was Jeremiah, would it be possible for him not to eat? Would it be possible for him not to sleep? Rather, who said it? One before whom there is neither eating nor sleeping, as it is written: “Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalms 121:4). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rabbi Levi: It is written: “God said: Let the water…pool [yikavu]” (Genesis 1:9). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Let the water hope [yekavu] to participate in what I am destined to do with them.’ Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: This is analogous to a king who built palaces, and he settled mute residents in them. Each day they would rise early and inquire after the wellbeing of the king, lauding him with gestures with their fingers. The king said: ‘If these people, who are mute, laud me in this manner, if they were able to speak, all the more so.’ What did he do? He settled residents who could speak in [the palaces]. They arose and took possession of the king’s palace and said: ‘This palace is only ours.’ At that moment, the king said: ‘Let the world be restored to the way that it was.’ So too, at the beginning of the creation of the world, [God’s] praises would ascend only from the water. That is what is written: “It is from the sound of many waters, the mighty breakers of the sea” (Psalms 93:4). What would they say? “The Lord is mighty on high” (Psalms 93:4). At that time, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If those who do not have a mouth, a tongue, speech, or articulation, laud me in this way, when I create people, all the more so.’ When He created people, the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood stood and rebelled against Him. At that time, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Let the world be restored to the way that it was, as it was stated: “The rain was upon the earth”’ (Genesis 7:12).¹⁹⁸God brought the Flood in order to return the world to a state in which water covered the face of the earth.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: [This is analogous] to one who had a staff and a wicker basket.¹⁹⁹He was poor. He garnered wealth and purchased a flock. Wolves entered and mauled them. That shepherd said: ‘I will return to that staff and to that wicker basket.’ So too, the shepherd is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Shepherd of Israel, listen! Appear to us, You who led Joseph like a flock, You who sit enthroned above the cherubs” (Psalms 80:2). The flock is Israel, as it is stated: “You are my flock, the flock of My pasture” (Ezekiel 34:31). The wolves who entered His flock and mauled them are the enemies who entered the Temple. At that moment the Holy One blessed be He said: “Would that my head was water and my eyes a source of tears [and I would weep day and night]” (Jeremiah 8:23).
It is written: “These I remember, and pour out my soul: [When I used to go with a throng of people in a procession [edadem] to the House of God, a celebrating multitude with voice of song and thanksgiving]” (Psalms 42:5). The congregation of Israel was saying before the Holy One blessed be He: In the past, I would ascend to Jerusalem and the roads were smoothed, and now they are overgrown, as it is stated: “Therefore, behold, I am hedging your way with thorns” (Hosea 2:8).
Another matter, “these I remember,” in the past I would ascend and the trees would provide shade over my head, and now it is exposed to the sun.
“These I remember,” in the past I would ascend in the shadow of the Holy One blessed be He, and now in the shadow of the kingdoms.
“These I remember.” The emperor Vespasian deployed sentries eighteen mil from Pumim. They would question the pilgrims and say to them: ‘With whom are your loyalties?’ They would say to them: ‘We are loyal to Vespasian, Trajan, Hadrian.’
Rabbi Berekhya said: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘In the past I would ascend with baskets of first fruits on my head early in the morning, as they would say: “Arise and let us ascend to Zion” (Jeremiah 31:6). On the roads, they would say: “Our feet were standing at your gates, Jerusalem” (Psalms 122:2). On the Temple Mount, what would they say? “Halleluya. Praise the Almighty in His holy place” (Psalms 150:1). In the Temple courtyard, what would they say? “Let all who breathe praise the Lord” (Psalms 150:6). But now, we are silent [edadem]; we ascend in silence and we descend in silence.’
“These I remember.” In the past, I would ascend with songs and psalms before the Holy One blessed be He, just as it says: “With voice of song and thanksgiving” (Psalms 42:5). But now, I ascend with weeping and I descend with weeping.
“These I remember.” In the past, I would ascend with many multitudes in celebration, just as it says: “A celebrating multitude” (Psalms 42:5). Rabbi Levi said: Like this flowing spring that does not cease during the day and at night. But now, I ascend clandestinely and descend clandestinely. “These I remember, and pour out my soul…”
Another matter, “Zion spread her hands.” Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: [This is analogous] to a king who had a son. He was striking him and [the son] said: ‘I sinned.’ He [continued] striking him and [the son] said: ‘I sinned and I have been foolish.’ He continued striking him until [the son] extended his ten fingers before him.²⁰⁰He did this as a sign of contrition, as though to say I have sinned and cannot even express my guilt, or I have sinned and can no longer bear the suffering of my beating. So too, the Holy One blessed be He was afflicting Jerusalem, and she said: ‘I sinned,’ until, “Zion spread her hands.”
“There was no [ein] comforter for her,” Rabbi Levi said: Any place that it is stated: “Has no [ein],” ultimately it will have. “Sarai was barren, she had no [ein] child” (Genesis 11:30), but ultimately she had, as it is stated: “The Lord remembered Sarah” (Genesis 21:1). Similarly, “Hannah had no [ein] children” (I Samuel 1:2), and ultimately she had, as it is stated: “For the Lord remembered Hannah” (I Samuel 2:21). Similarly, “she is Zion, she has no one [ein] seeking her” (Jeremiah 30:17), and ultimately she had, as it is stated: “A redeemer will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20). So, too, it says: “She has no [ein] comforter,” and ultimately she has, as it is stated: “I, it is I, who am your Comforter” (Isaiah 51:12).
“The Lord has commanded for Jacob that her adversaries surround her,” such as Ḥalmish for Naveh, Kistera for Haifa, Susita for Tiberias, Jericho for Neve’eden, Lod for Ono.²⁰¹In Roman times, the first of each of these pairs of cities was populated by gentiles, who would persecute the Jews living in the adjacent city. “Jerusalem has become like a pariah among them,” she became distanced.

“Zion spread her hands, there was no comforter for her; the Lord has commanded for Jacob that her adversaries surround her. Jerusalem has become like a pariah among them” (Lamentations 1:17).
“Zion spread her hands.” It is written: “Would that my head was water and my eyes a source of tears, [and I would weep day and night]” (Jeremiah 8:23). Who said this verse? If you say it was Jeremiah, would it be possible for him not to eat? Would it be possible for him not to sleep? Rather, who said it? One before whom there is neither eating nor sleeping, as it is written: “Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalms 121:4). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rabbi Levi: It is written: “God said: Let the water…pool [yikavu]” (Genesis 1:9). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Let the water hope [yekavu] to participate in what I am destined to do with them.’ Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: This is analogous to a king who built palaces, and he settled mute residents in them. Each day they would rise early and inquire after the wellbeing of the king, lauding him with gestures with their fingers. The king said: ‘If these people, who are mute, laud me in this manner, if they were able to speak, all the more so.’ What did he do? He settled residents who could speak in [the palaces]. They arose and took possession of the king’s palace and said: ‘This palace is only ours.’ At that moment, the king said: ‘Let the world be restored to the way that it was.’ So too, at the beginning of the creation of the world, [God’s] praises would ascend only from the water. That is what is written: “It is from the sound of many waters, the mighty breakers of the sea” (Psalms 93:4). What would they say? “The Lord is mighty on high” (Psalms 93:4). At that time, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If those who do not have a mouth, a tongue, speech, or articulation, laud me in this way, when I create people, all the more so.’ When He created people, the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood stood and rebelled against Him. At that time, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Let the world be restored to the way that it was, as it was stated: “The rain was upon the earth”’ (Genesis 7:12).¹⁹⁸God brought the Flood in order to return the world to a state in which water covered the face of the earth.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: [This is analogous] to one who had a staff and a wicker basket.¹⁹⁹He was poor. He garnered wealth and purchased a flock. Wolves entered and mauled them. That shepherd said: ‘I will return to that staff and to that wicker basket.’ So too, the shepherd is the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Shepherd of Israel, listen! Appear to us, You who led Joseph like a flock, You who sit enthroned above the cherubs” (Psalms 80:2). The flock is Israel, as it is stated: “You are my flock, the flock of My pasture” (Ezekiel 34:31). The wolves who entered His flock and mauled them are the enemies who entered the Temple. At that moment the Holy One blessed be He said: “Would that my head was water and my eyes a source of tears [and I would weep day and night]” (Jeremiah 8:23).
It is written: “These I remember, and pour out my soul: [When I used to go with a throng of people in a procession [edadem] to the House of God, a celebrating multitude with voice of song and thanksgiving]” (Psalms 42:5). The congregation of Israel was saying before the Holy One blessed be He: In the past, I would ascend to Jerusalem and the roads were smoothed, and now they are overgrown, as it is stated: “Therefore, behold, I am hedging your way with thorns” (Hosea 2:8).
Another matter, “these I remember,” in the past I would ascend and the trees would provide shade over my head, and now it is exposed to the sun.
“These I remember,” in the past I would ascend in the shadow of the Holy One blessed be He, and now in the shadow of the kingdoms.
“These I remember.” The emperor Vespasian deployed sentries eighteen mil from Pumim. They would question the pilgrims and say to them: ‘With whom are your loyalties?’ They would say to them: ‘We are loyal to Vespasian, Trajan, Hadrian.’
Rabbi Berekhya said: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘In the past I would ascend with baskets of first fruits on my head early in the morning, as they would say: “Arise and let us ascend to Zion” (Jeremiah 31:6). On the roads, they would say: “Our feet were standing at your gates, Jerusalem” (Psalms 122:2). On the Temple Mount, what would they say? “Halleluya. Praise the Almighty in His holy place” (Psalms 150:1). In the Temple courtyard, what would they say? “Let all who breathe praise the Lord” (Psalms 150:6). But now, we are silent [edadem]; we ascend in silence and we descend in silence.’
“These I remember.” In the past, I would ascend with songs and psalms before the Holy One blessed be He, just as it says: “With voice of song and thanksgiving” (Psalms 42:5). But now, I ascend with weeping and I descend with weeping.
“These I remember.” In the past, I would ascend with many multitudes in celebration, just as it says: “A celebrating multitude” (Psalms 42:5). Rabbi Levi said: Like this flowing spring that does not cease during the day and at night. But now, I ascend clandestinely and descend clandestinely. “These I remember, and pour out my soul…”
Another matter, “Zion spread her hands.” Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: [This is analogous] to a king who had a son. He was striking him and [the son] said: ‘I sinned.’ He [continued] striking him and [the son] said: ‘I sinned and I have been foolish.’ He continued striking him until [the son] extended his ten fingers before him.²⁰⁰He did this as a sign of contrition, as though to say I have sinned and cannot even express my guilt, or I have sinned and can no longer bear the suffering of my beating. So too, the Holy One blessed be He was afflicting Jerusalem, and she said: ‘I sinned,’ until, “Zion spread her hands.”
“There was no [ein] comforter for her,” Rabbi Levi said: Any place that it is stated: “Has no [ein],” ultimately it will have. “Sarai was barren, she had no [ein] child” (Genesis 11:30), but ultimately she had, as it is stated: “The Lord remembered Sarah” (Genesis 21:1). Similarly, “Hannah had no [ein] children” (I Samuel 1:2), and ultimately she had, as it is stated: “For the Lord remembered Hannah” (I Samuel 2:21). Similarly, “she is Zion, she has no one [ein] seeking her” (Jeremiah 30:17), and ultimately she had, as it is stated: “A redeemer will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20). So, too, it says: “She has no [ein] comforter,” and ultimately she has, as it is stated: “I, it is I, who am your Comforter” (Isaiah 51:12).
“The Lord has commanded for Jacob that her adversaries surround her,” such as Ḥalmish for Naveh, Kistera for Haifa, Susita for Tiberias, Jericho for Neve’eden, Lod for Ono.²⁰¹In Roman times, the first of each of these pairs of cities was populated by gentiles, who would persecute the Jews living in the adjacent city. “Jerusalem has become like a pariah among them,” she became distanced.

“I called to my lovers, they deceived me; my priests and my elders perished in the city while they sought food for themselves to restore their souls” (Lamentations 1:19).
“I called to my lovers, they deceived me.” The Rabbis interpreted the verse regarding false prophets, who would cause their idol worship to be beloved to me.²⁰⁵The rabbis interpret the term me’ahavai, generally translated “my lovers” to mean “those who made [idols] beloved to me.” The verse is written from the perspective of Zion. “They deceived me,” they, too, deceived me. They did not cease prophesying falsely about me until they caused me to be exiled from my place, as it is stated: “They envisioned for you prophecies of futility and deviance [umaduḥim]” (Lamentations 2:14); it is written madiḥam.²⁰⁶The word maduḥim is written without a yod, such that it can be read madiḥam, meaning those who have pushed them into exile.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai interpreted the verse regarding the true prophets, who would cause me to be beloved to the Holy One blessed be He. “They deceived me,” as they would deceive me and say to me: Separate teruma and tithes. But are there teruma and tithes in Babylon? Rather, it was in order to cause me to be beloved to the Holy One blessed be He. That is what Jeremiah says: “Establish signposts [tziyunim] for you” (Jeremiah 31:20). Distinguish yourself via mitzvot with which Israel was distinguished.²⁰⁷Therefore, separate teruma and tithes even in Babylon despite the fact that these mitzvot apply by Torah law only in the Land of Israel.
“Place landmarks for you” (Jeremiah 31:20), this is the destruction of the Temple.²⁰⁸A landmark serves as a marker or reminder of something. This is understood as an allusion to the destruction of the Temple, which must be remembered. Likewise it says: “If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand lose its power” (Psalms 137:5). “Note the highway, the path that you walked [halakht]” (Jeremiah 31:20). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: “I walked [halakhti]” is written.²⁰⁹The verse in Jeremiah is written “the path that I walked,” but it is traditionally read as though it says “the path that you walked.” You find that when Israel was exiled to Babylon, what is written? “For your sake, I sent to Babylon” (Isaiah 43:14).²¹⁰The midrash interprets this to mean that God sent His own Divine Presence with them into exile. Alternatively, the term “I sent [shilaḥti]” can be read shulaḥti, meaning I was sent. They were exiled to Eilam; the Divine Presence was with them, as it is written: “I will place My throne in Eilam” (Jeremiah 49:38). They were exiled to Greece; the Divine Presence was with them, as it is written: “I will rouse your children, Zion, against your children, Greece” (Zechariah 9:13), and it is written thereafter: “The Lord will appear over them…” (Zechariah 9:14). That is why it is written: “The path that I walked.”
Another matter, “Note the highway, the path that you walked.” Jeremiah said to them: ‘See the paths on which you have walked, and repent, as it is written: “Return, maiden of Israel” (Jeremiah 31:20), and you will immediately return to your cities, as it is written: “Return to these, your cities” (Jeremiah 31:20).

Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yuda bar Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Neḥemya. Rabbi Yehuda says: At the moment that Israel heard: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2), Torah study was affixed in their heart and they would study and would not forget. They came to Moses and said: ‘Moses our master, you become an intermediary between us, as it is stated: "You speak to us and we will hear” (Exodus 20:16), “Now, why shall we die? (Deuteronomy 5:22). What benefit would there be in our demise?’ They reverted to studying and forgetting. They said: ‘Just as Moses is flesh and blood and transient, so, too, his teaching is transient.’ Immediately, they returned and came to Moses and said to him: ‘Moses our master, if only He would appear to us a second time. If only “let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.” If only Torah study will be affixed in our heart as it was.’ He said to them: ‘This will not [happen] now, but [it will occur] in the future, as it is written: “I will place My Torah within them and on their heart I will write it”’ (Jeremiah 31:32).
Rabbi Neḥemya said: At the moment that Israel heard: “You shall not have [other gods before Me]” (Exodus 20:3), the evil inclination was uprooted from their heart. They came to Moses and said: ‘Moses our master, you become an intermediary between us, as it is stated: "You speak to us and we will hear” (Exodus 20:16). “Now, why shall we die? (Deuteronomy 5:22). What benefit would there be in our demise?’ Immediately, the evil inclination returned to its place. They returned and came to Moses and said to him: ‘Moses our master, if only He would appear to us a second time. If only “let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.”’ He said to them: ‘This will not [happen] now, but it [will occur] in the future, as it is written: “I will remove the stone heart from your flesh”’ (Ezekiel 36:26).

The sages wanted to suppress (declare uncanonical) the Book of Proverbs also, because of its contradictions. Why did they not suppress it then? They said: "Have we not scrutinized the Book of Ecclesiastes and found explanations of the contradictions? Let us search the Book of Proverbs also, until we find explanations." Which are its contradictory words? It is written (Pr. 26, 4.) Do not answer a fool according to his folly, and it is also written (Ib.) Answer a fool according to his folly. [After a study they came to the conclusion that] there is no contradiction; the latter refers to matters of the Torah and the former refers to secular matters. In what respect can the subject of the Torah be explained? In the following way: Rabban Gamaliel was once sitting and lecturing: "In the future women will give birth to children every day, as it is written (Jer. 31, 7.) The pregnant woman and she that travaileth with child together." A certain disciple sneered at him and said: There is nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1, 9). Whereupon Rabban Gamaliel said to him: 'Come, I will show thee the like thereof in this world." He went and showed him a hen. Again Rabban Gamaliel lectured: "In the future the trees will bring forth fruit every day, for it is said (Ezek. 17. 23.) And it shall produce boughs, and bear fruit, i.e., just as boughs are produced every day so also will fruit be brought forth every day."' Again that disciple sneered at him and said: There is nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1, 9). "Come," said Rabban Gamaliel to him, "I will show thee the like thereof in this world." Whereupon he went and showed him a Caper-bush. Upon another occasion Rabban Gamaliel was sitting and lecturing: "In the future Palestine will produce ready-made cakes and fine woolen garments, as it is said (Ps. 72, 16.) There shall be an abundance of corn in the land." The disciple again sneered at him and said: There is nothing new under the sun. "Come," said Rabban Gamaliel, "I will show thee the like thereof in this world." Whereupon R. Gamaliel took him and showed him mushrooms and as to [something corresponding to] garments, as it said (Ps. 72, 16.) There shall be palm-shoot [which is covered in the form of garment].

... [What about all] the praise of Joseph, who exceeded in the honor of his father? And yet he did not enter into him all the time, such that were it not that they came to tell him, "Your father is sick," he would not have known! Rather this is to inform you of his righteousness. For he did not want to be alone with his father, lest he say to him, "How did your brothers act with you?" And [then] he would curse them.... Hence he did not go to his father all the time.)

“I have removed my tunic; how can I don it? I have washed my feet; how can I soil them? My beloved extended his hand through the hole, and my core was stirred for him” (Song of Songs 5:3–4).
“I have removed my tunic” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even the simplest of the simple knows how to undress and dress, and you say: “I have removed my tunic”?¹⁸Why does the verse continue, “how can I don it,” when putting on a tunic is a simple act? Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yoḥanan say: On the day that the wicked Nebuchadnezzar attacked Israel, he removed from them two great garments: the garment of priesthood and the garment of royalty. “I have washed my feet” – from the filth of idol worship. I knew that the dust of that place induces one to idol worship; nevertheless, my beloved extended His hand through the hole.¹⁹God extended Himself to Israel in exile by bring about the building of the Second Temple through Cyrus.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Why is the image of a hole employed, as the hole is a place where creeping animals breed? Rather, this is what the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, all the miracles that You performed on my behalf by means of Cyrus, would it not have been preferable to have performed them by means of Daniel, or by means of a righteous person? Nevertheless, “my core was stirred for him.”²⁰Even though the redemption was effected in this way, Israel was stirred and excited to have the Temple rebuilt and God’s presence in their midst, despite it being present in a more limited fashion than in the First Temple. Rabbi Azarya said: The Holy One blessed be He said: I bestow kindness. You say: “My core was stirred for him.” I, too, said: “My innards, My innards, I am trembling” (Jeremiah 4:19).²¹God seeks to be close to us just as we seek to be close to Him.
Another matter: “I have removed my tunic” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Reish Lakish: Even the simplest of the simple knows how to undress and dress, and you say: “I have removed my tunic; how can I don it”? Rather, why is this? It is because sleep in the season of Shavuot is pleasant, and the night is short.²²The midrash is interpreting this verse as a reference to the giving of the Torah, which occurred on the festival of Shavuot. The midrash assumes that the Israelites did not awake early enough in the morning for the giving of the Torah (see also Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:12). Rabbi Yudan said: Not even a flea bit them.²³This is during the night before the giving of the Torah, and they slept until the Holy One blessed be He woke them. “I have washed my feet” – from the filth of idol worship. I knew that the dust of that place induces one to idol worship; nevertheless, my beloved extended His hand through the hole.²⁴Despite the fact that the Israelites were not ready to receive the Torah after having spent so much time in Egypt, God approached them to give them the Torah. Rabbi Ami said: Like a poor person who seeks charity. Nevertheless, “my core was stirred for him,” and He said to me: “Therefore My innards yearn for him; I will have mercy on him, the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:19).

Reuben, Simeon, and all the other tribes were mentioned because of the future redemption of Israel. Reuben: I have surely seen the affliction of my people (Exod. 3:7). Simeon: And God heard their groaning (ibid. 2:24). Levi: Many nations will attach themselves to the Lord (Zech. 2:15). Judah: I will give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, for though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away and Thou comfortest me (Isa. 12:1). Issachar: For thy ways shall be rewarded (Jer. 31:16). Zebulun: I have surely built thee a house of habitation (I Kings 8:13). Benjamin: The Lord hath sworn by His right hand (Isa. 62:18). Dan: And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge (Gen. 15:14). Naphtali: Thy lips, O my bride, drop honey (Song 4:11). Gad: Now the manna was like coriander seed (Num. 11:7). Asher: And all the nations shall call you happy (Mal. 3:12). Joseph: The Lord will set His hand again the second time (Isa. 11:1).

Reuben, Simeon, and all the other tribes were mentioned because of the future redemption of Israel. Reuben: I have surely seen the affliction of my people (Exod. 3:7). Simeon: And God heard their groaning (ibid. 2:24). Levi: Many nations will attach themselves to the Lord (Zech. 2:15). Judah: I will give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, for though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away and Thou comfortest me (Isa. 12:1). Issachar: For thy ways shall be rewarded (Jer. 31:16). Zebulun: I have surely built thee a house of habitation (I Kings 8:13). Benjamin: The Lord hath sworn by His right hand (Isa. 62:18). Dan: And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge (Gen. 15:14). Naphtali: Thy lips, O my bride, drop honey (Song 4:11). Gad: Now the manna was like coriander seed (Num. 11:7). Asher: And all the nations shall call you happy (Mal. 3:12). Joseph: The Lord will set His hand again the second time (Isa. 11:1).

Said R. Jose b. Chanina: "Four decrees did Moses decree upon Israel, and four prophets came and abolished them. Moses said (Deut. 33, 28) And Israel dwelt in safety, the fountain of Jacob alone. Amos, however, abolished it, as it is said (7, 5) I beseech Thee; How should Jacob stand? For he is small. Then immediately in (Ib. 6) The Lord bethought … this also shall not be. Moses said (Deut. 28, 65) And among these nations shalt thou have no repose. Jeremiah came and abolished it, as it is written (31, 2) Even Israel, when I go to cause him to rest. Moses said (Ex. 34, 7) Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children. Ezekiel, however, came and abolished it, by saying (18, 4)The soul that sinneth, it shall die. Moses said (Lev. 26, 38) And ye shall perish among the nations. Isaiah came and abolished it by saying (27, 13) And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great horn shall be blown; and they shall come that were lost in the land of Assyria, etc." Rab said: "I am [nevertheless] afraid of the passage, Ye shall be lost among the nations," whereupon R. Papa remarked: "Perhaps this means like a lost article, which is looked after by the owner, as the passage says (Ps. 119, 176) I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant." We must say that he refers to the end of same, The land of your enemies shall consume you. Mar Zutra, and according to others, R. Ashi, opposed this, contending that it may refer to the consummation of pumpkins and cucumbers [which are only eaten partly].

Our Rabbis taught: "Who is [to be considered] a common man? He who does not read the Sh'm'a, (Hear O Israel, etc.), both morning and evening," so says R. Eliezer. R. Joshua says: "He who does not put on Tephilin (phylacteries)." Ben Azai says: "He who does not wear Tzitzis (fringes)." R. Nathan says: "He who has children and does not bring them up in the study of the Torah." Achcirim says: "Even if one has studied the Bible and the Mishnah, but has failed to be in attendance upon scholars (as a disciple), he also is considered an Am. Ha'aretz. And one who only read the Bible but not the Mishnah is called a Bur; concerning one who did not even read the Bible the passage says (Jer. 31, 26) When I will sow the house, etc."

Another explanation of And I will bless those who bless thee (ibid. 12:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I will cause a tribe to descend from among your sons that will bless Israel, and it will be called the tribe of Levi. “Master of the Universe,” he replied, “but who will bless that tribe?” The Holy One, blessed be He, responded: When they bless Israel, I will bless them, as it is said: So shall they put My Name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them (Num. 6:27). The Holy One, blessed be He, said unto Israel: In this world the tribe of Levi will bless you, but in the world-to-come I Myself will bless you, as it is said: The Lord blessed thee, O habitation of righteousness, O mountain of holiness (Jer. 31:22).

“And the earth abides forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: The verse should have said only: “The earth passes and the earth comes, but the generation abides forever.”²⁸This would indicate that the earth is transient, and the people last forever. Which was created for the sake of the other, was the earth created for the sake of the generation, or was the generation created for the sake of the earth? Was it not the earth [that was created] for the sake of the generation? Rather, because the generation did not perform the duties [assigned to it by] the Holy One blessed be He; therefore, it wastes away. The earth, because it performs the duties [assigned to it by] the Holy One blessed be He; therefore, it does not waste away.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: It is written: “For like the days of the tree will be the days of My people” (Isaiah 65:22). Tree means nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it” (Proverbs 3:18). Which was created for the sake of the other; the Torah for the sake of Israel, or Israel for the sake of the Torah? Was it not the Torah [that was created] for the sake of Israel? Rather, the Torah that was created for the sake of Israel exists for ever and ever; Israel, for whose sake [everything] was created, all the more so. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A kingdom enters and a kingdom leaves, but Israel stands forever; that is: “The earth abides forever.” Rabbi Shmuel in the name of Rabbi Pelatya of Naveh derived it from this verse: “Yehonatan son of Gershom son of Menashe, he and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the day of the exile of the land” (Judges 18:30). Does a land go into exile or wander? Rather, these are Israel, who are called land, as it is stated: “All nations will praise you; as you will be a land of delight” (Malachi 3:12) – you will be called a land of delight.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Everything that the Holy One blessed be He created in man, He created its parallel for the earth. Man has a head and the earth has a head [rosh], as it is stated: “[He had not yet made earth and fields, or] the beginning [rosh] of the dust of the world” (Proverbs 8:26). Man has eyes [einayim] and the earth has eyes, as it is stated: “They will cover the face [ein] of the earth” (Exodus 10:5). A person has ears and the earth has ears, as it is stated: “Listen, earth” (Isaiah 1:2). Man has a mouth and the earth has a mouth, as it is stated: “The earth opened its mouth” (Numbers 16:32). Man eats and the earth eats, as it is stated: “A land that consumes its inhabitants” (Numbers 13:32). Man drinks and the earth drinks, as it is stated: “[But the land]…by the rain of the heavens it drinks water” (Deuteronomy 11:11). Man vomits and the earth vomits, as it is stated: “So the land will not vomit [you out]” (Leviticus 18:28). Man has hands and the earth has hands [yadayim], as it is stated: “The land is spacious [raḥavat yadayim]” (Genesis 34:21). Man has thighs and the earth has thighs [yerekhayim], as it is stated: “I will gather them from the ends [miyarketei] of the earth” (Jeremiah 31:8). Man has a navel [tabbur] and the earth has a navel, as it is stated: “Dwellers in the middle of [betabbur] the earth” (Ezekiel 38:12). Man has nakedness and the earth has nakedness, as it is stated: “To see the nakedness of the land you have come” (Genesis 42:9). Man has feet and the earth has feet, as it is stated: “And the earth abides [omadet] forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4).²⁹The term omadet literally means standing, implying that it has feet.
What is omadet? Ma’amedet. Rabbi Aḥa and the Rabbis, Rabbi Aḥa said: It fulfills [ma’amedet] its duties. The Rabbis said: It produces [ma’amedet] its food. Rabbi Shimon ben Yosei ben Lakoneya said: Because in this world a person builds a building and another spends time in it, [a person] plants a sapling and another eats [its produce]. But in the future, they will not build and another will settle, they will not plant and another will eat, as it is stated: “For like the days of the tree will be the days of My people, and My chosen will outlive their handicraft” (Isaiah 65:22).

R. Abin b. R. Adda said in the name of Rab: "Whoever marries a wife who is not fit for him the result will be that when the Holy One, praised be He! will cause to rest His Shechina, He will testify to the worthiness of all the tribes but not upon such a man, as it is said (Ps. 122, 4) Fur thither go up the tribes of the Lord, as a testimony for Israel; i.e., when is it a testimony for Israel? At the time when the tribes may be called the tribes of the Lord." R. Chana b. Chanina said: "When the Holy One, praised be He, will cause to rest His Shechina, He will do so only upon the aristocratic families in Israel, as it is said (Jer. 31, 25) At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God for all the families of Israel; i.e., it does not say to all Israel, but to all the families."

Another interpretation (of Gen. 12:2): SO BECOME A BLESSING. The Holy One said to him: I am going to raise up a tribe from you so that it may bless Israel. And which one is this? The tribe of Levi, since that < is the one which > blesses Israel. Abraham said to him: Sovereign of the World, who is to bless that tribe? The Holy One said to him: When they bless Israel, I will bless them. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 6:27): THUS THEY SHALL SET MY NAME UPON THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND I WILL BLESS THEM. The Holy One said to Israel: In this world the tribe of Levi is blessing you in my name, but in the world to come I will bless you in my glory. Thus it is stated (in Jer. 31:22 [23]): MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU, O HABITATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, O HOLY MOUNTAIN.

Why did He speak to the prophets outside the land of Israel? Because of the merit of the patriarchs, as it is stated: A voice is heard in Ramah (Jer. 31:15). And after that it is written: Thus saith the Lord: “Refrain thy voice from weeping” (ibid., v. 16). Even outside the land (however), He spoke to the prophets only in places that were ritually clean, as in the case of Daniel: As I was by the side of the great river, which is Tigris (Dan. 10:4), and also: And I was by the stream Ulai (ibid. 8:3).⁶The rivers offered the opportunity to obtain ritual cleanliness. Ezekiel said to Him: As I was among the captives by the river Chebar (Ezek. 1:1). This was the Tigris. When did He speak to him? Outside the land only after he had previously spoken to him in the land, as it is said: Rise, go forth into the plain, and I will there speak with thee (ibid. 3:22).

Why did He speak to the prophets outside the land of Israel? Because of the merit of the patriarchs, as it is stated: A voice is heard in Ramah (Jer. 31:15). And after that it is written: Thus saith the Lord: “Refrain thy voice from weeping” (ibid., v. 16). Even outside the land (however), He spoke to the prophets only in places that were ritually clean, as in the case of Daniel: As I was by the side of the great river, which is Tigris (Dan. 10:4), and also: And I was by the stream Ulai (ibid. 8:3).⁶The rivers offered the opportunity to obtain ritual cleanliness. Ezekiel said to Him: As I was among the captives by the river Chebar (Ezek. 1:1). This was the Tigris. When did He speak to him? Outside the land only after he had previously spoken to him in the land, as it is said: Rise, go forth into the plain, and I will there speak with thee (ibid. 3:22).

ISSACHAR (YShShKR) (in Jer. 31:15 [16], as part of a redemption message for the northern tribes): FOR THERE IS REWARD (YSh ShKR) FOR YOUR LABOR.

R. Chisda said: "Knowledge of the Torah can be acquired only through means of signs; for it is said (Deu. 31, 19.) Put it in their mouth. Do not read it Sima (put it) but read it Simana (its signs)." When R. Tachlipha heard this in the West (Palestine), he told it to R. Abuhu, who said: "Ye derive it from that passage, but we derive it from the following (Jer. 31, 20.) Set thyself up waymarks, i.e., set up way-marks to the Torah." Whence do we know that the word Tziyun means marks? For it is written (Ez. 39, 15.) Then when anyone seeth a human bone, he will set up a 'Tziyun' around it." R. Elazar said: "[We know it] from the following, (Pr. 7, 4.) And call understanding thy kinswoman, i.e., make a kins-woman of the Torah." Raba said: [This means] "Set a fixed regular (Fol. 55a) time for the study of the Torah." This also is intended by R. Abdimi b. Dosa, who spoke thus: "What is meant by the passage (Deu. 30, 12.) It is not in heaven, neither is it beyond the sea. It is not in heaven means that even if it were in heaven, one would have to ascend to reach it; neither is it beyond the sea, i.e., even if it were beyond the sea, one would have to cross the sea to reach it." Raba said: "It is not in heaven, means that knowledge cannot be found in him who exalts himself [in wisdom] as high as the heavens; Neither is it beyond the sea, means that neither is it with him who considers his opinion as broad as the sea." R. Jachanan said: "It is not in heaven, means that it cannot be found among presumptuous men; Neither is it beyond the sea, means that it cannot be found among travelling merchants and tradesmen."

When Joseph saw that they were extremely embarrassed, he said to them: Come near to me, I pray you (Gen. 45:4). As each one of them approached, he kissed him and wept with him, as is said: And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them (ibid., v. 15). Just as Joseph comforted his brothers while they were weeping, so the Holy One, blessed be He, will redeem Israel while she weeps, as it is said: They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them; I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble (Jer. 31:9).

When Joseph saw that they were extremely embarrassed, he said to them: Come near to me, I pray you (Gen. 45:4). As each one of them approached, he kissed him and wept with him, as is said: And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them (ibid., v. 15). Just as Joseph comforted his brothers while they were weeping, so the Holy One, blessed be He, will redeem Israel while she weeps, as it is said: They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them; I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble (Jer. 31:9).

