Chapter 4 of Eicha is Yirmiyahu's lament over the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash and what befell the inhabitants of Zion. The chapter opens with imagery of gold, fine gold, holy stones, and pure gold - all intended to convey the terrible contrast: what we once were and where we have ended up. We will examine the verses in order and see how every single word here is a lamentation in its own right.
אֵיכָה יוּעַם זָהָב, יִשְׁנֶא הַכֶּתֶם הַטּוֹב, תִּשְׁתַּפֵּכְנָה אַבְנֵי קֹדֶשׁ בְּרֹאשׁ כָּל חוּצוֹת׃ - How the gold has dimmed! How the fine gold is altered! The sacred stones are poured out at every street corner.
The First Beit HaMikdash shone like gold; it was entirely gold. Hence the first sorrow: how the luster of the gold has dimmed. Yu'am ("has dimmed") is related to dim embers whose flame has gone out. Next, he laments the desecration of the sacred vessels: "How the fine gold is altered." Rashi explains that ketem refers to golden ornaments used for jewelry - such as a chain, as in "with the gold [ketem] of Ophir." And yishne ("is altered") is from the root for change: the finest gold has changed. Finally comes the lament over the sacred stones poured out at every street corner. The Targum renders this: How the brilliance of the Temple's gold has dimmed, how the radiance of the palace has changed, how the precious gems that were in the Beit HaMikdash have been poured out at every street corner.
The Alshich explains that there is an allusion here to the wondrous, unique vine that King Shlomo planted in the Beit HaMikdash. It was no ordinary vine, but a vine made of gold, and it would produce fruit - grapes of gold. The kohanim would harvest these grapes, as related in the Midrash, and derived their livelihood from them. When the gentiles entered the Beit HaMikdash, that golden vine withered and ceased bearing fruit, so as not to yield its bounty to the enemies of Hashem. Concerning this it was said, "How the gold has dimmed" - how the golden vine withered and its luster dimmed.
The Alshich further explains that this hints at what Belshazzar was destined to do when he desecrated the sacred vessels by drinking wine from them, as did Achashverosh. The Beit HaMikdash is called "good," and gold was created for the sake of the Beit HaMikdash - yet they drank from the Temple vessels and put them to debased use. This is the meaning of "How the gold has dimmed, how the fine gold is altered": how the luster of the gold intended for the honor of the blessed Creator was darkened and put to such base use. And "the sacred stones are poured out" hints at the priestly vestments, which included the Ephod, the shoulder stones, and the stones of the Choshen corresponding to the twelve tribes - which Achashverosh wore. How could the sacred stones be cast aside, those precious and holy stones upon which Hashem's Name shone, only for vile men to take them and clothe themselves in them?
In Midrash Eicha, Chazal interpret this verse as Yirmiyahu's lament over Yoshiyahu. Yoshiyahu was certain that his generation was righteous. Therefore, when Pharaoh came and requested passage through his land to wage war against another enemy - asking merely to pass through - Yoshiyahu refused him. Why did he refuse? Because he relied on the promise, "No sword shall pass through your land." War itself goes without saying, as it is written, "I will grant peace in the land"; rather, "no sword shall pass" means even a sword of peace, one not aimed at fighting you. Yoshiyahu told him: No entry.
And what was Yoshiyahu's error? Although he himself was righteous, he did not realize that his generation was not fittingly upright. The people of his generation committed transgressions in secret. Yoshiyahu had sent inspectors to verify that there was no idolatry in people's homes, but the people would place an idol behind the door. When the double doors opened, the door folded against the wall, concealing the idol behind it. The inspectors would enter, search, find nothing, and leave, recording: This home is free of idolatry. Once they closed the door, the idol was exposed once again. In this manner, it could never be detected. This was Yoshiyahu's mistake: he was certain they were righteous and that on this basis they held a guarantee that no harm or disaster would occur.
Ultimately, when Pharaoh saw that he was not permitted to pass, he marched in, engaged him in battle, and killed Yoshiyahu. It is written that they made him like a sieve - they shot arrows into him until his body was pierced like a sieve. Over him the prophet laments: "How the gold has dimmed" - for he was like an ornament of gold; "how the fine gold is altered" - for he was like a precious gem and pearl. And "the sacred stones are poured out" - Chazal say this refers to his spilled blood: the two measures [revi'iyot] of blood that Yirmiyahu gathered and buried. This is the meaning of the verse, "and he was buried in the graves of his ancestors" - how many graves could one person be buried in? Rather, these were the measures of blood that Yirmiyahu gathered and buried, for with every single arrow a measure of blood flowed from Yoshiyahu, and Yirmiyahu buried it, lamenting over him: "The sacred stones are poured out at every street corner."
