Jerusalem Anthology - Ezekiel

Radak Ezekiel 5:5 So said the Lord God…in the midst of the nations I have placed it – I placed her inhabitants within her for their own good because she is the choice of all lands. “The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth…” (Psalms 48:3) because she is in the center of settled lands, therefore her air is good - a mixture of all the lands. Her inhabitants should have gone in a straight path and executed proper judgments, but they exchanged them for the wickedness of the nations surrounding them, as it says “…and Manasseh led them astray to do what was evil, more than the nations that the Lord had destroyed from before the children of Israel.” (Kings II 21:9) The nations which were around them did not exchange their laws but they exchanged My laws for that which has no advantage.

Vayikra Raba (Margaliot) parshat Achre Mot 21:6 “With this shall Aaron enter the Holy…” (Leviticus 16:3) R’ Yudan explained the verse as referring to the High Priest upon his entering the Holy of Holies, he has bundles and bundles of commandments in his hands. In the merit of the Torah, “And this is the teaching (torah)…” (Deuteronomy 4:44) In the merit of circumcision, “This is My covenant, which you shall observe…” (Genesis 17:10) In the merit of Shabbat, “Fortunate is the man who will do this…” (Isaiah 56:2) In the merit of Jerusalem, “This is Jerusalem…” (Ezekiel 5:5) In the merit of the tribes, “…and this is what their father spoke to them…” (Genesis 49:28) In the merit of Yehudah, “And this is for Yehudah…” (Deuteronomy 33:7) In the merit of Israel, “This, your stature…” (Song of Songs 7:8) In the merit of priestly gifts, “And this is the offering…” (Exodus 25:3) In the merit of the tithes, “…and test Me now with this…” (Malachi 3:10) In the merit of the sacrifices, “With this shall Aaron enter the Holy…” (Leviticus 16:3)

Radak Ezekiel 21:2 Son of man, set your face southward – The prophet is in Babylon and Gd told him to turn southward which is Jerusalem that is to the south of Babylon. Babylon is to the north of Jerusalem, as it says “From the north the misfortune will break forth…” (Jeremiah 1:14) and that is so then Jerusalem is south of Babylon: and speak to the south – hatef means speech, as in “Preach not, those who preach” (Micah 2:6): and prophesy to the forest of the field in the south – He called Jerusalem forest of the field in a metaphorical sense, just as a forest has good and bad trees so to in Jerusalem there are righteous people and wicked people. The righteous, who were few, were swept up with the wicked who were many. They were all swept up together, as it says “For until righteousness will judgment return…” (Psalms 94:15) And so the angel said to Lot “…lest you perish because of the iniquity of the city,” (Genesis 19:15) Yonatan translated ‘set your face’ into Aramaic as receive the prophecy, and ‘speak’ as teach. And the prophet says south in three times in three different ways in order to strengthen his point, as is the way of prophecy in general.

Pesikta Zutra Bereshit Lech Lecha 12:9 “And Abram traveled, continually traveling southward.” (Genesis 12:9) Because he was oriented and moving toward the Holy Temple. And from where do we learn that the Holy Temple is called south (negev)? As it says ‘speak to the south (darom)…and prophecy about the sanctuaries’ (see Ezekiel 21:2-7) Darom and negev are the same, as it says “Return, O Lord, our captivity like rivulets in arid land (ba’negev).” (Psalms 126:4)

Radak Ezekiel 22:2 the city of bloodshed – Even though there were idolatry and other abominations in the city, the great sin was the spilling of innocent blood. This is also said in reference to Menashe after all his abominations were mentioned it says “Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood…” (Kings II 21:16):

Radak Ezekiel 22:19 Because you have all become dross – Since it was decreed that you should be silver but you were dross, I will gather you together and smelt you with “the fire of my wrath” (Ezekiel 21:36) Because just as something which is melted down loses its original form, and all the more so mixed metals lose their forms when smelted, so it says that that will be destroyed through sword, famine and plague. Even those who remain will be destroyed through exile from their good situation in land into a bad situation: into the midst of Jerusalem – she will be to you as a furnace is to metals:

Midrash Zuta – Eicha (Buber) parsha 1:7 “…all her friends have betrayed her…” (Lamentations 1:2) This refers to Micha’el and Gavri’el who would speak in her merit. The Holy One said to them: who is precious to you? They replied: Israel. And after Israel who is precious to you? They said to Him: the Holy Temple. He said to them: I swear by My great name that you yourselves kindled the fire in Me [version: in it]. Immediately Micha’el and Gavri’el took two torches and lit fire to the Temple of the Lord. The Temple cried a lament for itself, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones, and it broke them…” (Lamentations 1:13) and it is written “I tell the end from the beginning…” (Isaiah 46:10) When that wicked one came with the kings to Jerusalem, they imagined that they would capture it quickly, but the Holy One strengthened the people of Jerusalem until the third year because perhaps they would repent. There were mighty men beyond count in Jerusalem who fought the Kasdim and slaughtered many of them. There was there one warrior whose name was Akiba ben Navtari – when the enemy soldiers would sling great stones to know down the wall, he would catch them and thrown them back at the enemy, killing many to the point that he began to catch them with his foot and throw them back. But sin caused the wind to come and knock him off the wall, and he fell to his death. At that moment Jerusalem was broken open and the Kasdim entered. What did Hanamel the Uncle of Jeremiah do? He bound the ministering angels by name with an oath and brought them down armed upon the nations. When the Kasdim saw this they fled before their terror. This went on until the Holy One changed their names and brought them up to the firmament. Hanamel sought to bring them down but he could not, because the Holy One had changed their names. What did he do? He bound the Minister of the World by name with an oath, and he lifted up Jerusalem and hung it in the air until the Holy One kicked it from the heavens and it fell. This is what is written “He has cast down from heaven to earth the glory of Israel…” (Lamentations 2:1) and it is written “…the Lord has trodden as in a wine press the virgin daughter of Judah.” (Lamentations 1:15) They all entered Jerusalem and the walls were swallowed up, as it is written “The Lord has become like an enemy; He has destroyed Israel…” (Lamentations 2:5) They entered into the Temple and sought to burn it, until the Holy One called to Gavri’el and Micha’el and said to them: who is precious to you, etc. The Holy One said to Jeremiah: go and prophecy to Israel. He replied before the Holy One “I know not to speak for I am a youth,” (Jeremiah 1:6) because he did not want to speak a difficult prophecy about them. This went on until He said to him “When I had not yet formed you in the womb, I knew you, and when you had not yet emerged from the womb, I had appointed you; a prophet to the nations I made you.” (Jeremiah 1:5) Immediately he accepted upon himself the prophecy, and he thought that the prophecy was only about the nations. Once Jeremiah accepted it upon himself, the Holy One said to him “Take this cup of the wine of fury from My hand…” (Jeremiah 25:15) and Jeremiah took it right away as it says “And I took the cup from the hand of the Lord…” (Jeremiah 25:17) He thought that he was only to give the nations to drink and this is what the Holy One said to him: go and learn from proper manners – one only gives to drink he who sits at the head of the table. See who sits at the head of all the countries and him to drink first - Jerusalem is the one who sits at the head of all countries. To what can this be compared? To an accused wife (sotah) who enters into the courtyard to drink the examining waters. The priest comes to make her drink, and he looks and sees that she is his mother. His is immediately abashed and retreats backwards, crying out and weeping over his mother. So too Jeremiah, when the Holy One said to him to make Jerusalem drink he cried out and wept. He said before Him: Master of the World! Did you not say to me “…a prophet to the nations I made you” (Jeremiah 1:5)? Now the beginning of my prophecy is upon my nation, “You enticed me, O Lord, and I was enticed…” (Jeremiah 20:7) The Holy One replied to him: you have already accepted and you may not give them back. Right away he took it from His hand and drank it all down. Not only this, but he scraped the clay as well, as it says “And you shall drink it and drain [it], and its shards you shall scrape…” (Ezekiel 23:34) Since Jeremiah saw that the judgment on Jerusalem was sealed, right away he began to cry out and to lament “O how has the city that was once so populous remained lonely!” (Lamentations 1:1) At that moment the Holy One said to him: why are you standing there? He immediately replied “Thus said the Lord of Hosts: Consider and call for the (hired) women mourners that they may come… O let them make haste and raise a wailing over us, so that our eyes may shed tears…” (Jeremiah 9:16-17) This is to tell you that so long as Israel is steeped in distress so the Holy One is together with them in distress, as it says “In all their trouble, He did not trouble…” (Isaiah 63:9) At that moment He declared mourning upon all of creation, as it says “I clothe the heavens with darkness, and I make sackcloth their raiment,” (Isaiah 50:3) and it is written “And the Lord God of Hosts called on that day, for weeping, and for lamenting and for baldness…” (Isaiah 22:12) Jeremiah said before the Holy One: who will open up with songs of lament for Israel, You or the ministering angels? The Holy One replied: I will begin. Immediately the Holy One opened up and said “My tent has been spoiled, and all my cords have been broken; my children have left me and they are not here. No one pitches my tent anymore, or sets up my curtains.” (Jeremiah 10:20) The ministering angels answered after Him “Behold for their altar they have cried in the street; ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.” (Isaiah 33:7) At that time the ministering angels came in to comfort Him, but He did not want to be comforted. This is what is written “Therefore, I said, ‘Leave Me alone; let Me cry bitterly; do not hasten to console Me concerning the pillaging of the daughter of My people.’” (Isaiah 22:4) R’ Yehoshua ben Chananya said: from the day on which the Holy Temple was destroyed, and Jerusalem was destroyed, there is no joy before the Holy One until Jerusalem will be rebuilt and Israel return to her, as it says “And I will rejoice with Jerusalem, and I will exult with My people, and a sound of weeping or a sound of crying shall no longer be heard therein.” (Isaiah 65:19) Amen, so let it be Your will.