“Why do You forget us forever, forsake us for so long?” (Lamentations 5:20).
“Why do You forget us forever?” Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin said: Jeremiah employed four expressions: Spurning, rejection, forsaking, and forgetting. Spurning and rejection, as it is written: “Did You spurn Judah, did Your soul reject Zion?” (Jeremiah 14:19). And he was answered by Moses, as it is written: “I did not spurn them and I did not reject them” (Leviticus 26:44). Forsaking and forgetting, as it is written: “Why do You forget us forever, forsake us for so long?” And he was answered by Isaiah, as it is written: “These too may forget, but I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Jeremiah employed four expressions: Spurning, anger, forsaking, and forgetting. Spurning, he answered himself, as it is written: “So said the Lord: If the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below probed, I too will spurn all the descendants of Israel because of everything that they did, the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:37).²⁷Since the heavens and earth cannot be measured, Israel will not be spurned. Anger, he was answered by Isaiah, as it is stated: “For I will not contend forever and I will not be eternally angry” (Isaiah 57:16).

“Why do You forget us forever, forsake us for so long?” (Lamentations 5:20).
“Why do You forget us forever?” Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin said: Jeremiah employed four expressions: Spurning, rejection, forsaking, and forgetting. Spurning and rejection, as it is written: “Did You spurn Judah, did Your soul reject Zion?” (Jeremiah 14:19). And he was answered by Moses, as it is written: “I did not spurn them and I did not reject them” (Leviticus 26:44). Forsaking and forgetting, as it is written: “Why do You forget us forever, forsake us for so long?” And he was answered by Isaiah, as it is written: “These too may forget, but I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Jeremiah employed four expressions: Spurning, anger, forsaking, and forgetting. Spurning, he answered himself, as it is written: “So said the Lord: If the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below probed, I too will spurn all the descendants of Israel because of everything that they did, the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:37).²⁷Since the heavens and earth cannot be measured, Israel will not be spurned. Anger, he was answered by Isaiah, as it is stated: “For I will not contend forever and I will not be eternally angry” (Isaiah 57:16).

5) (Vayikra 26:9) ("And I shall turn to you, and I shall make you fruitful, and I shall expand you, and I shall establish My covenant with you.") "And I shall turn to you": To what may this be compared? A king hired many workers, and there was one among them who worked with him for many days. The workers came to claim their wage and he among them. The king says to the worker: "My son, I shall turn to you. These many did little work for me and I will give them a small wage. But, as for you, there is a great reckoning that I am destined to make with you." So, Israel in this world claim their wage before the Holy One Blessed be He, as do the nations of the world. And the Holy One Blessed be He says to Israel: My sons, I will turn to you. These nations of the world did little work for Me, and I will pay them a small wage; but you — there is a great reckoning that I am destined to make with you" — thus, "And I shall turn to you": with good. "and I shall make you fruitful": with children. "and I shall expand you": with an upright stature. "and I shall establish My covenant with you": not as the first covenant, which you broke, as it is written (Jeremiah 31:31) "'They broke My covenant, and I mastered them,' says the L–rd," — but a new covenant, which will not be broken, as it is written (Jeremiah 31:30) "Behold, days are coming, says the L–rd, when I will seal with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant" — which will not be broken.

5) (Vayikra 26:9) ("And I shall turn to you, and I shall make you fruitful, and I shall expand you, and I shall establish My covenant with you.") "And I shall turn to you": To what may this be compared? A king hired many workers, and there was one among them who worked with him for many days. The workers came to claim their wage and he among them. The king says to the worker: "My son, I shall turn to you. These many did little work for me and I will give them a small wage. But, as for you, there is a great reckoning that I am destined to make with you." So, Israel in this world claim their wage before the Holy One Blessed be He, as do the nations of the world. And the Holy One Blessed be He says to Israel: My sons, I will turn to you. These nations of the world did little work for Me, and I will pay them a small wage; but you — there is a great reckoning that I am destined to make with you" — thus, "And I shall turn to you": with good. "and I shall make you fruitful": with children. "and I shall expand you": with an upright stature. "and I shall establish My covenant with you": not as the first covenant, which you broke, as it is written (Jeremiah 31:31) "'They broke My covenant, and I mastered them,' says the L–rd," — but a new covenant, which will not be broken, as it is written (Jeremiah 31:30) "Behold, days are coming, says the L–rd, when I will seal with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant" — which will not be broken.

R. Tanchum said in the name of R. Chanilai: "Every Judaean who has no wife lives without happiness, without blessing, and without good; without happiness, as it is written (Deut. 14, 26) And thou shalt rejoice, thou and thy household; without blessing, as it is written (Ez. 44, 30) To cause a blessing to rest on thy house; without good, as it is written (Ben. 2, 18) It is not good that the man should be alone." In Palestine it was said: "He [who is unmarried] is without Torah and without protection; i.e., without Torah, as it is written (Job 6, 13) Truly, am I not without my help in me, and is not Tushiya driven far away from me? Without protection, as it is written (Jer. 31, 21) The woman will go about [to protect] the husband." Raba b. Ulla said: "Also without peace, as it is written (Job 5, 24) And thou shalt know that there is peace in thy tent," etc.

“In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Aḥashverosh, he had cast a pur, that is, the lot, before Haman for each day and for each month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar” (Esther 3:7).
“In the first month, that is, the month Nisan” – it is taught: When the wicked Haman sought to eliminate Israel, he said: ‘How can I gain control over them? I will cast lots.’ The Holy Spirit cried out: “Over My people they cast lots” (Joel 4:3). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one son of wicked one, your lot is drawn to be hanged.’ “He cast a pur, that is [hu],¹¹The midrash is claiming that pronoun hu refers to Haman: He cast a pur; upon him was the lot. the lot” – upon him the lot fell. Why? “Indeed, the rod of wickedness will not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous extend their hands for wrongdoing” (Psalms 125:3).
First, he cast a lot for the days, as it is stated: “for each day.” He cast the lot on Sunday. Its [Sunday’s] angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The heavens and the earth were created on me [my day], and You said: “truly My covenant is day and night, have I not set the statutes of heaven and earth?” (Jeremiah 33:25). There is a covenant in their flesh, as it is written: “You shall observe My covenant [you and your descendants that are after you for their generations…circumcise for yourselves every male]” (Genesis 17:9–10), and it is written: “My covenant shall be in your flesh” (Genesis 17:13). And there is a covenant in their mouths, that is the Torah, as it is written: “The book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth” (Joshua 1:8). And You said: “If the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below probed…”( Jeremiah 31:37) and it is written: “[when these laws should ever be annulled before Me, says the Lord,] so too will the descendants of Israel cease from being a nation before Me all the days” (Jeremiah 31:35), and this wicked one seeks to eliminate them? Uproot the heavens and the earth first, and then annihilate them.’
He cast the lot on Monday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: On the second day you separated the upper waters from the lower waters, and likewise, Israel is separated from the nations. That is what is written: “I have distinguished you from the peoples to be Mine” (Leviticus 20:26), and this wicked one wants to eliminate them? Overturn the upper and the lower worlds and then annihilate them.’
He cast the lot and it fell on Tuesday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The third day – on it, seeds were created, from which Israel separates teruma and tithes, and on it trees were created, with which Israel lauds you. That is what is written: “You shall take for you on the first day: The fruit of a pleasant tree…”¹²The verse refers to the four species; a palm branch, an etrog, myrtle branches and willow branches, that are taken on Sukkot. (Leviticus 23:40). On it the waters were gathered into the sea [during Creation], and the sea split into twelve segments for Israel’s sake. Now, if Israel is eradicated, how do we exist?’
He cast the lot on Wednesday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The fourth day – on it the lights were created to provide light for Israel’s use; that is what is written: “Nations will walk by your light and kings by the aura of your shining” (Isaiah 60:3), and on it the stars were created, and your children were likened to stars; if You eliminate them, how do we exist?’
He cast the lot on Thursday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The fifth day – on it were created birds [and animals], from which you commanded to present offerings, and with which You grant atonement to and are reconciled with people; if they are eradicated, who will present an offering?’
He cast the lot on Friday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The sixth day – on it Adam the first man was created, and you called Your children by his name; that is what is written: “You, My flock, flock of My pasture, you are men [Adam]” (Ezekiel 34:31). If you seek to uproot them, uproot all men and then let him [Haman] gain control over them.’
He cast the lot on Shabbat. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The Shabbat day – on it all your creations were completed and perfected; that is what is written: “God completed on the seventh day” (Genesis 2:2), and it is written: “It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever” (Exodus 31:17). If you seek to uproot them, uproot the Shabbat and cancel it; then eliminate them.’
Once that wicked one saw that the lot would not fall on the days, he moved to months.
He began with the month of Nisan, and the merit of Passover arose.
Iyyar had the merit of Pesaḥ sheni,¹³This refers to the fourteenth of Iyyar, when those who had been impure or were too distant from the Temple on the fourteenth of Nisan, could present the Passover offering. and the merit of the manna that was provided to Israel on the fifteenth of the month.
Sivan had the merit of the Torah.
Tammuz had the merit of the land.¹⁴The allusion is obscure. It perhaps refers to the fact that Ezra came to the Land of Israel on the first of that month (Ezra 7:8-9). Alternatively, there are midrashic traditions that Joshua stopped the sun in his war with the five Emorite kings during that month (Seder Olam Rabba:11).
Furthermore, why didn’t the lot fall on Tammuz and Av? Because they said to the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, the calamities that befell your children in us, five in Tammuz and five in Av, are enough.
The possibility of Elul arose – [but it had] the merit of the completion of the wall of Jerusalem that was completed during it. That is what is written: “The wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul” (Nehemiah 6:15). There was also the merit of the animal tithe, as it is taught there: On the first of Elul is the New Year for the animal tithe (Mishna Rosh HaShana 1:1).
The possibility of Tishrei arose – [but it had] the merit of the shofar, Yom Kippur, and the festivals.
The possibility of Marḥeshvan arose – [but it had] the merit of Sarah our matriarch, who died during it.
Kislev – [but it had] the merit of Hanukkah.
The possibility of Tevet arose – [but it had] the merit of Ezra. That is what is written: “The exiles did so. Ezra the priest…sequestered themselves; [they convened on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter]...they finished with all the men who had settled with foreign women” (Ezra 10:16–17).
The possibility of Shevat arose – [but it had] the merit of the members of the Great Assembly. On the twenty-third of it [the month of Shevat] all Israel gathered over the concubine in Giva (Judges 19–21) and the idol of Mikha (Judges 17–18).
The possibility of the first of Adar arose, and no merit was found for it. The wicked one began rejoicing.
He then checked the signs of the Zodiac. Lamb [Aries] had the merit of the paschal lamb; that is what is written: “Each man, a lamb for each extended family, a lamb for each household” (Exodus 12:3).
Bull [Taurus] – the merit of Joseph, who was called a bull, was found. That is what is written: “A firstborn bull is his majesty” (Deuteronomy 33:17). And the merit of an offering, as it is stated: “A bull, or a sheep, or a goat, when it is born…” (Leviticus 22:27).
Twins [Gemini] – the merit of Peretz and Zeraḥ [the sons of Judah], who were called twins, was found in it; that is what is written: “And behold there were twins in her womb” (Genesis 38:27).
Lion [Leo] – the merit of Daniel, who was from the tribe of Judah, who was called a lion, [was found in it], as it is stated: “A lion cub is Judah” (Genesis 49:9).
Virgin [Virgo] – the merit of Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, who were comparable to a virgin with whom no man was familiar other than her husband, [was found in it]; thus they did not change their God and their laws, and clung to their Judaism.
Scales [Libra] – that is Job, as it is stated: “If only my anger were weighed” (Job 6:2).
Scorpion [Scorpio] – that is Ezekiel, as it is stated: “And you sit among the scorpions” (Ezekiel 2:6).
Bow [Sagittarius] – that is Joseph, as it is stated about him: “His bow remained taut” (Genesis 49:24).
Kid [Capricorn] – that is Jacob, as it is stated: “And the hides of the kids of the goats” (Genesis 27:16).
Bucket [d’li] [Aquarius ] – that is Moses, as it is stated: “And he drew water [dalo dala] for us” (Exodus 2:19).
He arrived at the sign of Fish [Pisces], that serves during the month of Adar, and no merit was found for it. He immediately rejoiced and said: ‘Adar has no merit and its Zodiac sign has no merit. Not only that, but Moses their teacher died in Adar.’ And he did not know that Moses died on the seventh of Adar and Moses was born on the seventh of Adar. He said: ‘Just as fish swallow, so, I will swallow them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one, fish sometimes swallow and sometimes are swallowed. Now, this man will be swallowed by the swallowers.’ Rabbi Ḥanan said: That is what is written: “It was reversed, so that it was the Jews who ruled over their enemies” (Esther 9:1). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: “But the Lord had not determined to expunge [the name of Israel]” (II Kings 14:27); rather, so He spoke: “For I will expunge the memory of Amalek” (Exodus 17:14).

“In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Aḥashverosh, he had cast a pur, that is, the lot, before Haman for each day and for each month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar” (Esther 3:7).
“In the first month, that is, the month Nisan” – it is taught: When the wicked Haman sought to eliminate Israel, he said: ‘How can I gain control over them? I will cast lots.’ The Holy Spirit cried out: “Over My people they cast lots” (Joel 4:3). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one son of wicked one, your lot is drawn to be hanged.’ “He cast a pur, that is [hu],¹¹The midrash is claiming that pronoun hu refers to Haman: He cast a pur; upon him was the lot. the lot” – upon him the lot fell. Why? “Indeed, the rod of wickedness will not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous extend their hands for wrongdoing” (Psalms 125:3).
First, he cast a lot for the days, as it is stated: “for each day.” He cast the lot on Sunday. Its [Sunday’s] angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The heavens and the earth were created on me [my day], and You said: “truly My covenant is day and night, have I not set the statutes of heaven and earth?” (Jeremiah 33:25). There is a covenant in their flesh, as it is written: “You shall observe My covenant [you and your descendants that are after you for their generations…circumcise for yourselves every male]” (Genesis 17:9–10), and it is written: “My covenant shall be in your flesh” (Genesis 17:13). And there is a covenant in their mouths, that is the Torah, as it is written: “The book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth” (Joshua 1:8). And You said: “If the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below probed…”( Jeremiah 31:37) and it is written: “[when these laws should ever be annulled before Me, says the Lord,] so too will the descendants of Israel cease from being a nation before Me all the days” (Jeremiah 31:35), and this wicked one seeks to eliminate them? Uproot the heavens and the earth first, and then annihilate them.’
He cast the lot on Monday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: On the second day you separated the upper waters from the lower waters, and likewise, Israel is separated from the nations. That is what is written: “I have distinguished you from the peoples to be Mine” (Leviticus 20:26), and this wicked one wants to eliminate them? Overturn the upper and the lower worlds and then annihilate them.’
He cast the lot and it fell on Tuesday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The third day – on it, seeds were created, from which Israel separates teruma and tithes, and on it trees were created, with which Israel lauds you. That is what is written: “You shall take for you on the first day: The fruit of a pleasant tree…”¹²The verse refers to the four species; a palm branch, an etrog, myrtle branches and willow branches, that are taken on Sukkot. (Leviticus 23:40). On it the waters were gathered into the sea [during Creation], and the sea split into twelve segments for Israel’s sake. Now, if Israel is eradicated, how do we exist?’
He cast the lot on Wednesday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The fourth day – on it the lights were created to provide light for Israel’s use; that is what is written: “Nations will walk by your light and kings by the aura of your shining” (Isaiah 60:3), and on it the stars were created, and your children were likened to stars; if You eliminate them, how do we exist?’
He cast the lot on Thursday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The fifth day – on it were created birds [and animals], from which you commanded to present offerings, and with which You grant atonement to and are reconciled with people; if they are eradicated, who will present an offering?’
He cast the lot on Friday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The sixth day – on it Adam the first man was created, and you called Your children by his name; that is what is written: “You, My flock, flock of My pasture, you are men [Adam]” (Ezekiel 34:31). If you seek to uproot them, uproot all men and then let him [Haman] gain control over them.’
He cast the lot on Shabbat. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The Shabbat day – on it all your creations were completed and perfected; that is what is written: “God completed on the seventh day” (Genesis 2:2), and it is written: “It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever” (Exodus 31:17). If you seek to uproot them, uproot the Shabbat and cancel it; then eliminate them.’
Once that wicked one saw that the lot would not fall on the days, he moved to months.
He began with the month of Nisan, and the merit of Passover arose.
Iyyar had the merit of Pesaḥ sheni,¹³This refers to the fourteenth of Iyyar, when those who had been impure or were too distant from the Temple on the fourteenth of Nisan, could present the Passover offering. and the merit of the manna that was provided to Israel on the fifteenth of the month.
Sivan had the merit of the Torah.
Tammuz had the merit of the land.¹⁴The allusion is obscure. It perhaps refers to the fact that Ezra came to the Land of Israel on the first of that month (Ezra 7:8-9). Alternatively, there are midrashic traditions that Joshua stopped the sun in his war with the five Emorite kings during that month (Seder Olam Rabba:11).
Furthermore, why didn’t the lot fall on Tammuz and Av? Because they said to the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, the calamities that befell your children in us, five in Tammuz and five in Av, are enough.
The possibility of Elul arose – [but it had] the merit of the completion of the wall of Jerusalem that was completed during it. That is what is written: “The wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul” (Nehemiah 6:15). There was also the merit of the animal tithe, as it is taught there: On the first of Elul is the New Year for the animal tithe (Mishna Rosh HaShana 1:1).
The possibility of Tishrei arose – [but it had] the merit of the shofar, Yom Kippur, and the festivals.
The possibility of Marḥeshvan arose – [but it had] the merit of Sarah our matriarch, who died during it.
Kislev – [but it had] the merit of Hanukkah.
The possibility of Tevet arose – [but it had] the merit of Ezra. That is what is written: “The exiles did so. Ezra the priest…sequestered themselves; [they convened on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter]...they finished with all the men who had settled with foreign women” (Ezra 10:16–17).
The possibility of Shevat arose – [but it had] the merit of the members of the Great Assembly. On the twenty-third of it [the month of Shevat] all Israel gathered over the concubine in Giva (Judges 19–21) and the idol of Mikha (Judges 17–18).
The possibility of the first of Adar arose, and no merit was found for it. The wicked one began rejoicing.
He then checked the signs of the Zodiac. Lamb [Aries] had the merit of the paschal lamb; that is what is written: “Each man, a lamb for each extended family, a lamb for each household” (Exodus 12:3).
Bull [Taurus] – the merit of Joseph, who was called a bull, was found. That is what is written: “A firstborn bull is his majesty” (Deuteronomy 33:17). And the merit of an offering, as it is stated: “A bull, or a sheep, or a goat, when it is born…” (Leviticus 22:27).
Twins [Gemini] – the merit of Peretz and Zeraḥ [the sons of Judah], who were called twins, was found in it; that is what is written: “And behold there were twins in her womb” (Genesis 38:27).
Lion [Leo] – the merit of Daniel, who was from the tribe of Judah, who was called a lion, [was found in it], as it is stated: “A lion cub is Judah” (Genesis 49:9).
Virgin [Virgo] – the merit of Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, who were comparable to a virgin with whom no man was familiar other than her husband, [was found in it]; thus they did not change their God and their laws, and clung to their Judaism.
Scales [Libra] – that is Job, as it is stated: “If only my anger were weighed” (Job 6:2).
Scorpion [Scorpio] – that is Ezekiel, as it is stated: “And you sit among the scorpions” (Ezekiel 2:6).
Bow [Sagittarius] – that is Joseph, as it is stated about him: “His bow remained taut” (Genesis 49:24).
Kid [Capricorn] – that is Jacob, as it is stated: “And the hides of the kids of the goats” (Genesis 27:16).
Bucket [d’li] [Aquarius ] – that is Moses, as it is stated: “And he drew water [dalo dala] for us” (Exodus 2:19).
He arrived at the sign of Fish [Pisces], that serves during the month of Adar, and no merit was found for it. He immediately rejoiced and said: ‘Adar has no merit and its Zodiac sign has no merit. Not only that, but Moses their teacher died in Adar.’ And he did not know that Moses died on the seventh of Adar and Moses was born on the seventh of Adar. He said: ‘Just as fish swallow, so, I will swallow them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one, fish sometimes swallow and sometimes are swallowed. Now, this man will be swallowed by the swallowers.’ Rabbi Ḥanan said: That is what is written: “It was reversed, so that it was the Jews who ruled over their enemies” (Esther 9:1). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: “But the Lord had not determined to expunge [the name of Israel]” (II Kings 14:27); rather, so He spoke: “For I will expunge the memory of Amalek” (Exodus 17:14).

“In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Aḥashverosh, he had cast a pur, that is, the lot, before Haman for each day and for each month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar” (Esther 3:7).
“In the first month, that is, the month Nisan” – it is taught: When the wicked Haman sought to eliminate Israel, he said: ‘How can I gain control over them? I will cast lots.’ The Holy Spirit cried out: “Over My people they cast lots” (Joel 4:3). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one son of wicked one, your lot is drawn to be hanged.’ “He cast a pur, that is [hu],¹¹The midrash is claiming that pronoun hu refers to Haman: He cast a pur; upon him was the lot. the lot” – upon him the lot fell. Why? “Indeed, the rod of wickedness will not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous extend their hands for wrongdoing” (Psalms 125:3).
First, he cast a lot for the days, as it is stated: “for each day.” He cast the lot on Sunday. Its [Sunday’s] angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The heavens and the earth were created on me [my day], and You said: “truly My covenant is day and night, have I not set the statutes of heaven and earth?” (Jeremiah 33:25). There is a covenant in their flesh, as it is written: “You shall observe My covenant [you and your descendants that are after you for their generations…circumcise for yourselves every male]” (Genesis 17:9–10), and it is written: “My covenant shall be in your flesh” (Genesis 17:13). And there is a covenant in their mouths, that is the Torah, as it is written: “The book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth” (Joshua 1:8). And You said: “If the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below probed…”( Jeremiah 31:37) and it is written: “[when these laws should ever be annulled before Me, says the Lord,] so too will the descendants of Israel cease from being a nation before Me all the days” (Jeremiah 31:35), and this wicked one seeks to eliminate them? Uproot the heavens and the earth first, and then annihilate them.’
He cast the lot on Monday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: On the second day you separated the upper waters from the lower waters, and likewise, Israel is separated from the nations. That is what is written: “I have distinguished you from the peoples to be Mine” (Leviticus 20:26), and this wicked one wants to eliminate them? Overturn the upper and the lower worlds and then annihilate them.’
He cast the lot and it fell on Tuesday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The third day – on it, seeds were created, from which Israel separates teruma and tithes, and on it trees were created, with which Israel lauds you. That is what is written: “You shall take for you on the first day: The fruit of a pleasant tree…”¹²The verse refers to the four species; a palm branch, an etrog, myrtle branches and willow branches, that are taken on Sukkot. (Leviticus 23:40). On it the waters were gathered into the sea [during Creation], and the sea split into twelve segments for Israel’s sake. Now, if Israel is eradicated, how do we exist?’
He cast the lot on Wednesday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The fourth day – on it the lights were created to provide light for Israel’s use; that is what is written: “Nations will walk by your light and kings by the aura of your shining” (Isaiah 60:3), and on it the stars were created, and your children were likened to stars; if You eliminate them, how do we exist?’
He cast the lot on Thursday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The fifth day – on it were created birds [and animals], from which you commanded to present offerings, and with which You grant atonement to and are reconciled with people; if they are eradicated, who will present an offering?’
He cast the lot on Friday. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The sixth day – on it Adam the first man was created, and you called Your children by his name; that is what is written: “You, My flock, flock of My pasture, you are men [Adam]” (Ezekiel 34:31). If you seek to uproot them, uproot all men and then let him [Haman] gain control over them.’
He cast the lot on Shabbat. Its angel stood before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: The Shabbat day – on it all your creations were completed and perfected; that is what is written: “God completed on the seventh day” (Genesis 2:2), and it is written: “It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever” (Exodus 31:17). If you seek to uproot them, uproot the Shabbat and cancel it; then eliminate them.’
Once that wicked one saw that the lot would not fall on the days, he moved to months.
He began with the month of Nisan, and the merit of Passover arose.
Iyyar had the merit of Pesaḥ sheni,¹³This refers to the fourteenth of Iyyar, when those who had been impure or were too distant from the Temple on the fourteenth of Nisan, could present the Passover offering. and the merit of the manna that was provided to Israel on the fifteenth of the month.
Sivan had the merit of the Torah.
Tammuz had the merit of the land.¹⁴The allusion is obscure. It perhaps refers to the fact that Ezra came to the Land of Israel on the first of that month (Ezra 7:8-9). Alternatively, there are midrashic traditions that Joshua stopped the sun in his war with the five Emorite kings during that month (Seder Olam Rabba:11).
Furthermore, why didn’t the lot fall on Tammuz and Av? Because they said to the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, the calamities that befell your children in us, five in Tammuz and five in Av, are enough.
The possibility of Elul arose – [but it had] the merit of the completion of the wall of Jerusalem that was completed during it. That is what is written: “The wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul” (Nehemiah 6:15). There was also the merit of the animal tithe, as it is taught there: On the first of Elul is the New Year for the animal tithe (Mishna Rosh HaShana 1:1).
The possibility of Tishrei arose – [but it had] the merit of the shofar, Yom Kippur, and the festivals.
The possibility of Marḥeshvan arose – [but it had] the merit of Sarah our matriarch, who died during it.
Kislev – [but it had] the merit of Hanukkah.
The possibility of Tevet arose – [but it had] the merit of Ezra. That is what is written: “The exiles did so. Ezra the priest…sequestered themselves; [they convened on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter]...they finished with all the men who had settled with foreign women” (Ezra 10:16–17).
The possibility of Shevat arose – [but it had] the merit of the members of the Great Assembly. On the twenty-third of it [the month of Shevat] all Israel gathered over the concubine in Giva (Judges 19–21) and the idol of Mikha (Judges 17–18).
The possibility of the first of Adar arose, and no merit was found for it. The wicked one began rejoicing.
He then checked the signs of the Zodiac. Lamb [Aries] had the merit of the paschal lamb; that is what is written: “Each man, a lamb for each extended family, a lamb for each household” (Exodus 12:3).
Bull [Taurus] – the merit of Joseph, who was called a bull, was found. That is what is written: “A firstborn bull is his majesty” (Deuteronomy 33:17). And the merit of an offering, as it is stated: “A bull, or a sheep, or a goat, when it is born…” (Leviticus 22:27).
Twins [Gemini] – the merit of Peretz and Zeraḥ [the sons of Judah], who were called twins, was found in it; that is what is written: “And behold there were twins in her womb” (Genesis 38:27).
Lion [Leo] – the merit of Daniel, who was from the tribe of Judah, who was called a lion, [was found in it], as it is stated: “A lion cub is Judah” (Genesis 49:9).
Virgin [Virgo] – the merit of Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, who were comparable to a virgin with whom no man was familiar other than her husband, [was found in it]; thus they did not change their God and their laws, and clung to their Judaism.
Scales [Libra] – that is Job, as it is stated: “If only my anger were weighed” (Job 6:2).
Scorpion [Scorpio] – that is Ezekiel, as it is stated: “And you sit among the scorpions” (Ezekiel 2:6).
Bow [Sagittarius] – that is Joseph, as it is stated about him: “His bow remained taut” (Genesis 49:24).
Kid [Capricorn] – that is Jacob, as it is stated: “And the hides of the kids of the goats” (Genesis 27:16).
Bucket [d’li] [Aquarius ] – that is Moses, as it is stated: “And he drew water [dalo dala] for us” (Exodus 2:19).
He arrived at the sign of Fish [Pisces], that serves during the month of Adar, and no merit was found for it. He immediately rejoiced and said: ‘Adar has no merit and its Zodiac sign has no merit. Not only that, but Moses their teacher died in Adar.’ And he did not know that Moses died on the seventh of Adar and Moses was born on the seventh of Adar. He said: ‘Just as fish swallow, so, I will swallow them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one, fish sometimes swallow and sometimes are swallowed. Now, this man will be swallowed by the swallowers.’ Rabbi Ḥanan said: That is what is written: “It was reversed, so that it was the Jews who ruled over their enemies” (Esther 9:1). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: “But the Lord had not determined to expunge [the name of Israel]” (II Kings 14:27); rather, so He spoke: “For I will expunge the memory of Amalek” (Exodus 17:14).

“All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said: We are witnesses. May the Lord render the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and like Leah, the two of whom built the house of Israel; prosper in Efrat, and proclaim a name in Bethlehem” (Ruth 4:11).
“All the people who were in the gate…” Most of those participating in the feast were from Leah; therefore they accorded priority to Rachel.²⁵¹Most of those present were from the tribe of Judah, a son of Leah. Therefore, they mentioned Rachel before Leah so that it would not appear that they were according honor to themselves. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Rachel was his primary wife, as it is stated: “Rachel was barren [akara]” (Genesis 29:31), [alluding to the fact that she was] primary [ikar]. Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai taught: Because they said things against Rachel,²⁵²Her enemies would attribute her barrenness to her character flaws. therefore [all the tribes of Israel] are called her children, as it is written: “Rachel is weeping over her children” (Jeremiah 31:15).²⁵³The verse is referring to the entire nation of Israel, not just the tribes who descended from Rachel. The same is true of the verses in Amos and Jeremiah cited below. They are not only attributed to her; they are even attributed to her son: “Perhaps the Lord, God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph” (Amos 5:15). They are not only attributed to her son; they are even attributed to her grandson, as it is stated: “Is Ephraim My favorite son, a delightful child?” (Jeremiah 31:20).

“All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said: We are witnesses. May the Lord render the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and like Leah, the two of whom built the house of Israel; prosper in Efrat, and proclaim a name in Bethlehem” (Ruth 4:11).
“All the people who were in the gate…” Most of those participating in the feast were from Leah; therefore they accorded priority to Rachel.²⁵¹Most of those present were from the tribe of Judah, a son of Leah. Therefore, they mentioned Rachel before Leah so that it would not appear that they were according honor to themselves. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Rachel was his primary wife, as it is stated: “Rachel was barren [akara]” (Genesis 29:31), [alluding to the fact that she was] primary [ikar]. Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai taught: Because they said things against Rachel,²⁵²Her enemies would attribute her barrenness to her character flaws. therefore [all the tribes of Israel] are called her children, as it is written: “Rachel is weeping over her children” (Jeremiah 31:15).²⁵³The verse is referring to the entire nation of Israel, not just the tribes who descended from Rachel. The same is true of the verses in Amos and Jeremiah cited below. They are not only attributed to her; they are even attributed to her son: “Perhaps the Lord, God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph” (Amos 5:15). They are not only attributed to her son; they are even attributed to her grandson, as it is stated: “Is Ephraim My favorite son, a delightful child?” (Jeremiah 31:20).

“All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said: We are witnesses. May the Lord render the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and like Leah, the two of whom built the house of Israel; prosper in Efrat, and proclaim a name in Bethlehem” (Ruth 4:11).
“All the people who were in the gate…” Most of those participating in the feast were from Leah; therefore they accorded priority to Rachel.²⁵¹Most of those present were from the tribe of Judah, a son of Leah. Therefore, they mentioned Rachel before Leah so that it would not appear that they were according honor to themselves. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Rachel was his primary wife, as it is stated: “Rachel was barren [akara]” (Genesis 29:31), [alluding to the fact that she was] primary [ikar]. Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai taught: Because they said things against Rachel,²⁵²Her enemies would attribute her barrenness to her character flaws. therefore [all the tribes of Israel] are called her children, as it is written: “Rachel is weeping over her children” (Jeremiah 31:15).²⁵³The verse is referring to the entire nation of Israel, not just the tribes who descended from Rachel. The same is true of the verses in Amos and Jeremiah cited below. They are not only attributed to her; they are even attributed to her son: “Perhaps the Lord, God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph” (Amos 5:15). They are not only attributed to her son; they are even attributed to her grandson, as it is stated: “Is Ephraim My favorite son, a delightful child?” (Jeremiah 31:20).

“All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said: We are witnesses. May the Lord render the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and like Leah, the two of whom built the house of Israel; prosper in Efrat, and proclaim a name in Bethlehem” (Ruth 4:11).
“All the people who were in the gate…” Most of those participating in the feast were from Leah; therefore they accorded priority to Rachel.²⁵¹Most of those present were from the tribe of Judah, a son of Leah. Therefore, they mentioned Rachel before Leah so that it would not appear that they were according honor to themselves. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Rachel was his primary wife, as it is stated: “Rachel was barren [akara]” (Genesis 29:31), [alluding to the fact that she was] primary [ikar]. Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai taught: Because they said things against Rachel,²⁵²Her enemies would attribute her barrenness to her character flaws. therefore [all the tribes of Israel] are called her children, as it is written: “Rachel is weeping over her children” (Jeremiah 31:15).²⁵³The verse is referring to the entire nation of Israel, not just the tribes who descended from Rachel. The same is true of the verses in Amos and Jeremiah cited below. They are not only attributed to her; they are even attributed to her son: “Perhaps the Lord, God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph” (Amos 5:15). They are not only attributed to her son; they are even attributed to her grandson, as it is stated: “Is Ephraim My favorite son, a delightful child?” (Jeremiah 31:20).

VII) Behold days are [coming], declares the LORD (Jeremiah 31:38) It is written lacking: For behold days are, declares the LORD. This is an obscure matter, and we could say that this is tidings for far-off times and many days, just as we read coming from the margin, bringing near the end-times and bringing near the tidings of reading coming in the commandments of the prophet. May the Merciful One accelerate the end-times.

VII) Behold days are [coming], declares the LORD (Jeremiah 31:38) It is written lacking: For behold days are, declares the LORD. This is an obscure matter, and we could say that this is tidings for far-off times and many days, just as we read coming from the margin, bringing near the end-times and bringing near the tidings of reading coming in the commandments of the prophet. May the Merciful One accelerate the end-times.

