Midrash sobre Lamentações 2:1

“How the Lord has clouded the daughter of Zion in His wrath. He cast the splendor of Israel from the heavens to the earth, and did not remember His footstool on the day of His wrath” (Lamentations 2:1).
“Terror [balahot] overwhelms me” (Job 30:15). Rabbi Ḥanina said: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: In the past, it was I [Israel] who would terrify others, just as it says: “They hastened [vayavhilu] to bring Haman” (Esther 6:14). And another verse says: “I will render you a terror and you will be no more” (Ezekiel 26:21).¹This verse is directed to Tyre, as punishment to their actions toward Israel. And it says: “Then the chieftains of Edom were terrified” (Exodus 15:15). Now it has been reversed against me. Rabbi Aḥa said: [This is analogous] to a segment of a pillar that was rolling through a plaza, and it collided with a rock and remained adjacent to it. So, “Your wrath weighs upon me” (Psalms 88:8).²The point is that when God’s wrath, which inflicts terror, came upon Israel, it remained with Israel.
“It pursues my virtue [nedivati] like the wind” (Job 30:15), people who are noble minded [nedivim] and are worthy to have redemption come through them, You scatter them like the wind. “And like a cloud, my salvation passes” (Job 30:15), people who are noble minded and are worthy to have salvation come through them, You divert them and cause them to pass like clouds, as it is stated: “How the Lord has clouded the daughter of Zion in His wrath.”
And it is written: “Like the nations that the Lord is eliminating from before you [so you will be eliminated]” (Deuteronomy 8:20). Say that just as those were with a priest and a prophet, so, too, these were with a priest and a prophet.³The elimination of the Canaanite nations began with the destruction of Jericho in a process led by priests and by Joshua, a prophet (see Joshua chapter 6). Similarly, Israel’s exile was foretold by Jeremiah, who was both a prophet and a priest (Etz Yosef). Just like those, it was with a shofar and shouting, so, too, these were with a shofar and shouting. And just as these were fourteen, as it is stated: “The Dinites, and the Afaresatekhites, the Tarpelites, the Afaresites, the Arkevites, the Babylonians, the Shushankhites, the Dehites, the Elamites, and the rest of the nations whom the great and honored Asenapar exiled” (Ezra 4:9–10),⁴The phrase “the rest of the nations” refers to an additional five nations mentioned in II Kings 17:24. These fourteen nations were exiled from their homelands and resettled in Samaria by Sennacherib of Assyria. They were all who remained of the nations that he conquered. say that these, too, were fourteen, as it is written: “On that day, his fortified cities will be like the abandoned forest and the treetop [haamir] that they abandoned” (Isaiah 17:9). What is haamir? It is as stated.⁵The midrash interprets the word haamir to mean “as stated [haamur],” meaning that the remnant will be as stated earlier in that passage: “There shall be left in it gleanings, as at the beating of an olive tree, two or three berries in the uppermost bough, four or five in the branches of the fruitful tree” (Isaiah 17:6). The verse mentions two, three, four, and five, which equal a total of fourteen. This is an expression of the fact that the remnant will be small in number (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: As it is stated in the Torah: “Like the nations that the Lord is eliminating from before you [so you will be eliminated]” (Deuteronomy 8:20). Say that just as these were with the collapse of the wall, as it is written: “The wall collapsed in its place” (Joshua 6:20), these, too, were with the collapse of the wall.⁶See Eikha Rabba, Prologue, 30, where it is asserted that during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem the wall around the city sank two and a half handbreadths per day until the enemies were able to enter the city. Just as these were with thickets [avim], as it is written: “They go into thickets [be’avim]…and into the rocks” (Jeremiah 4:29),⁷In the context of the midrash, this is referring to the destruction of other nations. However, the verse in Jeremiah is actually stated regarding the destruction of Israel. Some suggest that since it has been established that the destruction of each is parallel, this verse implies that the destruction of the nations of the world will also be in this manner (Maharzu). Some suggest that the text be emended such that the citation is from Isaiah 19:1 rather than from Jeremiah 4:29 (Etz Yosef). these, too, were with avim, “how the Lord has clouded [ya’iv]…in His wrath.”

