R. Aha was once walking in company with R. Judah. As they were going along, R. Judah said: ‘We have learnt that the “Virgin of Israel” is blessed from seven sources; yet the Scripture says, in reference to her, “And do thou, O son of man, raise a lament over the virgin of Israel”,1This verse is not found in our text. Apparently the Zohar meant it for a paraphrase of Ezek. 19, 1, “And do thou raise a lamentation over the princes of Israel”. and what is even worse, “The virgin of Israel is fallen, she shall no more rise” (Amos 5, 2). It is true that this last verse has been explained by all the Companions as a message of comfort.1In T. B. Berachoth, the verse is explained thus: “She has fallen, but shall no more; rise, o virgin of Israel”. This, however, can hardly be accepted, as the prophet himself calls it a lamentation (v. I).’
Said R. Aha: ‘I, too, have been perplexed with the same difficulty. I once came before R. Simeon looking very troubled. He said to me: “Your face shows that there is something on your mind.” I said: “Truly my mind is as sad as my face.” He said to me: “Tell me what it is.” I said: “It is written, ‘The virgin of Israel is fallen, she shall no more rise’. If a man is angry with his wife and she leaves him, shall she never return? If so, alas for the children who have been sent away with her!” He said to me: “Are you not content with what the Companions have said?” I replied: “I have heard their explanation, that it is really a message of comfort, but it does not satisfy me.”
He said: “What the Companions have said is quite right as far as it goes, but there is more to be said. Alas for the generation when the shepherds are gone and the sheep stray without knowing whither they are going! Truly this verse requires understanding, but it is all plain to those who can interpret the Torah fittingly.
See now. In all the other exiles of Israel a term was set, at the end of which Israel returned to God and the Virgin of Israel came back to her place. But this last exile is not so, for she shall not return as on previous occasions, as is proved by this verse which says, ‘The virgin of Israel is fallen, she shall rise no more.’ Note that it is not written, ‘I shall not raise her any more’.
Imagine a king who was wroth with his queen and banished her from his palace for a certain time. When that time arrived she at once returned to the king. So it happened several times. Finally, however, she was banished from the king’s palace for a very long time. Said the king: ‘This time is not like the other times when she came back to me. This time I shall go with all my followers to find her.’
When he came to her he found her in the dust. Seeing her thus humiliated and yearning once more for her, the king took her by the hand, raised her up, and brought her to his palace, and swore to her that he would never part from her again.
So the Community of Israel, on all previous occasions in which she was in exile, when the appointed time came, used to return of herself to the King; but in this exile the Holy One, blessed be He, will himself take her by the hand and raise her and comfort her and restore her to his palace. So it is written: ‘In that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen’ (Amos 9, 11), the ‘tabernacle of David’ being identical with the ‘Virgin of Israel’.
Said R. Judah: ‘Truly thou hast comforted and satisfied me, and this is the truth of the matter. And it reminds me of something similar which I had forgotten, of a saying of R. Jose, that the Holy One, blessed be He, will one day make proclamation concerning the Community of Israel, saying “Shake thyself from the dust, arise, sit thee down, Jerusalem” (Isa. 52, 2), like a man taking his neighbour by the hand and saying, Pull yourself together, rise.’
Said R. Aha to him: ‘All the prophets use similar language. Thus it is written, “Arise, shine forth, for thy light is come”, meaning that the King is here to be reconciled with her. And again, “Behold thy king cometh unto thee” (Zech. 9, 9): He shall come to thee to comfort thee, to raise thee, to repay thee all, to take thee into His palace and to espouse thee for evermore, as it is written: “And I shall betroth thee for ever” (Hos. 2, 19).’
רִבִּי אֲחָא הֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא, והֲוָה עִמֵּיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, עַד דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי, אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, הָא דְּתָנֵינָן בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּתוּלָה דְּאִתְבָּרְכָא מִן שֶׁבַע (ס"א מישראל), דְּאִקְרֵי בַּת שֶׁבַע, ואוּקְמוּהָ בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר. וּבְתוּלָה לְתַתָּא, יָרְתָא ז' בְּרָכוֹת בְּגִינָהּ. וְהָא כְּתִיב וְאַתָּה בֶּן אָדָם שָׂא קִינָה עַל בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, ודַּאי עָלָהּ אִתְּמַר, עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. ודָא קַשְׁיָא מִכֹּלָּא, דִּכְתִּיב (עמוס ה׳:ב׳) נָפְלָה לֹא תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהַאי דְּקָא אַמְרֵי כֻּלְּהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא בְּמִלָּה דָּא שַׁפִּיר הוּא. אֲבָל אִי פַּרְשְׁתָּא אִתְּמַר בְּאֹרַח נְחָמָה הֲוִינָן אַמְרֵי הָכִי. אֲבָל בְּהַאי קִינָה אִתְּמַר, וְהָא קְרָא אוֹכַח הָכִי.