And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron: “This is the ordinance of the passover” (Exod. 12:43). There are chapters of the Torah in which a general statement is made at the beginning of the chapter, and a particular statement is made at its end. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests (Exod. 19:6) is a particular statement, while the verse These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel (ibid.) is a general statement. This is the statue of the law (Num. 19:2) is a general statement, while the verse That they bring thee a red heifer (ibid.) is a particular statement. This is the ordinance of the Passover (Exod. 12:43) is a general statement, whereas There shall no alien eat thereof (ibid.) is a particular statement. Whenever a general statement is followed by a particular one, the general statement does not include more than is contained in the particular.¹⁰The fourth of the thirteen rules of interpretation developed by R. Ishmael. This is the ordinance of the Passover. This passage deals with the Passover in Egypt. How then do we know about Passover in subsequent generations? Scripture informs us of this in the verse According to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof, shall ye keep it (Num. 9:3). There shall no alien eat thereof (Exod. 12:43) alludes also to a renegade Jew and a Gentile. Every man’s servant that is bought for money (ibid., v. 44). (The verse states:) Every man’s servant. Does this mean that the servant of a woman or of a child is excluded? Scripture says: That is bought for money, which implies (every servant that was purchased).

And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron: “This is the ordinance of the passover” (Exod. 12:43). There are chapters of the Torah in which a general statement is made at the beginning of the chapter, and a particular statement is made at its end. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests (Exod. 19:6) is a particular statement, while the verse These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel (ibid.) is a general statement. This is the statue of the law (Num. 19:2) is a general statement, while the verse That they bring thee a red heifer (ibid.) is a particular statement. This is the ordinance of the Passover (Exod. 12:43) is a general statement, whereas There shall no alien eat thereof (ibid.) is a particular statement. Whenever a general statement is followed by a particular one, the general statement does not include more than is contained in the particular.¹⁰The fourth of the thirteen rules of interpretation developed by R. Ishmael. This is the ordinance of the Passover. This passage deals with the Passover in Egypt. How then do we know about Passover in subsequent generations? Scripture informs us of this in the verse According to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof, shall ye keep it (Num. 9:3). There shall no alien eat thereof (Exod. 12:43) alludes also to a renegade Jew and a Gentile. Every man’s servant that is bought for money (ibid., v. 44). (The verse states:) Every man’s servant. Does this mean that the servant of a woman or of a child is excluded? Scripture says: That is bought for money, which implies (every servant that was purchased).

Then sang Moses. At times the word then refers to events that happened in the past, and at other times it refers to events that are to transpire in the future. The word then refers to past events in the following verses: Then began man to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26), Then she said: “A bridegroom of blood” (Exod. 4:26), Then sang Israel this song (Num. 21:17), Then Solomon spoke (I Kings 18:12). All of these refer to past events. Instances in which the word then alludes to future events are: Then thou shalt see (Isa. 60:5), Then shall thy light break forth (ibid. 58:8), Then shall the lame man leap as a hart (ibid. 35:6), Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened (ibid., v. 5), Then shall the virgin rejoice (Jer. 31:13), Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing (Ps. 126:2), and Then said they among the nations (ibid.). All these allude to future events. From this we learn that the concept of the resurrection of the dead is derived from the Torah.

Then sang Moses. At times the word then refers to events that happened in the past, and at other times it refers to events that are to transpire in the future. The word then refers to past events in the following verses: Then began man to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26), Then she said: “A bridegroom of blood” (Exod. 4:26), Then sang Israel this song (Num. 21:17), Then Solomon spoke (I Kings 18:12). All of these refer to past events. Instances in which the word then alludes to future events are: Then thou shalt see (Isa. 60:5), Then shall thy light break forth (ibid. 58:8), Then shall the lame man leap as a hart (ibid. 35:6), Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened (ibid., v. 5), Then shall the virgin rejoice (Jer. 31:13), Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing (Ps. 126:2), and Then said they among the nations (ibid.). All these allude to future events. From this we learn that the concept of the resurrection of the dead is derived from the Torah.

That you smashed (Deuteronomy 10:2): Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael [differed on the matter]. One said, "[God was saying,] 'Take this here from Me which you broke, Moshe.'" And one said, "He did well." There is a [relevant] parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a a king who betrothed a woman. He said to her, "After some time, I will send your marriage contract through a nuptial agent. After some time the king sent [it]. While [the agent] was going, he found that she was sullied with another [man]. What did the agent do? He tore that marriage contract. He said, "It is better that [the king] judge her as a single woman, and not as a married woman." So [too,] did the Holy One, blessed be He, betroth Israel, as it is stated (Exodus 19:10), "and you shall be sanctified (a word sometimes used to denote marriage) today and tomorrow." Moshe [then] came to give them the Torah, and found that they did that act [of the golden calf]. What did he do? He broke the talets, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 9:16-17), "I saw how you had sinned against the Lord, your God [...]. Thereupon I gripped the two tablets and flung them away with both my hands, smashing them before your eyes." Rabbi Beracheya said in the name of Rabbi Helbo in the name of Rabbi Yishmael bar Nechemiah, "The length of the tablets was six handbreadths and their width was three. Moshe held on to two and the Holy One, blessed be He, to two and there were two handbreadths of space in the middle. And Moshe's hands became strong and he grabbed the tablets and broke them, as it is stated (Exodus 32:19), 'and he flung from his hands.' Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "that you broke." Why did he break them? Because the writing upon them flew away. And therefore he broke them. There is a [relevant] parable. To what is the matter comparable? To a courier who was going to bring a royal edict in his hand to a province. And he passed through a river and the [documents] fell into the water and the letters were erased. What did that courier do? He tore them. As it is stated (Deuteronomy 9;16), "I saw how you had sinned against the Lord, your God." What did he see? He saw the letters flying away. And so he also broke [the tablets], as it is stated, "which you broke." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "I dictated in My Torah and stated (Leviticus 5:23), 'he would restore that which he got through robbery [...], or the deposit that was entrusted to him.' And [so] restore that deposit that was with you. And this is what is stated (Deuteronomy 10:1), 'Carve out for yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones.' And not only that, but tomorrow they will be reviewing that which they will be learning from you, 'If a barrel is broken, and the intermediary breaks it, [the payment] is from him.' You were the intermediary between us, and you broke [them]. Therefore you have to pay." Therefore it is stated, "Carve out for yourself." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "In this world, you learn and forget, because of the evil impulse. But in the future to come, I am uprooting the evil impulse from you and you will not forget, as it is stated (Isaiah 36:26), 'I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh.' And not only that, but you will not need [another] person to teach [you the Torah], as it is stated (Jeremiah 31:34), 'No longer will they need to teach one another and say to one another, "Know the Lord"; for all of them, from the least of them to the greatest, shall know Me.'" And so may it be His will; and let us say, "Amen!"

This may be likened to a king who beats his wife. His best friend says to him: “If you desire to drive her away, beat her until she dies, but if you intend to take her back, why do you punish her so severely?” “Even if my kingdom was to be destroyed I would not drive her away,” he replied. So Jeremiah said: If you desire to drive us out, smite us until we die, since it is said: Thou canst not have utterly rejected us, and be exceeding wroth against us! (Lam. 5:22), but if that is not (Thy desire), Why hast Thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? (Jer. 14:19). The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Even if I were to destroy My entire world, I would not cast off Israel, as it is said: Thus saith the Lord: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord (ibid. 31:37). Nevertheless, I have made an agreement with them that if they should sin, the Temple will be seized as a pledge on their account, as it is said: And I set My Tabernacle among you (Lev. 26:11). The word mishkani (“My Tabernacle”) should be read as mashkoni (“My pledge”). Similarly, Balaam said: How goodly are thy tents (ohalekha), O Jacob, thy dwellings (mishkenotekha), O Israel (Num. 24:5). The tabernacles are called ohalekha (“thy tents”), but when they are demolished they are called mishkonotekha (“Thy pledges”).

Resh Lakish raised the following contradiction: It is written (Jere. 31, 7) Among them the blind, and the lame, the pregnant women and she that travaileth with the child together, and it is written (Is. 35, 6) Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing [cured]. How can both be reconciled? It must therefore be said: They will be restored to life with their blemishes, and thereafter they will be cured. Ula raised another objection: It is written (Ib. 25, 8) He will destroy death to eternity; and the Lord Eternal will wipe away the tear from all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it; and it is written (Ib. 65, 20) There shall no more come thence an infant … for as a lad shall one die a hundred years old? This presents no difficulty. The former speaks of Israel's self, and the latter of those concerning whom it reads (Ib. 61, 5) And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the son of the alien shall be your ploughmen and your vintners. R. Chisda also raised an objection: It is written (Ib. 24, 23) And the moon shall be put to the blush and the sun be made ashamed; for the Lord of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion; and it is written (Ib. 30, 26) And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of the seven days. This presents no difficulty. The latter speaks of the time when the Messiah will appear, and the former, of the future world. And to Samuel, who maintained that there will be no difference between this time and the Messianic time, except that Israel will no longer be under the domination of foreigners, the explanation of these contradictory passages may be thus — the latter refers to the camp of the righteous and the former to the camp of the Divine Glory. Raba raised another objection: It is written (Deut. 32, 39) I make one die and I make one alive, and further it is written, I wound and I heal, i.e., The Holy One, praised be He! said: "All that I make to die I shall bring to life again, and thereafter I shall cure whom I wounded."

A certain Cuthean (i.e., a Samaritan) came and questioned R. Meir. He said to him: Do you not say that indeed your ancestor Jacob is truthful, since it is written (in Micah 7:20): YOU GIVE TRUTHFULNESS TO JACOB …? <The Cuthean> said to him: He separated out the tribe of Levi <as a tithe> for the tribes, <i.e.,> one out of ten. Should he not have separated out <a tithe> from two more <tribes>? He said to him: You have said that there were twelve, but I say that there were fourteen, as stated (in Gen. 48:5): EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH SHALL BE MINE LIKE REUBEN AND SIMEON. He said to him: So here there is support for it. You have added standing grain. Have you added water? He said to him: Do you not admit that there are four matriarchs? [Take away from them the four firstborn (of Jacob's four wives),] since the firstborn is not tithed. Why? Because he is holy, and something holy does not redeem for use something <else that is> holy. He said to him: It is good for your people that you are among them. (Prov. 6:20:) AND DO NOT FORSAKE THE TORAH OF YOUR MOTHER (immekha), <i.e.,> your people (ummatekha). That is what David said (in Ps. 40:9 [8]): TO CARRY OUT YOUR WILL, MY GOD, IS MY DESIRE, <FOR YOUR TORAH IS WITHIN MY BELLY>. R. Aha [bar Ulla] said: Is there Torah within the belly? And is it not so written (in Jer. 31:33): AND UPON THEIR HEART (not their belly) I WILL WRITE IT? It is simply that David said: May a curse come upon me, if something goes down into my belly, except when it is tithed. This is what is written (in I Chron. 27:25): AND OVER THE TREASURIES OF THE KING WAS AZMAVETH BEN {AZRIEL} [ADIEL]. AND OVER THE TREASURIES IN THE COUNTRY, {IN THE VINEYARDS, IN THE MOUNTAINS,} [IN THE CITIES, IN THE VILLAGES,] AND IN THE TOWERS WAS {JOHANAN} [JONATHAN] BEN UZZIAH.³²In other words, David was concerned enough about tithes to appoint overseers. For that reason Moses warned Israel (in Deut. 14:22): YOU SHALL SURELY TITHE.

“Flee, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young deer on the mountains of spices” (Song of Songs 8:14).
“Flee, my beloved, and be like a gazelle [tzevi]” – [flee] to the hosts [tzava] On High, who praise Your glory with one voice, in one melody; “on the mountains of spices” – in the upper heavens of heavens.⁵⁹In this exposition, the midrash has interpreted the verse as directed toward God.
Another matter: “Flee, my beloved” – from the Diaspora, in which we are located and are sullied with iniquities. “And be like a gazelle” – render us pure like a gazelle;⁶⁰The gazelle is one of the rare undomesticated animals that is “pure,” in the sense that it is permitted to eat it. “or a young deer [haayalim]” – accept our prayers like an offering of goats and rams [eilim]. “On the mountains of spices” – come to have a fine fragrance by the merit of our patriarchs, whose fragrance rises before You like spices. This is the Garden of Eden, which is entirely spices. That is why it is stated: “On the mountains of spices.”
Another matter: “The one who dwells in the gardens, companions” (Song of Songs 8:13) – Rabbi Yirmeya [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great: If two colleagues debate a matter of halakha and yield to one another in halakha, the verse states in their regard: “Then those who fear the Lord spoke [nidberu] one to another, and the Lord listened and heard” (Malachi 3:16); and dibbur is an expression of nothing other than subduing, as it is stated: “He subdues [yadber] peoples beneath us” (Psalms 47:4). Moreover, if they were mistaken, The Holy One blessed be He corrects their error for them. What is the source? “The Lord listened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and those who think of His name” (Malachi 3:16). “The Lord… heard and [a book of remembrance] was written” – [this indicates] that He writes it on their hearts, just as it says: “On their heart I will write it” (Jeremiah 31:32). “A book of remembrance [was written] before Him” – that He reminds them of it. For whom? “For those who fear the Lord and those who think of His name.”
Rabbi Yudan said: When Israel is reading the Torah in groups,⁶¹This is based on the similarity of the word groups [ḥavurot] and companions [ḥaverim]. “your voice, let me hear it” (Song of Songs 8:13). If not, “flee, my beloved.” Rabbi Zeira said: When Israel recites Shema in unison, with one voice, with one melody, “your voice, let me hear it.” If not, “flee, my beloved.”
“Flee, my beloved” – Rabbi Levi said: [This is analogous] to a king who made a feast and invited guests. Some of them were eating and drinking and blessing the king, and some of them were eating and drinking and cursing the king. The king sensed it and sought to introduce commotion at his feast and break it up. A noblewoman entered and advocated on their behalf. She said to him: My lord the king: Instead of looking at those who are eating and drinking and cursing you, look at those who are eating and drinking and blessing you and praising your name. So too, when Israel are eating and drinking, blessing, praising, and lauding the Holy One blessed be He, He hears their voices and is appeased. When the nations of the world eat and drink, curse, blaspheme, and scorn the Holy One blessed be He with the licentiousness that they mention, at that moment, the Holy One blessed be He considers even destroying His world. The Torah enters and advocates and says: Master of the universe, instead of looking at those who blaspheme and anger You, look at Your people Israel, who bless, praise, and laud Your great name with Torah, hymns, and praise. The Divine Spirit shouts: “Flee, my beloved”; flee from the nations of the world and cleave to Israel.
“And be like a gazelle” – just as this gazelle, while it is sleeping, one of its eyes is open and one of its eyes is closed, so too: when Israel performs the will of the Holy One blessed be He, He looks upon them with His two eyes; that is what is written: “The eyes of the Lord are to the righteous” (Psalms 34:16). But when they do not perform the will of the Holy One blessed be He, He looks upon them with one of His eyes, as it is stated: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is toward those who fear Him, [toward those who await His mercy, to deliver their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine]” (Psalms 33:18–19).⁶²Even when they do not sufficiently fulfill the will of God, He still protects them due to whatever fear of God they still do have, although He does so with “one eye.” He protects them from death and famine but does not grant them abundance.
“On the mountains of spices” – Rabbi Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He said: Wait for Me until I sit in judgment on their mountains, that is, their guardian angels, who are situated with Me in Heaven. That is what is written: “On the mountains of spices.”⁶³The word spices [besamim] can also be vocalized to read bashamayim, in Heaven. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Like this: “You shall take for yourself chief spices” (Exodus 30:23) – chief.⁶⁴The word “chief” in the verse is unnecessary, as the continuation of the verse details exactly which spices should be brought. This indicates that the word spices refers to that which is “chief,” of primary importance. Consequently, the verse in Song of Songs can be understood to refer to the guardian angels of the nations, even without reading besamim and bashamayim (Yefe Kol). Camels bearing gold, and “spices”⁶⁵This is based on I Kings 10:2, which describes what the Queen of Sheba brought to Solomon, and states that she brought “camels that bore spices and gold.” – gold and spices.⁶⁶This sentence is difficult to understand, and some commentaries suggest that it does not belong in the text (see Yefe Kol). Some suggest that the midrash is highlighting, based on the verse in Kings, that gold and spices are items associated with royalty and greatness. Therefore, the reference to spices in the verse in Song of Songs can refer to the guardian angels of the nations, which represent their ultimate level of power and greatness.
Rabbi Ḥonya [said] regarding the statement of Rabbi Yitzḥak: The Holy One blessed be He does not exact retribution from a nation below until He humbles its guardian angels above. There are five verses in this regard. One, as it is written: “It will be on that day that the Lord will reckon with the host of the heavens in Heaven” (Isaiah 24:21), and thereafter “with the kings of the earth” (Isaiah 24:21). Two, “how have you fallen from the heavens, shining morning star” (Isaiah 14:12), and thereafter, “you have been felled to the ground” (Isaiah 14:12). Three, “For my sword has been sated in the heavens” (Isaiah 34:5), and thereafter, “it shall descend upon Edom” (Isaiah 34:5). Four, “to bind their kings with fetters” (Psalms 149:8), and thereafter, “and their nobles with iron chains” (Psalms 149:8). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: “To bind their kings with fetters” – these are the guardian angels above, “and their nobles with iron chains,” these are the rulers below. Five, “to execute judgment as it is written” (Psalms 149:9), and thereafter, “this is glory for all His devoted ones, Halleluya” (Psalms 149:9).
The greatness of Israel is likened to four matters: to the grain harvest, to the grape harvest, to spices, and to a birthing mother. To the grain harvest: When a field is reaped before its time, even its straw is no good, but at its time, it is good. That is what is written: “Extend the scythe, as the harvest is ripe” (Joel 4:13). It is likened to the grape harvest: When a vineyard is harvested before its time, even its vinegar is no good, but at its time, it is good. So too, “sing about it, a vineyard of wine” (Isaiah 27:2) – when the vineyard becomes [ready to produce] wine, pluck it. It is likened to spices: Just as spices that are harvested when they are soft and moist, their fragrance does not diffuse; but when they are dry and are then harvested, their fragrance diffuses. It is likened to a birthing mother: When a woman gives birth before her time, the offspring does not survive. When she gives birth at her time, it lives. Thus, it is written: “Therefore, He will give them up until the time that the birthing mother gives birth” (Micah 5:2). Rabbi Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: “I am the Lord, at its time I will hasten it” (Isaiah 60:22) – if you do not merit, at its time. If you merit, I will hasten it.⁶⁷Redemption will come by a particular time, but if Israel merits, it will come sooner. So may it be His will, speedily in our days, amen.

(Exod. 19:1:) <ON THE THIRD NEW MOON AFTER THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD LEFT THE LAND OF EGYPT, > ON THIS DAY THEY CAME TO THE DESERT OF SINAI. Did they come on this very day?³⁹PRK 12:21. <NO! > But rather, when you study <the words of Torah> let them not be obsolete in your eyes. <Let them be> instead like these < words > given this day. "That day" is not written, but THIS DAY. The Holy One said to them: On this day I have given them the Torah (collectively), but <only> individuals have labored in it. In the world to come, however, I will teach it to all Israel; and none of them shall forget it. Thus it is stated (in Jer. 31:33): FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT WHICH I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: [I WILL PUT MY TORAH IN THEIR INNERMOST PARTS, AND UPON THEIR HEART WILL I WRITE IT.] And not only that, but I will increase peace among them. Isaiah has said (in Is. 54:13): AND ALL YOUR CHILDREN SHALL BE TAUGHT BY THE LORD, AND GREAT SHALL BE YOUR CHILDREN'S PROSPERITY.

(Exod. 19:1:) <ON THE THIRD NEW MOON AFTER THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD LEFT THE LAND OF EGYPT, > ON THIS DAY THEY CAME TO THE DESERT OF SINAI. Did they come on this very day?³⁹PRK 12:21. <NO! > But rather, when you study <the words of Torah> let them not be obsolete in your eyes. <Let them be> instead like these < words > given this day. "That day" is not written, but THIS DAY. The Holy One said to them: On this day I have given them the Torah (collectively), but <only> individuals have labored in it. In the world to come, however, I will teach it to all Israel; and none of them shall forget it. Thus it is stated (in Jer. 31:33): FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT WHICH I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: [I WILL PUT MY TORAH IN THEIR INNERMOST PARTS, AND UPON THEIR HEART WILL I WRITE IT.] And not only that, but I will increase peace among them. Isaiah has said (in Is. 54:13): AND ALL YOUR CHILDREN SHALL BE TAUGHT BY THE LORD, AND GREAT SHALL BE YOUR CHILDREN'S PROSPERITY.

The serpent went and said to the woman: Behold, I touched it, but I did not die; thou also mayest touch it, and thou wilt not die. The woman went and touched the tree, and she saw the angel of death coming towards her; she said: Woe is me ! I shall now die, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will make another woman and give her to Adam, but behold I will cause || him to eat with me; if we shall die, we shall both die, and if we shall live, we shall both live. And she took of the fruits of the tree, and ate thereof, and also gave (of its fruits) to her husband, so that he should eat with her, as it is said, "And she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her" (Gen. 3:6). When Adam had eaten of the fruit of the tree, he saw that he was naked, and his eyes were opened, and his teeth were set on edge. He said to her: What is this that thou hast given me to eat, that my eyes should be opened and my teeth set on edge? Just as my teeth were set on edge, so shall the teeth of all generations be set on edge.

“To whom the word of the Lord came… until the end of eleven years of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.” (Jeremiah 1:2-3) R’ Avon said: the lion (ari) came up during the constellation of the lion and destroyed Ariel. ‘The lion came up’ refers to Nebuchadnezzar the wicked, as it is written “A lion has come up from his thicket…” (Jeremiah 4:7) ‘In the constellation of the lion’, “…until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.” (Jeremiah 1:3) ‘And destroyed Ariel’, “Woe, Ariel, Ariel, the city wherein David encamped!” (Isaiah 29:1) This happened in order that the lion would come in the constellation of the lion and rebuild Ariel. ‘The lion would come’ refers to the Holy One, as it is written “A lion has roared; who will not fear?” (Amos 3:8) ‘In the constellation of the lion’, “…and I will turn their mourning into joy…” (Jeremiah 31:12) ‘And rebuild Ariel’, “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2)

“To whom the word of the Lord came… until the end of eleven years of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.” (Jeremiah 1:2-3) R’ Avon said: the lion (ari) came up during the constellation of the lion and destroyed Ariel. ‘The lion came up’ refers to Nebuchadnezzar the wicked, as it is written “A lion has come up from his thicket…” (Jeremiah 4:7) ‘In the constellation of the lion’, “…until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.” (Jeremiah 1:3) ‘And destroyed Ariel’, “Woe, Ariel, Ariel, the city wherein David encamped!” (Isaiah 29:1) This happened in order that the lion would come in the constellation of the lion and rebuild Ariel. ‘The lion would come’ refers to the Holy One, as it is written “A lion has roared; who will not fear?” (Amos 3:8) ‘In the constellation of the lion’, “…and I will turn their mourning into joy…” (Jeremiah 31:12) ‘And rebuild Ariel’, “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2)

Another explanation (of Deut. 14:22), “You shall tithe, tithe.” This is related to the verse (in Is. 24:5), “And the earth was distorted under its inhabitants, because they transgressed Torahs;¹⁷Torot. Such a literal translation is required by the midrash. In the biblical context the word denotes something more general, such as teachings. they violated a statute; [they broke an eternal covenant].” R. Isaac said, “You have already been false to it, and [so] it is distorted for you. It [may] show you standing grain, but it does not show you a shock of sheaves. It [may] show you [a shock of sheaves, but it does not show you a threshing floor]. It [may] show you a threshing floor, but it does not show you a winnowed heap. Why [not]? (Ibid.:) ‘Because they transgressed Torahs; they violated statutes,’ in that they did transgress two Torahs, the written Torah and the oral Torah; (ibid.) ‘they violated a statute,’ the statute of tithes; (ibid.) ‘they broke an eternal covenant,’ an ancestral covenant.” For that reason Moses warned Israel (in Deut. 14:22), “You shall surely tithe.” (Prov. 6:20:) “My child, keep your father's commandments, [and do not forsake the Torah of your mother].” R. Huna said, “Our earliest ancestors separated out terumot and tithes.” Abraham separated out the great terumah, as stated (in Gen. 14:22), “[Then Abram said unto the king of Sodom,] ‘I have lifted up my hand unto the Lord, God most high.’” A lifting up is nothing but a terumah (rt.: rwm), as you say (in Numb. 18:26), “[Now you shall speak unto the Levites and say unto them, ‘When you receive tithes from the Children of Israel, the tithe that I have given you as your portion,] you shall lift (rt.: rwm) out of it a terumah of the Lord, [a tithe from the tithe].’” Isaac separated out the second tithe, as stated (in Gen. 26:12), “So Isaac sowed on that land and reaped in that year a hundredfold, [for the Lord had blessed him]”; R. Eiba bar Kahana said, “Is it not true that a blessing does not rest on what is measured, on what is weighed, or on what is counted? So why did he measure them? In order to tithe them. This is what is written (ibid.), ‘for the Lord had blessed him.’”¹⁸See Deut. 14:24, which mentions a blessing in the context of the second tithe; therefore, perhaps the blessing of Gen. 26:12 would have been the result of Isaac’s second tithe. Jacob separated out the first tithe, as stated (in Gen. 28:22), “and of all that You give me, I will surely set aside a tithe for You.” A certain Cuthean (i.e., a Samaritan) came and questioned R. Meir. He said to him, “Do you not say that indeed your ancestor Jacob is truthful?” He said [back] to him, “Yes, as it is written (in Micah 7:20), ‘You give truthfulness to Jacob.’” [The Cuthean] said to him, “He separated out the tribe of Levi [as a tithe] for the tribes, [i.e.,] one out of ten. Should he not have separated out [a tithe] from two more [tribes]?” R. Meir said to him, “You have said that there were twelve, but I say that there were fourteen, as stated (in Gen. 48:5), ‘Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine like Reuben and Simeon.’” He said to him, “So here you are supporting me. You have added flour. Have you added water?” He said to him, “Do you not admit that there are four matriarchs that had four first-borns? Take away from [the fourteen] the four firstborn (of Jacob's four wives), since the firstborn is not tithed. Why? Because he is holy, and something holy does not redeem for use something [else that is] holy.” He said to him, ‘It is good for your people that you are among them.” Hence it is written (Prov. 6:20), “and do not forsake the Torah of your mother (immekha),” [i.e.,] your people (ummatekha). That is what David said (in Ps. 40:9), “To carry out Your will, my God, is my desire, [for Your Torah is within my belly].” R. Aha bar Ulla said, “Is there Torah within the belly? And is it not so written (in Jer. 31:33), ‘and upon their heart (not their belly) I will write it?’ It is simply that David said, ‘May [a curse] come upon me, if something goes down into my belly, except when it is tithed.’ This is what is written (in I Chron. 27:25), ‘And over the treasuries of the king was Azmaveth ben Adiel; and over the treasuries in the country in the cities, in the villages, and in the towers was Jonathan ben Uzziah.’”¹⁹In other words, David was concerned enough about tithes to appoint overseers. For that reason Moses warned Israel (in Deut. 14:22), “You shall surely tithe.”

Another explanation (of Deut. 14:22), “You shall tithe, tithe.” This is related to the verse (in Is. 24:5), “And the earth was distorted under its inhabitants, because they transgressed Torahs;¹⁷Torot. Such a literal translation is required by the midrash. In the biblical context the word denotes something more general, such as teachings. they violated a statute; [they broke an eternal covenant].” R. Isaac said, “You have already been false to it, and [so] it is distorted for you. It [may] show you standing grain, but it does not show you a shock of sheaves. It [may] show you [a shock of sheaves, but it does not show you a threshing floor]. It [may] show you a threshing floor, but it does not show you a winnowed heap. Why [not]? (Ibid.:) ‘Because they transgressed Torahs; they violated statutes,’ in that they did transgress two Torahs, the written Torah and the oral Torah; (ibid.) ‘they violated a statute,’ the statute of tithes; (ibid.) ‘they broke an eternal covenant,’ an ancestral covenant.” For that reason Moses warned Israel (in Deut. 14:22), “You shall surely tithe.” (Prov. 6:20:) “My child, keep your father's commandments, [and do not forsake the Torah of your mother].” R. Huna said, “Our earliest ancestors separated out terumot and tithes.” Abraham separated out the great terumah, as stated (in Gen. 14:22), “[Then Abram said unto the king of Sodom,] ‘I have lifted up my hand unto the Lord, God most high.’” A lifting up is nothing but a terumah (rt.: rwm), as you say (in Numb. 18:26), “[Now you shall speak unto the Levites and say unto them, ‘When you receive tithes from the Children of Israel, the tithe that I have given you as your portion,] you shall lift (rt.: rwm) out of it a terumah of the Lord, [a tithe from the tithe].’” Isaac separated out the second tithe, as stated (in Gen. 26:12), “So Isaac sowed on that land and reaped in that year a hundredfold, [for the Lord had blessed him]”; R. Eiba bar Kahana said, “Is it not true that a blessing does not rest on what is measured, on what is weighed, or on what is counted? So why did he measure them? In order to tithe them. This is what is written (ibid.), ‘for the Lord had blessed him.’”¹⁸See Deut. 14:24, which mentions a blessing in the context of the second tithe; therefore, perhaps the blessing of Gen. 26:12 would have been the result of Isaac’s second tithe. Jacob separated out the first tithe, as stated (in Gen. 28:22), “and of all that You give me, I will surely set aside a tithe for You.” A certain Cuthean (i.e., a Samaritan) came and questioned R. Meir. He said to him, “Do you not say that indeed your ancestor Jacob is truthful?” He said [back] to him, “Yes, as it is written (in Micah 7:20), ‘You give truthfulness to Jacob.’” [The Cuthean] said to him, “He separated out the tribe of Levi [as a tithe] for the tribes, [i.e.,] one out of ten. Should he not have separated out [a tithe] from two more [tribes]?” R. Meir said to him, “You have said that there were twelve, but I say that there were fourteen, as stated (in Gen. 48:5), ‘Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine like Reuben and Simeon.’” He said to him, “So here you are supporting me. You have added flour. Have you added water?” He said to him, “Do you not admit that there are four matriarchs that had four first-borns? Take away from [the fourteen] the four firstborn (of Jacob's four wives), since the firstborn is not tithed. Why? Because he is holy, and something holy does not redeem for use something [else that is] holy.” He said to him, ‘It is good for your people that you are among them.” Hence it is written (Prov. 6:20), “and do not forsake the Torah of your mother (immekha),” [i.e.,] your people (ummatekha). That is what David said (in Ps. 40:9), “To carry out Your will, my God, is my desire, [for Your Torah is within my belly].” R. Aha bar Ulla said, “Is there Torah within the belly? And is it not so written (in Jer. 31:33), ‘and upon their heart (not their belly) I will write it?’ It is simply that David said, ‘May [a curse] come upon me, if something goes down into my belly, except when it is tithed.’ This is what is written (in I Chron. 27:25), ‘And over the treasuries of the king was Azmaveth ben Adiel; and over the treasuries in the country in the cities, in the villages, and in the towers was Jonathan ben Uzziah.’”¹⁹In other words, David was concerned enough about tithes to appoint overseers. For that reason Moses warned Israel (in Deut. 14:22), “You shall surely tithe.”

... R’ Eliezer haModa’i says: “Why do you cry out to Me?” (Exodus 14:15) Do I need to be told what to do regarding my children?! “…concerning My children and the work of My hands do you command Me?” (Isaiah 45:11) Were they not already prepared before Me from the six days of creation? As it says “If these laws depart from before Me, says the Lord, so will the seed of Israel cease being a nation before Me for all time.” (Jeremiah 31:35) Others say: Israel did a great thing. For the sake of the faith with which they believed in Me it is worth it to split the sea. For they did not say to Moshe ‘how can we go out into this barren wilderness without supplies for the journey?!’ Rather, they had faith and followed after Moshe, as it says in the prophets “Go and call out in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: so said the Lord: I remember to you the lovingkindness of your youth, the love of your nuptials, your following Me in the desert, in a land not sown.” (Jeremiah 2:2) What reward did they receive for this? “Israel is holy to the Lord, the first of His grain; all who eat him shall be guilty, evil shall befall them, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 2:3) R’ Yosi haGalili says: when Israel entered the sea Mount Moriah was already uprooted from its place, together with the altar of Yitzchak which was built on it with the wood all laid out. It was as if Yitzchak was bound and placed on the altar and Avraham had stretched out his hand to take the knife and slaughter his son, as it says “And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife, to slaughter his son.” (Genesis 22:10) God (HaMakom) said to Moshe: Moshe, my children are in distress, the sea is closing, the enemy is pursuing and you stand there drawing out your prayer?! He said before Him: and what should I do? He replied: “And you raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea…” (Exodus 14:16) You should elevate, exalt, give song, exultation, thanksgiving, greatness, splendor, glory and praise to He to whom all battles belong.

... R’ Eliezer haModa’i says: “Why do you cry out to Me?” (Exodus 14:15) Do I need to be told what to do regarding my children?! “…concerning My children and the work of My hands do you command Me?” (Isaiah 45:11) Were they not already prepared before Me from the six days of creation? As it says “If these laws depart from before Me, says the Lord, so will the seed of Israel cease being a nation before Me for all time.” (Jeremiah 31:35) Others say: Israel did a great thing. For the sake of the faith with which they believed in Me it is worth it to split the sea. For they did not say to Moshe ‘how can we go out into this barren wilderness without supplies for the journey?!’ Rather, they had faith and followed after Moshe, as it says in the prophets “Go and call out in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: so said the Lord: I remember to you the lovingkindness of your youth, the love of your nuptials, your following Me in the desert, in a land not sown.” (Jeremiah 2:2) What reward did they receive for this? “Israel is holy to the Lord, the first of His grain; all who eat him shall be guilty, evil shall befall them, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 2:3) R’ Yosi haGalili says: when Israel entered the sea Mount Moriah was already uprooted from its place, together with the altar of Yitzchak which was built on it with the wood all laid out. It was as if Yitzchak was bound and placed on the altar and Avraham had stretched out his hand to take the knife and slaughter his son, as it says “And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife, to slaughter his son.” (Genesis 22:10) God (HaMakom) said to Moshe: Moshe, my children are in distress, the sea is closing, the enemy is pursuing and you stand there drawing out your prayer?! He said before Him: and what should I do? He replied: “And you raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea…” (Exodus 14:16) You should elevate, exalt, give song, exultation, thanksgiving, greatness, splendor, glory and praise to He to whom all battles belong.