“How the Lord has clouded [ya’iv] the daughter of Zion in His wrath.” Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: How did the Lord condemn in His wrath the daughter of Zion?⁸Rabbi Ḥama interprets the word ya’iv as to condemn rather than clouded. There are places where they call one who is liable [ḥayava], ayava. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: How did the Lord cause pain [kayev] in His wrath? There are places that call pain [keiva], eiva. The Rabbis say: How did the Lord cloud in His wrath the vision of the daughter of Zion?
“He cast the splendor of Israel from the heavens to the earth.” Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Aḥa, in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina son of Rabbi Abahu: This is analogous to a king who had a son. [The son] wept and he placed him on his knees. He wept and he placed him in his arms. He wept and he placed him on his shoulders. He made a mess upon him and he immediately cast him to the ground. His descent was not like his ascent. His ascent was in increments, but his descent was all at once. So too, “I have coddled [tirgalti]⁹This is from the root reish gimmel lamed, and is an allusion to placing the child on his knees, as the Hebrew word for leg is regel. Ephraim, taking them by their arms” (Hosea 11:3). Then, “I have elevated¹⁰This is an allusion to placing the child on his shoulders. Ephraim; Judah has plowed, Jacob has harrowed for him” (Hosea 10:11). Then, “He cast the splendor of Israel from the heavens to the earth.”
Another matter, “He cast the splendor of Israel from the heavens to the earth.” Rabbi Yehoshua ben Rabbi Naḥman said: This is analogous to residents of a province who crafted a crown for the king. They provoked him and he tolerated them. They provoked him and he tolerated them. Then the king said to them: ‘Are you not provoking me only due to the crown with which you crowned me? Here it is, thrown in your faces.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘Are you not provoking Me only due to the image of Jacob that is engraved on My throne? Here it is, thrown in your faces.’ That is: “He cast [the splendor of Israel]¹¹According to this interpretation, “the splendor of Israel” is a reference to that image of Jacob, who was also called Israel. from the heavens to the earth.”

“And did not remember His footstool [hadom raglav],” Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He does not remember that blood [hadam] that was between the legs of the elder, as it is stated: “Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised on the flesh of his foreskin” (Genesis 17:24). Rabbi Yudan said: [This is analogous] to a king who seized his enemies and killed them, and the residents of his province were dipping their feet in the blood of his enemies. One time, they provoked him and he expelled them from his palace. They said: ‘The king does not remember to our credit that blood in which we dipped our feet, the blood of his enemies.’ So too, Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘You do not remember to our credit that blood that was in Egypt, as it is stated: “You shall take from the blood and you shall place it on the doorposts and on the lintel”’ (Exodus 12:7).
Alternatively, “and did not remember His footstool,” footstool is nothing other than the Temple. That is what is written: “Exalt the Lord our God and prostrate yourselves to His footstool; He is holy” (Psalms 99:5). “On the day of His wrath,” Rabbi Aḥa said: The wrath of the Holy One blessed be He was one day. Had Israel repented, they would have moderated it.
“He called in my ears with a loud voice, saying: Those appointed over the city, approach, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand” (Ezekiel 9:1). Until when is the sin of the calf in existence?¹²Until when will Israel be punished for the sin of the Golden Calf? Rabbi Berekhya, and some say Rabbi Neḥemya ben Elazar, [said]: Until the calves of Yerovam ben Nevat.¹³Until Yerovam constructed his calves (see I Kings 12:28). That is what is written: “When I will heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim and the evildoing of Samaria will be revealed” (Hosea 7:1). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I came to heal Israel of the sin of the calf, and the evils of Samaria were revealed.’ Rabbi Yishmael bar Naḥmani said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Until the destruction of the Temple, as it is written: “Those appointed over the city [pekudot] approach, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand” (Ezekiel 9:1), and it is written: “And on the day of My reckoning, I will reckon [pakadti] their sin upon them” (Exodus 32:34).
