Lonely sits the city
Once great with people!
She that was great among nations
Is become like a widow;
The princess among states
Is become a thrall.
n.m. 1 K 5:27 usually coll. body of forced labourers, task-workers, labour-band or gang, also (late) forced service, task-work, serfdom (𝔗 מִסָּא, especially in phr. מַסְּקֵי מִיסִּין (implying late and [for BH] false sense ‘tribute,’ so NH מַעֲלֵי מִסִּים; √ unknown, prob. loan-wd.; follows anal. of ע׳׳ע);—abs. מ׳ 1 K 5:27 +; לָמַ֑ס Jos 17:13 +, הַמַּ֑ס 2 S 20:24 +; pl. מִסִּים Ex 1:11;—
1. labour-band, labour-gang, body of task-workers for public service, formed by levy upon the people by Sol. וַיַּ֫עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ שׁלֹמֹה מַס מִכָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל 1 K 5:27, amounting to 30,000 men v 27; הַמּ׳ אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה 9:15; וַיַּעֲלֵם שׁ׳ לְמַס עֹבֵד v 21 and Sol. levied them for a toiling labour-band (cf. Gn 49:15 Jos 16:10)=וַיַּעֲלֵם שׁ׳ לְמַס 2 Ch 8:8; appar. instituted, earlier, by David, cf. וַאֲדֹרָם עַל־הַמַּ֑ס 2 S 20:24, i.e. had charge of the body of labourers, so 1 K 4:6; 5:28; 12:18=2 Ch 10:18.
2.
a. of labour-bands, slave-gangs of Isr. in Egypt, only שָׁרֵי מִסִּים Ex 1:11 (J) gang-overseers.
b. of conquered populations, subject to forced labour: יִהְיוּ לְךָ לָמַס וַעֲבָדוּךָ Dt 20:11 cf. Ju 1:30, 33, 35 (v. GFM), Is 31:8 La 1:1; so ויהי לְמַס עֹבֵד Jos 16:10 (cf. Gn 49:15 1 K 9:21); וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת־הַכְּנַעֲנִי לָמַ֑ס Jos 17:13, cf. (וַיָּ֫שֶׁם וגו׳) Ju 1:28.
3. in gen.: וַיְהִי לְמַס־עֹבֵד Gn 49:15 and he (Issachar) became a slaving labour-band (poem in J; cf. Jos 16:10 1 K 9:21); cf. רְמִיָּה תִּהְיֶה לָמַ֑ס Pr 12:24 (here appar. of individ.)
4. forced service, serfdom (or poss. (in late passage) tribute=enforced payment, cf. NH, 𝔗, v. supr.), only of Ahasuerus: וַיָּשֶׂם הַמֶּלָךְ מַס עַל־הָאָרֶץ וגו׳ Est 10:1.
adj. despairing (lit. melting, i.e. failing, collapsing);—לַמָּס Jb 6:14 to him who despaireth belongeth kindness, etc.
Creator: יוצר: F. Brown, S. Driver & C. Briggs
Her cheek wet with tears.
There is none to comfort her
Of all her friends.
All her allies have betrayed her;
They have become her foes.
(ג) גָּֽלְתָ֨ה יְהוּדָ֤ה מֵעֹ֙נִי֙ וּמֵרֹ֣ב עֲבֹדָ֔ה הִ֚יא יָשְׁבָ֣ה בַגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א מָצְאָ֖ה מָנ֑וֹחַ כׇּל־רֹדְפֶ֥יהָ הִשִּׂיג֖וּהָ בֵּ֥ין הַמְּצָרִֽים׃ {ס}
Because of misery and harsh oppression;
When she settled among the nations,
She found no rest;
All her pursuers overtook her
bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.In the narrow places.-b
הִיא יָשְׁבָה בַגּוֹיִם לֹא מָצְאָה מָנוֹחַ, רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר אִלּוּ מָצְאָה מָנוֹחַ לֹא הָיְתָה חוֹזֶרֶת, וְדִכְוָתֵיהּ (בראשית ח, ט): וְלֹא מָצְאָה הַיּוֹנָה מָנוֹחַ. וְדִכְוָּתָהּ (דברים כח, סה): וּבַגּוֹיִם הָהֵם לֹא תַרְגִּיעַ וְלֹא יִהְיֶה מָנוֹחַ לְכַף רַגְלֶךָ.
