AND HE LIFTED UP HIS EYES, AND SAW BENJAMIN HIS BROTHER, HIS MOTHER’S SON, ETC. R. Hiya began a discourse on the verse: Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; but desire fulfilled is a tree of life (Prov. 13, 12). ‘This’, he said, ‘bears out the traditional teaching to the effect that a man in praying to the Almighty should not observe too closely whether his prayer is answered or no, lest the numerous accusers who are about will come to scrutinize his deeds.
The underlying meaning of the first part of the verse is that if a man thinks too much about whether his prayer will be answered, he provokes “sickness of heart”, to wit, that spirit who is constantly shadowing him in his eagerness to indict him on high and below;
but “desire fulfilled is a tree of life”, that is, as tradition teaches us, whoever desires that the Holy One, blessed be He, should accept his prayer, should be diligent in the study of the Torah, which is the tree of life, and thus desire is “fulfilled”, or, more literally, “cometh” (baah). By “desire” is meant the grade that presides over all prayers and takes them up into the presence of the Most High King. The word “cometh” (baah) is used here as in the phrase, “In the evening she cometh” (Esther 2, 14), and means that the desire comes up before the Most High King so as to fulfil the man’s wish.
Alternatively, “hope deferred maketh the heart sick” is an allusion to that other and wrong place in which man’s prayer may be delayed whilst it passes from hand to hand and so fails to reach its destination, because it is passed from chieftain to chieftain and is brought down again into this world.
“But desire fulfilled is a tree of life”: this alludes to the hope that is not bandied about among those chieftains, but is granted to the man by God immediately; for if it is delayed among those chieftains it is exposed to the scrutiny and criticism of numerous accusers, who may prevent it from being granted. Not so is it with the hope that issues directly from the King’s Court: this is granted to man at once, irrespective of his merits.
Again, “hope deferred maketh the heart sick” is exemplified in Jacob, whose hope in regard to Joseph was deferred for a long time, while “desire fulfilled is a tree of life” is exemplified in the case of Benjamin, inasmuch as only a short time elapsed between Joseph’s demand that he should be brought to him and his actual arrival, of which it is written, “And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son.” The words “his mother’s son” in this passage indicate that Benjamin was the very image of his mother.’
Said R. Jose: ‘since it has already been written, “And Joseph saw Benjamin with them”, why does the Scripture repeat “And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother”? The truth is that the second time he saw something new: he foresaw through the holy spirit that Benjamin would have a portion along with his brethren in the Holy Land, and, moreover, that it would be in the portions of Benjamin and Judah that the Shekinah would rest, in that the Temple would be in their portion.1Cf. T. B. Tractate Yoma, 12a: “A strip of land went forth from Judah’s lot and entered into Benjamin’s territory, and on this the Temple was built.”. Hence he saw that Benjamin would be more closely connected with them than he himself.’
In connection with this, R. Hizkiah quoted the verse: The burden concerning the valley of vision. What aileth thee now that thou art wholly gone up to the house tops? (Is. 22, 1). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been expounded as alluding to the day on which the Temple was destroyed with fire by the enemies, when all the ministering priests went up on the walls1Al. the roofs. of the Temple holding all its keys in their hands and exclaimed: “Until now we have been thy treasurers, now take back thine own.”
The Valley of Vision is an appellation of the Temple when the Shekinah dwelt in it, and when it was the source from which all drew their prophetic inspiration; for although the various prophets proclaimed their messages in various regions, they all drew their inspiration from the Temple. Hence the appellation “Valley of Vision”. (The term hizayon (vision) has also been interpreted to signify “reflection of all the celestial hues”.)
The words “what aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the house tops?” allude to the Shekinah, who at the destruction of the Temple revisited all the spots where she had dwelt formerly and wept for her habitation and for Israel who had gone into exile and all those righteous ones and saints that perished there. God thereupon said to her: “What aileth thee, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?”
The Shekinah replied with tears: “Thou that wast full of uproar, a tumultuous city, a joyous town, thy slain are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle, etc. Therefore said I: Look away from me, I will weep bitterly” (Is. 22, 4), as much as to say, “Seeing that my children have gone into exile and the Sanctuary is burnt, what is there left for me that I should linger here?” And the answer of the Holy One, blessed be He, as explained already elsewhere, was: “Refrain thy voice from weeping, etc.” (Jer. 31, 16).
Observe that from the time when the Temple was destroyed no day has passed without its curses. For as long as the Temple was in existence, Israel performed divine service, offering up burnt-offerings and other offerings, while the Shekinah in the Temple hovered over them like a mother hovering over her children, and so all faces were lit up, and all found blessing both above and here below, and no day passed without its blessings and its joys. Then Israel dwelt securely in their land and all the world was provisioned through them.