It is written: “And behold, six men were coming from the way of the Upper Gate, which faces northward, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand, and one man in their midst was clad in linen, with a scribe's inkwell at his waist. They came and they stood beside the bronze altar” (Ezekiel 9:2). It says six here, but were there not five decrees? As it is written: “And to those He said in my earshot: Pass through the city behind him and smite; let your eye not pity and do not have compassion” (Ezekiel 9:5). And it is written: “Slay utterly the elderly, the youth, the young woman and the child, and the women” (Ezekiel 9:6).¹⁴The men referred to in Ezekiel 9:2 are angels of destruction, yet there are only five groups of people mentioned in the verse as slated for destruction, so five angels should have sufficed. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He spoke to the most severe angel in their midst, this is Gavriel, as it is stated: “And one man in their midst was clad in linen, with a scribe's inkwell at his waist” (Ezekiel 9:2).¹⁵This angel was one of the six, but it did not actually carry out the destruction.
That angel served in three capacities: Scribe, executioner, and a High Priest. A scribe as it is written: “With a scribe's inkwell at his waist.” An executioner, as it is stated: “He destroyed them, delivered them to slaughter.” (Isaiah 34:2).¹⁶The verse ascribes this destruction and slaughter to “rage [ketzef],” which is identified as Gavriel (see Shabbat 55a). This destruction took place at a different time than that described in Ezekiel chap. 9. High Priest, as it is stated: “And one man in their midst was clad in linen,” and it is written regarding a priest: “He shall don a sacred linen tunic” (Leviticus 16:4).
“Each with his weapon of destruction [mapatzo] in his hand” (Ezekiel 9:1), his weapons, his razing equipment, and his equipment for causing exile. His weapons, “each with his weapon of destruction in his hand,” his razing equipment, “As he renders all the altar stones like shattered limestone” (Isaiah 27:9), his equipment for causing exile, as it is written: “You are a weapon of destruction [mapetz]¹⁷This word is related to the word lehafitz, which connotes scattering and dispersal. for Me, weapons of war” (Jeremiah 51:20).
And it is written: “They came and they stood beside the bronze altar” (Ezekiel 9:2). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Until the place of its boundary.¹⁸The altar in the courtyard of the Temple was stone, not bronze (see Shabbat 55a and Rashi ad loc.), but it served the same functions as the bronze altar in the courtyard of the Tabernacle. One of its functions was to serve as a boundary beyond which non-priests were not permitted to go. The angels described in this verse were also not permitted to go past this demarcation point. The Rabbis say: They stand and call attention the sins of Aḥaz, in whose regard it is written: “The bronze altar will be for me to visit” (II Kings 16:15). What is to visit [levaker]? Rabbi Pinḥas said: He disqualified it and rendered it blemished,¹⁹It was as though all the animals sacrificed on it were blemished. just as it says: “The priest shall not deem impure [yevaker]” (Leviticus 13:36). “The Lord said to him [elav]: Pass through the midst of the city…Jerusalem” (Ezekiel 9:4). Elo is written.²⁰The word elav is written without a yod, such that it can be read elo, which means his powerful one. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: to the most severe angel among them, .
“You shall set a mark [tav] [upon the foreheads of the men…]” (Ezekiel 9:4). Rav Naḥman said: These are the people who fulfilled the Torah from alef through tav.²¹The tav was made on the foreheads of the righteous. The Rabbis say: [It connoted] disintegration and dissolution.²²The tav was made on the heads of the wicked. Rav said: A tav was placed because it connotes either side: Desolation, desolation [tihi] and live, live [teḥi].²³A tav was marked on the foreheads of both the righteous and the wicked, but it connoted different things for different people. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: The merit of their ancestors has concluded [tama].
Rabbi Hoshaya sent [a message] to Rabbi Simon, saying: ‘Since you are situated in the household of the Exilarch, why do you not rebuke them?’ He said to him: ‘If only we may be among those of whom it is written, “[the men] that sigh and that cry [for all the abominations that are done in its midst”’ (Ezekiel 9:4).²⁴It is enough for us to be pained at the sin of others, even if we do not rebuke them, and then we will be like those mentioned in the verse in Ezekiel, who were marked for life while the sinners were marked for death. He said to him: ‘But was it not from them that the calamity began? As it is written: “And to those He said in my earshot: [Pass through the city behind him and smite; let your eye not pity and do not have compassion]”’ (Ezekiel 9:5).
