ייִדישער מחשבֿה אויף ירמיהו 1:13

Although we have stipulated that both Heaven and earth are essential in the scheme of creation, this does not mean that they are of equal value and importance. Just as a scaffold is essential in the construction of a house, but cannot be considered as of equal value and importance to the house, so the physical universe only facilitates man's ascent to the spiritual universe. Likewise, the task of the Jewish nation is to engage only in those activities of a mundane nature that further achievement of its ultimate destiny. Making worldly matter primary, and spiritual matters secondary, or making worldly matters into an end to themselves, will not lead to the achievement of Israel's purpose in taking possession of the holy land. Apportioning Eretz Yisrael by lottery assures a fair distribution of worldly goods. When one prepares food, the ingredients as well as the correct amount of each ingredient is essential to the production of a pleasing dish. Israel's society failed to preserve this social justice, therefore even the efforts of spiritually minded people could not but result in an abhorrent dish. This, more or less is the meaning of the hyperbole employed by Ezekiel 24, 1-15.

You must further know that the prophets see things shown to them allegorically, such as the candlesticks, horses, and mountains of Zechariah (Zech. 4:2; 6:1-7), the scroll of Ezekiel (Ezek. 2:9), the wall made by a plumb-line (Amos 7:7), which Amos saw, the animals of Daniel (Dan. vii. and viii.), the seething pot of Jeremiah (Jer. 1:13), and similar allegorical objects shown to represent certain ideas. The prophets, however, are also shown things which do not illustrate the object of the vision, but indicate it by their name through its etymology or homonymity. Thus the imaginative faculty forms the image of a thing, the name of which has two meanings, one of which denotes something different [from the image]. This is likewise a kind of allegory. Comp. Makkal shaked, “almond staff,” of Jeremiah (i. 11-12). It was intended to indicate by the second meaning of shaked the prophecy, “For I will watch” (shoked), etc., which has no relation whatever to the staff or to almonds. The same is the case with the kelub. kayiẓ, “a basket of summer fruit,” seen by Amos, by which the completion of a certain period was indicated, “the end (ha-ḳeẓ) having come” (Amos 8:2).