But now that the Temple is destroyed and the Shekinah is in exile with Israel there is not a day but brings its curses, and the world is under a curse, and joylessness reigns on high and below.
Nevertheless the Holy One, blessed be He, will in due time raise Israel from the dust and suffuse the world with joy. So Scripture says: “Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer, etc.” (Is. 56, 7). And just as they went into exile with tears, as it is written, “she weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks” (Lam. 1, 2), so shall they return with tears, as it is written, “they shall come with weeping and with supplications will I lead them” (Jer. 31, 9).
וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת בִּנְיָמִין אָחִיו בֶּן אִמּוֹ וְגו'. רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאֲמַר, (משלי י״ג:י״ב) תּוֹחֶלֶת מְמוּשָׁכָה מַחֲלָה לֵב וְעֵץ חַיִּים תַּאֲוָה בָאָה. דָּא הוּא דִּתְנַן, דְּלֵית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּבָעוּתֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִי אָתֵי, אִי לָא אָתֵי. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּאִי אִיהוּ אִסְתַּכֵּל בֵּיהּ, כַּמָּה מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא, אָתוּ לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בֵּיהּ בְּעוֹבָדוֹי.
AND HE LIFTED UP HIS EYES, AND SAW BENJAMIN HIS BROTHER, HIS MOTHER’S SON, ETC. R. Hiya began a discourse on the verse: Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; but desire fulfilled is a tree of life (Prov. 13, 12). ‘This’, he said, ‘bears out the traditional teaching to the effect that a man in praying to the Almighty should not observe too closely whether his prayer is answered or no, lest the numerous accusers who are about will come to scrutinize his deeds.
וְרָזָא אִיהוּ, דְּהָא הַהוּא אִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא, דְּאִיהוּ מִסְתַּכֵּל בְּהַהוּא בָּעוּתָא, גָּרִים לֵיהּ לְמַחֲלַת לֵב. מַאי מַחֲלָה לֵב, דָּא אִיהוּ מַאן דְּקָאִים תָּדִיר עֲלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, לְאַסְטָאָה לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא.
The underlying meaning of the first part of the verse is that if a man thinks too much about whether his prayer will be answered, he provokes “sickness of heart”, to wit, that spirit who is constantly shadowing him in his eagerness to indict him on high and below;
וְעֵץ חַיִּים תַּאֲוָה בָאָה. תָּנִינָן, מַאן דְּבָעֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְקַבֵּל צְלוֹתֵיהּ, יִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּאִיהִי עֵץ חַיִּים. וּכְדֵין תַּאֲוָה בָאָה. מַאן תַּאֲוָה, דָּא הוּא דַּרְגָּא דְּכָל צְלוֹתִין דְּעַלְמָא בִּידֵיהּ, וְעֲאִיל לוֹן קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה. כְּתִיב הָכָא בָאָה, וּכְתִיב הָתָם, (אסתר ב׳:י״ד) בָּעֶרֶב הִיא בָאָה. וְדָא הוּא תַּאֲוָה בָאָה, בָּאָה קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, לְאַשְׁלָמָא רְעוּתָא דְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ.
but “desire fulfilled is a tree of life”, that is, as tradition teaches us, whoever desires that the Holy One, blessed be He, should accept his prayer, should be diligent in the study of the Torah, which is the tree of life, and thus desire is “fulfilled”, or, more literally, “cometh” (baah). By “desire” is meant the grade that presides over all prayers and takes them up into the presence of the Most High King. The word “cometh” (baah) is used here as in the phrase, “In the evening she cometh” (Esther 2, 14), and means that the desire comes up before the Most High King so as to fulfil the man’s wish.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, תּוֹחֶלֶת מְמוּשָׁכָה מַחֲלָה לֵב, דָּא הוּא אֲתַר, דְּאִתְיְיהִיב הַהִיא מִלָּה, בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ. וְאִתְמַשְּׁכָא עַד דְּאִתְיְיהִיב מִיָּדָא לְיָדָא, וּלְזִמְנִין דְּלָא יִיִתֵי. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּאִתְפַּשְּׁטָא וְאִתְמַשְּׁכָא בְּכָל אִינוּן מְמַנָּן, לְנַחֲתָא לֵיהּ לְעַלְמָא.
Alternatively, “hope deferred maketh the heart sick” is an allusion to that other and wrong place in which man’s prayer may be delayed whilst it passes from hand to hand and so fails to reach its destination, because it is passed from chieftain to chieftain and is brought down again into this world.