Rabbi Elazar said: The Holy One blessed be He never associates His name with evil, but rather with good. That is what is written [in this verse]. And to those God said in my earshot is not written here, but rather: “And to those He said in my earshot: Pass through the city behind him and smite; let your eye not pity and do not have compassion.”²⁵The verse uses the pronoun rather than explicitly mentioning God so that His name not be directly associated with destruction. “The elderly, the youth and the maiden, the children and the women you shall kill for destruction, but do not approach any man upon whom is the sign; begin from My Temple” (Ezekiel 9:6). How is it so?²⁶The verse states that the angels were not to kill any man with a sign, indicating that the righteous would be spared, but then states that the destruction was to begin at the Temple, where there were presumably righteous individuals. At that moment, prosecution sprung before the Throne of Glory. It said before Him: ‘Master of the universe: Which of them was killed for the sake of Your name? Which of them had his brain pierced for the sake of Your name? Which of them gave his life for the sake of Your name?’²⁷The heavenly prosecutor argued that the people had not suffered in God’s name and therefore were not really righteous. He said: ‘They do not warrant a writ of condemnation.’ Rabbi Aivu said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Let My Temple be destroyed but let no hand touch the righteous.’²⁸The righteous were to be spared but the Temple itself was to be destroyed . Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: It and they warrant a writ of condemnation.²⁹According to this view, God accepted the argument of the prosecutor and ruled that both the Temple and the righteous would be destroyed.
Rabbi Tanḥuma and Rabbi Abba [said] in the name of Rabbi Abba:³⁰The reference is to two different scholars by the name of Rabbi Abba. The Holy One blessed be He never said a positive statement and recanted, but here He recanted. That is what is written: “Begin with My Temple” (Ezekiel 9:6). Do not read it as My Temple [mikdashi], but rather as My holy ones [mekudashai]: “Begin with My holy ones.” Immediately, what is written: “It was as they were smiting, and I remained and I fell upon my face, and I cried out and said: Alas, Lord God, are You destroying the entire remnant of Israel?” (Ezekiel 9:8). “Remnant” is nothing other than the righteous; therefore he comes and says: “The Lord demolished and had no compassion.”

“I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His fury” (Lamentations 3:1).
“I am the man” – Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina began: “Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Barukh son of Neriyahu, the scribe, and he wrote on it from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book that Yehoyakim, king of Judah, had burned in the fire, and many more similar matters were also added to them” (Jeremiah 36:32). The verse need not have stated “similar.” Why does the verse state “similar”? Rav Kahana said: “Many more similar matters were also added to them”: “Matters” – “how does [the greatly crowded city] sit” (Lamentations 1:1), “how [the Lord] has clouded” (Lamentations 2:1), “how has [gold] tarnished” (Lamentations 4:1).¹Rav Kahana interprets “matters” to allude to chapters 1, 2, and 4 of Lamentations. “Many” – “remember, Lord” (Lamentations 5:1).²The word “many” alludes to chapter 5 of Lamentations. “Similar” – “I am the man,” which is three verses each.³In the third chapter of Lamentations there are three verses for each letter of the alphabet. That is what is written: “Did I not write it for you three times [shalishim]” (Proverbs 22:20) – words [organized] in a threefold manner. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: What is shalishim? It is mighty men, just as it says: “And shalishim over them all” (Exodus 14:7), and we translate it: “And mighty men were appointed over them all.”⁴The midrash is referencing Onkelos, an ancient Aramaic translation of the Torah. Alternatively: Shalishim – “I am the man” – as it is three verses each.