The name of Yoshiyahu is even hinted at here. If we take the verse at the end of the previous chapter - "Pursue them in wrath and destroy them from under the heavens of Hashem" - together with "How has the gold dimmed" (Eicha yu'am), we obtain the name Yoshiyahu: Yu'am begins with Yud, Eicha with Alef, Shemei with Shin, followed by the letters Yud-Kei-Vav of Hashem's Name. This spells out Yoshiyahu, an allusion to his passing.
In Kol Yaakov, another reason is offered for why they were compared to pure gold and fine treasure: gold does not rust. Even if it becomes soiled, even if grime and mire cling to it - pick it up, wash and scrub it, and it gleams just as it did at first. But all of this is on condition that you actually lift it from the mire and take care to clean it; if you leave it there, it possesses neither form nor beauty, and none of its praiseworthy nature is apparent.
So it is with the Jewish people: "A pure heart God created for us." A Jew is a diamond, and even when he is sunk in mud and covered in filth - a little polishing, a little buffing, and you see how he shines once again. In truth, rust does not cling to our souls, for we can be cleansed easily. As the Midrash says, the Jewish people are compared to a rooster: "Shake yourself from the dust, arise." A rooster enters into mud and filth, and suddenly shakes its wings and emerges clean. So it is with the Jewish people on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - they are not like the nations of the world, whose dirt clings and cannot be removed, a rust upon the soul; with a Jew, it is like a rooster that shakes itself off and emerges clean. Why, then, do filth and defilement appear upon us nonetheless? Because we are among the nations. As it is written, "And the Egyptians made us bad" (Vayare'u otanu HaMitzrim) - it does not say "and they harmed us" (Vayare'u lanu); the masters of Mussar explain: they made us bad. We become tainted by their deeds because we live in their company.
And this is what the lamenter asks: "How has gold dimmed?" - if we are like gold that can be cleaned so easily, how did it become so soiled, how did it grow so dim? The answer: "The sacred stones are poured out at the head of every street." True, it can be cleaned easily, but look where we are situated - still in the mud, still in the mire. If we truly decide to rise up and cleanse ourselves, you will see how the gold shines once more. You ask how it was dimmed? Look at where it lies. And this is also the meaning of the Midrash, "Shake yourself from the dust, arise" - arise from the head of every street, do not remain poured out at the street corners, and then, with a slight awakening, you will be able to rectify all that was corrupted.
Some explain the verse as a sequence of question and answer. The lamenter asks in bewilderment: "How has gold dimmed?" - how is it possible that the gold has become so corrupted, how has its luster faded? And the answer comes: "The finest gold changed" - measure for measure. They abandoned the Torah, which is compared to gold and the fine gold of Ophir, and changed their ways away from this finest gold; and from the moment they cast off this magnificent jewel, naturally, "the gold has dimmed."
The lamenter continues and asks: Why are "the sacred stones poured out"? And the answer: "At the head of every street." Look at what they set up at the head of every street - there they placed idols, there they set up pagan worship, there they placed their false gods. On every single furrow Ahab the wicked erected an idol, and on every mountain they planted trees for an Asherah. And you wonder? Go and see what stands at the head of every street, and then you will understand why the sacred stones are poured out. In our own days as well, go and see how at the head of every street all kinds of pride parades are held, and all kinds of people come out of all kinds of closets, arriving here from around the world to march here - literally at the head of every street. Do you wonder why sacred stones are poured out?
Rav Pincus delivered an entire discourse on "the sacred stones are poured out at the head of every street," explaining that these words speak to the tragic reality we witness among Jewish youth, many of whom stray from the path. They received a Jewish upbringing, a religious education, and some even a chareidi education - yet you see how sacred stones are poured out at the head of every street, and the heart aches. Instead of being in the Beit Midrash, instead of being planted in the House of Hashem, one sees him hanging out on the street railings, loitering in the public squares. Sacred stones - this could have been the Holy of Holies, this could have been pure gold. "How has gold dimmed," "how has the finest gold changed." How much there is to lament over this.