[Another interpretation (of Gen. 29:31): WHEN THE LORD SAW THAT LEAH WAS HATED]…. BUT RACHEL WAS BARREN (rt.: 'QR), < i.e., > she was the chief (rt.: 'QR) of the house, since Jacob would not have subjugated himself (to Laban) except for her.⁴¹Gen. R. 71:2; PRK 20:2. It is so stated (in Gen. 29:20): SO JACOB SERVED SEVEN YEARS FOR RACHEL. Where is it shown that she was house chief? Where Leah's children admit it.⁴²Ruth R. 7:13. Boaz and all his court⁴³Gk.: synhedrion. were from the tribe of Judah, < i.e., > from the sons of the sons of Leah. And what is written (in Ruth 4:11)? THEN ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE GATE AND THE ELDERS SAID: < WE ARE > WITNESSES. MAY THE LORD MAKE THE WOMAN WHO IS COMING INTO YOUR HOUSE LIKE RACHEL AND LEAH,⁴⁴The fact that Leah’s descendants mention Rachel before Leah, even though Leah is the elder, is seen as their admission that Rachel was favored over Leah. BOTH OF WHOM BUILT THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. SO PROSPER IN EPHRATHAH AND BECOME RENOWNED IN BETHLEHEM. Hence Rachel is the chief (rt.: 'QR) of the house, since it is stated (in Gen. 29:31): but RACHEL WAS BARREN (rt.: 'QR). R. Berekhyah [Berabbi] the Priest said: She had no foundation (rt.: 'QR), < i.e., > metra,⁴⁵The Greek work means “womb.” since it is stated (in Gen. 29:31): BUT RACHEL WAS BARREN (rt.: 'QR)… nevertheless, she and her children are the foundation of the world, since no one maintains Israel in the world but the children of Rachel.⁴⁶Gen. R. 71:2 and PRK 20:2 add that Israel is referred to as Rachel’s children in Jer. 31:15, 20; Amos 5:15. See also Matthew 2:16-18.

(Ibid. 29) "and the children of Israel walked in the dry land (that had already been made) in the midst of the sea." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: The sun and the moon testify that I have already split the sea for them, viz. (Jeremiah 31:35) "Thus said the L rd who gives the sun for light by day, the laws of moon and stars for light by night, who splits the sea and stuns its waves — the L rd of hosts is His name." R. Bana'ah says: In the merit of the mitzvoth performed by Abraham I will split the sea for them, viz. (Genesis 22:3) "and he split the wood for the burnt-offering" — and here (Exodus 14:21) "and the waters were split." R. Shimon Hatemani says: In the merit of circumcision I will split the sea for them, viz. (Jeremiah 33:25) "If not for My covenant, day and night, I would not have made the statutes of heaven and earth." Which covenant obtains both day and night? Circumcision. R. Avshalom the elder says: An analogy: A man gets angry with his son and drives him from the house. His lover comes in to beseech him to restore him to his house. He responds: Are you beseeching me for my son? I have already come to terms with my son. Thus, the L rd: "Why do you cry out to Me?" I have already come to terms with them." Rebbi says: Last night you said (i.e., you complained to Me) (Exodus 5:23) "And from the time I came to Pharaoh, etc." And now you stand and wax long in prayer? "Why do you cry out to Me?" Rebbi says (Exodus 14:15) "Speak to the children of Israel and have them go forward ('veyisa'u')." Have them retract ('yasiu') the things that they said. Last night they said (Ibid. 11) "Is it for lack of graves, etc.?" and now you stand and wax long in prayer (for them)? "Why do you cry out to Me?" Let them retract what they have said. The sages say: He wrought with them for His name's sake, viz. (Isaiah 48:11) "For My sake, for My sake shall I do, etc." And (Ibid. 63:12) "He split the sea before them." Why? (Ibid.) "To make Himself an eternal name." Rebbi says: Their faith in Me suffices Me to split the sea for them. As it is written (Exodus 14:2) "Let them return and encamp, etc." R. Elazar b. Azaryah says: In the merit of their father Abraham I will split the sea for them, viz. (Psalms 105:42) "For He remembered His holy word to Abraham His servant. (43) And He led out His people with joy, etc." R. Eliezer b. Yehudah of Bortutha says: In the merit of the tribes I will split the sea for them, viz. (Habakkuk 3:14) "You have split (the sea) for his tribes, the heads of his scattered ones, etc." And it is written (Psalms 136:13) "who split the sea into sections." Shmayah says: The faith that Abraham their father had in Me suffices for Me to split the sea for them, viz. (Exodus 4:31) "And the people believed when they heard, etc." Shimon of Kitron says: In the merit of the bones of Joseph I will split the sea for them, viz. (Genesis 39:12) "And he left his garment in her hand and he fled." And it is written (Psalms 114:3) "The sea saw and it fled, etc." R. Nathan says in the name of Abba Yossi Hamechuzi: ("Why do you cry out to Me?") Have I not had it written (Numbers 12:7) "In all of My house he (Moses) is trusted"? You (Moses) are in My dominion and the sea is in My dominion, and I have appointed you a keeper over it. (Therefore, [Exodus 14:16] "Raise your staff, etc.") R. Chanina b. Chachinai says: Have I not had it written (Mishlei 17:17) "A brother is born for (times of) trouble"? I am a brother to Israel in their time of trouble. "Brother" (here) signifies Israel, viz. (Psalms 122:8) "For the sake of My brothers and My friends I will speak for peace in you (Jerusalem)." R. Shimon b. Yehudah says: "Why do you cry out to Me?" Their cries have already preceded yours, viz. (Exodus 14:10) "and the children of Israel cried out to the L rd, etc." R. Acha says: The Holy One Blessed be He said: If not for your outcry, I would have destroyed them for the idolatry in their midst, viz. (Zechariah 10:11) "And tzarah crossed the sea," tzarah (here) being idolatry, as in (Isaiah 28:20) "and the molten image, tzarah, etc." and as in (Leviticus 18:18) "And a woman to her sister do not take litzror" (to be a rival). And because of your outcry I have withdrawn My wrath, as it is written (Psalms 106:22-23) ("… awesome deeds at the Red Sea) and he thought to destroy them if Moses His chosen one had not stood in the breach before Him, to turn His wrath from destruction." R. Eliezer Hamodai says: "Why do you cry out to Me?" I do not have to be commanded for the children of Israel, (Isaiah 45:11) "For My children and the work of My hands would you command Me?" Are they not "readied" before Me from the six days of creation? (Jeremiah 31:36) "Just as these laws (of nature) will not depart from before Me, says the L rd, so the children of Israel will not cease from being a nation before me for all time." Others say: The faith that they had in Me suffices for Me to split the sea for them. They did not say to Moses: How can we go out to the desert without food? But they believed in Moses and followed him. Of this it is written in the Tradition (Jeremiah 2:2) "Go and call out in the ears of Jerusalem, saying … I have remembered for you the lovingkindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, your following Me in the desert, in a land unsown." How were they rewarded for this? (Ibid. 3) "Holy is Israel unto the L rd, the first of His harvest. All of its eaters will be blamed. Evil will come upon them, says the L rd." R. Yossi Haglili says: When Israel entered the sea, Mount Moriah was uprooted from its place, with the altar of Israel built upon it, and its woodpile upon it, and Isaac bound upon it upon the altar, and Abraham stretching out his hand and taking the knife to slaughter his son — whereupon the L rd said to Moses: Moses, My children are in trouble, the sea raging and the foe pursuing them, and you stand and indulge in prayer? Moses: But what can I do? The L rd: "Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea, etc." And you — exalt and praise and accord song and praise and thanks and grandeur and glory and splendor and hallel to the Master of wars!

(Ibid. 29) "and the children of Israel walked in the dry land (that had already been made) in the midst of the sea." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: The sun and the moon testify that I have already split the sea for them, viz. (Jeremiah 31:35) "Thus said the L rd who gives the sun for light by day, the laws of moon and stars for light by night, who splits the sea and stuns its waves — the L rd of hosts is His name." R. Bana'ah says: In the merit of the mitzvoth performed by Abraham I will split the sea for them, viz. (Genesis 22:3) "and he split the wood for the burnt-offering" — and here (Exodus 14:21) "and the waters were split." R. Shimon Hatemani says: In the merit of circumcision I will split the sea for them, viz. (Jeremiah 33:25) "If not for My covenant, day and night, I would not have made the statutes of heaven and earth." Which covenant obtains both day and night? Circumcision. R. Avshalom the elder says: An analogy: A man gets angry with his son and drives him from the house. His lover comes in to beseech him to restore him to his house. He responds: Are you beseeching me for my son? I have already come to terms with my son. Thus, the L rd: "Why do you cry out to Me?" I have already come to terms with them." Rebbi says: Last night you said (i.e., you complained to Me) (Exodus 5:23) "And from the time I came to Pharaoh, etc." And now you stand and wax long in prayer? "Why do you cry out to Me?" Rebbi says (Exodus 14:15) "Speak to the children of Israel and have them go forward ('veyisa'u')." Have them retract ('yasiu') the things that they said. Last night they said (Ibid. 11) "Is it for lack of graves, etc.?" and now you stand and wax long in prayer (for them)? "Why do you cry out to Me?" Let them retract what they have said. The sages say: He wrought with them for His name's sake, viz. (Isaiah 48:11) "For My sake, for My sake shall I do, etc." And (Ibid. 63:12) "He split the sea before them." Why? (Ibid.) "To make Himself an eternal name." Rebbi says: Their faith in Me suffices Me to split the sea for them. As it is written (Exodus 14:2) "Let them return and encamp, etc." R. Elazar b. Azaryah says: In the merit of their father Abraham I will split the sea for them, viz. (Psalms 105:42) "For He remembered His holy word to Abraham His servant. (43) And He led out His people with joy, etc." R. Eliezer b. Yehudah of Bortutha says: In the merit of the tribes I will split the sea for them, viz. (Habakkuk 3:14) "You have split (the sea) for his tribes, the heads of his scattered ones, etc." And it is written (Psalms 136:13) "who split the sea into sections." Shmayah says: The faith that Abraham their father had in Me suffices for Me to split the sea for them, viz. (Exodus 4:31) "And the people believed when they heard, etc." Shimon of Kitron says: In the merit of the bones of Joseph I will split the sea for them, viz. (Genesis 39:12) "And he left his garment in her hand and he fled." And it is written (Psalms 114:3) "The sea saw and it fled, etc." R. Nathan says in the name of Abba Yossi Hamechuzi: ("Why do you cry out to Me?") Have I not had it written (Numbers 12:7) "In all of My house he (Moses) is trusted"? You (Moses) are in My dominion and the sea is in My dominion, and I have appointed you a keeper over it. (Therefore, [Exodus 14:16] "Raise your staff, etc.") R. Chanina b. Chachinai says: Have I not had it written (Mishlei 17:17) "A brother is born for (times of) trouble"? I am a brother to Israel in their time of trouble. "Brother" (here) signifies Israel, viz. (Psalms 122:8) "For the sake of My brothers and My friends I will speak for peace in you (Jerusalem)." R. Shimon b. Yehudah says: "Why do you cry out to Me?" Their cries have already preceded yours, viz. (Exodus 14:10) "and the children of Israel cried out to the L rd, etc." R. Acha says: The Holy One Blessed be He said: If not for your outcry, I would have destroyed them for the idolatry in their midst, viz. (Zechariah 10:11) "And tzarah crossed the sea," tzarah (here) being idolatry, as in (Isaiah 28:20) "and the molten image, tzarah, etc." and as in (Leviticus 18:18) "And a woman to her sister do not take litzror" (to be a rival). And because of your outcry I have withdrawn My wrath, as it is written (Psalms 106:22-23) ("… awesome deeds at the Red Sea) and he thought to destroy them if Moses His chosen one had not stood in the breach before Him, to turn His wrath from destruction." R. Eliezer Hamodai says: "Why do you cry out to Me?" I do not have to be commanded for the children of Israel, (Isaiah 45:11) "For My children and the work of My hands would you command Me?" Are they not "readied" before Me from the six days of creation? (Jeremiah 31:36) "Just as these laws (of nature) will not depart from before Me, says the L rd, so the children of Israel will not cease from being a nation before me for all time." Others say: The faith that they had in Me suffices for Me to split the sea for them. They did not say to Moses: How can we go out to the desert without food? But they believed in Moses and followed him. Of this it is written in the Tradition (Jeremiah 2:2) "Go and call out in the ears of Jerusalem, saying … I have remembered for you the lovingkindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, your following Me in the desert, in a land unsown." How were they rewarded for this? (Ibid. 3) "Holy is Israel unto the L rd, the first of His harvest. All of its eaters will be blamed. Evil will come upon them, says the L rd." R. Yossi Haglili says: When Israel entered the sea, Mount Moriah was uprooted from its place, with the altar of Israel built upon it, and its woodpile upon it, and Isaac bound upon it upon the altar, and Abraham stretching out his hand and taking the knife to slaughter his son — whereupon the L rd said to Moses: Moses, My children are in trouble, the sea raging and the foe pursuing them, and you stand and indulge in prayer? Moses: But what can I do? The L rd: "Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea, etc." And you — exalt and praise and accord song and praise and thanks and grandeur and glory and splendor and hallel to the Master of wars!

The Holy One, blessed be He, declared unto Israel: In this world you fear sins, but in the world-to-come, where there is no evil inclination, you will tremble with joy over the benefactions reserved for you, as is said: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and shall come trembling unto the Lord and to His goodness in the end of days (Hos. 3:5). What is the meaning of His goodness? It refers to the Holy Temple, as it is said: That goodly hill country and the Lebanon (Deut. 3:25). The blessing comes from Zion, as is said: The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion, and thou shalt see the goodness of Jerusalem (Ps. 128:5). Dew is blessed from Zion, as is said: Like the dew of Herman, that cometh down the mountains of Zion (ibid. 133:3). Help comes from Zion, as it is said: Send forth thy help from the sanctuary, and support thee out of Zion (ibid. 20:3). Salvation comes from Zion, as it is said: Oh, that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion (ibid. 14:7). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In the world-to-come I shall bless you out of Zion, as it is said: The Lord blessed thee out of Zion; even He that made heaven and earth (ibid. 134:3). And I shall bless Zion, as is said: The Lord bless thee, O habitation of righteousness, O holy mountain (Jer. 31:22). Amen.

“Awake, north wind, and come, south wind; blow upon my garden, that its perfume will spread. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat his delicious fruits” (Song of Songs 4:16).
“Awake, north wind, and come, south wind” – Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina: Rabbi Elazar said: The descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings. Rabbi Yosei said: The descendants of Noah sacrificed burnt offerings.¹⁶¹All agree that Noah and his descendants sacrificed burnt offerings, as this is explicit in the text (see, e.g., Genesis 8:20). The dispute is whether they also sacrificed peace offerings. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection to Rabbi Yosei: “Abel, too, brought from the firstborn of his flock and from the choicest of them [umeḥelvehen]” (Genesis 4:4).¹⁶²The understanding is that Abel sacrificed offerings from which only the fats [ḥelev] are burned, i.e., peace offerings. What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? He says: From the fattest among them. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection to Rabbi Yosei: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel [and they offered up burnt offerings and they slaughtered peace offerings [shelamim] of oxen to the Lord]” (Exodus 24:5).¹⁶³This verse explicitly states that they offered peace offerings, despite the fact that this took place before the giving of the Torah, when even the Israelites were considered no more than descendants of Noah (Etz Yosef). What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? Their bodies were whole [shelemim], without flaying and cutting.¹⁶⁴This is in contrast to standard burnt offerings, which require flaying and cutting. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection: It is written: “Yitro took…a burnt offering and a peace offering” (Exodus 18:12), a burnt offering for the sake of a burnt offering and a peace offering for the sake of a peace offering.¹⁶⁵The offerings were sacrificed properly. If an offering is sacrificed with the understanding that it is a different offering, e.g., if an animal designated as a burnt offering is sacrificed as a peace offering, one has not fulfilled one’s vow to bring the burnt offering. What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? He would say to you: Two amora’im disagree. One says: Yitro came after the giving of the Torah;¹⁶⁶When there were both burnt offerings and peace offerings. the other says: Yitro came before the giving of the Torah. The one who said Yitro came before the giving of the Torah [must hold that] the descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings. The one who said: Yitro came after the giving of the Torah [holds that] the descendants of Noah sacrificed [only] burnt offerings.
This supports Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina: “Awake, north wind, and come, south wind.” “Awake north wind” – this is the burnt offering, which is slaughtered in the north.¹⁶⁷The north side of the Temple Courtyard. Why was the term “awake” addressed to it? [Because] it is something that was asleep and awakened.¹⁶⁸The patriarchs sacrificed burnt offerings, but the Israelites did not sacrifice burnt offerings while they were in Egypt. “Come, south wind” – this is the peace offering, which is slaughtered in the south.¹⁶⁹Unlike the burnt offering, the peace offering could be slaughtered anywhere in the Temple Courtyard. Why was the term “come” addressed to it? Because it was something new.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa, and Rabbi Yehoshua say in the name of Rabbi Levi: This verse, too, supports Rabbi Yosei. “This is the law of the burnt offering; it is the burnt offering” (Leviticus 6:2) that the descendants of Noah sacrificed initially. When it arrives at the peace offering, it says: “This is the law of the peace offering [that one shall offer to the Lord]” (Leviticus 7:11). It is not written here, “that they offered,” but rather, that they shall offer, from here forward.
How does Rabbi Elazar interpret this verse: “Awake, north wind, and come, south wind”? When the exiles situated in the north will awaken and they will come and encamp in the south, just as it says: “Behold, I am bringing them from the land of the north, and I will gather them from the ends of the earth” (Jeremiah 31:7). When Gog and Magog, which are situated in the north, will awaken and come and fall in the south, just as it says: “I will lead you astray and I will entice you, and I will take you up” (Ezekiel 39:2). When the messianic king, who is situated in the north, will awaken and come build the Temple, which is located in the south, just as it says: “I have roused one from the north and he came” (Isaiah 41:25).
“Blow upon my garden, that its perfume will spread” – Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Rabbi Binyamin bar Levi: Because in this world when the southern wind blows the northern wind does not blow, and when the northern wind blows the southern wind does not blow. However, in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will bring an unusual wind to the world, and it will lead two winds simultaneously and both will serve. That is what is written: “I will say to the north: Give, and to the south: Do not withhold” (Isaiah 43:6).
“Let my beloved come to his garden” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Torah teaches you proper etiquette, that a bridegroom should not enter the wedding canopy until the bride gives him permission. What is the reason? “Let my beloved come to his garden.”¹⁷⁰The next verse begins “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,” which is an indication that he came only after receiving permission from his bride.

“My beloved is mine, and I am his, who herds among the lilies” (Song of Songs 2:16).
“My beloved is mine, and I am his,” He is God for me, and I am a nation for Him. He is God for me, “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2). I am a people and a nation for Him, as it is stated: “Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation” (Isaiah 51:4). He is a father to me, and I am a son to Him. He is a father to me, “For You are our Father” (Isaiah 63:16). I am a son to Him, “My son, My firstborn, Israel” (Exodus 4:22). He is a shepherd to me, “Shepherd of Israel, listen” (Psalms 80:2). I am His flock, “you, My flock, flock of My pasture” (Ezekiel 34:31). He is my guardian, “Behold, the Guardian of Israel does not slumber and does not sleep” (Psalms 121:4). I am His vineyard, as it is stated: “For the house of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 5:7).
He is for me against those who provoke me, and I am for Him against those who anger Him. He is for me against those who provoke me, as He smote the firstborn of Egypt, as it is stated: “I will pass in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12); “it was at midnight and the Lord smote every firstborn” (Exodus 12:29). I am for Him against those who anger Him, as I slaughtered the gods of Egypt, and likewise, “against all the gods of Egypt I will administer punishment” (Exodus 12:12), and I slaughtered them to Him, as it is stated: “Behold, will we slaughter the abomination of Egypt before their eyes, and they will not stone us?” (Exodus 8:22). Likewise, “they shall each take for them a lamb for each patrilineal home” (Exodus 12:3).
He said to me: ‘Let the proportion [hamazeg] not be skewed,’ as it is stated: “Your navel is a moon-shaped goblet, may it not lack mixed wine [hamazeg]” (Song of Songs 7:3). I said to Him: ‘You are my good beloved, if only Your goodness will never be lacking from me,’ just as it says: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I will not lack” (Psalms 23:1).
Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Ilai said: He sang to me and I sang to Him; He lauded me and I lauded Him. He called me: “My sister, My love, My faultless dove” (Song of Songs 5:2), and I said to Him: “This is my beloved and this is my companion” (Song of Songs 5:16). He said to me: “Behold you are fair my love” (Song of Songs 4:1), and I said to Him: “Behold, you are fair, my beloved, pleasant too” (Song of Songs 1:16). He said to me: “Happy are you Israel, who is like you?” (Deuteronomy 33:29). I said to Him: “Who is like You among the powers, Lord?” (Exodus 15:11). He said to me: “Who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land” (I Chronicles 17:21). I declare the unity of His name twice daily: “Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). When I require something, I seek it only from His hand, as it is stated: “It was during those many days, that the king of Egypt died; [the children of Israel sighed due to the bondage, and they cried out, and their plea rose to God due to the bondage.] God heard their groaning…God saw the children of Israel” (Exodus 2:23–25). When He requires something, he seeks it only from me and from my hand, as it is stated: “Speak to the entire congregation of Israel, saying: [In the tenth day of this month they shall take for themselves every man a lamb]” (Exodus 12:3). When I require something, I seek it only from His hand, as it is stated: “Pharaoh approached and the children of Israel raised [their eyes and…the Egyptians were traveling after them… the children of Israel cried out to the Lord]” (Exodus 14:10). When He requires something, He seeks it only from me, as it is stated: “Speak to the children of Israel and let them take a gift for Me” (Exodus 25:2). When I had trouble, I sought [salvation] only from Him: “The Children of Israel cried out to the Lord, as he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the Children of Israel forcefully…” (Judges 4:3). What is forcefully? It was with cursing and blaspheming. When He required something, He sought it only from me, as it is stated: “They shall make a sanctuary for Me” (Exodus 25:8).

The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world you grieved for this righteous man for seven days, but in the world-to-come I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow (Jer. 31:13). And I will comfort Zion and its vast places, as it is said: For the Lord hath comforted Zion; He hath comforted all her waste places and hath made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody (Isa. 51:3).

The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world you grieved for this righteous man for seven days, but in the world-to-come I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow (Jer. 31:13). And I will comfort Zion and its vast places, as it is said: For the Lord hath comforted Zion; He hath comforted all her waste places and hath made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody (Isa. 51:3).

(Ibid., cont.:) THE OTHER ONE AND BENJAMIN. These are the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. In that hour we shall sing a song, [as stated (in Jer. 31:12):] THEN THEY SHALL COME AND SING ON THE HEIGHT OF ZION, WHERE THEY SHALL BE RADIANT AT THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD: OVER NEW GRAIN, WINE, AND OIL, OVER THE YOUNG OF THE FLOCK AND THE HERD. SO THEIR LIFE SHALL BE LIKE A WATERED GARDEN, AND THEY SHALL NEVER LANGUISH AGAIN.

{Another interpretation (of Gen. 49:28): AND THIS IS WHAT THEIR FATHER SPOKE TO THEM.} [(Gen. 50:12:) SO HIS CHILDREN DID FOR HIM JUST AS HE HAD COMMANDED THEM.] What did they do? They embalmed him and brought him up < to the land of Israel >.⁸²Tanh., Gen. 12:17; Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:29 (= pp. 1228-1229 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); Sot. 13a. What is written (in Gen. 50:10)? WHEN THEY CAME TO THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR.⁸³THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR is usually regarded as a proper name, i.e., as GOREN HA’ATAD. Is there a threshing floor for thorns, as it says: TO THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR? It is simply that these were Canaanites who had taken their crowns and surrounded Jacob's coffin, as a threshing floor when one surrounds it with thorns. R. Eliezer says: When they saw the coffin of our father Jacob, they undid the girdles on their waists and < so > showed honor to our father Jacob.⁸⁴Gen. R. 100(101):6; ySot. 1:10(17b). R. Samuel bar Nahman said: They undid their finger joints; and our masters say: They pointed the finger at Jacob's coffin and said (in Gen. 50:11): THIS IS A SOLEMN MOURNING FOR THE EGYPTIANS. For this reason the Holy One gave them a threshing floor.⁸⁵A sign of fruitfulness in what had been unfruitful, a mere thornbush threshing floor. (Gen. 50:10:) AND HE CARRIED OUT SEVEN DAYS OF MOURNING FOR HIS FATHER. From here we learn that the time for mourning is seven days. They also give evidence for it from here (in Lev. 8:33): AND YOU SHALL NOT GO OUT FROM THE DOOR OF THE TENT OF MEETING FOR SEVEN DAYS. And why do they carry out seven days of mourning rites? < It > corresponds to the seven days of feasting (on a joyous occasion). The Holy One said to them: In this world you have exhibited sorrow in the company of this righteous man and observed a seven-day mourning for him. In the world to come I am turning this mourning into feasting, as stated (in Jer. 31:13): FOR I WILL TURN THEIR MOURNING INTO JOY, COMFORT THEM, AND CHEER THEM IN THEIR GRIEF. Then, just as I comfort them, so I will give comfort to Zion, as stated (in Is. 51:3): TRULY THE LORD HAS COMFORTED ZION; HE HAS COMFORTED ALL ITS RUINS. HE HAS ALSO MADE ITS DESERT LIKE EDEN AND ITS DRY PLAIN LIKE THE GARDEN OF THE LORD. JOY AND REJOICING SHALL BE FOUND IN IT, THANKSGIVING AND THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

{Another interpretation (of Gen. 49:28): AND THIS IS WHAT THEIR FATHER SPOKE TO THEM.} [(Gen. 50:12:) SO HIS CHILDREN DID FOR HIM JUST AS HE HAD COMMANDED THEM.] What did they do? They embalmed him and brought him up < to the land of Israel >.⁸²Tanh., Gen. 12:17; Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:29 (= pp. 1228-1229 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); Sot. 13a. What is written (in Gen. 50:10)? WHEN THEY CAME TO THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR.⁸³THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR is usually regarded as a proper name, i.e., as GOREN HA’ATAD. Is there a threshing floor for thorns, as it says: TO THE THORNBUSH THRESHING FLOOR? It is simply that these were Canaanites who had taken their crowns and surrounded Jacob's coffin, as a threshing floor when one surrounds it with thorns. R. Eliezer says: When they saw the coffin of our father Jacob, they undid the girdles on their waists and < so > showed honor to our father Jacob.⁸⁴Gen. R. 100(101):6; ySot. 1:10(17b). R. Samuel bar Nahman said: They undid their finger joints; and our masters say: They pointed the finger at Jacob's coffin and said (in Gen. 50:11): THIS IS A SOLEMN MOURNING FOR THE EGYPTIANS. For this reason the Holy One gave them a threshing floor.⁸⁵A sign of fruitfulness in what had been unfruitful, a mere thornbush threshing floor. (Gen. 50:10:) AND HE CARRIED OUT SEVEN DAYS OF MOURNING FOR HIS FATHER. From here we learn that the time for mourning is seven days. They also give evidence for it from here (in Lev. 8:33): AND YOU SHALL NOT GO OUT FROM THE DOOR OF THE TENT OF MEETING FOR SEVEN DAYS. And why do they carry out seven days of mourning rites? < It > corresponds to the seven days of feasting (on a joyous occasion). The Holy One said to them: In this world you have exhibited sorrow in the company of this righteous man and observed a seven-day mourning for him. In the world to come I am turning this mourning into feasting, as stated (in Jer. 31:13): FOR I WILL TURN THEIR MOURNING INTO JOY, COMFORT THEM, AND CHEER THEM IN THEIR GRIEF. Then, just as I comfort them, so I will give comfort to Zion, as stated (in Is. 51:3): TRULY THE LORD HAS COMFORTED ZION; HE HAS COMFORTED ALL ITS RUINS. HE HAS ALSO MADE ITS DESERT LIKE EDEN AND ITS DRY PLAIN LIKE THE GARDEN OF THE LORD. JOY AND REJOICING SHALL BE FOUND IN IT, THANKSGIVING AND THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

(Ibid. 20) "Then Miriam the prophetess took": Where do we find that Miriam was a prophetess? She said to her father (Amram): In the end, you will beget a son who will be the savior of Israel from Egypt — (Ibid. 2:1) "And there went a man (Amram) from the house of Levi and took the daughter of Levi, (Yocheved — after he had separated from her because of Pharaoh's decree to drown the males) (2) "And she conceived and bore a son … (3) and could conceal him no longer…" — whereupon her father rebuked her, saying: My daughter, where is your prophecy? But she stood fast to her prophecy, viz. (4) "And his sister stood from afar to know what would be done with him," "standing" ("yetzivah") signifying prophecy, viz. (Amos 9:1) "I saw the L rd standing on the altar", and (I Samuel 3:10) "And the L rd came and He stood, etc.", and (Devarim 31:14) "Call Joshua and stand, etc." (Exodus, Ibid.) "from afar": "from afar" everywhere signifies the Holy Spirit, viz. (Jeremiah 31:2) "From afar the L rd appeared to me." (Exodus, Ibid.) "to know": "Knowing" signifies the Holy Spirit, viz. (Isaiah 11:9) "for the earth will be filled with knowing of the L rd, etc." (Exodus, Ibid.) "what would be done with him": "Doing signifies the Holy Spirit, viz. (Amos 3:7) "For the L rd G d will not do a thing unless He has revealed His secret to His servants the prophets." (Exodus 15:20) "Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron": Was she not (also) the sister of Moses? Why, then, "the sister of Aaron"? __ Because Aaron risked his life for his sister (viz. Numbers 12:2), she was called by his name. Similarly, (Genesis 34:25) "Shimon and Levi, the brothers of Dinah." Now was she not the sister of all of the tribes? Why, then, "the brothers of Dinah"? __ Because they risked their lives for her, she was called their sister. Similarly, (Numbers 25:18) "Kazbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister." Now was she their (Midian's) sister? Was he (Tzur, her father,) not "the head of the peoples of a father's house in Midian" (viz. (Numbers 25:15)? Why, then, "their (Midian's) sister'? __ Because she risked her life for her people, they were called by her name.

"God restores my soul" This means that Israel said, God restores my soul with Torah, as it says, "The Torah of Adonai is perfect, restoring the soul" (Psalms 19:18). "God leads me in the paths of mercy"--this means, to manna, to quail, to waters of the well, to clouds of glory; and these are given to me not because I have earned them but "for the sake of God's name." Even as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, though I walk on the parched land of the wilderness, "I will fear no evil for You are with me," as it says, "Adonai went before them by day in a pillar of cloud (Exodus 13:21). Your rod and your staff, they comfort me: the rod is Your chastisements; the staff, Your Torah.