R. Aha was once walking in company with R. Judah. As they were going along, R. Judah said: ‘We have learnt that the “Virgin of Israel” is blessed from seven sources; yet the Scripture says, in reference to her, “And do thou, O son of man, raise a lament over the virgin of Israel”,1This verse is not found in our text. Apparently the Zohar meant it for a paraphrase of Ezek. 19, 1, “And do thou raise a lamentation over the princes of Israel”. and what is even worse, “The virgin of Israel is fallen, she shall no more rise” (Amos 5, 2). It is true that this last verse has been explained by all the Companions as a message of comfort.1In T. B. Berachoth, the verse is explained thus: “She has fallen, but shall no more; rise, o virgin of Israel”. This, however, can hardly be accepted, as the prophet himself calls it a lamentation (v. I).’
אָמַר לֵיהּ ודַּאי הָכִי הוּא, וְהָא הֲוָה קַשְׁיָא לִי הַהוּא מִלָּה יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא, וְאֲתֵינָן לְגַבֵּי דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בַּחֲשׁוֹכָן דְּאַנְפִּין. אָמַר לִי, מֵחֵיזוּ דְּאַנְפָּךְ, אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע מַה דִּבְלִבָּךְ. אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ ודַּאי, דְּאַנְפִּי וְלִבִּי שָׁוִין. אָמַר לִי אֵימָּא לִי מִלָךְ. אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ, כְּתִיב נָפְלָה לא תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, מַאן דְּאִית לֵיהּ רוּגְזָא בִּדְבִיתְהוּ, וְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ, לָא תֵּהָדַר לְעָלְמִין, אִי הָכִי וַוי לִבְנִין דְּאִתְתְּרָכוּ עִמָּהּ. אָמַר לִי, וְלָא סַגֵּי לָךְ מַה דְּאָמְרוּ כֻּלְּהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא. אֲמֵינָא, הָא שְׁמַעְנָא מִלַּיְיהוּ, דְּהַוִה מֵרַחֲמֵי, וְלָא מִתְיַשְּׁבָן בְּלִבָּאי.
Said R. Aha: ‘I, too, have been perplexed with the same difficulty. I once came before R. Simeon looking very troubled. He said to me: “Your face shows that there is something on your mind.” I said: “Truly my mind is as sad as my face.” He said to me: “Tell me what it is.” I said: “It is written, ‘The virgin of Israel is fallen, she shall no more rise’. If a man is angry with his wife and she leaves him, shall she never return? If so, alas for the children who have been sent away with her!” He said to me: “Are you not content with what the Companions have said?” I replied: “I have heard their explanation, that it is really a message of comfort, but it does not satisfy me.”
אָמַר, כָּל מַה דְּאָמְרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא כֹּלָּא שַׁפִּיר וְיָאוּת, אֲבָל ווי לְדָרָא כַּד רַעְיָין לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין, וְעָנָא סָאטָן וְאַזְלִין, וְלָא יַדְעִין לְאָן אֲתַר אַזְלֵי, לָא לִימִינָא וְלָא לִשְׂמָאלָא. וַדַּאי הַאי קְרָא בַּעְיָא לְמִנְדַּע, וְכֻלְּהוּ גַּלְיָין לְאִינּוּן דְּחָמָאן בְּאָרְחָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט.