בְּנֵי צִיּוֹן הַיְקָרִים הַמְסֻלָּאִים בַּפָּז, אֵיכָה נֶחְשְׁבוּ לְנִבְלֵי חֶרֶשׂ מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי יוֹצֵר׃ - The precious children of Zion, weighed against fine gold, how are they considered as earthen jugs, the work of a potter's hands!
The Lechem Dimah explains that the author of the lament enumerates here three advantages they possessed, on account of which the Jewish people should not have been subject to this calamity. First, "the precious sons of Zion" - Zion is the resting place of the Shechinah, "The temple of Hashem, the temple of Hashem are they," and the holy place ought to have protected them. There is the Beit HaMikdash where sacrifices are offered, and as they said: "No adversary or enemy shall enter the gates of Jerusalem" - upon this they relied and placed their trust. And indeed, as long as they offered sacrifices, the temple of Hashem shielded them. Second, "the precious" - meaning prominent and wise, as wisdom is termed precious. And it is known that "counsel and strength are for war"; if they were wise, their wisdom should have aided them in finding stratagems and tactics to endure in battle. Third, "weighed against fine gold" - they were wealthy, and wealth generally helps one stand against enemies and resist those who rise up against you. Yet despite all this - how are they considered as earthen jugs, the work of a potter's hands?
"Earthen jugs" (nivelei cheres) are clay vessels. Metal vessels, even after they break, are still usable for craft - they can be melted down and renewed. But when earthenware breaks, there is nothing left to do with it; like a broken potsherd, it is thrown into the garbage. How, then, did they become like earthen jugs, the work of a potter's hands, which once broken have no remedy? With all their immense stature, how did they fall into such a harsh and terrible degradation?
Rashi explains that mesula'im is related to praise (mehulalim), as in "It cannot be valued (lo tesuleh) with gold of Ophir," from the root of praising - solu meaning to praise. Rav Saadia Gaon, on the other hand, explains that the letters samech and shin interchange, as though it were written meshula'im - meaning likened or compared: the precious sons of Zion who are compared to fine gold, equated with pure gold.
The Alon Bachut explains that this verse alludes to the descendants of David. There is a wondrous, yet well-known Midrash stating that the Davidic dynasty had an indentation on their heads. In the royal crown, there was a kind of central tube or metal ridge; when placed on the head of an ordinary person, it would not sit properly because it stood in the middle. But David's descendants had a special groove on their heads, so when the crown was placed upon them, it fit properly and settled snugly in place. On anyone else the crown would not sit well, and one would have had to saw away part of the skull for it to fit.
Regarding this, the verse says: "The precious sons of Zion" - these are the descendants of David; "weighed against fine gold" - for the crown of fine gold fitted them. And who is alluded to by "earthenware" (cheres)? Scripture recounts that Channah said in her song of praise, "My horn is exalted in Hashem." Chazal expound that she intended to hint at the kingdom of David, noting that she said "my horn is exalted" (ramah karni) and not "my jug is exalted" (ramah pachi). A jug (pach) is made of earthenware, whereas a horn is an animal horn, like the horn of an ox. The difference between David and Shaul is that Shaul was anointed with a jug of oil, while David was anointed with a horn. A horn is strong and durable, while an earthenware jug is fragile - if it falls, it shatters. Shaul's monarchy was temporary; it fell, shattered, and ended. David's monarchy is permanent - "David, king of Israel, lives and endures" - having been anointed with a horn, which is sturdy and lasting. Channah said: "My horn is exalted in Hashem" - the kingdom established through a horn was elevated, for that is the kingdom belonging to Hashem; and not "my jug is exalted" - the kingdom established through a jug, which is earthenware, was not permanently elevated.
Based on this foundation, the Alon Bachut explains: "The precious sons of Zion, weighed against fine gold" refers to the descendants of David, whom the crown of fine gold fitted; "how are they considered as earthen jugs, the work of a potter's hands" - how did their kingdom become like that of Shaul, a kingdom of earthenware, a clay jug that shattered? Suddenly we see that David's dynasty, too, seems nullified and ceased like earthenware. In truth, it was not literally like earthenware, for Shaul's kingdom had no continuity, whereas "David, king of Israel, lives and endures." In the sefirot, David's aspect is Malchut, which corresponds to the moon, also representing Malchut. Just as the moon wanes and waxes, is hidden and revealed, so too is David's dynasty: it may be concealed, but it is destined to return and be revealed; in reality it is eternal, and only now is it in a state of concealment, and they are destined to be renewed like the moon. This is why we say in the Blessing of the Moon (Birkat HaLevanah), "David, king of Israel, lives and endures" - what does David have to do with this blessing? Rather, David embodies the moon, the aspect of Malchut, and just as the moon is concealed and reappears, so David's monarchy is now concealed and will ultimately be restored. This is also the hint here: for now it appears as though they were considered earthen jugs like Shaul's kingdom that ceased, but know that the monarchy was not annulled, merely concealed, and it is destined to return and shine forth once again.