Rabbi Yoḥanan began: “A prophecy of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – the valley about which all the seers prophesy, the valley from which all the seers originated, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every prophet the name of whose city was not articulated was a Jerusalemite. “Valley of Vision” – as they cast the words of the seers to the ground.⁹³The residents treated the prophecies with derision, reflected in the term valley, as a valley is low ground. “What, indeed, happened to you, that you all ascended to the roofs?” (Isaiah 22:1). Did they in fact ascend to the roofs? Rabbi Levi said: These are the arrogant.
“Full of tumult [teshuot]” (Isaiah 22:2) – Rabbi Elazar ben Yaakov said: This expression is used in three senses: Troubles, tumult, and gloom. Troubles, as it is stated: “Does not hear the troubles [teshuot] caused by the oppressor” (Job 39:7); tumult, as it is stated: “Full of tumult [teshuot].” Gloom, as it is stated: “Darkness, gloom [shoa], and desolation” (Job 30:3).
“Clamorous city” (Isaiah 22:2) – a city of commotion; “merry town” (Isaiah 22:2) – a lively city; “your slain are not slain by the sword and they did not die in war” (Isaiah 22:2) – what are they? “Bloated by famine and ravaged by plague” (Deuteronomy 32:24).
“All your officers wandered together; from the bow [mikeshet] they were bound” (Isaiah 22:3) – due to their stubbornness [kashyutam], they were delivered to the kingdoms. Alternatively, “all your officers wandered together; from the bow they were bound” – as [the enemies] would untie the strings of their bows and bind with them. “All those found among you were bound together, they fled afar” (Isaiah 22:3) – they distanced themselves from hearing the words of Torah, just as it says: “From afar the Lord has appeared to me” (Jeremiah 31:2).
“Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly” (Isaiah 22:4) – Reish Lakish said: On three occasions the ministering angels sought to recite song before the Holy One blessed be He but He did not allow them to do so. These are: In the generation of the Flood, at the sea, and upon the destruction of the Temple. Regarding the generation of the Flood, what is written? “The Lord said: My spirit shall not abide in man forever” (Genesis 6:3).⁹⁴The midrash interprets the word abode [yadon] in the sense of singing praise [yaron], such that the verse means that God’s praise will not always be able to be sung over the occurrences regarding mankind. This interpretation is based on the fact that the Hebrew letters dalet and resh look very similar and are sometimes interchanged (Etz Yosef). At the sea it is written: “One did not approach the other the entire night” (Exodus 14:20).⁹⁵The terminology of this verse is reminiscent of the verse in Isaiah (10:3) describing the angels singing song to God. Regarding the destruction of the Temple it is written: “Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly; do not rush to comfort me” (Isaiah 22:4). It is not written here: Do not continue [to comfort me], but rather, “do not rush [ta’itzu].” The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: The words of comfort that you are reciting before Me, they are insults [ni’utzin] for Me. Why? “For it is a day of turmoil, trampling and confusion [mevukha] from the Lord, God of hosts” (Isaiah 22:5) – a day of turbulence, a day of plundering, and a day of weeping [bekhiya]. “Of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – it is the valley about which all the seers prophesy. “Breaching the wall and crying [vesho’a] to the mountain” (Isaiah 22:5) – for they were breaching the walls of their houses, using [the materials] for shields, and placing them atop their citadels [sho’eihem].
“Elam carried the quiver” (Isaiah 22:6) – Rav said: This is a collection of arrows. “Among chariots of men are horsemen, and Kir bared a shield” (Isaiah 22:6), for they were breaching the walls [kirot] of their houses and using [the materials] for shields. “And it was that your choicest valleys [amakayikh] filled with chariots” (Isaiah 22:7) – Rav said: To the full depth of [umkah] the sea waters. “And the horsemen directed themselves [shot shatu] to the gate” (Isaiah 22:7) – like weaving [mishteyei] they went and like weaving they came,⁹⁶They crossed like the warp and woof strings on a loom. and they appeared to be many.
“He laid bare the covering of Judah” (Isaiah 22:8) – exposing what was covered. “You looked on that day to the weapons in the house of the forest” (Isaiah 22:8) – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The Israelites had a weapon at Sinai, and the ineffable name was etched upon it. When they sinned it was taken from them. That is what is written: “The children of Israel were stripped of their ornament from Mount Ḥorev” (Exodus 33:6). How was it taken from them? Rabbi Aivu and the Rabbis: Rabbi Aivu said: It peeled off on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it off.
“You saw that the breaches of the city of David were many.… And you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke the houses to fortify the wall” (Isaiah 22:9–10) – this teaches that they would shatter their houses and add to the wall. But did Hezekiah not already do so? Is it not written: “He took courage and rebuilt the entire breached wall…” (II Chronicles 32:5)?⁹⁷Isaiah criticized the people for adding to the wall, whereas Hezekiah similarly rebuilt the walls as protection from his enemies and was not criticized. Hezekiah, however, put his trust in the Lord, God of Israel, but you did not put your trust in Him. That is what it says: “You did not look to the One who planned it, and you did not see the One who fashioned it long ago” (Isaiah 22:11).
“The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation” (Isaiah 22:12) – the ministering angels said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, it is written: “Majesty and glory are before Him” (Psalms 96:6), and You say this?’ He said to them: ‘I will teach you. That is what it says: “Disrobe and bare yourselves, and place a belt upon your waist” (Isaiah 32:11) – this is how you shall lament. “Smiting upon the breasts” (Isaiah 32:12) – on the first destruction and on the second destruction. “Over pleasant fields” (Isaiah 32:13) – on the house of My delight, which I made like a field. That is what it says: “Zion will be plowed like a field” (Micah 3:12). “Over a fruitful vine” (Isaiah 32:12) – this is Israel, just as it says: “You transported a vine from Egypt” (Psalms 80:9).’
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day…” (Isaiah 22:12) – that is what was stated in the verse by the sons of Koraḥ through the Divine Spirit: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me, [how I passed on with the throng and led them to the house of God]” (Psalms 42:5). Regarding whom did the sons of Koraḥ recite this verse? Regarding the congregation of Israel, as the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, I remember the security, tranquility, and calm in which I existed, and now it has grown distant from me. I am weeping and moaning and saying: If only I could be restored to the earlier times when the Temple was built, and You would descend to it from heaven On High and rest Your Divine Presence upon me. The nations of the world would laud me, and when I would request mercy for my iniquities, You would answer me. But now I am in shame and humiliation.’ They also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, my soul is desolate within me when I pass by Your Temple and it is destroyed, and a still small voice within it says: The place where the descendants of Abraham sacrificed offerings before You, the priests would stand on the platform, and the Levites would laud with their lyres, shall foxes prance in it? That is what is written: “On Mount Zion, which is desolate; foxes walk upon it” (Lamentations 5:18). But what shall I do? My iniquities have brought this upon me, the false prophets who were in my midst misled me from the path of life to the path of death.’ That is why it is stated: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me…”
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation…” (Isaiah 22:12) – when the Holy One blessed be He sought to destroy the Temple, He said: As long as I am inside it, the nations of the world will not touch it. So, I will avert My eyes from it, and I will take an oath that I will not attend to it until the time of the end of days. Then the enemies will come and destroy it. Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He took an oath by His right hand, and withdrew it behind Him. That is what is written: “He withdrew His right hand from before the enemy” (Lamentations 2:3). At that moment, the enemies entered the Sanctuary and burned it. Once it was burned, the Holy One blessed be He said: I no longer have an abode on the earth; I will remove My Divine Presence from it, and I will ascend to My original location. That is what is written: “I will go and return to My place, until they will be punished and they seek My presence” (Hosea 5:15). At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for what I have done. I rested My Divine Presence below for the sake of Israel. Now that they have sinned, I have returned to My original place. Heaven forbid that I have become a laughingstock to the nations and a mockery to the people. At that moment, Metatron⁹⁸This is the name of an important angel. came and fell on his face and said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I will weep but You shall not weep.’ He said to him: ‘If you do not allow Me to weep now, I will enter a place into which you have no authorization to enter, and I will weep, as it is stated: “But if you will not heed it, my soul will weep in concealed places due to your arrogance…”’ (Jeremiah 13:17).
The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: ‘Come and let us go, you and I, and let us see what the enemies did in My Temple.’ Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He and the ministering angels went, with Jeremiah before Him. When the Holy One blessed be He saw the Temple, He said: Certainly, this is My Temple and this is My resting place that enemies entered and did in it as they pleased. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for My Temple. My children, where are you? My priests, where are you? My beloved, where are you? What could I do for you? I warned you but you did not repent. The Holy One blessed be He said to Jeremiah: ‘Today I am like a person who had an only son, made a wedding canopy for him, and he died within his wedding canopy; do you not feel pain for Me or for My son? Go and call Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses from their graves, as they know how to weep.’ [Jeremiah] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I do not know where Moses is buried.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Go, stand on the bank of the Jordan, raise your voice, and call: Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise and see your flock who have been consumed by enemies.’ Immediately, Jeremiah went to the Cave of Makhpela and said to the patriarchs of the world: ‘Arise, as the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ They said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to them: ‘I do not know,’ because he feared that they would say: In your days this befell our children? Jeremiah left them and stood on the bank of the Jordan, and called out: ‘Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise, the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ He said to him: ‘What is different about today that I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ Jeremiah said to him: ‘I do not know.’ Moses left him and went to the ministering angels, as he was familiar with them from the time of the giving of the Torah. He said to them: ‘Ministers On High, do you know why I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ They said to him: ‘Son of Amram, do you not know that the Temple has been destroyed and Israel has been exiled?’ He was screaming and weeping until he reached the patriarchs of the world. Immediately, they rent their garments, placed their hands on their heads, and were screaming and weeping until the gates of the Temple. When the Holy One blessed be He saw them, immediately, “the Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for baldness and for donning sackcloth” (Isaiah 22:12). Had it not been for the verse that is written, it would have been impossible to say it. They were weeping and walking from this gate to that gate like a person whose deceased relative is lying before him. The Holy One blessed be He was lamenting and saying: Woe to a king who was successful in his youth and in his old age was not successful.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When the Temple was destroyed, Abraham came before the Holy One blessed be He weeping, pulling out his beard, tearing out the hair of his head, striking his face, rending his garments, ashes on his head, and he was walking in the Temple and lamenting and screaming. He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Why am I different from all nations and tongues that I have come to this state of shame and humiliation?’ When the ministering angels saw him, they too composed lamentations standing in rows and saying: “[Behold, their angels cry out outside.…] The highways are desolate, wayfarers have ceased; [he breached the covenant, rejected cities, regarded no man]” (Isaiah 33:7–8). What is “the highways are desolate”? The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The highways to Jerusalem that You prepared so that travelers would never cease from them, how have they become desolation?’ “Wayfarers have ceased” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The ways upon which Israel would travel on the festivals, how have they become idle?’ “Breached the covenant” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, the covenant of their patriarch Abraham has been breached, by means of whom the world was settled, and by means of whom You were recognized in the world as God on High, Maker of the heavens and the earth.’ “Rejected cities” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Have You rejected Jerusalem and Zion after You chose them?’ That is what is written: “Did You reject Judah, did Your soul loathe Zion…?” (Jeremiah 14:19). “Regarded no man [enosh]” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You did not consider Israel even like the generation of Enosh, who were the originators of idol worshippers.’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He attended to the ministering angels. He said to them: ‘Why are you composing lamentations like this, standing in rows?’ They said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, why did You not pay attention to Abraham, Your beloved, who came to Your House and lamented and wept?’ He said to them: ‘From the day that My beloved passed away from before Me to his eternal home, he did not come to My House, and now: “What has My beloved to do in My House?”’ (Jeremiah 11:15).
Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe: Why did You exile my children, deliver them into the hand of the nations, kill them with all kinds of uncommon deaths, and destroy the Temple, the place where I elevated my son Isaac as a burnt offering before You?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Your children sinned and violated the entire Torah and the twenty-two letters that are in it.’ That is what is written: “All Israel have violated Your Torah” (Daniel 9:11). Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, who will testify against Israel that they violated Your Torah?’ He said to him: ‘Let the Torah come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the Torah came to testify against them. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, you have come to testify against Israel that they violated your mitzvot, and you have no shame before me? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He circulated you among every nation and they did not want to accept you, until my descendants came to Mount Sinai and accepted you and honored you. Now you come to testify against them on their day of distress?’ Once the Torah heard this, it stood to one side and did not testify against them.
The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Let the twenty-two letters come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the twenty-two letters came. Alef came to testify against Israel that they violated the Torah. Abraham said to it: ‘Alef, you are the leader of all the letters, and you come to testify against Israel on their day of distress? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself on Mount Sinai and began with you, “I am [anokhi]⁹⁹Anokhi begins with the letter alef. the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2) – no nation other than my descendants accepted you, and you come to testify against my descendants?’ Immediately, alef stood to one side and did not testify against them.
Bet came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants, who are diligent in the five books of the Torah, as you are at the head of the Torah?’ That is what is written: “In the beginning [bereshit]¹⁰⁰Bereshit, the first word of the Torah, begins with a bet. God created” (Genesis 1:1). Immediately, bet stood to one side and did not testify at all.
Gimel came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants that they violated the Torah? Is there any nation who fulfills the mitzva of ritual fringes, which you appear at its head?’ That is what is written: “You shall make for yourselves twisted threads [gedilim]” (Deuteronomy 22:12).¹⁰¹Gedilim, which in Hebrew is the first word of this verse, begins with a gimel. Immediately, gimel stood to one side and did not testify at all. When all the letters saw that Abraham had silenced them, they were ashamed, stood by themselves, and did not testify against Israel.
Immediately, Abraham began [speaking] before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, at one hundred years You gave me a son. When he achieved cognition and was a thirty-seven-year-old young man, You said to me: Sacrifice him as a burnt-offering before Me. I became like a cruel person to him and had no mercy on him. Rather, I, myself, bound him. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Isaac began and said: ‘Master of the universe, when my father said to me: “God, Himself, will see to the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8), I did not delay fulfillment of Your words, and I was bound willingly upon the altar and extended my neck under the knife. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Jacob began and said: ‘Master of the universe, did I not remain in Laban’s house for twenty years? When I departed from his house, the wicked Esau encountered me and sought to kill my children, and I endangered my life on their behalf. Now they are delivered into the hand of their enemies like sheep to slaughter after I raised them like chicks and suffered the travails of child raising on their behalf, as most of my days I experienced great suffering for their sake. Will You not now remember this on my behalf to have mercy on my descendants?’
Moses began and said: ‘Master of the universe, was I not a loyal shepherd over Israel for forty years? I ran before them like a horse in the wilderness, yet when the time came for them to enter the land, You decreed against me that my bones would fall in the wilderness. Now that they have been exiled you sent to me to lament them and weep over them.’ This is the parable that people say: From the goodness of my master it is not good for me, and from his evil it is bad for me.
At that moment, Moses said to Jeremiah: ‘Go before me so I may go and bring them. I would like to see who is going to restrain them.’¹⁰²If I bring them back no one will dare stand in their way. Jeremiah said: ‘It is impossible to go on the way due to the corpses.’¹⁰³I am a priest, and it is prohibited for me to contract impurity imparted by a corpse. He said to him: ‘Nevertheless.’ Immediately, Moses went and Jeremiah was before him, until they reached the rivers of Babylon. They saw Moses and said to each other: ‘The son of Amram has come from his grave to redeem us from the hand of our adversaries!’ A Divine Voice emerged and said: ‘It is a decree from before Me.’ Immediately, Moses said to them: ‘My children, to return you is impossible, as the decree has already been issued. Rather, the Omnipresent will return you speedily.’ He left them. At that moment, they raised their voice in great weeping until their weeping ascended On High. That is what is written: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and also wept” (Psalms 137:1).
When Moses came to the patriarchs of the world, they said to him: ‘What have the enemies done to our descendants?’ He said: ‘Some of them they killed, some of them they tied their hands behind them, some of them were bound in iron chains, some of them were stripped naked, some of them died on the way and their carcasses were left for the bird of the heavens and the animals of the earth, and some of them were cast in the sun hungry and thirsty.’ Immediately, they all began weeping and lamenting: ‘Woe over what has befallen our children! How have you become like orphans without a father; how do you lie in the afternoon and in the summer without garment and without covering; how have you walked on mountains and on gravel with shoes removed and without sandals; how have you carried bundles filled with sand; how have your hands been bound behind you; how have you been unable to swallow even the spittle in your mouths?’ Moses began and said: ‘Cursed sun! Why did you not darken when the enemy entered the Temple?’ The sun responded to him: ‘Moses, loyal shepherd, how could I darken, they did not allow me and did not relent from me, as they took me with sixty rods of fire and said to me: Go and shine your light.’
Again Moses began and said: ‘Woe over your radiance, Temple, how has it gone dark? Woe that its time to be destroyed arrived, the Sanctuary was burned, schoolchildren killed, and their fathers sent to captivity, exile, and the sword.’ Again Moses began and said: ‘O captors, by your lives! You killers, do not kill cruelly and do not implement total annihilation, do not kill a son in the presence of his father, or a daughter in the presence of her mother, for the time will come when the Master of heaven will settle the score with you.’ But the wicked Chaldeans did not do so, but rather, would seat the son on his mother’s lap and say to his father: Rise and slaughter him. The mother would cry and her tears would fall on him, and his father would hang his head. He also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, You wrote in Your Torah: “An ox or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (Leviticus 22:28). But have they not killed many, many children and their mothers, and yet You are silent!’
At that moment, Rachel our matriarch interjected before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, it is revealed before You that Your servant Jacob loved me abundantly and worked for my father seven years for me. When those seven years were completed and the time for my marriage to my husband arrived, my father plotted to exchange me with my sister for my husband. The matter was extremely difficult for me when I became aware of that plot, and I informed my husband and gave him a signal to distinguish between my sister and me so that my father would be unable to exchange me. Afterward, I regretted what I had done and suppressed my desire. I had mercy on my sister, so that she would not be led to humiliation. In the evening they exchanged me with my sister for my husband, and I transmitted to my sister all the signals that I had given to my husband, so that he would think that she is Rachel. Moreover, I entered beneath the bed on which he was lying with my sister. He would speak with her and she would be silent, and I would respond to each and every matter that he said, so that he would not identify my sister’s voice. I performed an act of kindness for her, I was not jealous of her, and I did not lead her to humiliation. If I, who is flesh and blood, was not jealous of my rival, and I did not lead her to humiliation and shame, You who are a living and eternal merciful King, why were You jealous of idol worship that has no substance, and You exiled my descendants, and they were killed by sword, and the enemies did to them as they pleased?’ Immediately, the mercy of the Holy One blessed be He was aroused and He said: ‘For you, Rachel, I will restore Israel to its place.’ That is what is written: “So said the Lord: A voice is heard in Rama, wailing, bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be consoled for her children, as they are not” (Jeremiah 31:14). And it is written: “So said the Lord: Restrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, as there is reward for your actions.… And there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord, and your children will return to their borders” (Jeremiah 31:15–16).

Rabbi Yoḥanan began: “A prophecy of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – the valley about which all the seers prophesy, the valley from which all the seers originated, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every prophet the name of whose city was not articulated was a Jerusalemite. “Valley of Vision” – as they cast the words of the seers to the ground.⁹³The residents treated the prophecies with derision, reflected in the term valley, as a valley is low ground. “What, indeed, happened to you, that you all ascended to the roofs?” (Isaiah 22:1). Did they in fact ascend to the roofs? Rabbi Levi said: These are the arrogant.
“Full of tumult [teshuot]” (Isaiah 22:2) – Rabbi Elazar ben Yaakov said: This expression is used in three senses: Troubles, tumult, and gloom. Troubles, as it is stated: “Does not hear the troubles [teshuot] caused by the oppressor” (Job 39:7); tumult, as it is stated: “Full of tumult [teshuot].” Gloom, as it is stated: “Darkness, gloom [shoa], and desolation” (Job 30:3).
“Clamorous city” (Isaiah 22:2) – a city of commotion; “merry town” (Isaiah 22:2) – a lively city; “your slain are not slain by the sword and they did not die in war” (Isaiah 22:2) – what are they? “Bloated by famine and ravaged by plague” (Deuteronomy 32:24).
“All your officers wandered together; from the bow [mikeshet] they were bound” (Isaiah 22:3) – due to their stubbornness [kashyutam], they were delivered to the kingdoms. Alternatively, “all your officers wandered together; from the bow they were bound” – as [the enemies] would untie the strings of their bows and bind with them. “All those found among you were bound together, they fled afar” (Isaiah 22:3) – they distanced themselves from hearing the words of Torah, just as it says: “From afar the Lord has appeared to me” (Jeremiah 31:2).
“Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly” (Isaiah 22:4) – Reish Lakish said: On three occasions the ministering angels sought to recite song before the Holy One blessed be He but He did not allow them to do so. These are: In the generation of the Flood, at the sea, and upon the destruction of the Temple. Regarding the generation of the Flood, what is written? “The Lord said: My spirit shall not abide in man forever” (Genesis 6:3).⁹⁴The midrash interprets the word abode [yadon] in the sense of singing praise [yaron], such that the verse means that God’s praise will not always be able to be sung over the occurrences regarding mankind. This interpretation is based on the fact that the Hebrew letters dalet and resh look very similar and are sometimes interchanged (Etz Yosef). At the sea it is written: “One did not approach the other the entire night” (Exodus 14:20).⁹⁵The terminology of this verse is reminiscent of the verse in Isaiah (10:3) describing the angels singing song to God. Regarding the destruction of the Temple it is written: “Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly; do not rush to comfort me” (Isaiah 22:4). It is not written here: Do not continue [to comfort me], but rather, “do not rush [ta’itzu].” The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: The words of comfort that you are reciting before Me, they are insults [ni’utzin] for Me. Why? “For it is a day of turmoil, trampling and confusion [mevukha] from the Lord, God of hosts” (Isaiah 22:5) – a day of turbulence, a day of plundering, and a day of weeping [bekhiya]. “Of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – it is the valley about which all the seers prophesy. “Breaching the wall and crying [vesho’a] to the mountain” (Isaiah 22:5) – for they were breaching the walls of their houses, using [the materials] for shields, and placing them atop their citadels [sho’eihem].
“Elam carried the quiver” (Isaiah 22:6) – Rav said: This is a collection of arrows. “Among chariots of men are horsemen, and Kir bared a shield” (Isaiah 22:6), for they were breaching the walls [kirot] of their houses and using [the materials] for shields. “And it was that your choicest valleys [amakayikh] filled with chariots” (Isaiah 22:7) – Rav said: To the full depth of [umkah] the sea waters. “And the horsemen directed themselves [shot shatu] to the gate” (Isaiah 22:7) – like weaving [mishteyei] they went and like weaving they came,⁹⁶They crossed like the warp and woof strings on a loom. and they appeared to be many.
“He laid bare the covering of Judah” (Isaiah 22:8) – exposing what was covered. “You looked on that day to the weapons in the house of the forest” (Isaiah 22:8) – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The Israelites had a weapon at Sinai, and the ineffable name was etched upon it. When they sinned it was taken from them. That is what is written: “The children of Israel were stripped of their ornament from Mount Ḥorev” (Exodus 33:6). How was it taken from them? Rabbi Aivu and the Rabbis: Rabbi Aivu said: It peeled off on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it off.
“You saw that the breaches of the city of David were many.… And you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke the houses to fortify the wall” (Isaiah 22:9–10) – this teaches that they would shatter their houses and add to the wall. But did Hezekiah not already do so? Is it not written: “He took courage and rebuilt the entire breached wall…” (II Chronicles 32:5)?⁹⁷Isaiah criticized the people for adding to the wall, whereas Hezekiah similarly rebuilt the walls as protection from his enemies and was not criticized. Hezekiah, however, put his trust in the Lord, God of Israel, but you did not put your trust in Him. That is what it says: “You did not look to the One who planned it, and you did not see the One who fashioned it long ago” (Isaiah 22:11).
“The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation” (Isaiah 22:12) – the ministering angels said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, it is written: “Majesty and glory are before Him” (Psalms 96:6), and You say this?’ He said to them: ‘I will teach you. That is what it says: “Disrobe and bare yourselves, and place a belt upon your waist” (Isaiah 32:11) – this is how you shall lament. “Smiting upon the breasts” (Isaiah 32:12) – on the first destruction and on the second destruction. “Over pleasant fields” (Isaiah 32:13) – on the house of My delight, which I made like a field. That is what it says: “Zion will be plowed like a field” (Micah 3:12). “Over a fruitful vine” (Isaiah 32:12) – this is Israel, just as it says: “You transported a vine from Egypt” (Psalms 80:9).’
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day…” (Isaiah 22:12) – that is what was stated in the verse by the sons of Koraḥ through the Divine Spirit: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me, [how I passed on with the throng and led them to the house of God]” (Psalms 42:5). Regarding whom did the sons of Koraḥ recite this verse? Regarding the congregation of Israel, as the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, I remember the security, tranquility, and calm in which I existed, and now it has grown distant from me. I am weeping and moaning and saying: If only I could be restored to the earlier times when the Temple was built, and You would descend to it from heaven On High and rest Your Divine Presence upon me. The nations of the world would laud me, and when I would request mercy for my iniquities, You would answer me. But now I am in shame and humiliation.’ They also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, my soul is desolate within me when I pass by Your Temple and it is destroyed, and a still small voice within it says: The place where the descendants of Abraham sacrificed offerings before You, the priests would stand on the platform, and the Levites would laud with their lyres, shall foxes prance in it? That is what is written: “On Mount Zion, which is desolate; foxes walk upon it” (Lamentations 5:18). But what shall I do? My iniquities have brought this upon me, the false prophets who were in my midst misled me from the path of life to the path of death.’ That is why it is stated: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me…”
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation…” (Isaiah 22:12) – when the Holy One blessed be He sought to destroy the Temple, He said: As long as I am inside it, the nations of the world will not touch it. So, I will avert My eyes from it, and I will take an oath that I will not attend to it until the time of the end of days. Then the enemies will come and destroy it. Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He took an oath by His right hand, and withdrew it behind Him. That is what is written: “He withdrew His right hand from before the enemy” (Lamentations 2:3). At that moment, the enemies entered the Sanctuary and burned it. Once it was burned, the Holy One blessed be He said: I no longer have an abode on the earth; I will remove My Divine Presence from it, and I will ascend to My original location. That is what is written: “I will go and return to My place, until they will be punished and they seek My presence” (Hosea 5:15). At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for what I have done. I rested My Divine Presence below for the sake of Israel. Now that they have sinned, I have returned to My original place. Heaven forbid that I have become a laughingstock to the nations and a mockery to the people. At that moment, Metatron⁹⁸This is the name of an important angel. came and fell on his face and said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I will weep but You shall not weep.’ He said to him: ‘If you do not allow Me to weep now, I will enter a place into which you have no authorization to enter, and I will weep, as it is stated: “But if you will not heed it, my soul will weep in concealed places due to your arrogance…”’ (Jeremiah 13:17).
The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: ‘Come and let us go, you and I, and let us see what the enemies did in My Temple.’ Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He and the ministering angels went, with Jeremiah before Him. When the Holy One blessed be He saw the Temple, He said: Certainly, this is My Temple and this is My resting place that enemies entered and did in it as they pleased. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for My Temple. My children, where are you? My priests, where are you? My beloved, where are you? What could I do for you? I warned you but you did not repent. The Holy One blessed be He said to Jeremiah: ‘Today I am like a person who had an only son, made a wedding canopy for him, and he died within his wedding canopy; do you not feel pain for Me or for My son? Go and call Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses from their graves, as they know how to weep.’ [Jeremiah] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I do not know where Moses is buried.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Go, stand on the bank of the Jordan, raise your voice, and call: Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise and see your flock who have been consumed by enemies.’ Immediately, Jeremiah went to the Cave of Makhpela and said to the patriarchs of the world: ‘Arise, as the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ They said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to them: ‘I do not know,’ because he feared that they would say: In your days this befell our children? Jeremiah left them and stood on the bank of the Jordan, and called out: ‘Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise, the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ He said to him: ‘What is different about today that I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ Jeremiah said to him: ‘I do not know.’ Moses left him and went to the ministering angels, as he was familiar with them from the time of the giving of the Torah. He said to them: ‘Ministers On High, do you know why I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ They said to him: ‘Son of Amram, do you not know that the Temple has been destroyed and Israel has been exiled?’ He was screaming and weeping until he reached the patriarchs of the world. Immediately, they rent their garments, placed their hands on their heads, and were screaming and weeping until the gates of the Temple. When the Holy One blessed be He saw them, immediately, “the Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for baldness and for donning sackcloth” (Isaiah 22:12). Had it not been for the verse that is written, it would have been impossible to say it. They were weeping and walking from this gate to that gate like a person whose deceased relative is lying before him. The Holy One blessed be He was lamenting and saying: Woe to a king who was successful in his youth and in his old age was not successful.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When the Temple was destroyed, Abraham came before the Holy One blessed be He weeping, pulling out his beard, tearing out the hair of his head, striking his face, rending his garments, ashes on his head, and he was walking in the Temple and lamenting and screaming. He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Why am I different from all nations and tongues that I have come to this state of shame and humiliation?’ When the ministering angels saw him, they too composed lamentations standing in rows and saying: “[Behold, their angels cry out outside.…] The highways are desolate, wayfarers have ceased; [he breached the covenant, rejected cities, regarded no man]” (Isaiah 33:7–8). What is “the highways are desolate”? The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The highways to Jerusalem that You prepared so that travelers would never cease from them, how have they become desolation?’ “Wayfarers have ceased” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The ways upon which Israel would travel on the festivals, how have they become idle?’ “Breached the covenant” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, the covenant of their patriarch Abraham has been breached, by means of whom the world was settled, and by means of whom You were recognized in the world as God on High, Maker of the heavens and the earth.’ “Rejected cities” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Have You rejected Jerusalem and Zion after You chose them?’ That is what is written: “Did You reject Judah, did Your soul loathe Zion…?” (Jeremiah 14:19). “Regarded no man [enosh]” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You did not consider Israel even like the generation of Enosh, who were the originators of idol worshippers.’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He attended to the ministering angels. He said to them: ‘Why are you composing lamentations like this, standing in rows?’ They said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, why did You not pay attention to Abraham, Your beloved, who came to Your House and lamented and wept?’ He said to them: ‘From the day that My beloved passed away from before Me to his eternal home, he did not come to My House, and now: “What has My beloved to do in My House?”’ (Jeremiah 11:15).
Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe: Why did You exile my children, deliver them into the hand of the nations, kill them with all kinds of uncommon deaths, and destroy the Temple, the place where I elevated my son Isaac as a burnt offering before You?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Your children sinned and violated the entire Torah and the twenty-two letters that are in it.’ That is what is written: “All Israel have violated Your Torah” (Daniel 9:11). Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, who will testify against Israel that they violated Your Torah?’ He said to him: ‘Let the Torah come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the Torah came to testify against them. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, you have come to testify against Israel that they violated your mitzvot, and you have no shame before me? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He circulated you among every nation and they did not want to accept you, until my descendants came to Mount Sinai and accepted you and honored you. Now you come to testify against them on their day of distress?’ Once the Torah heard this, it stood to one side and did not testify against them.
The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Let the twenty-two letters come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the twenty-two letters came. Alef came to testify against Israel that they violated the Torah. Abraham said to it: ‘Alef, you are the leader of all the letters, and you come to testify against Israel on their day of distress? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself on Mount Sinai and began with you, “I am [anokhi]⁹⁹Anokhi begins with the letter alef. the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2) – no nation other than my descendants accepted you, and you come to testify against my descendants?’ Immediately, alef stood to one side and did not testify against them.
Bet came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants, who are diligent in the five books of the Torah, as you are at the head of the Torah?’ That is what is written: “In the beginning [bereshit]¹⁰⁰Bereshit, the first word of the Torah, begins with a bet. God created” (Genesis 1:1). Immediately, bet stood to one side and did not testify at all.
Gimel came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants that they violated the Torah? Is there any nation who fulfills the mitzva of ritual fringes, which you appear at its head?’ That is what is written: “You shall make for yourselves twisted threads [gedilim]” (Deuteronomy 22:12).¹⁰¹Gedilim, which in Hebrew is the first word of this verse, begins with a gimel. Immediately, gimel stood to one side and did not testify at all. When all the letters saw that Abraham had silenced them, they were ashamed, stood by themselves, and did not testify against Israel.
Immediately, Abraham began [speaking] before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, at one hundred years You gave me a son. When he achieved cognition and was a thirty-seven-year-old young man, You said to me: Sacrifice him as a burnt-offering before Me. I became like a cruel person to him and had no mercy on him. Rather, I, myself, bound him. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Isaac began and said: ‘Master of the universe, when my father said to me: “God, Himself, will see to the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8), I did not delay fulfillment of Your words, and I was bound willingly upon the altar and extended my neck under the knife. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Jacob began and said: ‘Master of the universe, did I not remain in Laban’s house for twenty years? When I departed from his house, the wicked Esau encountered me and sought to kill my children, and I endangered my life on their behalf. Now they are delivered into the hand of their enemies like sheep to slaughter after I raised them like chicks and suffered the travails of child raising on their behalf, as most of my days I experienced great suffering for their sake. Will You not now remember this on my behalf to have mercy on my descendants?’
Moses began and said: ‘Master of the universe, was I not a loyal shepherd over Israel for forty years? I ran before them like a horse in the wilderness, yet when the time came for them to enter the land, You decreed against me that my bones would fall in the wilderness. Now that they have been exiled you sent to me to lament them and weep over them.’ This is the parable that people say: From the goodness of my master it is not good for me, and from his evil it is bad for me.
At that moment, Moses said to Jeremiah: ‘Go before me so I may go and bring them. I would like to see who is going to restrain them.’¹⁰²If I bring them back no one will dare stand in their way. Jeremiah said: ‘It is impossible to go on the way due to the corpses.’¹⁰³I am a priest, and it is prohibited for me to contract impurity imparted by a corpse. He said to him: ‘Nevertheless.’ Immediately, Moses went and Jeremiah was before him, until they reached the rivers of Babylon. They saw Moses and said to each other: ‘The son of Amram has come from his grave to redeem us from the hand of our adversaries!’ A Divine Voice emerged and said: ‘It is a decree from before Me.’ Immediately, Moses said to them: ‘My children, to return you is impossible, as the decree has already been issued. Rather, the Omnipresent will return you speedily.’ He left them. At that moment, they raised their voice in great weeping until their weeping ascended On High. That is what is written: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and also wept” (Psalms 137:1).
When Moses came to the patriarchs of the world, they said to him: ‘What have the enemies done to our descendants?’ He said: ‘Some of them they killed, some of them they tied their hands behind them, some of them were bound in iron chains, some of them were stripped naked, some of them died on the way and their carcasses were left for the bird of the heavens and the animals of the earth, and some of them were cast in the sun hungry and thirsty.’ Immediately, they all began weeping and lamenting: ‘Woe over what has befallen our children! How have you become like orphans without a father; how do you lie in the afternoon and in the summer without garment and without covering; how have you walked on mountains and on gravel with shoes removed and without sandals; how have you carried bundles filled with sand; how have your hands been bound behind you; how have you been unable to swallow even the spittle in your mouths?’ Moses began and said: ‘Cursed sun! Why did you not darken when the enemy entered the Temple?’ The sun responded to him: ‘Moses, loyal shepherd, how could I darken, they did not allow me and did not relent from me, as they took me with sixty rods of fire and said to me: Go and shine your light.’
Again Moses began and said: ‘Woe over your radiance, Temple, how has it gone dark? Woe that its time to be destroyed arrived, the Sanctuary was burned, schoolchildren killed, and their fathers sent to captivity, exile, and the sword.’ Again Moses began and said: ‘O captors, by your lives! You killers, do not kill cruelly and do not implement total annihilation, do not kill a son in the presence of his father, or a daughter in the presence of her mother, for the time will come when the Master of heaven will settle the score with you.’ But the wicked Chaldeans did not do so, but rather, would seat the son on his mother’s lap and say to his father: Rise and slaughter him. The mother would cry and her tears would fall on him, and his father would hang his head. He also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, You wrote in Your Torah: “An ox or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (Leviticus 22:28). But have they not killed many, many children and their mothers, and yet You are silent!’
At that moment, Rachel our matriarch interjected before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, it is revealed before You that Your servant Jacob loved me abundantly and worked for my father seven years for me. When those seven years were completed and the time for my marriage to my husband arrived, my father plotted to exchange me with my sister for my husband. The matter was extremely difficult for me when I became aware of that plot, and I informed my husband and gave him a signal to distinguish between my sister and me so that my father would be unable to exchange me. Afterward, I regretted what I had done and suppressed my desire. I had mercy on my sister, so that she would not be led to humiliation. In the evening they exchanged me with my sister for my husband, and I transmitted to my sister all the signals that I had given to my husband, so that he would think that she is Rachel. Moreover, I entered beneath the bed on which he was lying with my sister. He would speak with her and she would be silent, and I would respond to each and every matter that he said, so that he would not identify my sister’s voice. I performed an act of kindness for her, I was not jealous of her, and I did not lead her to humiliation. If I, who is flesh and blood, was not jealous of my rival, and I did not lead her to humiliation and shame, You who are a living and eternal merciful King, why were You jealous of idol worship that has no substance, and You exiled my descendants, and they were killed by sword, and the enemies did to them as they pleased?’ Immediately, the mercy of the Holy One blessed be He was aroused and He said: ‘For you, Rachel, I will restore Israel to its place.’ That is what is written: “So said the Lord: A voice is heard in Rama, wailing, bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be consoled for her children, as they are not” (Jeremiah 31:14). And it is written: “So said the Lord: Restrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, as there is reward for your actions.… And there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord, and your children will return to their borders” (Jeremiah 31:15–16).