וְעֵץ חַיִּים תַּאֲוָה בָאָה, דָּא הוּא תּוֹחֶלֶת, דְּלָא אִתְמַשְּׁכָא, בְּגִין אִינוּן מְמַנָּן רְתִיכִין, אֶלָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב (לון) לֵיהּ לְאַלְתָּר. בְּגִין דְּכַד אִתְמַשְּׁכָא בֵּין אִינוּן מְמַנָּן רְתִיכִין, כַּמָּה אִינוּן מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא דְּאִתְיְיהִיב לוֹן רְשׁוּתָא. לְעַיְינָא וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּדִינֵיהּ, עַד לָא יִנָּתְנוּן לֵיהּ. וּמַה דְּנָפִיק מִבֵּי מַלְכָּא וְאִתְיְיהִיב לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ, בֵּין דְּזָכֵי, בֵּין דְּלָא זָכֵי, אִתְיְיהִיב מִיָּד. וְדָא הוּא עֵץ חַיִים תַּאֲוָה בָאָה.
“But desire fulfilled is a tree of life”: this alludes to the hope that is not bandied about among those chieftains, but is granted to the man by God immediately; for if it is delayed among those chieftains it is exposed to the scrutiny and criticism of numerous accusers, who may prevent it from being granted. Not so is it with the hope that issues directly from the King’s Court: this is granted to man at once, irrespective of his merits.
דָּבָר אַחֵר, תּוֹחֶלֶת מְמוּשָׁכָה, דָּא יַעֲקֹב. דְּאִתְמַשְּׁכָא לֵיהּ תּוֹחַלְתָּא דְיוֹסֵף עַד זְמַן אָרִיךְ. וְעֵץ חַיִּים תַּאֲוָה בָאָה, דָּא הוּא בִּנְיָמִן. דְּהָא מִזִּמְנָא דְּתָבַע לֵיהּ יוֹסֵף, עַד הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאָתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ, לָא הֲוָה אֶלָּא זִמְנָא זְעֵיר. דְּלָא אִתְמַשְּׁכָא הַהוּא זִמְנָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת בִּנְיָמִין אָחִיו בֶּן אִמּוֹ. מַאי בֶּן אִמּוֹ. דְּדִיוּקְנֵיהּ דְּאִמֵּיהּ הֲוָה בֵּיהּ, וְהֲוָה דָמֵי דִּיוּקְנֵיהּ לְדִיוּקְנָא דְּרָחֵל. בְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת בִּנְיָמִן אָחִיו בֶּן אִמּוֹ.
Again, “hope deferred maketh the heart sick” is exemplified in Jacob, whose hope in regard to Joseph was deferred for a long time, while “desire fulfilled is a tree of life” is exemplified in the case of Benjamin, inasmuch as only a short time elapsed between Joseph’s demand that he should be brought to him and his actual arrival, of which it is written, “And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son.” The words “his mother’s son” in this passage indicate that Benjamin was the very image of his mother.’
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, וְהָא כְּתִיב בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וַיַּרְא יוֹסֵף אִתָּם אֶת בִּנְיָמִן. וְהַשְׁתָּא כְּתִיב, וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת בִּנְיָמִין אָחִיו. מַאי רְאִיָה הָכָא. אֶלָּא חָמָא בְּרוּחָא דְקוּדְשָׁא לְבִנְיָמִן, דְּחוּלָקֵיהּ הֲוָה עִמְּהוֹן בְּאַרְעָא. וּבְחוּלָקֵיהּ דְּבִנְיָמִן וִיהוּדָה תִּשְׁרֵי שְׁכִינְתָא. דְּהָא חָמָא לֵיהּ לִיהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִן, דִּבְחוּלְקֵהוֹן הֲוָה מַקְדְּשָׁא. וְדָא הוּא וַיַּרְא יוֹסֵף אִתָּם אֶת בִּנְיָמִן. לֵיהּ חָמָא עִמְּהוֹן, וְיוֹסֵף דְּהֲוָה אֲחוּהָ לָא חָמָא עִמְּהוֹן בְּהַהוּא חוּלָקָא.
Said R. Jose: ‘since it has already been written, “And Joseph saw Benjamin with them”, why does the Scripture repeat “And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother”? The truth is that the second time he saw something new: he foresaw through the holy spirit that Benjamin would have a portion along with his brethren in the Holy Land, and, moreover, that it would be in the portions of Benjamin and Judah that the Shekinah would rest, in that the Temple would be in their portion.1Cf. T. B. Tractate Yoma, 12a: “A strip of land went forth from Judah’s lot and entered into Benjamin’s territory, and on this the Temple was built.”. Hence he saw that Benjamin would be more closely connected with them than he himself.’