Midrash Agadah (Buber) Vayikra parshat Tzav 8 Another explanation. “And assemble the entire community…” (Leviticus 8:3) He said to Him: where shall I assemble them? He replied: at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. The Holy One said to him: are you surprised at this? Come and see how great these heavens are, because all of the earth is like one mustard seed before the heavens, and the eye only sees through the black which is within the black. The heavens are contained within that black and you say to me ‘where are they able to assemble?’ Furthermore, in the come to come I will do the same. All of the population which has existed from the time of the first human until the end of the world need to be resurrected and brought to the city of Zion. And how much can Zion hold? And in the future they will say “The place is too narrow for me; move over for me so that I will dwell.” (Isaiah 49:20) What will I do for them? I will expand her, as it says “Widen the place of your tent…” (Isaiah 54:2) From where do you learn this? From Sinai. When the Holy One was revealed upon it, what is written “God's chariot is twice ten thousand times…” (Psalms 68:18) Twenty-two thousand chariots descended with the Holy One, each chariot like that which Ezekiel saw, and Sinai was not able to hold all this. Rather, it was a miraculous event. When the Holy One said to the mountain: expand your length and receive the servants of your Master! It widened immediately and received everything. So too in the world to come the Holy One will expand Jerusalem, as it says “And it became wider and it wound higher…” (Ezekiel 41:7) until it reaches the Throne of Glory. And how will they go up? The Holy One will make clouds for them and they will ride on the clouds which will lift them up on high, as it says “Who are these that fly like a cloud and like doves to their cotes?” (Isaiah 60:8) And each of the righteous has a canopy to himself, as it says “And the Lord shall create over every dwelling of Mount Zion and over all those summoned therein, a cloud by day and smoke, and splendor of a flaming fire at night, for, in addition to every honor, there will be a shelter.” (Isaiah 4:5) And once they arrive at the Throne of Glory He will say to them: I and you will go together in the world, as it says “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.” (Leviticus 26:12) And the righteous will make dance circles and the Holy One will sit in the middle. They will say to one another “For this is God, our God…” (Psalms 48:15) Because in this world the nations say “Where is their deity, the rock in which they trusted…” (Deuteronomy 32:37) therefore I am God, your God.

Radak Ezekiel 48:35 and the name of the city from that day will be "The Lord is There." – That is to say, from then on the name of the city wil be the Lord is There. Meaning that His Presence will never again remove from the city, forever and ever. Jeremiah the prophet also said that it will be called “The Lord is our righteousness.” (Jeremiah 33:16) And so to regarding the King Messiah “…this is his name that he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness.” (Jeremiah 23:6)

Bereshit Rabati parshat Bereshit p. 47 And from where do we know that there are eighteen thousand worlds, and this world and the world to come are among them? As it says “All around it amounts to 18,000,and the name of the city…” (Ezekiel 48:35) This teaches that from the day on which the Holy One began to create the world and order creation, He established the name of Jerusalem and the name of the land of Israel in order to rest His Presence in their midst. And after they sinned He lifted Himself up and settled on the heights of the world, as it says “Be exalted above the heavens, O God…” (Psalms 57:6)