Rabbi Yoḥanan began: “A prophecy of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – the valley about which all the seers prophesy, the valley from which all the seers originated, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every prophet the name of whose city was not articulated was a Jerusalemite. “Valley of Vision” – as they cast the words of the seers to the ground.⁹³The residents treated the prophecies with derision, reflected in the term valley, as a valley is low ground. “What, indeed, happened to you, that you all ascended to the roofs?” (Isaiah 22:1). Did they in fact ascend to the roofs? Rabbi Levi said: These are the arrogant.
“Full of tumult [teshuot]” (Isaiah 22:2) – Rabbi Elazar ben Yaakov said: This expression is used in three senses: Troubles, tumult, and gloom. Troubles, as it is stated: “Does not hear the troubles [teshuot] caused by the oppressor” (Job 39:7); tumult, as it is stated: “Full of tumult [teshuot].” Gloom, as it is stated: “Darkness, gloom [shoa], and desolation” (Job 30:3).
“Clamorous city” (Isaiah 22:2) – a city of commotion; “merry town” (Isaiah 22:2) – a lively city; “your slain are not slain by the sword and they did not die in war” (Isaiah 22:2) – what are they? “Bloated by famine and ravaged by plague” (Deuteronomy 32:24).
“All your officers wandered together; from the bow [mikeshet] they were bound” (Isaiah 22:3) – due to their stubbornness [kashyutam], they were delivered to the kingdoms. Alternatively, “all your officers wandered together; from the bow they were bound” – as [the enemies] would untie the strings of their bows and bind with them. “All those found among you were bound together, they fled afar” (Isaiah 22:3) – they distanced themselves from hearing the words of Torah, just as it says: “From afar the Lord has appeared to me” (Jeremiah 31:2).
“Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly” (Isaiah 22:4) – Reish Lakish said: On three occasions the ministering angels sought to recite song before the Holy One blessed be He but He did not allow them to do so. These are: In the generation of the Flood, at the sea, and upon the destruction of the Temple. Regarding the generation of the Flood, what is written? “The Lord said: My spirit shall not abide in man forever” (Genesis 6:3).⁹⁴The midrash interprets the word abode [yadon] in the sense of singing praise [yaron], such that the verse means that God’s praise will not always be able to be sung over the occurrences regarding mankind. This interpretation is based on the fact that the Hebrew letters dalet and resh look very similar and are sometimes interchanged (Etz Yosef). At the sea it is written: “One did not approach the other the entire night” (Exodus 14:20).⁹⁵The terminology of this verse is reminiscent of the verse in Isaiah (10:3) describing the angels singing song to God. Regarding the destruction of the Temple it is written: “Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly; do not rush to comfort me” (Isaiah 22:4). It is not written here: Do not continue [to comfort me], but rather, “do not rush [ta’itzu].” The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: The words of comfort that you are reciting before Me, they are insults [ni’utzin] for Me. Why? “For it is a day of turmoil, trampling and confusion [mevukha] from the Lord, God of hosts” (Isaiah 22:5) – a day of turbulence, a day of plundering, and a day of weeping [bekhiya]. “Of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – it is the valley about which all the seers prophesy. “Breaching the wall and crying [vesho’a] to the mountain” (Isaiah 22:5) – for they were breaching the walls of their houses, using [the materials] for shields, and placing them atop their citadels [sho’eihem].
“Elam carried the quiver” (Isaiah 22:6) – Rav said: This is a collection of arrows. “Among chariots of men are horsemen, and Kir bared a shield” (Isaiah 22:6), for they were breaching the walls [kirot] of their houses and using [the materials] for shields. “And it was that your choicest valleys [amakayikh] filled with chariots” (Isaiah 22:7) – Rav said: To the full depth of [umkah] the sea waters. “And the horsemen directed themselves [shot shatu] to the gate” (Isaiah 22:7) – like weaving [mishteyei] they went and like weaving they came,⁹⁶They crossed like the warp and woof strings on a loom. and they appeared to be many.
“He laid bare the covering of Judah” (Isaiah 22:8) – exposing what was covered. “You looked on that day to the weapons in the house of the forest” (Isaiah 22:8) – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The Israelites had a weapon at Sinai, and the ineffable name was etched upon it. When they sinned it was taken from them. That is what is written: “The children of Israel were stripped of their ornament from Mount Ḥorev” (Exodus 33:6). How was it taken from them? Rabbi Aivu and the Rabbis: Rabbi Aivu said: It peeled off on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it off.
“You saw that the breaches of the city of David were many.… And you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke the houses to fortify the wall” (Isaiah 22:9–10) – this teaches that they would shatter their houses and add to the wall. But did Hezekiah not already do so? Is it not written: “He took courage and rebuilt the entire breached wall…” (II Chronicles 32:5)?⁹⁷Isaiah criticized the people for adding to the wall, whereas Hezekiah similarly rebuilt the walls as protection from his enemies and was not criticized. Hezekiah, however, put his trust in the Lord, God of Israel, but you did not put your trust in Him. That is what it says: “You did not look to the One who planned it, and you did not see the One who fashioned it long ago” (Isaiah 22:11).
“The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation” (Isaiah 22:12) – the ministering angels said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, it is written: “Majesty and glory are before Him” (Psalms 96:6), and You say this?’ He said to them: ‘I will teach you. That is what it says: “Disrobe and bare yourselves, and place a belt upon your waist” (Isaiah 32:11) – this is how you shall lament. “Smiting upon the breasts” (Isaiah 32:12) – on the first destruction and on the second destruction. “Over pleasant fields” (Isaiah 32:13) – on the house of My delight, which I made like a field. That is what it says: “Zion will be plowed like a field” (Micah 3:12). “Over a fruitful vine” (Isaiah 32:12) – this is Israel, just as it says: “You transported a vine from Egypt” (Psalms 80:9).’
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day…” (Isaiah 22:12) – that is what was stated in the verse by the sons of Koraḥ through the Divine Spirit: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me, [how I passed on with the throng and led them to the house of God]” (Psalms 42:5). Regarding whom did the sons of Koraḥ recite this verse? Regarding the congregation of Israel, as the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, I remember the security, tranquility, and calm in which I existed, and now it has grown distant from me. I am weeping and moaning and saying: If only I could be restored to the earlier times when the Temple was built, and You would descend to it from heaven On High and rest Your Divine Presence upon me. The nations of the world would laud me, and when I would request mercy for my iniquities, You would answer me. But now I am in shame and humiliation.’ They also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, my soul is desolate within me when I pass by Your Temple and it is destroyed, and a still small voice within it says: The place where the descendants of Abraham sacrificed offerings before You, the priests would stand on the platform, and the Levites would laud with their lyres, shall foxes prance in it? That is what is written: “On Mount Zion, which is desolate; foxes walk upon it” (Lamentations 5:18). But what shall I do? My iniquities have brought this upon me, the false prophets who were in my midst misled me from the path of life to the path of death.’ That is why it is stated: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me…”
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation…” (Isaiah 22:12) – when the Holy One blessed be He sought to destroy the Temple, He said: As long as I am inside it, the nations of the world will not touch it. So, I will avert My eyes from it, and I will take an oath that I will not attend to it until the time of the end of days. Then the enemies will come and destroy it. Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He took an oath by His right hand, and withdrew it behind Him. That is what is written: “He withdrew His right hand from before the enemy” (Lamentations 2:3). At that moment, the enemies entered the Sanctuary and burned it. Once it was burned, the Holy One blessed be He said: I no longer have an abode on the earth; I will remove My Divine Presence from it, and I will ascend to My original location. That is what is written: “I will go and return to My place, until they will be punished and they seek My presence” (Hosea 5:15). At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for what I have done. I rested My Divine Presence below for the sake of Israel. Now that they have sinned, I have returned to My original place. Heaven forbid that I have become a laughingstock to the nations and a mockery to the people. At that moment, Metatron⁹⁸This is the name of an important angel. came and fell on his face and said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I will weep but You shall not weep.’ He said to him: ‘If you do not allow Me to weep now, I will enter a place into which you have no authorization to enter, and I will weep, as it is stated: “But if you will not heed it, my soul will weep in concealed places due to your arrogance…”’ (Jeremiah 13:17).
The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: ‘Come and let us go, you and I, and let us see what the enemies did in My Temple.’ Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He and the ministering angels went, with Jeremiah before Him. When the Holy One blessed be He saw the Temple, He said: Certainly, this is My Temple and this is My resting place that enemies entered and did in it as they pleased. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for My Temple. My children, where are you? My priests, where are you? My beloved, where are you? What could I do for you? I warned you but you did not repent. The Holy One blessed be He said to Jeremiah: ‘Today I am like a person who had an only son, made a wedding canopy for him, and he died within his wedding canopy; do you not feel pain for Me or for My son? Go and call Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses from their graves, as they know how to weep.’ [Jeremiah] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I do not know where Moses is buried.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Go, stand on the bank of the Jordan, raise your voice, and call: Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise and see your flock who have been consumed by enemies.’ Immediately, Jeremiah went to the Cave of Makhpela and said to the patriarchs of the world: ‘Arise, as the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ They said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to them: ‘I do not know,’ because he feared that they would say: In your days this befell our children? Jeremiah left them and stood on the bank of the Jordan, and called out: ‘Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise, the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ He said to him: ‘What is different about today that I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ Jeremiah said to him: ‘I do not know.’ Moses left him and went to the ministering angels, as he was familiar with them from the time of the giving of the Torah. He said to them: ‘Ministers On High, do you know why I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ They said to him: ‘Son of Amram, do you not know that the Temple has been destroyed and Israel has been exiled?’ He was screaming and weeping until he reached the patriarchs of the world. Immediately, they rent their garments, placed their hands on their heads, and were screaming and weeping until the gates of the Temple. When the Holy One blessed be He saw them, immediately, “the Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for baldness and for donning sackcloth” (Isaiah 22:12). Had it not been for the verse that is written, it would have been impossible to say it. They were weeping and walking from this gate to that gate like a person whose deceased relative is lying before him. The Holy One blessed be He was lamenting and saying: Woe to a king who was successful in his youth and in his old age was not successful.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When the Temple was destroyed, Abraham came before the Holy One blessed be He weeping, pulling out his beard, tearing out the hair of his head, striking his face, rending his garments, ashes on his head, and he was walking in the Temple and lamenting and screaming. He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Why am I different from all nations and tongues that I have come to this state of shame and humiliation?’ When the ministering angels saw him, they too composed lamentations standing in rows and saying: “[Behold, their angels cry out outside.…] The highways are desolate, wayfarers have ceased; [he breached the covenant, rejected cities, regarded no man]” (Isaiah 33:7–8). What is “the highways are desolate”? The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The highways to Jerusalem that You prepared so that travelers would never cease from them, how have they become desolation?’ “Wayfarers have ceased” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The ways upon which Israel would travel on the festivals, how have they become idle?’ “Breached the covenant” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, the covenant of their patriarch Abraham has been breached, by means of whom the world was settled, and by means of whom You were recognized in the world as God on High, Maker of the heavens and the earth.’ “Rejected cities” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Have You rejected Jerusalem and Zion after You chose them?’ That is what is written: “Did You reject Judah, did Your soul loathe Zion…?” (Jeremiah 14:19). “Regarded no man [enosh]” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You did not consider Israel even like the generation of Enosh, who were the originators of idol worshippers.’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He attended to the ministering angels. He said to them: ‘Why are you composing lamentations like this, standing in rows?’ They said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, why did You not pay attention to Abraham, Your beloved, who came to Your House and lamented and wept?’ He said to them: ‘From the day that My beloved passed away from before Me to his eternal home, he did not come to My House, and now: “What has My beloved to do in My House?”’ (Jeremiah 11:15).
Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe: Why did You exile my children, deliver them into the hand of the nations, kill them with all kinds of uncommon deaths, and destroy the Temple, the place where I elevated my son Isaac as a burnt offering before You?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Your children sinned and violated the entire Torah and the twenty-two letters that are in it.’ That is what is written: “All Israel have violated Your Torah” (Daniel 9:11). Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, who will testify against Israel that they violated Your Torah?’ He said to him: ‘Let the Torah come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the Torah came to testify against them. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, you have come to testify against Israel that they violated your mitzvot, and you have no shame before me? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He circulated you among every nation and they did not want to accept you, until my descendants came to Mount Sinai and accepted you and honored you. Now you come to testify against them on their day of distress?’ Once the Torah heard this, it stood to one side and did not testify against them.
The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Let the twenty-two letters come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the twenty-two letters came. Alef came to testify against Israel that they violated the Torah. Abraham said to it: ‘Alef, you are the leader of all the letters, and you come to testify against Israel on their day of distress? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself on Mount Sinai and began with you, “I am [anokhi]⁹⁹Anokhi begins with the letter alef. the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2) – no nation other than my descendants accepted you, and you come to testify against my descendants?’ Immediately, alef stood to one side and did not testify against them.
Bet came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants, who are diligent in the five books of the Torah, as you are at the head of the Torah?’ That is what is written: “In the beginning [bereshit]¹⁰⁰Bereshit, the first word of the Torah, begins with a bet. God created” (Genesis 1:1). Immediately, bet stood to one side and did not testify at all.
Gimel came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants that they violated the Torah? Is there any nation who fulfills the mitzva of ritual fringes, which you appear at its head?’ That is what is written: “You shall make for yourselves twisted threads [gedilim]” (Deuteronomy 22:12).¹⁰¹Gedilim, which in Hebrew is the first word of this verse, begins with a gimel. Immediately, gimel stood to one side and did not testify at all. When all the letters saw that Abraham had silenced them, they were ashamed, stood by themselves, and did not testify against Israel.
Immediately, Abraham began [speaking] before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, at one hundred years You gave me a son. When he achieved cognition and was a thirty-seven-year-old young man, You said to me: Sacrifice him as a burnt-offering before Me. I became like a cruel person to him and had no mercy on him. Rather, I, myself, bound him. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Isaac began and said: ‘Master of the universe, when my father said to me: “God, Himself, will see to the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8), I did not delay fulfillment of Your words, and I was bound willingly upon the altar and extended my neck under the knife. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Jacob began and said: ‘Master of the universe, did I not remain in Laban’s house for twenty years? When I departed from his house, the wicked Esau encountered me and sought to kill my children, and I endangered my life on their behalf. Now they are delivered into the hand of their enemies like sheep to slaughter after I raised them like chicks and suffered the travails of child raising on their behalf, as most of my days I experienced great suffering for their sake. Will You not now remember this on my behalf to have mercy on my descendants?’
Moses began and said: ‘Master of the universe, was I not a loyal shepherd over Israel for forty years? I ran before them like a horse in the wilderness, yet when the time came for them to enter the land, You decreed against me that my bones would fall in the wilderness. Now that they have been exiled you sent to me to lament them and weep over them.’ This is the parable that people say: From the goodness of my master it is not good for me, and from his evil it is bad for me.
At that moment, Moses said to Jeremiah: ‘Go before me so I may go and bring them. I would like to see who is going to restrain them.’¹⁰²If I bring them back no one will dare stand in their way. Jeremiah said: ‘It is impossible to go on the way due to the corpses.’¹⁰³I am a priest, and it is prohibited for me to contract impurity imparted by a corpse. He said to him: ‘Nevertheless.’ Immediately, Moses went and Jeremiah was before him, until they reached the rivers of Babylon. They saw Moses and said to each other: ‘The son of Amram has come from his grave to redeem us from the hand of our adversaries!’ A Divine Voice emerged and said: ‘It is a decree from before Me.’ Immediately, Moses said to them: ‘My children, to return you is impossible, as the decree has already been issued. Rather, the Omnipresent will return you speedily.’ He left them. At that moment, they raised their voice in great weeping until their weeping ascended On High. That is what is written: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and also wept” (Psalms 137:1).
When Moses came to the patriarchs of the world, they said to him: ‘What have the enemies done to our descendants?’ He said: ‘Some of them they killed, some of them they tied their hands behind them, some of them were bound in iron chains, some of them were stripped naked, some of them died on the way and their carcasses were left for the bird of the heavens and the animals of the earth, and some of them were cast in the sun hungry and thirsty.’ Immediately, they all began weeping and lamenting: ‘Woe over what has befallen our children! How have you become like orphans without a father; how do you lie in the afternoon and in the summer without garment and without covering; how have you walked on mountains and on gravel with shoes removed and without sandals; how have you carried bundles filled with sand; how have your hands been bound behind you; how have you been unable to swallow even the spittle in your mouths?’ Moses began and said: ‘Cursed sun! Why did you not darken when the enemy entered the Temple?’ The sun responded to him: ‘Moses, loyal shepherd, how could I darken, they did not allow me and did not relent from me, as they took me with sixty rods of fire and said to me: Go and shine your light.’
Again Moses began and said: ‘Woe over your radiance, Temple, how has it gone dark? Woe that its time to be destroyed arrived, the Sanctuary was burned, schoolchildren killed, and their fathers sent to captivity, exile, and the sword.’ Again Moses began and said: ‘O captors, by your lives! You killers, do not kill cruelly and do not implement total annihilation, do not kill a son in the presence of his father, or a daughter in the presence of her mother, for the time will come when the Master of heaven will settle the score with you.’ But the wicked Chaldeans did not do so, but rather, would seat the son on his mother’s lap and say to his father: Rise and slaughter him. The mother would cry and her tears would fall on him, and his father would hang his head. He also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, You wrote in Your Torah: “An ox or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (Leviticus 22:28). But have they not killed many, many children and their mothers, and yet You are silent!’
At that moment, Rachel our matriarch interjected before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, it is revealed before You that Your servant Jacob loved me abundantly and worked for my father seven years for me. When those seven years were completed and the time for my marriage to my husband arrived, my father plotted to exchange me with my sister for my husband. The matter was extremely difficult for me when I became aware of that plot, and I informed my husband and gave him a signal to distinguish between my sister and me so that my father would be unable to exchange me. Afterward, I regretted what I had done and suppressed my desire. I had mercy on my sister, so that she would not be led to humiliation. In the evening they exchanged me with my sister for my husband, and I transmitted to my sister all the signals that I had given to my husband, so that he would think that she is Rachel. Moreover, I entered beneath the bed on which he was lying with my sister. He would speak with her and she would be silent, and I would respond to each and every matter that he said, so that he would not identify my sister’s voice. I performed an act of kindness for her, I was not jealous of her, and I did not lead her to humiliation. If I, who is flesh and blood, was not jealous of my rival, and I did not lead her to humiliation and shame, You who are a living and eternal merciful King, why were You jealous of idol worship that has no substance, and You exiled my descendants, and they were killed by sword, and the enemies did to them as they pleased?’ Immediately, the mercy of the Holy One blessed be He was aroused and He said: ‘For you, Rachel, I will restore Israel to its place.’ That is what is written: “So said the Lord: A voice is heard in Rama, wailing, bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be consoled for her children, as they are not” (Jeremiah 31:14). And it is written: “So said the Lord: Restrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, as there is reward for your actions.… And there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord, and your children will return to their borders” (Jeremiah 31:15–16).

Rabbi Yoḥanan began: “A prophecy of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – the valley about which all the seers prophesy, the valley from which all the seers originated, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every prophet the name of whose city was not articulated was a Jerusalemite. “Valley of Vision” – as they cast the words of the seers to the ground.⁹³The residents treated the prophecies with derision, reflected in the term valley, as a valley is low ground. “What, indeed, happened to you, that you all ascended to the roofs?” (Isaiah 22:1). Did they in fact ascend to the roofs? Rabbi Levi said: These are the arrogant.
“Full of tumult [teshuot]” (Isaiah 22:2) – Rabbi Elazar ben Yaakov said: This expression is used in three senses: Troubles, tumult, and gloom. Troubles, as it is stated: “Does not hear the troubles [teshuot] caused by the oppressor” (Job 39:7); tumult, as it is stated: “Full of tumult [teshuot].” Gloom, as it is stated: “Darkness, gloom [shoa], and desolation” (Job 30:3).
“Clamorous city” (Isaiah 22:2) – a city of commotion; “merry town” (Isaiah 22:2) – a lively city; “your slain are not slain by the sword and they did not die in war” (Isaiah 22:2) – what are they? “Bloated by famine and ravaged by plague” (Deuteronomy 32:24).
“All your officers wandered together; from the bow [mikeshet] they were bound” (Isaiah 22:3) – due to their stubbornness [kashyutam], they were delivered to the kingdoms. Alternatively, “all your officers wandered together; from the bow they were bound” – as [the enemies] would untie the strings of their bows and bind with them. “All those found among you were bound together, they fled afar” (Isaiah 22:3) – they distanced themselves from hearing the words of Torah, just as it says: “From afar the Lord has appeared to me” (Jeremiah 31:2).
“Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly” (Isaiah 22:4) – Reish Lakish said: On three occasions the ministering angels sought to recite song before the Holy One blessed be He but He did not allow them to do so. These are: In the generation of the Flood, at the sea, and upon the destruction of the Temple. Regarding the generation of the Flood, what is written? “The Lord said: My spirit shall not abide in man forever” (Genesis 6:3).⁹⁴The midrash interprets the word abode [yadon] in the sense of singing praise [yaron], such that the verse means that God’s praise will not always be able to be sung over the occurrences regarding mankind. This interpretation is based on the fact that the Hebrew letters dalet and resh look very similar and are sometimes interchanged (Etz Yosef). At the sea it is written: “One did not approach the other the entire night” (Exodus 14:20).⁹⁵The terminology of this verse is reminiscent of the verse in Isaiah (10:3) describing the angels singing song to God. Regarding the destruction of the Temple it is written: “Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly; do not rush to comfort me” (Isaiah 22:4). It is not written here: Do not continue [to comfort me], but rather, “do not rush [ta’itzu].” The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: The words of comfort that you are reciting before Me, they are insults [ni’utzin] for Me. Why? “For it is a day of turmoil, trampling and confusion [mevukha] from the Lord, God of hosts” (Isaiah 22:5) – a day of turbulence, a day of plundering, and a day of weeping [bekhiya]. “Of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – it is the valley about which all the seers prophesy. “Breaching the wall and crying [vesho’a] to the mountain” (Isaiah 22:5) – for they were breaching the walls of their houses, using [the materials] for shields, and placing them atop their citadels [sho’eihem].
“Elam carried the quiver” (Isaiah 22:6) – Rav said: This is a collection of arrows. “Among chariots of men are horsemen, and Kir bared a shield” (Isaiah 22:6), for they were breaching the walls [kirot] of their houses and using [the materials] for shields. “And it was that your choicest valleys [amakayikh] filled with chariots” (Isaiah 22:7) – Rav said: To the full depth of [umkah] the sea waters. “And the horsemen directed themselves [shot shatu] to the gate” (Isaiah 22:7) – like weaving [mishteyei] they went and like weaving they came,⁹⁶They crossed like the warp and woof strings on a loom. and they appeared to be many.
“He laid bare the covering of Judah” (Isaiah 22:8) – exposing what was covered. “You looked on that day to the weapons in the house of the forest” (Isaiah 22:8) – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The Israelites had a weapon at Sinai, and the ineffable name was etched upon it. When they sinned it was taken from them. That is what is written: “The children of Israel were stripped of their ornament from Mount Ḥorev” (Exodus 33:6). How was it taken from them? Rabbi Aivu and the Rabbis: Rabbi Aivu said: It peeled off on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it off.
“You saw that the breaches of the city of David were many.… And you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke the houses to fortify the wall” (Isaiah 22:9–10) – this teaches that they would shatter their houses and add to the wall. But did Hezekiah not already do so? Is it not written: “He took courage and rebuilt the entire breached wall…” (II Chronicles 32:5)?⁹⁷Isaiah criticized the people for adding to the wall, whereas Hezekiah similarly rebuilt the walls as protection from his enemies and was not criticized. Hezekiah, however, put his trust in the Lord, God of Israel, but you did not put your trust in Him. That is what it says: “You did not look to the One who planned it, and you did not see the One who fashioned it long ago” (Isaiah 22:11).
“The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation” (Isaiah 22:12) – the ministering angels said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, it is written: “Majesty and glory are before Him” (Psalms 96:6), and You say this?’ He said to them: ‘I will teach you. That is what it says: “Disrobe and bare yourselves, and place a belt upon your waist” (Isaiah 32:11) – this is how you shall lament. “Smiting upon the breasts” (Isaiah 32:12) – on the first destruction and on the second destruction. “Over pleasant fields” (Isaiah 32:13) – on the house of My delight, which I made like a field. That is what it says: “Zion will be plowed like a field” (Micah 3:12). “Over a fruitful vine” (Isaiah 32:12) – this is Israel, just as it says: “You transported a vine from Egypt” (Psalms 80:9).’
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day…” (Isaiah 22:12) – that is what was stated in the verse by the sons of Koraḥ through the Divine Spirit: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me, [how I passed on with the throng and led them to the house of God]” (Psalms 42:5). Regarding whom did the sons of Koraḥ recite this verse? Regarding the congregation of Israel, as the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, I remember the security, tranquility, and calm in which I existed, and now it has grown distant from me. I am weeping and moaning and saying: If only I could be restored to the earlier times when the Temple was built, and You would descend to it from heaven On High and rest Your Divine Presence upon me. The nations of the world would laud me, and when I would request mercy for my iniquities, You would answer me. But now I am in shame and humiliation.’ They also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, my soul is desolate within me when I pass by Your Temple and it is destroyed, and a still small voice within it says: The place where the descendants of Abraham sacrificed offerings before You, the priests would stand on the platform, and the Levites would laud with their lyres, shall foxes prance in it? That is what is written: “On Mount Zion, which is desolate; foxes walk upon it” (Lamentations 5:18). But what shall I do? My iniquities have brought this upon me, the false prophets who were in my midst misled me from the path of life to the path of death.’ That is why it is stated: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me…”
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation…” (Isaiah 22:12) – when the Holy One blessed be He sought to destroy the Temple, He said: As long as I am inside it, the nations of the world will not touch it. So, I will avert My eyes from it, and I will take an oath that I will not attend to it until the time of the end of days. Then the enemies will come and destroy it. Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He took an oath by His right hand, and withdrew it behind Him. That is what is written: “He withdrew His right hand from before the enemy” (Lamentations 2:3). At that moment, the enemies entered the Sanctuary and burned it. Once it was burned, the Holy One blessed be He said: I no longer have an abode on the earth; I will remove My Divine Presence from it, and I will ascend to My original location. That is what is written: “I will go and return to My place, until they will be punished and they seek My presence” (Hosea 5:15). At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for what I have done. I rested My Divine Presence below for the sake of Israel. Now that they have sinned, I have returned to My original place. Heaven forbid that I have become a laughingstock to the nations and a mockery to the people. At that moment, Metatron⁹⁸This is the name of an important angel. came and fell on his face and said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I will weep but You shall not weep.’ He said to him: ‘If you do not allow Me to weep now, I will enter a place into which you have no authorization to enter, and I will weep, as it is stated: “But if you will not heed it, my soul will weep in concealed places due to your arrogance…”’ (Jeremiah 13:17).
The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: ‘Come and let us go, you and I, and let us see what the enemies did in My Temple.’ Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He and the ministering angels went, with Jeremiah before Him. When the Holy One blessed be He saw the Temple, He said: Certainly, this is My Temple and this is My resting place that enemies entered and did in it as they pleased. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for My Temple. My children, where are you? My priests, where are you? My beloved, where are you? What could I do for you? I warned you but you did not repent. The Holy One blessed be He said to Jeremiah: ‘Today I am like a person who had an only son, made a wedding canopy for him, and he died within his wedding canopy; do you not feel pain for Me or for My son? Go and call Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses from their graves, as they know how to weep.’ [Jeremiah] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I do not know where Moses is buried.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Go, stand on the bank of the Jordan, raise your voice, and call: Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise and see your flock who have been consumed by enemies.’ Immediately, Jeremiah went to the Cave of Makhpela and said to the patriarchs of the world: ‘Arise, as the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ They said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to them: ‘I do not know,’ because he feared that they would say: In your days this befell our children? Jeremiah left them and stood on the bank of the Jordan, and called out: ‘Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise, the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ He said to him: ‘What is different about today that I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ Jeremiah said to him: ‘I do not know.’ Moses left him and went to the ministering angels, as he was familiar with them from the time of the giving of the Torah. He said to them: ‘Ministers On High, do you know why I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ They said to him: ‘Son of Amram, do you not know that the Temple has been destroyed and Israel has been exiled?’ He was screaming and weeping until he reached the patriarchs of the world. Immediately, they rent their garments, placed their hands on their heads, and were screaming and weeping until the gates of the Temple. When the Holy One blessed be He saw them, immediately, “the Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for baldness and for donning sackcloth” (Isaiah 22:12). Had it not been for the verse that is written, it would have been impossible to say it. They were weeping and walking from this gate to that gate like a person whose deceased relative is lying before him. The Holy One blessed be He was lamenting and saying: Woe to a king who was successful in his youth and in his old age was not successful.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When the Temple was destroyed, Abraham came before the Holy One blessed be He weeping, pulling out his beard, tearing out the hair of his head, striking his face, rending his garments, ashes on his head, and he was walking in the Temple and lamenting and screaming. He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Why am I different from all nations and tongues that I have come to this state of shame and humiliation?’ When the ministering angels saw him, they too composed lamentations standing in rows and saying: “[Behold, their angels cry out outside.…] The highways are desolate, wayfarers have ceased; [he breached the covenant, rejected cities, regarded no man]” (Isaiah 33:7–8). What is “the highways are desolate”? The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The highways to Jerusalem that You prepared so that travelers would never cease from them, how have they become desolation?’ “Wayfarers have ceased” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The ways upon which Israel would travel on the festivals, how have they become idle?’ “Breached the covenant” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, the covenant of their patriarch Abraham has been breached, by means of whom the world was settled, and by means of whom You were recognized in the world as God on High, Maker of the heavens and the earth.’ “Rejected cities” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Have You rejected Jerusalem and Zion after You chose them?’ That is what is written: “Did You reject Judah, did Your soul loathe Zion…?” (Jeremiah 14:19). “Regarded no man [enosh]” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You did not consider Israel even like the generation of Enosh, who were the originators of idol worshippers.’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He attended to the ministering angels. He said to them: ‘Why are you composing lamentations like this, standing in rows?’ They said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, why did You not pay attention to Abraham, Your beloved, who came to Your House and lamented and wept?’ He said to them: ‘From the day that My beloved passed away from before Me to his eternal home, he did not come to My House, and now: “What has My beloved to do in My House?”’ (Jeremiah 11:15).
Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe: Why did You exile my children, deliver them into the hand of the nations, kill them with all kinds of uncommon deaths, and destroy the Temple, the place where I elevated my son Isaac as a burnt offering before You?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Your children sinned and violated the entire Torah and the twenty-two letters that are in it.’ That is what is written: “All Israel have violated Your Torah” (Daniel 9:11). Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, who will testify against Israel that they violated Your Torah?’ He said to him: ‘Let the Torah come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the Torah came to testify against them. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, you have come to testify against Israel that they violated your mitzvot, and you have no shame before me? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He circulated you among every nation and they did not want to accept you, until my descendants came to Mount Sinai and accepted you and honored you. Now you come to testify against them on their day of distress?’ Once the Torah heard this, it stood to one side and did not testify against them.
The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Let the twenty-two letters come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the twenty-two letters came. Alef came to testify against Israel that they violated the Torah. Abraham said to it: ‘Alef, you are the leader of all the letters, and you come to testify against Israel on their day of distress? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself on Mount Sinai and began with you, “I am [anokhi]⁹⁹Anokhi begins with the letter alef. the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2) – no nation other than my descendants accepted you, and you come to testify against my descendants?’ Immediately, alef stood to one side and did not testify against them.
Bet came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants, who are diligent in the five books of the Torah, as you are at the head of the Torah?’ That is what is written: “In the beginning [bereshit]¹⁰⁰Bereshit, the first word of the Torah, begins with a bet. God created” (Genesis 1:1). Immediately, bet stood to one side and did not testify at all.
Gimel came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants that they violated the Torah? Is there any nation who fulfills the mitzva of ritual fringes, which you appear at its head?’ That is what is written: “You shall make for yourselves twisted threads [gedilim]” (Deuteronomy 22:12).¹⁰¹Gedilim, which in Hebrew is the first word of this verse, begins with a gimel. Immediately, gimel stood to one side and did not testify at all. When all the letters saw that Abraham had silenced them, they were ashamed, stood by themselves, and did not testify against Israel.
Immediately, Abraham began [speaking] before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, at one hundred years You gave me a son. When he achieved cognition and was a thirty-seven-year-old young man, You said to me: Sacrifice him as a burnt-offering before Me. I became like a cruel person to him and had no mercy on him. Rather, I, myself, bound him. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Isaac began and said: ‘Master of the universe, when my father said to me: “God, Himself, will see to the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8), I did not delay fulfillment of Your words, and I was bound willingly upon the altar and extended my neck under the knife. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Jacob began and said: ‘Master of the universe, did I not remain in Laban’s house for twenty years? When I departed from his house, the wicked Esau encountered me and sought to kill my children, and I endangered my life on their behalf. Now they are delivered into the hand of their enemies like sheep to slaughter after I raised them like chicks and suffered the travails of child raising on their behalf, as most of my days I experienced great suffering for their sake. Will You not now remember this on my behalf to have mercy on my descendants?’
Moses began and said: ‘Master of the universe, was I not a loyal shepherd over Israel for forty years? I ran before them like a horse in the wilderness, yet when the time came for them to enter the land, You decreed against me that my bones would fall in the wilderness. Now that they have been exiled you sent to me to lament them and weep over them.’ This is the parable that people say: From the goodness of my master it is not good for me, and from his evil it is bad for me.
At that moment, Moses said to Jeremiah: ‘Go before me so I may go and bring them. I would like to see who is going to restrain them.’¹⁰²If I bring them back no one will dare stand in their way. Jeremiah said: ‘It is impossible to go on the way due to the corpses.’¹⁰³I am a priest, and it is prohibited for me to contract impurity imparted by a corpse. He said to him: ‘Nevertheless.’ Immediately, Moses went and Jeremiah was before him, until they reached the rivers of Babylon. They saw Moses and said to each other: ‘The son of Amram has come from his grave to redeem us from the hand of our adversaries!’ A Divine Voice emerged and said: ‘It is a decree from before Me.’ Immediately, Moses said to them: ‘My children, to return you is impossible, as the decree has already been issued. Rather, the Omnipresent will return you speedily.’ He left them. At that moment, they raised their voice in great weeping until their weeping ascended On High. That is what is written: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and also wept” (Psalms 137:1).
When Moses came to the patriarchs of the world, they said to him: ‘What have the enemies done to our descendants?’ He said: ‘Some of them they killed, some of them they tied their hands behind them, some of them were bound in iron chains, some of them were stripped naked, some of them died on the way and their carcasses were left for the bird of the heavens and the animals of the earth, and some of them were cast in the sun hungry and thirsty.’ Immediately, they all began weeping and lamenting: ‘Woe over what has befallen our children! How have you become like orphans without a father; how do you lie in the afternoon and in the summer without garment and without covering; how have you walked on mountains and on gravel with shoes removed and without sandals; how have you carried bundles filled with sand; how have your hands been bound behind you; how have you been unable to swallow even the spittle in your mouths?’ Moses began and said: ‘Cursed sun! Why did you not darken when the enemy entered the Temple?’ The sun responded to him: ‘Moses, loyal shepherd, how could I darken, they did not allow me and did not relent from me, as they took me with sixty rods of fire and said to me: Go and shine your light.’
Again Moses began and said: ‘Woe over your radiance, Temple, how has it gone dark? Woe that its time to be destroyed arrived, the Sanctuary was burned, schoolchildren killed, and their fathers sent to captivity, exile, and the sword.’ Again Moses began and said: ‘O captors, by your lives! You killers, do not kill cruelly and do not implement total annihilation, do not kill a son in the presence of his father, or a daughter in the presence of her mother, for the time will come when the Master of heaven will settle the score with you.’ But the wicked Chaldeans did not do so, but rather, would seat the son on his mother’s lap and say to his father: Rise and slaughter him. The mother would cry and her tears would fall on him, and his father would hang his head. He also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, You wrote in Your Torah: “An ox or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (Leviticus 22:28). But have they not killed many, many children and their mothers, and yet You are silent!’
At that moment, Rachel our matriarch interjected before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, it is revealed before You that Your servant Jacob loved me abundantly and worked for my father seven years for me. When those seven years were completed and the time for my marriage to my husband arrived, my father plotted to exchange me with my sister for my husband. The matter was extremely difficult for me when I became aware of that plot, and I informed my husband and gave him a signal to distinguish between my sister and me so that my father would be unable to exchange me. Afterward, I regretted what I had done and suppressed my desire. I had mercy on my sister, so that she would not be led to humiliation. In the evening they exchanged me with my sister for my husband, and I transmitted to my sister all the signals that I had given to my husband, so that he would think that she is Rachel. Moreover, I entered beneath the bed on which he was lying with my sister. He would speak with her and she would be silent, and I would respond to each and every matter that he said, so that he would not identify my sister’s voice. I performed an act of kindness for her, I was not jealous of her, and I did not lead her to humiliation. If I, who is flesh and blood, was not jealous of my rival, and I did not lead her to humiliation and shame, You who are a living and eternal merciful King, why were You jealous of idol worship that has no substance, and You exiled my descendants, and they were killed by sword, and the enemies did to them as they pleased?’ Immediately, the mercy of the Holy One blessed be He was aroused and He said: ‘For you, Rachel, I will restore Israel to its place.’ That is what is written: “So said the Lord: A voice is heard in Rama, wailing, bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be consoled for her children, as they are not” (Jeremiah 31:14). And it is written: “So said the Lord: Restrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, as there is reward for your actions.… And there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord, and your children will return to their borders” (Jeremiah 31:15–16).