“She settled among the nations, did not find rest,” Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Neḥemya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Had she found rest, she would not have returned. Similarly, “the dove did not find rest” (Genesis 8:9). Similarly, “among these nations you will not be calm, and there will be no rest for your foot” (Deuteronomy 28:65).
(ד) דַּרְכֵ֨י צִיּ֜וֹן אֲבֵל֗וֹת מִבְּלִי֙ בָּאֵ֣י מוֹעֵ֔ד כׇּל־שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר־לָֽהּ׃ {ס}
Empty of festival pilgrims;
All her gates are deserted.
Her priests sigh,
Her maidens are unhappy—
She is utterly disconsolate!
(ה) הָי֨וּ צָרֶ֤יהָ לְרֹאשׁ֙
אֹיְבֶ֣יהָ שָׁל֔וּ
כִּֽי־יְהֹוָ֥ה הוֹגָ֖הּ
עַ֣ל רֹב־פְּשָׁעֶ֑יהָ
עוֹלָלֶ֛יהָ הָלְכ֥וּ שְׁבִ֖י
לִפְנֵי־צָֽר׃ {ס}
Her foes are at ease,
Because the LORD has afflicted her
For her many transgressions;
Her infants have gone into captivity
Before the enemy.
That were her glory;
Her leaders were like stags
That found no pasture;
They could only walk feebly
Before the pursuer.
In the days of old
Jerusalem recalled
In her days of woe and sorrow,
When her people fell by enemy hands
With none to help her;
When enemies looked on and gloated
Over her downfall.
My eyes flow with tears:
Far from me is any comforter
Who might revive my spirit;
My children are forlorn,
For the foe has prevailed.
She has no one to comfort her;
The LORD has summoned against Jacob
His enemies all about him;
Jerusalem has become among them
A thing unclean.
עַל הַדְּבַשׁ וְעַל הָעֹקֶץ,
עַל הַמַּר וְהַמָּתוֹק,
עַל בִּתֵּנוּ הַתִּינֹקֶת
שְׁמֹר אֵלִי הַטּוֹב.
עַל הָאֵשׁ הַמְבֹעֶרֶת,
עַל הַמַּיִם הַזַּכִּים,
עַל האִישׁ הַשָׁב הַבַּיְתָה
מִן הַמֶּרְחַקִּים.
עַל כָּל אֵלֶּה, עַל כָּל אֵלֶּה,
שׁמֹר נָא לִי אֵלִי הַטּוֹב.
עַל הַדְּבַשׁ וְעַל הָעֹקֶץ,
עַל הַמַּר וְהַמָּתוֹק.
אַל נָא תַּעֲקֹֹר נָטוּעַ,
אַל תִּשְׁכַּח אֶת הַתִּקְוָה
הֲשִׁיבֵנִי וְאָשׁוּבָה
אֶל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה.
שְמֹר אֵלִי עַל זֶה הַבַּיִת,
עַל הַגָּן, עַל הַחוֹמָה,
מִיָּגוֹן, מִפַּחַד פֶּתַע
וּמִמִּלְחָמָה.
שְמֹר עַל הַמְּעַט שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי,
עַל הָאוֹר וְעַל הַטַּף
עַל הַפְּרִי שֶׁלֹּא הִבְשִׁיל עוֹד
וְשֶׁנֶּאֱסַף.
עַל כָּל אֵלֶּה...
מרשרש אילן ברוח,
מרחוק נושר כוכב,
משאלות ליבי בחושך
נרשמות עכשיו.
אנא, שמור לי על כל אלה
ועל אהובי נפשי,
על השקט, על הבכי
ועל זה השיר.
על כל אלה...
Al kol Eleh
Every bee that brings the honey
Needs a sting to be complete
And we all must learn to taste the bitter with the sweet.
Keep, oh Lord, the fire burning
Through the night and through the day
For the man who is returning
from so far away.
