איכה רבה ה׳Eichah Rabbah 5

Chapter 5 of 5 in Eichah Rabbah — 22 sections

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Section 1א׳

זְכֹר ה' מֶה הָיָה לָנוּ, רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (משלי ל, לא): זַרְזִיר מָתְנַיִם אוֹ תָיִשׁ, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אָדָם מְגַדֵּל שְׁנֵי זַרְזָרִין בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, אֶחָד גָּדוֹל וְאֶחָד קָטָן, כּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת הַגָּדוֹל לִפְנֵי הַקָּטָן בִּשְׁבִיל לָחוּס עַל מָמוֹנוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הִכְתַּבְתָּ לָנוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ (דברים כה, יז): זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְךָ עֲמָלֵק, לִי עָשָׂה וּלְךָ לֹא עָשָׂה, לֹא הֶחֱרִיב אֶת מִקְדָּשְׁךָ. רַבָּנָן אָמְרִין אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָנוּ שֶׁלְּךָ וְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁלְּךָ, מִפְּנֵי מָה אֵין אַתָּה חָס עַל אֻמָּתְךָ. וּמֶלֶךְ אַלְקוּם עִמּוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שִׁכְחָה מְצוּיָה בָּנוּ אֲבָל אֵין שִׁכְחָה מְצוּיָה בְּךָ, וְאֵין שִׁכְחָה לְפָנֶיךָ, לְפִיכָךְ אַתְּ זְכֹר (תהלים קלז, ז): זְכֹר ה' לִבְנֵי אֱדוֹם אֵת יוֹם יְרוּשָׁלָיִם הָאֹמְרִים עָרוּ עָרוּ עַד הַיְסוֹד בָּהּ, רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אָמַר פַּגְּרוּ פַּגְּרוּ, וְרַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר פַּנּוּן פַּנּוּן. מַאן דְּאָמַר פַּגְרוּ פַּגְרוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ירמיה נא, נח): חֹמוֹת בָּבֶל הָרְחָבָה עַרְעֵר תִּתְעַרְעַר. מַאן דְּאָמַר פַּנּוּן פַּנּוּן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: עַד הַיְסוֹד בָּהּ, אֲפִלּוּ יְסוֹדוֹתֶיהָ מָטוּן. הַבִּיטָה וּרְאֵה אֶת חֶרְפָּתֵנוּ, רַבִּי יוּדָן אָמַר הַבָּטָה מִקָּרוֹב וּרְאִיָּה מֵרָחוֹק, הַבָּטָה מִקָּרוֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א יט, ו): וַיַּבֵּט וְהִנֵּה מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו עֻגַת רְצָפִים. וּרְאִיָּה מֵרָחוֹק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כב, ד): וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחֹק. רַבִּי פִּנְחָס אוֹמֵר הַבָּטָה מֵרָחוֹק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים פ, טו): הַבֵּט מִשָּׁמַיִם וּרְאֵה. וּרְאִיָּה מִקָּרוֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית לב, כה): וַיַּרְא כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף יְרֵכוֹ.

“Remember, Lord, what befell us; look, and see our disgrace” (Lamentations 5:1). “Remember, Lord, what befell us.” Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “The greyhound, or the goat” (Proverbs 30:31). The way of the world is that if a person raises two greyhounds in his house, one large and one small, he restrains the large one before the small one in order to spare his property. Rabbi Berekhya said: Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, You wrote for us in the Torah: “Remember what Amalek did to you” (Deuteronomy 25:17). He did to us, but did not do to You? Did he not destroy Your Temple?’ The Rabbis say: Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘We are Yours and the nations of the world are Yours; why do You not have mercy upon Your nation?’ “And the king, against whom no one rises” (Proverbs 30:31). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘We are subject to forgetfulness but You are not subject to forgetfulness. There is no forgetfulness before You; therefore, “remember….”’ “Remember, Lord, the day of Jerusalem for the sons of Edom, who said: Tear her down, tear her down [aru aru], to her foundation” (Psalms 137:7). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Destroy, destroy. Rabbi Levi said: Empty, empty. The one who said: Destroy, destroy, that is what is written: “The broad walls of Babylon will be destroyed [arer titarar]” (Jeremiah 51:58). According to the one who said: Empty empty, that is what is written: “To her foundation,” they reached even her foundations. “Look, and see our disgrace.” Rabbi Yudan said: Looking is from near and seeing is from afar. Looking is from near, as it is stated: “He looked and, behold, there was beside his head a cake baked on coals” (I Kings 19:6). Seeing is from afar, as it is stated: “He saw the place from afar” (Genesis 22:4). Rabbi Pinḥas said: Looking is from afar, as it is stated: “Look from Heaven and see” (Psalms 80:15). Seeing is from near, as it is stated: “He saw that he could not overcome him and he touched his hip socket” (Genesis 32:26).