Rabbi Yoḥanan began: “A prophecy of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – the valley about which all the seers prophesy, the valley from which all the seers originated, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every prophet the name of whose city was not articulated was a Jerusalemite. “Valley of Vision” – as they cast the words of the seers to the ground.⁹³The residents treated the prophecies with derision, reflected in the term valley, as a valley is low ground. “What, indeed, happened to you, that you all ascended to the roofs?” (Isaiah 22:1). Did they in fact ascend to the roofs? Rabbi Levi said: These are the arrogant.
“Full of tumult [teshuot]” (Isaiah 22:2) – Rabbi Elazar ben Yaakov said: This expression is used in three senses: Troubles, tumult, and gloom. Troubles, as it is stated: “Does not hear the troubles [teshuot] caused by the oppressor” (Job 39:7); tumult, as it is stated: “Full of tumult [teshuot].” Gloom, as it is stated: “Darkness, gloom [shoa], and desolation” (Job 30:3).
“Clamorous city” (Isaiah 22:2) – a city of commotion; “merry town” (Isaiah 22:2) – a lively city; “your slain are not slain by the sword and they did not die in war” (Isaiah 22:2) – what are they? “Bloated by famine and ravaged by plague” (Deuteronomy 32:24).
“All your officers wandered together; from the bow [mikeshet] they were bound” (Isaiah 22:3) – due to their stubbornness [kashyutam], they were delivered to the kingdoms. Alternatively, “all your officers wandered together; from the bow they were bound” – as [the enemies] would untie the strings of their bows and bind with them. “All those found among you were bound together, they fled afar” (Isaiah 22:3) – they distanced themselves from hearing the words of Torah, just as it says: “From afar the Lord has appeared to me” (Jeremiah 31:2).
“Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly” (Isaiah 22:4) – Reish Lakish said: On three occasions the ministering angels sought to recite song before the Holy One blessed be He but He did not allow them to do so. These are: In the generation of the Flood, at the sea, and upon the destruction of the Temple. Regarding the generation of the Flood, what is written? “The Lord said: My spirit shall not abide in man forever” (Genesis 6:3).⁹⁴The midrash interprets the word abode [yadon] in the sense of singing praise [yaron], such that the verse means that God’s praise will not always be able to be sung over the occurrences regarding mankind. This interpretation is based on the fact that the Hebrew letters dalet and resh look very similar and are sometimes interchanged (Etz Yosef). At the sea it is written: “One did not approach the other the entire night” (Exodus 14:20).⁹⁵The terminology of this verse is reminiscent of the verse in Isaiah (10:3) describing the angels singing song to God. Regarding the destruction of the Temple it is written: “Therefore, I said: Turn from me, I will weep bitterly; do not rush to comfort me” (Isaiah 22:4). It is not written here: Do not continue [to comfort me], but rather, “do not rush [ta’itzu].” The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: The words of comfort that you are reciting before Me, they are insults [ni’utzin] for Me. Why? “For it is a day of turmoil, trampling and confusion [mevukha] from the Lord, God of hosts” (Isaiah 22:5) – a day of turbulence, a day of plundering, and a day of weeping [bekhiya]. “Of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22:1) – it is the valley about which all the seers prophesy. “Breaching the wall and crying [vesho’a] to the mountain” (Isaiah 22:5) – for they were breaching the walls of their houses, using [the materials] for shields, and placing them atop their citadels [sho’eihem].
“Elam carried the quiver” (Isaiah 22:6) – Rav said: This is a collection of arrows. “Among chariots of men are horsemen, and Kir bared a shield” (Isaiah 22:6), for they were breaching the walls [kirot] of their houses and using [the materials] for shields. “And it was that your choicest valleys [amakayikh] filled with chariots” (Isaiah 22:7) – Rav said: To the full depth of [umkah] the sea waters. “And the horsemen directed themselves [shot shatu] to the gate” (Isaiah 22:7) – like weaving [mishteyei] they went and like weaving they came,⁹⁶They crossed like the warp and woof strings on a loom. and they appeared to be many.
“He laid bare the covering of Judah” (Isaiah 22:8) – exposing what was covered. “You looked on that day to the weapons in the house of the forest” (Isaiah 22:8) – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The Israelites had a weapon at Sinai, and the ineffable name was etched upon it. When they sinned it was taken from them. That is what is written: “The children of Israel were stripped of their ornament from Mount Ḥorev” (Exodus 33:6). How was it taken from them? Rabbi Aivu and the Rabbis: Rabbi Aivu said: It peeled off on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it off.
“You saw that the breaches of the city of David were many.… And you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke the houses to fortify the wall” (Isaiah 22:9–10) – this teaches that they would shatter their houses and add to the wall. But did Hezekiah not already do so? Is it not written: “He took courage and rebuilt the entire breached wall…” (II Chronicles 32:5)?⁹⁷Isaiah criticized the people for adding to the wall, whereas Hezekiah similarly rebuilt the walls as protection from his enemies and was not criticized. Hezekiah, however, put his trust in the Lord, God of Israel, but you did not put your trust in Him. That is what it says: “You did not look to the One who planned it, and you did not see the One who fashioned it long ago” (Isaiah 22:11).
“The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation” (Isaiah 22:12) – the ministering angels said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, it is written: “Majesty and glory are before Him” (Psalms 96:6), and You say this?’ He said to them: ‘I will teach you. That is what it says: “Disrobe and bare yourselves, and place a belt upon your waist” (Isaiah 32:11) – this is how you shall lament. “Smiting upon the breasts” (Isaiah 32:12) – on the first destruction and on the second destruction. “Over pleasant fields” (Isaiah 32:13) – on the house of My delight, which I made like a field. That is what it says: “Zion will be plowed like a field” (Micah 3:12). “Over a fruitful vine” (Isaiah 32:12) – this is Israel, just as it says: “You transported a vine from Egypt” (Psalms 80:9).’
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day…” (Isaiah 22:12) – that is what was stated in the verse by the sons of Koraḥ through the Divine Spirit: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me, [how I passed on with the throng and led them to the house of God]” (Psalms 42:5). Regarding whom did the sons of Koraḥ recite this verse? Regarding the congregation of Israel, as the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, I remember the security, tranquility, and calm in which I existed, and now it has grown distant from me. I am weeping and moaning and saying: If only I could be restored to the earlier times when the Temple was built, and You would descend to it from heaven On High and rest Your Divine Presence upon me. The nations of the world would laud me, and when I would request mercy for my iniquities, You would answer me. But now I am in shame and humiliation.’ They also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, my soul is desolate within me when I pass by Your Temple and it is destroyed, and a still small voice within it says: The place where the descendants of Abraham sacrificed offerings before You, the priests would stand on the platform, and the Levites would laud with their lyres, shall foxes prance in it? That is what is written: “On Mount Zion, which is desolate; foxes walk upon it” (Lamentations 5:18). But what shall I do? My iniquities have brought this upon me, the false prophets who were in my midst misled me from the path of life to the path of death.’ That is why it is stated: “These I remember, and pour out my soul within me…”
Another matter: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation…” (Isaiah 22:12) – when the Holy One blessed be He sought to destroy the Temple, He said: As long as I am inside it, the nations of the world will not touch it. So, I will avert My eyes from it, and I will take an oath that I will not attend to it until the time of the end of days. Then the enemies will come and destroy it. Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He took an oath by His right hand, and withdrew it behind Him. That is what is written: “He withdrew His right hand from before the enemy” (Lamentations 2:3). At that moment, the enemies entered the Sanctuary and burned it. Once it was burned, the Holy One blessed be He said: I no longer have an abode on the earth; I will remove My Divine Presence from it, and I will ascend to My original location. That is what is written: “I will go and return to My place, until they will be punished and they seek My presence” (Hosea 5:15). At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for what I have done. I rested My Divine Presence below for the sake of Israel. Now that they have sinned, I have returned to My original place. Heaven forbid that I have become a laughingstock to the nations and a mockery to the people. At that moment, Metatron⁹⁸This is the name of an important angel. came and fell on his face and said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I will weep but You shall not weep.’ He said to him: ‘If you do not allow Me to weep now, I will enter a place into which you have no authorization to enter, and I will weep, as it is stated: “But if you will not heed it, my soul will weep in concealed places due to your arrogance…”’ (Jeremiah 13:17).
The Holy One blessed be He said to the ministering angels: ‘Come and let us go, you and I, and let us see what the enemies did in My Temple.’ Immediately, the Holy One blessed be He and the ministering angels went, with Jeremiah before Him. When the Holy One blessed be He saw the Temple, He said: Certainly, this is My Temple and this is My resting place that enemies entered and did in it as they pleased. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He was weeping and saying: Woe is Me for My Temple. My children, where are you? My priests, where are you? My beloved, where are you? What could I do for you? I warned you but you did not repent. The Holy One blessed be He said to Jeremiah: ‘Today I am like a person who had an only son, made a wedding canopy for him, and he died within his wedding canopy; do you not feel pain for Me or for My son? Go and call Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses from their graves, as they know how to weep.’ [Jeremiah] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I do not know where Moses is buried.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Go, stand on the bank of the Jordan, raise your voice, and call: Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise and see your flock who have been consumed by enemies.’ Immediately, Jeremiah went to the Cave of Makhpela and said to the patriarchs of the world: ‘Arise, as the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ They said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to them: ‘I do not know,’ because he feared that they would say: In your days this befell our children? Jeremiah left them and stood on the bank of the Jordan, and called out: ‘Son of Amram, son of Amram, arise, the time has arrived that you are summoned before the Holy One blessed be He.’ He said to him: ‘What is different about today that I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ Jeremiah said to him: ‘I do not know.’ Moses left him and went to the ministering angels, as he was familiar with them from the time of the giving of the Torah. He said to them: ‘Ministers On High, do you know why I am summoned before the Holy One blessed be He?’ They said to him: ‘Son of Amram, do you not know that the Temple has been destroyed and Israel has been exiled?’ He was screaming and weeping until he reached the patriarchs of the world. Immediately, they rent their garments, placed their hands on their heads, and were screaming and weeping until the gates of the Temple. When the Holy One blessed be He saw them, immediately, “the Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for baldness and for donning sackcloth” (Isaiah 22:12). Had it not been for the verse that is written, it would have been impossible to say it. They were weeping and walking from this gate to that gate like a person whose deceased relative is lying before him. The Holy One blessed be He was lamenting and saying: Woe to a king who was successful in his youth and in his old age was not successful.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When the Temple was destroyed, Abraham came before the Holy One blessed be He weeping, pulling out his beard, tearing out the hair of his head, striking his face, rending his garments, ashes on his head, and he was walking in the Temple and lamenting and screaming. He said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Why am I different from all nations and tongues that I have come to this state of shame and humiliation?’ When the ministering angels saw him, they too composed lamentations standing in rows and saying: “[Behold, their angels cry out outside.…] The highways are desolate, wayfarers have ceased; [he breached the covenant, rejected cities, regarded no man]” (Isaiah 33:7–8). What is “the highways are desolate”? The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The highways to Jerusalem that You prepared so that travelers would never cease from them, how have they become desolation?’ “Wayfarers have ceased” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘The ways upon which Israel would travel on the festivals, how have they become idle?’ “Breached the covenant” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, the covenant of their patriarch Abraham has been breached, by means of whom the world was settled, and by means of whom You were recognized in the world as God on High, Maker of the heavens and the earth.’ “Rejected cities” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Have You rejected Jerusalem and Zion after You chose them?’ That is what is written: “Did You reject Judah, did Your soul loathe Zion…?” (Jeremiah 14:19). “Regarded no man [enosh]” – the ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You did not consider Israel even like the generation of Enosh, who were the originators of idol worshippers.’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He attended to the ministering angels. He said to them: ‘Why are you composing lamentations like this, standing in rows?’ They said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, why did You not pay attention to Abraham, Your beloved, who came to Your House and lamented and wept?’ He said to them: ‘From the day that My beloved passed away from before Me to his eternal home, he did not come to My House, and now: “What has My beloved to do in My House?”’ (Jeremiah 11:15).
Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe: Why did You exile my children, deliver them into the hand of the nations, kill them with all kinds of uncommon deaths, and destroy the Temple, the place where I elevated my son Isaac as a burnt offering before You?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Your children sinned and violated the entire Torah and the twenty-two letters that are in it.’ That is what is written: “All Israel have violated Your Torah” (Daniel 9:11). Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, who will testify against Israel that they violated Your Torah?’ He said to him: ‘Let the Torah come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the Torah came to testify against them. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, you have come to testify against Israel that they violated your mitzvot, and you have no shame before me? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He circulated you among every nation and they did not want to accept you, until my descendants came to Mount Sinai and accepted you and honored you. Now you come to testify against them on their day of distress?’ Once the Torah heard this, it stood to one side and did not testify against them.
The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Let the twenty-two letters come and testify against Israel.’ Immediately, the twenty-two letters came. Alef came to testify against Israel that they violated the Torah. Abraham said to it: ‘Alef, you are the leader of all the letters, and you come to testify against Israel on their day of distress? Remember the day that the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself on Mount Sinai and began with you, “I am [anokhi]⁹⁹Anokhi begins with the letter alef. the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2) – no nation other than my descendants accepted you, and you come to testify against my descendants?’ Immediately, alef stood to one side and did not testify against them.
Bet came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants, who are diligent in the five books of the Torah, as you are at the head of the Torah?’ That is what is written: “In the beginning [bereshit]¹⁰⁰Bereshit, the first word of the Torah, begins with a bet. God created” (Genesis 1:1). Immediately, bet stood to one side and did not testify at all.
Gimel came to testify against Israel. Abraham said to it: ‘My daughter, have you come to testify against my descendants that they violated the Torah? Is there any nation who fulfills the mitzva of ritual fringes, which you appear at its head?’ That is what is written: “You shall make for yourselves twisted threads [gedilim]” (Deuteronomy 22:12).¹⁰¹Gedilim, which in Hebrew is the first word of this verse, begins with a gimel. Immediately, gimel stood to one side and did not testify at all. When all the letters saw that Abraham had silenced them, they were ashamed, stood by themselves, and did not testify against Israel.
Immediately, Abraham began [speaking] before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, at one hundred years You gave me a son. When he achieved cognition and was a thirty-seven-year-old young man, You said to me: Sacrifice him as a burnt-offering before Me. I became like a cruel person to him and had no mercy on him. Rather, I, myself, bound him. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Isaac began and said: ‘Master of the universe, when my father said to me: “God, Himself, will see to the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8), I did not delay fulfillment of Your words, and I was bound willingly upon the altar and extended my neck under the knife. Will You not remember this on my behalf and have mercy on my descendants?’
Jacob began and said: ‘Master of the universe, did I not remain in Laban’s house for twenty years? When I departed from his house, the wicked Esau encountered me and sought to kill my children, and I endangered my life on their behalf. Now they are delivered into the hand of their enemies like sheep to slaughter after I raised them like chicks and suffered the travails of child raising on their behalf, as most of my days I experienced great suffering for their sake. Will You not now remember this on my behalf to have mercy on my descendants?’
Moses began and said: ‘Master of the universe, was I not a loyal shepherd over Israel for forty years? I ran before them like a horse in the wilderness, yet when the time came for them to enter the land, You decreed against me that my bones would fall in the wilderness. Now that they have been exiled you sent to me to lament them and weep over them.’ This is the parable that people say: From the goodness of my master it is not good for me, and from his evil it is bad for me.
At that moment, Moses said to Jeremiah: ‘Go before me so I may go and bring them. I would like to see who is going to restrain them.’¹⁰²If I bring them back no one will dare stand in their way. Jeremiah said: ‘It is impossible to go on the way due to the corpses.’¹⁰³I am a priest, and it is prohibited for me to contract impurity imparted by a corpse. He said to him: ‘Nevertheless.’ Immediately, Moses went and Jeremiah was before him, until they reached the rivers of Babylon. They saw Moses and said to each other: ‘The son of Amram has come from his grave to redeem us from the hand of our adversaries!’ A Divine Voice emerged and said: ‘It is a decree from before Me.’ Immediately, Moses said to them: ‘My children, to return you is impossible, as the decree has already been issued. Rather, the Omnipresent will return you speedily.’ He left them. At that moment, they raised their voice in great weeping until their weeping ascended On High. That is what is written: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and also wept” (Psalms 137:1).
When Moses came to the patriarchs of the world, they said to him: ‘What have the enemies done to our descendants?’ He said: ‘Some of them they killed, some of them they tied their hands behind them, some of them were bound in iron chains, some of them were stripped naked, some of them died on the way and their carcasses were left for the bird of the heavens and the animals of the earth, and some of them were cast in the sun hungry and thirsty.’ Immediately, they all began weeping and lamenting: ‘Woe over what has befallen our children! How have you become like orphans without a father; how do you lie in the afternoon and in the summer without garment and without covering; how have you walked on mountains and on gravel with shoes removed and without sandals; how have you carried bundles filled with sand; how have your hands been bound behind you; how have you been unable to swallow even the spittle in your mouths?’ Moses began and said: ‘Cursed sun! Why did you not darken when the enemy entered the Temple?’ The sun responded to him: ‘Moses, loyal shepherd, how could I darken, they did not allow me and did not relent from me, as they took me with sixty rods of fire and said to me: Go and shine your light.’
Again Moses began and said: ‘Woe over your radiance, Temple, how has it gone dark? Woe that its time to be destroyed arrived, the Sanctuary was burned, schoolchildren killed, and their fathers sent to captivity, exile, and the sword.’ Again Moses began and said: ‘O captors, by your lives! You killers, do not kill cruelly and do not implement total annihilation, do not kill a son in the presence of his father, or a daughter in the presence of her mother, for the time will come when the Master of heaven will settle the score with you.’ But the wicked Chaldeans did not do so, but rather, would seat the son on his mother’s lap and say to his father: Rise and slaughter him. The mother would cry and her tears would fall on him, and his father would hang his head. He also said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, You wrote in Your Torah: “An ox or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (Leviticus 22:28). But have they not killed many, many children and their mothers, and yet You are silent!’
At that moment, Rachel our matriarch interjected before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, it is revealed before You that Your servant Jacob loved me abundantly and worked for my father seven years for me. When those seven years were completed and the time for my marriage to my husband arrived, my father plotted to exchange me with my sister for my husband. The matter was extremely difficult for me when I became aware of that plot, and I informed my husband and gave him a signal to distinguish between my sister and me so that my father would be unable to exchange me. Afterward, I regretted what I had done and suppressed my desire. I had mercy on my sister, so that she would not be led to humiliation. In the evening they exchanged me with my sister for my husband, and I transmitted to my sister all the signals that I had given to my husband, so that he would think that she is Rachel. Moreover, I entered beneath the bed on which he was lying with my sister. He would speak with her and she would be silent, and I would respond to each and every matter that he said, so that he would not identify my sister’s voice. I performed an act of kindness for her, I was not jealous of her, and I did not lead her to humiliation. If I, who is flesh and blood, was not jealous of my rival, and I did not lead her to humiliation and shame, You who are a living and eternal merciful King, why were You jealous of idol worship that has no substance, and You exiled my descendants, and they were killed by sword, and the enemies did to them as they pleased?’ Immediately, the mercy of the Holy One blessed be He was aroused and He said: ‘For you, Rachel, I will restore Israel to its place.’ That is what is written: “So said the Lord: A voice is heard in Rama, wailing, bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be consoled for her children, as they are not” (Jeremiah 31:14). And it is written: “So said the Lord: Restrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, as there is reward for your actions.… And there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord, and your children will return to their borders” (Jeremiah 31:15–16).

This is what God said to Israel: My children what do I seek from you? I seek no more than that you love one another, and honor one another, and that you have awe for one another

... R’ Yitzchak expounded on, “On willows in its midst we hung our harps.” (Psalms 137:2) Come and see – the dirt of the land of Israel is for repentance. While they were still in the land of Israel, Jeremiah was saying to them ‘repent before the judgement is sealed upon you,’ and they did not accept his words. Once they were exiled, they kept themselves sanctified through the commandments, taking their harps and hanging them on the willows. “For there our captors asked us for words of song…” (Psalms 137:3) At that time the nations of the world said to them: stand up and sing before idols just as you would sing in the Holy Temple. They replied: if we had sung songs in our place, we would not have been exiles. And now how should we sing songs before idols?! R ‘ Yitzchak Tavlai would say: to what is this to be compared? To a king of flesh and blood who married the daughter of kings. He said to her: get up and bring me a cup to drink, and she did not want to serve him. He was angry with her and drove her from his house, and she went and married a man who was afflicted with boils. He said: get up and bring me a cup to drink. She said to him: worthless one! I was a daughter of kings, married to a king, and because he said ‘bring me a drink’ and I did not want to serve him he was angry with me and drove me from his home. In that case if I had served him I would have added to my honor and had honor in my place, and now you say to me get up and serve me?! So Israel says to the nations of the world: if we had sang songs before the Holy One in our place on all the miracles which He did for us, we would have stayed in our place and not been exiled from our land. Now we should sing songs before idols?! Immediately they arose and killed heaps and heaps of them, and even though many of them were killed Israel rejoiced that they did not sing songs before the idols, as it says “…and our tormentors [asked of us] mirth…” (ibid.) At that moment the Holy One swore a whole oath to Israel. He said of Himself, so to speak, if I do not keep my oath, as it says “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget [its skill].” (Psalms 137:5) The Holy One took His hand and placed it behind Him at the moment when Israel was exiled, just as it says “He has withdrawn His right hand from the enemy…” (Lamentations 2:3) The Holy One, so to speak, did not return it to its place. And so too the Holy One said to Israel: I will forget My right hand which I placed behind Me if I do not fulfill my oath to you and not forget you among the nations. “May my tongue cling to my palate, if I do not remember you, if I do not bring up Jerusalem at the beginning of my joy.” (Psalms 137:6) In the future the Holy One will return to Jerusalem all of her joy, as it says “And the redeemed of Zion shall return, and they shall come to Zion with song, with joy of days of yore shall be upon their heads…” (Isaiah 35:10) And anyone who mourns for Jerusalem in this world will rejoice with her in the time to come, as it says “Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her all those who love her: rejoice with her a rejoicing, all who mourn over her.” (Isaiah 66:10) They said in the name of Abaye: joy only comes on the ninth of Av, because they mandated mourning then in this time and in the future the Holy One will make it into a holiday, as it says “…and I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” (Jeremiah 31:12) ... “No one pitches my tent anymore, or sets up my curtains.” (Jeremiah 10:20) What is this, does it mean that the Holy Temple will not be rebuilt in the future?! No, rather it is saying that no one from among you will pitch my tent anymore nor anyone from among you shall set up my curtains. The First Temple, which was built by flesh and blood, fell at the hands of the enemy. But the final Sanctuary that will be built by the Holy One, as it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel,” (Psalms 147:2) will not be destroyed. Therefore it says “My tent has been spoiled…” (Jeremiah 10:20)

... R’ Yitzchak expounded on, “On willows in its midst we hung our harps.” (Psalms 137:2) Come and see – the dirt of the land of Israel is for repentance. While they were still in the land of Israel, Jeremiah was saying to them ‘repent before the judgement is sealed upon you,’ and they did not accept his words. Once they were exiled, they kept themselves sanctified through the commandments, taking their harps and hanging them on the willows. “For there our captors asked us for words of song…” (Psalms 137:3) At that time the nations of the world said to them: stand up and sing before idols just as you would sing in the Holy Temple. They replied: if we had sung songs in our place, we would not have been exiles. And now how should we sing songs before idols?! R ‘ Yitzchak Tavlai would say: to what is this to be compared? To a king of flesh and blood who married the daughter of kings. He said to her: get up and bring me a cup to drink, and she did not want to serve him. He was angry with her and drove her from his house, and she went and married a man who was afflicted with boils. He said: get up and bring me a cup to drink. She said to him: worthless one! I was a daughter of kings, married to a king, and because he said ‘bring me a drink’ and I did not want to serve him he was angry with me and drove me from his home. In that case if I had served him I would have added to my honor and had honor in my place, and now you say to me get up and serve me?! So Israel says to the nations of the world: if we had sang songs before the Holy One in our place on all the miracles which He did for us, we would have stayed in our place and not been exiled from our land. Now we should sing songs before idols?! Immediately they arose and killed heaps and heaps of them, and even though many of them were killed Israel rejoiced that they did not sing songs before the idols, as it says “…and our tormentors [asked of us] mirth…” (ibid.) At that moment the Holy One swore a whole oath to Israel. He said of Himself, so to speak, if I do not keep my oath, as it says “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget [its skill].” (Psalms 137:5) The Holy One took His hand and placed it behind Him at the moment when Israel was exiled, just as it says “He has withdrawn His right hand from the enemy…” (Lamentations 2:3) The Holy One, so to speak, did not return it to its place. And so too the Holy One said to Israel: I will forget My right hand which I placed behind Me if I do not fulfill my oath to you and not forget you among the nations. “May my tongue cling to my palate, if I do not remember you, if I do not bring up Jerusalem at the beginning of my joy.” (Psalms 137:6) In the future the Holy One will return to Jerusalem all of her joy, as it says “And the redeemed of Zion shall return, and they shall come to Zion with song, with joy of days of yore shall be upon their heads…” (Isaiah 35:10) And anyone who mourns for Jerusalem in this world will rejoice with her in the time to come, as it says “Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her all those who love her: rejoice with her a rejoicing, all who mourn over her.” (Isaiah 66:10) They said in the name of Abaye: joy only comes on the ninth of Av, because they mandated mourning then in this time and in the future the Holy One will make it into a holiday, as it says “…and I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” (Jeremiah 31:12) ... “No one pitches my tent anymore, or sets up my curtains.” (Jeremiah 10:20) What is this, does it mean that the Holy Temple will not be rebuilt in the future?! No, rather it is saying that no one from among you will pitch my tent anymore nor anyone from among you shall set up my curtains. The First Temple, which was built by flesh and blood, fell at the hands of the enemy. But the final Sanctuary that will be built by the Holy One, as it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel,” (Psalms 147:2) will not be destroyed. Therefore it says “My tent has been spoiled…” (Jeremiah 10:20)

Rabbi Simon said: "Three times the Holy One, blessed be He, found favor. Abraham, as it is written: "Finding his heart true to You (Nehemiah 9:8)"; David, as it is written: "I have found David, My servant; anointed him with My sacred oil (Psalm 89:21)"; Israel, as it is written: "I found Israel [as pleasing] As grapes in the wilderness (Hosea 9:10)". His friends objected to Rabbi Simon: "But see! It is written: "But Noah found favor with Hashem"". He replied to them: "The Holy One, blessed be He, did not find favor with him. See! It is written: "Thus said Hashem: The people escaped from the sword, Found favor in the wilderness (Jeremiah 31:2)": from the merit of the generation of the wilderness "finding his heart true to You".

Rabbi Simon said: "Three times the Holy One, blessed be He, found favor. Abraham, as it is written: "Finding his heart true to You (Nehemiah 9:8)"; David, as it is written: "I have found David, My servant; anointed him with My sacred oil (Psalm 89:21)"; Israel, as it is written: "I found Israel [as pleasing] As grapes in the wilderness (Hosea 9:10)". His friends objected to Rabbi Simon: "But see! It is written: "But Noah found favor with Hashem"". He replied to them: "The Holy One, blessed be He, did not find favor with him. See! It is written: "Thus said Hashem: The people escaped from the sword, Found favor in the wilderness (Jeremiah 31:2)": from the merit of the generation of the wilderness "finding his heart true to You".

... Teach us oh, teacher: once the Ninth of Av has ended, is everything permitted? R’ Chiyah the Great taught like this: once the Ninth of Av has ended, one is permitted to do anything. Why? Because it is like the case of a person whose dead is laid out before him, who is forbidden to eat meat or drink wine. Once the dead is buried, the mourner is permitted to do so. So to on the Ninth of Av one is a mourner – once the day has ended one is permitted to do anything. Even though we are permitted, we must always have a sigh in our hearts until the Holy One returns to her. The Holy One said to them: by your lives! I burnt her, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) I will build her, as it says “Yet again will I rebuild you, then you shall be built, O virgin of Israel…” (Jeremiah 31:3) Zion said to Him: Behold, I have been sitting thus for many years! I have counted the days from old and I have not been redeemed, therefore I have despaired. She said that my master has abandoned me. And from where do we learn that Zion said this? From that which is written regarding it “And Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.’” (Isaiah 49:14) ... Another explanation. “And Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me…” (Isaiah 49:14) What is written before this? “Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, and mountains burst out in song, for the Lord has consoled His people, and He shall have mercy on His poor.” (Isaiah 49:13) Once Zion saw that the prophet recalled His people and His poor, but did not mention Zion or Jerusalem she said ‘the Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.’ Immediately the Holy One replied and said to her: just as it is impossible for a woman to forget her sucking child, so to I am not able to forget you, “Shall a woman forget her sucking child, from having mercy on the child of her womb?” (Isaiah 49:15) She said to Him: Master of the world! How is that possible? There is no end to the evils I have done! I caused Your Holy Temple to be destroyed and I killed the prophets. R’ Berachia the Kohen said in the name of Rebbe: the Holy One said to her, I will forget your evil but I will not forget your good. “…These too shall forget, but I will not forget you.” (ibid.) I have forgotten “"These are your gods, O Israel…” (Exodus32:4) but “I am the Lord, your God…” (Exodus 20:2) I will not forget.

