In 586 BCE, the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, along with the surrounding city. The Jewish people were thrown into exile, banished from their homes, now in ruins, and forced to go to a foreign land. In response, they wrote the book of Eicha — Lamentations.
The book was composed shortly after the destruction of the city, when the grief was still fresh. It is comprised of five poems, shaped by the Hebrew alphabet. The first, second, and fourth poems are acrostics, with each letter of the alphabet getting its own line. The fifth poem is not an acrostic, but it also has 22 lines, corresponding with the 22 letters of the alphabet. The third poem, in the middle of the book, stands out as a centerpiece. This poem is comprised of stanzas, each with three lines of the same letter — three for aleph, three for bet, three for gimel, and so on. The acrostic formula functions as a mnemonic device. Songs and poetry are strong tools that the Tanakh uses to help make the text more memorable and accessible — it’s easier to remember a song than a speech.
Within the text, there is a strong sense of desolation, from the first word of anger to the final words of longing for return. Though the text was written for and specifically references the destruction of Jerusalem, it is not difficult to understand or relate to its descriptions of suffering and emotional outcry.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ, מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֺתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ עַל מִקְרָא מְגִלָּה.
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu al mikra m’gillah.
Blessed are You Adonai our God, Sovereign of the the universe, who has sanctified us with commandments, and commanded to us the reading of this scroll.
אֵיכָ֣ה ׀ יָשְׁבָ֣ה בָדָ֗ד הָעִיר֙ רַבָּ֣תִי עָ֔ם הָיְתָ֖ה כְּאַלְמָנָ֑ה רַבָּ֣תִי בַגּוֹיִ֗ם שָׂרָ֙תִי֙ בַּמְּדִינ֔וֹת הָיְתָ֖ה לָמַֽס׃
בָּכ֨וֹ תִבְכֶּ֜ה בַּלַּ֗יְלָה וְדִמְעָתָהּ֙ עַ֣ל לֶֽחֱיָ֔הּ אֵֽין־לָ֥הּ מְנַחֵ֖ם מִכׇּל־אֹהֲבֶ֑יהָ כׇּל־רֵעֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּ֣גְדוּ בָ֔הּ הָ֥יוּ לָ֖הּ לְאֹיְבִֽים׃
גָּֽלְתָ֨ה יְהוּדָ֤ה מֵעֹ֙נִי֙ וּמֵרֹ֣ב עֲבֹדָ֔ה הִ֚יא יָשְׁבָ֣ה בַגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א מָצְאָ֖ה מָנ֑וֹחַ כׇּל־רֹדְפֶ֥יהָ הִשִּׂיג֖וּהָ בֵּ֥ין הַמְּצָרִֽים׃
דַּרְכֵ֨י צִיּ֜וֹן אֲבֵל֗וֹת מִבְּלִי֙ בָּאֵ֣י מוֹעֵ֔ד כׇּל־שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר־לָֽהּ׃
Alas, how lonely does the city sit that was once so full of people. She has become like a widow. She was once great among the nations; a princess among the provinces. She has become like a slave.
Bitterly she weeps at night, her tears on her cheeks. Among those who love her she has no comfort. All of her friends betrayed her, they have become her enemies.
Captivity is Judah’s fate because of hardship and harsh labor. She dwells among the nations but she finds no rest, all of her pursuers defeated her in the narrow places.
Dark mourning covers Zion’s roads because none come to the meeting place. All her gates are deserted. The priests sigh, the young women are grieving. She is in bitterness.
What is happening in the text?
How does the text make us feel?
What emotions is the author feeling?
זְכׇר־עׇנְיִ֥י וּמְרוּדִ֖י לַעֲנָ֥ה וָרֹֽאשׁ׃
זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃
זֹ֛את אָשִׁ֥יב אֶל־לִבִּ֖י עַל־כֵּ֥ן אוֹחִֽיל׃
חַֽסְדֵ֤י יי כִּ֣י לֹא־תָ֔מְנוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־כָל֖וּ רַחֲמָֽיו׃
חֲדָשִׁים֙ לַבְּקָרִ֔ים רַבָּ֖ה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃
חֶלְקִ֤י יי אָמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן אוֹחִ֥יל לֽוֹ׃
Give memory to my misery and my wandering, to the bitterness and the poison.
Ground into my soul are the memories.
Giving reply to my heart, I have hope:
How can the mercy of the Eternal be finished? Surely God’s compassion cannot fail.
Has not each dawn new hope? Great is Your faithfulness.
Has not my soul said: the Eternal is my reward. Therefore, I hope in God.
What is happening in the text?How does the text make us feel?What emotions is the author feeling?