He said: “What the Companions have said is quite right as far as it goes, but there is more to be said. Alas for the generation when the shepherds are gone and the sheep stray without knowing whither they are going! Truly this verse requires understanding, but it is all plain to those who can interpret the Torah fittingly.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכֻלְּהוּ גַּלְוָותָא דְּגָלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְכֻלְּהוּ שַׁוִּי זִמְנָא וְקִצָא, וּבְכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל תַּיְיבִין לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבְתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲוָה תָּבַת לְאַתְרָהָא, בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּגָזַר עָלָהּ. וְהַשְׁתָּא בְּגָלוּתָא דָּא בַּתְרָאָה לָאו הָכִי, דְּהָא הִיא לָא תִּיתוּב הָכִי כְּזִמְנִין אָחֳרָנִין, וְהַאי קְרָא אוֹכַח, דִּכְתִּיב נָפְלָה לא תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, נָפְלָה וְלֹא אוֹסִיף לַהֲקִימָה לָא כְּתִיב.
See now. In all the other exiles of Israel a term was set, at the end of which Israel returned to God and the Virgin of Israel came back to her place. But this last exile is not so, for she shall not return as on previous occasions, as is proved by this verse which says, ‘The virgin of Israel is fallen, she shall rise no more.’ Note that it is not written, ‘I shall not raise her any more’.
מְתַל לְמַלְכָּא דְּרָגַז עַל מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וְאַשְׁדֵּי לָהּ מֵהֵיכָלֵיהּ, לְזִמְנָא יְדִיעָא. כַּד הֲוָה מָטֵי הַהוּא זִמְנָא, מִיַּד מַטְרוֹנִיתָא הֲוָת עָאלַת וְתָבַת קָמֵי מַלְכָּא. וְכֵן זִמְנָא חַד, וּתְרֵין, וּתְלַת זִמְנִין. לְזִמְנָא בַּתְרַיְיתָא, אִתְרַחֲקַת מֵהֵיכָלָא דְּמַלְכָּא, וְאַשְׁדֵּי לָהּ מַלְכָּא מֵהֵיכָלֵיהּ לְזִמְנָא רְחִיקָא. אָמַר מַלְכָּא, הַאי זִמְנָא לָאו הוּא כִּשְׁאָר זִמְנִין דְּהִיא תֵּיתֵי קָמַאי הָכִי, אֶלָּא אֲנָא אֵיזִיל עִם כָּל בְּנִי הֵיכָלִי ואַתְבַּע עָלָהּ.
Imagine a king who was wroth with his queen and banished her from his palace for a certain time. When that time arrived she at once returned to the king. So it happened several times. Finally, however, she was banished from the king’s palace for a very long time. Said the king: ‘This time is not like the other times when she came back to me. This time I shall go with all my followers to find her.’
כַּד מָטָא לְגַבָּהּ, חָמָא לָהּ דְּהֲוָה שְׁכִיבַת לְעַפְרָא. מַאן חָמָא יְקָרָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא בְּהַהִיא זִמְנָא, וּבָעוּתִין דְּמַלְכָּא לָקֳבְלָהּ עַד דְּאָחִיד לָהּ מַלְכָּא בִּידוֹי, וְאוֹקִים לָהּ, וְאַיְיתֵי לָהּ לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ, וְאוֹמֵי לָהּ דְּלָא יִתְפְּרַשׁ מִינָּהּ לְעָלְמִין, וְלָא יִתְרְחִיק מִינָּהּ.
When he came to her he found her in the dust. Seeing her thus humiliated and yearning once more for her, the king took her by the hand, raised her up, and brought her to his palace, and swore to her that he would never part from her again.
כַּךָ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כָּל זִמְנִין דִּכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא, כַּד הֲוָה מָטֵי זִמְנָא, הִיא אֲתִיאַת וְהַדְרַת קָמֵי מַלְכָּא. וְהַשְׁתָּא בְּגָלוּתָא דָּא לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יוֹחִיד בִּידָהָא, וְיוֹקִים לָהּ, וְיִתְפְּיַיס בַּהֲדָהּ וְיָתִיב לָהּ לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ. וְתָא חֲזֵי דְּהָכִי הוּא, דְּהָא כְּתִיב נָפְלָה לא תוֹסִיף קוּם, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (עמוס ט׳:י״א) בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אָקִים אֶת סֻכַּת דָּוִיד הַנֹפֶלֶת, הִיא לֹא תוֹסִיף קוּם כְּזִמְנִין אָחֳרָנִין, אֲבָל אֲנָא אוֹקִים לָהּ. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אָקִים אֶת סֻכַּת דָּוִד הַנֹּפֶלֶת, אֲנִי אָקִים אֶת סוּכַּת דָּוִד. מַאן סֻכַּת דָּוִד. דָּא בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל. הַנּוֹפֶלֶת: כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב נָפְלָה. וְדָא הִיא יְקָרָא דִּבְתּוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דִּילָהּ. וְדָא אוֹלִיפְנָא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא.