אוּף הָכָא, וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת בִּנְיָמִין אָחִיו בֶּן אִמּוֹ. מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ. וַיְמַהֵר יוֹסֵף כִּי נִכְמְרוּ רַחֲמָיו אֶל אָחִיו וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לִבְכּוֹת וַיָּבֹא הַחַדְרָה וַיֵּבְךִ שָׁמָּה.
AND JOSEPH MADE HASTE; FOR HIS HEART YEARNED TOWARD HIS BROTHER; AND HE SOUGHT WHERE TO WEEP; AND HE ENTERED INTO HIS CIIAMBER AND WEPT THERE.
רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח וְאֲמַר, (ישעיהו כ״ב:א׳) מַשָּׂא גֵיא חִזָּיוֹן מַה לָּךְ אֵיפֹה כִּי עָלִית כֻּלָּךְ לַגַּגּוֹת. תָּא חֲזֵי, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, וְהָיוּ מוֹקְדִין לֵיהּ בְּנוּרָא, סְלִיקוּ כָּל אִינוּן כַּהֲנֵי עַל כּוֹתְלֵיהוֹן (נ"א גגיהון) דְּמַקְדְּשָׁא, וְכָל מַפְתֵּחִין בִּידַיְיהוּ, וְאָמְרוּ. עַד הָכָא הֲוֵינָא גִזְבָּרִין דִּילָךְ, מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ טוֹל דִּילָךְ.
In connection with this, R. Hizkiah quoted the verse: The burden concerning the valley of vision. What aileth thee now that thou art wholly gone up to the house tops? (Is. 22, 1). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been expounded as alluding to the day on which the Temple was destroyed with fire by the enemies, when all the ministering priests went up on the walls1Al. the roofs. of the Temple holding all its keys in their hands and exclaimed: “Until now we have been thy treasurers, now take back thine own.”
אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, גֵּיא חִזָּיוֹן, דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּהֲוַת בְּמַקְדְּשָׁא. וְכָל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא, מִינָהּ הֲווּ יָנְקִין יְנִיקוּ דִּנְבוּאָה. דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּכָל נְבִיאִין, קָא הֲווּ מִתְנַבְּאִין מֵאֲתַר אָחֳרָא, מִגַּוָּוהּ הֲווּ יָנְקִין נְבוּאַתְהוֹן. וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרֵי אִיהִי גֵּיא חִזָּיוֹן. חִזָּיוֹן, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְאִיהוּ חֵיזוּ דְּכָל גְּוָונִין עִלָּאִין.
The Valley of Vision is an appellation of the Temple when the Shekinah dwelt in it, and when it was the source from which all drew their prophetic inspiration; for although the various prophets proclaimed their messages in various regions, they all drew their inspiration from the Temple. Hence the appellation “Valley of Vision”. (The term hizayon (vision) has also been interpreted to signify “reflection of all the celestial hues”.)
מַה לָּךְ אֵיפֹה כִּי עָלִית כֻּלָּךְ לַגַּגּוֹת, דְּהָא כַּד אִתְחָרַב מַקְדְּשָׁא, שְׁכִינְתָּא אָתָאת, וּסְלִיקַת בְּכָל אִינוּן אַתְרִין, דְּהֲוָה מְדוֹרָהּ בְּהוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא. וַהֲוַת בָּכַת עַל בֵּית מְדוֹרָהּ, וְעַל יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאֲזְלוּ בְּגָלוּתָא, וְעַל כָּל אִינוּן צַדִּיקֵי וַחֲסִידֵי דְּהֲווּ תַּמָּן וְאִתְאֲבִידוּ. וּמְנָלָן, דִּכְתִיב, (ירמיהו ל״א:ט״ו) כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע נְהִי בְּכִי תַמְרוּרִים רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ, וְהָא אִתְּמָר. וּכְדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁאִיל לָהּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְאָמַר לָהּ. מַה לָּךְ אֵיפֹה כִּי עָלִית כֻּלָּךְ לַגַּגּוֹת.
The words “what aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the house tops?” allude to the Shekinah, who at the destruction of the Temple revisited all the spots where she had dwelt formerly and wept for her habitation and for Israel who had gone into exile and all those righteous ones and saints that perished there. God thereupon said to her: “What aileth thee, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?”
מַהוּ כֻּלָּךְ, דְּהָא כִּי עָלִית סַגְיָא, מַהוּ כֻּלָּךְ. לְאַכְלָלָא בַּהֲדָהּ כָּל חֵילִין וְכָל רְתִיכִין אָחֳרָנִין, דְּכֻלְּהוּ בְּכוּ עִמָּהּ עַל חֻרְבַּן בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא.
the word “wholly” including together with the Shekinah all fhe legions and hosts that wept with her over the destruction of the Temple.