The Lechem Dimah explains that four segments of the Jewish people are addressed here: Kohanim, Levi'im, Yisraelim, and prophets - with the prophets also encompassing the Torah sages. Concerning the majority of the Jewish people, the verse says, "How the gold has dimmed" - gold never tarnishes or changes, yet how has its luster grown dim? Concerning the Levi'im, who are of higher distinction, it says, "the finest gold" (hachetem hatov), which is superior to ordinary gold: how has it changed, how has alteration overtaken it? Concerning the Kohanim, who are even more distinguished and are likened to precious stones and pearls, it says, "the sacred gems are scattered at every street corner." And corresponding to those perfected in the virtues of prophecy and wisdom, our verse speaks: "The precious sons of Zion, weighed against fine gold, how are they considered as earthen jugs" - how from one extreme to the other, from fine gold, which is the most precious of materials, have they turned into fragile earthen jars.
The Midrash relates an incident involving one of the great men of Jerusalem who told a youth: "Go and bring me water," asking him for a drink. Through this, the Midrash illustrates the terrifying, agonizing siege of those days. The man stood on the rooftop waiting for the youth. The youth returned and said to him: "I found no water; there is no water to drink." He told him: "Cast the jug to the ground before me." The youth threw down the jug, and when a clay jug is dashed against the ground, it shatters. The Midrash continues: The man then threw himself from the roof and died, falling upon the shards of the jug, so that his limbs mingled with the potsherds. And of him it was said, "How are they considered as earthen jugs" - for he became mingled with the earthenware, and his corpse (nivlato) fell upon the potsherds (cheres).
גַּם תַּנִּים חָלְצוּ שַׁד, הֵינִיקוּ גּוּרֵיהֶן, בַּת עַמִּי לְאַכְזָר כַּיְעֵנִים בַּמִּדְבָּר׃ - Even jackals draw out the breast, they nurse their whelps; the daughter of my people has become cruel, like ostriches in the wilderness.
Here the author of the lamentations describes the depth of the deterioration. The *Lechem Dimah* explains that until this point he spoke of the males, the sons of Zion, and from here onward he begins to describe the suffering of the daughters of Israel, who did not even have milk to nurse their children. After all, even jackals draw out the breast and nurse their whelps, whereas the daughters of Israel had no milk to nurse their infants, so that, as it were, they became cruel like ostriches in the wilderness. This does not mean they were truly cruel, for this was during a siege and famine, but rather that their circumstances took on the appearance of cruelty: the children beg, and there is nothing to give them.
The *Lechem Dimah* adds that the poet means to convey: see the terrible plight of these mothers, who were unable to act even like fierce beasts of prey. For fierce beasts of prey, when they see their nursing cubs from afar, even before the cubs ask, draw out the breast on their own and prepare to nurse them. Yet the daughter of my people - compassionate children of compassionate parents - became cruel like ostriches in the wilderness, for ostriches in the wilderness abandon their young and leave them without food. As noted, this was not done maliciously; rather, observe the horrific state into which they fell, forced to act toward their children in what seemed like a cruel manner.
Furthermore, there is a critical message here about the people of Israel. Do you wish to know why this happened? Because "the daughter of my people has become cruel." The ostrich distances itself from its offspring so as not to give them food, and so too did the people of Israel: they did not perform acts of charity, did not give, did not assist, and did not support the poor. If you want to understand why they received such a punishment, you must understand their sin and shortcoming: when a person does not bestow upon others from the good that the Holy One, blessed be He, bestows upon him, God forbid, the Holy One, blessed be He, ensures measure for measure that a person receives according to what he did.
דָּבַק לְשׁוֹן יוֹנֵק אֶל חִכּוֹ בַּצָּמָא, עוֹלָלִים שָׁאֲלוּ לֶחֶם, פֹּרֵשׂ אֵין לָהֶם׃ - The tongue of the nursing infant clings to the roof of its mouth in thirst; toddlers beg for bread, with no one to break it for them.