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “I am the man” – it is I who is well versed in suffering, what is pleasing to You is pleasing for me.⁵This statement is an acceptance of God’s judgment despite being unable to understand the need for such intense suffering (Matnot Kehuna). Others explain differently such that this statement introduces the upcoming analogy, and interpret this line to mean: I have received benefit by having benefited You by accepting Your Torah. Accordingly, this line is bitter and sarcastic, as the speaker complains that the great suffering is due only to Israel’s acceptance of the Torah, which brought them a higher level of accountability than other nations (Etz Yosef). This is analogous to a king who became angry at the queen and shoved her and expelled her from the palace. She went and concealed her face behind a pillar.⁶She hoped to catch a glimpse of the king as he passed. The king was passing and saw her. He said to her: ‘You have been impudent.’ She said to him: ‘My lord the king, is this [treatment] appropriate for me, is this becoming for me, is this befitting of me? No woman accepted you other than me.’ He said to her: ‘It was I who disqualified all the women in favor of you.’ She said to him: ‘If so, why did you enter such and such alleyway, such and such courtyard, and such and such place? Was it not for such and such a woman, and she did not accept you?’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘You have been impudent.’ They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, is this appropriate for me, is this becoming for me, is this befitting of me? No other nation accepted Your Torah other than me.’ He said to them: ‘It is I who disqualified all the nations in favor of you.’ They said to Him: ‘If so, why did You offer the Torah to all the nations but they did not accept it?’ As it is taught: Initially, He revealed himself to the children of Esau; that is what is written: “He said: The Lord came from Sinai, and shone from Seir for them” (Deuteronomy 33:2),⁷Seir is the land of Esau; see Genesis 36:8. but they did not accept it. He offered it to the children of Ishmael, but they did not accept it; that is what is written: “He appeared from Mount Paran” (Deuteronomy 33:2).⁸Ishmael dwelled in Paran; see Genesis 21:21. Ultimately, He offered it to Israel and they accepted it, as it is written: “And He came from the holy myriads, from His right, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2), and it is written: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).
Another matter: “I am the man [hagever]” – Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It is I who is the man. I am Job, as it is stated: “Who is a man [gever] like Job, who drinks scoffing like water” (Job 34:7).
“Who has seen affliction [ani]” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The congregation of Israel said: Since He saw me impoverished of mitzvot, impoverished of good deeds, He brought “the rod of His fury” upon me. Rabbi Berekhya said: He fortified me to withstand them all. What do you find written after the ninety-eight rebukes in the book of Deuteronomy?⁹See Deuteronomy 28:15–69. “You are standing today, all of you” (Deuteronomy 29:9), and we translate it: “You exist this day, all of you,” mighty to withstand them all.
“He conducted and led me in darkness and not light. Indeed, against me He will again turn His hand all day” (Lamentations 3:2–3).
“He conducted [and led] me” in this world, which is called “darkness and not light.” “Indeed, against me He will again turn His hand all day” – Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: This teaches that the Holy One blessed be He despairs of the righteous in this world, but then has mercy on them. That is what is written: “Indeed, against me He will again [turn His hand].”

Four classes of ministering angels minister and utter praise before the Holy One, blessed be He: the first camp (led by) Michael on His right, the second camp (led by) Gabriel on His left, the third camp || (led by) Uriel before Him, and the fourth camp (led by) Raphael behind Him; and the Shekhinah of the Holy One, blessed be He, is in the centre. He is sitting on a throne high and exalted. His throne is high and suspended above in the air. The appearance of His Glory is like the colour of amber. And the adornment of a crown is on His head, and the Ineffable Name is upon His forehead. One half (of His glory) is fire the other half is hail, at His right hand is life and at His left is death. He has a sceptre of fire in His hand and a veil is spread before Him, and His eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth, and the seven angels, which were created first, minister before Him within the veil, and this (veil) is called Pargod. His footstool is like fire and hail. Fire is flashing continually around His throne, righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne. And the likeness of His throne is like a sapphire throne with four legs, and the four holy Chajjôth are fixed to each leg, each one has four faces and each one has four wings, as it is said, "And every one had four faces and four wings" (Ezek. 1:6), and these (Chajjôth) are the Cherubim.

Our sages of blessed memory said: “Observe that the way of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not the way of man.” It is not man’s way to heal with what he wounds. If he wounds with a knife, he heals with a plaster, but the Holy One, blessed be He, heals with what He wounds. When He smote Job, He did so with a tempest, as it said: And multiply my wounds without cause (Job 9:17), and when He healed him He did so with a whirlwind, as it is said: Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind (ibid. 38:1). When He sent Israel into exile, He did so with clouds, as is said: How hath the Lord covered with a cloud (Lam. 2:1), and when He brought them back, He did so with a cloud, as it is said: Who are these that fly as a cloud? (Isa. 60:8). When He dispersed them, He scattered them like doves, as it is said: But they that shall at all escape of them, shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning (Ezek. 7:16). When He gathered them together, He did so as doves: As the doves to their cotes (Isa. 60:8). When He blesses them, He does so only while “looking forth,” as it is said: Look forth from Thy holy habitation (Deut. 26:15), and when He exacts retribution from their enemies, He does so while “looking forth,” as it is said: And it came to pass on the morning watch that the Lord looked forth through the pillar of fire and of cloud (Exod. 14:24). When the pillar of cloud descended it turned (the water) into mud, and the pillar of fire scalded them. The hoofs of their horses became entangled (and they fell), causing the horses to fall upon the mares that were beneath. Thus it says: Then did the horses’ hoofs stamp by reason of their prancings, the prancings of the mighty ones (Judg. 5:22). He confused and befuddled them. He took away their reasoning power, and they did not know what to do.