So the Community of Israel, on all previous occasions in which she was in exile, when the appointed time came, used to return of herself to the King; but in this exile the Holy One, blessed be He, will himself take her by the hand and raise her and comfort her and restore her to his palace. So it is written: ‘In that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen’ (Amos 9, 11), the ‘tabernacle of David’ being identical with the ‘Virgin of Israel’.
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וַדַּאי מָלִילְתָּא עַל לִבָּאי, וְאִתְיִשְׁבָא, וְדָא בְּרִירוּ דְּמִלָּה. וְאַזְלָא הַאי, כְּמִלָה חֲדָא דְּשָׁמַעְנָא וְשָׁכַחְנָא, וְהַשְׁתָּא רָווחְנָא לָהּ, דְּתָנֵינָן, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַכְרְזָא עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיֵימָא, (ישעיהו נ״ב:ב׳) הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר קוּמִי שְׁבִי יְרוּשָׁלַ ם, כְּמַאן דְּאָחִיד בִּידָא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ וְיֵימָא הִתְנָעֵר, קוּם, כַּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יוֹחִיד בָּהּ וְיֵימָא הִתְנַעֲרִי, קוּמִי.
Said R. Judah: ‘Truly thou hast comforted and satisfied me, and this is the truth of the matter. And it reminds me of something similar which I had forgotten, of a saying of R. Jose, that the Holy One, blessed be He, will one day make proclamation concerning the Community of Israel, saying “Shake thyself from the dust, arise, sit thee down, Jerusalem” (Isa. 52, 2), like a man taking his neighbour by the hand and saying, Pull yourself together, rise.’
אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֲחָא, וְכֵן כָּל אִינּוּן בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא דְּמַלְכָּא בְּלִישָׁנָא דָּא פַּתְחִין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ס׳:א׳) קוּמִי אוֹרִי כִּי בָא אוֹרֵךְ, הָא מַלְכָּא הָכָא, וַדַּאי כְּדֵין הוּא יְקָרָא דִּילָהּ, וְחֶדְוָותָא דְּכֹלָּא, כַּד מַלְכָּא אִתְפְּיַיס בַּהֲדָהּ. (כתיב (מלכים א א׳:ט״ו) ותבא בת שבע אל המלך החדרה כגוונא דא) בְּכָל אִינּוּן זִמְנִין אִיהִי אָתַת לְגַבֵּי דְּמַלְכָּא, וְקָמַת קָמֵיהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (מלכים א א׳:כ״ח) וַתָּבֹא לִפְנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ, וַתַּעֲמוֹד לִפְנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ. אֲבָל בְּזִמְנָא דָּא לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא מַלְכָּא יֵיתֵי לְגַבָּהּ, וְיִתְפְּיַיס בַּהֲדָהּ, וְיֵתִיב לָהּ לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (זכריה ט׳:ט׳) הִנֵּה מַלְכֵּךְ יָבֹא לָךְ וַדַּאי, וְלָא אַנְתְּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, יָבֹא לָךְ, לְפַיְּיסָא לָךְ. יָבֹא לָךְ, לְאַקָּמָא לָךְ. יָבֹא לָךְ, לְאַשְׁלְמָא לָךְ בְּכֹלָּא. יָבֹא לָךְ, לְאַעְלָאָה לָךְ לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ, וּלְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא עִמָּךְ זִוּוּגָא דְּעָלְמִין, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (הושע ב׳:כ״ב) ואֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי בֶּאֱמוּנָה.
Said R. Aha to him: ‘All the prophets use similar language. Thus it is written, “Arise, shine forth, for thy light is come”, meaning that the King is here to be reconciled with her. And again, “Behold thy king cometh unto thee” (Zech. 9, 9): He shall come to thee to comfort thee, to raise thee, to repay thee all, to take thee into His palace and to espouse thee for evermore, as it is written: “And I shall betroth thee for ever” (Hos. 2, 19).’