נַחְפְּשָׂ֤ה דְרָכֵ֙ינוּ֙ וְֽנַחְקֹ֔רָה וְנָשׁ֖וּבָה עַד־יי׃
נִשָּׂ֤א לְבָבֵ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־כַּפָּ֔יִם אֶל־אֵ֖ל בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
נַ֤חְנוּ פָשַׁ֙עְנוּ֙ וּמָרִ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֖ה לֹ֥א סָלָֽחְתָּ׃
סַכּ֤וֹתָה בָאַף֙ וַֽתִּרְדְּפֵ֔נוּ הָרַ֖גְתָּ לֹ֥א חָמָֽלְתָּ׃
סַכּ֤וֹתָה בֶֽעָנָן֙ לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲב֖וֹר תְּפִלָּֽה׃
סְחִ֧י וּמָא֛וֹס תְּשִׂימֵ֖נוּ בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעַמִּֽים:
Now let us search and examine our ways and return to the Eternal One.
Next, let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens.
No, we have sinned and we have rebelled. You have not pardoned us.
On us You placed your anger and pursuit. You have killed. You have not pitied us.
Over yourself you wrapped a cloud so our prayers cannot reach You.
Odds and ends You have made us among the nations.
What is happening in the text?How does the text make us feel?What emotions is the author feeling?
אַתָּ֤ה יי לְעוֹלָ֣ם תֵּשֵׁ֔ב כִּסְאֲךָ֖ לְד֥וֹר וָדֽוֹר׃
לָ֤מָּה לָנֶ֙צַח֙ תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֔נוּ תַּֽעַזְבֵ֖נוּ לְאֹ֥רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃
הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יי ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃
כִּ֚י אִם־מָאֹ֣ס מְאַסְתָּ֔נוּ קָצַ֥פְתָּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עַד־מְאֹֽד׃
Eternal One, You remain forever. Your throne is from generation to generation.
Why will you forget us forever and forsake us for such a long time?
Return us, Eternal One, to You, and we will be returned. Renew our days, as of old.
Can it be that You have rejected us so completely? Can You be so angry with us?
What is happening in the text?How does the text make us feel?What emotions is the author feeling?
What are our reactions to the book as a whole?
What emotions do we feel?
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ, מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂנוּ אֲסִירֵי-תִּקְוָה.
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher asanu asirei tikvah.
Blessed are You Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe,
who has made us captives of hope.
(יא) גַּם־אַ֣תְּ בְּדַם־בְּרִיתֵ֗ךְ שִׁלַּ֤חְתִּי אֲסִירַ֙יִךְ֙ מִבּ֔וֹר אֵ֥ין מַ֖יִם בּֽוֹ׃ (יב) שׁ֚וּבוּ לְבִצָּר֔וֹן אֲסִירֵ֖י הַתִּקְוָ֑ה גַּם־הַיּ֕וֹם מַגִּ֥יד מִשְׁנֶ֖ה אָשִׁ֥יב לָֽךְ׃
(11) As for you, because of the blood of the covenant, I will send your captives out of the dry pit. (12) Return to strength, you captives of hope; even today, I declare that I will give a double portion to you.
What does it mean to be a "captive of hope?"
How do we hold on to hope in times such as those in the text?
How does hope hold on to us?
Tisha B’Av is the saddest day of the Jewish year, but that doesn’t mean it’s a day without hope. We read from the book of Eicha on Tisha B’Av, the anniversary of the destruction of Jerusalem, in order to remember not only the grief of that event, but the source from which our people found the strength to recover and rebuild. Lamentations shows our faith in God, even in the darkest times.
The book ends with a prayer:
“Return us, Eternal One, to You, and we will be returned. Renew our days, as of old.”Return us to holiness, to safety, to love. Help us return to a better time.
Hashiveinu - Steve Dropkin
הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יי אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃
Hashiveinu Adonai, eilecha v'nashuvah;chadeish yameinu k'kedem.
Help us and guide us,inspire and provide uswith the wisdom Your Torah can show.Cause us to learn,renew, and return,just as in days long ago.
Collins, John J., “The Babylonian Era: Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and Lamentations.” Introduction to the Hebrew Bible and Deutero-Canonical Books, 2nd ed., Fortress Press, 2014, pp. 349–369.
Friedlander, Albert H., and Herbert Bronstein, “Introduction to the Scroll of Lamentations.” The Five Scrolls: Hebrew Texts, English Translations, Introductions, and New Liturgies, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1984, pp. 249–251.
Ginsberg, H.L., “Introduction to Lamentations.” The Five Megilloth and Jonah: A New Translation, Jewish Publication Society of America, 1969, pp. 32-34.