(Ibid. 24) "And it was in the morning watch": We find that the prayers of the righteous are heard in the morning. The "morning" of Abraham — (Genesis 22:3) "And Abraham rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Isaac — (Ibid. 9) "and both of them went together, etc." — and both had risen early in the morning. The "morning" of Jacob — (Ibid. 28:18) "and Jacob rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Moses — Exodus 34:4) "and Moses rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Joshua — (Joshua 3:1) "And Joshua rose early in the morning and they journeyed from Shittim, etc." The "morning" of Samuel — (I Samuel 15:12) "and Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, etc." The "mornings" of the prophets that were destined to arise (for Israel) — (Psalms 5:4) "O L rd, in the morning shall You hear my voice; in the morning will I order (my prayer) before You, and I will hope." The "morning" of the world to come — |(Eichah 3:23) "New every morning; great is Your faith." And thus do you find that the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to exact punishment of the wicked in the world to come only in the mornings" — (Psalms 101:8) "In the mornings I will cut off all the wicked of the land to cut off from the city of the L rd all the workers of iniquity." Also Jerusalem, in time to come, every morning her judgment will come to light, viz. (Tzefaniah 3:5) "The L rd is righteous in its midst. He will do no wrong. Every morning He will bring His judgment to light. It will not fail. But the churl will not know shame." (Exodus 14:24) "And it was in the morning watch": This occurred at dawn. "and the L rd looked to the camp of Egypt with a pillar of fire and cloud, etc.": The Holy One Blessed be He heals all who enter the world, viz. (Exodus 15:26) "for I am the L rd who heals you", (Jeremiah 17:14) "Heal me, O L rd, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved.", (Ibid. 3:22) "Return, wayward sons; I will heal your waywardness." Come and see that the healing of the Holy One Blessed be He is not like the healing of flesh and blood. The healing of flesh and blood — With what he smites, he does not heal. He smites with a knife and heals with a plaster. Not so the Holy One Blessed be He. With what He smites, He heals. When He smote Iyyov, He smote him with a tempest, viz. (Iyyov 9:11) "He struck me with a tempest and multiplied my wounds in vain." When He healed him, He healed him with a tempest, viz. (Ibid. 38:1) "And the L rd answered Iyyov from the tempest." He answered him from the tempest and He healed him. And when the Holy One Blessed be He exiled Israel, He did so with clouds, viz. (Eichah 2:1) "How the L rd has beclouded in His wrath the daughter of Zion." And when He gathers them in, He does so with clouds, viz. (Isaiah 60:8) "Who are those who fly like a cloud, like doves to their dove-cotes?" When He scatters them, He scatters them like doves, viz. (Ezekiel 7:16) "And their fugitives will flee. They will be in the mountains, all of them moaning like the doves of the valleys, each man in his sin." And when He returns them, He returns them like doves, viz.: "like doves to their dove-cotes." When He blesses Israel, He blesses them with looking, viz. (Devarim 26:15) "Look down from Your holy abode, from the heavens, and bless Your people, Israel." And when He exacted punishment of Egypt, He did so with "looking," viz. "and the L rd looked to the camp of Egypt with a pillar of fire and cloud, and He confounded the camp of Egypt, etc." The pillar of cloud descended and made the sea-bed clay, and the pillar of fire made it so hot that the horses' hooves fell off. "and He confounded the camp of Egypt": He confounded them, He mixed them up, He removed their ensigns and they did not know what they were doing. Variantly: "Confounding" is plague, viz. (Devarim 7:23) "And He will confound them with a great confusion until they are destroyed."

