Sanhedrin

She weepeth, yea, She weepeth, in the night.  Why this double weeping? — Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Once for the first Temple, and once for the second. 'In the night' — on account of what happened at night. For it is written, And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried, and the people wept that night.  Rabbah observed in R. Johanan's name: It was the night of the ninth of Ab, and the Almighty said to Israel, 'Ye have wept without cause: therefore will I appoint a weeping to you for future generations. Another interpretation of 'in the night': whoever weeps at night, his voice is heard.  Another meaning: whoever weeps at night, the stars and constellations weep with him. Another meaning: whoever weeps at night, he who hears him, weeps [in sympathy]. It happened that the child of a neighbour of R. Gamaliel died, and she was weeping for him at night. R. Gamaliel, on hearing her, wept in sympathy with her, until his eyelashes fell out. On the morrow, his disciples discerned this, and removed her from his neighbourhood. And her tears are on her cheeks.  Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: As a woman who weeps for the husband of her youth, as it is written, Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth. Her adversaries are the chief.  Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Whoever distresses Israel becomes a chief, as it is written,  Nevertheless, there shall be no weariness for her that oppressed her.  In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time hath he made it glorious, by way of the sea, beyond Jordan, the circuit of the nations.  Whereupon Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Whoever oppresses Israel does not weary. Not to you, all ye that pass by.  Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: This gives Biblical support to the custom of saying 'not to you'.  'All ye that pass by.' R. Amram said in Rab's name: They have made me as those who transgress the law;  for in the case of Sodom it is written, And the Lord rained upon Sodom [and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire],  whilst in the case of Jerusalem it is written, From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them. For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom:  is there then favouritism in the matter?  — Rabbah answered in R. Johanan's name: There was an extra measure [of punishment] in Jerusalem, which Sodom was spared. For in the case of Sodom, it is written, Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy.  Whereas in the case of Jerusalem it is written, The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their children. The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me:  as one says to his neighbour, This coin has lost its currency. All thine enemies have opened their mouths against thee.  Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Why did he place the pe before the 'ayin?  Because of the Spies who spoke with their mouths what they had not seen with their eyes. They eat my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord.  Rabbah said in R. Johanan's name: Whoever eats the bread of Israel enjoys the taste of bread; whoever does not eat the bread of Israel does not enjoy the taste of bread. They call not upon the Lord. Rab said: This refers to the judges;  Samuel said: To teachers of children. Now, who enumerated them?  — R. Ashi said: The men of the Great Assembly  enumerated them. Rab Judah said in Rab's name: They wished to include another [sc. Solomon], but an apparition of his father's likeness came and prostrated itself [in supplication] before them, which, however, they disregarded. A heavenly fire descended and its flames licked their seats, yet they still disregarded it. Whereupon a Heavenly Voice cried out to them, 'Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.  He who gave precedence to My house over his, and, moreover, built My house in seven years, but his own in thirteen, he shall stand before kings;  he shall not stand before mean men.'  Yet they paid no attention even to this. Whereupon the Heavenly Voice cried out, 'Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, 'or whether thou choose; and not I etc.' The Doreshe Reshumoth  maintained: All of them will enter the world to come, as it is written, Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;  Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver,' Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me.  [Thus:] 'Gilead is mine' this refers to Ahab, who fell at Ramoth-gilead; 'Manasseh' is literally meant;  'Ephraim also is the strength of mine head' — this alludes to Jeroboam, a descendant of Ephraim; 'Judah is my lawgiver' — this refers to Ahitophel,