Chorus:
Don't uproot what has been planted
So our bounty may increase
Let our dearest wish be granted:
Bring us peace, oh bring us peace.
For the sake of all these things, Lord,
Let your mercy be complete
Bless the sting and bless the honey
Bless the bitter and the sweet.
Save the houses that we live in
The small fences and the wall
From the sudden war-like thunder
May you save them all.
Guard what little I’ve been given
Guard the hill my child might climb
Let the fruit that’s yet to ripen
Not be plucked before its time.
Chorus:
As the wind makes rustling night sounds
And a star falls in its arc
All my dreams and my desires
Form crystal shapes out of the dark.
Guard for me, oh Lord, these treasures
All my friends keep safe and strong,
Guard the stillness, guard the weeping,
And above all, guard this song.
Chorus:
For the sake of all these things, Lord,
Let your mercy be complete
Bless the sting and bless the honey
Bless the bitter and the sweet.
Bless the sting and bless the honey
Bless the bitter and the sweet.
The elders of Fair Zion;
They have strewn dust on their heads
And girded themselves with sackcloth;
The maidens of Jerusalem have bowed
Their heads to the ground.
(יא) כָּל֨וּ בַדְּמָע֤וֹת עֵינַי֙ חֳמַרְמְר֣וּ מֵעַ֔י נִשְׁפַּ֤ךְ לָאָ֙רֶץ֙ כְּבֵדִ֔י עַל־שֶׁ֖בֶר בַּת־עַמִּ֑י בֵּֽעָטֵ֤ף עוֹלֵל֙ וְיוֹנֵ֔ק בִּרְחֹב֖וֹת קִרְיָֽה׃ {ס}
My heart is in tumult,
gLit. “My liver spills on the ground.”My being melts away-g
Over the ruin of hLit. “the daughter of my people”; so elsewhere in poetry.my poor people,-h
As babes and sucklings languish
In the squares of the city.
“Where is bread and wine?”
As they languish like battle-wounded
In the squares of the town,
As their life runs out
In their mothers’ bosoms.
(יג) מָֽה־אֲעִידֵ֞ךְ מָ֣ה אֲדַמֶּה־לָּ֗ךְ הַבַּת֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם מָ֤ה אַשְׁוֶה־לָּךְ֙ וַאֲנַֽחֲמֵ֔ךְ בְּתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־צִיּ֑וֹן כִּֽי־גָד֥וֹל כַּיָּ֛ם שִׁבְרֵ֖ךְ מִ֥י יִרְפָּא־לָֽךְ׃ {ס}
To you, O Fair Jerusalem?
What can I match with you to console you,
O Fair Maiden Zion?
For your ruin is vast as the sea:
Who can heal you?
When the holy Temple was destroyed, a voice cried out: ‘What can I take as a witness to you? What can I compare to you?’ I take What [=Shekhinah] as a witness to you. Every single day I have called witnesses against you, since days of old, as is written: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day (Deuteronomy 30:19). I compare you to What, precisely!2 I crowned you with holy crowns, gave you dominion over the world, as is written: Is this the city that was called perfect crown of beauty, joy of all the earth? (Lamentations 2:15). I called you Jerusalem built up, a city bound together (Psalms 122:3).
Now, What can I liken to you, to console you? (Lamentations, ibid., 13). Just as you sit desolate, so it is above, as it were. Just as now, the holy people do not enter you in holy array, so I swear to you that I Myself will not enter above until your inhabitants enter you below.3 This is your consolation: I compare this rung to you completely.4 But now that you are here, your ruin is vast as the ocean (ibid.). Yet if you say you cannot endure or be healed, Who will heal you (ibid.), really! That concealed, high rung [=Bina] in which all exists will heal you and raise you up.
Haqdamat Sefer ha-Zohar Zohar Vol I: 1b (Pritzker Vol.I p.5-8)
Of this secret, it is written, “What can I take as witness or liken to you, O Fair Jerusalem? What can I take as a witness to you? What can I compare to you? (Lamentations 2:13).