... The angels said before the Holy One, ‘Master of the World! Isn’t this Jerusalem?!’ as it is said “This is Jerusalem; in the midst of the nations I have placed her…” (Yechezkel 5:5) He replied to them, “But she exchanged My judgments for wickedness more than the nations…” (Yechezkel 5:6) They said to Him, “But they are Your people and Your inheritance, which You brought out with Your great strength…” (Devarim 9:29) He replied to them, “For My people have forgotten Me; they burn incense to vanity…” (Yirmiyahu 18:15) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the forefathers!’ He replied to them, “…the fathers are kindling fire…” (Yirmiyahu 7:18) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the children!’ He replied to them, “But they rebelled against Me and would not consent to hearken to Me…” (Yechezkel 20:8) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribe of Yehudah!’ “And Judah did what displeased the Lord…” (Melachim I 14:22) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the leaders!’ He replied to them, “Its heads judge for bribes…” (Micha 3:11) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribes!’ He replied to them, ‘and Gad, and Reuven and the half tribe of Menashe…’ They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the tribe of Dan!’ He replied to them, “And the children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image.” (Shoftim 18:30) They said to Him,’ act for the sake of the students!’ He replied to them, “…And those who hold onto the Torah did not know Me…” (Yirmiyahu 2:8) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the prophets!’ He replied to them, “[It was] for the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests…” (Eicha 4:13) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of the kings!’ He replied to them, “And the altars that were on the roof, [the roof of] Ahaz's upper chamber, which the kings of Judah had made…” (Melachim II 23:12) The ministering angels said to Him, ‘act for our sake!’ He replied to them, “But they mocked the messengers of God…” (Divre HaYamim II 36:16) They said to Him, ‘act for the sake of Your name which is called upon them!’ He replied to them, ‘they have profaned My holy name.’ They said to Him, ‘You do not want to be appeased, what is the image of their father doing by You?’ “He has cast down from heaven to earth the glory of Israel…” (Eicha 2:1) This statement with which they clothed You, what has it done to You?! If the thing were not written, it would be impossible to say “The Lord has done what He devised, He has carried out His word…” (Eicha 2:17) They said to Him, ‘Master of the World! Is this not Jerusalem about whom you wrote “Behold on [My] hands have I engraved you…”’ (Yeshayahu 49:16) He replied to them, “I, too, shall clap My hands, one upon the other, and I shall put My fury to rest…” (Yechezkel 21:22) Since Zion saw that He did not want to be appeased, she started up and said “The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me." (Yeshayahu 49:14) May it be Your will Lord our God and God of our fathers that Your Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days, that your Presence return within it, that You gather my exiles from the four corners of the world, that they rebuild the cities of Yehudah and settle Shechem and inherit it speedily. Amen.

Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina began: “Jeremiah took another scroll [and gave it to Barukh, son of Neriyahu, the scribe, and he wrote on it from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the scroll¹¹⁴This scroll is the first chapter of Lamentations. that Yehoyakim king of Judah burned in the fire, and many matters like them were also added to them]” (Jeremiah 36:32). Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina and the Rabbis: Rabbi Ḥama said: “Were also added to them” – this is: “How [the Lord] has clouded” (Lamentations 2:1). “Matters” – this is: “How can…tarnish” (Lamentations 4:1). “Many” – this is: “I am the man” (Lamentations 3:1). “Like them” – this is: “Remember, Lord” (Lamentations 5:1). The Rabbis say: “Were also added to them” – this is: “How the Lord has clouded” (Lamentations 2:1). “Matters” – this is: “How can…tarnish” (Lamentations 4:1). “Many” – this is: “Remember, Lord” (Lamentations 5:1). “Like them” – this is: “I am the man” (Lamentations 3:1), as it is a triple alphabetical acrostic.¹¹⁵Its triple alphabetical acrostic is “like them,” like the other three alphabetical acrostics combined.

When Israel went out of Egypt, Moses said ‘and in the wilderness, where you saw how God your God carried you, as a man carries his son’(Deuteronomy 1:31); and when they went out of Jerusalem, Jeremiah said ‘He has cast down from heaven to earth the majesty of Israel.’ (Lamentations 2:1)