Section 2ב׳

נַחֲלָתֵנוּ נֶהֶפְכָה לְזָרִים, בְּאֵיזוֹ הֲפֵכָה (דברים כט, כב): כְּמַהְפֵּכַת סְדֹם. יִרְמְיָה קוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ נַחֲלָתֵנוּ, יְשַׁעְיָה קוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ (ישעיה סד, י): בֵּית קָדְשֵׁנוּ וְתִפְאַרְתֵּנוּ. בָּא אָסָף וְאָמַר לֹא נַחֲלָתֵנוּ הִיא וְלֹא בֵּית קָדְשֵׁנוּ וְתִפְאַרְתֵּנוּ הִיא, אֶלָּא בָּאוּ גּוֹיִם לְתוֹךְ שֶׁלָּךְ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים עט, א): אֱלֹהִים בָּאוּ גוֹיִם בְּנַחֲלָתֶךָ טִמְאוּ אֶת הֵיכַל קָדְשֶׁךָ שָׂמוּ אֶת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם לְעִיִּים.

“Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners” (Lamentations 5:2). “Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers.” What type of turning? It is “like the overturning of Sodom” (Deuteronomy 29:22). Jeremiah calls it “our inheritance.” Isaiah calls it “the House of our holiness and splendor” (Isaiah 64:10). Asaf came and said: It is not “our inheritance” and it is not “the House of our holiness and splendor,” but rather, nations entered what is Yours. That is what is written: “God, nations have invaded Your inheritance; they have impurified Your holy Temple, rendered Jerusalem ruins” (Psalms 79:1).

Section 3ג׳

יְתוֹמִים הָיִינוּ וְאֵין אָב, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אַתֶּם בְּכִיתֶם וַאֲמַרְתֶּם לְפָנַי יְתוֹמִים הָיִינוּ וְאֵין אָב, חַיֵּיכֶם אַף הַגּוֹאֵל שֶׁאֲנִי עָתִיד לְהַעֲמִיד מִכֶּם בְּמָדַי לֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ אָב וָאֵם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (אסתר ב, ז): וַיְהִי אֹמֵן אֶת הֲדַסָּה הִיא אֶסְתֵּר בַּת דֹּדוֹ כִּי אֵין לָהּ אָב וָאֵם.

“We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows” (Lamentations 5:3). “We have become orphans, fatherless.” Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘You wept and said before Me: “We have become orphans, fatherless.” As you live, the redeemer that I am destined to establish for you in Media will not have a father and mother.’ That is what is written: “He was raising Hadasa, she is Esther his uncle’s daughter, because she had no father or mother” (Esther 2:7).

Section 4ד׳

מֵימֵינוּ בְּכֶסֶף שָׁתִינוּ, פַּעַם אַחַת עָלוּ הַמְּצִיקִים וְנָטְלוּ פִּתָּן וְיֵינָן וְשַׁמְנָן וּמֵימֵיהֶן, חָזְרוּ וּמָכְרוּ אוֹתָם לָהֶם, אָמְרוּ אוֹי לָנוּ שֶׁנִּתְקַיֵּם בָּנוּ הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה: מֵימֵינוּ בְּכֶסֶף שָׁתִינוּ עֵצֵינוּ בִּמְחִיר יָבֹאוּ.

“Our water we drank for money; our wood comes at a price” (Lamentations 5:4). “Our water we drank for money.” One time, the tormentors entered and took their bread, their wine, their oil, and their water. They then sold it to them. They said: ‘Woe to us that this verse has been realized in our regard: “Our water we drank for money; our wood comes at a price.”’