Because there was no milk for the infants - as it was said, "Even jackals draw out the breast, they nurse their whelps; the daughter of my people has become cruel, like ostriches in the wilderness," that they had no milk to nurse their children - the result was that "the tongue of the nursing infant clings to the roof of its mouth in thirst." Then the verse moves on to the older children: the *Lechem Dimah* explains that these no longer need to nurse, but they do need bread. And they begged for bread, yet "no one broke it for them" - not even a slice, for a whole loaf was already too high an ambition; they were asking for a single slice, and there was no one even to break off a slice for them.
Rashi explains that parents would see their children crying out for bread and there was no one to break it for them. That is, the parents would not give their children a slice of bread because one's own life takes precedence: they looked out for themselves and ate, not giving to their children. Why did Rashi explain it this way? Evidently, Rashi understood from the verse that it was not that there was no bread at all, but rather that bread existed and yet no one would break it for them, for the verse does not say "and they have no bread," but rather "no one breaks it for them." And why was there no one to break it? Because the parents did not want to give it to their children, reasoning that one's own life comes first. How shocking and unnatural this is, for a mother will give her very last piece of bread to her child - yet here we see that parents favored their own well-being over the well-being of their children.
הָאֹכְלִים לְמַעֲדַנִּים נָשַׁמּוּ בַּחוּצוֹת, הָאֱמֻנִים עֲלֵי תוֹלָע חִבְּקוּ אַשְׁפַּתּוֹת׃ - Those accustomed to dine on delicacies are desolate in the streets; those reared in crimson embrace trash heaps.
Here the *Alon Bachut* describes the immense upheaval that befell the people living in Zion. "Those accustomed to dine on delicacies" - people who were used to eating only delicacies, only the finest and most exquisite fare; bring them simple bread, and it would not appeal to them. Yet see how they fell from one extreme to the other: they "are desolate in the streets," wandering forsaken in the streets, roaming after every scrap of refuse thrown out in the streets in order to find something to satisfy their hunger - even something repulsive, even something no longer fit for consumption.
He further explains: "those accustomed to dine on delicacies" refers to pampered people, who did not eat because they were hungry. Why do you eat? Just to snack. We have become a snacking generation, a generation seeking treats and pleasures, ice cream bars of every kind and all sorts of indulgences and cravings. These are people who do not eat when the stomach demands it and when there is a true need to eat, but rather when they feel like indulging. As the Gemara notes, there is always room for sweets (*revacha levasumei shechiah*). A person offered meat or chicken might say: I cannot eat another bite, I am stuffed, I am unable. Yet when roasted nuts are served, you see him snacking for two hours. A moment ago you said you couldn't eat! Rather, there is always room for delicacies - there is extra space in the stomach; as it were, it has special compartments and storage chambers for fragrant, distinctive, and refined treats that a person can still manage to eat. And now, these very people, who ate only delicacies and not out of hunger but merely to indulge - they "are desolate in the streets," wandering forsaken in the public squares.
"Those reared in scarlet" - those pampered individuals who were accustomed to wearing only garments dyed with scarlet wool, an exceptionally fine fabric, now do not even have clothing for their skin, and "embrace garbage heaps": they lie in the refuse and embrace it, as it were, to cover themselves, having nothing else with which to cover their bodies, so that by hugging the garbage they find a covering for their flesh. The Torat Chesed explains: "Those reared in scarlet embraced garbage heaps" - they were so ravenously hungry that when they found a garbage heap, they rejoiced over it to the point of embracing it, like one who finds great spoil: "This is my garbage, do not touch it, I found it first!" To such an extent did they embrace the refuse, as though they had discovered a great treasure.
The chapter opens with gold and concludes with garbage. "How the gold has grown dim" - the gold that never rusts, the Beit HaMikdash, its vessels, the priestly garments, the royalty of the House of David, and the precious children of Zion - all were dimmed and brought low. The lament over Yoshiyahu, over the golden vine that withered, over the sacred vessels that were desecrated, over the mothers who could not nurse, over the parents who could not break bread for their children, and over the pampered who embraced garbage heaps - all merge into one great lament over unprecedented degradation. Yet within the lament also lies the consolation: the gold itself was not destroyed; it was merely covered in grime. The people of Israel are like a rooster that shakes itself off and emerges clean, and the Davidic monarchy is like the moon, which is obscured and then reappears. "Shake yourself from the dust, arise" - arise from the head of every street, and with a slight awakening we will be able to rectify all that we ruined, and see how the gold shines brightly once again.