Мидраш к Эйха 4:2

“How has gold tarnished, the fine gold changed? The sacred stones are spilled at the head of every street” (Lamentations 4:1).
“How has gold tarnished [yuam]?” Rabbi Shmuel said: How has the gold been concealed?¹The midrash interprets the verse as referring to gold that is unrecognizable because it is covered by a layer of grime. This is an analogy to Israel, which at its core remains pure and holy, even though this purity is not always evident due to the travails of exile (Rabbi David Luria). Just as it says: “No mystery can be concealed from you [amamukha]” (Ezekiel 28:3). The Rabbis say: How has gold changed? Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: How did the gold dim [ama]? That is what is written: “How does gold tarnish [yuam]?” As Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “Coals” (Leviticus 16:12), could they be dim [omemot]? The verse states: “Fire” (Leviticus 16:12).²The verse states, regarding the service of the High Priest on Yom Kippur: “He shall take a fire-pan full of coals of fire” (Leviticus 16:12). If fire, is it, perhaps, a flame? The verse states: “Coals.” How so? He brings from these smoldering ones.
“The sacred stones are spilled.” When the Torah scholars would go out to earn their living, they would read in their regard: “The sacred stones are spilled.”³Torah scholars had to abandon their studies in order to earn a livelihood or to collect charity (see Matnot Kehuna; Maharzu). Other scholars would apply this verse to them.
Another matter, it is referring to [the death of] Josiah: “How has gold tarnished,” because he was like a golden ornament. “The fine gold changed,” as his body was like a gem and diamonds. “The sacred stones are spilled,” these are two quarter log of blood that Jeremiah was taking and burying. That is what is written: “He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors” (II Chronicles 35:24). In how many tombs was he buried that you say “in the tombs of his ancestors”? Rather, these are the two quarter log of blood Jeremiah was taking and burying.⁴The midrash asserts that Jeremiah buried Josiah’s blood in multiple locations. Josiah’s blood spilled when his body was pierced repeatedly by enemy arrows, and therefore the midrash finds allusion to Josiah in the phrase “the sacred stones are spilled.”
Another matter, it is referring to the people of Jerusalem, who were like a golden ornament and their bodies like gems and diamonds. If a person will say to you: ‘The verse is not referring to the people of Jerusalem, say to him: It is already written: <“The [precious] sons of Zion” (Lamentations 4:2)>.

“The precious sons of Zion, who were valued in gold, how are they considered earthenware jugs, the handiwork of the hands of the potter?” (Lamentations 4:2).
“The precious sons of Zion,” in what way was their preciousness manifest? A resident of a [different] town who would marry a Jerusalemite woman would give her her weight in gold. Likewise, a Jerusalemite man who married a woman from a [different] town, they would give him his weight in gold.
Another matter, in what way was their preciousness manifest? When one of them would marry a woman of more elevated status than he was, he would spend more to prepare tables for the wedding feast than he would for the household expenses; [if she was] of inferior status than he was, he would spend more on household expenses than he would on tables for the wedding feast.⁵The groom would spend money on the wedding feast in accordance with his bride’s honor rather than his own, so that he sufficiently honor her when she was of elevated status, but not accentuate his own honor when he was of superior status. This was an expression of the groom’s refined character.
Another matter, in what way was their preciousness manifest? None of them would attend a feast until he was invited twice.⁶This was in case the messenger had mistakenly delivered the invitation to him instead of someone else, as in the incident with Kamtza and bar Kamtza, which the midrash will now relate (Matnot Kehuna).

There was an incident involving a certain man in Jerusalem, who made a feast. He said to a member of his household: ‘Go and bring me my friend, Kamtza.’ He went and brought his enemy, bar Kamtza. He entered and sat among the guests. [The host] entered and found him among those invited to the feast. He said to him: ‘You are my enemy, and you are sitting in my house? Get up and leave my house.’ He said to him: ‘Do not shame me, and I will give you the cost of my meal.’ He said to him: ‘You will not recline [at the feast].’ He said to him: ‘Do not shame me and I will sit, but I will not eat and I will not drink.’ He said to him: ‘You will not recline [at the feast].’ He said to him: ‘Do not shame me and I will give the cost of this entire feast.’ He said to him: ‘Get up [ and leave].’
Rabbi Zekharya ben Avkulas was there and it was within his ability to protest, but he did not protest. Immediately, [bar Kamtza] left. He said to himself: ‘These who are reclining at the feast are sitting in serenity; I will slander them.’⁷This was out of vengeance for the fact that the other guests sat by serenely while bar Kamtza was being humiliated. What did he do? He went to the ruler and said to him: ‘Those offerings that you send to the Jews for them to sacrifice, they eat them and sacrifice others in their stead.’ [The ruler] reprimanded him. He went to him again and said to him: ‘All those offerings that you send to the Jews for them to sacrifice, they eat them and sacrifice others in their stead. If you do not believe me, send with me one official and offerings, and you will immediately know that I am not a liar.’ While they were traveling on the way, the official fell asleep. [Bar Kamtza] arose during the night and rendered them all blemished animals in a discreet manner.⁸To the Roman eye they would appear unblemished, but according to the laws in the Temple, they would be found blemished and unfit for sacrifice. When the priest saw them, he sacrificed others in their stead. The emissary of the king said: ‘Why did you not sacrifice these offerings?’ He said to him: ‘[I will sacrifice them] tomorrow.’ The third day arrived and he did not sacrifice them. He sent and said to the ruler: ‘The matter that the Jew said, he spoke the truth.’ Immediately, [the ruler] ascended to the Temple and destroyed it. That is what the people say: ‘Because of the differences between Kamtza and bar Kamtza the Temple was destroyed.’ Rabbi Yosei said: ‘The humility of Rabbi Zekharya ben Avkulas burned the Sanctuary.’⁹Had Rabbi Zekharya been more forceful and expressed aloud his disapproval of the host’s treatment of bar Kamtza, the Temple would not have been destroyed.
Alternatively, in what way was their preciousness manifest? Not one of them would bear a child missing a limb or blemished.