Section 5ה׳

עַל צַוָּארֵנוּ נִרְדָּפְנוּ, אַדְרִיָּאנוּס שְׁחִיק עֲצָמוֹת פַּקֵּיד וַאֲמַר אִי דַּאֲתֵינַן מַשְׁכַּחְנַן שַׂעֲרָא בִּיהוּדָאֵי אֲרִימוּן רֵאשֵׁיהּ מִינֵּיהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: עַל צַוָּארֵנוּ נִרְדָּפְנוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, עַל צַוָּארֵנוּ נִרְדָּפְנוּ, עַל שֶׁבָּגַדְנוּ בְּצַוָּארֵנוּ בְּיוֹם צָרָה. יָגַעְנוּ וְלֹא הוּנַּח לָנוּ, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר שְׁחִיק עֲצָמוֹת צִוָּה לִנְבוּזַרְאֲדָן וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ אֱלָהֲהוֹן דְּאִינוּן מְקַבֵּל בַּעֲלֵי תְּשׁוּבָה הוּא וְיָדוֹ פְּשׁוּטָה לְקַבֵּל שָׁבִים, כֵּיוָן דְּאַתְּ כָּבֵישׁ לְהוֹן לָא תִשְׁבְּקִינַן דִּיצַלּוּן דְּלָא יַעְבְּדוּן תְּיוּבְתָּא, וֵאלָהֲהוֹן יְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהוֹן, וְהַהוּא גַבְרָא נָחֵית בִּשְׁחוֹר אַפִּין, אֶלָּא לָא תְהֵי מַפְלֵּי עֲלֵיהוֹן. כֵּיוָן דִּכְבַשׁ יַתְהוֹן כַּד הֲוָה קָאֵים חַד מִנְהוֹן הֲוָה נָסֵיב לֵיהּ וּמְפַסַּל לֵיהּ אֵיבָרִים אֵיבָרִים, טְרֵיף לֵיהּ קוֹמֵיהוֹן וְאִינוּן מְהַלְּכִין בְּעַל כָּרְחֵיהוֹן שֶׁלֹא בְּטוֹבַתְהוֹן. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן הוּא אַרְיוֹךְ, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אַרְיוֹךְ שֶׁהָיָה נוֹהֵם עַל הַשִּׁבְיָה כְּאַרְיֵה, עַד שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לִפְרָת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לִפְרָת אֲמַר לְהוֹן לְחַיָּלוּתָא שַׁבְקִינוּן דְּנִיחוּן, דִּי מִן כַּדּוּן לֵית אֱלָהֲהוֹן חוֹזֵר עֲלֵיהוֹן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים קלז, א): עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל שָׁם יָשַׁבְנוּ גַּם בָּכִינוּ, עַד לְשָׁם לֹא יָשַׁבְנוּ.

“To our necks we have been pursued; we are exhausted, and we have no respite” (Lamentations 5:5). “To our necks we have been pursued.” Hadrian, may his bones be crushed, commanded and said: ‘If we come and we find hair on a Jew, we will remove his head from him.’ That is what is written: “To our necks we have been pursued.” Another matter, “to our necks we have been pursued,” it is because we betrayed with our necks on a day of trouble. “We are exhausted, and we have no respite.” Nebuchadnezzar, may his bones be crushed, commanded Nevuzaradan and said to him: ‘The God of these accepts penitents, and His hand is outstretched to accept penitents. When you conquer them, do not allow them to pray, so they will not repent and their God will then have mercy on them, and this man will have his downfall with black face. Do not underestimate them.’ When he conquered them, when one of them would stand, he would take him, dismember him, and cast him before them. They would be forced to walk against their will. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Nevuzaradan is Aryokh. Why is his name called Aryokh? It is because he would roar at the captives like a lion [arye] until they reached the Euphrates. When they reached the Euphrates, he said to his legions: ‘Allow them to rest, as from here on, their God will no longer return to them.’ That is what is written: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and also wept” (Psalms 137:1). Until there, we did not sit.

…and 17 more sections in this chapter.

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Eichah Rabbah — Midrash Rabbah, TE edition, via Sefaria

English: The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah, 2022 — CC BY