God Changes The Roles Of The Angels

"He has thrown down in His wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah" (Lamentations 2:2). Rabbi Yudan said: Every fortress that was in Jerusalem was not fit to be conquered in less than forty days. Rabbi Pinhas said: in less than fifty days. But when the iniquities caused it, "He has thrown down in His wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah," He brought them to the ground. "He has profaned the kingdom and its princes" (Lamentations 2:2). "He has profaned the kingdom" these are Israel, as you say: "And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:6). "And its princes" these are the princes above. You find that before the enemies came, Jeremiah would say to them, Do repentance, that you not go into exile. They said to him, If the enemies come, what can they do to us? One said: I will surround it with a wall of water. Another said: I will surround it with a wall of fire. And another said: I will surround it with a wall of iron. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: It is with what is Mine that you are making use. The Holy One, blessed be He, arose and changed the names of the angels: the one over water He set over fire, and the one over fire He set over iron. And they would mention their names from below and they would not answer them. This is what is written: "And I have profaned the holy princes" (Isaiah 43:28). And once the iniquities caused it and the enemies came, they began to mention, Prince so-and-so, come, do for us such-and-such a thing. He said to him: It is not in my power to lift anything from it. Another interpretation: "He has profaned the kingdom and its princes." "He has profaned the kingdom" this is Zedekiah king of Judah; "and its princes" these are the princes above.