... Teach us oh, teacher: once the Ninth of Av has ended, is everything permitted? R’ Chiyah the Great taught like this: once the Ninth of Av has ended, one is permitted to do anything. Why? Because it is like the case of a person whose dead is laid out before him, who is forbidden to eat meat or drink wine. Once the dead is buried, the mourner is permitted to do so. So to on the Ninth of Av one is a mourner – once the day has ended one is permitted to do anything. Even though we are permitted, we must always have a sigh in our hearts until the Holy One returns to her. The Holy One said to them: by your lives! I burnt her, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) I will build her, as it says “Yet again will I rebuild you, then you shall be built, O virgin of Israel…” (Jeremiah 31:3) Zion said to Him: Behold, I have been sitting thus for many years! I have counted the days from old and I have not been redeemed, therefore I have despaired. She said that my master has abandoned me. And from where do we learn that Zion said this? From that which is written regarding it “And Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.’” (Isaiah 49:14) ... Another explanation. “And Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me…” (Isaiah 49:14) What is written before this? “Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, and mountains burst out in song, for the Lord has consoled His people, and He shall have mercy on His poor.” (Isaiah 49:13) Once Zion saw that the prophet recalled His people and His poor, but did not mention Zion or Jerusalem she said ‘the Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.’ Immediately the Holy One replied and said to her: just as it is impossible for a woman to forget her sucking child, so to I am not able to forget you, “Shall a woman forget her sucking child, from having mercy on the child of her womb?” (Isaiah 49:15) She said to Him: Master of the world! How is that possible? There is no end to the evils I have done! I caused Your Holy Temple to be destroyed and I killed the prophets. R’ Berachia the Kohen said in the name of Rebbe: the Holy One said to her, I will forget your evil but I will not forget your good. “…These too shall forget, but I will not forget you.” (ibid.) I have forgotten “"These are your gods, O Israel…” (Exodus32:4) but “I am the Lord, your God…” (Exodus 20:2) I will not forget.

throw it”.

... 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)

... 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)

“For the mountains I will take up weeping and wailing…” (Jeremiah 9:9) – Rabbi Aḥa said: Nebuchadnezzar commanded Nevuzaradan three matters concerning Jeremiah: “Take him and keep your eyes on him” (Jeremiah 39:12) – on him and not on his nation. “Do not do anything harmful to him” (Jeremiah 39:12) – to him do not do, but to his nation do as much harm as you please. “As he will say to you so you shall do to him” (Jeremiah 39:12) – but not to his nation. Jeremiah would see a group of lads placed in collars, and he would place his head with them, and Nevuzaradan would come and remove him from them. He then would see elders chained in chains. He would place his neck with them, and Nevuzaradan would come and remove him from them. Nevuzaradan said to him: ‘Look, you are one of three things; either you are a false prophet, or you are contemptuous of suffering, or you are a shedder of blood. Maybe you are a false prophet, as all these years you are prophesying about this city that it will be destroyed, and now that it is being destroyed, your soul is greatly troubled. Or you are contemptuous of suffering, as I do not wish to do you any harm, but you wish to do yourself harm, as though to say: Suffering is nothing for me. Or you are a shedder of blood, as the king commanded me extensively in your regard that I not do you any harm, and you seek to do harm so that the king will hear and execute this man.’¹³⁶Nevuzaradan was referring to himself.
Ultimately, he said to him: ‘If you agree, come and I will keep my eye on you,’ but he did not accept it, as it is stated at the end of the portion, until it was stated to him from the mouth of the Almighty.¹³⁷Nevuzaradan had suggested that Jeremiah come to Babylon under his protection or remain in the Land of Israel, but Jeremiah had insisted on remaining with the other captives who were being exiled to Babylon, until God spoke to him. See Jeremiah 40:1–5. That is what is written: “This is the matter that was to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying” (see Jeremiah 40:1). What was that matter? He said to him: ‘Jeremiah, if you remain here, I will go with them, and if you go with them, I will remain here.’ He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, if I go with them, in what way can I benefit them? Rather, let their King, their Creator go with them, as He can benefit them greatly.’ That is what is written: “After Nevuzaradan, captain of the guards, sent him …and he had been bound in chains” (Jeremiah 40:1). Rabbi Aḥa said: As it were, both he and Him were bound in chains. Similarly, it is written: “And I am in the midst of the exile” (Ezekiel 1:1).¹³⁸“And I” is expounded to mean: I – Ezekiel; and – God.
Until where was Jeremiah’s prophecy?¹³⁹What was the last prophecy Jeremiah conveyed to those who were being led into exile. Alternatively, the midrash assumes that the book of Jeremiah is not written in chronological order, and asks which was his last prophecy (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Yaakov and Rabbi Aba, and some say Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yoḥanan: one said: Until, “He who scattered Israel will gather them” (Jeremiah 31:9). The other says: Until, “there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord, and your children will return to their border” (Jeremiah 31:16).
Upon his return,¹⁴⁰From Rama (see Jeremiah 40:1). he would find severed toes cast on the mountains. He would gather them, caress them, hug them, kiss them, and place them in his garment. He would say to them: ‘My children, did I not warn you of this and say to you: “Give honor to the Lord your God before it grows dark and before your feet will stumble on the mountains of the night” (Jeremiah 13:16)?’ Regarding that moment it is stated: “For the mountains I will take up weeping and wailing, and for the oases [neot] of the wilderness a lamentation” (Jeremiah 9:9) – for those beautiful and excellent mountains I will take up weeping and wailing, on the abodes [neot] of Jacob that have been transformed into a lamentation. “They did not hear the sound of livestock [mikneh]” (Jeremiah 9:9) – they did not hear the sound of words of Torah or the sound of the words of prophecy, but rather mikneh, the sound of words that arouse jealousy [mekaneh]. They aroused His zealotry with idol worship [avoda zara], just as it says: “They would arouse His jealousy with strangers [zarim]” (Deuteronomy 32:16). Therefore, “from the birds of the heavens to the animals, they have wandered and gone” (Jeremiah 9:9).
Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta said: For fifty-two years, no bird was seen flying in the Land of Israel. What is the source? “From the birds of the heavens to the animals [behema], they have wandered and gone” (Jeremiah 9:9); the numerical value of behema is fifty-two.¹⁴¹Bet – 2; heh – 5; mem – 40; heh – 5 = 52
Rabbi Ḥanina said: Forty years before, they¹⁴²God caused the Babylonians to plant the trees in preparation for the impending exile. would plant date palms in Babylon, indicating that sweet foods accustom the tongue to Torah. Rabbi Ḥanina son of Rabbi Abbahu said: There are seven hundred species of kosher fish, eight hundred species of kosher grasshoppers, and innumerable birds, and all of them were exiled with Israel to Babylon. When they returned, all of them returned with them with the exception of one fish whose name is shibuta. How were the fish exiled? Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: They were exiled via the depths, and they returned via the depths.
Rabbi Zeira said: Come and see how insolent is the Land of Israel, that it continues producing fruit.¹⁴³It does so even though it was decreed that after Israel is exiled the land would remain desolate (see Leviticus 26:32). Why does it produce fruit? Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: one said: Because they fertilize it. The other said: Because they overturn its soil.¹⁴⁴Before Israel was exiled, it would produce even without these measures.
Rabbi Yudan said: For seven years, [the curse] of sulfur and salt¹⁴⁵See Deuteronomy 29:22 was fulfilled for them. Why to that extent? “He will promote a covenant with the multitudes for one period of seven years” (Daniel 9:27). What did the Cuthites among them do? They would sow it in small plots. They would sow here, and it would be burned, they would sow there and it would be burned. There was an incident involving an individual who was standing and plowing in the Beit Arava Valley, and his hand grasped his plowshare. Hot soil arose and burned his arm, to realize what is stated: “Sulfur and salt, its entire land is afire” (Deuteronomy 29:22).
Rabba bar Kahana said: They are neither an indication of forgiveness in the land nor an indication of desolation of the land,¹⁴⁶This statement refers to the return of the birds and fish to the Land of Israel, and to the original exit of the birds and fish from the land (Matnot Kehuna). but rather it is from before Him, to realize what is stated: “Fear of you and dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, [and upon every bird of the heavens, and upon all that crawls on the ground, and upon all fish of the sea]” (Genesis 9:2).¹⁴⁷Since these creatures are subject to domination by man, it stands to reason that if humanity could no longer reside in the land of Israel, neither could these creatures. But in the future, everything will return. That is what is written: “The land that had been desolate will be tilled, instead of being desolation in the eyes of every passerby” (Ezekiel 36:34).
The prologue of the Sages to Midrash Eikha Rabati is complete.

“For the mountains I will take up weeping and wailing…” (Jeremiah 9:9) – Rabbi Aḥa said: Nebuchadnezzar commanded Nevuzaradan three matters concerning Jeremiah: “Take him and keep your eyes on him” (Jeremiah 39:12) – on him and not on his nation. “Do not do anything harmful to him” (Jeremiah 39:12) – to him do not do, but to his nation do as much harm as you please. “As he will say to you so you shall do to him” (Jeremiah 39:12) – but not to his nation. Jeremiah would see a group of lads placed in collars, and he would place his head with them, and Nevuzaradan would come and remove him from them. He then would see elders chained in chains. He would place his neck with them, and Nevuzaradan would come and remove him from them. Nevuzaradan said to him: ‘Look, you are one of three things; either you are a false prophet, or you are contemptuous of suffering, or you are a shedder of blood. Maybe you are a false prophet, as all these years you are prophesying about this city that it will be destroyed, and now that it is being destroyed, your soul is greatly troubled. Or you are contemptuous of suffering, as I do not wish to do you any harm, but you wish to do yourself harm, as though to say: Suffering is nothing for me. Or you are a shedder of blood, as the king commanded me extensively in your regard that I not do you any harm, and you seek to do harm so that the king will hear and execute this man.’¹³⁶Nevuzaradan was referring to himself.
Ultimately, he said to him: ‘If you agree, come and I will keep my eye on you,’ but he did not accept it, as it is stated at the end of the portion, until it was stated to him from the mouth of the Almighty.¹³⁷Nevuzaradan had suggested that Jeremiah come to Babylon under his protection or remain in the Land of Israel, but Jeremiah had insisted on remaining with the other captives who were being exiled to Babylon, until God spoke to him. See Jeremiah 40:1–5. That is what is written: “This is the matter that was to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying” (see Jeremiah 40:1). What was that matter? He said to him: ‘Jeremiah, if you remain here, I will go with them, and if you go with them, I will remain here.’ He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, if I go with them, in what way can I benefit them? Rather, let their King, their Creator go with them, as He can benefit them greatly.’ That is what is written: “After Nevuzaradan, captain of the guards, sent him …and he had been bound in chains” (Jeremiah 40:1). Rabbi Aḥa said: As it were, both he and Him were bound in chains. Similarly, it is written: “And I am in the midst of the exile” (Ezekiel 1:1).¹³⁸“And I” is expounded to mean: I – Ezekiel; and – God.
Until where was Jeremiah’s prophecy?¹³⁹What was the last prophecy Jeremiah conveyed to those who were being led into exile. Alternatively, the midrash assumes that the book of Jeremiah is not written in chronological order, and asks which was his last prophecy (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Yaakov and Rabbi Aba, and some say Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yoḥanan: one said: Until, “He who scattered Israel will gather them” (Jeremiah 31:9). The other says: Until, “there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord, and your children will return to their border” (Jeremiah 31:16).
Upon his return,¹⁴⁰From Rama (see Jeremiah 40:1). he would find severed toes cast on the mountains. He would gather them, caress them, hug them, kiss them, and place them in his garment. He would say to them: ‘My children, did I not warn you of this and say to you: “Give honor to the Lord your God before it grows dark and before your feet will stumble on the mountains of the night” (Jeremiah 13:16)?’ Regarding that moment it is stated: “For the mountains I will take up weeping and wailing, and for the oases [neot] of the wilderness a lamentation” (Jeremiah 9:9) – for those beautiful and excellent mountains I will take up weeping and wailing, on the abodes [neot] of Jacob that have been transformed into a lamentation. “They did not hear the sound of livestock [mikneh]” (Jeremiah 9:9) – they did not hear the sound of words of Torah or the sound of the words of prophecy, but rather mikneh, the sound of words that arouse jealousy [mekaneh]. They aroused His zealotry with idol worship [avoda zara], just as it says: “They would arouse His jealousy with strangers [zarim]” (Deuteronomy 32:16). Therefore, “from the birds of the heavens to the animals, they have wandered and gone” (Jeremiah 9:9).
Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta said: For fifty-two years, no bird was seen flying in the Land of Israel. What is the source? “From the birds of the heavens to the animals [behema], they have wandered and gone” (Jeremiah 9:9); the numerical value of behema is fifty-two.¹⁴¹Bet – 2; heh – 5; mem – 40; heh – 5 = 52
Rabbi Ḥanina said: Forty years before, they¹⁴²God caused the Babylonians to plant the trees in preparation for the impending exile. would plant date palms in Babylon, indicating that sweet foods accustom the tongue to Torah. Rabbi Ḥanina son of Rabbi Abbahu said: There are seven hundred species of kosher fish, eight hundred species of kosher grasshoppers, and innumerable birds, and all of them were exiled with Israel to Babylon. When they returned, all of them returned with them with the exception of one fish whose name is shibuta. How were the fish exiled? Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: They were exiled via the depths, and they returned via the depths.
Rabbi Zeira said: Come and see how insolent is the Land of Israel, that it continues producing fruit.¹⁴³It does so even though it was decreed that after Israel is exiled the land would remain desolate (see Leviticus 26:32). Why does it produce fruit? Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: one said: Because they fertilize it. The other said: Because they overturn its soil.¹⁴⁴Before Israel was exiled, it would produce even without these measures.
Rabbi Yudan said: For seven years, [the curse] of sulfur and salt¹⁴⁵See Deuteronomy 29:22 was fulfilled for them. Why to that extent? “He will promote a covenant with the multitudes for one period of seven years” (Daniel 9:27). What did the Cuthites among them do? They would sow it in small plots. They would sow here, and it would be burned, they would sow there and it would be burned. There was an incident involving an individual who was standing and plowing in the Beit Arava Valley, and his hand grasped his plowshare. Hot soil arose and burned his arm, to realize what is stated: “Sulfur and salt, its entire land is afire” (Deuteronomy 29:22).
Rabba bar Kahana said: They are neither an indication of forgiveness in the land nor an indication of desolation of the land,¹⁴⁶This statement refers to the return of the birds and fish to the Land of Israel, and to the original exit of the birds and fish from the land (Matnot Kehuna). but rather it is from before Him, to realize what is stated: “Fear of you and dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, [and upon every bird of the heavens, and upon all that crawls on the ground, and upon all fish of the sea]” (Genesis 9:2).¹⁴⁷Since these creatures are subject to domination by man, it stands to reason that if humanity could no longer reside in the land of Israel, neither could these creatures. But in the future, everything will return. That is what is written: “The land that had been desolate will be tilled, instead of being desolation in the eyes of every passerby” (Ezekiel 36:34).
The prologue of the Sages to Midrash Eikha Rabati is complete.

And just as a deer is quicker than any beast or animal, so the fruits of Eretz Yisrael are "quicker" (to come) than those of all the other lands. If so, I might think they are not rich. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 11:9) "a land flowing with milk and honey" — rich as milk and sweet as honey. And thus is it written (Isaiah 5:11) "I will now sing of my Beloved, my Beloved's song of His vineyard. My Beloved had a vineyard in the horn of Ben Shamen": Just as there is nothing higher in a bullock than its horns, so, Eretz Yisrael is higher than all of the other lands. — But perhaps, just as a bullock is defective in the contents of its horns, so, Eretz Yisrael is more "defective" than all of the other lands! It is, therefore, written "in the horn of Ben Shamen": It is fat (shamen, rich, fruitful, productive). Eretz Yisrael, being higher than all (other lands) is superior to all, viz.: (Bamidbar 13:30) "Let us go up and we will inherit it," (Ibid. 13:21) "and they went up and spied out the land," (Ibid. 13:22) "and they went up in the south," (Bereshith 45:25) "and they went up from Egypt." The Temple, in that it is higher than all, is superior to all, viz.: (Devarim 17:8) "then you shall rise and go up" (to the Temple), (Isaiah 2:3) "and many peoples will go and say 'Let us go up to the mountain of the L-rd, to the house of the G-d of Yaakov,'" and (Jeremiah 31:5) "For there is a day when the watchers will call out on the mountain of Ephraim: 'Arise, let us go up to Tzion to (the house of) the L-rd our G-d!'"

Another explanation for zeh hadavar: “Take with you words. . .”(d’varim, Ho 14:3). This is what is meant by what is written: “I wash my palms with cleanliness and circle your altar, Yahh, to voice thanks aloud and to tell of all your miracles.” (Ps 26:6f) One might also offer bulls and rams, but exegesis says to voice thanks aloud. Accordingly, Jews say, “Ribon HaOlam (“master of the universe”), leaders sin and bring and bring a korban (“offering”) and it atones for them. The mashiach sins and brings a korban and it atones for him. We, we have no korban.” He said to them: “And if all the congregation of Yisrael stray–and the matter is hidden from the eyes of the community–and they are guilty of doing one of the negative commandments of Yahh, then, if the sin guilt for which they sinned becomes known, the community shall offer a bull of the herd as a sin offering.”(Lev 4:13f) They say to him, “We are poor and we have not what to bring for korbanot.” He says to them, “Words, I request, as it is said, ‘Take with you words and return to Yahh’ and I annul all your misdeeds.” These words are none other than divrey Torah, as it is said, “These are the d’varim that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael.(Dt 1:1) They said to him, “We do not know.” He said to them, “Weep and pray before me and I accept it. Your ancestors, when they were enslaved in Mitsrayim, it wasn’t for prayer that I redeemed them, as it is said, ‘The B’neiYisrael groaned from the work and cried out.’(Ex 2:23)In the days of Y’hoshua it wasn’t for prayer that I made miracles for them, as it is said, ‘Y’hoshua tore his garment and fell on his face before the ark of Yahh till evening.’(Jos 7:6) So what did I say to him? ‘Hold out the spear which is in your hand towards The Ai, for I give it into your hand.’(Jos 8:18) In the days of the Judges, with weeping I heard their outcry, as it is said, ‘It happened, when the B’neiYisrael cried out to Yahh on account of Midyan.’(Ju 6:7) In the days of Sh’muel it was not in prayer that I heard them, as it is said, ‘Sh’muel cried out to Yahh on behalf of Yisrael and Yahh responded to him.’(Sam 7:9) And similarly the men of Y’rushalayim, even though they had angered me, because they wept before me I had mercy on them, as it is said, ‘For thus said Yahh, “Sing out joy to Ya’akov. . .”(Jer 31:7) Oh, I request from you not sacrifices and not korbanot but words, as it is said, ‘Take with you words. . .’ This is why David said, ‘I wash my hands with cleanliness’ not intending to make an offering but to voice thanks aloud, for I am thankful to you for divrey Torah.

Another explanation for zeh hadavar: “Take with you words. . .”(d’varim, Ho 14:3). This is what is meant by what is written: “I wash my palms with cleanliness and circle your altar, Yahh, to voice thanks aloud and to tell of all your miracles.” (Ps 26:6f) One might also offer bulls and rams, but exegesis says to voice thanks aloud. Accordingly, Jews say, “Ribon HaOlam (“master of the universe”), leaders sin and bring and bring a korban (“offering”) and it atones for them. The mashiach sins and brings a korban and it atones for him. We, we have no korban.” He said to them: “And if all the congregation of Yisrael stray–and the matter is hidden from the eyes of the community–and they are guilty of doing one of the negative commandments of Yahh, then, if the sin guilt for which they sinned becomes known, the community shall offer a bull of the herd as a sin offering.”(Lev 4:13f) They say to him, “We are poor and we have not what to bring for korbanot.” He says to them, “Words, I request, as it is said, ‘Take with you words and return to Yahh’ and I annul all your misdeeds.” These words are none other than divrey Torah, as it is said, “These are the d’varim that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael.(Dt 1:1) They said to him, “We do not know.” He said to them, “Weep and pray before me and I accept it. Your ancestors, when they were enslaved in Mitsrayim, it wasn’t for prayer that I redeemed them, as it is said, ‘The B’neiYisrael groaned from the work and cried out.’(Ex 2:23)In the days of Y’hoshua it wasn’t for prayer that I made miracles for them, as it is said, ‘Y’hoshua tore his garment and fell on his face before the ark of Yahh till evening.’(Jos 7:6) So what did I say to him? ‘Hold out the spear which is in your hand towards The Ai, for I give it into your hand.’(Jos 8:18) In the days of the Judges, with weeping I heard their outcry, as it is said, ‘It happened, when the B’neiYisrael cried out to Yahh on account of Midyan.’(Ju 6:7) In the days of Sh’muel it was not in prayer that I heard them, as it is said, ‘Sh’muel cried out to Yahh on behalf of Yisrael and Yahh responded to him.’(Sam 7:9) And similarly the men of Y’rushalayim, even though they had angered me, because they wept before me I had mercy on them, as it is said, ‘For thus said Yahh, “Sing out joy to Ya’akov. . .”(Jer 31:7) Oh, I request from you not sacrifices and not korbanot but words, as it is said, ‘Take with you words. . .’ This is why David said, ‘I wash my hands with cleanliness’ not intending to make an offering but to voice thanks aloud, for I am thankful to you for divrey Torah.

Variantly: "and you will eat and be sated": from the offspring. And even though there is no proof for this, it is intimated in (Jeremiah 31:12) "And they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and they shall stream together to the goodness of the L-rd, for corn, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd."

"and you will go lost quickly … (18) And you shall place these, My words, upon your heart": Even though I am exiling you from Eretz Yisrael, be observant of the mitzvoth, so that when you return they will not be new to you. An analogy: A king was angry with his wife and she returned to her father's house. The king: "Continue wearing your jewels, so that when you return, they will not be new to you." So, the Holy One Blessed be He to Israel (in exile): "My children, be observant of the mitzvoth, so that when you return, they will not be new to you." As Jeremiah said (to the Jews going into exile, Jeremiah 31:20) "Set up signposts (tziyunim) for yourselves": These are the mitzvoth, in which Israel are distinctive (metzuyanim). (Ibid.) "Make high heaps for yourself": reminiscent of the destruction of the Temple, viz. (Psalms 137:5) "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten." (Jeremiah, Ibid.) "Set your heart to the road, the way on which you came.": The Holy One Blessed be He says to them: "My children, give heart to the ways in which you walked, and repent (of them), and immediately you will return to your cities, viz. (Ibid.) "Repent, O virgin of Israel — Return to these, your cities!"

THE EGYPTIAN BONDAGE
RABBAN JOCHANAN, son of Ẓakkai, opened (his exposition with the text): "In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates" (Gen. 15:18). Abram said before the Holy One, blessed be He, Sovereign of all the universe ! Thou hast not given me seed, yet dost Thou say, "Unto thy seed will I give || this land" (ibid.). He said: "Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?" (Gen. 15:8). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Abram! The entire world stands by My word, and thou dost not believe in My word, but thou sayest, "Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?" (ibid.). By thy life! In two ways shalt thou surely know, as it is said, "And he said to Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land which is not theirs,… and they shall afflict them" (Gen. 15:18).

R. Yose bar Chanina explained the verse about the exile, “And Jacob said tho them... and they said we are from Charan” (Genesis 29:4) We are running away from the rage of (charono) of the Holy One, blessed be He. “He said to them, 'Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?'…” (Genesis 29:5) Do you know who is going to whiten (lelaven) your iniquities like snow in the future? "And they said, 'we know'" (- as they never lost their hope). "And he said, 'Is there peace with him'; and they said, 'there is peace.'" In the merit of what? "And behold his daughter, Rachel, is coming with the flock." This is [the meaning of] that which is written (Jeremiah 31:15-17), "Rachel weeps for her children... Restrain your eyes form weeping... And there is hope for your future."

R. Yose bar Chanina explained the verse about the exile, “And Jacob said tho them... and they said we are from Charan” (Genesis 29:4) We are running away from the rage of (charono) of the Holy One, blessed be He. “He said to them, 'Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?'…” (Genesis 29:5) Do you know who is going to whiten (lelaven) your iniquities like snow in the future? "And they said, 'we know'" (- as they never lost their hope). "And he said, 'Is there peace with him'; and they said, 'there is peace.'" In the merit of what? "And behold his daughter, Rachel, is coming with the flock." This is [the meaning of] that which is written (Jeremiah 31:15-17), "Rachel weeps for her children... Restrain your eyes form weeping... And there is hope for your future."

Another answer: (op. cit. 145) "God supports all those who have fallen" - these are the barren, whose [status] have "fallen" within their households. And "straightens the bent" - when the Holy One, Blessed be He rewards them with children, they straighten up [in joy.] Similarly, Leah was hated by her household, and when the Holy One, Blessed be He visited her [and gave her pregnancy], she was straightened. That is the same concept by "And God saw that Leah was hated" - "that Leah was hated" - that she behaved in the manner of the "hated", since she was supposed to marry "the hater" [, Esav] (other mss. read "Assessed by the hater") since that was the custom, the firstborn [Esav] marry the firstborn [Esav] and the younger one [Ya'akov] marry the younger one [Rachel]. Therefore Leah cried and said: "May it be your will, God, that I do not become the possession of an evildoer." R' Huna said: Davening is a strong force, that it annulled the decree, and not only that, but that it made her come before her sister [for marriage. Because of this] everyone would mock her: The unemployed people mocked her, the travelers mocked her, and even the ladies behind their backs mocked her, saying, "This Leah, her inside is not like her outside; she appears righteous but is not really righteous. For if she were righteous she would not have cheated her sister [and would have let her marry first.] Rabbi Chanin in the name of Rabbi Shmuel son of Rabbi Yitzchak said: When Yaakov our Forefather saw matters, that Leah had "cheated" her sister, he made up his mind to divorce her, but when she was blessed with children, he said: "To the mother of these I am divorcing?" And in the end he admitted he was wrong, and that is the meaning of the verse: (Genesis 47) "And Yisrael [Yaakov] bowed low at the head of the bed," [and head of the bed is a euphemism for Leah, as she was the first one of his conjugal bed.] "And Rachel was barren," said Rabbi Yitzchak, Rachel was the main part of the household, as it says, "And Rachel was barren (akarah)" - It's main part (ikrah) was Rachel. Said Rabbi Abba son of Cahana, since most of the diners [at Ya'akov's table] were Leah's [progeny, as a courtesy] they named Rachel as the main part, as it says, "And Rachel was barren (akarah)" - It's main part (ikrah) was Rachel. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: Since all these matters [i.e. helping Leah cheat the system] were done by Rachel, therefore the Children of Israel were called by her name, (Jeremiah 31): "Rachel cries for her children," and there was no end to her name, as her children's names lived on, as it says in (Amos 5): "Perhaps the Lord of Hosts will have compassion on the remnant of Joseph [a son of Rachel]" - now her son's name was recalled. And her son's name did not die out either, as it says (Jeremiah 31) "How precious is my son Ephraim [, Joseph's son and Rachel's grandson."

Another answer: (op. cit. 145) "God supports all those who have fallen" - these are the barren, whose [status] have "fallen" within their households. And "straightens the bent" - when the Holy One, Blessed be He rewards them with children, they straighten up [in joy.] Similarly, Leah was hated by her household, and when the Holy One, Blessed be He visited her [and gave her pregnancy], she was straightened. That is the same concept by "And God saw that Leah was hated" - "that Leah was hated" - that she behaved in the manner of the "hated", since she was supposed to marry "the hater" [, Esav] (other mss. read "Assessed by the hater") since that was the custom, the firstborn [Esav] marry the firstborn [Esav] and the younger one [Ya'akov] marry the younger one [Rachel]. Therefore Leah cried and said: "May it be your will, God, that I do not become the possession of an evildoer." R' Huna said: Davening is a strong force, that it annulled the decree, and not only that, but that it made her come before her sister [for marriage. Because of this] everyone would mock her: The unemployed people mocked her, the travelers mocked her, and even the ladies behind their backs mocked her, saying, "This Leah, her inside is not like her outside; she appears righteous but is not really righteous. For if she were righteous she would not have cheated her sister [and would have let her marry first.] Rabbi Chanin in the name of Rabbi Shmuel son of Rabbi Yitzchak said: When Yaakov our Forefather saw matters, that Leah had "cheated" her sister, he made up his mind to divorce her, but when she was blessed with children, he said: "To the mother of these I am divorcing?" And in the end he admitted he was wrong, and that is the meaning of the verse: (Genesis 47) "And Yisrael [Yaakov] bowed low at the head of the bed," [and head of the bed is a euphemism for Leah, as she was the first one of his conjugal bed.] "And Rachel was barren," said Rabbi Yitzchak, Rachel was the main part of the household, as it says, "And Rachel was barren (akarah)" - It's main part (ikrah) was Rachel. Said Rabbi Abba son of Cahana, since most of the diners [at Ya'akov's table] were Leah's [progeny, as a courtesy] they named Rachel as the main part, as it says, "And Rachel was barren (akarah)" - It's main part (ikrah) was Rachel. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: Since all these matters [i.e. helping Leah cheat the system] were done by Rachel, therefore the Children of Israel were called by her name, (Jeremiah 31): "Rachel cries for her children," and there was no end to her name, as her children's names lived on, as it says in (Amos 5): "Perhaps the Lord of Hosts will have compassion on the remnant of Joseph [a son of Rachel]" - now her son's name was recalled. And her son's name did not die out either, as it says (Jeremiah 31) "How precious is my son Ephraim [, Joseph's son and Rachel's grandson."

And Jacob became very frightened and distressed (Genesis 32,8). Rabbi Pinchos says in the name of Rabbi Re'uven that there were two people that Hashem promised them and nevetheless they were afraid. The chosen of the patriarchs and the chosen of the prophets. The chosen of the patriarchs is Jacob as it states (Psalms 135,4) "For Jacob, Y-H chose for Him" and and Hashem said to him (Genesis 28,15) "And behold I am with you" and at the end, he became frightened as it says "And Jacob became frightened". The chosen of the prophets is Moshe as it says (Psalms 106,23) "Were it not for Moshe His chosen one" and Hashem said to him "For I will be with you" and in the end he became frightened as it says (Numbers 21:34) "And Hashem said to Moshe, don't fear him" Hashem would only say "Don't fear him" to someone who has become afraid. Rabbi Brechiah and Rabbi Chelbo recited in the name of Rabbi Shmuel Bar Nachman who recited in the name of Rabbi Nassan "The Jewish people were worthy of being destroyed in the days of Haman, were it not that they relied on the knowledge of the parents' elder. They said "If Yaacov our patriarch, who was promised security by Hashem and Hashem told hi "And behold I will be with you" and HE became frigthened. How much moreso US. It is this that the prophet accuses Israel of and says to them (Isaiah 51,13) "And you forgot Hashem your maker the one who spread the heavens and founded earth." He said to those people what he would say to you (Jeremiah 31,36) "So said Hashem: If the heavens from above will be measured" if you see that the heavens quake and that the earth quakes, from the inclination of the heavens and earth you wouldn't learn anything other than (Isaiah 51,13) "And you are afraid all your days"

“…and he made for his father a mourning of seven days.” (Bereshit 50:10) Why do we mourn for seven days in parallel to the seven days of feasting? The Holy One said to them: in this world you shared the pain of this righteous one and mourned for him seven days, in the coming world I will transform that mourning to joy, as it says “…and I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” (Yirmiyahu 31:12) And just as I console you, so I will console Zion and all her waste places in the manner that it says,” For the Lord shall console Zion, He shall console all its ruins, and He shall make its desert like a paradise and its wasteland like the garden of the Lord; joy and happiness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and a voice of song.” (Yeshayahu 51:3)[Alternate transaltion: “…and he made for his father a mourning of seven days.” (Genesis 50:10) Why do we mourn for seven days? In parallel to the seven days of feasting. The Holy One said to them: in this world you shared the pain of this righteous one and mourned for him seven days, in the coming world I will transform that mourning to joy, as it says “…and I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” (Jeremiah 31:12) And just as I console you, so I will console Zion and all her waste places in the manner that it says,” For the Lord shall console Zion, He shall console all its ruins, and He shall make its desert like a paradise and its wasteland like the garden of the Lord; joy and happiness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and a voice of song.” (Isaiah 51:3)]

"And this is the blessing wherewith Moses blessed, etc." And from him all of the prophets learned: They first spoke hard words to Israel, and then they reverted to words of consolation. There were none among all of the prophets whose words were as hard as those of Hoshea. In the beginning he said to them (Hoshea 9:14) "Give them, O L-rd, what You will give. Give them a bereaving womb and shriveled breasts." And then he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 14:7-8) "His tender branches will go forth, and his glory will be like the olive tree… Those who dwell in His shade will return. They will revive like grain and blossom like the vine… (Ibid. 5-6) I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely… I will be like the dew to Israel; it will blossom like the rose…" And thus with Joel. (In the beginning) he said (Joel 1:2-4) "Tell your children about it, and your children to their children, and their children to another generation: What remained from the maggot, the locust has devoured, and what remained from the locust, the cankerworm has devoured, and what remained from the cankerworm, the cricket has devoured." And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 2:25) "And I shall requite for you the years which were devoured by the locust, the cankerworm, the cricket, and the maggot." And thus with Amos. (In the beginning) he said (Amos 4:1) "Hear this thing, you cows of Bashan on the mountain of Shomron, who oppress the poor, who crush the destitute, who say to their lords, 'Bring, so we may drink!'" etc. And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 9:11) "On that day I will raise up the succah of David that is fallen, etc." And thus with Michah. (In the beginning) he said (Michah 1:9) "Her wound is grievous, etc." And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 7:18-20) "Who is a G-d like You, who pardons iniquity and overlooks transgression for the remnant of His heritage? He does not maintain His wrath forever, for He desires lovingkindness. He will return and grant us mercy; He will suppress our iniquities. You will cast into the depths of the sea all of their sins. Grant truth to Jacob, lovingkindness to Abraham, as You swore to our forefathers in days of old." And thus with Jeremiah. (In the beginning) he said (Jeremiah 7:34) "I will cut off from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the sound of groom and the sound of bride; for the land will become a wasteland." And he reverted to words of consolation — (Ibid. 31:12) "Then the maiden shall rejoice with dance, and young men and old men together."