וּבְגִין כָּךְ, מַה לָּךְ אֵיפֹה. אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ, וְכִי בָּנַי בְּגָלוּתָא, וּמַקְדְּשָׁא אִתּוֹקְדָא, וְאֲנָא מַה לִּי הָכָא. שָׁרִיאַת וְאֲמְרַת, (ישעיהו כ״ב:ב׳) תְּשׁוּאוֹת מְלֵאָה עִיר הוֹמִיָּה קִרְיָה עַלִּיזָה חֲלָלַיִךְ לא חַלְלֵי חֶרֶב וְלֹא מֵתֵי מִלְחָמָה עַל כֵּן אָמַרְתִּי שְׁעוּ מִנִּי אֲמָרֵר בַּבֶּכִי וְגו'. וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר לָהּ, (ירמיהו ל״א:ט״ז) כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ מִנְעִי קוֹלֵךְ מִבֶּכִי וְגו'.
The Shekinah replied with tears: “Thou that wast full of uproar, a tumultuous city, a joyous town, thy slain are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle, etc. Therefore said I: Look away from me, I will weep bitterly” (Is. 22, 4), as much as to say, “Seeing that my children have gone into exile and the Sanctuary is burnt, what is there left for me that I should linger here?” And the answer of the Holy One, blessed be He, as explained already elsewhere, was: “Refrain thy voice from weeping, etc.” (Jer. 31, 16).
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, לָא הֲוָה יוֹמָא דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח בֵּיהּ לְוָוטִין. בְּגִין דְּכַד בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא הֲוָה קַיָּים, הֲווּ יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּלְחִין פּוּלְחָנִין וְקָרְבִין עִלַּוָּון וְקָרְבָּנִין, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא שַׁרְיָא בְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא עֲלַיְיהוּ, כְּאִמָּא דִּרְבִיעָא עַל בְּנַיָיא. וְהֲווּ כָּל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין, עַד דְּאִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ בִּרְכָאן לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא. וְלָא הֲוָה יוֹמָא, דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח בֵּיהּ בִּרְכָאן וְחֶדְוָון. וְהֲווּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁרָאן לְרָחֲצָן בְּאַרְעָא, וְכָל עַלְמָא הֲוָה אִתְּזָן בְּגִינַיְיהוּ.
Observe that from the time when the Temple was destroyed no day has passed without its curses. For as long as the Temple was in existence, Israel performed divine service, offering up burnt-offerings and other offerings, while the Shekinah in the Temple hovered over them like a mother hovering over her children, and so all faces were lit up, and all found blessing both above and here below, and no day passed without its blessings and its joys. Then Israel dwelt securely in their land and all the world was provisioned through them.
הַשְׁתָּא דְּאִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא עִמְּהוֹן בְּגָלוּתָא, לֵית לָךְ יוֹמָא דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח בֵּיהּ לְוָוטִין, וְעַלְמָא אִתְלַטְיָא. וְחֶדְוָון לָא אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא.
But now that the Temple is destroyed and the Shekinah is in exile with Israel there is not a day but brings its curses, and the world is under a curse, and joylessness reigns on high and below.
וְזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְאֲקַמָא לָהּ לִכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעַפְרָא, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר. וּלְמֶחֱדֵי עַלְמָא בְּכֹלָּא. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ישעיהו נ״ו:ז׳) וַהֲבִיאוֹתִים אֶל הַר קָדְשִׁי וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים בְּבֵית תְּפִלָּתִי וְגו'. וּכְתִיב, (ירמיהו ל״א:ט׳) בִּבְכִי יָבוֹאוּ וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים אוֹבִילֵם. כְּמָה דִּבְקַדְמִּיתָא, דִּכְתִיב, (איכה א׳:ב׳) בָּכֹה תִבְכֶּה בַּלַּיְלָה וְדִמְעָתָהּ עַל לֶחיָהּ. הָכִי נָמֵי לְבָתַר, בִּבְכִי יִתְהַדְּרוּן. דִּכְתִיב, בִּבְכִי יָבֹאוּ וְגו':
Nevertheless the Holy One, blessed be He, will in due time raise Israel from the dust and suffuse the world with joy. So Scripture says: “Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer, etc.” (Is. 56, 7). And just as they went into exile with tears, as it is written, “she weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks” (Lam. 1, 2), so shall they return with tears, as it is written, “they shall come with weeping and with supplications will I lead them” (Jer. 31, 9).