When the holy Temple was destroyed, a voice cried out: ‘What can I take as a witness to you? What can I compare to you?’ I take What [=Shekhinah] as a witness to you. Every single day I have called witnesses against you, since days of old, as is written: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day (Deuteronomy 30:19). I compare you to What, precisely!2 I crowned you with holy crowns, gave you dominion over the world, as is written: Is this the city that was called perfect crown of beauty, joy of all the earth? (Lamentations 2:15). I called you Jerusalem built up, a city bound together (Psalms 122:3).
Now, What can I liken to you, to console you? (Lamentations, ibid., 13). Just as you sit desolate, so it is above, as it were. Just as now, the holy people do not enter you in holy array, so I swear to you that I Myself will not enter above until your inhabitants enter you below.3 This is your consolation: I compare this rung to you completely.4 But now that you are here, your ruin is vast as the ocean (ibid.). Yet if you say you cannot endure or be healed, Who will heal you (ibid.), really! That concealed, high rung [=Bina] in which all exists will heal you and raise you up.
Haqdamat Sefer ha-Zohar Zohar Vol I: 1b (Pritzker Vol.I p.5-8)
(translation from Aramaic to Hebrew by Dr Melila Hellner Eshed)
(יג) בַּחוּרִים֙ טְח֣וֹן נָשָׂ֔אוּ וּנְעָרִ֖ים בָּעֵ֥ץ כָּשָֽׁלוּ׃ (יד) זְקֵנִים֙ מִשַּׁ֣עַר שָׁבָ֔תוּ בַּחוּרִ֖ים מִנְּגִינָתָֽם׃ (טו) שָׁבַת֙ מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ לִבֵּ֔נוּ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְאֵ֖בֶל מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃ (טז) נָֽפְלָה֙ עֲטֶ֣רֶת רֹאשֵׁ֔נוּ אֽוֹי־נָ֥א לָ֖נוּ כִּ֥י חָטָֽאנוּ׃ (יז) עַל־זֶ֗ה הָיָ֤ה דָוֶה֙ לִבֵּ֔נוּ עַל־אֵ֖לֶּה חָשְׁכ֥וּ עֵינֵֽינוּ׃ (יח) עַ֤ל הַר־צִיּוֹן֙ שֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔ם שׁוּעָלִ֖ים הִלְּכוּ־בֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(יט) אַתָּ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לְעוֹלָ֣ם תֵּשֵׁ֔ב כִּסְאֲךָ֖ לְד֥וֹר וָדֽוֹר׃ (כ) לָ֤מָּה לָנֶ֙צַח֙ תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֔נוּ תַּֽעַזְבֵ֖נוּ לְאֹ֥רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃ (כא) הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (ונשוב) [וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה] חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃ (כב) כִּ֚י אִם־מָאֹ֣ס מְאַסְתָּ֔נוּ קָצַ֥פְתָּ עָלֵ֖ינוּ עַד־מְאֹֽד׃
(13) Young men must carry millstones,
And youths stagger under loads of wood. (14) The old men are gone from the gate,
The young men from their music. (15) Gone is the joy of our hearts;
Our dancing is turned into mourning. (16) The crown has fallen from our head;
Woe to us that we have sinned!
(17) Because of this our hearts are sick,
Because of these our eyes are dimmed: (18) Because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate;
Jackals prowl over it.
(19) But You, O LORD, are enthroned forever,
Your throne endures through the ages. (20) Why have You forgotten us utterly,
Forsaken us for all time? (21) Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,
And let us come back;
Renew our days as of old! (22) For truly, You have rejected us,
Bitterly raged against us.
Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,
And let us come back;
Renew our days as of old!
What is כי אם?
saying to him,
“You whose name is Jacob,
You shall be called Jacob no more,
Rather/ instead Israel shall be your name.” Thus he was named Israel.
Indeed, my Sovereign GOD does nothing
Unless [God] reveals the purpose
To God’s servants the prophets.
“You have been told, O mortal, what is good,
And what GOD requires of you:
Only to do justice
And to love goodness,
And to walk modestly with your God;
And now, O Israel, what does your God יהוה demand of you? Only this: to revere your God יהוה, to walk only in divine paths, to love and to serve your God יהוה with all your heart and soul,