MEDITATION ON PAIN AND HOPE
Aviv Siegel
Eichah 5:17-18 Because of this our hearts are sick, Because of these our eyes are dimmed: Because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate; Foxes walk over it.
Eichah Rabbah 5:18, B. Makot 24b … On another occasion they were ascending to Jerusalem. When they arrived at Mount Scopus, they rent their garments. When they arrived at the Temple Mount, they saw a fox emerging from the place of the Holy of Holies. They began weeping, and Rabbi Akiva was laughing. They said to him:‘ Akiva, you always astonish us, we are weeping and you are laughing.’ He said to them:‘ Why are you weeping?’ They said to him:‘ Shall we not weep? The place in whose regard it is written:“ And the non-priest who approaches shall be put to death”( Numbers 1:51), behold, a fox emerges from it. The verse stated of it:“ For Mount Zion, which is desolate; foxes walk on it,” has been fulfilled!’ He said to them:‘ It is for this reason that I am laughing. Behold, it says:“ I had trustworthy witnesses testify for Me: Uriya the priest and Zechariah, son of Yeverekhyahu”( Isaiah 8:2). What does Uriya have to do with Zechariah? Uriya was in the First Temple and Zechariah was in the Second Temple. Rather, what did Uriya say?“ So said the Lord of hosts: Zion will be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem will be heaps”( Jeremiah 26:18). What did Zechariah say?“ So said the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women will
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